A day of strong wind. Even in the relatively sheltered Flower Walk a Coal Tit was bracing itself against the breeze.
A pair of Robins hopped around together in the flower bed below.
Neil threw the male a pine nut and photographed him giving it to his mate -- a difficult shot to get as it happens in an instant.
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He also got a picture of the Tawny Owl being blown about. Shortly afterwards the owl went into his hole and wouldn't come out ...
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... even when a cheeky squirrel stuck its head in.
It seems that Jackdaws are also nesting in this tree, as well as an Egyptian Goose. No doubt the trunk is hollow from top to bottom, so there is room for all. The old Tawny Owl tree a few hundred yards to the north was also in multiple occupancy.
The Great Crested Grebes near the bridge were fussing around on their nest, but there's still no sign of eggs.
The other pair's chick was resting under a weeping willow with a parent. It just been fed and was quiet for a change.
A Coot sat comfortably in its nest in a planter in the Italian Garden ...
... but the Coots at the bridge had been driven off their nest by an unhelpful Mute Swan which was was ripping chunks out of it.
An Egyptian Goose drank from a puddle ...
... and a pair washed at the Vista.
Out on the exposed Serpentine a swan and some Egyptians were sitting down to avoid being blown off their feet.
The swans nesting east of the Lido have two eggs so far. When the female left the nest she covered them up, but the wind blew away some leaves and you could see them.
Luckily Great Crested Grebes don't get seasick.
A Carrion Crow wandered through wind-blown grass and grape hyacinths near the Dell.
A few people were bravely out on the terrace at the Lido restaurant, leaving a dish for a Starling to gather scraps.
The Round Pond is on an exposed hillside and the wind was fierce there. A Starling got as close to the spray-drenched edge of the Round Pond as it dared to see if anything edible had been washed ashore.
A solitary Black-Headed Gull had the same idea.
Great picture of Robin feeding his mate .
ReplyDeleteYou have to be very quick and very lucky to catch that moment. I've only ever got one shot of it myself.
DeleteWhat a sweet picture of the Robins! Love is in the air, otherwise they would be trying to murder each another.
ReplyDeleteIt really was windy - the waves at the Round Pond lash out so violently.
How is hte Tawny taking its growing army of admirers?
I was worried about the Tawny being so frequently viewed, but actually he seems to be coping and shows no sign of nervousness or distress. As long as we can keep his audience restricted to bird lovers sensible enough not to act stupidly things should be all right. The old Tawnies, at about the same height above the ground, were not troubled by being watched, even when the RSPB set up a viewing station with a small tent and scopes on tripods.
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