A grey, windy, drizzly day. The Peregrines usually come to the Household Cavalry barracks tower in foul weather, as it's slightly more sheltered than their other day station on the Metropole Hilton hotel in the Edgware Road.
But they still get quite ruffled by the wind, especially the male on the left who was trying to use a concrete projection as a windbreak.
A Pied Wagtail hunted in its own small way on the edge of the Serpentine.
Rival Robins eyed each other from a safe distance beside the Long Water.
The familiar Jay waited near the bridge for a peanut.
Some Starlings were also expecting something.
A young Herring Gull enjoyed a wash ...
... and another came ashore with a stone it had just fished out of the lake.
A Grey Heron stood on a very undersized nest on the island. The dominant pair seem to be decided on using the top nest, but the other two pairs are still shuffling around deciding which place to choose.
Three Mute Swans charged up the Serpentine past another heron.
A Mallard had a shower under a fountain in the Italian Garden.
A Cormorant fished under the bridge.
There are now over 360 Coots in the park, and their favourite place at the west end of the Serpentine is getting crowded. Inevitably fights break out.
A daffodil has flowered recklessly in the Rose Garden.
A bit of recklessly flowering in the teeth of the coldest days of winter is the very thing we need now. The daffodil is leading by example, even if to its detriment.
ReplyDeleteAnd after that bout of two-bit moralizing, back to my regularly scheduled programme: what pretty Robins!!
There were a couple of less cold, wet days, which must have brought out the daffodil. But it's back to the regular chill tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteThe coot video is still not displaying for me. And always a pleasure to tune in. Jim
ReplyDeleteThanks. Sorry about that. Fixed now.
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