Thursday 8 February 2018

The Long Water had partly frozen in the night, so here is the traditional picture of Black-Headed Gulls reflected in the melting ice.


Usually when it freezes the Great Crested Grebes, afraid of being iced in, leave for the river. But this time they seem to have expected it to melt soon.


The dominant Mute Swans on the Long Water, seeing a chance of being fed, pushed their way through the thin ice to reach the edge, and then left along the passage they had made.


The male Little Owl at the leaf yard, not seen for some time, came out of the nest hole in the chestnut tree and perched on a branch.


The female owl at the Albert Memorial emerged from her oak tree to make the most of the early sunshine.


Both the Peregrines were on the tower of the Household Cavalry barracks.


This mixed couple of a Herring Gull and a Lesser Black-Backed Gull have been together for at least five years, always on the same part of the shore of the Serpentine. Here is some of their courtship behaviour, including holding feathers and tail-pulling.


The pigeon-killing Lesser Black-Backed Gull was looking very fine in his new summer plumage.


A Pied Wagtail sprinted up the edge of the Serpentine.


There were plenty of Redwings at the bottom of the Parade Ground. They alternately stand stock still and hop very fast, which makes it hard to keep them in shot.


Above them on a branch, a Song Thrush waited for the coast to be clear so that it could come down and catch some worms. Nothing happens in this video, but I like Song Thrushes.


One of the Nuthatches at the leaf yard came to my hand four times.


Peace seems to have broken out between the bumptious Red-Crested Pochard drake and the Mallards on the Long Water.


Two more fine pictures by Paul: the Dartford Warbler which has recently been in Richmond Park ...


... and a Meadow Pipit in the Olympic Park.

9 comments:

  1. Everybody loves Song Thrushes!

    It's not always clear to me if gulls are fighting or courting. It looks pretty much the same. The lesser Black Back seems annoyed, doesn't it? I so wish there was a Gull/Human translator. I'd pay a pretty penny to know what they are saying.

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    1. I can only suppose that the Herring Gull is the male, and pulling his mate's tail is some kind of rough invitation to mate. But really it's a mystery to me.

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  2. I was amused to find another odd couple gull pair video from the Netherlands, but no tail pulling in this one https://youtu.be/tzZeDqWzWGs

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    1. Those gulls are much more harmonious. Odd considering how long the pair in the park have been together.

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    2. Well, what I find puzzling is why gulls cross the species lines in trying to find a mate. Why do they cross species lines? And, do they actually have viable off spring? Just idle wondering.

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    3. BTW I should have said that I've seen the female pointing behavior in avocets. They duck their heads and point to where they seem to think is a good nesting site. They seem to be having a discussion about the best nesting place. That is how I interpreted the Netherland gull video of the gull behavior too. The female pokes and look sand indicates, yeah, good site. The tail pulling behavior seems odd, not about choosing a good nesting site, but just getting on with things.

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  3. Who knows what goes on in a gull's mind? But the offspring are not just viable, they are fertile, so there are all kinds of mixtures flying around, often unnoticed.

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  4. Interesting to see the gull behaviour. I'm also intrigued that they have been together 5 years as the Herring appears to be sub-adult with its bill pattern + immature tertials.

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    1. Well, I may be wrong. But I have a picture of a mixed pair in exactly the same place taken in 2013.

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