Tuesday 4 April 2017

A Willow Warbler sang in a tree on the Serpentine side of the bridge.


So did a Blackcap on the other side of the bridge.


At the bottom of the same tree, a Robin fed his mate. Sorry this is such a poor picture, but it captures a moment. The male Robin, at the back, has closed his eye with the nictitating membrane ('third eyelid') in case his mate accidentally pecks it in her haste.


A Starling was gathering nesting material under the plane trees next to the old boathouses.


It carried it into a hole in the tree.


It's good to see that not all the holes have been nabbed by Rose-Ringed Parakeets. Probably this one is too small for them.

A Moorhen was also carrying nesting material up a tree.


There's usually a Moorhen nest in the willow tree near the bridge, but this was at the opposite corner of the bridge near the Big Bird statue.

A Jackdaw gave me a severe stare from a chestnut tree near the leaf yard.


The pair of Grey Herons from the lowest nest on the island tried to perch on the same post. There wasn't enough room, and one lost its footing and had to fly off.


Judging from the behaviour of this pair, there are young birds in the nest. The adults are no longer sitting, and stand on the edge of the nest, sometimes looking down. But I haven't yet seen an adult bringing food, which would make it certain.

The Canada Goose that laid eggs on the tern raft in the Long Water is now sitting on them.


All three Egyptian Goose families are in good order. Blondie was preening, and while her attention was distracted the young ones strayed along the edge of the lake,


She had to come running to call them back.


Virginia reports that there are three Egyptians sitting on eggs around the Round Pond, due to hatch in a week or ten days. There is also a nest in a tree in the Diana fountain enclosure.

The Little Owl was looking out of the oak tree near the Albert Memorial.


This picture is almost the same as yesterday's, and many others, but an owl a day keeps the psychiatrist away.

Rabbits have hardly been seen recently in their place near the Henry Moore sculpture, but there was one today.


The population fluctuates wildly. It's a battle of rabbits' fertility against the foxes and endemic myxomatosis.

The Mute Swans nesting next to the Diana fountain landing stage have decorated their nest with some tatty objects including a piece of clear plastic and a wooden heart edged with basketwork, which seems to have been the base of a clump of Nowruz plants.


On the other side of the lake, a Coot had also got a wooden heart.


I feel an Elvis song coming on.

But the white-faced Blackbird likes us to know that she is a cultured creature.

4 comments:

  1. Good job finding the Willow Warbler.
    They have the best birdsong in the UK in my opinion, and can only be seen in Spring/Summer.
    Have their been many butterflies yet?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes: Brimstone, Peacock, Comma, Red Admiral.

      Delete
  2. Nice Photos!
    I'm going to visit Hyde park tomorrow morning. hoping to see the Little Owl near the Albert Memorial and get some good Photos.

    //Mikael (Sweden)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good luck. There's a blog entry for 21 January 2017, here, with a map showing how to find the Albert Memorial Little Owl.

      Delete