Mainly Mandarins in Battersea Park on 5th October 2024

I went for another walk in Battersea Park at the beginning of October.  At first the Mandarin ducks were hiding near the edge of the island in the centre of the lake.

They then came over to the edge of the lake

This one was showing off!

A group of drakes were trying to attract the attention of the females

Further round the lake, a dog had chased a grey squirrel and it ended up on a high branch in the tree

A Grey Heron was standing in shallow water near the edge of the lake

Back to where I started my walk and the Mandarin drakes were still showing off their fancy feathers

Pair of Mandarins at the edge of the footpath

Pair of Mute Swans - in fact, these are the only swans that live in Battersea Park

Pair of Mandarins on the water

A collection of Mandarin drakes trying to impress a female while being watched by a pair of Mallards

 

Late January visit to Battersea Park, London

Towards the end of January I went for a winter bird watching walk in Battersea Park, London

It was good to see a large group of Mandarin ducks on the lake - a few of which are shown below

Other wildlife on the lake - Common Pochard drake

Ice-skating Moorhen in the wind

Lots of Black-headed gulls were standing on the frozen lake

Leaping Great Crested Grebe

back in relaxed mode

A pair of Northern Shovelers had been feeding in a patch of water

They then decided to go for a walk on the ice

Grey Heron testing the ice with its large feet

The Mandarins were preening at the edge of the island after a day out on the lake

The park's solitary Mute Swan swam past of group of Black-headed gulls that were standing on the ice

Solitary male Tufted duck looking away from another drake with a female partner

 

Black-tailed Godwit wading in the lagoon on Two Tree Island, Leigh-on-Sea

On Monday my camera and I went on a birding visit to Two Tree Island, near Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.  We had a great time and saw many wading birds as it was low tide, but most of them were a long way off in the distance.

After spending some time watching the birds in the lagoon, this obliging Black-tailed Godwit came quite close to where I was perched behind some shrubbery.

As it waded towards me, it's feathers were blowing in the wind on one side.

It spent some time with it's beak down in the water.  Here it has managed to catch a tasty morsel, which is balanced in it's beak.

Searching for snacks in the lagoon

Wading through the water

I thoroughly enjoyed watching the Godwit as it searched for lunch!

A pair of Great Crested Grebes with a young chick in St. James's Park during early June 2020

At the beginning of June my camera and I went for a morning walk in St. James's Park, London, where I was lucky enough to see a pair of Great Crested Grebes, one of which was carrying a young chick on it's back.

The other parent had collected a small white feather, which it offered to it's partner.  Apparently feathers are fed to chicks to help protect them from the effects of fish bones.

A little later the chick dismounted and had a soak in the lake.

Black swan on guard duty and 7 cygnets for Mute swan

On Monday I went for another walk with my camera in St. James's Park as I wanted to check up on the nesting black swans and I had heard that the Mute swans had cygnets.  Also, it was a lovely sunny day and just too nice to be staying indoors.

The male black swan was on guard duty - standing at the edge of the island near to the nest.

I was standing on the opposite bank and, when the female swan moved on the nest, I was able to get a photograph of her through the leaves and nettles that are surrounding her.  Most of the time, however, she was invisible!

Someone near me starting feeding the water birds, so the male black swan swam over in order to get something to eat.  He is very handsome.

He did not stay away from the island for very long and headed back over there to continue guarding his mate.  A white Ross's goose was honking and flapping it's wings, but was soon moved on by the swan.

Meanwhile, on another part of the lake, mum Mute swan was serenely sailing along by the side of the wildflower-covered bank.  She was followed by a line of the most adorable baby cygnets - seven of them in total.

She was joined by dad and they started feeding at the edge of the lake.

The family then swam along to the bridge that goes across the central part of the lake.  These photographs were taken from the bridge, looking down on the cute little cygnets.

Soon, hopefully, the pair of black swans will have a family of their own.  I can't wait to see them!

Baby on board - Great Crested Grebes in Regent's Park

Last week the sun came out and I took myself off, with camera, for a wildlife-seeking walk round the lake in Regent's Park.  In the middle of the widest part of the long narrow lake in the park, and some distance away, I saw a Great Crested Grebe floating around.  It was only when I downloaded my photographs onto the computer that I saw that there was a striped little baby chick on board.  In the picture below, it's head can just be seen on the back of the bird.

The Great Crested Grebe is sleeping and the chick's head can hardly be seen on it's back.

The partner Great Crested Grebe then swam over and joined the baby boat.  A small tasty (to Grebes) morsel can be seen in it's beak.  It was feeding time for the chick.  Of course, until I looked at the photos later on, I was completely unaware that this was going on!

There is more food in the beak of the bird on the left, but now there is no sign of the chick as it is on the other side of the partner bird.

The grocery delivery bird took a drink, or washed it's beak - not sure which!

Here it is giving more food to the now invisible chick.

I took several photos of both Great Crested Grebes, but this is one of a parent bird on its own.

More feeding took place, with the striped head now being clearly seen on the back of the baby boat.

All food having been delivered for the time being, the grocery parent went swimming off along the lake.

I walked round the end of the lake to the opposite side where I was slightly nearer to the Great Crested Grebe, though I was still completely unaware of the additional passenger.  The chick's striped head can be seen below it's parent's beak.  The adult has now gone back into relaxed sleepy mode now that the baby has been fed.

I must say that I was absolutely thrilled when I looked at the photographs properly and discovered the chick.  I would have taken even more photographs had it known it was riding on the back of the adult bird.