In from the rain for once

Not surprisingly, no one sent any pictures from today, as the weather was disgusting. If I had been able I would have dragged myself out and squelched around the lake to get a few dull grey shots of soggy birds. But as it is, I'm putting up some more attractive pictures from earlier, in some cases several years ago.

This picture of a Waxwing by Derek Polley is recent -- but don't get excited, we're not getting them in London yet. It was taken in Northern Ireland at Bangor on the south side of Belfast Lough, where a flock has been hanging around for a while.

The Wasteland in Hyde Park is finished and being slowly dismantled. It will be about a fortnight till the site is clear enough to attract Redwings, Fieldfares and Mistle Thrushes to hunt on the ruined grass. But here's a reminder that over the years it has been visited by other interesting birds, such as a Black Redstart that flew in and out of the enclosure. It was very difficult indeed to photograph on the hoardings or in the trees, and although I saw it I never got a picture. This one is by John Mealyer.

One of my own shots: Carrion Crows teasing a Grey Heron in the Dell stream. They are inveterate enemies for some reason.

A close-up of a Goldcrest by Tom.

A female Great Spotted Woodpecker by Sergey Anpilov. These are currently quite easy to find between the Speke obelisk and the leaf yard, where there is a pair with a hole in a half-dead birch tree. They often call to each other and -- by woodpecker standards -- are not particularly shy.

A fine picture by Fran of one of the White-Tailed Eagles that are being reintroduced to Britain, holding a fish it has caught. Although based in Scotland they range far down the coast and recently one was seen over the Thames estuary.

Another of David Element's spectacular Kingfisher pictures.

This is his shot of a Cormorant landing on a post at Peter Pan. It's a chancy business for these big birds with not very grippy webbed feet, and often they slide off and splash ignominiously into the lake.

Also by him, a local fox which has become very confident -- and very tolerant of having a camera stuck in its face.

I miss the Little Grebe in the Italian Garden. Here it is lurking in its favourite place in the irises.