The adult Great Black-Backed Gull was back on the Long Water, standing on the tern raft (which gets every species of water bird on it except terns). It is rather a static bird, and just stands there looking enormous. I've been hoping to have a picture of it hunting Feral Pigeons, but it won't oblige.

This Black-Headed Gull, on the other hand, was busily at play, constantly picking up a stick, taking off and dropping it in the water.

The male Tawny Owl was inside his tree when I passed, so I didn't get a picture, and didn't have time to come back later and see if he had emerged. We can hardly complain, as he has given us a wonderful show over the past few weeks.

The Coot at the Serpentine island that was glaring at the pair of Great Crested Grebes yesterday is still looming menacingly over them.

Closer inspection shows that it is building a nest on top of the basket, and doesn't want any other birds nesting in its territory. The grebes want to make their nest on the far side of the basket a few feet to the right, but it looks as if they are going to have to find somewhere else.

The two pairs of grebes on the Long Water, however, have reserved their nesting place early, and are constantly hanging around the spot to make sure that no other bird takes it. Here is one under the willow tree near the bridge.

Near the small boathouses, two young Mute Swans which had just been chased off by their father were consoling themselves with each other's company and a soothing session of preening.