Blondie the Egyptian Goose and her family had been given some All-Bran. They went over to it eagerly, took a couple of pecks at it, and left it. Well, it's about as delicious as grated chipboard.
The white Mallard and his male companion were at the Dell restaurant, surrounded by the gaudy reflection of a pink dress on the balcony above.
The orange buoys in the line on the edge of the Lido swimming area continue to fascinate Coots.This is the second nest that has been built on them this year.
The Great Crested Grebes' nest on the island is still a going concern. There should be chicks quite soon.
A Moorhen perched easily on a post near the Lido, not even bothering to use all its toes to hold on, and watched a midge going by.
The pigeon-killing Lesser Black-Backed Gull and his mate had moved to the Long Water, and were on the line of posts at Pater Pan.
I haven't seen any dead Feral Pigeons in their usual place near the Dell restaurant for some weeks. No doubt the pigeons here are getting more and more wary, and the recent arrival of over fifty Carrion Crows can't have helped. Probably the gulls are hoping that the pigeons in Kensington Gardens are more naive and easier to catch.
A bunch of Rose-Ringed Parakeets were probing the grass near the leaf yard. I went over and looked at the grass, but couldn't see what they were searching for.
This Robin is one of the pair in the yew at the southwest corner of the leaf yard. It emerged carrying something and left in on a twig before coming over to be fed.
Closer examination showed that it was a faecal sac. The nestlings conveniently produce their excrement ready wrapped, which keeps the nest clean. The parents take these sacs a safe distance away so as not to reveal the location of the nest.
This is one of the many Blackcaps singing around the edge of the Long Water.
But there are few Chaffinches. This one was singing from the top of a tall plane tree in the Dell.
A Wren perched in the reeds at the east end of the Serpentine.
The Little Owl near the Albert Memorial was enjoying the sunshine.
So was a German Wasp,Vespula germanica. (Thanks to David Element for identifying it.)
lovely photos as usual. any sighn of the famous tawny's?..
ReplyDeleteNot a squeak from them, sadly.
DeleteHow elegant does the Bar-Headed Goose look in its wonderful neutral colour palette.
ReplyDeleteThe pink colour might be gaudy, but it makes a wonderful contrast with the unusual white of the Mallard (I can't recall if she is truly a wild albino bird or just your garden-variety domestic escapee?)
He's a wild bird, leucistic not albino -- he has normal coloured eyes.
DeleteDo you know if blackbirds have a similar arrangement re the chicks' faeces? I had a few nestings some years ago on the balcony of a previous flat; there was never any mess to be seen.
ReplyDeleteI think it's a common feature of songbirds.
Deletevery handy. Unlike pigeons, who visited too one year and made a terrible mess.
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