There is a third Tufted Duck family, this time with eight ducklings. They were on the Long Water under the bridge. We have no idea why Tufted Ducks have started breeding on the lake again after a gap of at least twenty years.

The Mallard family with six ducklings, two of which are blond, is still in good order despite there having been up to 100 Herring Gulls on the lake on some days.

Another Mallard family was taking it easy at the terrace of the Lido restaurant.

One of the Great Crested Grebes at the island brought a fish to the chicks.

The stringy water weed on the Long Water has been replaced by duckweed. A Coot and some chicks were eating it.

There is a Moorhens' nest on the edge of the reed bed by the bridge.

The Grey Herons' nest on the island is an active and noisy place. I haven't yet managed to film a parent arriving with a fish for the chicks, but will keep trying.

Virginia sent this picture of the chicks, which perfectly captures their gawkiness. They are beginning to grow flight feathers, but it will be some time before they are airworthy.

The parents continue to build the nest up with twigs, just as Coots do.

This had a sad consequence last year, when a nest got so heavy that the branch it was on broke, and two young herons died.

This Wood Pigeon had eaten all the easily reached berries in the elder tree, and was now having to climb and flap about to get to the others.

The male Little Owl in the chetnut tree near  the leaf yard was well hidden in the leaves, and a lot of rushing around was needed to get an almost unobstructed picture.

Neil shot this very clear video of young and older carp in one of the Italian Garden fountains, with tiny Daphnia (water fleas) whizzing around. In the background you can hear a Carrion Crow feeding its young.

A Buff-Tip moth caterpillar crossed a path beside the Long Water. In case you were wondering, it was going from left to right.

I have never seen an adult Buff-Tip moth. This is not surprising, as they are perfectly camouflaged to look like bits of dead birch twig.

I think this bracket fungus is an unusually pale Chicken of the Woods. It is on a dead tree in the woodland just north of the Henry Moore sculpture. This tree has already had a Dryad's Saddle fungus on it, but this one is definitely not that.