Owlets still elusive

A Carrion Crow fed a fledgling on a branch that someone has dropped into a pool in the Italian Garden.

I think the idea was for the branch to act as a ladder for the Mallard ducklings, to make it easier for them to get out of the pool. However, the ducklings seem to have no problem in simply jumping both in and out, and yesterday's video showed them on the kerb at the edge. Today they were in the southwest pool close to the fountain, with water bucketing down on their little heads.

The Coot chicks from the nest on the bridge -- two large and three small -- were dashing around after their parents calling non-stop.

The Great Crested Grebes at the island have abandoned their attempt to build a nest and have been simply resting for several days. Picture by Sean Gillsepie.

I'm hoping that another pair are nesting in a place that can't currently be seen from the shore, in a bush at the east end of the island which has been used by grebes several times. Otherwise I can see no sign of any nests at all. The grebes on the lake usually wait till high summer to nest because the this year's fish need to grow to a size suitable for feeding their young. They have been known to start as late as September, so there's still plenty of time.

The Mute Swan from the nest by the Lido was keeping her six cygnets close.

She has been a very successful mother, unlike the pair from the Serpentine island who now only have one of their original four. I'm thinking that there may be large pike at the island, as there are on the Long Water which cost the swans their two of their cygnets.

The Little Owl at the Round Pond was in his usual place in the small lime tree.

I heard owlets calling from two places but couldn't find either of them in the dense leaves. As far as I know, no one else has yet seen them either. I also heard an adult calling from a tall lime tree south of the Serpentine Gallery, again invisible in the leaves.

One of the two male Blackbirds in the Dell sang in a tree beside the stream.

A Wren appeared carrying caterpillars in a tree near Mount Gate ...

... and there was another on a post near Peter Pan, where it often perches.

Ahmet Amerikali got a picture of a Reed Warbler in the undergrowth around the small reed bed by the bridge ...

... and a female Blackcap in the Flower Walk.

In the Flower Walk a Wood Pigeon was eating Heuchera leaves in two colours ...

... but a Feral Pigeon preferred Green Alkanet.

Duncan Campbell spotted two female Emperor dragonflies laying eggs on the edge of a planter in the Italian Garden. 

While one of them was busy, a Common Blue Damselfly landed casually on top of it.

Here are three more of his pictures: an Ashy Mining Bee ...

... a Green-Eyed Flower Bee ...

... and a gruesome shot of a Honeybee being attacked by a spider, which has grabbed it by the throat. A very small insect is unwisely clinging to the bee and in danger of becoming a side dish.