Green parakeets - are they kissing?

I love visiting the London Wetland Centre in Barnes, where there are some fairly exotic captive birds and also lots of visitors that fly in from far and wild - or not so far.

I last visited on a cold and cloudy March day.  Just before the centre closed, when I was leaving, I was treated to what looked like a courting display from the two green ring-necked parakeets that are on the right-hand side of the bare-branched tree in the photo below.  As you can see, the light level was not good and I have not yet got to grips with the settings on my camera - having only recently started taking photos of birds and nature.

They were sitting a short distance apart on the branch, then they leant over and appeared to be kissing!

They parted company:

and then they were back at it!

This is the view from the other side of the tree:

More kissing!

Well, I suppose it shows us that this was Spring - whatever the temperature!

Young Wood Pigeon - learning to fly - 4

I have a nest containing two young Wood Pigeons at the back of a large plant container on my terrace.  The plant container is at the edge of the terrace, with the youngsters overlooking the space between my building and next door - with a long drop down to the basement on their side.

After stopping sitting with the babies on a permanent basis, a parent came back every so often in order to feed them.  On Tuesday morning, at about 6.30, a parent was feeding the young.

Parent Wood Pigeon feeding the youngster

These photos were taken from the bathroom window on the floor above the terrace, at an awkward angle, so was difficult to get the birds in the shot.  Parent and youngster can just be seen at the side of the picture.  While feeding was in progress, one of the youngsters was extending its wings.

Flapping wing belonging to one of the young Wood Pigeons

I think I must have disturbed the youngster in my efforts to photograph the feeding progress as, suddenly, there was a great flapping of wings and then it was sitting on top of a canopy on the terrace next door.  It had taken its first flight!

Young Wood Pigeon on canopy next door after its maiden flight

It sat there for a few hours, presumably not knowing what to do next.

Young Wood Pigeon looking confused after making its first flight

Later in the morning, it had obviously decided to return to my terrace and was walking along the top of my wooden railings.  The photograph was taken through the glass in my back door, hence the criss-cross pattern on the picture.

Young Wood Pigeon who has just left the nest for the first time

Wood Pigeon squab on the railing

I went back upstairs and took a few more photographs out of the window above the terrace.  The young Wood Pigeon was walking backwards and forwards along the top of the railings, probably trying to work out how to get back into the nest, while being watched by its sibling, who was probably wondering what its brother or sister was up to.

Young Wood Pigeon after first flight and being watched by sibling in the nest

The brave flying young Wood Pigeon eventually landed on my plant, instead of in the nest!

Young Wood Pigeon attempting to get back into the nest

It eventually found the way back as, later on in the day, both young Wood Pigeons were sitting together in the nest again.

What an exciting day!

Progress of the young Wood Pigeons in the nest on my terrace - 3

I have been trying to avoid going outside onto my terrace at the back of the flat to avoid disturbing the nesting Wood Pigeons.  However, I have needed to water my plants and went out there last Sunday.  I was able to take some photographs of the progress of the two babies - not really babies any more, of course, as they are now a few weeks old.

2 young Wood Pigeons in nest at the back of my large plant container

There are a couple of plant pots full of tall leaves in front of the nest, so I had to put my hand onto the leaves and push them out of the way to get a view of the youngsters - who were not too keen on this invasion of their privacy.

Wood Pigeon squab on nest behind the leaves

The young Wood Pigeon was staring at me and hoping I would leave it in peace.

Wood Pigeon youngster giving me the beady eye

I took a few photographs on the terrace and then went upstairs and opened the bathroom window on the floor above.  Below is a view from the window, with a youngster hanging out of the nest on the right hand side of the wooden railing and still staring at me with a beady eye.  The nest is on the edge of the terrace and there is an open space that goes down 2 floors between my building and the one next door.

Young Wood Pigeon hiding behind the greenery on my terrace.

Close up of the young Wood Pigeon on the nest - photo taken from above

Every so often, a parent would come and feed them - perching on a neighbouring railing before flying over to the nest.

Wood Pigeon parent waiting to fly over and feed it's youngsters

Green parakeet heading for hole between the bricks

On leaving the Barnes Wetland Centre in the late afternoon last April, I saw a bunch of green ring-neck parakeets flying around and landing on the buildings at the entrance. 

3 parakeets on the window ledge

Above are three of them after landing on a windowsill towards the top of the building.

Green parakeet eyeing up a space in the brickwork

One was obviously keen on a hole in the brickwork

Fighting green parakeets

  Let me try – I am sure I can get in there.

Green parakeet heading for a hole in the brickwork

I’m almost there! 

Parakeet hiding in a hole in the brickwork while it's pal looks on

  There you are – it was a doddle!

Great Cresed Grebes courting in Lee Valley Country Park

On a recent cold day I went for a walk in Lee Valley Country Park with a group from the RSPB.  Our last port of call was the Grebe Hide, where we were treated to a great courting display.  Unfortunately, the Great Crested Grebes were quite far away and, even with my lens at longest zoom, these photos are the best I could manage.

