The first cygnets

The Mute Swans nesting on the little island in the Long Water have hatched their first cygnets 37 days after the female started sitting. Two can be seen here. Probably there are more on the way.

The Black Swan and his girlfriend seemed more comfortable together today, though she did peck him out of the way when both reached for the same piece of food.

Two Canada goslings could be seen at the Lido sheltering from the drizzle on their mother's back.

It turned out to be three when she stood up and led them up the bank to graze.

However, the Canadas have had particularly bad luck with breeding this spring. The pair with two of their own and one Greylag gosling have lost theirs, leaving only the Greylag.

Goslings brought up by a mother of a different species often remain confused. The Canada in this picture was raised by Greylags, and is now helping a Greylag family look after their goslings. They accept it as one of their own.

If the Canadas nesting on the raft in the Long Water had started a week later, their brood wouldn't have had to be rescued. The raft is collapsing and one side of the barrier has fallen off. The whole thing is sinking as the polystyrene foam blocks keeping it afloat get waterlogged. This is the third raft to have been put on the Long Water to attract terns, all of them ill-made and terns have never used them.

The gravel strip on the Long Water was another misconceived project, as it was meant to attract waders. But they don't like gravel and very few have visited it, usually preferring the slimy edge of the Serpentine or the Round Pond. But the strip has been a success with geese and ducks, and today there were Gadwalls, Tufted Ducks and Pochards on it.

The pair of Gadwalls that have taken up residence behind the barrier at the bridge were standing up and nodding at each other, and I wondered what they meant. They were agreeing to fly, and both whirred off simultaneously.

Just up the shore the Great Crested Grebe chick was sitting on the nest.

The Coot family came out to the water's edge in front of the statue of Peter Pan to eat algae.

After the success of the Coots' nests in three of the large fountain pools in the Italian Garden, another Coot is now nesting in the fourth.

Grey Herons seem to be depressed by wet weather, and the two young ones were standing quietly in the nest.

Blackbirds like singing in the rain. Yesterday when it was sunny it was mainly Song Thrushes that were to be heard.

A Wren stared imperiously from a twig by the bridge.

A Blue Tit in the Flower Walk perched on the railings against a background of yellow wallflowers.

A Carrion Crow looked down from an urn in the Italian Garden.

Another insect that likes buttercups: today a Marmalade Fly.

The little stream and swampy area at one edge of the Vista, flooded by a broken land drain, has now been fenced off.

It's adorned with a notice in typical park-speak:

'WETLAND ENHANCEMENT. We are enhancing this wetland habitat which has developed as a result of park drainage. These works will create a more diverse wetland habitat providing opportunities for invertebrates such as hoverflies which breed in shallow water and for birds and other wildlife to drink and bath [sic], whilst helping to retain water in the park for times of drought, creating more resilient habitats. We are temporarily fencing this area to allow plants to establish.'

There's been another notice for years at the other edge of the Vista where the ground was churned into a swamp by the feet of mobs of parakeet feeders. This says 'GROUND UNDER REPAIR.' No repairs have been done in all the time since the area was fenced off. What both signs mean is 'We can't be bothered to do anything about this, so we'll put up a fence, pretend we have a plan, and go away.'