The Moorhens in the Sunken Garden have occupied a floating nest that the gardeners carefully made for them, with a protective basketwork top. So they should, as it took a lot of work.

There was another Blackbird with white speckles on the east side of the Long Water near the Italian Garden. Here they are confined to its head rather than reaching down its back. Sometimes the white patches make it look like a Ring Ouzel, and it is misidentified as one.

This picture was taken by Johanna on my camera, which she was trying out. I was there too, but she got the better shot.

On the Serpentine, a Magpie was washing.

Then it flew up into a tree, shook off the water, and wiped itself on the leaves.

It repeated this cycle several times. I think it was using the water to dislodge parasites, and then wiping them off. I have never seen this behaviour before.

Three of the brood of seven young Egyptian geese has strayed round the wrong side of the line of buoys surrounding the Lido swimming area.

Their mother went to the end of the line and called them, and two came through, but the third one wouldn't come. She she went through herself and herded it back, while their father looked after the other six.

A Greylag Goose fled precipitately after it got too close to a couple of other Greylags and the male chased it away.

A late visit to the Little Owls' chestnut tree brought a brief sideways glance from the male.

But the Little Owl by the Round Pond is nowhere to be seen. Nor was there a Tawny Owl in the tree where he was yesterday -- or at least, we couldn't find him.