Recent mild weather has produced a false feeling of approaching spring. A Great Spotted Woodpecker drummed in a tree near the Albert Memorial.

The small birds were are also in a springlike mood, and a pair of Long-Tailed Tits chased each other through the hawthorn edge at the top of Buck Hill.

Nearby a pair of Blue Tits were doing the same in a tree.

Another fluffed itself up near the Italian Garden.

The Magpies near the bridge were in a boisterous mood ...

But a Robin perched quietly on a branch below and looked thoughtful.

Tom got an interesting picture of a Goldcrest which had come out on the fence in the Flower Walk, a most unusual thing for a Goldcrest to do.

Also in the Flower Walk, a picture by Neil of a Chaffinch in a clump of dogwood.

The Peregrines returned to the barracks tower. When first seen they were apparently sharing a pigeon, and you could see some loose feathers floating around. But they kept going to the back of the ledge with it and I couldn't get a picture. Later they both came out and perched on the edge, as usual a long distance apart.

A closer view of the female, who is lighter coloured than her mate.

The Great Crested Grebes on the Long Water were guarding their stolen Coot nest from its rightful owners.

Another stared from under the willow near the bridge.

The very aggressive Mute Swan at the east end of the Serpentine was in a foul mood, attacking other swans at random.

Two Gadwall drakes washed and preened on the Long Water.

Another picture by Tom, from Fisher's Green in the Lea Valley Park (which is the scene of the early chapters of Izaak Walton's The Compleat Angler). This is a Silver Wood Duck, a natural colour variation of the Carolina Wood Duck which is an American relative of the Mandarin. Obviously this beautiful bird is not a resident, and must have escaped from a collection.