The young Little Owl in the lime tree near the Serpentine Gallery had a brief preen and settled down again. They are not nocturnal, and if it weren't for the people and dogs on the ground the family would be down hunting for beetles and worms. As it is they have to wait till the park closes. This explains why the Little Owls prefer Kensington Gardens, which closes at dusk, to Hyde Park, which is open until midnight and still quite busy after dark. As far as I know there is only one pair of Little Owls in Hyde Park, living in the seclusion of the Ranger's Lodge garden.
The male owl at the Round Pond was back on his favourite branch, from which he was rudely ousted by Magpies yesterday.
The Magpies were below, jumping around on the felled top of the dead tree where the owls nest.
It was quite a warm day. Mark Williams took this picture of a Carrion Crow in St James's Park feeling hot in its coat of black feathers.
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A Robin at the east end of the Serpentine was beginning to sing again in a tentative way after the summer break.
There was another sight of the Goldcrest in the shrubbery of the Rose Garden.
Coal Tits used to be a routine sight in the Flower Walk and on the north side of the Albert Memorial, but at the moment they're only glimpsed occasionally.
Pied Wagtails are also quite scarce at present.
The Reed Warbler at the Italian Garden was busy as usual but the fledglings, which are quite large now, should soon be able to fend for themselves.
The pigeon-eating Lesser Black-Backed Gull was in his usual place with another victim. You might think that the Feral Pigeons, which are quite intelligent birds, would avoid this place, but the nearby Dell restaurant is a good source of scraps and lures them into danger.
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The three Great Crested Grebe chicks were milling around under the bridge.
Their parents do much of their fishing just the other side of the bridge, where perch breed in the submerged wire baskets.
A Coot had a vigorous wash and flap.
There are still some Red Admiral butterflies after the huge boom they had a few weeks ago ...
... and still plenty of Black-Tailed Skimmer dragonflies. You often see them on the iron railings because these get warm in sunshine.
The rugosa rose bush in the Rose Garden has a remarkably long flowering season, and the Honeybees continue to enjoy it.
I hadn't realized it before, but I imagine all those black feathers must be really heat-absorbing. Do crows and blackbirds pant more often than paler birds?
ReplyDeleteHave you ever taken a picture of the little owls on the ground chasing beetles? I have never seen it and I bet it's a wonderful sight.
Tinúviel
I get the impression that they do. Also Cormorants.
DeleteNo, I've never got a picture of a Little Owl on the ground. Wish I could.
The log those magpies jump around one are very interesting. If you look very closely, then you will find pieces of beetle and other insects everywhere including rose chafers and stag beetles.
ReplyDeleteTheodore
From decayed Little Owl pellets, do you think?
DeleteI think it is the magpies that eat them and leave the tough shell there
ReplyDeleteMakes sense. The trunk is much visited by Magpies, to the exclusion of all other birds.
Deletetrue
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