Wednesday 25 May 2016

Ahmet Amerikali sent me two fine pictures of the Goldcrests near Peter Pan building their nest, collecting moss ...


... and spider's webs.


The Great Crested Grebes from the nest on the Serpentine island were together, and the one holding the chick suddenly went into what is known as the 'cat display', spreading its wings so as to look enormous, and also perhaps to look as if it was carrying a huge load of chicks rather than just one.


It's hard to say what it meant. Usually the display is a variation on the usual courtship dance.

The female Mute Swan on the Long Water was tentatively approaching Peter Pan to see if anyone would feed her and her cygnets.


The male went ahead to make sure it was safe -- which it was not, because some idiot had let a dog run loose and it plunged into the water. The male swan quickly got rid of it, but the mood was broken and the swans went away together.


Blondie the Egyptian Goose and her family were also disturbed by a dog off the lead, and sge hastily chivvied her young into the water. She still has six, not bad considering it is her first brood.


The lake is surrounded by notices telling people to put their dogs on leads, and warning them that harassing the wildlife is against not just the park regulations but also the law. But far too many dog owners live in a little bubble of unreality where everything their pet does is clever and amusing. They become quite aggressive when challenged. Like owner, like dog, I suppose.

The Black Swan was preening beside the Serpentine. You can see his flight feathers emerging, still wrapped up in their little packets. He is also regrowing his fine ruffles. He will be as good as new in a month.


The last Mandarin duckling is still surviving near the bridge. Every day it becomes a little safer as it grows. We haven't had a fledged Mandarin here for years.


There were plenty of young Pied Wagtails running around the Round Pond and (here) the Serpentine. They are now quite independent and catching their own insects.


There were also a lot of Swifts, especially on the Round Pond. The chilly grey day had brought the insects down to the surface, so the birds were whizzing around a few inches above the water.


For a change, it was the female Little Owl who was visible in the chestnut tree.


This fair-sized brown mushroom was growing at the northwest corner of the bridge. I haven't been able to identify it.

8 comments:

  1. The mushroom is an Amanita. I would have expected to see some red colour in the exposed flesh, that would have made it Amanita rubescens (the Blusher), but I can't see it. So I'll investigate.
    Mario

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    1. Could it then be a Panther Cap, A. pantherina, with the white flecks washed off the cap by rain? It's odd that the stalk is brown. It's about 20 yards from the north side of the bridge, on the east side of the Long Water.

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    2. I think I've seen the remains of the Amanita, but it has been very extensively nibbled since your photo. Thus I'm unable to give a more precise id, though the lack of red colour would exclude the Blusher. A possible id is Amanita spissa, but I can't be sure.
      Mario

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    3. Thanks. It had completely vanished by the time I got there. Some creature is running around eating poisonous mushrooms with impunity.

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  2. Sad to see that some dog owners are the same everywhere.

    Yay for Blondie! Let's hope she keeps most of her family intact. What chances are of one of her chicks' being pale-coloured as she is?

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    1. All her chicks seem to be normal-coloured. Blondie herself was most conspicuous at that age.

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    2. You'd think the Park authorities might establish a more high-profile presence to enforce their own rules during these especially vulnerable months.

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    3. You might, but after several decades of bitter experience you would have discarded such a notion.

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