A Little Owl and lots of Robins

Neil found one of the teenage Little Owls near the Round Pond. It was dashing about skittishly, but here it is during a momentary pause.

He also took this pretty picture of a Great Tit in the corkscrew hazel in the Flower Walk.

Joan Chatterley photographed a Starling at the Lido restaurant with a chip, one of their favourite foods -- just the right size and deliciously greasy.

Virginia, also at the Lido, saw one of the Moorhens from the boat platform making a temporary nest for its single surviving chick.

And Mario found a hornets' nest beautifully made out of papier mâché.

A Blackbird eating a rowan fruit on Buck Hill.

A Treecreeper on a dead tree in the leaf yard.

A Pied Wagtail in sunlight beside the Round Pond.

A Common Gull about to disobey the park regulations.

Today's bird is the Robin, recently voted our national bird and quite right too. They are everywhere in the park and there are four in a hundred-yard stretch of the Flower Walk, all now expecting to be fed.

A Robin comes to my hand beside the Long Water, and Tom feeds one at Rainham Marshes.

They are extremely territorial and defend their territories fiercely, particularly in winter when pairs split up. Both sexes sing to defend their turf.

A Robin in the Flower Walk sings against a rival.

Singing Robins have a lot to contend with, whether it's traffic noise, muzak, or just a Goldcrest on the next twig. Urban Robins have developed much louder voices than their country cousins.

A Robin in the Rose Garden ticks irritably at an intruder.

They are usually fairly tolerant of small birds of other species. Here a Robin, Wren and Long-TailedTit  are all close together picking up grit in the Flower Walk, with a Dunnock next to them in a flower bed.

A Robin preens in the Rose Garden.

They can often be seen bathing in the Dell pool.

Another sunbathes stretched out in a flower bed.

In spring pairs come together again, rather cautiously at first. A male Robin feeds his mate to show that he will look after her when she is nesting. Thanks to Neil for this picture.

Tom photographed a Robin carrying nesting material.

They bring insects ...

... caterpillars ...

... and worms to feed the nestlings.

A very young fledgling just out of the nest ...

... and a slightly older one. I've already remarked that their beautiful juvenile plumage looks like gilt bronze.

Fledglings need feeding at first, as in this picture by Neil ...

... but in a few weeks they are picking up larvae for themselves.

Finally, the classic Christmas card picture of a Robin on a log in the snow ...

... but snow doesn't stop them from finding larvae.