Another pigeon-eating Lesser Black-Backed Gull has appeared at the Round Pond. It had trouble with a Carrion Crow and a young Herring Gull, but dealt with both.
On first sight it looked quite like the familiar Pigeon Eater, but its feet are paler and it doesn't have the ring of black dots on the iris of its eye.
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Pigeon Eater himself was on the roof of the Dell restaurant, annoyed that a young Herring Gull was standing in his favourite place and about to shoo it off.
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A Black-Headed Gull had a vigorous wash in the Serpentine.
Speaking of competition, Tinúviel sent a link to an interesting clip shot near Madrid of Griffon Vultures confronting a fox that wanted a go at their bit of carrion.
The Little Owl at the Round Pond was on her usual horse chestnut branch. At least she was facing the right way today.
There was a flock of Long-Tailed Tits here again, this time working through a lime tree.
The Little Grebes are still on the pond.
Returning to the main lake, I was held up by a Jay on the path near the Serpentine Gallery demanding a peanut.
A Magpie was waiting on a swan-headed urn in the Italian Garden. This urn is a replacement for It's a fine bit of work, looking all the better for the raw white Portland limestone having mellowed in the past 13 years.
The real Mute Swans were at the Vista, where they had spotted someone carrying a promising-looking plastic bag.
The Grey Wagtail (there's only one at the moment) was hunting along the edge of the Lido restaurant terrace.
A young Grey Heron was fishing on the small waterfall in the Dell.
One of the Cormorants at the island always stands on the chain between the posts, even when a post is vacant. It's been doing this for several years and seems to be content, though it looks very uncomfortable.
The Coots at Peter Pan are now down to three chicks, sad but inevitable in that exposed place where they insist on nesting year by year.
Today's Robins are one on a bramble near Peter Pan ...
... and one outside the railings of the Rose Garden.
There are still plenty of Common Carder bees here. This one was on a clump of baby sage.
I have news about Peregrines. I saw what may have been one of the young Peregrine Falcons around the tall police tower thing around West Brompton station. It was hovering in the air and floating in the wind for a while. I was not able to observe it from close but its proximity to the other Peregrine and the fact that it is the first time I observe anything except a pigeon on this tower makes it a likely candidate for where at least one of the young Peregrines went.
ReplyDeleteTheodore
That would be outside their parents' (or rather parent's now, sadly) territory but not far, so it seems quite likely. But they might be from the Charing Cross Hospital in Fulham Palace Road. I haven't heard of there being any Peregrines on the Empress State Building, which I suppose is the nearest tall tower to West Brompton station.
DeleteYes, it is the Empress State Building, I just didnt know the name.
DeleteTheodore
Thanks. I sometimes go past there. I'll keep an eye out for it.
DeleteI'm very used to seeing vultures, and even I gasped at the size of that bird. What drew the naturalists' notice though is how brave, even foolhardy, that fox was. It's not full grown, they say, but it tends to stand up to vultures and even golden eagles foraging for carrion.
ReplyDeleteTinúviel
But it does have the sense not to get too close. This is not just competitive scavenging. For the fox at least, it's a game.
Delete