Tuesday 10 October 2017

The Little Owl was back in her usual tree after twelve days without a sighting.


A pair of Jackdaws came out from under a bush in the leaf yard. They have bred up to considerable numbers after their return a few years ago.


A Grey Heron posed in an autumnal setting on the fallen horse chestnut tree in the Long Water.


Above it, a Robin sang from a hawthorn bough.


On the other side of the path, a Goldcrest was rushing around in a catalpa tree. Tom got a quick shot of it.


A Grey Wagtail was hunting insects on one of the rafts of water plants at the east end of the Serpentine -- or what used to be a raft of plants until a pair of Mute Swans nested on it and systematically trashed it.


It found several larvae in the debris.


A Great Crested Grebe a few yards away caught several fish.


The Little Grebe on the Round Pond was in an irritable mood and bit a Coot that got too close to it.


There were Cormorants all over the island.


The second pigeon-killing Lesser Black-Backed Gull left its latest meal unguarded for a moment, and a young Herring Gull swooped in, seized it, and began to carry it away over the lake.


The young bird dropped the pigeon when it saw the killer about to attack, and the Lesser Black-Back hauled its meal back out of the water.


A Moorhen in the Italian Garden admired its chick, now a hulking teenager.


On the Serpentine, the Black Swan saw me and cruised over for his daily offering.


There was a Kingfisher on the Long Water, seen for a brief moment before it disappeared behind a bush. One Kingfisher was also reported from St James's Park, where recently there have been two. This supports (though not strongly) my theory that we share our Kingfishers with the other park.

10 comments:

  1. I’m visiting the park on Friday afternoon and I really hope the Little Grebe is still there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. At the moment it favours the southwest corner of the pond.

      Delete
  2. Brave Little Grebe! He managed to make a Coot give ground. No mean feat.

    The Heron must have an artistic disposition, considering how well it chose the colours of the background.

    He Little Owl looks very regal. Positively Queen Victoria-like.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was splendid to see the Little Owl after her absence. We are all looking forward to the leaves dropping off so we can make a concerted effort to find Little Owls again, and with luck some Tawnies.

      Delete
  3. The Coot looked shocked that it was attached by such a small bird!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Little Grebe attacked two Coots while I was there.

      Delete
    2. I ought to disapprove of unprovoked attacks on Coots, but given what troublemakers they are...I am on the Little Grebe's side.

      Delete
    3. Absolutely sure that the Coots started it.

      Delete
  4. These are all great captures of adventure in the parks, but I especially am enjoying your views of the Little grebe. I got to see it myself on the Round Pond recently too and am very impressed with the "character" of this bird. I've only seen two others, ever, and both were shy and retreating, so this Little grebe is very interesting to see. Nice video capture of the butt bite action, which didn't even really seem warranted...but who knows.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm sure the Coots had been giving the Little Grebe a hard time, and retaliation was well deserved.

      Delete