Sunday 15 September 2019

Cetti's Warblers are notoriously unphotographable, but Ahmet Amerikali managed to capture the one that lives near the bridge, often heard but seldom seen.


The angle makes identification slightly uncertain, but I'm pretty sure that that's what it is.

The Spotted Flycatcher is still here, today in a tree near the bridge. I missed it, but Ahmet found it.


Coal Tits like to live in stone pines, and the seeds -- the familiar culinary pine nuts -- are one of their favourite foods. In this case the pine nut was provided by me.


There was just one Mistle Thrush eating the berries at the bottom of the tree on Buck Hill.


A female Blackbird came out on the plywood fence surrounding the Lido swimming area, which is broken by people climbing over it to avoid paying.


Farther along the fence, a Robin looked up anxiously. Both Sparrowhawks and Peregrines fly over this area.


A Magpie drank from a puddle made by a leaking fire hydrant near the Old Police House.


Birds avoid drinking from the lake if they can. Evidently the water tastes nasty. But sometimes the Round Pond will have to do.


A Grey Wagtail flew over the little stream in the Dell.


Another good picture by Ahmet: a Cormorant over the lake.


The Great Crested Grebes from the east end of the island were looking after their three chicks. The father relaxed with a flap.


A young Egyptian Goose enjoyed a wash and flapped its developing wings. Soon it will be able to fly.


A female Pochard at Peter Pan ate insects off the surface of the water and dabbled for algae and small aquatic creatures.


Joan Chatterley reports that the single Black Swan cygnet in St James's Park is still in good order. It's noticeably darker than a Mute Swan cygnet. This is her picture.


A Migrant Hawker dragonfly perched on the crabapple tree near the bridge.

9 comments:

  1. Well done to Ahmet for getting a picture of the Cetti’s. I heard it the other day but couldn’t see it anywhere.
    Delighted to see that the Black Swan cygnet is doing well. It is certainly growing. I will try to get to St James’s Park tomorrow

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    1. It will be very interesting to watch the cygnet gradually going black.

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  2. Ah Cetti's, a small bird we've gained. Jim

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    1. It's not all doom and gloom in the natural world. Humans, on the other hand ...

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  3. Agree the photo shows a Cetti's Warbler- difficult enough to see yet alone photograph!

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    1. Yes, getting a good picture of one is a once in a lifetime event. I have one.

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  4. Congratulations to Ahmet on getting the retiring Cetti's on camera. It is the Greta Garbo of birds.

    How lovely, the Black cygnet between its doting parents. Looking forward to watching it grow its black birds.

    The delicate daintiness of the Coal Tit is admirable. Such good table manners.

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    1. There is another Cetti's warbler here now, which flits around invisibly in the narrow band of reeds and water plants under the parapet of the Italian Garden. This allows you to look down at a steep angle on the place where it is. I was here with David Element a few days ago and it was calling scarcely more than a metre from our toes, but we still couldn't see it.

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