Windy day

Gulls hovered in the strong wind over the Serpentine. These are mostly the small Black-Headed Gulls but there is also a young Herring Gull and a Common Gull.

A Black-Headed Gull, a Lesser Black-Back and a Common Gull perched on the posts at Peter Pan.

It's not just Pigeon Eater who is tormented by his offspring. A young Herring Gull was most insistent. They are probably from the local breeding colony on a roof in Paddington.

The wind kept the Little Owl at the Round Pond in her hole.

To make up for this dull and often repeated image, here is a splendid picture by Tom of two Short-Eared Owls flying at Wallasea.

The Peregrines were on the barracks. It must have been uncommonly windy at that height.

An immature male Blackbird looked for fruit in a yew tree beside the Long Water. It's probably a recently arrived winter migrant. There are usually a lot of young males among them.

The female Chaffinch in the Flower Walk came out with her mate to catch thrown pine nuts in midair ...

... but the Robin at the bridge remains very shy and doesn't respond to attempts to feed it.

In the branches above a Long-Tailed Tit pecked at lichen to dislodge any insects ...

... and another had got one and was eating it.

A Pied Wagtail was also looking for insects in the dead leaves washed up at the Lido.

Two Jays at the Serpentine Gallery are now regular customers for peanuts, but neither will yet fly down to take them from my hand, so they have to contend with the Carrion Crows and Magpies on the ground.

The female Great Crested Grebe on the Long Water was back near her nest in the collapsed willow. It's a good fishing spot as well as a nest site, since fish lurk under the submerged branches.

A young grebe at Peter Pan has lost almost all of its juvenile stripes and looks much like an adult in winter plumage.

Two of the young Mute Swans put in a bit of flying practice. A strong headwind can reduce their takeoff run from 50 yards to 20, saving a lot of effort.

A Buff-Tailed Bumblebee had to work hard to browse on a patch of Baby Sage in the Rose Garden. Not only were the flowers being tossed around in the wind, they sagged under the weight of the big bee as soon as it touched down.