A sight of the Little Owl

The morning was cold but the afternoon sunshine was warm enough to bring the Little Owl at the Round Pond out of her hole.

The male Peregrine perched on the barracks for a few minutes before flying off northwest in the direction of Trellick Tower. He is distinguishable by the grubby grey colour of the pale strip behind his eye. I haven't seen the new female for some time and am beginning to wonder if she has dumped him. Female Peregrines are dominant and fickle.

Greenfinches aren't great singers, but this one in a treetop by the Long Water was doing its best.

The Robin in the leaf yard is now paired up, though the mates aren't taking much notice of each other yet.

This is the one I know well and comes to my hand.

A Jackdaw waited on a branch above.

Kites in the shape of birds of prey are flying over the new grass on the Parade Ground in an effort to stop the Carrion Crows from tearing up the turf to find worms. The crows are not impressed.

Half a dozen Blue Tits are now coming for food in the Rose Garden. Word seems to be getting around.

One of the Coal Tit pair perched for a moment on a teasel.

There was another Coal Tit in corkscrew hazel bush in the Dell, which came to take pine nuts from the railings.

The male Chaffinch ...

... and his mate picked me up at the Round Pond and followed me to the Flower Walk.

One of the Grey Heron chicks in the upper nest on the island could be seen indistinctly from the land side.

You can see all three from across the lake, but at a considerable distance.

Seven Common Gulls were together at the Lido.

Moorhens have a very varied diet -- in fact they will eat almost anything. Algae from the edge of the lake go down well, and there are insects and larvae to be found under dead leaves.

The Moorhens in the Dell stream headbutted each other ...

... before one chased the other off the water and up the lawn. I think this is flirtation rather than aggression, but with some birds it's hard to distinguish the two.