Wednesday 22 May 2019

The calls of the young Starlings flocking in a horse chestnut tree at the Lido can be heard from hundreds of yards away.


The parents are getting food for the young at the Lido restaurant. A slice of bread didn't last long. They were particularly enthusiastic because it was part of a sandwich, and had butter and a bit of filling on it.


But a Carrion Crow had already made off with the best part.


This crow beside the Serpentine was less lucky. It pecked the sponge to see if it was edible, and abandoned it.


A Jay waited in a red-leafed tree near the bridge before flying down to take a peanut from my hand.


A Wood Pigeon collected twigs for a nest.


A Pied Wagtail gathered insects for its young on the edge of the Serpentine.


A Blue Tit probed some blossom for insects.


A Long-Tailed Tit fed a young one in a bush near Peter Pan.


A Greenfinch perched at the top of a holly tree.


Ahmet Amerikali got a good picture of one of the Whitethroats.


The Little Owl at the Albert Memorial was not in a cooperative mood.


Another dramatic picture by Ahmet, of the Great Crested Grebe chick on the Long Water begging to be fed.


The Coot family at the boathouse still have five chicks.


The Coots nesting at the bridge lost all their eggs in an attack by some unknown creature, but are now busy producing more.


They have two so far.


The Mute Swans on the Long Water have lost another cygnet, and are down to one. I suspect that this is due to the half dozen Lesser Black-Backed Gulls that are now often here.


But the three cygnets on the Serpentine were in good shape.


There were several Blue-Tailed Damselflies in front of the reed bed near the bridge.

5 comments:

  1. Hello Ralph,

    a little bit of bad news maybe. Today I’ve noticed one of the brood of 3 Egyptian goslings are all developing Angel wing. One of them both wings and one only the and the 3rd one I can’t recall.

    Do you believe it comes from feeding junk or just congenital?

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  2. No one seems to be sure, but I think congenital.

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  3. Gorgeous picture of the Whitethroat. Such a treat!

    Did I see the Coot having a go at a Canada? Are Canadas in the UK less of a bully than they are in the States? They call them "cobra chickens" in the States for something.

    The Jay chose wisely the most fetching backdrop to bring out its plumage.

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    1. I think our Canadas may be a bit milder, though one has to discount hysterical exaggeration in American reports. Coots will have a go at anything. If there were rocs in the park the Coots would attack them.

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    2. I'd pay good money to see that!

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