Sunday 15 February 2015

 Two pairs of Grey Herons have started building nests on the Serpentine island. In one case they are adding to the substantial remains left from a previous nest.


The other is having to be started from scratch, involving the fetching of huge amounts of twigs.


Herons have nest here successfully just once, three years ago, when two nests produced young. Since then the nests have been started early in the year, as here, and then have been abandoned. The reason for the failure is uncertain, but at one stage some Egyptian Geese were seen trying to take over the nest. This also happened in Regent's Park, where there is a bigger and more successful heronry on the island. A third, smaller heron settlement in Battersea Park has been successful recently.

The original pair of Little Owls have returned to their nest hole in the chestnut tree near the leaf yard -- or possibly they never left it and were simply not seen. Anyway, you can get an occasional glimpse of one peering out of the hole.


They aren't sitting out on branches here, since the leafless tree gives no cover.

The male Tawny Owl again spent the entire day outside guarding the pair's nest.


Several Song Thrushes were singing in various parts of the park. This one was at the top of a plane tree beside the Rima relief.


One of the pair of Dunnocks at the Lido was poking around in the flower bed to the left of the ticket desk of the bathing area. Then it came out on to the tarmac and started picking up grit, with a bit of earth still clinging to its beak.


Near the Lido a pair of Greylag Geese were having a brisk wash. They like to do things communally.


Someone was throwing bread to the ducks, causing a female Pochard to approach at full steam, throwing up a considerable bow wave.

2 comments:

  1. Hi Ralph i live in swindon and bring my grand son to see the Tawny Owl
    but i see that you now found the pair of little owls by the leaf yard
    i know where the tawny owl is but like to ask if you cant tell me where the leaf yard is in the park
    dave

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  2. The leaf yard is in Kensington Gardens. It's the roughly square enclosure on the west side of the lake which has the statue of Peter Pan on its side facing the water. For instructions on how to find all the owls, please see the comments of the blog post for 14 February.

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