Thursday 26 May 2016

The female Mute Swan from the island brought her cygnets over to Peter Pan for the first time, where of course they were irresistible and several people fed them.


Meanwhile her mate charged down the lake to clear away the other swans, and drove them beyond the Vista.


The Black Swan doesn't need any prompting to come over for food.


Jorgen pointed out that his new flight feathers are coming out pure white. The set he has just moulted had black tips. This is a sign that he is still a young bird coming into his first fully adult plumage.

There is a new brood of seven Canada goslings on the Serpentine, and surprisingly the sole survivor of the earlier brood was with them. Canadas are known to share the care of their young. It is not clear which set of parents was looking after them.


Blondie the Egyptian Goose still has her six young. Here they are near Bluebird Boats, straggling all over the place, without any attempt to round them up. It's amazing that they have survived so long.


The Great Crested Grebes from the nest on the island have taken up station next to the solar boat, one parent looking after the chick while the other goes off to find small fish for it.


They seem to be getting enough food. In the Italian Garden ponds, where it's possible to see young fish, there are some little perch just the right size for a grebe chick.

The young Grey Heron in the nest on the island is flexing his growing wings. He will be out of the nest soon.


In the willow tree near the Italian Garden, a Grey Wagtail was looking for insects on a branch. These birds are bright and conspicuous when they are running along the tarmac edge of the lake, but in their natural habitat they are very well camouflaged.


A female Blackcap was in a tree beside the Long Water, making its unmistakable loud tut-tut call at some unseen predator.


Several Wrens were also visible here.


One of the Nuthatches in the leaf yard is now regularly coming to feed from people's hands.


The Little Owl was in the nearby chestnut tree, on his favourite branch, enjoying a moment's peace from the Magpies.

2 comments:

  1. Does the Black Swan's youth (and I presume inexperience) account for his having a Mute Swan girlfriend, I wonder?

    The picture of the mother Swan with her irresistible cygnets ought to be turned into a desktop wallpaper. Lovely.

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    Replies
    1. Young swans of both species are grey, as the girlfriend was when he first met her. Impossible to say more than that.

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