Friday 26 August 2016

The Great Crested Grebes from the nest near Peter Pan, who have one chick, had come over to the shallow water just offshore from the statue. The chick was begging loudly ...


... and its parents were diving to get fish for it ...


... but the chick was quite adept enough to catch a damselfly by itself. This last picture was taken by Tom Bell.


Eventually the peace was disturbed by the arrival of the pair from the bridge.


They were followed by the other pair from the reed bed, and there was a good deal of territorial posturing before both tired of the game and went away, leaving the original pair still in place.

The Black Swan was also throwing his weight around on the Long Water, threatening some Mute Swans that had come under the bridge from the Serpentine.


This attracted the attention of the dominant Mute Swan, who arrived in full threat posture and sent them all packing.


There were two Kingfishers on the Long Water, chasing each other -- are they mates or rivals? One of them perched briefly on a post across the lake from Peter Pan. Again, this fine picture is by Tom.


Also at Peter Pan, a young Black-Headed Gull was playing with a leaf.


The Tufted duckling was out on the Serpentine with its mother, bustling around and diving and looking noticeably bigger than when last seen.


One of the Moorhens in the Italian Garden was having a shower under the fountain. You would think this deluge was too much for a smallish bird, but the Moorhen seemed to be enjoying it.


A flock of Mistle Thrushes visited the rowan trees at the top of Buck Hill.


None of the Little Owls were visible when I first went by but, as I was going home past the Albert Memorial, I heard one of the owlets calling.


This was lucky, as they have been silent for several days and their departure seems imminent. Soon it will be quite hard to get pictures of any of them.

8 comments:

  1. I wasn't aware that Little Owls were migrating birds. Ours tend to stay put, although they might travel a handful of miles north or south to spend winter. Our Screeh Owls do winter in Africa, do. Where will the Little Owls go?

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    1. They aren't. I meant that the parents will kick out the owlets to fend for themselves, and after that the parents will be quiet and surreptitious until the whole theatre repeats itself next spring.

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  2. Sadly, there was a dead Lesser Black-backed Gull in the Serpentine between the boathouses and the bridge this afternoon

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    1. Oh dear, I hope it isn't our notorious friend.

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    2. The notorious should not considered friends! Jim n.L.

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    3. Oh God, I hope it's not him. Please let us know if there is any development.

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    4. some of my best friends are notorious.

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    5. And I'm very happy to say that Old Notorious is alive and well.

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