Thursday 7 November 2019

A Herring Gull eating a fish was pestered by two Carrion Crows which tried to distract it by tweaking its tail.


This dingy-looking gull on a post near the bridge is a second-winter Lesser Black-Backed Gull, rather advanced for its age and with almost a full set of adult grey feathers. It has an adult's pale eyes but still retains its juvenile dark bill and pink feet.


Most of the Lesser Black-Backs in the park are slate grey, the commonest form in Britain, but this one at Peter Pan is of the darker colour found in mainland Europe. Some northern ones are almost black, with a slight brownish tinge.


The Black Swan is still on the Round Pond.


A Shoveller drake on the Long Water fed and took a few moments to preen.


Two more pairs of Gadwalls have arrived to join the pair in the Italian Garden fountain pool. Unlike the other ducks in the park they have plenty of females, because they have been provided with breeding hutches in Buckingham Palace gardens which protect them from predators.


The marble fountain in the Italian Garden glittered in the low November sunshine. It is made of fine white marble, but attempts to clean it fail because it quickly gets re-coated with algae.


A fine picture by Ahmet Amerikali of a Great Crested Grebe with a fish ...


... and a Blue Tit in the shrubbery near the bridge.


The Chaffinches here are getting more confident, and one flew almost to Paul's hand but panicked and sheered off at the last moment. They will manage it soon.


A Long-Tailed Tit perched against a background of autumn colours.


Magpies like to wash, dry and preen several times before they are satisfied with the result.


A pleasing picture by Mark Williams: Starlings in St James's Park line up on the railings hoping someone will feed them.

5 comments:

  1. The Starling picture is wonderful. I would gladly get food-mugged by them.

    The video of the marble fountain looks alnost magical, like something out of a movie.

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    Replies
    1. Having Starlings feeding from your hand is rather painful, as they have sharp beaks and peck hard.

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    2. One of the peacocks in Holland Park took food from my hand, quite a peck on it, too.

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  2. I'm sure I saw that fountain last year in Marienbad.

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    Replies
    1. A dangerous place to go. They steal your shadow.

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