Thursday 27 February 2020

A pair of Goldcrests in the leaf yard were dashing around incessantly.


So were the Long-Tailed Tits building their nest in the Rose Garden.


A Blackbird digging in a flower bed came up on a bench.


Turf laying on the Parade Ground has confined the Redwings to a small fenced-off triangle east of the bandstand which is so far untouched.


Yes, there are a lot of videos of Robins singing on this blog, but they are irresistible.


The female Little Owl near the Henry Moore sculpture came out briefly between the morning sleet and the afternoon wind.


A Wood Pigeon perched in a blossoming tree in a hunched-up attitude that made it look like a small vulture.


Feeding the small Black-Headed Gulls is probably not a good idea, but it's fun.


A young Herring Gull played with some instrument of torture from a gym.


The pigeon-Killing Lesser Black-Back was on his usual spot with his mate again. He soon flew off in search of lunch.


The nesting Grey Heron on the south side of the island got up, turned over the eggs, and settled down again.


A Tufted drake turned round as his mate surfaced beside him.


Tufted Ducks are omnivorous. The submerged branches of the dead willow near the Italian Garden must harbour many small aquatic creatures, and Great Crested Grebes also often visit them.

Pochards are also partial to snails and insects when they can get them. This female is one of the few permanent resident Pochards on the lake, and is often seen at the Diana fountain landing stage.

4 comments:

  1. Hi, could you please share me some places where goldcrests usually occur if possible? Thank you.

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    1. Southwest corner of the leaf yard in the yew tree near the big hanging bird feeder. Northeast corner of the leaf yard next to the path. Either side of the south end of the bridge. Southeast corner of the Dell. Listen for them in dense evergreens, especially yew. The males are singing at the moment.

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  2. Whoever says there are too many Robin videos ought to be made to feel the full extent of humankind's wrath.

    Is that their spring song the Robin is singing? It sounds different from their winter song.

    I think that Gull chewing/playing with the gym torture device is trying to send a message. "Your effort is my plaything", probably.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, Robins do have a different song in summer and winter, and it seems that already they may be giving up their self-imposed solitude and rejoining their mates.

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