It had been raining for hours when I got into the park, and even the ducks were beginning to look a bit wet. This is a Pochard drake.

The Great Crested Grebes were undeterred, and this pair were having an affectionate display.

There are only a few Cormorants now, a sign that they have more or less exhausted the lake's supply of suitable sized fish. However, this one near the bridge had caught a very large perch, which it was having some difficulty in swallowing. It took several minutes before it succeeded.

A Little Grebe appeared on the Long Water, under the dead willow tree near the Italian Garden.

I am not sure whether it is the same one as the bird seen on the Round Pond and Serpentine. It seems to have an off-white gape (the area at the base of its bill). The one seen before had a distinctly yellow gape. But this may be a trick of the light on a dim day.

A flock of Greylag Geese were scared off the north bank of the Serpentine by some idiot with a dog, and took refuge on the water.

The young Grey Wagtail turned up twice, first in the Italian Garden then running along the edge of the Serpentine.

The Ring-Necked Parakeets were unusually persistent in demanding food, and mobbed me when I was trying to feed the small birds. No doubt the colder weather is making them more hungry. This one is male, as you can see by the pink ring round his neck.

The female Tawny Owl was in her usual place on the beech tree, which is quite well sheltered from the rain.

There was no sign of either Little Owl, no wonder on such a raw and soggy day.