Today's star was a male Stonechat hunting around the Speke obelisk.
It paused in a bramble patch.
On the ground below a Jay bathed in a puddle.
It flew up on to a branch to dry, then started digging out larvae from under the bark.
There were still some Redwings in the trees nearby ...
... and a Stock Dove perched on a dead branch.
Several Long-Tailed Tits could be seen flying in and out of their nests in the brambles. This one was at Palace Gate, right next to the busy Kensington Road.
A Wren came out of the brambles beside the Long Water.
A Grey Wagtail appeared at the boat hire platform.
It trotted up the edge of the lake collecting larvae.
Then it flew to the top of the Dell waterfall. If there's a pair here they'll nest nearby. They love running water.
The Grey Heron chicks have started climbing around the edge of the nest. They'll be out in the branches soon.
A pair of Great Crested Grebes displayed east of the Lido ...
... and another under the willow by the bridge.
A Coot on the other side of the bridge took it easy under the railings.
A Gadwall drake chewed a budding twig that had been broken off into the water.
A squirrel emerged from a hole in a tree near the Buck Hill shelter.
Are Stonechats very rare in the park? I wonder if they behave differently according to country. Ours are as impudent as cheeky as to give any crow a run for their money.
ReplyDeleteWe saw our first Swifts yesterday. A fortnight earlier than they should.
Tinúviel
Yes, they are quite uncommon in the park. They prefer lonelier scrubbier places. And they're usually rather shy. But combative: this one was having a dispute with a Great Tit and a Robin.
DeleteNo Swifts yet. A few Sand Martins, which are the earliest, and just two Swallows reported in London.
Are there any Red-crested Pochard on the Serpentine / Long Water at the moment or is this the wrong time of year for them?
ReplyDeleteNo. But I don't think they have a time of year. They fly in randomly from St James's Park and maybe Regent's Park.
Delete[Posting here because blogger is refusing to play] Regarding the return of the Little Grebe: I wonder where it went? They never leave the water, so I guess it took a small day trip somewhere else.
ReplyDeleteTinúviel
I think it has simply been invisible in the overhanging bushes on both sides of the Long Water. Little Grebes tend to make an endless circuit of the lake, and you see them only when they are crossing.
DeleteSorry about the misbehaviour of Blogger.
I also spotted the stonechats hanging around the bramble bushes. I was looking for butterflies but saw the stonechats as a pleasant surprise!
ReplyDelete