Tuesday 24 September 2013

The increasing population of rabbits around the Henry Moore sculpture attracted a fox. This excellent picture was taken by Paul Turner.


Foxes used to be seen here quite often, but when the rabbits were almost wiped out by myxomatosis they disappeared and were more often seen in Hyde Park than Kensington Gardens, perhaps attracted by the richer pickings from Mayfair dustbins.

The rank growth of weird plants under the sculpture has made it impossible to estimate how many rabbits there are now. The largest number seen here and in the surrounding thickets at one time was 13, but that was several months ago and there are almost certainly more now.

A Treecreeper had pulled a small insect out of the bark of the cedar tree behind the Albert Memorial.


Both the Little Owls appeared in the warm sunshine, though the female went in at the sight of an approaching human. The male was then harried by Jays, but when they had gone he came out again.


The Great Crested Grebe family from the east side of the Long Water were having a territorial dispute with the childless couple to the north of them. Grebes bring their chicks to these disputes, as they give the family greater authority when they are making their displays. Here they all are, advancing in a compact group in their low threatening posture.


The stratagem worked and they added a few more yards of water to their territory.

On the Serpentine a grebe was preening and flapping its wings, now missing a few feathers as it is moulting and replacing them.


After they have renewed their flight feathers, they will moult their contour feathers and go into their much plainer winter plumage in shades of grey.

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