Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park birds

Time 2021-10-19 18:06:01

Web Name: Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park birds

WebSite: http://kensingtongardensandhydeparkbirds.blogspot.com

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Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park birds

Monday, 18 October 2021 An atmospheric view of the Serpentine at dawn by David Lacey.

A Robin sang on an arbutus tree in the Rose Garden ...

... and a Dunnock foraged under a bench.

A Jay looked for fallen rowan fruit on Buck Hill.

Starlings gathered on the umbrellas at the Lido restaurant ...

... and one of them hastily swallowed a chip before the others closed in on it.

A young Herring Gull won a whole muffin.

Four kinds of gull in a row at Peter Pan: Lesser Black-Backed, Herring, Common and Black-Headed.

Black-Headed Gulls hung around a Great Crested Grebe chick in the hope of snatching a fish when its parent arrived to feed it.

The number of Cormorants in the park is steadily rising. Today I found 21 on various parts of the lake.

The female Wigeon was beside the Serpentine.

A Gadwall poked around on the gravel strip on the Long Water.

A Shoveller preened at the island.

The Egyptian Geese have begun their winter pastime of standing on sawn-off trees and making a tremendous racket.

A Common Banded Hoverfly (Syrphus ribesii) browsed on on Mexican Orange flowers in the Rose Garden.
Posted byRalph Hancockat17:436 comments: Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest Sunday, 17 October 2021 I'm pretty sure we have two female Wigeons in the park, as both yesterday and today I saw one both on the Long Water and on the Serpentine.

The female Teal on the Long Water was still around, here seen asleep next to a Gadwall drake.

A Pochard had a drink at the Vista, showing off the beautiful vermiculated markings on its back.

Paul found a surprisingly large flock of Mandarins at the pond on Putney Heath. There is also a flock of Mandarins in the Isabella Plantation in Richmond Park, but only a dozen or so.

The Black Swan flew down the Serpentine, unfortunately in the wrong direction but I got a distant shot of it coming down in a cloud of spray.

Blondie was on the shore with her new mate. She may have been out-blonded by the new arrivals but she is still one of the park characters, and I have known her since the day she hatched and it was clear that she was paler than other others in the brood.

A Greylag washing on the Serpentine made a big splash followed by a big flap.

A Coot couldn't match that, but did its best.

Another Coot watched two Moorhens fighting at the island, probably intending to join in. Luckily the winning Moorhen chased the other off before the Coot could intervene.

This is one of the two younger Great Crested Grebe chick from the island, now a sturdy teenager and fishing for itself.

The two youngest chicks on the Long Water are still chasing their parents.

A Cormorant perched on an improbably thin twig in a treetop on the island. I have yet to see how they manage to land in these places. They have nothing like the slow flying skills of a Grey Heron and their webbed feet are not ideal for grasping twigs.

A Magpie near the bridge showed off its iridescent feathers.

There is another big stand of ink cap-type mushrooms in the shrubbery at the northwest corner of the bridge.

Paul was coming into the park when he saw something fall out of a tree. He nearly caught it but was very glad he didn't, as it was a pair of Hornets mating. He took a picture of them with his phone.
Posted byRalph Hancockat16:352 comments: Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest Saturday, 16 October 2021

The day started wet and then the sun came out. Here is the Robin who lives in the corkscrew hazel in the Flower Walk, seen earlier and later.

A Carrion Crow ignored the drizzle.

Another carried a chestnut away so that it could open the difficult prickly seed case without being disturbed by the other crows.

A Wood Pigeon got as wet as possible at the top of the Dell waterfall.

A Grey Heron perched elegantly on the dead willow near the Italian Garden.

The pigeon-eating Lesser Black-Backed Gull was in his usual place near the Dell restaurant, eyeing a group of bathing Feral Pigeons to see if one would be rash enough to close its eyes.

The number of Cormorants is rising steadily as they take advantage this year's young fish in the lake, and there were seven at the island.

As winter approaches the Egyptian Geese become more territorial for some reason -- these African birds still haven't got the hang of the northern seasons. Here a pair at the Vista are claiming a wide area of grass for themselves.

Another pair cleared an area on the Long Water ...

... and a third pair staged a noisy display on top of the Henry Moore sculpture.

The ultra-blond Egyptians are siblings, not a pair, and make no territorial claims. They seem happy in each other's company. One of them is slightly lame, but nothing is broken so it will probably make a full recovery.

