Saturday 15 June 2013

The first fledged young Great Tits are making themselves heard in the bushes, uttering their scratchy begging calls and chasing their parents around to make sure they are heard and fed.


Like most of the young creatures, they are several weeks late this year. Equally late, the first young fish fry are just visible in the lake, still less than half an inch long. And a few damselflies are visible in the wild plants around the semicircular viewing area at the southwest corner of the bridge.

The Greylag Geese started their breeding season quite promptly, however, and their goslings have already reached a fair size, too large to be snatched by gulls. There is one brood of six, and one of three. All are visible in this picture, though the larger brood is clustered closely together. Their four vigilant parents were hissing at anyone who approached (except me, because they know I will give them some biscuits).


Here is the darker of the two blond Greylags, which has moulted almost all its wing feathers and is waiting for the new ones to come out.


I saw one Canada Goose whose flight feathers were already emerging in their blue packaging, but it folded is wings and swam off before I could get a picture.

The three teenage Egyptian Geese were poking around the island. I didn't see the newer brood.

A Moorhen was pursuing another along the edge of the Serpentine, brandishing a small green twig.


I suppose this is a courtship ritual. The female didn't seem at all interested, and trotted away as fast as the male advanced. But perhaps that is normal too. Moorhens are secretive birds, and one doesn't see much of their private life.

No comments:

Post a Comment