Thursday 11 June 2020

Apologies for the late appearance of today's post. Blogger has been misbehaving for two days, making it extremely hard to upload pictures.

A pair of Stock Doves are in firm possession of the hole in the oak tree near the Albert Memorial where the Little Owls used to live. The hole now has to be viewed from a distance, as leaves have grown up around it.


The owl near the Henry Moore sculpture was out in the alder tree despite the morning drizzle and a brisk breeze.


Just down the hill, a Blackbird wasn't deterred from singing as its twig thrashed around.


On the grass below, young Magpies begged for food from their parents.


The Grey Wagtail that I filmed on Monday returned to the Dell waterfall. Somehow it was finding insects on the edge.


A Pied Wagtail and a Grey Wagtail found food in a more conventional manner by running along the edge of the Serpentine picking up larvae and midges.


The Jay near the Albert Memorial, which flies to take peanuts from my hand, dropped a feather as it passed. You can see how it forms part of their handsome blue markings.


A Grey Heron had evicted the Coots from their nest below the edge of the Italian Garden and was using it as a fishing platform.


You can see poisonous blue-green algae on the nest, which form after a hot spell.

The Coots on the platform of Bluebird Boats were building up their nest.


The other Coot nest on the platform, which had been cleared away, has been rebuilt overnight. You can't keep a Coot down. The fact that both these nest are in untenable positions makes no difference at all.


A Coot nesting against the net surrounding a reed bed was ruffled by a tailwind.


A Great Crested Grebe idled at the edge of the lake.


The Black Swan passed under the bridge from the Long Water to the Serpentine, along with a party of Mute Swans that had just been thrown out by the dominant male. They will keep trying these hopeless expeditions.


However, the pair that bred on the gravel strip are still tolerated. The female was at the Vista with her single obedient cygnet clinging to her.


Some of the moulting swans are just beginning to regrow their flight feathers.


A Canada Goose chewed a lime leaf to see if it was palatable. It didn't like the taste and spat it out.

5 comments:

  1. I wonder how the grey wagtail manages not to be washed over. Such spindly little legs, such a slight bird, and yet such a strong grip and stability.

    "You can't keep a Coot down" is a good motto to live by.

    I think the Jay just gave you a present. Corvids are known to give presents to people who reliably give them food:

    https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-31604026

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The water is very shallow on the edge of the fall. Even Goldcrests can wade in it.

      So far no crow has shown signs of giving me a present.

      Delete
    2. Ungrateful brats, the lot of them.

      Delete
  2. ���������������� love the grey wagtail video and glorious PICS..����❣️

    ReplyDelete