Saturday 3 October 2015

It was a grey and slightly misty day after the recent fine weather, and autumn is well advanced. A Robin was looking unusually inconspicuous among some fallen leaves.


The rowan trees on Buck Hill had only one customer, a Blackbird.


There was a whirling mob of crows cawing loudly above a tree at the bottom of the hill. I went to see if anything  in the tree had set them off -- there is always the hope of an owl -- but there was nothing to be found.


The female Little Owl was in this year's nest tree. She found being photographed rather boring.


A Magpie was bathing in the lake near the Diana fountain, and hopped up on to the fence to dry and preen its feathers, showing off its iridescent blue wings and green tail.


There were plenty of weekend visitors at the Lido restaurant, and the familiar Pied Wagtail was skittering about under their feet. She has become a favourite of the staff.


The number of Shovellers on the Long Water has gone back up to four.


Two of the young Great Crested Grebes were cruising around busily near the Italian Garden looking for fish. When their mother turned up they didn't beg to be fed, but all three went fishing together.


This elegant caterpillar was chewing the edge off a leaf near the Leaf Yard. I was there with Wendy, who runs the excellent Wino Wendy's Wildlife World blog.


Neither of us knew what it was, but she whipped out her smartphone and put a picture of it on a forum she belongs to. Within five minutes the answer came back: it was the caterpillar of a Knot Grass moth, Acronicta rumicis. Much impressed by this display of efficiency by all concerned.

2 comments:

  1. I imagine the Little Owl might have been bringing up a pellet of undigested food instead of yawning?

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    Replies
    1. No, I watched her throughout. She was just yawning.

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