It was a frosty morning but the sun was bright. The Little Owl at the Round Pond braved the chill and came out into the horse chestnut tree ...
... despite Magpies ...
... and a Jay looking at her from adjacent trees.
Green Woodpeckers are extremely shy. I got a quick still shot of one on the owls' nest tree before it retreated round the back of the trunk. Going round the other way to intercept it, I found it looking warily at me before it flew away.
The number of Egyptian Geese at the Round Pond is steadily increasing. Despite the open pond's complete lack of cover it's a better place to breed than the main lake, as there are fewer big gulls wanting to snatch the young ones. One pair of Egyptians managed to raise seven this summer.
A Jackdaw looked down from a tree at the Diana fountain with the brilliant red sweetgum in the background.
There were surprisingly few small birds to be seen, but the pair of Chaffinches in the Rose Garden came out for their daily treat.
A Starling shone in the sunlight by the small boathouses.
A Grey Heron caught a fish ...
... and two Cormorants were also at work.
More waited on the roof.
Pigeon Eater doesn't have an unvarying diet of pigeon. He is happy to devour bread given him by visitors.
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The male Great Crested Grebe on the Long Water was fishing alone under the Italian Garden, no longer troubled by his young.
One of the young ones was at the other end of the Long Water, with its mother but not pestering her.
On the other side of the bridge the two teenagers, which are a bit older, were practising their salute. These weren't hatched here, they flew in with their parents as soon as they were airworthy.
There are still Common Wasps in the fatsia bush by the bridge.
She looks ecstatic; the Magpies on the other hand look jealous.
ReplyDeleteI hope the newly independent young Grebes are doing fine enough.
Tinúviel
I think Little Owls really do feel the cold in spite of their thick feathers. They are really Mediterranean birds and at the northern edge of their range here. In their home territory they happily sit out the sunshine on baking days. But perhaps I'm projecting here, as those are my own preferences.
DeleteThe young grebes on the Serpentine seem to be well established, as they have been independent for quite a while. The younger ones on the Long Water are not yet through the difficult phase.
They do indeed tolerate the baking sun of Spain's summer rather well, come to think of it.
DeleteTinúviel
And indeed there is a desert tribe of them, Athene noctua lilith (what a name!) which put up with greater heat.
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