Tuesday 18 June 2024

Little owlets heard

There are definitely owlets in the Little Owls' nest tree at the Round Pond. They aren't visible at the moment but you can hear them in a sound recording I made.

The male owl was overlooking the nest tree from an obscure position in a horse chestnut tree. As I was trying to get a reasonable photograph someone came past the nest tree with a dog, which infuriated him though the owlets were perfectly safe inside the tree. He flew to the front of the tree and started yelling at it, which allowed me to get a better picture though it was sad to see him disturbed.


He takes no notice of me near the nest tree, as we've known each other for years.

I couldn't find an owl at the Serpentine Gallery, though I'm sure there was at least one looking down at me. A Blackbird foraged in the grass below.


A young Long-Tailed Tit perched on a branch at the northwest corner of the bridge, one of several from the family here.


There were more in the Dell ...


... with adults ...


... Great Tits, Blue Tits and a young Robin.


Their attention was focused on a small and tatty cedar tree. Evidently it's full of insects and, to judge by its half dead condition, there are larvae feeding on the needles.


It was quite a warm day and a Magpie under the Henry Moore sculpture was feeling the heat.


Ahmet Amerikali got another picture of one of the Reed Warblers at the southwest corner of the bridge.


They are still singing occasionally, and I could hear young birds calling in the Diana fountain reed bed.

At the Dell restaurant Pigeon Eater had struck again and was tearing at his prey in the water, which was slightly tricky for him as it recoiled when pecked and he had to jump at it. His mate waited patiently nearby for him to finish and give her a share.


The latest Grey Heron chicks on the island aren't often visible, but today they put in an appearance. They're noticeably larger than when last seen on 10 June, eight days ago.


The Great Crested Grebe pair were still hanging around the willow near the bridge.


This young Moorhen is always near the island with its mother. They get a hard time from the Coots but refuse to be driven away.


The six Mute cygnets on the Long Water, seen here below the Italian Garden fountains with their mother, are growing fast on a diet of algae reinforced with all the snails and small water creatures they can find to provide extra protein.


The pair of Canada Geese with three goslings moved along the edge of the shrubbery at the Triangle sampling various plants. This is not without risk: a couple of years ago a brood of Egyptian goslings ate a poisonous plant and all died within minutes. I was never able to find out what it was.


Sunshine brought out the young foxes in the Dell.


I could still only find Buff-Tailed Bumblebees and Honeybees in the Rose Garden. There must be other bees but I couldn't find any, not even Common Carders of which there are usually plenty. The bees only go for wild-type single roses as they can't get into the big double flowers beloved by gardeners. I much prefer the single kind.

9 comments:

  1. Hi Ralph,great content as per usual, but sad to see no goslings today ..very sad that the person saw fit to let it's dog disturb "your" owl.....I received the "birds of London " book today, WOW !!..what a publication...a "labour of love", for sure interesting to note
    (On page 263) That the earliest sighting of a green woodpecker was on the 14th of march 1778 (in vauxhall, of all places) !!!.....also a useful guide to some of the other locations .so no more daft questions from me as to where such and such a place is !!...thank you AGAIN for the "heads up" about this wonderful book..regards,Stephen..

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  2. Hi Ralph, the "birds of lodonn" book came today.... a superb publication....thank you for the heads up....no goslings today? Great pic of the little owl. shame it was disturbed by a dog !..regards,Stephen..

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    1. Glad the book arrived. Royal Mail is always a bit of a cliffhanger.

      I think all the goslings were OK. I don't give news of all of them every day, and today it was the three Canadas.

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  3. Ok, great. Am going to very much enjoy reading this book.regards,Stephen..

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  4. I'd trust the judgment of bees on the subject of flowers above any gardener's.
    The Great Tit in the recording sounded personally affronted that you were paying attention to the owlets and not him!
    Tinúviel

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    1. You can't stand still for any length of time in the park without a Great Tit coming out for a pine nut.

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    2. Doubtless word goes around.
      Tinúviel

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    3. There seems to be communication between the tits all over the park. One thinks of Great Tits as fairly sedentary, but evidently they travel a fair distance.

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  5. I meant to say "birds of LONDON" regards,Stephen..... :--))

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