Sunday 30 June 2019

One of the Great Crested Grebes from the nest on the fallen poplar tree in the Long Water carried the two chicks, while the other one brought a small fish.


The Coots at Peter Pan are already down to their last chick.


Another scene of repeated failure and dogged persistence, the nest at the Serpentine outflow. The pair are now on their third attempt. Well, they did manage to raise one chick last year, so it isn't quite as futile as the nest on the post.


The two Pochard ducklings on the Long Water have survived another day. The family was retreating from an irresponsible dog owner who was throwing sticks into the lake for his pet to retrieve.


The Egyptian Geese with seven goslings were still near the small boathouse whose railings give them protection from dogs and children.


The Mute Swan cygnet on the Serpentine and its mother cruised by.


(You can see the one on the Long Water in the grebe video above.)

The young Grey Heron that lives in the Dell prowled around in the little stream looking for a fish.


There was a loud clattering sound of the heron chick begging in the new nest on the island.


Quite a lot of Black-Headed Gulls have now returned from their breeding grounds. It looks as if these have all been unsuccessful, and this year's young birds will arrive later.


The Little Owl near the Albert Memorial enjoyed the sunshine in her customary oak tree.


The usual Blackbird flew into the Italian Garden for his daily treat of sultanas.


This very young Great Tit was on the steps of the basement area of the house next to my flat. It had flown across from a nest on the other side of the street, and was cheeping miserably. The gate was locked and I couldn't catch it to bring it back. However, when I arrived there had been two of them here, and the other one flew back home. I hope this one managed too.


A Red Admiral butterfly perched on a leaf beside the Long Water.


I also saw two Marbled Whites near the Serpentine Gallery, but couldn't get a picture of either. Maybe tomorrow.

Female Common Blue Damselflies come in two colours, greenish-grey ...


... and the same blue as the male. She is on the right in this picture. Note the 'Christmas tree' marking on the second-last long segment of the abdomen.


A Greenbottle fly shone in the sunlight.


There was a service of remembrance at the Bomber Command memorial in Piccadilly, and a Lancaster circled several times.

6 comments:

  1. Lancasters are things of beauty. Handsome, strong beasts.

    The day I fail to go ohhh ahhhh squeee over a family of Grebes carrying their chicks on their backs is the day I'm dead.

    I think the Great Tit was able to fly away. Its plumage looks very well developed. Let us hope.

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    1. Later I went past the place where the little Great Tit had been, and there was no sign of it. It could hear the other birds in its nest across a quiet street.

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  2. Hi Ralph- pertinent to my comment the other day to you, I've had an e-mail from Nigel Wyatt that he's seen about a dozen probable Red-veined Darters around the Round Pond. I was almost expecting to hear from him given the national influx. Hope you get to see some!

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    1. Thanks. Will go and check. I haven't even seen a Common Darter here this year.

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  3. Probably still a bit early for the Common Darters. I found some on my patch Sunday that had just emerged.

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    1. We did have some Red-Veined Darters here in June 2017, but at the Serpentine, not the Round Pond.

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