The first Great Crested Grebes' nest of the year is on the northeast corner of the Serpentine island, behind the floating baskets of water plants. It is rather hard to see from the shore.

It seems a good site, well screened against large gulls by bushes. I am not sure whether one of the Grey Herons can get to it; this depends on whether the side of the island slopes steeply enough into the water to stop them wading along.

A pair of Mandarins was visible on the Long Water near Peter Pan.

There are at least three males here, and probaby the same number of females. Since they are often seen in the bushes directly opposite Peter Pan, it's probable that they are nesting there in tree holes.

Also at Peter Pan, a mob of Mallard drakes was fighting over a solitary female, who was taking the opportunity to get away from them; you can just see her tail disappearing out of the right side of the picture.

There are still plenty of Redwings at the bottom of the Parade Ground near the bandstand. When I went to see them they had been joined by a Green Woodpecker.

This allowed me to get quite close while I had the camera in front of my face, but as soon as I put it down and looked at the bird, it fled. This strengthens my belief that these birds are particularly sensitive to the human gaze because they have light-coloured eyes, as Jackdaws do, which allow them to be easily seen in a nest hole and thus deter others of their species from entering. They see human eyes, with obvious white corneas, as particularly challenging.

The male Tawny Owl was again not visible in the morning, but had come out by the second time I visited the nest tree at 3.15.

Paul Turner suggested to me that he is coming out late because he has been catching mice for his mate and four hungry owlets as well as for himself, and he is tired in the morning. This may well be right.

Here is a Coal Tit eating a pine nut against a background of spring blossom in the Flower Walk.