Correction: Tom says it's a Wren. Hard to tell with tiny chicks but there does seem to be a hint of a white stripe above the eye.
A Wren was making a tremendous noise in the Dell -- it wasn't clear what it was protesting at, as the only other bird in sight was a harmless Great Tit.
A large flock of Long-Tailed Tits passed through the trees at the bottom of Buck Hill. They had several Blue Tits and, I think, a Chiffchaff tagging along with them.
There were Mistle Thrushes all over the grass on Buck Hill.
Close up, most of them are looking tatty. But this is a good sign, as it shows they have been nesting, and they will be as smart as ever in a month or two.
One of the Little owlets near the Albert Memorial posed obligingly on a branch of the usual horse chestnut tree.
The Tufted duckling was busily diving on the south side of the Serpentine.
Flocks of Greylag Geese were flying up and down the lake.
The Black Swan and the adopted cygnet were working their way along the edge, where there were plenty of Sunday visitors to feed and photograph them.
Near the island, a Great Crested Grebe neatly dodged a demanding chick that had just been fed and gave a fish to another one.
There are five Moorhen chicks in the Dell. You can just see the fifth among the plants at the far right.
They can swim quite fast with their big unwebbed feet. The action is the same as running, and works surprisingly well.
Surprising creature, that Robin! We take for granted their miraculous gift of flight, even when they are so small.
ReplyDeleteGreat Tits are not as harmless as they look, although perhaps in the Isles they are more peaceful. I won't post a link to it because it is disturbing in the extreme, but there is substantial focumentation of their attacking and killing other small birds in wintertime when protein and fat are hard to come by.
Well, all creatures are brutal when necessary. You don't secure your place in the world by being Mr Nice Tit.
DeleteTo lighten up the mood a bit, I cannot imagine how a tiny little Wren could display a menacing behaviour. "Fear my awe-inspiring, dangerous perfect sphericity!" while it fluffes up its lovely feathers, perhaps.
DeleteI suppose that the point is that it sounds like a much larger bird.
DeleteNear the Albert Memorial there is a path with several solitary wasps nesting there. Here is a photo of a Astata boops female.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.flickr.com/photos/14586608@N08/28331738703/in/album-72157672285312076/
I am not sure how to post this photo in a better way.
These are quite difficult to photograph as they are camera shy and are more active when it is very sunny - and you can get cooked while photographing them
Very interesting picture, thanks. Please may I use it on the blog, properly credited to you of course? No need to send anything, as I can grab the screen image.
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