Friday 25 January 2019

The structures of the Winter Wasteland are now almost entirely dismantled, and what a wasteland is revealed, an expanse of mud the size of a small town. Pied Wagtails came in early to take advantage of bare ground that is easy to run around on. Insect larvae and worms have survived under the metal plates that killed the grass.


A female Blackbird called from a bush in the Rose Garden, seeming a bit agitated. But when I fed another one with sultanas in the safety of the shrubbery, she called in the same way, though not as loudly. She has a mate nearby, and maybe this is just a contact call.


A Robin was waiting on the arbutus tree for me to fill up the feeder.


Robins can't seem to perch on the bar and turn sideways to take seeds. Instead, they cling to the outside and reach in.


The bold Wren was skittering around on the ground nearby.


A Japanese haiku by Issa Kobayashi, in translation:

Oh you tiny Wren
Looking here and looking there,
Did you lose something?

A bush in the shrubbery has blossom, attracting a Buff-Tailed Bumblebee.


Long-Tailed Tits paid particular attention to a tree beside the Long Water, perhaps more bug-infested than the others.


The usual Jay was also here, waiting to come down and take a peanut from my hand.


A Carrion Crow called loud and long from the complicated Victorian roof of the loggia in the Italian Garden.


The glass beads on the spike are described as 'jewels', and there are bigger and better ones on the Albert Memorial.

The Little Owl was on Buck Hill above the Henry Moore sculpture.


The owl at the Queen's Temple could just be seen crouching low at the back of her hole, not worth a picture. There was one Peregrine on the barracks tower, but it was at the back of the shelf they stand on and not photographable. From what little I could see, it was demolishing a pigeon.

The Grey Herons on the lowest nest turned over their eggs.


A pair of Egyptian Geese preened and washed on the Serpentine.


Three pairs of Shovellers revolved on the Long Water.


I went to the tree at Euston to try to find the Waxwing, but without success. The tree looks like a rowan but has unusually large berries. These were attracting a Redwing ...


... and several Blackbirds.

4 comments:

  1. What a lovely little feather ball, the Long Tailed Tit. The Bumblebee and the Wren are also enough to cause death by cuteness!

    I am glad to see that the feeder is still going strong. Ralph hid it well!

    Blackbirds sound alarmed for the sake of sounding alarmed. Perhaps they get bored from time to time.

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    1. I can't stop photographing Long-Tailed Tits. They are fascinating.

      Blackbirds seem to live in perpetual panic.

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  2. Amazing to see a bumblebee with pollen baskets in January. Jim

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    1. The park is full of exotic plants that flower at crazy times. Suits the bumblebees fine.

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