Wednesday 23 November 2016

The Rose-Ringed Parakeets at the leaf yard are being spoilt rotten by visitors. Someone had put a whole bagful of apples along the spikes of the railings ...


... and there was even a bunch of grapes.


They do, however, have competition. Thanks to Tom for this good picture.


There's no competition if you're the biggest bird. This Herring Gull was eyed enviously by the surrounding Black-Headed Gulls but was not challenged for ownership of its bit of bread.


After Sunday's view of young Herring Gulls learning the worm dance, here is one trying it out. It had got the foot action just right, but despite repeated lunges that got its bill covered in earth, it didn't manage to get a worm during the five minutes I was watching it.


A Redwing in a tree on Buck Hill had also been digging for worms.


There was a Goldcrest in the Rose Garden. It was being very elusive in the rose bushes, and this was the best picture I could manage.


A Blue Tit posed in a red American oak tree near the leaf yard.


A Magpie was having a bath in the Serpentine.


One of the Little Owls near the Albert Memorial was looking out of the hole in the oak tree. It's impossible not to take almost the same picture every time, but it's good to see this elegant bird again.


It always seems strange to see two Grey Herons close together and not fighting. But these are mates, one of the two pairs that nested on the Serpentine island earlier this year.


Most of the Shovellers that were on the lake seem to have moved on. But there were two at the east end of the Serpentine.


The Egyptian Geese have started their winter game of posing on the tops of dead trees and calling. It my have something to do with finding a future nest site, and with establishing a territory. If a pair are claiming a tree, any other Egyptians that come too near are chased off.

5 comments:

  1. Ralph, as always, you carry the thread of the park stories along superbly. ~Johanna

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your kind words. But really all you have to do with these creatures is watch and photograph.

      Delete
  2. Ralph, you are TOO modest. What I and I'm sure most of your readers so enjoy are precisely the stories that you weave around the creatures and that's not just down to "point and shoot". You have a very special talent for story writing and I look forward daily to your photos AND commentary.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Seconded and thirded. Were it not for Ralph, this wouldn't be half so entertaining.

      Delete