Friday 19 July 2019

Black-Headed Gulls' aggressive and courtship displays are confusingly similar. But these two made their intentions known quickly enough.


In the courtship display they often mirror each other's actions.


Moorhens breed under the platform of Bluebird Boats every year, safe from the swooping gulls as long as they stay in cover.


The Coots' nest was attached to the outer side of the netting surrounding the reed bed at the east end of the Serpentine. Luckily it didn't get hit by a passing pedalo.


The Greylag family were on the edge of the Dell restaurant terrace again. It's a good safe place to rest between periods of grazing, because the fence keeps dogs away.


Six Egyptian goslings of different sizes on the south side of the Serpentine. Evidently there has been an accidental adoption. Probably Egyptian Geese can't count beyond five.


There were two pairs of Mandarins at the Vista. The drakes are now in eclipse, but can be told from the females by their brighter coloured bills and feet.


This female would normally have the same blue patch on her side as the male, caused by the blue secondary feathers on her wings, but she's moulted her flight feathers.


There wasn't enough room on the branch for all five Mallard ducklings, so the fifth had to stand on its own.


Sweeping up the deep smelly mess left by the Mute Swans on the edge of the Serpentine. It takes several passes of the sweeper to remove. The swans were not disturbed because they had seen someone with food on the other side of the lake and all but two had crossed over.


Both Little Owls were out on the oak near the Albert Memorial. This is the female, who is seen more often ...


... than her mate.


The young Robin in the shrubbery in the Rose Garden is getting his adult red front.


A dozen House Martins were whizzing over the Serpentine. In wet weather the insects fly low, and so to the birds catching them.


The rowan berries are beginning to ripen. A young Blackbird ate one but didn't think it sweet enough to eat the rest, and flew away.

2 comments:

  1. Thank God I'm not the betting type. I would have wagered those two gulls were about to make out.

    Isn't the female Mandarin lovely? I think female Mandarins may be the most beautiful duck.

    Yay for young Robins growing their red feathers! Cannot wait for them to start singing again.

    I think I've heard pigeons can count up to 5, and they are leaps and bounds more intelligent than Egyptians.

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    1. I've heard that Ravens can count to 7, not surprising as they are among the most intelligent birds.

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