There was a lot going on around the Little Owls' tree at the Round Pond. When I arrived the male owl was keeping an eye on things from a small lime tree.
Then a Jackdaw landed on the dead tree where the nest is, followed by another.
The owl was concerned and flew over to defend the nest hole.
Then the Jackdaws got into a fight with the local Magpies, which I couldn't photograph because it was going on inside the foliage of a horse chestnut tree, I think there may be a pair of Jackdaws nesting in a hole.
There were also Kestrel calls from nearby. A comment on the blog yesterday suggests that Kestrels are nesting here, and I think this is probably right. Later a male Kestrel was having trouble with a Carrion Crow over the Long Water.
Near the Dell a young Carrion Crow chased a parent, clamouring to be fed.
A young Coal Tit could be seen in a bush in the Dell.
Dead twigs at the top of a tree beside the Long Water are a favourite singing perch for this male Chiffchaff, who is seen and heard there daily.
Ahmet Amerikali got a good picture of a Reed Warbler near the Lido.
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Faint scratchy calls from the reed bed at the east end of the Serpentine are apparently coming from young Reed Warblers.
A Moorhen near the Italian Garden has five chicks.
This is the younger of the two broods of Coot chicks in the Italian Garden, of which four survive. A parent was diving to bring up algae for them.
The Mute Swans brought their two cygnets over to Peter Pan for a begging session.
A Mallard and a single duckling reclined casually in the middle of the path below the Triangle car park.
A clump of Salvia at the east end of the Lido attracted a crowd of bees, including a White-Tailed Bumblebee.
Duncan Campbell photographed an Early Bumblebee (he isn't 100 per cent sure of the identification) browsing on Viper's Bugloss near the tennis courts.
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He also found a Broad Centurion fly here.
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Whilst trying to spot the little owl in the nearby trees I too heard and saw the kestrel harassing/being harassed by the crows. I was surprised that another falcon joined in the commotion and later landed showing it was a Hobby. I presume it would be just passing through?
ReplyDeleteHobbies have been seen in the park this year, but just once. I think they've chosen to nest outside the park, maybe in a garden square, They may come in to hunt dragonflies. They also hunt Swifts but I didn't hear any of those today.
DeleteWhat a shame! I have never seen a hobby and really hope that I see one in the park. If they had nested in the park, I could have had a chance of seeing it but unfortunately...
DeleteAs it happened, we saw the Hobby today. So keep on trying.
DeleteInteresting fly. Corvids seem to be very troublesome of late.
ReplyDeleteTheodore
It’s all kicking off at the Round Pond! seems the place to be.
ReplyDeleteSean
I hope the Little Owls have all their defences at the ready. I truly love corvids, but they can be such a source of anxiety.
ReplyDeleteTinúviel
And all four kinds are numerous in this area.
DeleteAgree with Early Bumblebee though I believe the one labelled White-tailed is Buff-tailed as I don't think white tailed ever shows the yellow base to the white "tail". The workers of the two species can be very difficult to differentiate unlike the other castes.
ReplyDeleteI was persuaded by the bright yellow of its top stripe, which was brighter in real life than it appears in the photograph.
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