The promised storm was an anticlimax. The morning was flat calm with drizzle and occasional watery sunshine, and there were spells of rain in the afternoon. The Little Owl at the Serpentine was out in her lime tree, slightly flecked with raindrops and refusing to look down for her picture.
People have asked where the male owl is. Males are more mobile than females, and he may be anywhere in the area. It would be impossible to find him unless he was heard calling.
As well as the relentless Jays, Magpies are following me around demanding peanuts. This one was near the owl tree ...
... and this one on the other side of the Long Water in the red-leafed cherry tree by the bridge.
A Jackdaw at the Triangle waited on a branch covered in bright green lichen.
Several more appeared along the edge of the Serpentine. The number of Jackdaws in the park is definitely going up.
The yew in the Dell still has a lot of fruit, and there were Rose-Ringed Parakeets all over it.
They didn't stop the Coal Tits from coming out for pine nuts.
The Robin at the southwest corner of the bridge looked up in annoyance at a Jay on a branch above.
The one at the Lido restaurant was on the railings singing quietly in the rain.
A Grey Wagtail trotted along the edge.
The Grey Heron in the Italian Garden hadn't been seen for some time, but it was back today. Probably the Cormorants have had most of the medium-sized fish in the pools.
The Great Crested Grebes who nested on the north side of the island are now spending much of their time in the narrow strip of water between the island and the shore. The chicks are now diving after their parents, learning to fish. One was given a fish by a parent and played with it for a moment before eating it.
Two teenagers were on the Long Water side of the bridge with a parent ...
... and one was in the reeds at the north end.
The Mute Swans 4HDW and 4DTT, and their cygnet 4HTH, now have full possession of the Long Water and there were no other swans there today. The gravel strip has been partly cleared of scrub, and they were on it preening along with a pair of Canada Geese and two Shoveller drakes.
There were quite a lot of Red-Crested Pochard drakes, now in full breeding plumage, but absolutely no females. They seem to have a sex ratio even more skewed than that of Common Pochards, which a survey a few years ago estimated at 8:1.
I use to feed my local Jackdaws and Crows peanuts over the park. I would throw them over my shoulder while walking with them following me, being caught in midair. Crows mostly stashed them in the ground this time of year and Jackdaws take them to a safer place to eat. After weeks they would recognise me, knowing the drill. I couldn't tell if they would distinguish my face or the big black thing around my neck, so one day I shaved my beard and took my glasses off, and the numbers decreased.
ReplyDeleteSean