Friday 2 September 2016

A flock of Long-Tailed Tits at the bottom of Buck Hill ...


... had attracted the usual hangers-on: some Blue Tits ...


... and a Coal Tit.


There were also three warblers: a male Blackcap ...


... and his mate ...


... and, surprisingly, a Reed Warbler, a long way from any reeds.


I'm not sure whether these were following the flock, or just happened to be there. I've seen Goldcrests, which are also warblers though much smaller than these, following a tit flock.

A Robin objected to them perching in its tree, and came out and sang loudly at them, frightening them all away.


Three Magpies were eating a rat under the sculpture -- more like Ted Hughes than Henry Moore.


The young Grey Wagtail appeared in the Dell again, on a rock below the small waterfall.


Its parent appeared, and the young bird chased it up to the large waterfall. It's impossible to see where they go here, probably under the little plank bridge where their nest probably is.

Another pair of Moorhens have built a nest in the stream in the Dell. This one is below the small waterfall, and easier to see than the first.


The original family with three chicks were also in the Dell.

The Black Swan was with the adopted cygnet on the gravel bank in the Long Water, but not doing anything interesting enough to photograph.

The male Little Owl near the leaf yard was dozing on his usual branch when he was attacked by three Magpies. He retreated into the nest hole, a very dark place in the shadow of the leaves where he was only just visible.


The plastic owl at Bluebird Boats has lost any bird-scaring effect it may have had originally.

2 comments:

  1. Ooh, that Long Tailed Tit is such a little spherical cutie!

    Great picture demonstrating the appropriate measure of respect afforded by gulls to human ordinances: "Pfffffft!".

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    Replies
    1. My favourite picture of disrespectful birds is of a Great Crested Grebe in front of the 'No diving' notice at the Lido.

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