Monday 7 December 2020

It was a dark, misty, cold morning.

When the mist cleared you could see the male Peregrine on the barracks tower, but he soon flew away.

There was just one White-Fronted Goose grazing in the Diana memorial fountain enclosure today. I don't know whether it's the single one seen earlier, but I think it's a new one, as there is a constant trickle of migrating White-Fronts travelling to their wintering grounds in the west of England and Ireland. It walked past a young Herring Gull dancing to bring up worms. There's not much perspective in this telephoto shot, so you can see that it's smaller than a Greylag.

The Goldeneye moved away rapidly to the far side of the lake.

The Red-Crested Pochard trio in the Italian Garden fountain now has a new Mallard drake, distinctive because he lacks the usual brown chest. He chased off another drake which was probably the original spare member of the trio.

A pair of Black-Headed Gulls called and walked about together on the edge of a fountain.

A first-winter Common Gull beside the Serpentine scratched its ear.

A Great Crested Grebe at the island did absolutely nothing.

The usual Grey Heron preened in the nest above in the trees.

This heron is not in prison. It's behind the railings of one of the small boathouses, a favourite fishing spot.

A Pied Wagtail hunted along the edge.

Starlings waited for scraps at the Lido restaurant.

A Robin posed prettily beside the Long Water.

A Wren climbed a horse chestnut sapling.

A Magpie perched on the Henry Moore sculpture. It's a favourite place for many birds, not only as a lookout but as a source of grit and calcium, which can be got easily by pecking the soft travertine marble.

I ran out of peanuts. A Jay ...

... and a Carrion Crow stared reproachfully.

5 comments:

  1. I think they're more disappointed than reproachful. But they'll surely be gracious enough to forgive you tomorrow if more peanuts are offered in compensation (is that the crow that hits you in the head demanding peanuts?).

    The picture of the sun in the fog nearly made me gasp. Before my eyesight got focused I thought it was the beginning of the miracle of the sun!

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    1. I think the birds will allow one failure to deliver, but no more. So I shall be there with plenty of peanuts in the morning. It's just a quick visit, as later I will be going off with Tom to see the Short-Eared Owl, and let's hope I find it as I am suffering severe owl deprivation.

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  2. How dare you forget the crow's and jay's snacks! You should be thankful that they are letting this slide.... Better not let this happen again ;) the Council of Corvids will not be so lenient next time.

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