Saturday 30 September 2017

A Goldcrest looked out of a yew tree near Peter Pan.


A Chiffchaff was flying around with a flock ...


... of Long-Tailed Tits.


These flocks are often accompanied by other kinds of tit, especially Blue Tits, and also by small warblers such as Goldcrests. This is the first time I've noticed a Chiffcahff with a flock, but probably it happens often enough.

This Blackbird in a rowan tree on Buck Hill is a first-year male, already with black plumage but still to develop his yellow bill and eye ring.


A Starling at the Dell restaurant jealously guarded the bit of pizza crust it had taken from a table.


Jays are not much seen at the moment because they are busy collecting acorns and nuts and burying them for winter storage. When this one had finished its task, it happily came over to take a peanut, which it ate on the spot. Probably peanuts don't keep, and may germinate quickly if buried, though I have never seen a peanut plant growing in the park.


The second pigeon-killing Lesser Black-Backed Gull is now fully up to speed and claiming a pigeon daily. This clip was shot in its usual place on the shore below the Triangle car park.


After the gull had eaten its fill, a Carrion Crow came to finish off the last scraps.


Two Young Herring Gulls had found conkers and were playing with them, while a third looked on enviously.


(For the benefit of overseas readers, I should explain that 'conker' is the common British name for a horse chestnut seed.)

A Great Crested Grebe struck a heraldic pose while preening.


The Black Swan had a glint in his fine red eye when he saw someone about to feed him.


He was left alone by the local bullying Mute Swan, who was busy beating up one of his own species.


Feeding the Rose-Ringed Parakeets at the leaf yard is now so popular that it attracts visitors from other eras.

5 comments:

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    1. I saw several Klingons in the park in December 2002, when they had a Star Trek event.

      Around this time, I was having lunch with my girlfriend in the Audley pub in Mayfair when Patrick Stewart came in. He ordered some food at the bar and sat down with his drink. Soon the waiter arrived and looked around. Seeing Stewart, he said, 'Ah, you're ...'
      Look of pleased anticipation on Stewart's face.
      '... the large fish and chips.'
      I have seldom seen anyone look so crestfallen.

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  2. Jays are invaluable 'gardeners' here. They hide acorns in several places, and then promptly forget where they put it. The hidden or buried acorn sprouts and sooner than you know, up pops a new holm oak sapling.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jays are supposed to be good at remembering where they buried things, but they must forget many of the thousands of acorns they bury.

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