Friday 26 February 2021

A Robin sang in a corkscrew hazel bush near the Albert Memorial. Many small birds seem to like the twisty twigs of this species.


The Long-Tailed Tits were busy building their nest in the euonymus bush in the Rose Garden.


There is another Long-Tailed Tit nest under construction in a bush at the east end of the Lido, I'm not sure exactly where yet.

A Blue Tit perched above the nut feeder in the Dell.


A fine portrait by Neil of the Blue Tit near the Vista which expects to be fed by all passers by.


This Jackdaw at the Vista was also expecting an offering.


Ahmet Amerikali found a female Great Spotted Woodpecker near the leaf yard.


Two Rose-Ringed Parakeets had a dispute about a nest hole.


The Grey Heron in the nest at the west end of the island was looking down into the nest. Perhaps the eggs are beginning to hatch.


On the south side of the island a heron was ignoring one of the baskets put up for them. The herons in Regent's Park understand that a basket makes a good base for a nest, but our herons have yet to learn this and persist in making their own from scratch, a considerable labour.


Two pairs of Coots fought on the Serpentine, with two opponents face to face and the others chasing each other. There was a win when one Coot held another under water, so that the loser had to submit and be chased off. Thanks to Duncan Campbell for this video.


Coots were building a nest apparently in the middle of the Long Water. In fact there is a submerged fallen poplar tree here with a branch sticking up almost to the surface to which a nest can be attached.


These Red-Crested Pochards, four drakes and a female, have been visiting the park at intervals for several years. Today they were at the Vista.


A good picture by Neil of the solitary Common Pochard drake that hangs around on the east side of the bridge.


A Mallard drake enjoyed a vigorous wash and flap at the Lido.


An Egyptian Goose carefully cropped the grass at the edge of the Henry Moore sculpture. If you have geese you don't need a lawn mower or a strimmer, and as a bonus they fertilise the soil.

6 comments:

  1. I miss the little owls, Ralph - are they still hiding?

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    1. So do I. Believe me, you'll hear as soon as I find one.

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  2. Geese are also great alarm systems, as the Gauls learned to their disadvantage.

    Have been missing the Owls too. I hope they will show themselves soon.

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    1. I must visit the Round Pond more often and try to find the Little Owl (or with luck a pair of owls) there.

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  3. Hobbies seem to take to baskets and artificial nests quite well, too (see link: https://www.oos.org.uk/hobby/index.php). Fixing baskets high up in the tall trees they favour would be a pretty hairy proposition, though...

    Good stint today - the pair on the wing a lot, soaring high (at times very high) over the park. One crow driven down into the treetops, one buzzard stooped at (two other buzzards also seen). No really spectacular display flying yet, but maybe they're behind some of the other pairs - possibly because there is no really suitable nest location.

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    1. The Hobbies here are not short of nest sites, as there are lots of old Magpie nests. That's what they have chosen whenever they've nested in the park.

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