There are several Wren families -- or rather harems, with several females to one male -- in the shrubbery here, as well as Goldcrests, Dunnocks, a remarkable number of Robins, several pairs of Blackbirds, a pair of Song Thrushes, Great, Blue, Coal and Long-Tailed Tits, and at least one pair of Blackcaps.
This Blackcap was singing near the Tawny Owl tree.
I found him during a fruitless search for the owl, who was probably there but very well hidden in the leaves. Both Little Owls were out early this morning but went in as the crowds arrived and had not re-emerged by the time I left. The fatal Carrion Crow was perched on top of their tree.
The male Blue Tit from the nest in the lamp post behind the Lido was bringing his nestlings a caterpillar.
A pair of Egyptian Geese on the Serpentine have a new brood of 11.
They were keeping their young close, so they have a reasonable chance of getting some of them through the constant gull attacks.
This picture is very similar to one I took yesterday, except that this time the Grey Heron at the Lido has stalked a different family, the Canada Geese, and as before has been furiously chased away.
The upper end of the Long Water is thick with small flies, and a Grey Wagtail was whirling around hunting them, occasionally resting on the fallen horse chestnut tree. But a Great Crested Grebe was also catching flies in its own way, by sitting still on the water and grabbing them as they passed.
It has been doing this for three days now, so it must be catching some.
I saw another pair of blue tits making frequent visits to a lamp post this morning – the one opposite the shop entrance where boats can be hired. I also revisited the Diana lamp post yesterday to reassure myself that my fleeting observation as I passed on the bike wasn’t an aberration. It wasn’t. At least one very industrious blue tit obliged by flying in and out of the lamp post many times as I watched. I didn’t hear any young though at either site.
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing picture of the Crow and the Owlet, the most astonishing of an astonishing bunch. Thanks for all your efforts and skill in producing a consistently fascinating blog.
Thank you. I'll keep an eye on these lamp posts. It's always Blue Tits here because the hole isn't large enough to let Great Tits through. And it's only the lamp posts that have a bulge near the top of the iron column, because there has to be room for a nest.
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