... so that sometimes it was chased off by gulls. Little Grebes are readier to fly, or at least skim across the water, than larger grebes. If they need to, they can get airborne after a run of only a yard or two.
On Sunday Africa Gómez, who runs the excellent blog on bird behaviour called The Rattling Crow, asked me whether the Chaffinches in the rowan tree on Buck Hill were discarding the outside of the berries and just eating the seeds. Today I got a picture of one -- a male this time -- shredding off the outside of the berry, which he spat out.
A female Blackbird in the same tree was happy to swallow the berries whole.
Blackbirds, and thrushes generally, are fond of fruit and will even eat halved apples and peeled bananas if these are put out for them.
The other Lesser Black-Backed Gull that I recently saw eating a Feral Pigeon is definitely hunting them. Yesterday and today I saw it stalking pigeons on the north shore of the Serpentine between the Triangle car park and the small boathouses.
I haven't yet seen it having any successes, or even a near miss, but will keep watching.
The male Little Owl was again in the chestnut tree next to the nest tree.
A visit to the Metropole Hilton hotel on the corner of the Edgware Road and the Marylebone flyover found one of the Peregrines in the usual place at the top of the tower. It is impossible to get a good photograph, as you have to take it from across the road, at a distance of 500 feet.
These are Fairy Ring mushrooms (Marasmius oreades), growing on Buck Hill. At present they are in a compact clump, but over the years it will spread out into a proper ring.
Note the characteristic arrangement of alternate long and short gills. They are edible, though not very interesting. Country people used to collect them and string them on a thread by their tough stems, and hang them up to dry for an addition to winter soups and stews.
Yes!
ReplyDeleteMario
hi ralph. always fascinating. thamks. do you think it's the same little grebe that normally like to poke around in the reeds around the end of the italian gardens? such an attractive bird 'in the flesh'?
ReplyDeleteMark W2
Interesting question -- I was wondering myself. But no, I think they are different. The bird on the Long Water had an off-white gape, and the new one has a yellow gape. Andy Sunters thinks the new one is a first-year bird -- they grow up quickly -- and may well be right.
Deletethanks ralph. beautiful nonetheless. as i tend to walk by the italian gardens more i hope it discovers them. i
ReplyDeletehave been hoping we would see more redwings but it seems there are less reports of them generally this year? shame as i am always excited to see them. even though they are a pimped up thrush???
Mark W2
It does seem to be a poor year for Redwings. Searching the London Bird Club Wiki shows relatively small numbers all in outer London. But in other years they have come right in, and I have seen over 200 near the Royal Hospital in Chelsea, and over 100 in Westbourne Park. Does the lack of them reflect the recent mild weather, so that they haven't needed to migrate here?
DeleteThe background you have given on the Lesser Black Backed predator is so fascinating I was prompted to hang around this afternoon to watch its strategy and was lucky enough (if that's the right word) to see it take a feral pigeon (around 1500). I was so affected by what I saw that it I had to keep watching till the bird had been finished off. This was because it didn't die by drowning, it died in the process of being eaten and it took about ten minutes to finally succumb. The carcase wasn't brought to land, the scant remains were left floating in the lake. I found it a touch distressing and wrote it up as soon as I got home. It's too long for a comment section but is there anywhere I can post it?
ReplyDeleteI don't think that there is an upper limit on comments on this blog, and I'm sure readers would be be interested to see your account, and I certainly would. So why not post it here -- or on tomorrow's blog if you don't have time tonight? (It's always best to put comments on the latest page, whatever the subject. Old posts attract less attention.)
DeleteBy the way, was this the original pigeon-eating gull, which usually works around the Dell restaurant, or the one that has just taken up hunting, pictured in today's blog? The first one has distinctive deep yellow legs, the colour of custard. The second has more conventional pale yellow legs, a slightly dusty primrose colour.
DeleteGood point. It was the original one that works around the Dell restaurant. Thanks for the advice. I'll post tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteGlad to see the peregrines are still about , I have been looking as I leave paddington with a fare on board but to no avail .
ReplyDeleteWas concerned as I have noticed the building which I believe they nested on is being dismantled
Hopefully catch up with you soon
Alan ( taxi driver )
The Peregrines left the old tall building in Eastbourne Terrace some time ago, maybe disturbed by the noise of the Crossrail building site. The last place I know they were spending the night was Trellick Tower -- no distance for a Peregrine -- but that was last year and they may have moved again. They have stayed faithful to their day roost on the Metropole Hilton at the corner of Edgware Road and the Marylebone flyover, but of course they aren't always there as they are likely to be flying about. Best place to see them is from outside the police station at the NW corner of the intersection, but if you are using binoculars you should go down the steps of the pedestrian tunnel as the cops get a bit interested in people looking at the hotel. I was actually stopped and questioned, and have a comic 'No Crime Notice' in my wallet to prove my innocence.
DeleteHope to see you in the park soon.