Saturday, 8 February 2020

There was just one Cormorant left in the park, the others having left because they have eaten all the suitable-sized fish in the lake. It was a young one on a post next to the bridge. Later it flew away in the direction of the river.


One fish too large for a Cormorant to tackle: a 12lb pike lurking under the parapet of the Italian Garden. This picture was taken looking straight down.


Coots enjoyed a brisk fight.


A Grey Heron on the boathouse roof was ruffled when it turned downwind.


The vast majority of the Herring Gulls on the Serpentine are first- and second-year birds, still with tweedy plumage. This is because the population is expanding rapidly from the successful breeding colony in Paddington.


Two Mute Swans flew up the lake, climbing to fly over the bridge.


The Black Swan on the Round Pond effortlessly shooed the other swans away.


The male Little Owl near the Henry Moore sculpture looked down from a branch.


A Rose-Ringed Parakeet looked decorative in a hole in a plane tree near the boathouses, but it has stolen the hole from the Starlings that used to nest here.


Two Goldcrests were rushing around in trees near the bridge.


A Dunnock perched in a tree near the Italian Garden.


A Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming in a tree on the Parade Ground, too far away for a good picture. There are four woodpeckers here.


There were plenty of Redwings ...


... and three Mistle Thrushes.


Des McKenzie found a Fieldfare here yesterday, but it eluded us.

A fine picture of a Song Thrush at Rainham Marshes by Tom.

4 comments:

  1. It's a relif to see Coots continue to uphold their most cherished traditions. It would be sad were they to become too civilised.

    That's an enormous pike. I hope it will provide a plentiful feast for any of the Herons.

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    1. That's quite an old pike. It seems to be invulnerable now.

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  2. Fran at the Boathouse told me that the park will be closed today because of the storm.

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    1. Seems all too likely. Well, I shall get some pictures somewhere.

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