Chiffchaff begging

A half moon was visible in the clear morning sky.

Sunshine brought the young Little Owl out of the dead tree near the Round Pond.

I didn't find the owl near the Speke obelisk, but a Jay arrived to demand a peanut.

There was also a Chiffchaff here in an oak tree.

Ahmet Amerikali got a remarkable picture of a Chiffchaff near the bridge, carrying an insect which it gave to another Chiffchaff begging in a bush, fluttering its wings in the 'feed me' gesture. It seems incredible that there should be a young bird around in the middle of October, and the alternative explanation, that this was a male feeding his mate, seems equally unlikely at this time. But there it was, make of it what you will.

A flock of Long-Tailed Tits passed along the back of the Lido.

A Great Tit perched among yellow leaves in the Flower Walk.

A Magpie at the Vista showed off its fine blue and green iridescence.

Nick Abalov was surprised by a very bold Pied Wagtail which landed on the back of the bench he was sitting on and allowed him to film it.

(By the way, the common name Pied Wagtail indicates the British subspecies of the White Wagtail, Motacilla alba yarrellii, which is darker than the nominate species M. a. alba found on the Continent.)

A Grey Heron balanced on a bit of plastic netting, just because it could.

Two more pictures from Ahmet: a Cormorant scooping up a large fish under the parapet of the Italian Garden ...

... and the Little Grebe passing the same spot on its constant patrol around the edge of the Long Water.

A Moorhen in the Dell wandered through autumn leaves to the small waterfall.

I don't know what made this female Mallard at Peter Pan attack a Coot. If she had had ducklings it would be understandable, but this seems to be a random attack.

The dominant Mute Swan family, not content with owning the whole of the Long Water, are extending their territory farther and farther down the Serpentine. But all it takes is one young Grey Heron in an irritable mood to keep them from coming to the edge to beg for food.

There are still some Migrant Hawker dragonflies in mid-October, and a sunny spell will bring them out. They are usually the latest species to be seen in the park. This male was polishing his eyes with his front feet.

A Common Carder bee browsed in lavender in the Rose Garden.

A Little Japanese Umbrella mushroom appeared in the grass near Queen's Gate. Another was just beginning to come up beside it.