Thursday 5 March 2020

It rained steadily all day, not bothering a Gadwall in the least.


The pigeon-eating Lesser Black-Backed Gull and his mate were equally unaffected.


But a young Herring Gull a few feet away was bedraggled and miserable. It seems that it wasn't producing enough oil to keep its feathers waterproof.


Song Thrushes welcome rain, as it brings up worms. One was singing near the bridge.


However, I couldn't find any Redwings in any of their usual places, and they may have left.

A Dunnock ...


... and a Robin in the Rose Garden seemed cheerful enough ...


... but the nest-making Long-Tailed Tits were not visible. Perhaps they suspend building work in the rain.

The Blue Tits near the bridge were looking a bit soggy, but flew out busily to take pine nuts.


A Pied Wagtail beside the Serpentine seemed to be keeping quite dry ...


... but the Feral Pigeons at the Dell restaurant sought shelter under the canopy.


A Carrion Crow scared away a flock of Starlings.


There wasn't much opportunity for video, as the video camera isn't waterproof. Seen from the shleter of the Italian Garden loggia, rain drenched the pavement as a Grey Heron waited on the edge of one a pool for a fish to come near.


This was shot from under the bridge. A Moorhen wandered past two Tufted Ducks, two Mallards and a single female Pochard, apparently finding something edible in the puddles.


The Coots' nest on the post at Peter Pan is complete and comfortably lined with reeds, and has everything but location. Herring Gulls were lined up on the posts waiting for their chance to grab an egg.

5 comments:

  1. A moving still life, as it were. I felt a bit grey and soggy all day, too.

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    1. Was sorry for the wet Herring Gull. Definitely not well.

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  2. Poor Herring Gull. It doesn't look good. It looks as if it was freezing and miserable. I wonder why it didn't look for shelter.

    It's funny how Pigeon Killer and its mate mirror each other. They even have the same posture.

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    1. I think that the posture of Pigeon Killer and his mate is a deliberate sign that they are mates. The breeding season is coming up.

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