Annoyed, he flew off to buzz a young Grey Heron, which was standing too close to his favourite place on the roof of the Dell restaurant.
A Carrion Crow saw the action and came over the chase the gull.
Magpies enjoy harrying predators, and herons are among their favourite targets.
The other young heron was on the Long Water. It walked along the top of a net, though it nearly lost its balance as the wind buffeted it.
A strong wind encourages Mute Swans to fly. Heading into the wind, they can take off with much less of a run.
The great slab of the Royal Lancaster Hotel creates a considerable updraught, and three Carrion Crows whirled happily around in it.
The weather vane of the Lido restaurant was spinning too quickly for a Starling to hold on.
Two early returning Shovellers were spotted on the Long Water three days ago, but it took me until today to find them. A female flapped her wings.
This is either an immature drake or one just coming out of eclipse.
The Mallard drakes are also emerging from eclipse, and beginning to regrow their shiny green head feathers.
A close-up of a Moorhen in the Italian Garden fountain feeding one of the two new chicks.
A Robin ate blackberries in a yew tree near Peter Pan.
A Rose-Ringed Parakeet was eating yew leaves. These are highly poisonous, at least to mammals -- the ancient Britons used them as a means of suicide -- but I have seen parakeets eating them before, and presumably they suffer no ill effects.
The very shy Coal Tit in the leaf yard hung around nervously, waiting for a quiet moment to come down to take a pine nut from the fence.
The shire horses were out on Buck Hill , where a group of bankers were paying handsomely for the privilege of forking hay into the cart. (I always try to keep them out of the picture because they are made to wear hi-vis jackets which spoil the scene.) The flat cart is unsuitable for carrying hay. Maybe someone will find an old high-sided haywain.
That Robin picture ought to be in a children's storybook. Gorgeous!
ReplyDeletePoor Heron. It doesn't stand a chance against a concerted attack by the canny Magpies, who are true pros at annoying creatures larger than themselves.
Pigeon Killer appears to be having a rough time with that Carrion Crow. It looks distressed.
The pigeon killer is used to bossing crows around, not being harassed by them. He isn't flying as well as usual, because he's moulting his flight feathers and his wings are gappy.
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