But the next moment he sprang to his feet, dashed at a pigeon that was bathing at the edge, and bore it into the lake. The pigeons are normally wary of the gull, but this one probably hadn't even noticed a reclining grey bird, not all that unlike a pigeon in that position.
The pigeon struggled to get free, but after a few seconds the gull bit through its spinal cord. At least he kills his victims quickly.
An hour later the pigeon had been reduced to a bare carcass. Presumably the gull's mate attended the meal, though when I took this picture she was on the restaurant roof.
This really is a very clever bird. The other Lesser Black-Backed Gulls that are starting to catch pigeons are far less successful, and this may be not entirely because of lack of experience, but because they lack his grasp of strategy.
Charlie and Melissa the Carrion Crows also have their methods. They appear together ...
... and you try to put down a peanut for each of them. But of course one of them, usually Charlie as here, flies down and takes them both.
So you have to wait for him to fly away with them before feeding the other one. In this way two birds get three peanuts, and even the second bird down is no worse off than if she or he had observed human rules.
On a dank grey December day, a Great Tit was singing loudly as it foraged for insects in the plane trees at the edge of Park Lane.
A pair of Mute Swans were also ignoring the season, courting on the Serpentine.
A Cormorant was washing furiously on the Long Water.
Six Gadwalls were cruising around at the Serpentine outflow, but wouldn't pose for a group shot.
Two very dark Mallard drakes with broad white bibs were together on the Round Pond. No doubt they are brothers.
Both the Little Owls near the Henry Moore sculpture could be seen on their lime tree.
This is the Kingfisher bank that is under construction on the Long Water. It is a huge affair over twenty feet wide, and will have thirty readymade holes for the birds to nest in.
Now all we need is thirty pairs of Kingfishers.
That was absolutely incredible. That Gull's intelligence is off the charts. This ought to be in an ornithology book!
ReplyDeleteLovely picture of the courting Swans to cheer up a truly distressing day.
The gull can't have learnt this bit of leopard-like behaviour. He must have made it up for himself somehow.
DeleteYou must have enough material for a cracking photo essay on this subject if nothing else Ralph. How about contacting BBC Wildlife Magazine?
DeleteThank you for the advice about the nuthatches the other day. I have not had any success yet. The gull photos are amazing, you should send them to a magazine.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck with the nuthatch. I'm sure it will appear.
DeleteI'm perfectly happy with the blog. I spent too much of my life involved with magazines.
Delete"Now all we need is thirty pairs of Kingfishers. "
ReplyDeleteI really hope so. 'If we build it they will come' and all that.
Kingfishers are highly territorial aren't they? More than one pair in such proximity would be astonishing. Has someone confused kingfishers with sand martins perhaps?
DeleteThey do seem to nest together in artificial sites with many holes. Perhaps they are only territorial about favourite fishing stations.
DeleteThanks, I'm surprised. I would think that nest sites and fishing rights were closely connected though.
DeleteYes, so would I. But nest sites are rare and fishing stations are all around the edge of the lake.
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