Monday 1 August 2016

There are now half a dozen Cormorants on the lake. They have realised that this year's young fish have grown large enough to be worth hunting. This one was asleep on a post near the island, probably digesting a heavy meal.


The teenage Great Crested Grebe was also fishing.


It goes round and round the edge of the Serpentine, sometimes also coming on to the Long Water, always fishing in the shallows. This seems to be an easier method for an inexperienced young bird, since they use it predominantly. Older and more experienced grebes know where the fish are, so they tend to stay in the same place.

The Coots' nest in the middle of the Long Water, which came loose from its moorings and fell to pieces, has been rebuilt and nesting is in full swing again.


It would be pleasing to think that the arch over the top was a defence against swooping gulls. But it's probably accidental, and the result of not being able to get a large curved twig to lie flat.

The Black Swan was with his adopted cygnet at the Diana fountain landing stage, occasionally making excursions into the open lake to shoo other swans away.


I haven't seen him with his girlfriend for some time now. The cygnet seems to be taking up all his time.

This female Red Crested Pochard at the Vista is unusually speckled. Usually they are an even shade of cappuccino brown. Perhaps she is moulting some old grubby feathers and growing new bright ones.


A young Carrion Crow was begging loud and long for food. I think the expression on its parent's face means 'For heaven's sake give me a peanut so I can shut this brat up for a few minutes.'


A young Starling at the Lido restaurant was quite content with a bit of pizza.


The male Little Owl near the leaf yard was on his usual branch, an awkward place for a picture since you have to wait till he turns round to look at you.


The male Little Owl near the Albert Memorial was in an oak tree a few yards from his nest tree.


One of the owlets could be seen in a horse chestnut.


A young Reed Warbler came out of the reeds near the bridge for a few moments.


A few feet away, a Green-Veined White butterfly (Pieris napi) rested on a leaf. Thanks to Neil Anderson for correcting my wrong identification of the species.

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