tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post1615188856035938572..comments2024-03-28T20:29:39.377+00:00Comments on Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park birds: Ralph Hancockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11686354797977020917noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-77398631184268965082013-01-23T19:01:25.183+00:002013-01-23T19:01:25.183+00:00Thanks. I've never seen as many in this park, ...Thanks. I've never seen as many in this park, though Regent's Park is another matter.Ralph Hancockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11686354797977020917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-59902888881960738762013-01-23T13:44:41.680+00:002013-01-23T13:44:41.680+00:00Thanks. I've dug out an email from the first t...Thanks. I've dug out an email from the first time I witnessed the congregation of herons, dated 19 May 2010. It has happened each year since:<br /><br />Dear Anthony,<br /> <br />Around a quarter to nine last night at the southern end of the Serpentine I counted twenty-four Herons standing motionless waiting for food to be thrown in their direction. Their eeriness is compounded by the distance they keep from one another compared to the jostling of the other birds as they chase after the scattered food. <br /> <br />I took note of the feeders - man and woman, well turned out, purposeful, relatively young, well provisioned (not the stale bread variety). Intriguing.<br />Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10529596094957534682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-31885542923012101132013-01-14T17:23:04.240+00:002013-01-14T17:23:04.240+00:00Many thanks. See today's blog. A distant shot ...Many thanks. See today's blog. A distant shot but the best I could get.Ralph Hancockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11686354797977020917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-39847749958677690552013-01-14T08:25:44.532+00:002013-01-14T08:25:44.532+00:00Female Goldeneye currently on Long Water (a.m. Mon...Female Goldeneye currently on Long Water (a.m. Monday).Des McKenzienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-88238847934495421672013-01-13T23:59:53.802+00:002013-01-13T23:59:53.802+00:00I think that what you saw is not a sign of serious...I think that what you saw is not a sign of serious intention of nesting -- it's much too early. Some birds, including Egyptian Geese and, evidently from recent behaviour, Grey Herons, play with the idea of nesting long before they actually get around to it, and that includes defence of their territory. The Egyptian habit of standing in trees and shouting is naturally going to offend any heron in whose territory it happens. The number of Grey Herons in the park is variable: they fly in and out from Regent's Park where there is a larger colony, and I have sometimes seen one flapping heavily above Oxford Street. The average number on both lakes is something like 8, and 23 would be exceptional.Ralph Hancockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11686354797977020917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-29206812080676025142013-01-13T23:07:22.930+00:002013-01-13T23:07:22.930+00:00A couple of days ago I saw a Heron perched on one ...A couple of days ago I saw a Heron perched on one of the Serpentine island nests you mention being shouted at by an Egyptian goose from an adjacent tree. The Heron was having none of it and saw off the interloper. Is this a sign of serious breeding intent this year? Do you have any idea roughly how many herons are resident around the Serpentine? Last year I saw a man and woman on several occasions in summer just before dusk feeding them and they'd attracted around twenty three, all warily keeping their distance from one another. Presumably they'd flown in for supper and weren't all resident?<br />Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10529596094957534682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-86854354644995004862013-01-13T18:58:49.068+00:002013-01-13T18:58:49.068+00:00Good work on the ring, Ralph. May be sufficient. H...Good work on the ring, Ralph. May be sufficient. Have reported the number and will let you know any result.Des McKenzienoreply@blogger.com