It was a proper English October day, wet and chilly. This is the view from the loggia of the Italian Garden.

Two young Moorhens were prospecting for bugs in the cracks in the pavement.

Moorhens were climbing on the moored pedalos at the Bluebird Boats cabin. There are insects for them on the bird droppings in the boats, and the strangely shaped expanse of blue plastic allows them to enjoyably practise their climbing skills.

A young Great Crested Grebe came up with a clump of algae that might or might not have contained a fish. It had to dive to avoid a gull, so I never found out which.

A few more Shovellers have arrived, including this pair near the Dell restaurant.

The drake is emerging from eclipse and growing his breeding plumage.

There was also an arrival of non-migrant ducks, whose comings and goings between the London parks are msyterious and may be completely random. There were a lot of Red-Crested Pochards near the island, all drakes except for a lone female ...

... and some Gadwalls around the dead willow tree near the Italian Garden.

The white Mallard drake is a permanent resident.

The young Mallards on the Round Pond now have well developed wings and must be able to fly.

The young Mute Swan is still in the Italian Gardens fountain. When it stretches its wings it moves rather stiffly, and it seems that its injured right wing is still painful. It's probably better for it to stay here for a while than have to run the gauntlet past the dominant swans.

One of the young Grey Herons stood stoically in the rain on the awning of the small electric boat.

Blackbirds love rain, as it brings up worms. This is a young female which has not quite lost all its lighter brown juvenile plumage.

The Nuthatches at the leaf yard came out to be fed.

A new crop of Giant Puffballs has come up in a shrubbery near the bridge.