It found a small grub.
So did a Pied Wagtail running along the edge of the Serpentine.
A Wren appeared on a tree between the Round Pond and the Bayswater Road, a place where I have never seen one before.
A Robin eyed me crossly from a bush, wanting to be fed rather than photographed. Of course they always get fed in the end.
A perfect six-pointed snowflake landed on a Nuthatch in the leaf yard.
The Kingfisher was in his favourite place in the willow tree.
Shortly after I took this picture, he flew away to his other place at the south end of the reed bed. It seems to be impossible to see him from the opposite shore when he's there.
A Red-Crested Pochard at the island had a flap after preening.
A pair of Gadwalls were feeding at the shore.
There was some neat synchronised shovelling on the Round Pond.
One of the two Pochard-Tufted Duck hybrids was diving at the Vista.
The young Grey Heron at the Dell restaurant is beginning to grow black and white adult plumage.
The female Little Owl at the Albert Memorial waited for the snow to stop before she looked out of her hole.
Maybe it's no coincidence that treecreepers are among the closest relatives of wrens, as are nuthatches. Jim
ReplyDeleteWhile Wrens are skilled climbers, more often than not you see them on the ground.
DeleteA (calling wildly) Treecreeper almost landed on my nose the other day. Cheeky things!
DeleteA cross Robin is a thing to behold. So much ferocity in so much cuteness.
Most unusual for a Treecreeper. Normally they are very shy indeed.
DeleteHow do you know it is a hybrid if you don't mind me asking. Why isn't it a Greater Scaup ? Cheers
ReplyDeleteI went over this carefully with Des McKenzie, and we agreed on the identification. If you have Collins Bird Guide, look closely at the pictures of (Greater) Scaup, then at the Wildfowl Hybrids spread which follows immediately. Note in particular the amount of vermiculation on the back of the female Scaup -- much less on our two birds -- and the shape of the 'nail' on the tip of the bill, very narrow in a Scaup, but broad in a Pochard, Tufted Duck, and our hybrids.
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