A Goldcrest appeared out of a yew tree in the Flower Walk.

Although a flock of Long-Tailed Tits and others hangers-on was passing overhead, and Goldcrests sometimes join these flocks, I think this one was a resident in the yew. I have seen one there before several times. They like dense evergreen trees, which give these tiny birds shelter all the year round.

The only other notable event of a very quiet day was that one of the seven young swans from the Long Water, which had come out on to the Serpentine, was excited enough by the arrival of a man with a bag of food to make a very short flight. It is the first time that I have seen one of this brood in the air -- or nearly in the air.

This is one of the young Great Tits from the leaf yard. It is nearly grown up now, though it does not yet have the glossy black cap of an adult. But it has already grown the broad black stripe down its chest to show that it is a male.

The twig on which it is sitting is in the territory of a very aggressive Robin, which attacked every tit that came into the bush, and chased another Robin right across the path into the hazel thicket bordering the lake. These birds already have their solitary winter territories well marked out and are singing to defend them.

One of the Moorhen chicks from the nest in the drain near the bridge came up on to the bank and explored the new world of long grass.

The abandoned Coots' nest at Peter Pan had a small crowd on it: two Moorhens, their chick and a Mallard. This sight was too much for one of the Coots, which charged at them to scare them off -- but then just swam away. It doesn't want the nest, but can't bear to see anyone else on it.

As usual, the Great Crested Grebe chicks on both lakes were chasing their parents calling loudly for food. But here for a change is a picture of an adult female fishing near the east end of the Serpentine. You can see that she is female by the narrowness of her top crest. And you can see that she is fishing because she has flattened her feathers to reduce buoyancy and is floating low in the water.

The Hobbies are still here: one of them was seen early this morning.