Friday 3 March 2017

The pigeon-killing Lesser Black-Backed Gull narrowly missed a victim.


The Great Crested Grebes at the island were sitting beside their nest.


The people at Bluebird Boats kindly took me out to see the nest from close up. There are no eggs in it yet, but this picture has a certain interest because it shows the soggy mess that a grebe calls home.


The Coots nesting near Peter Pan haven't got far either. They started this nest on 5 February, and there's not an egg to be seen.


A pair of Mandarins passed by.


On the Serpentine, four Mute Swans were displaying at each other -- two females on the left, two males on the right. Trios of swans are not unusual, but this seems to be some kind of competition.


A Moorhen was combing carefully through the algae on the edge of the Dell waterfall, looking for tiny creatures.


There were many pairs of Long-Tailed Tits going through the bushes, but none of the large winter groups.  The nesting season has begun.


Several Robins were singing at each other in the Rose Garden.


The Redwings will fly north before they think of breeding, but there were still plenty on the Parade Ground, a few feeding on the grass and a large number chattering in the trees.


A Magpie looked smart in front of the Diana fountain.


The female Little Owl near the Albert Memorial was out on a branch, but when she saw me approaching she flew into her hole, and I was lucky to get a hasty picture.


The owl in the lime tree near the Henry Moore sculpture looked down impassively through half-closed eyes.


Little Owls are are moody creatures. Sometimes they will tolerate being photographed, but at other times the same bird will flee at the sight of you.

7 comments:

  1. What a splendid picture of the pigeon's lucky escape!

    The folks from Bluebird Boats sound like the best kind of people. So kind and attentive.

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    Replies
    1. In the gull-pigeon picture, are we seeing a second pigeon directly behind? Jim

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    2. Yes, that has to be another pigeon behind the first one. Naturally this is the only picture I have of the event, and one can't choose the background.

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  2. I was wondering if the Egyptian gosling is still alive? I hope so.

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    Replies
    1. No, sadly, it isn't. It lived for eight days, a record for that hopeless couple.

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    2. Very sad news :-( He had such an impossible start in life.

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    3. The Egyptians on the Round Pond, which have just had five, are much better parents, but it's still going to be a grim struggle with crows and gulls.

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