... but it manages to struggle free and its father collects it ...
... and takes it back to the other 14.
I didn't manage to see this family today, as the Lido gates were closed for paid bathing, but there were still 15 yesterday.
Two pairs of Greylag Geese, one with six goslings and one with four, cruised near the Serpentine island. They tolerate each other's presence but, unlike Canada Geese, don't look after each other's brood.
As usual, the Mute Swans on the Long Water had brought their cygnets to the shore at Peter Pan to tout for food from the visitors. Bread isn't good for them, but the park swans seem to survive their indifferent diet.
It's not unusual to see Mute Swans grouping in trios rather than pairs and displaying affectionately to each other. But if they actually started nesting, the spare one would be thrown out.
The Mallard near the bridge has managed to keep her two ducklings alive for another day. Keeping them close to the edge or under the bridge arch helps to shield them from the swooping gulls.
The Great Crested Grebe chicks at the island are getting larger, and there is no longer enough room under their parent's wings for both of them.
One of them was given a tiny fish.
The Grey Heron was back in the nest, sunbathing. But it's only being used as a perch now, and breeding attempts here have failed.
One of the Mistle Thrushes near the Albert Memorial was in a lime tree rattling furiously at a Carrion Crow on the ground.
A small family group of Long-Tailed Tits crossed the path near Peter Pan.
A Nuthatch made a very brief appearance inside the bushes at the leaf yard.
On neighbouring branches, a Jackdaw ...
... and a Jay were waiting to be fed.
I didn't see the Little Owl here, in spite of the warm sunshine which often tempts the male out on to a branch. But Amanada Adams, who has been visiting the tree patiently for days, was rewarded yesterday evening by getting this picture of the female owl, who had emerged from her nest to wait for the people to go away so she could hunt on the ground and drink in the lake.
I count 6 goslings, not 5- or have they adopted one?
ReplyDeleteYes, you're right. I was looking through the viewfinder and not counting.
DeleteI've never understood how The Ugly Duckling came to be. Baby Swans are so very pretty!
ReplyDeleteWhat a dramatic series of pictures. Thank God the little gosling was able to shake itself free. It looked like certain doom. Canadas are so very tough, aren't they?
I'm surprised that the gosling didn't die of shock. Again today, the Lido was closed for paid bathing so I couldn't get to the Canada family to count them.
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