Wednesday 27 August 2014

It was an uneventful day. There was a very distant glimpse of one of the Hobbies hunting over the Diana children's playground; the Swallows that they were chasing yesterday had moved on, though later when I went to Chiswick I found a few over the river. The Little Owl was not on view. So all I can offer is some very ordinary pictures.

The Moorhens in the Italian Garden have four chicks in their newest brood, plus the three from two earlier broods. Two of the youngest chicks were already climbing around the water plants on their enormous feet.


The chick from the second brood, which I had photographed being chased away yesterday, was back in favour and being attended to by a parent.


In the next pond, one of the five young Coots was diving to collect algae from the bottom.


All the Great Crested Grebe chicks could be seen, and also heard incessantly calling for food. This is the single chick at the east end of the Serpentine, waiting behind one of the floaing baskets of water plants for a parent to bring it a fish.


On another floating basket, a Grey Heron was striking a commanding pose.


The father of the seven young Mute Swans was having a vigorous wash and flap on the Serpentine and all the young birds were copying him. None of them has managed to take off yet, at least while I have been watching.


Autumn is definitely here, and this female Blackbird was rummaging in the newly fallen leaves, looking for insects and worms.

2 comments:

  1. Nice ordinary photos nonetheless. What odd creatures little moorhens are.

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    1. I always wonder how their legs fit into the egg.

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