tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post5649085342869666080..comments2024-03-29T01:41:15.713+00:00Comments on Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park birds: Ralph Hancockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11686354797977020917noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-33337348714797308182017-12-27T19:25:56.621+00:002017-12-27T19:25:56.621+00:00When Queen Mary II, wife of and joint ruler with W...When Queen Mary II, wife of and joint ruler with William III, died in 1694 at Kensington Palace, her body lay in state in Westminster Abbey. A Robin flew in and perched on the catafalque, and stayed there until she was buried.Ralph Hancockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11686354797977020917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-70515687605442269762017-12-27T19:07:42.062+00:002017-12-27T19:07:42.062+00:00There is a great deal of mythology attached to Rob...There is a great deal of mythology attached to Robins, and they are traditionally viewed as psychopomps, guides of souls -- a role which resurfaces much later in Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden. There was an old English tradition of hunting a Robin and a Wren at Christmas, with the usual medieval mixture of reverence and cruelty. A folk belief is that a Robin sang to cheer Jesus on the cross, and was splashed with blood.<br /><br />Call for the robin-redbreast and the wren, <br />Since o’er shady groves they hover <br />And with leaves and flowers do cover <br />The friendless bodies of unburied men. <br />Call unto his funeral dole<br />The ant, the field-mouse, and the mole <br />To rear him hillocks that shall keep him warm <br />And (when gay tombs are robb’d) sustain no harm; <br />But keep the wolf far thence, that’s foe to men, <br />For with his nails he’ll dig them up again. <br /><br />--- John Webster, from The White DevilRalph Hancockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11686354797977020917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-39670233095255661562017-12-27T18:57:39.308+00:002017-12-27T18:57:39.308+00:00There are still quite a lot of House Sparrows in o...There are still quite a lot of House Sparrows in outer London, especially south of the river. It's only in the centre of the city that there is this great hole, for reasons that have never been satisfactorily explained.Ralph Hancockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11686354797977020917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-72377024669950793392017-12-27T16:37:52.414+00:002017-12-27T16:37:52.414+00:00Sparrow populations are falling catastrophically i...Sparrow populations are falling catastrophically in Spain as well, well in line with the rest of western Europe, but in small towns (particularly towns with no invasion of monk parakeets) and in not too densely populated urban areas they are still going strong. <br /><br />In my turn, I so envy you your tame, bold, and trusty birds.Tinúvielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04794275230697959519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-91415874828133183002017-12-26T18:17:08.488+00:002017-12-26T18:17:08.488+00:00There are a very few colonies of House Sparrows in...There are a very few colonies of House Sparrows in central London, such as the one at Regent's Park zoo. All are sustained by people feeding them. But I don't know how you could start them visiting.Ralph Hancockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11686354797977020917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-51854641449996692212017-12-26T18:15:13.013+00:002017-12-26T18:15:13.013+00:00And thank you for reading the blog.And thank you for reading the blog.Ralph Hancockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11686354797977020917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-30982889475219959222017-12-25T23:46:01.772+00:002017-12-25T23:46:01.772+00:00how I wish we had enough sparrows in central Londo...how I wish we had enough sparrows in central London to gather.Ulrikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06022985141813875238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-47670828923401944562017-12-25T21:08:56.591+00:002017-12-25T21:08:56.591+00:00Brilliant wonderful Happy Christmas Ralph.
Thank y...Brilliant wonderful Happy Christmas Ralph.<br />Thank you for all.<br />Sanderson Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10232096629738990597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-18050479828791153112017-12-25T20:06:51.964+00:002017-12-25T20:06:51.964+00:00I'm used to seeing sparrows gather in tree bra...I'm used to seeing sparrows gather in tree branches getting ready to demolish a bagfull of bread crumbs, but I have never seen so many Great Tits gathering for that purpose. Great Tits here do not pay any heed to humans, for good or ill.<br /><br />Lovely picture of the trusting Christmas Robin eating from Ralph's hand. Why is the Robin a symbol of Christmas in the UK, I wonder? The red breast?<br /><br />Just found this delightful set of pictures of Anna Pavlova and her pet swan. It astounds me to see how loving and tame the swan looks.<br /><br />http://www.vintag.es/2017/12/fascinating-vintage-photos-of-anna.html<br />Tinúvielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04794275230697959519noreply@blogger.com