Saturday 17 May 2014

The House Martins are well established under the cornice of the Kuwaiti Embassy. Here one of them leaves its nest at the back of the plaster rose.


There are only a few nests, though perhaps more will be added soon. This colony has still not recovered from the redecoration of the French Embassy and the destruction of its old nests several years ago.

There is another Blue Tit nest in the lamp post nearby, beside the broad path opposite the horse trough. Here an adult brings a small black grub to the chicks.


All three Tawny owlets and their mother were visible in the usual lime tree. The mother could only just be seen next to the trunk of the tree, and was impossible to photograph. Here are two of the owlets.


There were some adult Tawny Owl feathers scattered along the path near the tree, suggesting that there had been a fight -- perhaps a Ring-Necked Parakeet had been caught and struggled to get free.

No one I spoke to had been able to see the Little Owl.

Long-Tailed Tits could be heard and seen all over the park. The families are out of their nests now and flying around so that the parents can forage for the young birds. This one was in  patch of bushes and brambles on the east side of the Long Water near the Italian Garden.


The new family of Mute Swans have found a safe place to rest behind the iron railings beside one of the small boathouses. They have built a rough nest which is really just a place marker, like putting your beach towel on a sun lounger.


The other family were, as usual, at Peter Pan touting for food. Here a Mallard has got too close to the cygnets and been chased off.


On the chain that keeps boats from going under the bridge a Coot was balancing on one leg, just to show it could be done.


It couldn't hold this pose for long and kept having to put its other foot down.

2 comments:

  1. Ralph,

    Again, you have captured another wonderful series of images that convey wildlife in the combined parks as it happens. I wasn't there over the weekend and I'm happy to hear all the news, but I am just a bit jealous too. Great job! I hope to see you and make a loop with you around the park next week, when my daughter has arrived and can join in too.

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  2. Thank you, and hope to see you then.

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