They played together on a Coots' nest. The Coot wanted its nest back, but the chicks are now big enough to keep it off.
The younger chicks on the Long Water could also be seen.
There were nine grebes together on the Serpentine, not including the two teenagers which were somewhere else. I managed to get eight of them into a wide shot.
The ninth was right next to the shore.
Ahmet Amerikali got this dramatic shot of a grebe washing.
Three more of his pictures. The Tufted Duck on the Long Water with six ducklings chased off a Black-Headed Gull that had got too close.
The two Bar-Headed x Greylag Goose hybrids flew down the Serpeneine together.
A young Blackcap ate elderberries.
I found a Blackbird eating a rowan berry in the trees on Buck Hill.
A Song Thrush sunbathed at the bottom of the hill.
A young Starling searched the shore of the Serpentine for insects and other edible things.
For the first time in several months, there was a Peregrine on the tower of the Household Cavalry barracks. It was the male of the pair and, as usual, he was perched with his back to the scene.
The Little Owl near the Albert Memorial was also awkwardly placed for a picture.
A Common Darter dragonfly rested on the kerb of one of the Italian Garden fountains.
That's one brave chick, making the scary Coot back down and go away. It appears to play at making a nest?
ReplyDeleteRemarkable picture of all eight Grebes in a single place. There must always be the dissenting voice, though, in this case the ninth bird.
Incidentally, looking at some pictures of Marlene Dietrich I learned that she owned something called a "swan down coat". It was made with the feathers of 300 swans. I am feeling sick to my stomach.
This is the first time I've seen grebe chicks playing at nesting, but that's definitely what they're doing.
DeleteNice shot of the Common Darter.
ReplyDeleteYou did well to get so many grebes in the shot & the Bar-headed Geese hybrids look pretty majestic in flight.
Surprised to see these grebes staying in a group for so long.
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