The Mute Swans nesting at the east end of the Lido have brought out six cygnets on to the water.
A close-up of one of them.
The seven little Egyptians at the boat hire platform are growing fast.
The newer brood of Mallards is down to four. The older one is down to two. The Serpentine is a most dangerous place for ducklings.
A pair of Pochards at the island. Five drakes were hanging around enviously.
A top view of a Great Crested Grebe fishing around the wire baskets under the bridge. The young perch in these fish hatcheries are now about 2in (5cm) long.
From the same viewpoint, a view of the two female Coots nesting here, still with only two chicks. The male fed one of them.
The nest at the outflow of the Serpentine also has three adults, I think two males and one female. The spare male fussed around the nest but got chased off.
A Grey Heron stood in front of the yellow irises in the Italian Garden.
Newly fledged Starlings pestered their parents on the grassy bank at the Lido. They are already looking for their own food, but also get fed occasionally.
A Carrion Crow perched on top of the Buck Hill shelter, probably hoping to seize a young Starling emerging from one of the nests in the eaves.
House Martins are now nesting on the plaster roses in the cornice of the Kuwaiti embassy in Knightsbridge.
The female Little Owl at the Round Pond was dozing in the horse chestnut tree. She languidly opened one eye as I trotted around below trying to find a clear view but wasn't really bothered.
The ancient sweet chestnut near the Speke monument where the Little Owls have their nest hole seems to have finally died after 332 years. The owls will probably still nest there, but they won't be perching in its upper branches as they did, so they will be harder to find. I doubt we'll see one until they start calling to each other.
The female Peregrine was on the Knightsbridge barracks tower.
Ahmet Amerikali saw the Cetti's Warbler again at Russia Dock Woodland, but the elusive bird wouldn't come out from behind a branch.
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332 years... I wonder if living so long can induce some sort of primitive, passive awareness. Who knows if trees can think.
ReplyDeleteI've almost died of the cygnet cuteness overload! I can see that their parents are already showing them the ropes of touting for food from unsuspecting passers by.
Tinúviel
Ancient trees certainly have a powerful numinous presence, but it's hard to know how much of this is in the mind of the beholder. I have never formed a satisfactory mental image of what an Ent looks like, and the ones in the film were feeble and forgettable.
DeleteSwan parents, like human beggars, know that presenting their children will earn them extra offerings. They start touting at once when the cygnets are mobile.