A Blackcap perched on a twig beside the Henry Moore sculpture ...
... and there were brief bursts of song from a Wren, a Coal Tit and a Chiffchaff. The Coal Tit was on its way to a nest with larvae for the nestlings.
The Long-Tailed Tits at the southwest corner of the bridge were flitting about busily in the trees. There is more than just the pair of adults here: at least one and maybe two extra. This is often a sign that another Long-Tailed Tit nest has been predated and the bereaved parents have turned up at their nearest relative's nest to help feed the young.
A Coal Tit looked out from a bush across the path.
It's now impossible to go home without passing Mount Gate, where a pair each of Coal Tits ...
... Blue Tits ...
... and Robins are waiting for their pine nuts.
In the Italian Garden, the nine Coot chicks in one pool ...
... and six in the other were chasing their parents around.
The Coot nest under the bridge had three eggs in it a few days ago, but they have gone, cause unknown. The parents will have no difficulty producing more. The length of orange plastic rope was probably hauled to the nest by a Coot as an ornament. They are surprisingly good at moving quite large objects.
A Moorhen hurried along the Serpentine carrying a twig. Their nests are well hidden ...
... though this Moorhen lurking on the edge of the reed bed east of the Lido may point to there being one here.
A pair of Great Crested Grebes preened at the Lido.
I didn't see the Egyptian Geese with one older gosling here today or yesterday, but I didn't see the parents without it either and they may simply have moved.
Along the shore to the east there were Egyptians with three ...
... and one.
The Mallard family were not visible either, but they move around a lot and may have been anywhere on the Serpentine.
The single Mandarin drake dozed on the edge by the Lido restaurant terrace.
Two male Brimstone butterflies battled for dominance in the Flower Walk ...
... while a male Small White rested peacefully on a withered primula.
So even butterflies fight. Who would have said.
ReplyDeleteI don't see many Wrens in my neck of woods, but what few I see don't flap their little wings like that when singing. It almost looks like the bird is winding itself up to belt it out.
Tinúviel
Speckled Wood butterflies in particular are aggressively territorial and fight like fury. They're often seen with torn wings from these encounters.
DeleteI think the amount of flapping that Wren did was exceptional. Normally it would open its wings a little when singing, but you would see its whole body shaking as it uttered that tremendously loud song.
Lovely shot of the Blackcap. There do seem to be plenty around now. I was pleased to finally connect with a singing Willow warbler on one of my local patches.
ReplyDeleteWe're overflowing with Blackcaps, six singing males around the Long Water alone. Tom just found a Wood Warbler at Rainham, a bird I've never seen.
DeleteHave seen fights involving up to four butterflies at a time in London parks. Would say in general that they tend to fight with their own kind, but witnessed an almighty scrap yesterday between a small white and a brimstone at St James's Park.
ReplyDeleteYes, I saw a Brimstone attack a Small white too yesterday.
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