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.
I’ve never seen a white patch around the eye like that before, on a BHG
ReplyDeleteI have, but usually a much narrower one.
DeleteIt's funny to see that even swans have weight classes.
ReplyDeleteYour wattle bushes are really early with the blooming! Ours are just beginning to get their first blooms.
Cantankerous birds, Herons.
Tinúviel
Everything has gone into blossom early this year, despite low temperatures. Not at all clear what has triggered it.
DeleteHerons seem to hate everyone, including each other, with the single exception of their mate. And the gulls and crows hate them back.