A Carrion Crow at the Round Pond used the gravel strip as a bathing beach.
On the other side of the pond the young Little Grebe preened in the late afternoon sunshine.
An adult Little Grebe on the Serpentine was too far away for a good picture.
A Jackdaw near the Italian Garden was planning a flight down to grab a peanut before the crows and Magpies snatched it. It chose a good spot and got its peanut.
Most of the Jays don't have this problem, as they will take a peanut from my hand in flight.
Starlings gathered and chattered on the weathervane at the Lido restaurant.
A Blue Tit in the yew in the Dell ...
... and the male Coal Tit were waiting for pine nuts to be put on the railings.
The Little Owl at the Serpentine Gallery was in her usual lime tree.
Ahmet Amerikali was at Rainham Marshes, and sent four pictures: a fine shot of a female Kestrel passing overhead ...
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... a male Bearded Tit in the reeds ...
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... a female Stonechat ...
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... and a Dunnock, I think male from the amount of grey on its head.
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The young Grey Heron at the southeast corner of the bridge is ridiculously relaxed about humans. Someone was taking a close-up shot on his phone, holding it just a foot from the bird's face.
The Black Swan and his Mute mate spotted me and hurried over for some sunflower hearts.
Common Pochards rested under a yellow poplar on the Long Water as a Shoveller passed through.
A mild sunny day brought out insects in the Rose Garden, notably a Hummingbird Hawk Moth, Macroglossum stellatarum, feeding on a Baby Sage flower ...
... Honeybees on a clump of Bloodflower or Tropical Milkweed, Asclepias curassavica ...
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...and what I think is a Rose Chafer beetle, Cetonia aurata, its metallic green colour overwhelmed by its bright orange surroundings. The flowers are 'Florist's Chrysanthemums', which are actually from a different genus, Dendranthema grandiflorum.
I would swear on a stack of bibles that that was a Hummingbird, if I ever came across such a creature. Amazing.
ReplyDeleteTinúviel
It does look and move very much like an actual hummingbird, hovering motionless in front of a flower as it drinks with its extraordinarily long tongue.
DeleteLovely shot of the Hummingbird Hawkmoth. Haven't seen one in the garden for a couple of weeks now, though I am out a lot. Certainly been a bumper year for them generally & in the garden.
ReplyDeleteCertainly yesterday's sunshine permitted much insect activity. At Kew Gardens yesterday I saw Red Admiral, 2 Speckled Woods, at least a dozen Common Darters, a Migrant Hawker & a Willow Emerald.
You're right that is a Rose Chafer-such resplendent looking scarab beetles.
Glad you managed to see so many late survivals. All these are gone from here as far as I can see.
DeleteThere was a Hummingbird Hawk Moth in the Rose Garden a few days ago, but I only got a fleeting glimpse and no picture. Also one in the Italian Garden a bit earlier, so they are around.
The picture was a problem as it was in the deep shadow of a bush. The speed of 1/1250 wasn't fast enough to fix the wings, but was so fast that the picture turned out grainy. But it was probably the best compromise in the circumstances. I didn't get a second chance as it flew far away. But what a strange and wonderful creature.