The Mute Swans on the nesting island in the Long Water have hatched at least five cygnets.
The female of the pair which have taken over the nesting island has idiotically laid an egg on the path. Their refusal to use the perfectly good nesting site in the reeds is probably because straw was laid on the path for them to take in there, and they got the wrong idea.
They had just chased away the pair which previously had the site and would likely have nested in the right place, which has been successful in the past.
The pair on the grassy bank at the Lido seem to have given up their attempt to nest, and there are no eggs. They were on the water beggiing for food from a pedalo.
An Egyptian Goose by the Dell restaurant attacked a swan for no apparent reason. It didn't have a family to protect.
Sad to say, the Greylags are down to their last gosling. Its mother guarded it solicitously, but the lake is a cruel place.
The Coots in the Italian Garden fountain were diving busily to bring up algae for their chicks. The chicks had started diving too but weren't much good at it.
The local pair of Egyptians ignored the turmoil.
The Moorhen chicks bustled around in the algae on the lake below.
Whenever a Coot sees a Moorhen it makes a pointless attack.
Pigeon Eater was away, allowing other gulls to intrude on his patch at the east end of the Serpentine. It's unusual to see so many Lesser Black-Backs among the numerous Herring Gulls.
It was quite windy and the Little Owls at the Round Pond were down on their low sheltered branch where it's hard to see them. The female looked out beside her mate, who was mostly hidden in the leaves.
I haven't seen the familiar Kensington Gardens Chaffinch or his mate for a while, but the young male which was accompanying them appeared on the north side of the Flower Walk to demand pine nuts.
A Greenfinch sang near the Italian Garden ...
... and a Long-Tailed Tit was ferrying caterpillars to a nest in the brambles below.
The tatty Blue Tit in the Rose Garden ate a pine nut ...
... and the Robin took some into the bush for his nesting mate.
A Red Admiral butterfly by the bridge drank nectar from Mexican orange blossom till a Honeybee advanced on it and made it fly away.
Nice to see a cock Chaffinch not yet with afflicted feet, for a change.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Pigeon Eater went on to read about the American company coming back for more footage, and had a further change of heart. Jim
I think all Chaffinches get the virus eventually, and this one is young. Observation from seeing generations of them by the bridge when Neil had his big feeder there.
DeletePigeon Eater was seen in action yesterday by an English scout for PBS. Fingers crossed that he performs for the cameras. Last year they spent three whole days and got some excellent video.
Pigeon Eater was looking so dashing in today's entry I nearly gasped. He's looking finer than usual. Immaculately groomed and almost radiant. Like a film star.
ReplyDeleteAny theories about why Coots should especially single out Moorhens for their pointless wrath? Maybe because they look somewhat alike?
A Swan fleeing an Egyptian. For shame, swan!
Tinúviel
Pigeon Eater knows that he is the finest gull in the park. I suspect him of posing for photographs.
DeleteI suppose Coots see Morrhens as rivals on account of the similiarity, not only of their form, but of their way of life. But they also attack ducks, though not as invariably as Moorhens. I've more than once seen a Coot chase a swan that came too close to its nest, and succeed in driving it off.