Song Thrushes at work

The Song Thrushes were foraging in the dead leaves near the Rudolf Steiner bench beside the Long Water. They are safe behind railings and allow you to get quite close.

One of them found a worm.

A Wren sang on a twig near the Henry Moore sculpture.

The Tawny Owl was in his usual place, enjoying better weather than yesterday's.

One of the young Grey Herons also has a favourite place, a post at the Serpentine island where it is seen daily.

A Pied Wagtail hunted insects in the fallen plane tree fluff beside the Serpentine.

A Grey Wagtail visited the Italian Garden. They use the rails around the planters as a station when hunting flying insects.

There was also a pair of Mandarins in one of the fountains.

Another pair of Mandarins appeared on the Serpentine ...

... and there was a drake alone under the willow near the bridge. Probably his mate is nesting in a hole in the tree.

The Coot nest under the willow can just be seen from above, looking down from the parapet of the bridge.

A Coot, a Moorhen and a Mallard were nibbling at green shoots discarded after the celebration of Nowruz, the Persian New Year at the vernal equinox, which this year was 20 March . Sprouts (in Persian sabzeh) of wheat or another quick-sprouting plant are displayed on a table as part of seven things beginning with س (Haft-Sin, 'seven esses'). On the thirteenth day they are thrown into water, preferably running water -- the Serpentine can be said to have some kind of flow.

For several days the dark Mallard often seen on the Serpentine has been hanging around with a normal coloured drake. I've always supposed that this bird is male. Maybe they're just good friends.

The report of two Ring-Necked Ducks can almost certainly be dismissed. The person who reported them also claimed to have seen two Scaups. This is a common beginner's mistake when seeing a female Tufted Duck with a white patch on its forehead, not an unusual colouring.

I'm told that there was also a claim of Kittiwakes, a bird that has been seen in the park just once, in 1891.

The male Mute Swan on the nesting island glared at two Cormorants that had intruded on his territory.

The new Great Crested Grebe nest on the Long Water is always occupied. Evidently there are eggs.

The pair nesting under the willow still don't have any eggs, but could be heard fussing around the nest, hidden by the leaves.

The chick of the pair that have already bred was being carried briskly down the lake to a good fishing spot.