Wednesday 12 May 2021

 A Blackbird collecting worms for nestlings near the Dell had to put one worm down to pick up another, but that was all right because the worm wasn't going to make a run for it.

The young Long-Tailed Tits in the nest near the Italian Garden have now grown to a size that allows them to eat caterpillars, not just small insects.

The other young one near the Henry Moore sculpture are older and have been on caterpillars for more than a week.

The young Grey Wagtails at the Lido restaurant are completely used to people.

One nearly ran over my feet.

A Goldcrest sang in a yew tree near the bridge.


The usual Jay was waiting patiently next to the bridge. It puts up with being photographed because it knows it will get a peanut afterwards.

A Stock Dove looked out of a hole in an old chestnut tree near the leaf yard.

Neil sent a pretty picture of a Blue Tit in pink hawthorn blossom.

Another of his pictures, a Carrion Crow's foot looking like a piece of medieval armour.

A Magpie drinking in the Dell showed off its beautiful blue and green iridescent plumage.

A Grey Heron landed in the nest in the red-leaved cherry tree on the island. The nest itself is hidden by leaves. This heron is only a year old and not yet in adult plumage, but it seems to be breeding anyway.

The nest is close to, and in sight of, the nest with the three young ones, and there is a certain amount of hostile staring.

The new young Black Swan is now on completely familiar terms with the older one.

One of the four goslings with this pair of Canada Geese, larger and older than other other three, is also greyer and seems to be a Greylag gosling adopted by accident. This has happened before, and the young Greylag grew up to associate with Canadas and believe it was one itself.

A female Buff-Tailed Bumblebee on a Ceanothus in the Rose Garden had her pollen bags full almost to bursting.

I don't know who was in this carriage, as the shutters were closed. But the stretch Jaguar XJ6 following is a royal car, and the procession was going to and returning from Kensington Palace, so it wasn't just an ordinary ambassador presenting his credentials, who would have been going the other way to Buckingham Palace.

8 comments:

  1. Lovely video of the young Grey Wagtail. They seem to be doing well. Hopefully the Long-tailed Tit youngsters will do well too.

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    1. My heart sank when the Grey Wagtails failed to build in their usual place in the Dell. But instead of distant views of the young ones, the new site has provided us with a wonderful close-up show.

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    2. I hope they learn to be more circumspect around humans. They are a delight to see, but I worry that they are too tame.

      Would someone from the Royal Family be in that car? I think Kensington Palace is the official residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, right?

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    3. Yes, I think it was some member of the Royal Family. The following car seems to say that. But I wonder why he or she is going to all the trouble of getting a horse and carriage for the visit. Perhaps it was Princess Anne, of whom her late father said, 'If it doesn't fart and eat hay, she isn't interested in it.'

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    4. That's just like Lady Sibyl and her dragons!

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    5. I think Terry Pratchett adapted a well known remark.

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  2. Excellent news about the hedge along Bayswater Road, also the Hudson Memorial, it has been sad to see it in a state of near-decay. And thank you Ralph for fascinating info about Hudson's day job and the history of Rima.

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    1. Green Mansions can be read free on Project Gutenberg. I foundered halfway down page 2.

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