Saturday 19 July 2014

There is a new Great Crested Grebes' nest on the east side of the Long Water, in an oak tree a few yards from the bridge. It can only be seen from right across the lake.


A Moorhen in the Italian Garden disliked a carp coming close to its chick, and chased it away.


All the Moorhen chicks and the three Mallard ducklings in the Italian Garden are still alive; the Coot chicks were in a clump of reeds and impossible to count. The single Coot chick at Peter Pan is also still there.

The three Canada goslings hatched at the end of April are now almost indistinguishable from adults, but just a slight hint of fluffiness still gives them away.


There was a Common Tern on the Serpentine again.


I didn't see any others, but it flew away in the direction of the Long Water and the young ones may have been on the posts at Peter Pan, or on the fallen horse chestnut tree.

One of the young Tawny Owls was dozing in their favourite chestnut tree near the leaf yard.


A diligent search of nearby trees didn't find the other two.

But the male Little Owl was dependably on his usual branch.


I went back to the clump of ragwort across the road from the top of Buck Hill to see if I could find a male Common Blue butterfly. I couldn't, but there was something much commoner, a Large White (Pieris brassicae). It would not open its wings while perched, but after at least 50 attempts I managed to get it while it was taking off.

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