Two Great Black-Backed Gulls have taken to visiting the park: this is the third time they've been here this year. Evidently they are mates. They had a brisk wash together on the Long Water.
But when they had finished, their relationship didn't stop one of them from flying round ...
... and knocking the other off a post into the water.
In the background a Cormorant had caught a large carp, and was harassed as it struggled to swallow it.
Another hurried down the Long Water, washing as it went, and then took off.
Most of the many Robins in the Flower Walk are now coming to take pine nuts from my hand. One waited in a dogwood bush ...
... and the one from the yew hedge came out on a twig.
A Coal Tit stared down from the top of the corkscrew hazel.
A Great Tit was looking for insects in the rotten wood of a dead tree.
A Starling shone in the sunlight.
A Wood Pigeon sunned itself on a yew branch.
The hornbeam north of the Flower Walk that is a favourite climbing tree for children was crowded with Feral Pigeons.
There were Redwings in the trees near the Speke obelisk. They are waiting for the ruins of the Wasteland to be finally dismantled so that they can have a clear run on the bare ground, which remains full of worms even after being covered up for almost three months.
Tom was here and suggested that we should go to Regent's Park to find a Little Owl that had been reported. And there it was: a male not used to being photographed, and very shy. It flew off before I could move left to get that twig out of the way.
Long-Tailed Tits flitted around in the trees by the Inner Circle.
The heronry on the island in the lake is in full nesting swing, though numbers have declined in recent years because Egyptian Geese have started invading the nests.
There were some fine Red-Crested Pochard drakes, and just one Mandarin drake which remained too far away to photograph.
I can’t get over how large the GBBG is! Makes the Cormorant look smallish. I must try and visit the park soon to see one for the first time.
ReplyDeleteEven with this new pair they're only occasional visitors.
DeleteTime is of the essence then
DeleteStill have not managed to see the Great Black Backed Gulls! I have to go and check and some point
ReplyDeleteTheodore
I fear that only daily visits would give you much chance.
DeleteDear God, the size of that male Black Back. Huge creature.
ReplyDeleteEven a shy Little Owl is better than no owl. And surely he will soon learn that you're a friend and mean him all possible good.
Tinúviel
I don't visit Regent's Park often, so that owl is not going to get used to me in the way that the one at the Round Pond is -- and that took a couple of years. I was careful not to say where he was, to avoid crowds goggling at him.
Delete