Saturday, 8 February 2025

Half-grown Grey Heron chick

One of the two Grey Heron chicks in the upper nest on the island appeared on the edge of the nest, visible from the shore. This is the first reasonable sight I've had of one from this side. They can be seen from the far side of the lake, but at an impossible distance for photographs. At a mere six weeks old they are already large, but not yet fully grown.


There was the sound of a chick begging from the nest at the east end, but when I got to a place where I could see the nest clearly all that was visible was one of the parents looking down at it. This nest hatched several weeks later, and the chick or chicks are still fairly small.


It was another wet day, and a heron stood in a damp huddle on the water level that was installed in the Serpentine for the 2012 Olympics to comply with some bureaucratic rule. The thing is singularly pointless, as the water level in the Serpentine never changes by more than a couple of inches and if it even got to 1 on the scale it would be pouring over the bank and flooding Belgravia. Luckily this is prevented by the weir at the east end. The scale seems to be in decimetres, a measure never used by any human being in recorded history.


Also at the east end of the Serpentine, the solitary Shoveller drake that didn't leave with the others. It's the only one on the entire lake, though there are two drakes and a female on the Round Pond.


A pair of Mallards wandered along the edge of the Long Water, looking for worms brought up by the rain but also prospecting for a nest site in the bushes. Let's hope they don't choose one here, as there is a local fox family.


A Coot pair preened each other on the edge of the lake, combining affection with a tasty snack of fleas and lice.


These Coots seemed to be trying to build a nest under one of the fountains in the Italian Garden. It would be hard to imagine a worse place. But then, Coots don't have much imagination.


The Fieldfare was still on the Parade Ground, but there hasn't been a sign of any Redwings for several days.


A Great Spotted Woodpecker climbed a tree at the northwestern corner of the bridge.


In the Flower Walk, a Blue Tit perched in soggy wintersweet blossom.


There was a Coal Tit among the catkins in the corkscrew hazel bush, but it wouldn't come out into a better place for a picture.


A Robin was on another branch, with a raindrop bouncing off its head.


Both Robins in the Rose Garden came out for food, one on a branch ...


... and the other on the wet lawn.


The male Chaffinch was in the next tree ...


... and there was a Wren in another. All these birds were packed close together in the small clump of shrubbery that survives from the wanton destruction of their home.


The Blackbirds were also evicted. A male perched on the pergola a short distance away.


A pair of Magpies beside the Long Water waited side by side in a variegated holly tree before swooping down to take peanuts from the railings.

Friday, 7 February 2025

Wind and hail

The Fieldfare was still on the Parade Ground, despite a horrible day of wind and rain and hail.


It's very wary and always stays at a distance and under a tree so it can shoot into cover at the slightest disturbance.


There was no sign of Redwings here, but a small flock been reported still in Kensington Gardens. It seems surprising that they haven't come over to this excellent place for finding worms, as they have in past years.

The young Grey Heron came up from its usual station by the Dell stream ...


... to the Parade Ground and wandered around looking puzzled and out of place. Heaven knows what it expected to find here, but young birds are always curious.


There was a crowd of Great and Blue Tits waiting in a clump of dead Michaelmas daisies in the Rose Garden.


A Blue Tit ate a pine nut ...


... and a Coal Tit waited on a twig.


The patch of cleared ground in the woodland below the Buck Hill shelter had the usual Dunnock ...


... and a Wren looking for insects and larvae.


The female Chaffinch in the Flower Walk perched among catkins in the corkscrew hazel bush ...


...and so did a Robin.


Several Jays were waiting near the Italian Garden. One perched on the peculiar ridged bark of a winged elm.


A pair of Long-Tailed Tits jumped around in the trees by the Henry Moore sculpture.


The pair of herons were together again in the nest at the west end of the island.


No doubt these in the middle of the island are also a pair, with one sitting in the top nest and the other below it guarding the territory. There are four heron nests in this tree, so other birds have to be kept from taking them and there are often indignant squawks at intruders.


With nothing much happening today, here's a video from a brighter day.  A young Cormorants dries its wings under the Italian Garden.


