A pair of Long-Tailed Tits were leaping around in a tree on the east side of the Long Water.

On the other side, a nest was visible in a holly bush just south of the lone swamp cypress, a wonderful construction of spiders' webs and lichen lined with thousands of tiny feathers (I have seen claims that there may be 20,000 in a single nest).

Thanks to Achmet Amerikali, who found this nest and showed me where it was. He said that several Long-Tailed Tits had helped to build it, constantly bringing feathers, presumably plucked from a dead bird somewhere in the bushes -- birds are not sentimental about such things. However, Long-Tailed Tits have a strong sense of family, and any birds that have failed to nest or lost their nest will help their relatives with construction and with feeding the young.

Still on the subject of nests, the Coots' nest on the west side of the Long Water just north of the Vista has been further enlarged with reeds on top of its twig base. The birds also line the nest with leaves, often changing them. Coots are like proud householders constantly extending and redecorating their homes.

In contrast, Great Crested Grebes are content with the minimum that will stop their eggs from falling in the water. Compared to a Coots' residence, it's a tatty shanty. This one, near the bridge, seems to include a bit of rag, which no doubt helps to hold it together.

Little Owls don't build nests at all. They just find tree holes that have somewhere inside to put the eggs. Here is today's view of one in the oak tree near the Albert Memorial ...

... and this is the one in the lime near the Henry Moore sculpture.

Proably both are males guarding the hole while the female is on her eggs inside.

The Black Swan was not to be seen again today. Nor was his girlfriend. Very likely they were at the new nest site on the west side of the Long Water between the bridge and the Vista, hidden in the undergrowth.

One of the two black-faced Mute Swans has found a mate. They were on the Long Water, so far unmolested by the dominant pair who were attending to their nest on the little island.

Two Grey Herons were nearby in a willow tree. They did not seem to be mates, as they were barely tolerating each other and looking uneasy at having their personal space invaded. Soon one of them gave a hoarse cry and flew away.

There was a pair of Chiffchaffs in a tree next to them. The male was singing at the top, and this is the female, hopping around lower down.

The familiar Wood Pigeon at the northeast corner of the bridge has a mate.

A solitary Wood Pigeon was having a shower under the feeble little fountain in a pool in front of the Rima relief, a popular bathing spot for all kinds of birds.