As spring gathers pace we're beginning to hear proper birdsong, though the Blackbirds really haven't got going yet. The Chaffinches are in full swing and I heard a Chiffchaff singing yesterday, A Song Thrush was in good voice in a treetop behind the Queen's Temple. This one has been singing all winter on sunny days.
A Robin sang in the bushes at the back of the Albert Memorial. It allowed me to film it from close up because it knew it was going to get some pine nuts afterwards. Bribery will get you everywhere.
Another posed in cherry blossom buds in the Flower Walk.
This Robin in the Rose Garden, now reunited with its mate, has become very aggressive towards the other small birds and constantly chases them away.
The male Chaffinch avoided attack by staying at ground level.
A Goldfinch was looking for insects in a treetop at the foot of Buck Hill, probably the same one as I filmed yesterday.
Three Jays followed me along the path from the Italian Garden to the bridge.
The two pairs of Long-Tailed Tits at the northwest corner of the bridge were busy in the bushes.
There was also a pair by the Round Pond ...
... where the female Little Owl was out on a branch.
Since Virginia saw the Little Owl at the Serpentine Gallery I've been keeping an eye on the area, but there has been nothing to show so far. I don't think they'll be able to use their original nest tree. The pair of Carrion Crows that nested in it last year are still there ...
... and their original hole has been blocked with dead leaves by squirrels building a drey. There are other ways in and out of the hollow tree, but a squirrel was looking out of one of them.
Both the Peregrines were on the tower in the morning, but flew away before I could get close enough for a picture.
Theodore saw a Red Kite flying over the Albert Memorial.
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Although Red Kites are reoccupying much of the territory they were driven out of, they are reluctant to return to inner London. They were common scavengers here until the 18th century, when they were shot in the mistaken belief that they were foul pests -- when in fact the reverse was true as they were cleaning the city up. Their place was taken by Carrion Crows, and this seems unlikely to change.
There's a new pair of Grey Herons in a nest on the island. One of them is only a year old and still grey all over.
There are three pairs of Great Crested Grebes on the Serpentine. The pair nearest the bridge were displaying. There are also two pairs on the Long Water.
Coots were rebuilding their nest on the wire baskets by the bridge.
The Egyptian Geese on the Serpentine still have four of their original nine goslings. Constant vigilance is needed to ward off Herring Gulls and Carrion Crows, and there is also a threat from foxes and uncontrolled dogs.
When several years ago one of the park gardeners died, a tree was planted in his memory by the leaf yard. Sadly, I've forgotten his name, but will ask one of the gardeners who was working here at the time. Today I saw this by the tree. Probably the little box contains his ashes, and the trowel is a memorial of what he used to do.
Tinúviel sent me a scene from a busy street of Madrid, where a peahen had started wandering around and was in danger from the traffic, so the fire brigade were called to rescue her. The fireman at the end says 'Con lo bien que estabas en la ventana' -- 'You were perfectly all right in that window (but we still had to come and disturb you).'
Our firefighters and policemen could double up as wildlife wranglers. They're always catching too-fat-to flight griffon vultures and the like. They have it down to a science. Although nothing like the casual ease (well, and fury) with which this nice elderly Russian lady makes a hungry polar bear go away:
ReplyDeletehttps://x.com/koelnnemez/status/1898033642632294885
"Three Jays followed me " seems like the start of a story I would very gladly read!
(that's Tinúviel, BTW)
DeleteYes, it reminds me of that mysterious English pangram, 'Jackdaws love my big sphinx of quartz.'
DeleteI wouldn't fancy holding a peahen with my bare hands. I used to feed scraps to the ornamental fowls in my local park though the wire mesh, before 'elf 'n' safety and compensation culture put an end to that; chickens were fine (not de-beaked), guineafowl a bit rougher but the peafowl would draw blood. Jim
ReplyDeleteAs Tinúviel says, Spanish firemen and police are experienced in these matters. In her home region of Extremadura huge vultures often gorge themselves on carrion till they are too heavy to fly, and the police scoop them up as casually as if they were hens.
DeleteSadly no singing Chaffinches for me. There has been a small wintering flock of around ten birds down the road from me in our country park, but none breed here any more. Plenty of Song Thrushes in the wilder areas though.
ReplyDeleteYet Red Kites are an everyday spectacle low over the garden; by far the most frequently seen raptor, though we do have six breeding species in the borough.
Yes, Red Kites are all over the place now, but not in the inner city where they used to abound. Not enough dead dogs in the streets now, I suppose.
DeleteThe Madrid Fire Service should have called their own emergency number (Alberto) who would have sorted that in half the time!
ReplyDeleteHe'd have got it off the window sill by putting food on the ground and standing back. No fire engine required.
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