At first there were actually 3 Great Crested Grebes, but one of the males soon got rid of his rival.  This happened too far away for me to get any photos at all, but I could see the aggression through my binoculars.

Then the chase got going:

Male and female Great Crested Grebes

Mr and Ms eventually got closer together:

Great Crested Grebes

and then closer:

Courting Great Crested Grebes

and then extremely close:

Is it one Grebe with two heads??

They did a lot of head bobbing, which I was unable to photograph.  They then parted and chased one another around for a while before getting back together and repeating the whole process.  It was fascinating.  I would have stayed longer, but I was freezing and the group were leaving to get the train back home.

It was a great day, with a great amount of birds.  As well as the Great Crested Grebes, I saw a Bittern and lots of Lapwings (photographs in my other posts).

Baby Coots on the Regents Canal near Limehouse - London wildlife

Today I went on a walk along the tow-path of the Regents Canal, starting at Limehouse.  I had not gone very far before I spotted a couple of Coots and their babies.

Towards the middle of the canal was a parent Coot with a baby Coot.

Coot and a baby Coot

Towards the back wall of the canal there was the other parent Coot with the rest of the family - 4 baby Coots.

Coot with four babies

Further along the canal another pair of Coots were building a large nest.  The male Coot had just delivered some more nesting material.

Mum-to-be Coot in centre of nest and dad-to-be at side

It is such a shame that this and all the other nests along the canal seem to include rubbish as part of their nesting material.  Why, oh why, can't we be more responsible and put our rubbish in the right place - in a bin, not in the canal?

Spring blossom and Canada Geese in Battersea Park

I love going for walks in London's parks and, for the first time in years, I recently took myself off for a wander round London's Battersea Park.  I don't remember ever walking round the lake before and it looked lovely with the Spring blossom on the trees.

Canada Geese under a canopy of Spring blossom on the trees

A couple of Canada Geese were slowly swimming around near the bank and occasionally nibbling on the greenery at the edge of the water.

Canada Geese and Spring blossom

I loved the patterns in the water and the reflections of the Canada Geese.

Canada Goose with reflection behind the shrubbery

The geese were having a gentle swim and trying to find some tasty shoots to eat.

2 Canada Geese hiding behind the Spring shoots

I stayed for a while watching them and taking photographs.

Canada Goose with it's reflection in the water and berries on land

I then walked further round the lake and got a different view of the Geese, greenery, berries and blossom - it looked so pretty.

2 Canada Geese with greenery, berries and blossom on the trees

The geese were then joined by 2 Mallards - drake and duck - who were also enjoying the Spring.

Canada Geese, Mallards and Spring blossom

In the future I will definitely have to go for some more walks in Battersea Park.

Lapwings in the Lee Valley Country Park

During a walk in the Lee Valley Country Park, which was led by a member of the RSPB, we were treated to groups of Lapwings in two different, but very similar, areas of the park.

Lapwings on the lagoon

There were groups of Lapwings flying around too, but it was impossible to photograph them.

Lapwings standing in the water

Both groups were in the distance, but I hope that you can still see what beautiful birds they are.

Egyptian Goose mum protects her babies from the humans

Last week I spent some time towards the end of the day watching an Egyptian Goose family in Kensington Gardens.

Dad was around when I first saw them, but then swam off leaving mum alone with four little cute goslings.  Below is a photograph showing just three of the babies, as the other one declined to co-operate in a group photo.

Three Egyptian goslings under mum goose's tummy

I stood some way back from the family, as I did not want to disturb them.  But then, some women and their children came along and, unwisely, the mothers let their children get near to the Egyptians.  Mum Egyptian immediately got her babies under cover - well, under her actually!

Mother Egyptian Goose hiding her four little goslings

Some people have no sense!  How would those mothers have liked it it some Giants had come along and wanted to touch their children?  

Goslings coming out from under the protective cover of female Egyptian Goose's body

The humans were still trying to touch the Egyptians, so there was no choice but to take to the water - even though the family had just taken ages preening their feathers and getting dry.

 

Egyptian Goose mum and 4 goslings getting ready for another dip in the water

So it was compulsory swimming time again for the family.

Egyptian Goose and babies take a swim

Egyptian Goose and goslings - 3 in a line and 1 needs to catch up!

Egyptian Goose mum with close formation of youngsters

Mum Egyptian did not force the babies to swim around for too long and was soon back on dry land - a little further away from the people who disturbed them.

Egyptian Goose mum on bank while her goslings start eating again along the edge of the pond

The people who had caused the extra swimming class then went away and mum and babies waddled back to their original location, did some more preening and drying off and then settled down again.

Mum Egyptian Goose having a rest with her 4 babies at her side

I do hope that they did not have to go swimming again that evening!