Spinning crows

It was still quite windy, and Carrion Crows at the Lido restaurant were enjoying a spin on the weathervane.

But it was also warm, and the young Little Owl at the Round Pond came out in the small lime tree in spite of the leaves blowing about.

The olive tree at the west end of the Lido has always been a favourite singing post for a Robin. It must be a series of Robins succeeding each other, as this has been going on for years.

There was a Grey Wagtail here hunting up the edge.

The male Chaffinch in the Flower Walk turned up to be fed. He is getting very bold, but I doubt he'll ever come to my hand. This only happens very occasionally with Chaffinches.

A pair of Magpies always chase me from the bridge to the Vista demanding peanuts.

There are more migrant Blackbirds. Thanks to Mark Williams for this picture.

The male Peregrine was on the tower having a preen.

A little group of Black-Headed Gulls at the Lido washed together. Like preening (or yawning in humans) washing is infectious.

A Grey Heron waited patiently on the small waterfall in the Dell. Any fish that come too near the edge (and are not eaten by the heron) get washed over and change their habitat permanently, as carp are not athletic enough to swim up the fall. But they don't leave through the culvert at the bottom end of the stream, as the flow is very slow, so they grow to a large size in the lower section.

There are still plenty of medium-sized carp by the lake outflow, and this Great Crested Grebe was catching one every minute.

A Cormorant at Peter Pan picked up a twig ...

... and jumped up on a post and waved it at the others. Maybe this is some kind of out-of-season nesting display.

Egyptian Geese are usually in pairs aggressive to outsiders, and it was a surprise to see these three at the east end of the Serpentine displaying mildly together. Could it be a ménage à trois? These things happen quite often with Mallards, for example.

A Gadwall drake, one of a pair in the Italian Garden.

Despite the unseasonal warmth, the number of insects in the Rose Garden is now falling noticeably. But there are still quite a few Buff-Tailed Bumblebees in the lavender, which is their favourite flower at this time.