I thought there were only two Grey Heron chicks in the nest at the east end of the island, but now that they are bigger and moving around more you can see a third appearing towards the end of this clip.
The heron in the upper nest appeared with the chicks below.
It left, and two of the chicks started preening. It seems odd to still call these big gawky creatures chicks, but they aren't fledged yet.
The heron at the west end is still occupying the nest, but I haven't seen its mate for several days and it looks as if their romance has quietened down. This pair has a record of hanging around for ages and then sitting but never hatching chicks. It's sad, but not all herons can be successful.
A heron on the shore tried a bit of lettuce, didn't like it, and dropped it.
A Cormorant dried its wings on the Mute Swans' nesting island in the Long Water, so far unclaimed by the dominant pair of swans.
Both the Egyptian Geese at the Henry Moore sculpture were down on the grass, and stayed there for as long as I could see them. This suggests that the nest has failed, but we'll have to wait to be sure.
The female Little Owl at the Round Pond looked out from the back of the hole.
A Jackdaw perched on a branch of the dead tree, waiting eagerly for a peanut. They're polite birds and don't bother you, but they make their wishes known. They don't seem to bother the owl either, though the other corvids persecute owls.
A Carrion Crow pulled up the newly laid turf on the Parade Ground, looking for worms underneath.
They make a mess of the turf, to the annoyance of the people laying it who have to go back and tread down the turned-up edges. That's why they have put up the scarecrow kites I showed yesterday, though these don't seem to work.
A Song Thrush was in good voice in the top of a tree at the back of the Lido.
Both the Robins in the leaf yard are now coming to my hand. They are still keeping a slight distance from each other.
A Wren perched on the railings at the edge of the Rose Garden.
The usual male Chaffinch was waiting in a flower bed.
A Great Tit perched in cornel cherry blossom ...
... and a Coal Tit in one of the wattle bushes.
The Coal Tit in the Dell will now fly down to take pine nuts from the railings.
Hi Ralph,
ReplyDeleteseems like you cannot fool a crow. Last year they tried a bloke with a hawk couple of hours a day, the moment he was gone the crows were back at it. Then there were those shiny pink swirling toys which did nothing for them either. It's actually quite amusing. You have to appreciate that someone must have come up with the usual guaranteed ideas and the crows are bravely defying.
I only hope they won't hire a contractor to trap them or anything. They are just doing what they are meant to be doing food wise.
Jenna
This happens every year, and the turf people try a different thing each year. Probably the crows would recognise and avoid a trap.
DeleteI like to think Crows have actual, honest-to-God counter-intelligence divisions.
DeleteTinúviel
Crows have scouts, and generals. When the army has an objective, it moves on it ruthlessly.
DeleteI like how the Crow politely places the tuft back as is. They know that it will come in their favour, for a tasty worm.
ReplyDeleteSean
Mostly they don't bother. The turf is covered with turned-up corners and looks a mess.
DeleteIf there were a loop of one hour of Song Thrush continuous singing, I'd be up for it.
ReplyDeleteWe'd have to come up with a suitable name for Heron young. "Chick" looks feeble for their size.
Crows never cease to amaze. Their capacity for mischief is as boundless as their ingenuity.
Tinúviel
I never get tired of Song Thrushes, or of Blackbirds.
DeleteWe can stop calling these enormous junior herons chicks when they start climbing out of the nest, I think.