Eagle Pond: Good Goosles

More spectacular specula in large.
Back blip

Yay, the Goosles were being Good Goosles (not just mooching on the island, like the last time that I visited...). I went to visit them in my day in London between returning from Spain (back blips to follow...) and returning to Oxford.
Mrs. was splashing about and preening when we arrived, and spent ages tending to her feathers, removing worn ones, and then flapping them dry. Her flapping really showed off the oily colours of her iridescent specula. She also did a fair amount of staring... Mr. preened gently, drank, and reflected while he waited for her to finish...

There are loads of young birds on Eagle Pond: juvenile moorhens, young mallards (very friendly), large juvenile coots (still begging, but helping the parents fight mallards). There were also lots of pigeons: pretty pale ones, canoodling ones, and a funny fluffy one (puffed up after washing) that flapped its wings surprising others.

The other interesting sights of the day were model boat racing on Long Pond, and a confident fox at Streatham Hill Station (surprising travellers and sneaking about).

I took loads of photos... All are visible on Flickr (here, or right from here).