Thursday 12 April 2018

There were two Grey Herons in the nest on the island. There's still a slight chance that they may try to nest again, after losing the first clutch of eggs during the cold spell.


Below them, the Great Crested Grebe on the stolen Coot nest was doing absolutely nothing, but no news is good news.


The Moorhen nesting in the hawthorn at the Dell restaurant came out of her nest and perched on a branch before fluttering down into the lake.


The Coot nest on the chain at the bridge is now firmly established, and the Coot was adding some bits of plastic to strengthen it. Both Coots and Great Crested Grebes know that plastic bags reinforce a nest better than strands of algae.


The precariously sited Coot nest under the Lido restaurant balcony was in danger from some Mute Swans pushing each other around.


A pair of Mute Swans were making a nest on the east side of the Long Water. This is an absolutely terrible place. Not only will they be attacked by the dominant male swan, but this spot is exactly where the local foxes like to sunbathe on warm afternoons.


The swan nesting beside the terrace of the Lido restaurant hasn't started incubating her eggs, as I thought she had yesterday. She still only seems to have three, though you can never be sure what's under the leaves. The eggs will stay on hold for several days, and only start to develop when they are warmed by the swan sitting on them.


The Egyptian Geese at the Henry Moore sculpture still have two goslings.


Another Egyptian enjoyed a splashy bath on the Serpentine.


A pair preened their wings. A good flap at the end settles the feathers.


The Bar-Headed Goose visiting from St James's Park was also preening its powerful wings. In their native India these birds migrate over the Himalayas, and have been recorded at an altitude of 24,000 ft.


There are three Pochards on the Serpentine, two drakes and this female. When the wintering Pochards fly away, they always leave a little core of permanent residents.


Both the Nuthatches in the leaf yard came down several times to be fed.


The white-faced Blackbird near the Italian Garden came outof a patch of bluebells to ask for sultanas.


The female Little Owl near the Albert Memorial is still in control of her nest hole despite trouble with Mallards, Jackdaws, Stock Doves and Rose-Ringed Parakeets. She was at the back of the hole, and barely visible on a dim morning.

2 comments:

  1. How pretty the female Blackbird is!

    That Coot looks almost helpless against so many powerful, and I guess heedless, Swans.

    Great news about the Grebes' keeping their nest one more day!

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    Replies
    1. Nature is always dangerous, but there are some really reckless nesting gambles going on at the moment.

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