Saturday 29 September 2018

On a sunny Saturday the park was crowded, and there was a big charity walk trundling round the Serpentine. The Grey Heron who normally stands on the south shore retreated into a weeping willow.


While I was taking this picture I heard a Chiffchaff singing unseasonally in the top of the next tree.


One of the young Grey Herons was in the middle of the stream in the Dell, almost out of its depth, unsuccessfully trying to catch a fish.


It came ashore and thought about catching a Moorhen -- which would have been too big to swallow -- but gave up the idea and went for a Common Darter dragonfly.


There were also plenty of Migrant Hawker dragonflies making the most of the warm sunshine. This one was near the Lido.


A pair of Cormorants were not exactly courting, but at least exchanging courtesies, on a basket by the island.


Another once caught a perch under the bridge.


Two of the teenage Great Crested Grebes from the east end of the island were practising their greeting ceremony.


They are still being fed by their parents, but between times they are trying to catch their own fish, so far without much success.


Two Mute Swans were in a nasty mood, and attacked a cygnet.


The young swan in the Italian Garden pool is alone again, so the adult must have left in the way described by Jorgen -- see yesterday's blog post. It knows the way out now, and can leave when it likes.


Both Nuthatches came out of the leaf yard to be fed.


As usual, the shy Coal Tit was hanging around in the background, not daring to come to the fence. We do manage to feed it occasionally, but it never seems to get any bolder.

2 comments:

  1. The poor Coal Tit looks sorrowful in that picture. Too shy for its own good.

    Is the young Heron truly trying to have a go at the Moorhen?! Perhaps it is still too young to know that not everything you can spear you can eat.

    Grebes couldn't be more adorable if they tried.

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    1. Several people have been trying to encourage that Coal Tit for at least a year without success. On the other hand, wariness might protect it.

      Yes, I've seen an adult Grey Heron trying to swallow a an adult Moorhen, and after some time having to admit failure and spit out the corpse. It was a gruesome sight.

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