A Great Tit ...

... and a Blue Tit were hopping around in the rowan trees on Buck Hill.

In the second picture you can see that some of the fruit has been pecked, but I couldn't see the Blue Tit doing it. I was wondering whether it was picking the pips out, as Chaffinches do. But probably both birds were just looking for insects, perhaps attracted to the spilt sugary juice of the pecked fruit.

Under the rowan, a young Blackbird searched for insects and worms in the grass next to the hawthorn hedge. They seem to be particularly fond of hawthorn, and also gather in a nearby hawthorn tree.

More feeding that is difficult to observe: a Moorhen chick searched through algae in one of the Italian Garden ponds. You seldom see what they're getting out of it, but it must be tiny invertebrates such as Daphnia.

The grass under the Henry Moore sculpture has been newly mown, and a Magpie sifted through the cuttings for insects.

Encouraged by the sunshine, a Chiffchaff was singing at the top of a very tall horse chestnut tree. I took a distant picture without being able to see the bird, and was lucky enough to get it in the picture.

The friendly Robin beside the Long Water took six pine nuts from my hand, a record.

Both the Dunnocks came out under the feeder in the Rose Garden to pick up spilt birdseed.

So did a mouse.

The female Little Owl at the leaf yard was out on her usual branch, looking small, round, and immensely regal, like Queen Victoria.

A Black-Headed Gull was also looking stately on an urn in the Italian Garden.

These gulls have a curious display, done in pairs, with wings held out slightly at the front. Clearly this is meant to make them look larger and more impressive, and I think it's a status display.

A young Great Crested Grebe fished under the pedalos at Bluebird Boats. You seldom see grebes of this age catch anything, as they are far less good at fishing than their expert elders. This is a testing time for the young birds, as they have to get enough to keep them alive until they become more skilled.

Two Cormorants dived in unison in the Long Water.