An Egyptian Goose ran ahead of her goslings to shoo other birds off the edge of the lake so her goslings could pass safely.
While other Egyptian Geese are breeding like fury, spare a thought for the hopelessly incompetent pair who live in the Italian Garden. They were the first Egyptians to arrive in the park over 21 years ago, and since then they have never managed to bring up a single gosling, always losing the whole brood in a few days.
However, they seem to have succeeded in squatting on the Mute Swans' nesting island without being ejected.
Meanwhile the male swan was chasing one of the Canada Geese which have been trying to nest in the nearby reed bed.
A few yards farther down the lake the Great Crested Grebes' nest is still a going concern.
A pair of Coots nesting on the wire baskets surrounding the Serpentine island have two chicks.
A parent of the three young Grey Herons watched from a branch while two of them moved around in the nest. One had got out on a branch. The third can just be seen lying down on the right.
This pair of Lesser Black-Backed Gulls seemed to be finding small edible things in the Diana memorial fountain, which is odd because the water is recirculated through a pump and a filter.
Two Jackdaws bustled around in an oak tree. It has a nest hole which is much competed for, but usually Stock Doves get it as they are much more aggressive than Jackdaws.
This is one of the Long-Tailed Tits nesting in a bramble patch near the Italian Garden, looking for insects among the black fruits of an alder.
Another favourite tree of Long-Tailed Tits is the hawthorn, which seems to harbour a lot of insects at all times of year.
Clive Murgatroyd got a shot of a Robin bringing a worm to the nest.
A Song Thrush and a Chaffinch exchanged phrases side by side in a tree. A video by Thomas Choi shot on a misty early morning at Milford on Sea.
Joan Chatterley was at Rainham Marshes and was delighted to find a Common Redstart -- not such a common sight.
A patch of wallflowers at the east end of the Serpentine attracted a male ...
... and a female Hairy-Footed Flower Bee.
You'd think that in 21 years they'd have time and opportunity to learn. I suppose they must be uncommonly fond of each other, otherwise I guess they'd make the switch to more competent mates.
ReplyDeleteAlways a cheery sight to see Long Tailed Tits!
It's good to see the fidelity of these silly old Egyptians. They may have made a complete mess of breeding but they still have each other. But on the other side of the bridge the blond male is moping after having his mate and family stolen.
DeleteA smart Redstart- a few years since I last found one locally. Still time yet this spring!
ReplyDeleteSo many Hairy-footed Flower Bees around now & always a pleasure to see. They breed in my air vents but no sign in my new bee boxes mounted last year.
Typical of existence -- you put up a nice box and the creatures ignore it. There are at least a dozen Tawny Owl boxes in the park and no owl has ever been seen near one, though the squirrels find them comfortable in winter.
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