A mild sunny day started the Goldcrests singing, making them easier to find than usual with these tiny elusive birds. This one was in a pittosporum bush in the Dell ...
... and this one in a yew at Mount Gate.
Ahmet Amerikali was in Battersea Park and found a Firecrest.
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The Coal Tit pair at Mount Gate were chasing each other through a holly tree ...
... and the usual male Chaffinch was waiting on the next tree.
A little ornamental conifer in a flower bed in the Rose Garden made a perch for a Blue Tit ...
... and a Wren.
The Little Owl at the Serpentine Gallery was there when I came into the park, by one of the holes in the hollow old chestnut ...
... and as I went home I saw him again on a higher branch, and he was well worth a second picture.
The sunshine brought people to the terrace of the Lido restaurant, and Starlings waited on an umbrella for their chance to grab scraps.
A Grey Wagtail was hunting midges from a post at the bridge ...
... where the Coots were having several tries at fitting a twig into their already large nest.
The dominant Mute Swan and his mate's neglect of the nesting island in the Long Water has allowed in a pair of Canada Geese ...
... but on the Serpentine two pairs of swans had their eyes on the nest site behind the railings at the boathouse.
A pair of Egyptian Geese at the Triangle enjoyed a brisk wash.
The pair at the Lido still have eight goslings.
There were several Yellow-Legged Mining Bees in the Rose Garden again. When not browsing on flowers they seem to like heuchera leaves as a place to rest. I also saw this yesterday. Maybe the yellow colour attracts them, as they were also choosing yellow wallflowers.
A Common Drone Fly, Eristalis tenax, hovered in front of a black sports bag. If there had been anything else in the background I couldn't have got the picture.
The three Starlings are all individually plotting their move to grab the first available piece of food their eyes can scan. They look like they're working as a team but secretly aren't.
ReplyDeleteThe Little Owls always have the expression of an intense stare off competition is happening. As if to say, "I can stare as much as you pal, let's go!".
Sean
I wonder, do they ever have face-offs while on land? I would assume their bulk makes it impossible, or at least not advisable (although since when has that stopped a swan).
ReplyDeleteThose are very fine and mighty brows and no mistake!
Tinúviel
They do raise their wings to threaten each other on land, but anything like the circling display would be impossible when they can only waddle ponderously. When a swan is chased on shore by a rival it is not followed on shore, though it's likely to be threatened from the water to stop it from returning.
DeleteIt's easy to misread an owl's facial expression, but I think he's getting used to me photographing him. I always talk to him reassuringly, and think that this does make a difference.