A beautiful sunny day brought the Little Owl at the Round Pond out on to her doorstep.
A female Chaffinch perched on a twig at the southwest corner of the bridge,
Ahmet Amerikali got a fine picture of a Goldcrest near the Rose Garden.
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A Magpie perched on the crown on top of a gas lamp post.
A Grey Heron stood on an old Magpie nest at the Triangle.
Pigeon Eater rushed at a Feral Pigeon, missed, and came to a screeching halt at the edge of the lake, narrowly avoiding doing a somersault.
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A young Lesser Black-Backed Gull played with a dirty old snack packet it had dredged up from the bottom of the lake.
Young Black-Headed Gulls, and many other young birds, have a tendency to ignore social rank and harass their elders.
Two Cormorants took off from the island, heading for their night roots on the river.
A Little Grebe appeared at the Vista. I think it has been on the lake for some time after flying down from the Round Pond, but is not much seen because it's usually lurking under a bush.
It had a thorough preen, which kept it on the surface for long enough to film it.
A Pochard drake stood on the willow at the bridge.
The Black Swan looked at the water intake on the Round Pond. All the swans are interested in this occasional fountain.
Sunshine on a Mexican orange bush in the Rose Garden brought out a Speckled Wood butterfly ...
... a Honeybee ...
... A Common Banded Hoverfly, Syrphus ribesii ...
... and a Common Dronefly, Eristalis tenax.
Yayoi Kusama's giant pumpkin at the Round Pond is being dismantled. It was howlingly out of place here but a jolly thing, and people are sorry to see it go.
Sunset behind St Mary's church.
Amazing picture. One can almost feel God's presence in it.
ReplyDeleteI wish Pigeon Eater had turned a somersault. It would have been quite the sight! And I'm sure he'd have done it almost gracefully, unlike the sorry tribe of pigeons.
Tinúviel
I'm not sure why Pigeon Eater felt he had to stop before running into the water, but he certainly did his best to avoid it. He could also have taken off, but didn't.
DeleteYesterday was certainly the most promising day this month so far for insects. I half expected to see a Red Admiral but didn't. I did find a hunting Migrant Hawker though.
ReplyDeleteI often wonder what late dragonflies and butterflies do during the cold grey days when we don't see them, and yet when a weak wintry sun peeps out there they are.
DeleteI suspect not a lot Ralph. Did see a brief Red Admiral yesterday just outside the London Wetland centre & a couple of Common Darters in the grounds.
ReplyDeleteThey must be able to survive for a while without feeding. Tom saw a Speckled Wood in the park again today, otherwise nothing by either of us.
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