It was a day of wind and rain. One of the Robin pair in the Rose Garden sheltered under a bush.
The other was on a branch above, looking rather gloomy and not singing.
But the rain does bring up worms, and a male Blackbird in the next tree was clearly impatient for me to go away so he could fly down and carry on hunting.
A Great Spotted Woodpecker also visited. The red patch on the back of the head shows that he's male.
A Starling walked along the edge of the Round Pond, looking for edible water creatures washed ashore in the spray.
Several Pied Wagtails were hunting beside the Serpentine. A female stood on the kerb with raindrops bouncing off her head.
A brief sunny interval brought out a Jay in a blossoming cherry tree at the Lido.
The young Grey Herons from the island have started exploring, and one of them was on the fallen Lombardy poplar on the Long Water at the Vista.
The heron at the west end of the island was standing in the nest. It does seem that they don't have any eggs, despite earlier signs of sitting. This is what happened last year in the same nest, a hopeful beginning followed by failure. But there's still a chance that they'll have another try.
Pigeon Eater had nothing to hunt, as the local Feral Pigeons were sheltering under the overhanging roof of the Dell restaurant. He passed the time by diving into the lake ...
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... and having a vigorous wash.
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A pair of Herring Gulls stood on the Diana fountain landing stage. The male yawned cavernously. That huge gape allows them to pick up a tennis ball.
It was business as usual for the nesting Coot at Peter Pan. The nest is growing daily as the other bird constantly brings twigs.
With no people bringing loose dogs kept away by the rain, the Mute Swans can go up on the grass at the edge of the Serpentine and have a good feed. The Black Swan and his white girlfriend went with the flock.
The female swan on the nesting island stood up: no eggs yet.
Her ferocious mate could be seen in the distance chasing another swan off the lake.
The Egyptian Goose at the Lido brought her last gosling down the grassy bank.
How do you tell a female pied wagtail from a male? Hope the little Egyptian chick is a lucky one. Suzanne
ReplyDeleteFemales have grey backs, males black.
DeleteSo the killer swan does some of his chasing on the wing as well? He's the closest thing to a dragon we have on the park.
ReplyDeleteAstonishing detail in the female wagtail picture. Those little water drops bouncing off her head!
Tinúviel
Yes, there's nothing that swan likes more than a good aerial chase. He can get a rival fleeing right down the Long Water and heaving itself over the bridge in one glorious surge. Particularly satisfying if his mate is watching, as she was.
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