Long Tailed Tits and a Tawny

Yesterday evening as I sat at the PC, I was aware of the songs of Long-tailed Tits - all nine of them it turned out to be.. a family of very young ones with Mum and Dad.

They landed briefly on the telephone wires running to the house; so I dashed outside with the camera and looked high up..

(If you're reading this Di.... then sorry ;) )

dreadful picture but the one that, almost, got away..

Today it was beautiful and warm - I headed over to the London Wetland Centre

Generally it was quiet and these two Mallards sat basking in the morning sun.

A family of two adult and two young Little Grebes were in their usual place..

and another pair, this time Mute Swans, gave a fly past.

I saw four Redshanks out on the scrape

and a Mute Swan was preening

Damsels flew about settling occasionally

and the water lilies are now fully flowering

their leaves giving a platform to the Marsh frogs.

John then offered me a seat in his car to go and see the reported Tawny Owl at the Leg of Mutton Nature Reserve....

We scanned the trees where we thought it should be to no avail... but, having decided to walk back a bit and have another look, John then spotted, very high up, a sight of a very sleepy Tawny Owl. I'm amazed I managed a shot at all given it was very high up and so well camouflaged.

A quiet day but a rewarding one... and thanks John and Mary Anne for the lift and company.