Wednesday 13 February 2019

The Great Crested Grebes at the east end of the island are continuing to build their nest, and it looks as if they may be serious about nesting after several abandoned attempts.


Another pair of grebes was looking at the net enclosing the reed bed at the Diana fountain. If they realise that they can get through the hole cut in it, at the centre of this picture, they will have a fine and secure nest site. Usually, though,, they don't get the idea and try to build outside where the nest is exposed to gulls and passing boats.


Later they got into a fight with another pair. This picture was taken from the other side of the lake.


There are three Little Grebes on the Long Water, the most there have been for years. They stayed on the far side, so both these photographs are very distant.



The pair of Egyptian Geese at the Henry Moore sculpture stood on the top and shouted defiance at another pair flying overhead.


One of the Canada--Greylag Goose hybrids preened at the Lido.


An immaculate Gadwall drake cruised past.


These two Black-Headed Gulls on the Serpentine are visitors from abroad: T4UN from Poland ...


... and 3FY from Denmark.


The Little Owl near the Albert Memorial looked out of her hole in the afternoon sunshine.


A Carrion Crow stared cynically from a post.


The male Blackbird beside the Long Water came out cautiously to collect some sultanas I had thrown to him, extra wary because a crow was calling from the tree above.


The song of a Great Tit is said to consist of two notes, like someone saying 'Teacher, teacher!' In fact there is considerable variation between individuals, and the song may have between one and five notes.


The Coal Tit at the leaf yard waited for me to put a pine nut on the fence, and eventually managed to take one before the other birds got there first.


Mark Williams took this picture of a Blue Tit on his hand.

5 comments:

  1. Recent research found that when Great Tits call like that, there are meanings and a syntax. I often used to hear a Great Tit song with seven clear syllables.

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    1. Thank you. One should never underestimate the minds of even the smallest birds.

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  2. Ooh look at that lovely Blue Tit!

    I've heard it said that, if you are walking in a forest anywhere in Europe and hear a bird call you can't quite identify, you can depend on it it's a Great Tit.

    My, but aren't those Egyptians silly.

    I don't think it's a good idea that those Grebes are thinking of nesting so early in the year.

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    Replies
    1. I see the point about the Great Tit calls. Starlings can also make some very misleading calls, and realistically imitate other birds.

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