It was a dull misty day and you couldn't see far. This is a view of the bridge from the Lido, with the street lights automatically switched on by their photoelectric cells because of the gloom.
Anyway today's star picture is a bright one, though not taken in the park. Tom was at Leybourne Lakes Country Park at Hythe in Kent where he photographed a Yellow Warbler, Setophaga petechia. This is only the second time this North American bird has been recorded in Britain. It certainly is very yellow indeed.
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Back in the park, this is the same Song Thrush I filmed singing yesterday, but today it came into clear view near the Buck Hill shelter.
The song was the highlight of of a grey day.
A Blackbird ...
... and the Henry Moore Robin looked on from the other side of the path.
A Jay at Peter Pan opened a peanut. It takes them longer than it does Carrion Crows, which can bash the shell open in a couple of seconds and instantly start pestering you for another.
A male Feral Pigeon beside the Serpentine did his best to court a female, but she just wasn't interested.
The Coal Tit in the Rose Garden turned up to be fed ...
... and the Chaffinch pair waited in the tall pleached lime hedge.
The Czech Black-Headed Gull, a seasoned park visitor, was hanging around people eating their lunch on the benches hoping for a bit of sandwich. It must be succeeding or it wouldn't keep at it.
The Cormorants' favourite fishing place is under the water spouts at the edge of the Italian Garden, where the turbulence attracts fish. Mostly they are catching quite small carp now, having eaten all the larger carp and perch.
The Grey Heron at the west end of the island is keeping up its lonely vigil. I haven't seen a pair here this winter, though there was an unsuccessful nesting attempt in March.
The pair in the middle nest remain constantly together. Perhaps they are waiting for the female to lay some eggs.
A single heron was fishing in the Italian Garden. In the background are an odd couple, a Gadwall drake and a female Mallard. They have been together for some time. There is often a pair of Mallards in the same pool but the drake leaves the Gadwall in peace.
Egyptian Geese claimed a dead tree near the Serpentine Gallery. As far as I know, the nearest Egyptians' nest hole is some distance away across the road in a tree in the Diana fountain enclosure. Display trees are often quite far from the nest, a sensible precaution against predators.
It looks sweet, for a gull, so it stands to reason that people will feed it.
ReplyDeleteThe first picture is so atmospheric it almost looks like an illustration from a mystery film. But it does look like it'd make anyone chilly to the bone.
I don't think I've ever seen a bird that flashy yellow! Even Orioles are a bit tempered by patches of black.
Tinúviel
Black-Headed Gulls look sweet because they're small and have dark eyes. A couple of days ago I overheard a French couple looking at one and saying it was trop chou. But of course at heart they're just as rapacious and ruthless as bigger gulls which look the part with their fierce yellow eyes.
DeleteI was really surprised by the brightness of the Yellow Warbler and looked for other photographs of them in America. Yes, they really are that brilliant colour.