Monday 17 June 2019

A pair of Great Crested Grebes on the Long Water have built a new nest under the fallen poplar on the east side of the Vista. It can only be seen from across the lake.


In the same tree, a terrapin was basking on a branch. We haven't seen much of these lately. There used to be five, all Red-Eared Sliders, but it seems that some have died. They aren't much missed, as they eat ducklings.


A pair of Coots were building a nest against the netting surrounding the reed bed near the Lido. They chased off a couple of Magpies, and preened contentedly together.


The north end of the Long Water is a mass of algae. A Moorhen had sensibly got out of the mess and was resting on a branch of the dead willow tree.


The Mallard at Peter Pan has just one duckling left. She seemed to be looking after it carefully for the time being.


The nine young Egyptian Geese sprawled inelegantly in heaps on the edge of the Round Pond.


Strangely, there were no gulls on any species on the Round Pond or the Long Water today. But the Serpentine more than made up for the lack with 129 Herring Gulls and three Lesser Black-Backs.

A young Wood Pigeon ate some very unripe berries in a tree. It is just beginning to get its adult white collar.


The young Starlings are still expecting to be fed, and a parent was carrying a larva for one.


The young tits are making less noise, and some of them must be feeding independently now. An adult Great Tit was looking tatty after the exertions of parenthood ...


... and so was the familiar Coal Tit near the bridge ...


... and a Long-Tailed Tit.


A Dunnock stared suspiciously at the camera from a tree beside the Long Water.


A Magpie bathed in the Serpentine.


A male Black-Tailed Skimmer dragonfly rested on the edge of the lake. They like the tarmac with gravel rolled into it, and it's hard to find them against a more photogenic background.


A very brief clip of a Blue-Tailed Damselfly laying eggs on a strand of weed in the little pool at the top of the Dell waterfall.

2 comments:

  1. All hail the victorious Coots.

    The poor bird parents truly look dishevelled and ratty. Even the ordinarily smart Great Tit is looking shabby. Parenthood is such grievous toil.

    In Spain Damselflies are popularly called "caballitos del diablo", "the devil's little horses". English is so much elegant.

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    Replies
    1. 'Devil's darning needles' is an English folk name for dragonflies, and also for damselflies and the unrelated crane flies.

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