Sunday 18 December 2016

A Wren was calling loudly from a rose bush in the Rose Garden.


The same bush also contained a Dunnock ...


... and a Blackcap.


There are only a few resident Blackcaps in the park. Most of those you see are summer migrants.

A plane tree just to the south of the Rose Garden, next to the central south gate, often has Goldfinches in it. They are always at the top of the tree and hard to see, let alone photograph, but their chattering draws attention to them.


According to a notice in the Rose Garden, the circular space with benches represents the mouth of a trumpet, and the curved flower beds are 'swirling music' coming out of it. A Robin in the circle was doing his best to add some real music to this daft conceit.


A short way up the hill, beside the Dell, a Mistle Thrush was busily catching worms, ignoring passing people going to the funfair. It is splendidly well camouflaged among fallen leaves, and no one was looking at it.


The Grey Heron at the east end of the Serpentine has abandoned the restaurant terrace, as few people are sitting out on it now. Instead it has gone down into the Dell and is trying to catch small fish in the stream. There are some, perhaps because they get swept over the weir and come down the waterfall, but most of the fish here are big old carp, too large for a heron to eat.


A Cormorant was doing quite well next to the bridge.


A Moorhen found a tangerine at the edge of the Lido restaurant terrace, but didn't recognise it as edible and went away.


A flock of Egyptian Geese flew out of the Diana fountain and came down on the lake.


The female Little Owl near the Albert Memorial is only dimly visible when she sits at the back of the hole, but it would be a shame not to have a picture of her when she's there.


The male owl in the lime tree on Buck Hill was on view too. These owls used to be very shy, but at least the male tolerates being photographed now.

4 comments:

  1. Hi Ralph. Ringing has shown that blackcaps seen in winter here breed on the continent, or at least are most likely to. Anyway still good to see one. Jim

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    1. Thanks for the information. I suppose it's like Shovellers: some arrive, others leave.

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  2. Wonderful Robin, showing with its sweet music how short we come up against a true and born master.

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    1. And almost the only birdsong we hear in winter, so all the more welcome.

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