Saturday 1 January 2022

The Song Thrush at the leaf yard sang cheerfully to welcome the New Year.


A Blackbird eating rowan fruit on Buck Hill was knocked out of the tree by the resident Mistle Thrush which regards the tree as its property.


A Redwing was left unmolested.


The female Little Owl was just about visible ...


... but this was all you could see of her mate beside her in the shelter of the squirrel drey.


Another Blackbird explored the fallen leaves in the Rose Garden.


A Robin ignored a light shower.


Long-Tailed Tits flew along the edge of the Long Water.


A female Great Spotted Woodpecker probed a tree across the path from the leaf yard.


A gang of Magpies chattered in a treetop.


The Black-Headed Gull which owns the landing stage at the Diana fountain chased off a couple of first-year gulls that have landed on its territory.


Two Grey Herons stood in the moored rowing boats. The one on the right is a young bird hatched on the island last year.


A pair of Moorhens preened on a wire fence beside the Serpentine. With their big strong feet and perfect balance, standing on a wire is no problem.


A Wigeon drake has arrived on the Round Pond. Thanks to Virginia for a fine picture of this handsome creature.


A proper car for a New Year's Day ride. It's a pre-1930 Austin Seven.

6 comments:

  1. Happy New Year Ralph and here's to another one filled with your informative, erudite and entertaining blogs ... presented at all times with artistry and wit. You do spoil us.

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    1. Thank you for your kind words, and a happy New Year to you.

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  2. Yes he does! I need to remind myself often that many pay very good money for the sort of education mixed with entertainment Ralph provides for free.

    What a wonderful way to start the year, hearing the cheery song of the Song Thrush!

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    1. There is a surprising amount of midwinter song at the moment -- Song and Mistle Thrushes, Wrens, Great, Blue and Coal Tits, and of course the year-round Robins. However, the mild spell is coming to an end and most will quieten down till spring.

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  3. I walked 5 or 6 miles from home yesterday along the Brent across Warren Farm to Osterley Park & managed 56 species but Song Thrushes seemed to be singing everywhere.

    Guess there must have been a mini-arrival of Wigeon in the park as in addition to the one on the Round Pond, Des also had another 3 on the Long Water. Remember that tame bird you had last winter.

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    1. I looked for Wigeon today on the Long Water and the Round Pond and didn't find any. It seems they were just passing through. The female Wigeon we had a few months ago stayed for a month.

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