Saturday, 22 September 2018

It rained all day. This is fine for Blackbirds -- no matter how wet they get, there are plenty of worms on the surface.


A Robin was looking a bit soggy.


So were a flock of about 50 Blue Tits which passed through the Flower Walk.


A Dunnock came out from the shelter of a bush on to the path, with very muddy feet.


Wet weather brings the insects down low over the surface of the lake, and also the House Martins hunting them.


One of the young Grey Herons was huddled up in the nest with its head under its wing, looking rather miserable.


The usual heron in the Dell was in the pool at the top of the waterfall, staring supiciously at the camera.


The Diana fountain was deserted, giving a young Herring Gull a place to wash.


Beside it was a Herring Gull with unusual dark eyes. It isn't the dark-eyed Herring Gull I photographed on 19 July, which was a very tatty bird. It already has the speckled head of winter plumage. With the dark band on its bill, it looked almost like a Common Gull, but was the same size as the other large gulls around it.


There was a big swimming event in the Serpentine. Coots explored a fallen branch undisturbed by hundreds of humans thrashing through the water a few yards away.


The Great Crested Grebes had been displaced to the edge of the lake, but it was business as usual with the chicks incessantly begging their parents for food.


A young Moorhen trotted along the shore.


In the Italian Garden, a Moorhen climbed out of an enclosure where it had hidden the chicks in the safety of the plants.


The white Mallard was a bright spot on a dark day.

2 comments:

  1. Oh for a bit of rain here. We are expected to hit 36ºC tomorrow, the first day of autumn.

    Brave Coots! Why be disturbed by a thashing mass of lumpy creatures who don't even float that well?

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    Replies
    1. It just hit 15° today, and I have got out my gloves. The central heating switched itself on. I like 36°.

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