Tuesday 5 July 2016

The Black-Headed Gulls are returning, the first sign of approaching autumn. These were on the posts opposite Peter Pan.


The Black Swan is back with his girlfriend after neglecting her for several weeks. They were preening together on the Mute Swans' resting ground near the bridge.


She is pure white now, except for a trace of grey on top of her head.

The moulting geese that have not yet regrown their wing feathers are reduced to an undignified shuffle when chasing one that has won a bit of bread.


One of the Canada-Greylag hybrids is with the Greylags. It must have had a Greylag mother, because it thinks it's a Greylag, and the others accept it. It will be very interesting to see what happens to the three Greylag goslings that have been adopted by a pair of Canadas.

It's strange that, while the other male ducks on the lake are in eclipse and looking drab, Common Pochard drakes seem to be as smart, or almost as smart, as ever. Perhaps this one (on the right of his mate here) is a bit browner on the chest that he would be at other times of year, but he has kept his fine ginger head and grey back.


The solitary Mandarin duckling has been thoroughly spoilt by people feeding it, and comes trotting over to take a piece of biscuit. But it seems healthy enough.


This young Egyptian was not expecting food, it was just staring curiously at the camera. Luckily for the Egyptians, they are now considered so ordinary that few people give them bread, and in the past two years none of them has suffered from 'angel wing' caused by unsuitable food.


Blondie's family were beside the reed bed at the east end of the Serpentine. This is where Blondie was hatched two years ago, and where she raised her own brood. She seldom moves far away from it, though she did once spend a few days on the Round Pond.


The young Great Crested Grebe came quite close to the edge of the Serpentine -- the first chance of getting a reasonable photograph of it.


The young Great Tits are still chasing their parents around calling for food.


The female Little Owl from the nest near the leaf yard was in a horse chestnut tree overlooking the Vista.


The owlets were audible in the leaf yard, but not visible. I also hear one of the owlets from the nest near the Albert Memorial, but couldn't find it.

The wild flower patch at the back of the Lido is beginning to bloom. The strange red, white and blue flowers of borage are much liked by honeybees.


On a patch of algae in one of the Italian Garden, a tiny fly had landed in the blind spot of a Small Red-Eyed Damselfly, which would otherwise have seized and eaten it.

17 comments:

  1. That mandarin duckling is adorable. If I were to choose a cover for a children's book on animal tales, this picture would be an excellent option.

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    1. That appealing look makes it impossible to resist feeding them.

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  2. Hi Ralph
    What time did you see the Little Egret yesterday please?
    Thank you
    Frank

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    1. 12.37 pm. It was heading south along the line of the Long Water.

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  3. I do love the Grebelet photos - I have not seen a single one this year. Thank you. Their stripes and fluffy rumps always give joy!

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    1. We should have some more later. They breed very late in this park.

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  4. Many thanks Ralph. A lovely central London record.
    Frank

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  5. what do you mean - autumn?!

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    1. Easy for you to say that in the baking Spanish midsummer. But we're past the solstice and, in these cool northern latitudes, it's just beginning to show.

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    2. Speaking as one afflicted by the terrible Spanish midsummer (it was 37ºC degrees yesterday, and it's going up) - I so long for the cool, lovely English summer. There are no birds to be seen now, and everything that lives is hiding from the heat ("my" sparrows are sometimes taking shelter under my car). Only cicadas and those valiant high-flying swifts can be heard now. Grass is always greener!

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    3. Pity we can't set up a pipeline to even things out a bit.

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    4. (and I can't think about autumn yet)

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    5. Ulrike, welcome to the Big Smoke. If you'd like a tour round the lake, I can meet you on any day at the south end of the Serpentine bridge at 11.30 am.

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  6. I think there's some muddle-up. I've lived here for 36 years...

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    1. I think I've met you. But you sounded as if you'd just arrived.

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  7. yes , we've met in the park.

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