Wednesday 1 May 2019

A Greenfinch sang in a holly tree beside the Long Water. I couldn't get an angle that didn't have at least one leaf in the way.


A Blackbird sang in a tree in the Rose Garden.


One of the pair of Mistle Thrushes here perched on a branch. I think their latest nest is on the far side of Rotten Row, near the South Carriage Drive. I haven't found it but that's a good sign -- perhaps the Magpies won't either.


Two Rose-Ringed Parakeets made a symmetrical pattern on a feeder. Unfortunately they get the lion's share of the contents intended for small songbirds.


Again, three Reed Warblers were singing in the reed bed by the Diana fountain. One of them was indistinctly visible through the stems.


The male Little Owl was out on the usual oak near the Albert Memorial.


A pair of Great Crested Grebes displayed on the Serpentine. They didn't quite work up the necessary enthusiasm for doing their dance.


The pair under the willow near the bridge rested beside their newly completed nest.


The Coots rebuilding their nest at the Dell restaurant have incorporated some menus. These are laminated and waterproof, and add useful strength to the nest.


Two Coots fought at Peter Pan.


Beside the statue, the newly laid meadow turf attracted a pair of Mallards.


The area around the statue is being reopened in a few days, and I fear that the pretty wildflowers will be stamped into the ground by the thundering hooves of visitors.

A Mute Swan is nesting in one of the most dangerous places on the Long Water, the open edge on the east side where the foxes come to sunbathe.


At the Lido the Egyptian Geese with one gosling preened, and so did a pair of Gadwalls, while a Moorhen did absolutely nothing. Moorhens are masters of inactivity.


A rabbit grazed in the bluebells beside the Long Water.


A female Holly Blue butterfly perched on a daisy.


Tom was at Woodbridge Airfield in Suffolk, and sent this picture of a male Red-Footed Falcon. This bird is native to eastern Europe, North Africa and Asia Minor, and is a fairly rare visitor to Britain.

7 comments:

  1. Hi Ralph,

    I have exchanged a few messages with Hugh about the poor heron. One of the ideas would be to call the Swan Sanctuary rather than RSPB. The only issue might be to catch him as The Boathouse may have to help they have a net they used on a heron three years ago when he had some black netting around his beak and couldn't eat. Its also lucky that it is spring and not winter as it would have been harder for him to surive for the time being. He believes the heron got caught into something and managed to free itself but broke off its beak in the process.

    I am glad I got some food into him today but if the sanctuary says they cannot take him on then we will just have to see whether he can surive from donations. He actually managed to eat large piece of meat very quickly but a small one not so much. He could probably catch a large fish but not right away he takes him a little longer and fish can be quick. He however grabbed the meat steaks very fast, perhaps was starving for a while and put out more effort.

    Btw, noticed quite a few Moorhens on the lake are currently limping.

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    1. Best of luck. The people at the boathouse are always willing to help, and Mateusz the foreman is excellent.

      Moorhens do seem to get injured legs often. I think Coots may be to blame.

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  2. Jenna (if I may), you are doing God's work. Hoping a solution for the poor Heron will be found.

    I think the Swan Sanctuary takes geese besides swans. I hope they'll take the Heron as well.

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  3. What a great picture of the Red-Footed Falcon! A female of the species has been wintering here for at least three years. They used to be rarities, but for whatever reason they are spreading westwards.

    Moorhens are great philosophers, I guess.

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    1. Who can say what goes through a Moorhen's little head at these times? Possibly nothing.

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  4. Just love the sound of Reed Warblers- maybe not the most musical but for me one of the sounds of summer.

    Nice shot of the Red-footed Falcon. I wouldn't describe it as very rare as quite a few do turn up every year, though the numbers do fluctuate from year to year. Always a thrill to see one.Remember many years back a small group turned up at Stodmarsh with large numbers of Hobbies.

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    1. Yes, Reed Warbler song is very complex and detailed, and you can see real musical invention in it.

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