Wednesday 25 September 2019

A group of Starlings were getting very excited under a pergola at the Dell restaurant. A closer look showed that they were competing to get at a hole in the ground, the mouth of an ants' nest.


The male Peregrine was back on the barracks tower, annoyingly with his back to the view as usual, but at least he did a bit of preening.


There was a good selection of small birds in the shrubbery near the bridge, though no Spotted Flycatchers -- they have certainly set out for Africa now.

A Blue Tit perched in the holly berries.


The familiar Coal Tit came for several pine nuts.


So did a Robin, after giving the camera a haughty stare.


A Dunnock posed on a bramble.


On the other side of the water, a Great Tit poked busily at fallen leaves. You often see tits on the ground in this place. There must be a lot of insects in the leaf litter to attract them down from their usual trees.


On the path nearby, a handsome black and white Feral Pigeon strutted around.


A group of Egyptian Geese on the Serpentine washed together, with a certain amount of aggression. Among them was Blondie, who was hatched in a reed bed only a hundred yards from this spot in 2014.


A Greylag splashed even more frantically.


I photographed both the teenage Mute Swan on the Long Water ...


... and the one on the Serpentine ...


... hoping that comparing the pictures would make it possible to tell them apart. But it isn't really. They are almost the same age and there is very little difference in their colour. Maybe the one on the Serpentine is a bit larger and darker.

The Great Crested Grebe chicks from the east end of the island were together in a neat group with their mother.

2 comments:

  1. Blondie was born to be a star. The camera loves her. It is always a delight to see her looking so fine. Although the handsome Blue Tit would give her a run for her money in terms of adorableness.

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    1. I've known Blondie literally since the day she was hatched. The nest unusually sited in a reed bed could be seen from the path at the east end of the lake, and she was the only blonde gosling in the brood and immediately conspicuous.

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