Tuesday 14 April 2020

The Mistle Thrush chicks were keeping their heads down when I visited, as there were Carrion Crows and Magpies around. One parent kept a watchful eye on the nest ...


... while the other was looking for worms in the grass below.


Here's a fine picture taken by Virginia earlier of the chicks being fed.


A Robin in the next tree also felt the threat and was looking around warily.


A Blue Tit at the bridge enjoyed a pine nut that I gave it. When it had finished, it asked for another, and got it of course.


A Carrion Crow searching in a bin near the Dell had found a foil container with what looked like mayonnaise clinging to it, which it was eating with gusto.


Some of the chestnut trees in Kensington Gardens are 330 years old, planted when William III made this the private garden of his newly built Kensington Palace. They are full of holes that provide a nesting place for Jackdaws.


It was the turn of the female Little Owl at Henry Moore to come out of the hole.


The Great Crested Grebes on the Round Pond dozed peacefully together. The pond has been much less visited by Cormorants than the main lake, and probably has more fish in it. But of course there is nowhere to nest on this open water.


The Mandarin drake at the Round Pond was bustling around, and a few seconds after I took this picture he took off and flew down to the Long Water.


The Egyptian Geese on the Round Pond are down to four goslings.


The pair on the Long Water still have two, which were being menaced by crows until an even more menacing Grey Heron frightened the crows away. The Egyptian parents eyed it warily.


The little Egyptian on the Serpentine has been a sole survivor for eleven days. It keeps wandering away from its parents, but so far has magically avoided being eaten by a Herring Gull.


The Mute Swans' nesting island on the Long Water, destroyed by the birds it was built for, seemed a lost cause. I tried to get it repaired for two years, but nothing was done. But now the swans themselves are doing the job, bringing twigs to build up the surface again.


The Coots' nest on the fallen tree at Peter Pan is now a large and solid construction.


Two more good pictures from Virginia: a young Herring Gull playing with a conker ...


... and a Rose-Ringed Parakeet eating blossom.

2 comments:

  1. Maybe the swans should hire a couple of coots to rebuild their nest. I wonder what they'd do for payment though.

    How did the Blue Tit ask for a second pine nut? An appealing look would seal the deal for me.

    I keep thinking the little gosling must have a guardian angel, but I don't want to jinx it.

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    1. I was wondering whether the swans would steal the Coots' nest already on the island and add it to the heap. They weren't showing any sign of doing that at the time.

      The Blue Tit simply plonked itself on a twig and looked at me. They call if they think you haven't noticed.

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