No owls of any kind were to be seen despite two visits, and even the Kingfisher at the Italian Garden, brilliantly visible for the past week, seems to have found a new fishing station farther away from human disturbance.

However, it was quite a good day for other small birds. A Coal Tit in the leaf yard, which had been hanging around enviously while the larger tits were fed, has finally plucked up courage to take food from my hand. Once they start doing this they become enthusiastic, and this one now follows me along the railings for some distance, dashing out at intervals to take another pine nut.

Near the Serpentine Bridge a Goldcrest was leaping about industriously in a bush. Although not shy, they are hard to photograph because they are so restless and often obscured by twigs, so I was grateful to get this slightly motion-blurred shot of one in mid-leap.

On the shore of the Serpentine a Pied Wagtail had caught a tiny midge.

Despite the cold weather, there are clouds of these insects in sheltered spots along the lakeside path, and plenty of Pied Wagtails running around the lake to catch them.

A Dunnock in the hedge near the ticket desk of the Lido obligingly came out for a close-up shot.

Even from this small distance, it is remarkable how perfectly they melt into the background, thanks to their unobtrusive stripy brown plumage further disrupted with patches of grey. There are not many of them in the park, but I am sure that the number seems smaller than it is because they are so discreet.

On a netting fence neat the Italian Gardens, a young Grey Heron was showing off its balancing skill. Not content with standing on this unstable perch, it was doing it on one leg. It was able to remain perfectly still for several minutes in this posture.