Sunday 3 May 2015

The pigeon-eating Lesser Black-Backed Gull has struck again. It swam to the edge of the lake and seized a Feral Pigeon that was walking along the shore, almost under my feet. Then it dragged it into the water and drowned it. It was all over in 45 seconds.


A Great Crested Grebe was also doing a bit of hunting along the submerged wire baskets of twigs near the bridge.


These baskets act as hatcheries for perch, but it unlikely that this year's fry would be large enough to interest a grebe.

The Moorhens' nest on the post just above the baskets is still going, and today the male bird was bringing the female twigs, which are not actually much use here but make the place feel like home.


There were many Swifts, Swallows and House Martins over the lake this morning. The House Martins have settled into their nesting places under the cornice of the Kuwaiti Embassy.


This is one of the pair of Goldcrests in the yew bush between Peter Pan and the Italian Garden.


One of the pair of Green Woodpeckers that lives on the Vista was posing elegantly on a tree ner the leaf yard.


The male Tawny Owl was in his usual place on the tree next to the nest tree.


And here is the male Little Owl guarding the entrance to his own nest.


A fox cub reacts to the news of the royal baby.

3 comments:

  1. Great photos again! Thank you for directing us to the Tawny Owl today1 we got some good shots considering how high up he was and all the foliage on the tree now!
    Where did you spot the fox cub?

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    1. The fox family is on the west side of the Long Water between the bridge and the Vista, in a bramble patch. Look for flattened grass in front of the brambles where they have been rolling. This is also where the Cetti's Warbler is, higher up of course.

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    2. Thank you, we will look out for them next time we are in the park!

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