Since the male Peregrine got a new mate we haven't been seeing much of them. Their huge territory includes the towers of the Metropole Hilton hotel in the Edgware Road and the former Holiday Inn in the Cromwell Road, and to the northeast the Trellick Tower in Golborne Road, so they have plenty of other places to go. Today the male (I think, from his habit of turning his back on the scene) paid a short visit to the Knightsbridge Barracks. I took a precautionary shot from a mile away in case he flew off, which he did before I got any closer.
A brief sunny spell lit up the front of this Blackbird and, seeing it from a distance, I thought for a moment that we might have a Ring Ouzel. But no, it was just an ordinary young one, still rather ginger in colour.
The Kensington Gardens Chaffinch, accompanied by his mate, intercepted me at the leaf yard and perched on high branches so that it was quite hard to throw pine nuts high enough for them to catch.
Another female Chaffinch appeared at Mount Gate ...
... accompanied by the usual Coal Tit which came down to my hand.
Long-Tailed Tits flew through the trees at the back of the Lido.
The Robin by the Henry Moore sculpture has settled into the usual routine of standing on my hand and taking half a dozen pine nuts. All Robins, and only Robins, seem to do this when they get confident.
The Grey Heron pair at the active nest on the island had just changed places on the eggs, and were having a conversation.
The new arrival did a bit of tidying to the twigs as its mate flew off, and settled down comfortably.
Pigeon Eater, on his patch at the Dell restaurant, had a background of Egyptian Geese.
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The Egyptians at Peter Pan were keeping an eye on their territory from the sawn-off poplar.
This Egyptian at the Round Pond, small in size and evidently female, is the blondest I've seen yet, much paler than our original Blondie who was hatched in 2011.
More Egyptians and some Canadas provided an escort for the Wigeon.
Gadwalls are only occasional visitors to the park, but at the moment we have a good many. They stay in pairs more than other ducks, and today there were three pairs feeding at the Lido.
Three Cormorants were fishing inside the boathouse, but they kept diving and I could only get a shot of two at once.
The Moorhen at the Vista stood on a low branch just above the water.
The Giant Chicken, Pullus giganteus, is now often seen in the park in December.
Has Pigeon Eater ever had a go at anything that isn't a pigeon?
ReplyDeleteIt would be amazing if Ring Ouzels visited the park. They're pretty hard to see here unless you look for their habitat.
Tinúviel
Yes, Pigeon Eater is all too happy to take ducklings and goslings, and indeed in the original film he is seen devouring a little Egyptian.
ReplyDeleteA Ring Ouzel was reported once in the park but several people's searches didn't find it and it's not on the list. Probably a leucistic Blackbird.
If I were one of those Egyptians I would really not be liking Pigeon Eater's company. Obviously all Larus are a threat to ducklings/goslings but he would be found especially menacing, despite my likely aversion to pigeons. I would be concerned for my eyes, but then not want to have to keep peeking in his direction.
DeleteRing Ouzel is longstanding on your list and a group of observers saw one this October. And always a pleasure to tune in. Jim
You're right about the Ring Ouzel being on the list -- sorry. But it's true about the apparently false sighting which sent people including me scurrying around fruitlessly several years ago.
DeletePigeon Eater is currently no threat to the Egyptians, and that's enough for the moment. Even the pigeons get quite close to him, knowing that they can out-accelerate him if he lunges.