The Egyptian Goose family made themselves comfortable.
But on the Serpentine, Blondie attacked a Coot which had pecked at one of her brood. She still has five, but in this picture the fifth is almost hidden by the Coot.
The family at the Lido are also in good shape.
The Mute Swans ejected from the reed bed by workmen yesterday were making a new nest outside it, near the Diana fountain landing stage. I don't think the new plastic netting will stand up to a determined assault by a swan.
The Long Water pair were together on the little island.
They have evicted all the other swans
The Red-Crested Pochards that were near the Dell restaurant have moved to the Long Water. Here is one near Peter Pan.
The pair of Mandarins on the Serpentine now trot up expectantly when I pass, and were rewarded with some bits of digestive biscuit.
One of the Little Owls in the lime tree near the Henry Moore sculpture was looking down from the branch where their hole is.
Although this owl looks quite slim and flat-headed, I'm pretty sure it's the female of the pair. The male is very small, and the main impression is of a pair of enormous yellow eyes.
The male Little Owl in the chestnut tree near the leaf yard was in and out all day, but I had bad luck and all I saw was him vanishing into the hole. But Virginia got this pleasing sunlit picture.
A Treecreeper on the next chestnut tree was splendidly camouflaged.
The new leaves are now giving camouflage to the Rose-Ringed Parakeets, which have been highly conspicuous all winter and could be seen a mile away by a hawk.
They were exploring nest holes, but I really think this one is too small.
A Dunnock turned up in a new place, near the southwest corner of the bridge. Judging by the fairly large area of grey on its head, it's a male.
A Wren appeared in the thicket on the east side of the Long Water.
So did a Long-Tailed Tit. From this angle its impressive tail is invisible.
The Albert Memorial owl was out in the afternoon sun - but she was so perfectly camouflaged I would not have detected her if I had not seen her fly into place, just above the joint where a branch had sheared off, on the other side of the trunk from the hole. Invisible apart from the wind ruffling her feathers!
ReplyDeleteThanks. Good to know that she's still hanging on. Those ducks were on the branch at 11am.
DeleteHow elegant does the Bar-headed Goose look! I'd be over the moon to have one eat from my hand.
ReplyDeletePlease don't tell me Coots eat chicks as well... Good thing that Blondie is such a valiant mother (and forward-thinking, for an Egyptian).
Coots will eat anything (except turrón) and are quite prepared to kill. Virginia told me that one of the little Egyptians has a head wound, and I may have photographed the incident.
DeleteI hope it is not a serious wound. Poor little baby. Will it make it? Blondie does really seem to be quite angry in the picture. I hope she gave the Coot its just desserts.
ReplyDelete