The male Tawny Owl came out a bit earlier than he has in the past few days, and was on his balcony by 3.45 pm.

It is probably rather noisy inside the nest tree with owlets calling for food. I wonder whether you could hear them by sticking a microphone into the small hole about 8 ft off the ground where the Starlings nest (they haven't started yet). The tree is hollow from top to bottom, but has several holes in the side that would dissipate the sound.

This Jay in the leaf yard was singing -- a rather confused and unmelodious chattering, but no doubt female Jays find it attractive.

Two of the newly arrived Great Crested Grebes are a pair, and were exploring the reed bed for a possible nest site, pausing occasionally for a display of affection.

It would be an excellent place if they had the sense to go inside the net that protects the reeds, but even a place outside the net has produced chicks in past years, despite the Herring Gulls and Lesser Black-Backs that patrol the area.

The fountains in the Italian Garden are out of order again -- I'm sure they never were when they were powered by the original Victorian steam pump. A Moorhen was taking advantage of this by climbing agilely around the ironwork looking for something edible.

The Wren in the Flower Walk was wandering impeturbably in the flower beds and allowed its picture to be taken from a mere 10 ft away.

And the Redwings on the Parade Ground stopped worrying about me after I had stood still for ten minutes, and one of them came over and stared at me.