There have been no losses elsewhere: still four on the Round Pond ...
... the lucky one on the Serpentine ...
... and two on the Long Water, though again their mother was having to fend off the Carrion Crows.
The dominant Mute Swan pair are doing quite well in their attempt to rebuild the island, and have raised their soggy pile of twigs and mud a couple of inches above the water. They still haven't thought of driving the Coot off its nest and stealing the twigs from it.
The swans on the gravel bank continued to make their nest, watched by a Grey Heron. They will now feel a sense of proprietorship, and there will be a severe fight when the dominant swans come to expel them.
A pleasing picture by Virginia of the Black Swan on the Round Pond looking up as another swan flies overhead.
One of the young Grey Herons on the island walked around restlessly, clearly wanting to leave the confines of the nest. It didn't realise that when it does leave it will have to feed itself, and this will be hard work.
Both the Little Owls at the Henry Moore sculpture were on view, the female in the alder tree ...
... and the male outside the hole in the lime tree.
A crow walked along a bench presented by the Indian High Commissioner.
One of the Jays near the bridge begged for a second peanut.
A Song Thrush perched on a branch near the Speke obelisk.
There was a Chiffchaff in the next tree.
A Peacock butterfly couldn't find a comfortable place in the grass to perch and sun itself.
A Brimstone gave quite a good impression of a leaf, but had perched on too dark a background.
A bee worked along a border in the Rose Garden. Conehead54 has tentatively identified it as a Red Mason Bee, Osmia bicornis, though it's hard to be certain at this angle.
There was also a hoverfly. Thanks again to Conehead54, who has identified it as either Eristalis aeneus or E. sepulchralis.
I never thought I'd see a restless butterfly. It's almost like when we move around looking for a comfortable spot in the sofa.
ReplyDeleteOne day more for the lucky gosling!
Fingers crossed for that gosling. It's no more obedient to come when called than any other Egyptian gosling. Always moving around, usually out of reach of its mother when danger looms.
DeleteIn the moment it looks like the crow is trying to goose-step, like the Indian and Pakistani guards at the Attari-Wagah border, and some units of their armies. Jim
ReplyDeleteYes, and there's a corresponding Pakistani bench only a few yards down the path.
DeleteClassic! Jim
DeleteI can't really see enough detail in the hoverfly photo Ralph, but seems very dark for Eristalis. Are the eyes spotted? I get the feeling they may be but the image is quite dark. If they are my hunch is that it's one of the Eristalinus genus, which is closely related to Eristalis.
ReplyDeleteLove that photo of the Black Swan looking up.
Thanks. I've put a much lightened version of the image here for your inspection. The eyes do look spotted, and some markings on the thorax and abdomen have come up. I couldn't have published the picture like that because the flower has disappeared.
DeleteThanks, Ralph- looks like one of the 2 Eristalinus sp.
DeleteI hadn't paid much attention to the bee which as correctly pointed out isn't a Honey Bee. Not the best angle, but think it may be a Red Mason Bee, which is one of the solitary species which readily take to bee hotels which gardeners often hang up now to attract more pollinators.
Thanks. Will update the blog.
DeleteI'm not sure what species of bee is in your picture but I think the abdomen is too hairy for a Honeybee.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Another mystery insect rears its little head.
DeleteGod really loves insects. That's clear.
DeleteJ.B.S. Haldane was engaged in discussion with an eminent theologian. 'What inference,' asked the latter, 'might one draw about the nature of God from a study of his works?' Haldane replied, 'An inordinate fondness for beetles.'
Delete