Thursday 24 December 2020

There has been a Kingfisher on the Long Water for several days, but I couldn't find it till this afternoon.

Sunlit Starlings searched for worms in the grass near the Albert Memorial.

The Chaffinches at the bridge are getting less shy, and one of them will even come to the hand of the more devoted feeders.


A Jackdaw in the leaf yard waited to be given a peanut.

The pigeon-eating Lesser Black-Backed Gull was enjoying a crayfish on the boat platform when a younger Lesser Black-Back sneaked up behind him and grabbed it. The thief may be his own offspring from a previous year.

There was competition among the gulls for a piece of tortilla. A young Herring Gull got the biggest bit.

A Herring Gull had a wash at the island.

I was trying to photograph the Grey Heron in the nest at the west end of the island when it decided to fly out.

The Goldeneye was still at the east end of the Serpentine.

The Red-Crested Pochard trio were in the Italian Garden ...

... and below in the lake a Shoveller took advantage of the air bubbler, which brings up small creatures without the need to trawl for them.

A visit to the Round Pond found three pairs of Gadwalls ...

... and the Black Swan was in good order.

I also went to the Meadow to try to find the new wooden sculptures, but they are well hidden in the long grass. What I did find was a new little artificial stream near the northwest corner. It's farther west than the little Tyburn Brook which was originally a tributary of the Westbourne and is now covered, so I don't know where it gets its water supply. There are a lot of natural springs in this area, more or less kept under control by drains, but heavy rain turns the Meadow into a marsh.

A very happy Christmas to all readers, and may the new year be an improvement on the recent effort.

8 comments:

  1. Merry Christmas to all!

    Ralph's blog has been a constant companion and solace in these trying times. It has been a window into nature and normality when neither could be experienced at first hand.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. I wouldn't aspire to being sane, but doing the blog keeps me from going completely barking.

      Delete
    2. I agree, the blog is a little anchor into reality.
      Merry Christmas all!

      Delete
  2. I too am grateful for the updates and snapshots. Thank you, Ralph, and best wishes for 2021.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Merry Christmas Ralph, Tinuviel and all
    Good news about the Kingfisher. I’ve never managed to see one in the Park

    ReplyDelete
  4. Merry Christmas to you too Ralph. I also echo the sentiment that this blog has helped keep me sane, this year in particular. It's been very refreshing to see how in the madness of the human world, nature just continues as normal.

    ReplyDelete