Herring Gulls in love

A pair of Herring Gulls beside the Serpentine moaned affectionately and mirrored each other's movements. Picking up a leaf is also part of the ritual.

This is not the affectionate pair we've seen before. The one on the left is only three years old, not yet a full adult.

Pigeon Eater, in his usual place at the Dell restaurant, stretched languidly ...

... before going hunting. The white Feral Pigeon had not been paying attention, and he crept up on it, preparing to lunge.

It woke up in time and hastily flew away.

Black-Headed Gulls dogged the Little Grebes on the Round Pond, wanting to grab any fish they brought up.

The Great Crested Grebe chick at the island watched its father, who had caught a large perch. It proved too big even for an adult to swallow, and had to be released. Probably the fish survived its narrow escape with no more than cuts and bruises.

One of the chicks on the Long Water prodded its father into action.

It preened a wing, showing fully grown flight feathers.

Great Crested Grebes are so reluctant to fly that you don't really know when the chicks are airworthy. I was surprised at the two slightly older chicks that flew to the Serpentine a few days ago. They can't have been much more than two months old.

The childless pair at the east end of the Serpentine don't have to do anything except catch a fish when they're hungry. Like tigers they spend most of their life resting.

A young Moorhen was out at the Vista ...

... because a Grey Heron had occupied the Moorhen family's usual bush and they didn't feel safe.

A pair of Egyptian Geese rested on one leg each at Peter Pan.

The Black Swan, still on the Round Pond, seems to be courting again.

The Little Owl was at the back of her hole when I first went by, keeping out of the chilly morning wind. Later she came out on her usual branch in the horse chestnut tree.

A Jackdaw perched on her nest tree.

Another stared from the gravel strip in the pond before flying over to accept a peanut.

A Pied Wagtail stood on a fallen twig to get a better view of any insect crawling in the grass.

The familiar Robin the the Flower Walk was waiting each time I went by.

Virginia captured an unusual incident on her phone. I hope the man was playing the Water Music.