Tuesday 12 April 2022

Willow Warbler

A Willow Warbler sang its gentle song in a crabapple tree near the bridge.


It was almost drowned out by traffic noise and several much louder Blackcaps. There was also a Blackcap singing in the Flower Walk.


The Starlings have started nesting in the shelter on Buck Hill, and were walking around in the grass looking for worms and insects. They were misleadingly imitating the calls of Great Spotted Woodpeckers and Long-Tailed Tits ...


... but the local Long-Tailed Tits were also visiting their nest in the gorse bush. I didn't get a good photograph of them, but I did get a picture of one emerging from the Pittosporum bush in the Rose Garden holding a faecal sac from one of the nestlings -- the young birds deposit their droppings neatly wrapped, which keeps the nest clean.


It flew off to a tree to dispose of it at a safe distance from the nest.


There was a real Great Spotted Woodpecker in a tree by the Henry Moore sculpture. The usual pair is still nesting here although their favourite tree collapsed last year.


The Tawny Owl was slow to come out, but eventually appeared in the last sunny spell before cloud thickened and it started drizzling.


Tom took this fine picture of a Treecreeper on the owl's oak tree. It was a pair of Treecreepers here that led Michael Mac to find the well camouflaged owl a few weeks ago.


An unseasonal Black-Headed Gull perched on an urn in the Italian Garden.


A young Herring Gull inched towards a Coots' nest on the plastic buoys at the Lido, hoping for eggs or chicks and struggling to keep its balance. The Coot sent it packing.


One of the troubles of Coots is that Grey Herons hijack their nests for fishing stations ...


... but they can always build another. A pair nest every year on the Mute Swans' nesting island on the Long Water, and the new fence around the island is actually an advantage, as it discourages the swans from pecking at them.


The rotten planking on the boat platform is being torn up to be replaced before the new firm operating the boat hire moves in, which is scheduled for July. The local pair of Moorhens have seized the chance to find previously hidden insects.


The Mallard on the Serpentine still has six ducklings, but they are terribly exposed to gull attack.


Mild temperature and hazy sunshine brought out three terrapins on the Long Water.


A pair of Small White butterflies mated in the border at the Rose Garden. They can fly while coupled, and moved to several places over the five minutes I was watching them.


A steel tube sculpture at the Serpentine Gallery has been made more interesting by being colonised by Harlequin Ladybirds.


There is a beautiful clump of Snakeshead Fritillaries in the Flower Walk.

8 comments:

  1. Very brave and attentive Coot. It's good to know that they can stand up to gulls like that.

    It must have been wonderful to be there listening to the Willow Warbler. They have such a sweet, unassuming song.

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    1. I wish I could have recorded the Willow Warbler, but there was too much extraneous noise.

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  2. So far Willow Warblers have eluded me. I had hoped to connect with them at Ruislip where several pairs used to breed. There still seemed to be at least one territory last year. It had been recorded there a few days back but no sign when I was there on Monday but did see my first Swallows & a House Martin for the year.

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    1. Glad to hear that Swallows and House Martins have finally reached London. Will keep an eye on the Kuwaiti Embassy in Knightsbridge where several martins nest.

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  3. Hi Ralph, I'm back to London now.You may remeber you guided me to find the House Martins on Kuwaiti Embassy in 2020. It's exciting there're so many spring and summer birds arrived in the park. I plan go to Hyde Park tomorrow, and I'm interested in the tawny owls. Do you mind if you can share a rough range of their trees? Thanks a lot.

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    1. Please write to me privately. I'm not putting the location on my blog. But the owl wasn't visible today.

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  4. Can recommend the Welsh Harp reservoir in n/w London if anyone is looking for warblers there were many willow warblers and chiffchaff there last year also some whitethroats am sure there is more to discover in this large and beautiful territory. Mark

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    1. I must make an effort to go there. Tomorrow, though, I am off to Rainham Marshes.

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