Drizzly day

It drizzled for most of the time I was out. Raindrops glittered on a spider's web in the Italian Garden.

It was so dull that you could hardly see the far end of the lake. Coots merged into the gloom. At far right you can see some brave souls trying to enjoy themselves on a pedalo.

The killer Mute Swan's family cruised under the bridge on to the Serpentine to upset the peaceful spectacle.

The rain didn't put off the small birds in the Flower Walk. The usual Robin ...

... and Coal Tit ...

... and several Blue Tits turned up for their daily treat.

I accidentally disturbed two Song Thrushes on the ground near the bridge. One flew away, but the other perched in a holly tree and allowed itself to be photographed.

A young Wood Pigeon, still without the white collar of an adult, looked longingly at some blackberries but couldn't reach them.

One of the young Peregrines was preening on the barracks tower.

At the island, the Great Crested Grebe chicks' father brought them a fish which was slightly too large for any of them to manage. After offering it around unsuccessfully ...

... he ate it himself.

The Coot on the new nest in the Italian Garden fountain pool was having a brief break for a snack. The nest must have been built up since Duncan Campbell saw five or six eggs, and I could only get a picture of three.

It returned and and climbed back into the nest ...

... and preened and fussed about before settling down on the eggs.

One of the Mandarin drakes at the Vista took advantage of the raindrops on his feathers to have a through preen.

A young fox in the Dell was looking damp and bedraggled.

Eventually the rain stopped and the male Little Owl at the Round Pond emerged from his hole.