tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post3757931161699993782..comments2024-03-27T19:59:10.159+00:00Comments on Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park birds: Ralph Hancockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11686354797977020917noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-22435101867222927402018-01-03T12:41:09.777+00:002018-01-03T12:41:09.777+00:00It was different from the usual flocking where the...It was different from the usual flocking where they circle and weave around one another in flight. The mass moved as one just like starlings - swooping down to the lake, swerving. ascending steeply, breaking into different groups and gracefully joining up again. Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10529596094957534682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-31324726729086386972018-01-03T10:40:04.002+00:002018-01-03T10:40:04.002+00:00Do they come from the sea? A few of them have been...Do they come from the sea? A few of them have been seen lording it out in landfills and terrorizing the native population even in the hinterland here, about 400 miles away from the nearest coastline.<br /><br />If they do ever get around to changing their scientific name, they ought to call them Tyrannolarus somatophylax (I've always been reminded of ginormous aggressive vacant-stared door bouncers whenever I see these gulls).TinĂºvielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04794275230697959519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-37819686758387802662018-01-02T23:31:10.010+00:002018-01-02T23:31:10.010+00:00I've also seen this recently earlier in the af...I've also seen this recently earlier in the afternoon, around 2 pm. I wondered whether they were gathering to circle in the last thermal of the day to gain height before going off to spend the night somewhere.Ralph Hancockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11686354797977020917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-39358532744881863282018-01-02T23:29:26.121+00:002018-01-02T23:29:26.121+00:00Walking along the Sepentine Road at dusk today I w...Walking along the Sepentine Road at dusk today I was transfixed by a murmuration of black-headed gulls over the lake. Like a starling murmuration it just went on and on and in that same mesmerising way. I had to tear myself away before seeing where they landed but I assume on the lake and not the land. Do you know if this is a regular feature of gulls on the Serpentine and I just need to turn up at dusk to see it? Josephnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-10101075079237621332018-01-02T23:04:32.682+00:002018-01-02T23:04:32.682+00:00Yes, the last Great Black-Backed Gull we had was o...Yes, the last Great Black-Backed Gull we had was on 19 January last year. It was a first-winter one, so not the same as this bird. We seem to get them completely at random. I suppose a few come up the river, and one or two of them decide to have a look around.Ralph Hancockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11686354797977020917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-54051321792303258762018-01-02T22:22:00.854+00:002018-01-02T22:22:00.854+00:00Lovely picture of the Mexican stand-off, Robin sty...Lovely picture of the Mexican stand-off, Robin style. So pretty, so small, and yet so belligerent. <br /><br />I'm not sure that Crow knows what it's getting itself into. I don't know what would have happened had the Gull been its usual 'charming' self. I've seen clips of crows and ravens pulling Bald Eagles' tail feathers though.<br /><br />I think that was the first GBB we've had in the blog this winter?TinĂºvielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04794275230697959519noreply@blogger.com