Saturday 13 May 2017

Blondie's goslings are now growing their flight feathers, and three of them decided to try them out. They ran along the shore flapping vigorously ...
 

... and into the lake.


It will be a while before they get into the air. But it's a useful exercise for strengthening their muscles.

The Egyptian family from the Diana fountain still have five goslings. They had crossed the lake to the north side, but are no safer from gulls there.


The Canada Geese still have their single gosling, and were guarding it closely.


They came rushing over to the shore, and I realised why. Someone was holding a packet of the duck food they sell at the Bluebirds Boats shop. The geese now recognise the brightly coloured packet. It has taken a while for the park waterfowl to take to this healthy stuff, since they are used to nasty white bread, but it looks as if the battle is being won.

A female Mandarin was preening her wings on a post at the Vista.


The Coots nesting on the basket near the bridge are grimly holding on to their single chick. It's an achievement in this impossibly exposed place.


The Great Crested Grebes at the south side of the fallen poplar in the Long Water were shoring up their soggy nest with algae.


One of the Reed Warblers at the east end of the Serpentine came up on a stem to sing, and stayed visible for a whole minute while two people pointed cameras at him.


A Pied Wagtail on the edge of the lake found a small grub.


This male Grey Wagtail perched on the landing stage at the Diana fountain until his mate flew over, and they went off together into the reed bed.


A Chaffinch sang in a treetop in the Rose Garden.


The two adult Mistle Thrushes of the family near Queen's Gate were looking for food for their young.


At the Lido restaurant, a Starling couldn't believe its luck -- a roll with a pot of delicious butter. It made the most of it until a waiter arrived and cleared the table.


It's hard to see what's going on in the Grey Herons' tree on the island, but there are definitely four of them in this picture. The young one is at the bottom on the right, on the jury-rigged nest.


The Little Owl at the leaf yard was on his usual branch until a big crowd of people feeding the Rose-Ringed Parakeets made the place too noisy.

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