Coots fighting and swans... not fighting!

[pressld2]

It was sex and violence in Regents Park yesterday! I went there specifically to photograph the herons but spotted this pair of mute swans on the boating lake...



Then a bit later these coots were attempting to knock seven bells out of each other...



Never a dull moment!

Dave P.

[Bub-les]

Nice set of photos
the coots sure do mean it!
Barbara

[Ukwildlifeo]

Oi! regents park is my patch! lol. In fact I was up there today!

Those coots have been at it since late february - believe it or not there now actually a lot calmer! On pair were at it for 20mins+ I had to leave them to it in the end because the light was fading and I wanted to check other places! I got plenty of photos. Did you get any heron close ups? Most were hiding in the closed off bit today

[pressld2]

Although I've lived within 25 miles of London all my life, yesterday was the first time I've been to regents Park with a camera (except for the zoo of course). I went there primarily for the herons. Didn't get any real close-ups but got several shots that I was really pleased with including my best ever in-flight shots which I've posted in the Bird of the Day thread.

I'm still going through the editing but can already see that yesterday was a red letter day, photo-wise. As well as these behaviour shots of mute swan and coot, I also got my best ever shots of grey heron, woodpigeon, whooper swan, tufted duck, barnacle goose and shelduck, my first ever (and therefore best ) pictures of scaup, egyptian goose and mandarin duck, and some blue tit and blackbird pics that I'm really pleased with too!

And to think I nearly believed the weather forecast and left my camera at home!

Dave P.

[Ukwildlifeo]

You were unlucky with the herons. Ive only got an fz7 but got some great photos of them, but the chicks are starting to fledge and they seem to have gone a bit shy. Talking of best shots in regents park hes a quick list of my best shots of species from there (many are the same as you)

grey heron (obviously!) - flight shots, close ups, displaying with wings open, on the nest with large chicks...I probaly have the record for most heron shots without using burst mode!
Egyptian goose
Barnacle goose
Brent goose
Pochard
Scaup
Smew
Wild Tawny owl
Kestrel
Wood duck
Whooper swan
Cormorant (fishing)
Shelduck
The list goes on..

So basically its worth another visit - perhaps even a WAB meet?
Also if anyone is planning to visit check out this site and blog, its the site of the wildlife officer there with some impresssive bird records to boot Regent's Park Birds