Tuesday, 6 February 2024

Birds on cold day towards the end of January 2024 - partly frozen pond and lake in Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park

On a cold day in late January I went for a bird spotting walk round Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park when part of the lake was frozen over.  

I began my walk at the Round Pond, where a juvenile cygnet was having a hard time walking on the ice


A Black Swan in the water was watching a Mute Swan standing on the edge of the ice

The Black Swan then relaxed with a drink

A Robin perched on a fence near Kensington Palace

Another Robin perched on an evergreen shrub

There were lots of red berries, but no birds eating them

A rat was searching for food in the Flower Walk

Great Tit perching on a branch near the Speke Obelisk

A third Robin was perching on a branch near the Southern Flower Walk

I decided not to go swimming!

Grey Heron and gull standing on the icy Serpentine

Gull making a loud noise about its prize piece of crusty bread

Great Crested Grebe swimming in a small part of the lake that wasn't frozen

I was taking a photo of some beautiful roses that had been thrown into the Serpentine when the Great Crested Grebe popped up behind them

Male Tufted duck showing off its tuft

Female Tufted duck giving me a stare

Some of several Common Pochards on the Serpentine

Dark-coloured Mallard drake with some males in the usual colouring

Clove view of the dark-coloured Mallard drake

Grey Heron staring from a perch on the small island in the Serpentine

Another Grey Heron standing on a post near the little island

Mute Swan with its legs stuck to the ice on the Serpentine

A man had thrown 2 buckets of water onto the ice, which then started to melt around the swan

The swan flapped its wings and managed to drag itself onto the ice


The Mute Swan had a very slippery walk along the frozen lake


Who are you looking at?  This walking on ice is easy!

The swan managed to reach the open water at the edge of the ice

and swam away!


 

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