A pair of Greylag Geese nesting on the island have three new goslings. As long as they stay near the island, the shelter of the overhanging bushes should protect them from the swooping gulls, but out in the open the young are very exposed. They have attentive parents, so they have a chance.
The Mute Swan sitting on eggs at the Lido restaurant looked up from the pile of rubbish that serves as a nest. The pair would have nested in the reed bed behind, but the netting was too strong for them to tear down.
The single Coot chick from the nest in the boathouse was bustling around picking midges off the surface of the water. It's good that its parents are still guarding it. If they have only one or two chicks, Coots have a tendency to abandon them and start nesting again.
A Coot investigated a strawberry, didn't like it, and went back to catching midges.
The Moorhens in the Dell have had to move from their favourite rock as a Grey Heron has taken it as a fishing station.
A Pied Wagtail hunted along the edge of the Serpentine. The two chicks could be heard in a tree but were out of sight.
A Reed Warbler below the Italian Garden perched for a moment before dashing back into the reeds where the pair are nesting.
Both the Little Owls at the Round Pond could be seen, the female preening on her usual branch in the lime tree ...
... and the male dozing on the other side of the tree. I only found him because he was calling to her.
The tatty Blue Tit in the Rose Garden stood on my hand to eat a pine nut, then took another and flew into a tree.
The Robin took several and carried them to his mate nesting in the bush below.
One of the pair at Mount Gate was singing in a magnolia tree.
A Blackbird sang near the Buck Hill shelter, hard to see in the leaves.
Several Wrens could be heard in the Flower Walk.
A Jay flew to a tree by the bridge to apply for a peanut.
A Buff-Tailed Bumblebee, her pollen sacks full to bursting, browsed on the pretty but evil-smelling blossom of a wild service tree north of the Flower Walk.
Another could just fit into a pink rose in the Rose Garden.
The pair of Greylags with the goslings looks like the family I saw on the grass on the South side of the Serpentine just before 7pm, and unfortunately they only had one gosling left...
ReplyDeleteOh dear. I feared as much. The Serpentine is not a good place to raise young birds of any species.
DeletePlus none of the Canadas are nesting this year. Not even attempted.
ReplyDeleteThe island seems deserted.
Jenna
Sad news. But many of the geese now kenow it's not worth trying to nest here and are going away to do it, returning with their family as soo as the young ones can fly.
DeleteThat seems more intelligent than the way most resident waterfowl in the park carry on. Jim
DeleteYes. Geese are quite bright.
DeleteThe Greylag parents had their back to their two chicks behind them and seem unbothered, but anything can happen in a flash with a swooping Gull or striking Heron. Let’s hope they can raise them to a healthy age, just like David Attenborough at 99 young. Happy bday legend.
ReplyDeleteSean
See Jon's comment above.
DeleteIt’s a doggy dog world.
DeleteSean
I do think some animals prioritise all their time and energy into raising just the one single stronger baby.
DeleteSean
It's not only gulls but crows as well.
ReplyDeleteIn fact some time ago I saw a crow snatch a young Canada goslings and take off with him. They can do it easily within the first few weeks. But that's nature. They also need to eat. And their babies.
I used to get upset but now I know it's a part of eco system.
Jenna
We can't interfere with the natural order of things. Any attempts usually make things worse.
DeleteThe picture of the bumblebee not fitting into a flower just makes me absurdly happy.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope the little goslings will have a chance. I don't want to get my hopes up.
Tinúviel
Bumblebees, which after all are only insects, seem to hit the happiness button in many people including me.
DeleteSee my reply to Jenna above on the intelligent geese choosing to breed elsewhere and bring in their family later.
They are probably fed up with the parks just like everyone else these days. Jenna
ReplyDelete