More birds and beasties from Bushey Park

Whilst the Great Crested Grebes took centre stage on my Bushey visit on Wednesday there were definitely other birds and beasts who had a role to play.

On a couple of occasions I passed a herd of some 29 Red Deer Stags. Whilst the stags stick together in a group, ignoring the females and young, outside of the rutting season, I don't think I've seen quite so many as this in one group.

Some of the stages were young ones

but still managing to look imperious despite their youth

whilst this older stag was using a tree branch to rub its antlers against

and a couple of stags were having a practice. This clashing of antlers was conducted in a very genteel manner with no aggression at all.

Back to our feathered friends and this female Red-crested Pochard was having a preen

and a Coot found something rather suspect for nesting material

The male Mallard was enjoying a nap

whilst in the Woodland Garden the single Cape Teal (that's been there for some while now) was also having a preen


while showing off its beautiful teal feathers

I'd been hearing a Great Spotted Woodpecker calling and drumming for some time and eventually tracked it down - high up in the branches of a tree

Out on one of the ponds in the larger Woodland Garden were four pairs of Mandarins and a solitary male. It was time for a wash..



So that's it for the birds and beasties - the flora will follow in another post.