But instead they started nuzzling each other affectionately ...
... and went into a full courtship display.
It seemed odd to see these aggressive birds in an amorous mood, and odder to see it at this time of year, long after they have finished nesting.
The Mute Swan family on the Long Water were eating reeds, pecking at the tender tips of the leaves.
One of the young ones strayed too close to the heron in its usual fishing spot below the marble fountain, and got savagely pecked.
Their father is still regrowing his flight feathers after moulting, but the mother is back in flying order. She is doing most of the fighting at the moment, when other swans invade the lake.
The Black Swan came over to the Vista with the cygnet, and they gracefully accepted a digestive biscuit apiece.
The cygnet has a fierce bite, unlike the Black Swan who takes things gently.
One of the Great Crested Grebe chicks came over and started fishing. It didn't catch anything, and it still depends on its parents for food.
An Egyptian Goose was having a vigorous wash on the Serpentine.
Several Jackdaws came to the Italian Garden to be given peanuts. One of them stopped for a moment on a stone crown.
A Starling was inspecting a nest hole in a plane tree near the small boathouses that has been used several times. There is always a risk of being driven out by Rose-Ringed Parakeets.
The male Little Owl near the leaf yard was out on his favourite branch.
This bee landed on Johanna yesterday while she was taking a picture. After looking it up, I think it's a Tree Bumblebee, Bombus hypnorum, a mainland European species that has only been in Britain for 15 years.
The two herons are a make and female who nest at the top of the island trees. I see them mostly in the mornings and they always start doing the courtship thing whenever they happen to be near each other.
ReplyDeleteSorry should read male and female.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I knew there were at least two pairs, but whenever I have seen them they have been at best standoffish.
DeleteThe Cygnet is picking up all the bad habits of the (ex-) Girlfriend, biting the hand that feeds him.
ReplyDeleteJudging by the way he is already, I think he'll be worse, a real finger crusher.
DeleteRalph, your photo of the Starling inspecting a nest hole in a plane tree is just so BEAUTIFUL...the colours brilliant!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's all down to the Starling. People don't pay enough attention to these gorgeously iridescent birds.
DeleteWonderful shot of the growing feathers on the mute swan. The first time I read about how the male and female of a breeding pair moult in stages, first one then the other, so that there is always an adult with full fighting weapons I was amazed!
ReplyDeleteWonder how they do it. It's the exact opposite of the well known phenomenon of women in institutions menstruating in unison. Some very nifty hormone regulation must be needed.
Delete