The Black Swan has been following the Mute female 4GIQ on and off for several days.
He tried to impress her by having a faceoff with a Mute male. I think this one was just passing and minding its own business when the Black Swan sailed up with raised wings.
This Mute teenager was alone by reeds at the east end of the Lido. It may be one of the six from the Long Water, but if so it's a long way from the rest of the family.
Many birds like oatmeal and there was a contest for a patch someone had dropped on the edge, which a Canada Goose wins simply by being bigger than the others.
The reduction in the number of Cormorants on the Long Water gave a Great Crested Grebe a chance to fish in the old water filter under the edge of the Italian Garden. But after a few minutes a Cormorant came up and shooed it away before it had caught anything.
A fishing Grey Heron was reflected in the calm water. The tumbled rocks, including a lump of concrete, may be from an attempt to consolidate the edge of the Long Water, which is mostly a natural boggy mess.
A Pied Wagtail ran up the hard concrete edge of the Serpentine, a most unnatural surface but one that suits hunting wagtails just fine.
A Jay looked for acorns under an oak tree by the leaf yard ...
... and another by the Italian Garden applied for a peanut.
So did a pair of Magpies a little farther along the path.
This pair at the Lido restaurant were after scraps from tables, a few of which were occupied despite the cold day.
A Stock Dove perched in a tree on Buck Hill.
A Coal Tit looked out of the corkscrew hazel in the Dell. The pair seem to have moved here from the big yew tree they used to occupy. You can tell it's one of them by the little white marks over its eyes.
The Coal Tit at Mount Gate ...
... was joined by a Blue Tit ...
... and both of the pair of Robins, this the usual one ...
... and the mate staying at a tactful distance along the railings.
While they were circling each other both swans looked like a living embodiment of the yin and yang symbol. Not sure the female swan would have been impressed though.
ReplyDeleteTinúviel
I think the Black Swan's display had some effect. She did stay side by side with him afterwards rather than sailing about with him in tow. Swans respect dominance more than anything else.
DeleteThe swimming swans looked like a ballet on the water - Swan Lake! Absolutely beautiful and indeed every single one of these images is exquisite. Thank you so much for sharing these with us!
DeleteThank you.
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