Saturday 9 December 2017

It was a frosty morning. Two Jackdaws were trying unsuccessfully to find worms in the hard ground. I gave them a peanut each.


A Wood Pigeon poked at the ice on the fountain in the Rose Garden.


The wet footprints of early morning bathers at the Lido had frozen to the tarmac.


A cherry tree in the Dell chose a most unsuitable time to blossom.


Several people were looking for the Black Redstart at the Winter Wasteland, without success while I was there. We did get a view of a Treecreeper, though as usual it kept going round the back of the tree.


The feeder in the Dell attracted several Long-Tailed Tits.


A Mistle Thrush was bathing in the little pool at the top of the Dell waterfall, but flew off as soon as I looked over the edge. It perched in a tree to dry and preen.


The Little Grebe was back under the willow tree next to the bridge.


A Moorhen stood on a branch higher up. They nest every year in this tree, in a place that is completely invisible from any vantage point. The leaning and partly collapsed tree allows them to walk up it to the nest hole.


These two dark Mallard drakes are certainly brothers. They have been in the park for several years. Neither seems to have a mate, but the two are always together.


A Common Gull looked out over the Serpentine.


This orange plastic buoy at the Lido is a popular toy with young Herring Gulls. The main attraction is the mooring rope. Gulls love pulling ropes to see what will happen.


The male Little Owl near the leaf yard was in his hole over by the Queen's Temple.


The female owl near the Albert Memorial was in her usual place. It's almost the same picture every time, but who can resist photographing a Little Owl?

7 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Yes, saw the female near the Albert memorial. Thanks again.

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  2. The tree is a glorious Autumn flowering cherry. They are magical, and in the warmer climate of a city centre do put on a good show in the Winter. I planted one myself a few years ago.

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  3. I see that young Gulls are pretty much like teenage students. They'll pull a rope and see what comes out of it!

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    Replies
    1. I'd like to see what happened if you hung up some bells with ropes tied to them. There might be clanging all day long.

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