... accompanied by the local pair of Mistle Thrushes.
The white-faced Blackbird came out for her customary treat of sultanas.
The Black-Headed Gulls are all blacked up and ready to go.
A Common Gull had a very successful worm dancing session in the Diana fountain enclosure, where there are the best worms in the park.
A Herring Gull on the old cast iron water level indicator in the Serpentine had a preen and a good shake to settle its feathers.
Two Canada--Greylag hybrid geese, which I haven't seen for a while, were at the Lido. This picture shows how big they are. The one in front is larger than a Canada Goose.
A female Gadwall showed off her beautifully marked feathers.
A Moorhen poked around for tiny edible creatures in the little pool at the top of the Dell waterfall.
A Pied Wagtail was also searching on the edge of the Serpentine.
The pigeon-eating Lesser Black-Backed Gull (on the left here) and his mate were in their usual place near the Dell restaurant. They have been hunting farther afield recently, probably because the Feral Pigeons here have become very wary of them, but I saw the remains of a pigeon on the edge of the lake yesterday.
Two male Rose-Ringed Parakeets squabbled furiously on the feeder in the Rose Garden. Two females would have fed peacefully from opposite sides of the feeder.
Surprisingly, the female Little Owl at the Albert Memorial had come out in the icy wind.
A girl being photographed with a giant bunch of flowers was doing her best to look happy. Photo shoots always seem to happen in the worst weather.
Just to back up your observation, the pigeon eater was on the restaurant roof on Tuesday while a half eaten pigeon was washing up on the shore. It may have been waiting its chance to come and finish it off when the humans had moved away. Or just having a mid-meal break!
ReplyDeleteYes, he likes to have a break for digestion. I have often seen him leaving a pigeon for a few minutes before returning and driving off the other gulls or crows that come to pick at the corpse. Now a superb hunter, he can afford to let them have a little of his kill, but not for long.
DeleteHow old do you think this Gull is? If it keeps perfecting its skill, perhaps we'll see it have a go at unruly dogs (kidding!).
DeleteVery striking picture of the White-faced Blackbird. One can see in fine detail all the lovely markings on its plumage.
I first photographed the gull in 2004, when it was already an adult, therefore at least four years old. So it's at least 18, a bit more than halfway through a full lifetime for one of these birds.
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