Sean Gillespie visited Wallasea Island, where there is a new nature reserve still not completely set up. He was looking for Short-Eared Owls and Barn Owls, which didn't turn up, but there were plenty of Kestrels.

Thursday, 6 February 2025

Plenty of Song Thrushes

A Song Thrush sang in a treetop at the back of the Lido.  It was one of three singing males on the south shore of the Serpentine, and more could be heard  in Kensington Gardens. There really are a lot of them this year, and probably they are now outnumbering Blackbirds for the first time. Mistle Thrushes are now very scarce, and there are only a few Redwings.


On the grass below a Carrion Crow had found a packet of cheese and onion crisps, which it emptied on to the grass and ate with enthusiasm. They seem to tolerate the excessive amount of salt in snack foods.


A pair of Grey Herons also found some dropped food. Three more herons turned up, as well as other birds, but the pair weren't going to let any of them have it.


A heron looked down from the Dell restaurant roof, waiting for a chance to grab some leftovers from a table below.


Another in the reeds under the Italian Garden had found a much healthier option, a small fish.


The chicks in the upper nest on the island were milling around and clacking loudly.


As I thought, there is a sitting heron in one of the middle nests. You can't see much as the nest is set very high and you are looking straight into the light.


Several Jays near the Italian Garden were waiting for peanuts.


The female Chaffinch in Kensington Gardens picked me up at the Flower Walk and followed me to the Round Pond.


The male in the Rose Garden spotted me coming along the Serpentine Road and plonked himself down at the edge for the first of a series of pine nuts.


Great Tits waited in a flowering wattle bush.


A Blue Tit and a Coal Tit perched in a small tree.


The Robin pair are now quite friendly with each other.


So are the two at Mount Gate, but I couldn't get them both in the same picture.


The Coal Tits were chasing each other in a flirtatious way.


Late sunshine lit the dominant Black-Headed Gull on the Big Bird statue.


The male Egyptian Goose at the Henry Moore sculpture was by himself again, so yesterday's sight of the female was during one of her occasional descents from the nest to feed.


The Mute Swans nesting at the island shooed off rivals. This is the female chasing the other female, while her mate dealt with the other male.

Wednesday, 5 February 2025

Sparrowhawk on Buck Hill

A female Sparrowhawk flew over Buck Hill and perched in a tree for a couple of minutes before heading off to the Old Police House, where the pair nest in a tree.


A daytime half moon hung in the sky above.


The female Little Owl at the Round Pond came out to enjoy the morning sunshine.


When I came back later they were both out in the tree, but it was impossible to get an unobstructed view of both of them.


There was a distant view of the Fieldfare on the Parade Ground looking for worms. It found and ate one.


Redwings could also be seen, but I don't think there are more than three of them at the moment.


A Song Thrush singing at sunset by the Diana fountain was answered by a Robin in the next tree.


Great Tits waited to be fed in the top of a budding tree by the bridge, level with the parapet.


The two Coal Tits in the Rose Garden are now following me around to get as many pine nuts as possible ...


... and so are the Blue Tits ...


... and the male Chaffinch, though I haven't seen his mate for a while.


Another distant view from across the lake, but you can hear the two young Grey Herons clacking their bills as they beg for food. You can only see into the nest from this side, so it's impossible to get a closer view.


The pair in the nest at the west end of the island were together again.


There was quite a noise from several herons in the middle of the island. When I photographed this one I didn't see that there was a heron sitting in the nest at top left of the picture. Was it just resting, or is this another nest with eggs? This needs watching.


The young heron on Buck Hill was staring into the brambles, hoping for a rat. It was also staying close to the path in case anyone might be passing with food.


A Moorhen in the Italian Garden climbed around in dead iris leaves in a planter.


The Coots' nest on the post at Peter Pan is getting larger.


A Cormorant emerging from water very wet shook the water off its feathers. Only the outer layer of feathers gets wet, an arrangement that increases the bird's weight and makes it easier to dive. Its inner feathers are as waterproof and warm as those of any other diving bird.


Both the Egyptian Geese were on the grass under the Henry Moore sculpture. The male was guarding the female, making solicitous noises like the reversing alarm on a lorry. I think she is still nesting but had come down for a quick feed.