A windy day

A strong west wind swept down the Serpentine, ruffling the feathers of two Cormorants on the posts at the island.

It was too much for the Little Owl at the Round Pond, who retreated to her hole.

But the two young Hobbies were greatly enjoying the wind, swooping around the Vista and the Round Pond, where I noticed a few late martins, whether House or Sand I couldn't see as they were too high. Probably the Hobbies were after these. I managed to get a quick distant shot of one of them perched on a plane tree before it whirled off again.

A pair of Great Crested Grebes dozed peacefully as they were bounced up and down by the little choppy waves.

The Coot on the nest under the Italian Garden was restless, getting up, turning round and playing with bits of reed. It looks as if the eggs are beginning to hatch.

The rough conditions had kept most visitors away, leaving the Diana fountain clear for Egyptian Geese, which like to wash in the pool above the rapids.

But there were a few people on the Lido restaurant terrace, including someone who was throwing crumbs to the Starlings. A group looked up expectantly at the table.

The three young Grey Herons posed for a group shot in the nest on the island.

The Black-Headed Gull who owns the landing stage fluffed up his feathers. He is already beginning to get his dark head back. He spends much more of the year in breeding plumage than the other gulls, which may be a sign of his dominant status.

In contrast, this gull looking for invertebrates in the turbulent drain outflow at the Vista only has a little dark spot over its ear.

Jackdaws came out beside the Serpentine all the way from the island ...

... to the Dell.

The day wouldn't be complete without a visit from the Chaffinch, today on the path in the Flower Walk ...

... and a Robin in a flower bed.

Tom shot a pleasing video of the young Kingfisher at Rainham Marshes begging its father for a fish.

The rotten apple on the railings had even more wasps on it.

There is a huge bracket fungus group on a big black poplar behind the Queens' Temple. The largest shelf extends almost 18 inches from the trunk. I think it's a Lacquered Bracket, Ganoderma resinaceum, with its sticky shiny brown coating dried and roughened by age.

It came on to rain and I hurried home, not wanting to end up as wet as this Wood Pigeon.