Wednesday 27 November 2019

The day began sunny, and there were bright views of the Red-Crested Pochard in the Italian Garden preening ...


... and a Long-Tailed Tit on a twig.


But it soon began to rain harder and harder, and I had to shelter in the Italian Garden loggia.


Moorhens went about their business in sunshine  ...


... and rain.


There's always something interesting to be found in a puddle.


They have odd ideas about a comfortable place to sit.


A Great Crested Grebe saw a rival on the other side the bridge and went under the arch with head lowered in challenge.


Most of the Mute Swans that arrived yesterday have been forced off the Long Water and on to the Serpentine by the dominant swan. But one tough teenager remains. I think this is the one seen in yesterday's video retaliating against the aggressor.


A pair of Gadwalls dabbled under a bramble bush at the edge of the Serpentine.


A Jay looked a bit bedraggled in the rain ...


... and a Coal Tit sheltered in a bush ...


... but Blackbirds welcome rain for the worms it brings up.


Both the Peregrines were on the barracks tower, as usual some distance apart. Their personal space even with their mate is several yards wide, and for other Peregrines it's miles.

5 comments:

  1. Strange creatures, Peregrines. They live on life their own. Even hedgehogs will find the best distance to keep close without pricking one another.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Red-crested Pochard are exquisite. I presume despite him being paired with a female Mallard there were no hybrid young as I haven;t seen you show any? It probably is possible as Mallard have been reported hybridising with many species + where they have been introduced to places they're not native in the southern hemisphere have resulted in genetic pollution of the local species.

    Nice to see the Gadwall- such understated beauty!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've seen pictures of RCP x Mallard hybrids, messy looking creatures. Presumably they're sterile, so it would go no farther than that.

      Delete
  3. I'll have to look those up Ralph.

    ReplyDelete