Sunshine brought out the young Little Owl in the park in his usual horse chestnut tree.
The female Chaffinch in the Flower Walk waited for a pine nut.
So did the Coal Tit in the Dell, which is now becoming a regular customer.
A mixed flock of tits moved down the edge of the Long Water, including another Coal Tit looking out from a bush.
Starlings waiting to raid a table on the Lido restaurant terrace chattered over the chatter of the diners.
The Grey Heron fidgeted on an umbrella, waiting for a chance to swoop.
The Herring Gull pair rested on the roof of the Dell restaurant ...
... while Pigeon Eater hunted on the shore below.
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It's lovely being a Great Crested Grebe chick. You can just doze until your parent brings you a delicious fish, and then drop off again.
The two chicks at the east end of the island felt it was time for another meal.
Sunlight cast rippling reflections on the underside of the Serpentine bridge as Coots called to each other.
A Migrant Hawker dragonfly paused on a reed at the edge. There are still quite a few of these ...
... and also Common Darters. This female was on a bench in the Flower Walk.
A Hobby hunting dragonflies could be heard calling in the distance, but I didn't get a sight of it.
Two female Shovellers have arrived on the Long Water, the first of the autumn.
I've photographed the Goldenrain tree on the lawn east of the Dell before, but now that the papery fruits are ripe it's quite spectacular.
Going past the drinking fountain at Mount Gate for years, I only just noticed an unobtrusive inscription around the edge of the bowl. It says Водата е дар от природата, а тази чешма е от българската общност: Water is a gift from nature, and this fountain is from the Bulgarian community.
Tom was at Rainham Marshes, where he got a dramatic but grim shot of a Sparrowhawk grasping an unfortunate Starling ...
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... and a fine portrait of a Spotted Flycatcher.
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The picture is amazing, but damn. Damn. One sympathises.
ReplyDeleteThe Bulgarian community appears to be very involved with park life: the fountain, and the ribbons tied to trees.
Aren't they just adorable? They even doze off like so many miniatures of their parents.
Tinúviel
The Bulgarian embassy is just down the road. It's where they built that amazing pseudo-Bulgarian church interior inside a garage that I described on the blog a few months ago. So the area is full of wandering Bulgarians. I was surprised by the drinking fountain, but it's good of them to donate it.
DeleteGrebe chicks are irresistible, and continue charming right up to adulthood.