Saturday 11 May 2019

The nesting Mute Swan on the Long Water turned over her eggs. The first time i saw her doing this was on 10 April, 31 days ago. The incubation time for these birds is 35 to 41 days, so they are getting near hatching.


The swans' attempt at nesting next to the Lido restaurant terrace is an off-on affair, and it would be better if they abandoned it as no nest can succeed in this exposed place.


A short way along the edge is the place where the inseparable dark Mallard brothers like to rest. They have never shown the slightest interest in a female, although the third dark Mallard (distinguishable because his white front is speckled) now has a mate.


Resting Egyptian goslings noticed the approach of a dog whose irresponsible owner had let it off the lead. They were ready to go into the water even before their mother started calling.


A Moorhen looked out from the shiny blue landscape of a pedalo.


A Grey Heron stood as still as a gargoyle on the bridge while two people discussed whether it was real or an ornament.


The Reed Warblers near the Diana Memorial are fairly easy to photograph this year, because the reeds have been left to get thin and straggly.


Several people were looking at this one, and while they did, a Carrion Crow perched on the railings in front of it, trying to look cute so that someone would feed it.


A young Long-Tailed Tit was also expecting to be fed. Their orange eyelids go red when they are excited.


A parent brought what I think is an insect larva.


A Pied Wagtail on the edge of the Serpentine was collecting insects for her nestlings.


She flew off in the direction of the Dell. There may be a nest among the ornamental boulders here.

A Blackbird in the Flower Walk sang and was answered by a rival. Sorry about the shaky image -- a squirrel was climbing up my leg while I was filming.


The Robins in the Flower Walk have been fed so often by visitors that they line up on the railings as you go by.


I think this is a Whitethroat, but the identification of warblers is a minefield. It was beside the Long Water.


So was this Wren, but there's no problem recognising those.


A Wood Pigeon wandered among the pretty wildflowers that have been planted around the Peter Pan statue. But the bird was there to eat, not to admire.

4 comments:

  1. Yes, whitethroat, not a bird I would expect to see in Central London.

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  2. I would have liked to see a video of that squirrel!

    How could anyone resist the charms of such a cutie? Who cares if it is called a "carrion crow"?

    Lovely pictures of the Long-Tailed Tits. I didn't know about their eyelids.

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    Replies
    1. The squirrels in the park are tiresomely over-familiar. I once had one jump out of a tree and land on my head, a very painful experience.

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