Sweetheart swan

Although very pretty, this mute swan is actually putting on an aggressive display to defend its territory. This is called "busking." I suppose the bird felt threatened by the many other species of exotic and not-so-exotic water fowl that can be seen on Birdcage Walk in St. James's Park, including herons, ducks and geese. Pelicans were a gift from a Russian diplomat in 1664 and are still found in the park. There are also beautiful black swans.

In 1536, Henry VIII fenced the land that would later become this park because he wanted deer hunting grounds near to his palace. In 1603, James I landscaped the grounds and created aviaries. Sometime around 1660, the park was redesigned by Charles II and was opened to the public. The park was again redesigned in 1828 under George IV and has remained pretty much the same since.