Monday 2 October 2017

It was a windy day, and a Cormorant and two young Herring Gulls were getting a bit ruffled while preening on the posts at the Serpentine island.


The Little Grebe was bouncing up and down in the choppy waves on the Round Pond.


A headwind encourages swans to fly, as it reduces their takeoff run. Some young Mute Swans, to whom flying is a fairly new experience, were charging up the Serpentine.


The Black Swan, on the sheltered Long Water, was more concerned with charging over to be fed.


Greylags circled over the lake, gaining height before flying off to the river.


The two dark Mallard drakes are now fully back into their breeding plumage.


The edge of the Long Water is lined with Pochards skulking under the bushes.


There were Cormorants all over the Long Water, fishing, standing on the posts at Peter Pan ...


... and having a frantic wash.


The pigeon-killing Lesser Black-Backed Gull was at the Dell restuarant. He had finished his pigeon and was having a good preen to settle his lunch.


Two Carrion Crows picked off the last scraps.


On the restaurant terrace, a Starling found the remains of a plate of fish and chips. They are particularly fond of chips.


The little tangle of whitebeam and hawthorn bushes at the bottom of Buck Hill is constantly visited by flocks of Long-Tailed Tits. They don't eat the fruit, but maybe this attracts a lot of insects.


They were joined by a Chiffchaff.


One of the Coal Tits in the Rose Garden waited for a turn at the feeder.

2 comments:

  1. I think I've found my new computer wallpaper: that picture of the Long-tailed Tit is so absolutely gorgeous!

    I think the Cormorant looks very happy in all that wind. Makes it all easier to get dry and get airborne.

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