Thursday 31 December 2015

The Black Swan is in Regent's Park. I went to check, and he greeted me at once and came over for a biscuit. I fear he didn't go willingly -- people have absurd notions about 'owning' birds -- and hope he will come back. He certainly knows the way.


While I was there I photographed a Little Grebe. We see too few of them on our own lake, though I think we have one permanent resident on the Long Water, silent because there is no other Little Grebe for it to call to.


Back on home territory, some Coots were fighting on the Serpentine.


The usual Shoveller, one of very few on the lake at the moment, was foraging at the edge of the water near the island. He is an immature drake, just beginning to grow his adult green head feathers.


We've had a lot of pictures of Great Crested Grebes swimming over the carpet of dead leaves at the Serpentine outflow, but I can't resist one more. Their speed and elegance under water make an exhilarating sight.


A Black-Headed Gull was happily picking up and throwing down a bit of filthy old rag.


The usual little birds came out to be fed in the leaf yard, including a Nuthatch ...


... a Coal Tit ...


... a Blue Tit ...


... and a Robin.


They have now learnt that they should keep away from the place where people feed the Ring-Necked Parakeets, and you will find most of them a hundred yards up the hill.

A pair of foxes were making a tremendous racket on the west side of the Long Water, and it looks as if we may have another litter of cubs soon.

A very happy New Year to you all, and thanks for reading the blog.

14 comments:

  1. A cracking set of photos to round off the year! Thanks Ralph.

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    1. Thanks for reading, and a very happy New Year to you.

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  2. Do you mean someone from Regents Park came to fetch the Black Swan back?!
    Happy New Year , anyway!

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    1. Yes, I think so. But it's odd they took so long. There is a flying Bar-Headed Goose in Regent's Park which sometimes comes to the Serpentine, and it is always seized within a day of arrival. Happy New Year to you too.

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  3. Wishing you a very happy new year Ralph.

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  4. Oh no! I hope he makes his way back. I want to see some hybrid cygnets this coming year.

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  5. Happy New Year
    Hopefully we will see the Black Swan return!

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  6. Who would think that swans would be "swan napped" . Very strange behaviour.
    Thanks for all the wonderful photos Ralph. Always much enjoyed.
    Happy New Year.

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  7. RALPH, your suggestion that the Black Swan might have been returned to Regents Park by a "person/s" would no doubt mean that THEY then clipped its wings to prevent it returning to us? Did you notice anything different about either length of a wing? If not, then their action would be in vain? Here's hoping they have not cut his wings and will leave him as a free spirit to go where he choses to.
    MARIE

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    1. Don't worry. They day before I photographed it, it was seen flying, chasing some Mute Swans in an understandable fit of temper.

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  8. Gazing mournfully at his own diminished reflection. Clearly not happy off his Hyde Park patch! Glad to have him back. A Happy New Year to you Ralph.

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