The Egyptian Geese on the Round Pond still had five young when I went by this morning.

The parents are looking after them carefully, and chivvied them into the water when a dog approached. although it was on a lead. But only a few yards away a Lesser Black-Backed Gull was looking at them with hungry interest.

There were a lot of Common Gulls, at least 50 at the Round Pond and at least 20 on the Serpentine. They don't suddenly arrive like the Black-Headed Gulls do, but trickle in grdually during the winter. These two were amusing themselves by walking along the slippery, rocking buoys at the Lido.

Four Red-Crested Pochards have arrived on the Serpentine, presumably from Regent's Park where there is a fair-sized population. Here are a pair between two Gadwall drakes on the island.

The Black Swan's behaviour continues baffling. Today he was following an adult Mute Swan around and calling to her.

There were more Mute Swans beside the willow tree near the bridge, eight at one time. This pair were clearly in love. The idyll didn't last, as the dominant male of the Long Water came over to break up the party.

Under the willow, one of the Great Crested Grebes guarding the nest was having a preen.

However, when I went by later there was a Coot standing on the nest, and more twigs had been added to it. It really doesn't matter if the Coots steal this nest, as the grebes don't have a chance of breeding successfully with the fish stocks in the lake so low. There were no Cormorants today, a sign that they have depleted the fish population severely in their usual way.

Some people feeding the Ring-Necked Parakeets on the Vista attracted two Grey Herons. Then a third one arrived.

The Little Owl near the Henry Moore sculpture was looking out of the hole in the tall lime tree.

There were four baby rabbits on the grass nearby. It was lucky for them that all the herons were on the other side of the lake begging for food from humans.