The Little Owl at the Round Pond was keeping an eye on the nest tree while staying cool in the shade of a small lime.
The Hobby was hunting here again. There were a few Swifts over the pond, birds that I think only an agile Hobby can catch. Sean Gillespie photographed it in the top of a plane tree.
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Both the Peregrines were on the barracks tower, closer together than usual with these standoffish birds.
We haven't been seeing much of the pigeon-eating Lesser Black-Backed Gull recently, as the Feral Pigeons in his usual place have learnt to avoid him. But today he was standing in a lordly attitude on his favourite spot on the Dell restaurant roof.
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Another picture from Sean: a Great Tit looking severely worn from feeding chicks.
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A young Long-Tailed Tit paused in a treetop in the Flower Walk.
A Grey Heron had commandeered the Coots' nest at the bridge as a fishing station.
It caught a perch.
A pair of Pochards dived nearby to browse on algae.
A Mallard has brought out eleven ducklings in a fountain pool in the Italian Garden. It's remarkable how the little creatures have manged to jump up the foot-high kerb to get into the pool.
A Banded Demoiselle Fly perched on an iris leaf in the next pool.
There were dragonflies everywhere. A male Emperor perched on a willow twig at the bridge, next to the fishing heron.
A male Black-Tailed Skimmer hung from a campanula flower near Peter Pan ...
... and a female landed on a stem in the Rose Garden.
Three pictures of bees by Duncan Campbell, all taken near the tennis courts. A male Wool Carder ...
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... probably a species of Leafcutter Bee ...
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... and almost certainly a White-Jawed Yellow-Faced Bee, tiny in the middle of a white rose.
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Back to birds, and two videos from Spain. House Martins on a wire in Cáceres, a video from Extremadura shot by Emilio Pacios.
It's raining in Spain, but not here. A White Stork took her two young under her wings to keep them dry. Thanks to Tinúviel for forwarding this video shot at Alcalá de Henares near Madrid.
Thanks for the walk!
ReplyDeleteTheodore
It was a pleasure. Always good to have a pair of young eyes spotting things I would have overlooked, like that Demoiselle.
DeleteIntellectually I know how taxing rearing chicks is for bird parents, but dear God. I never cease to be amazed by how much effort small birds spend till the chicks fledge.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure I have asked before, but just how old is Pigeon Killer?
Tinúviel
He was already hunting succesfully in 2008, and must have spent aome time learning, so I reckon he's at least 17, more likely 20. So he's still in his prime.
DeleteNo fish is escaping a ferocious stab from a Herons beak, it’s such a weapon!
ReplyDeleteSean