Little Owl and the first butterfly

The male Little Owl appeared unexpectedly in the old chestnut tree by the Serpentine Gallery where he was hatched last year.

As I left he flew away, heading for the tree by the Queen's Temple where a pair of Little Owls have been seen in recent months. He wasn't in sight when I passed this tree, but this shows that the male here really is the one from the Serpentine Gallery.

A female Greenfinch could be seen in a tree north of Peter Pan ...

... and two Long-Tailed Tits were flitting about in the top twigs.

I was photographing one of the Coal Tits in the corkscrew hazel in the Dell when the other appeared out of focus in the background. The chance of getting both of these highly active birds in focus in the same picture is close to zero.

A Blue Tit looked out from the same bush.

A Great Tit perched in cherry blossom in the Rose Garden ...

... and the familiar male Chaffinch was waiting on another branch.

The Robin at the southwest corner of the bridge sang in a pussy willow.

This Robin in the Flower Walk is one of the regular customers and took three pine nuts from my hand.

The female at Mount Gate came out when called.

The Goldcrest at the northwest corner of the bridge was visible again today.

One of the young Grey Herons in the nest on the island was getting its wings into good shape for when it starts flying, which won't be for some weeks yet.

Several Coots are now making nests in the Italian Garden, but I don't think they're settling down seriously.

One of the nests had been seized by an Egyptian Goose as a place to preen.

The evicted Coot sat furiously on the pavement.

The three Moorhens are holding their own against persecution by the Coots, but they probably won't try to nest here. They usually find a secluded spot in the lake under the garden, despite the risk from the local pike.

The Egyptian Geese at the east end of the Serpentine were still hanging on to their eight goslings, against all expectations in this dangerous place. One got left behind when they crossed the path to graze, and hurried to catch up with the others.

The first butterfly of the year, a Peacock, was drinking nectar from a paperbush flower in the Dell.