The female Wigeon flew from the Long Water to the Serpentine. She is strangely confident and allows people to get quite close, which happens sometimes with completely wild birds that have never had any contact with humans.

The Shoveller drakes come out of eclipse at different times. This one at the Vista is in full breeding plumage ...

... and this one is still barely recognisable as male. Its yellow eye seems rather dark, and I wonder whether it's an immature drake. Females have brown eyes.

Posted byRalph Hancockat16:296 comments: Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest Friday, 15 October 2021 The leaves are turning now. A Magpie perched on an ash tree.

A Carrion Crow on the Buck Hill shelter looked down at a passing wasp.

A tree beside the Serpentine resounded with the cheerful chattering of a flock of Starlings.

A Great Tit came out on the holly tree near the bridge to demand a pine nut.


A Grey Heron stood expectantly under the tree, but I don't have any food suitable for herons.

Seconds after some people at the Dell restaurant left a table with some uneaten pizza on it, Feral Pigeons descended on it.

There is also the lurking local heron, getting bolder by the day.

The two youngest Great Crested Grebe chicks on the Long Water are now at their loudest and most demanding. One was following its father, looking into the water to see if he had found a fish for it. Then it checked a wooden post for snails but found only a bit of twig left over from the Coots' nest that was here earlier. On the far side of the lake the other chick dived after its mother.

The Black Swan uttered its melodious call while preening on the edge of the Serpentine.

A Mute Swan passed low overhead.

The Egyptian and Mandarin friends were grazing together on the edge of the lake.

When I did my monthly bird count on Monday I couldn't see any Pochards at all, which was surprising. Today ten were visible, but I think the total is over twenty. They lurk under the bushes on either side of the Long Water.

While I was taking the photograph above, a female Teal appeared in the viewfinder. They are only occasional visitors here.

After a chilly start the day warmed up enough for a Buff-Tailed Bumblebee to browse on the blossoms of an arbutus tree.

Yesterday Conehead 54 commented on the little metallic green insect in the Rugosa rose in the Rose Garden, which I had thought was a midge. He thinks it's a small hoverfly, but couldn't identify the species from the side view I published. Actually I could only get clear side views, since poking the small camera into the flower didn't produce a sharp enough image of the tiny creature, and also its wings were folded over its back, hiding its abdomen. But maybe this picture of the same insect on a leaf will be more identifiable.

Update: Conehead 54 comments: 'Suspect the hoverfly is a Platycheirus species. P. albimanus is one of the more common now, but can't be sure if it's this from the photo.'Posted byRalph Hancockat20:076 comments: Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest Thursday, 14 October 2021 A Robin the the Dell objected strongly to something I couldn't see, probably a Magpie.

A Long-Tailed Tit stared gravely from a twig.

The Coal Tit in the Flower Walk came down to take several pine nuts from my hand.

The Great Spotted Woodpecker near the bridge appeared again.

How hard it is to photograph a Magpie in sunshine. You have to underexpose considerably, and then lighten the picture till the white starts to flare, but the black remains obstinately dark.

The first Common Gull to return for the winter has been here for three days but no others have arrived yet.

Undeterred by being thrown out by the resident Mute Swan yesterday, the Black Swan was back on the Long Water. I think the same thing happened again, because I saw it returning hastily to the Serpentine. But Black Swans enjoy pushing their luck.

The female Wigeon is still on the Long Water, and was asleep on the gravel strip ...

... with two Gadwalls, a Tufted Duck, a Mallard and two Shovellers.

Shoveller drakes are also very hard to photograph in sunshine.

These are the blondest Egyptian Geese I've ever seen, newly arrived in the park. Our resident palest Egyptian, Blondie, has ash-grey primaries -- and so did the late Mrs Hopeless, who died this year at the age of at least 22 -- but the primaries on these geese are almost white. The normal Egyptian in the background has dark grey-brown, almost black, primaries.

The durable pink Rugosa rose in the Rose Garden is still putting out flowers. This one was visited by ...

... a tiny metallic green midge.

In the Italian Garden, a dance to autumn in the spirit of Jules Feiffer.

