However, there was an unfrozen area on the far side of the Long Water, and the whole family of Mute Swans came down it to see what was going on around their nest area -- the workmen have still not returned. The swans can't get to their new island at the moment because it is surrounded by ice.
The people from Bluebird boats had started up the electric boat and were circling on the Serpentine to clear an area of ice. However, this Coot and Tufted Duck had their own icebreaker, a large male swan which they were following closely.
The Round Pond was three-quarters frozen, and the Scaup had left. It may be elsewhere in the park, but I couldn't find it.
The Great Crested Grebes are always wary of being iced in and leave for the river if there is a danger of it. However, they were all still here today -- six on the Long Water, two on the Serpentine -- and perhaps they sense that the weather will warm a little during the next few days. This one had been fishing under the ice near the Serpentine island, and was having a preen and a flap.
The three Canada-Greylag hybrid geese, not seen for a while, were back on the Serpentine. They always keep together and are certainly siblings, although they don't look much alike. The one on the left has an intensely speckled head and a speckled body. The middle one has a pattern quite like its Canada father. And the one on the right is intermediate.
Charlie and Melissa the Carrion Crows followed me all the way from the Round Pond to Rima, demanding peanuts. This is Melissa on the fence in front of Rima. Her feet are paler than Charlie's.
The male Tawny Owl was in his usual place enjoying the sunshine after a freezing night.
Here is a picture of a Robin in the leaf yard, for no reason except that Robins are beautiful.
I've noticed how the Great, Blue and Coal Tits nibble delicately at their pine nuts whilst the Robins swallow theirs in one eager gulp. Has this something to do with the Robins' feet not being as agile as the Tits? ( should we call them feet? ) Sue.
ReplyDeleteI think it's simply that Robins can swallow larger things. See my picture in the post for 16 January where one is dealing with a full-sized earthworm.
DeleteThere is a Rattling Crow article from last year "Great tit holding seed" linking to a journal paper on birds that can hold food, and the varying capabilities or tendencies of species and individuals. This paper mentions how some birds that can hold food peck by the side of the toes, while others can peck between their toes. I wonder if some of this depends on birds' close-focus or binocular capablities, so they can co-ordinate bill-to-foot transfer and then avoid pecking their own foot. I would expect tits to be stronger on this than robins, since tits appear habitually take smaller prey and identify it at closer range. Could there be a trade-off with reactivity to predators, hence unlike robins, tits normally feed with at least one companion and goldfinches in a larger number? Jim n.L.
DeleteOne factor is the strength of the bird's feet. Tits have very strong feet for their size, which they need to walk along the underside of branches. When a Great Tit perches on your finger it is like being gripped by a tiny mole wrench. Robins, which feed mainly on the ground, have rather weak feet and alarmingly thin legs.
DeleteDidn't there use to be four of these hybrid geese, and any info on what happened to the fourth, if I got that right? How old are these ones anyway and have any tried to pair off whether with each other or different geese? Jim
ReplyDeleteYes, there were, and the fourth was a lightly built speckled bird like the two here. I have not seen it for at least a year and fear that it may have perished. I have pictures of the four taken in 2012.
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