There was a mass invasion of the Long Water by Mute Swans from the Serpentine, and the resident male had to expel them three times in two hours, which he did with great speed and efficiency. For most of the intruders, his menacing presence approaching from a distance with raised wings is enough to make them hurry back under the bridge. Here he deals with a straggler.

The pair of Great Crested Grebes who have taken possession of the wire basket at the bridge are also very good at maintaining their territory, and there was a loud threat display when another couple came near the other side of the bridge. Here they are dancing to celebrate another victory.

The male Nuthatch of the pair nesting in the tall tree near the leaf yard was defending his patch with a loud and passionate performance of his simple one-note song. But he was not too busy to come down to take some food off the fence.

A male Great Tit was also singing in a bush near the Italian Garden.

The revolving bird scarers on the new floating reed beds are becoming less frightening by the hour, and the Moorhens ignoring them have been joined by a couple of Egyptian Geese calmly eating the expensive new plants.

It doesn't matter what you do with windmills or netting or recorded distress calls. The birds will always get in somehow.

The male Tawny Owl was out today. You have to go right to the side of his balcony to see him now, but after you have made a noise shuffling about to get a good angle he will usually turn round and stare reprovingly at you.

One of the Little Owls in the chestnut tree was out at 9 am, when it was raining. But when the weather improved he went in again and I missed him.