One of the Reed Warblers near the bridge came into sight just long enough for a quick photograph. You can see that they are there because the reeds are shaking as they jump from stem to stem, but they are very wary of humans and rarely come near the front of the reed patch when they are being watched.

There is a third Coots' nest in the Italian Garden, presumably built by the pair who have already lost two broods there but will still not give up. It would be a much better idea to nest nest somewhere else, of course. The birds were not on it when I passed, but the nest was half built and another clump of water plants is getting hacked down. Coots were deliberately introduced into the London parks in the early 20th century, by putting their eggs into the nests of resident Moorhens in St James's Park. They first bred in Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park in 1926, and since then have increased unstoppably. The gardeners will certainly be regretting the decision to bring them in.

Four young Greylag Geese have arrived on the Serpentine, still not fully grown but able to fly. Here they are with their mother, who is standing in the watchful pose of a goose playing the role of sentinel. These intelligent birds probably know that the park is a bad place to nest, because if their nest is found their eggs will be pricked and will die. But the place is still attractive with a large lake and plenty of grass, so they nest elsewhere and come in later.

The Robins, which have been almost silent while raising their young, have now broken up their pairs and established their solitary territories for the winter, and are singing again to guard their ground. It is lovely to hear their song again, even if what they are saying is 'Get off my land!'

This insect, sitting on a teazle, is a hoverfly. You can see its yellow and white striped abdomen under its folded wings. Hoverflies protect themselves from being eaten by birds by looking like wasps, though in fact they are quite harmless. When they are flying their mimicry is completely realistic except for one thing: they often hover quite motionless for a while, which wasps do only briefly.