So far the Mute Swan 4GIQ mated to the Black Swan has hatched just one hybrid cygnet. It emerged two days ago, so it may be the only one and the other eggs are infertile. All cygnets, Black, Mute or hybrid, are the same pale grey colour.
A closer look at the cygnet shows a feature that Black cygnets have and Mute ones don't: a line running from its eye to the corner of its bill. This is called a lore and many birds have it, as the area bare of feathers allows it to see straight ahead out of its sideways-facing eyes.
The Black Swan was cruising around the Long Water ...
... but later visited them at the nest. Thanks to Jon Ferguson for this picture.
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The swans with five cygnets were at the east end of the Serpentine, a safe distance from the Black Swan who started chasing other swans including 4GIQ's original mate.
A Moorhen rested comfortably in a rowing boat moored at the boat hire platform. Few people hire a rowing boat now, and rowing seems to be a lost art among the general public.
There's still no sign of hatching on the Great Crested Grebes' nest on the chain at the east end of the island.
The Pochard took her three ducklings across the Long Water.
The Gadwall drake from the Huntress fountain in the Rose Garden was wandering around the lawn. I hadn't seen before that he has a ring. I was able to make out some of the numbers, 68158 with the first and last not 100 per cent certain, and will try to read the rest of it.
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The Grey Heron chicks were alone in the nest at the east end of the island, though their parents were flying nearby and keeping an eye on them.
A Pied Wagtail hunting along the edge of the Serpentine ran right under my feet. There are two pairs here, one where the male had a sore foot, now recovered, and this is the other male.
A female Great Tit in the Rose Garden seemed to be having a discussion with her mate about what what to do with their noisy fledgling, which can be seen out of focus in the background.
A closer look at the young one.
Another family was milling around in the red-leafed cherry tree near the circular yew hedge.
One of the Coal Tit pair by the Serpentine Gallery has now started coming to my hand, and the other one was having a look but is still hesitant. They watch the confident Great Tits before they decide it's safe.
This Wren is often seen and heard by the circle of benches in the Flower Walk from which a path leads to the Albert Memorial.
A Painted Lady butterfly in a clump of oxeye daisies used its long proboscis to drink from a floret, then coiled it up before flying away.
One factor, possibly the main one, in the fewer rowing boats seen on the lake is the post Bluebird Boats management’s inability or reluctance to display them. I was frequently asked by people in pedalos where I’d got my rowing boat from, and they were surprised to hear they were available at the same place they’d hired their pedalos.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn’t help either that the new operators provide deficient equipment. The oars don’t meet in the middle which ensures that it’s doubly difficult to power and navigate the boats especially in any wind that’s stronger than a puff of breeze. Novices don’t come back for more. Joseph
They made a notable mess of the rowing boats: ordered far too many, found that the plastic rowlocks broke, replaced them with metal ones, found that these ate into the oars, got sleeves for the oars ... it took months. They should have sold the unwanted boats but these are still slowly decaying at their moorings. Rowing boats are still available at the other end of the platform. The Arabs try to row them Arab style facing forward only to find that the thwarts are in the wrong place for that. Generally a major foul-up typical of the park management.
DeleteWhat no little owl today ?.... I would concur 100,% with Joseph's comment RE.rowing... it is not like that in other city's (Cambridge/Oxford/bath etc.....).. the highlight of my day here was HEARING a chough !!.(Confirmed by the MERLIN bird app)...regards,Stephen..
ReplyDeleteYou wouldn't expect the owl to out on a cold drizzly windy day. Did you hear a chough here? It would be a first for the park, but Jackdaws have some similar calls. Merlin isn't always right.
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