She was filming herself with this camera. A Mute Swan was interested, but decided it wasn't edible and went away.
Posted byRalph Hancockat20:054 comments: Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest Older PostsHomeTranslateSubscribe to feedChoose reader or emailSend picturesYou can send pictures and private queries to me at kensingtonbirds@gmail.com.
Blog Archive 2021(294) October(18)An atmospheric view of the Serpentine at dawn by D...Im pretty sure we have two female Wigeons in the ...The day started wet and then the sun came out. Her...The leaves are turning now. A Magpie perched on an...A Robin the the Dell objected strongly to somethin...Two Goldcrests darted around in the yew tree at th...The little area at the southwest corner of the bri...The first Common Gull has returned to spend the wi...A half marathon was being held in the park, so it ...After several days without a sighting, a sunny aft...The young Grey Wagtail hatched at the Lido seems t...Two Robins in the Flower Walk: one came out on the...A Robin stood guard in the gateway of the Rose Gar...It was surprising to see about twenty House Martin...The Rose-Ringed Parakeets in the park are very fon...The young Grey Wagtail reappeared in the Dell on t...A wet day didnt bother the Mallards, Gadwalls, Tu...A Carrion Crow ate a Feral Pigeon killed by a rapt... September(30) August(33) July(32) June(30) May(31) April(30) March(31) February(28) January(31) 2020(366) December(31) November(30) October(31) September(30) August(31) July(31) June(30) May(31) April(30) March(31) February(29) January(31) 2019(369) December(32) November(30) October(31) September(30) August(32) July(31) June(31) May(31) April(31) March(31) February(28) January(31) 2018(367) December(31) November(31) October(31) September(30) August(31) July(31) June(31) May(31) April(30) March(31) February(28) January(31) 2017(375) December(31) November(30) October(31) September(33) August(31) July(32) June(31) May(31) April(30) March(31) February(32) January(32) 2016(373) December(31) November(32) October(31) September(30) August(32) July(32) June(30) May(32) April(31) March(32) February(29) January(31) 2015(367) December(31) November(30) October(31) September(31) August(31) July(31) June(31) May(31) April(30) March(31) February(28) January(31) 2014(365) December(31) November(30) October(31) September(30) August(31) July(31) June(30) May(31) April(30) March(31) February(28) January(31) 2013(367) December(31) November(32) October(31) September(30) August(31) July(31) June(30) May(31) April(30) March(31) February(28) January(31) 2012(276) December(31) November(30) October(32) September(31) August(31) July(31) June(31) May(31) April(28)About MeRalph HancockLondon, United KingdomI have been coming to the park for many years, and watching and feeding the birds. I am not an expert birder, but I know and love the park.My main camera is a Sony α7R IV with a Sony FE 200--600mm zoom lens. I also carry a Panasonic Lumix FZ82 for video and near shots where depth of field is required, and for very long shots where its 60x zoom (equal to a 1200mm lens) is more important than a high-quality image.View my complete profileMY BOOK
Click the image for more informationSpecies found in the parkMute Swan Cygnus olor
Bewick's Swan C. columbianus
Whooper Swan C. cygnus
White-Fronted Goose Anser albifrons
Greylag Goose A. anser
Canada Goose Branta canadensis
Brent Goose B. bernicla
Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiacus
Shelduck Tadorna tadorna
Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata
Wigeon Anas penelope
Gadwall A. strepera
Teal A. crecca
Mallard A. platyrhynchos
Pintail A. acuta
Garganey A. querquedula
Shoveler A. clypeata
Red-Crested Pochard Netta rufina
Pochard Aythya ferina
Tufted Duck A. fuligula
Scaup A. marila
Long-Tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis
Common Scoter Melanitta nigra
Goldeneye Bucephala clangula
Smew Mergellus albellus
Red-Breasted Merganser Mergus serrator
Goosander M. merganser
Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis
Red-Legged Partridge Alectoris rufa
Grey Partridge Perdix perdix
Pheasant Phasianus colchicus
Red-Throated Diver Gavia stellata
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus
Red-Necked Grebe P. grisegena
Slavonian Grebe P. auritus
Black-Necked Grebe P. nigricollis
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus
Storm Petrel Hydrobates pelagicus
Leach's Petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa
Gannet Morus bassanus
Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
Shag P. aristotelis
Little Egret Egretta garzetta
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
Red Kite Milvus milvus
Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus
Hen Harrier C. Cyaneus
Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus
Buzzard Buteo buteo
Osprey Pandion haliaetus
Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
Merlin F. columbarius
Hobby F. subbuteo
Peregrine F. peregrinus
Water Rail Rallus aquaticus
Corncrake Crex crex
Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
Coot Fulica atra
Oystercatcher Haemotopus ostralegus
Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta
Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria
Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
Sanderling Calidris alba
Little Stint C. minuta
Dunlin C. alpina
Ruff Philomachus pugnax
Snipe Gallinago gallinago
Woodcock Scolopax rusticola
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
Curlew N. arquata
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus
Greenshank T. nebularia
Redshank T. totanus
Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus
Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla
Black-Headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Little Gull Hydrocoloeus minutus
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus
Common Gull L. canus
Ring-Billed Gull L. delawarensis
Lesser Black-Backed Gull L. fuscus
Herring Gull L. argentatus
Yellow-Legged Gull L. michahellis
Iceland Gull L. glaucoides
Glaucous Gull L. hyperboreus
Great Black-backed Gull L. marinus
Little Tern Sternula albifrons
Black Tern Chlidonias niger
White-Winged Black Tern C. leucopterus
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis
Common Tern S. hirundo
Arctic Tern S. paradisaea
Guillemot Uria aalge
Razorbill Alca torda
Little Auk Alle alle
(Feral) Rock Dove Columba livia
Stock Dove C. oenas
Wood Pigeon C. palumbus
Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto
Turtle Dove S. turtur
Ring-Necked Parakeet Psittacula krameri
Cuckoo Cuculus canorus
Barn Owl Tyto alba
Little Owl Athene noctua
Tawny Owl Strix aluco
Short-Eared Owl Asio flammeus
Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus
Swift Apus apus
Kingfisher Alcedo atthis
Hoopoe Upupa epops
Wryneck Jynx torquilla
Green Woodpecker Picus viridis
Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopus major
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker D. minor
Woodlark Lullula arborea
Skylark Aluada arvensis
Shore Lark Eremophila alpestris
Sand Martin Riparia riparia
Swallow Hirundo rustica
House Martin Delichon urbicum
Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis
Meadow Pipit A. pratensis
Rock Pipit A. petrosus
Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava
Grey Wagtail M. cinerea
Pied Wagtail M. alba
Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus
Wren Troglodytes troglodytes
Dunnock Prunella modularis
Robin Erithacus rubecula
Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos
Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros
Common Redstart P. phoenicurus
Whinchat Saxicola rubetra
Stonechat S. torquata
Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe
Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus
Blackbird T. merula
Fieldfare T. pilaris
Song Thrush T. philomelos
Redwing T. iliacus
Mistle Thrush T. viscivorus
Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti
Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia
Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenebaenus
Marsh Warbler A. palustris
Reed Warbler A. scirpaceus
Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla
Garden Warbler S. borin
Lesser Whitethroat S. curruca
Whitethroat S. communis
Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix
Chiffchaff P. collybita
Willow Warbler P. trochilus
Goldcrest Regulus regulus
Firecrest R. ignicapillus
Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata
Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca
Bearded Tit Panurus biarmicus
Long-Tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus
Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus
Great Tit Parus major
Coal Tit Periparus ater
Willow Tit Poecile montana
Marsh Tit P. palustris
Nuthatch Sitta europaea
Treecreeper Certhia familiaris
Red-Backed Shrike Lanius collurio
Jay Garrulus glandarius
Magpie Pica Pica
Jackdaw Corvus monedula
Rook C. frugilegus
Carrion Crow C. corone
Hooded Crow C. cornix
Raven C. corax
Starling Sturnus vulgaris
House Sparrow Passer domesticus
Tree Sparrow P. montanus
Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs
Brambling F. montifringilla
Greenfinch Carduelis chloris
Goldfinch C. carduelis
Siskin C. spinus
Linnet C. cannabina
Twite C. flavirostris
Lesser Redpoll C. cabaret
Common Crossbill Loxia curvirostra
Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula
Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes
Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis
Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella
Reed Bunting E. schoeniclus
196 species

Subspecies
Continental Cormorant
Scandinavian Lesser Black-Backed Gull
Scandinavian Herring Gull
Continental Coal Tit
Blue-Headed Wagtail
Greenland Wheatear

This list is of all the birds, including rare visitors, that have been seen in the park since 1889. Sources include W.H. Hudson, 1898 (the naturalist in whose memory the Rima memorial was built); A.H. Macpherson, 1929; and various publications of the London Natural History Society (LNHS) from 1935 to 1993, with an appendix added by Roy Sanderson in 1995 to bring the total to 177 species. Since then it has been updated from LNHS bird reports, many of these from observations by Des McKenzie, who wrote the predecessor of this blog.

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