Hobbies again

The Hobbies are still here, and one was circling over the Vista. They have only appeared occasionally in recent days and may be spending most of their time hunting outside the park.

There are still dragonflies for them to eat. I saw three Migrant Hawkers around the Long Water.

The female Little Owl at the Round Pond was in her usual horse chestnut tree, but again on a different branch. Maybe she is trying to find somewhere really comfortable and sheltered, and will settle down there when she does.

Long-Tailed Tits hunted around the Long Water. This one was in a horse chestnut near the Henry Moore sculpture.

Plenty of Robins were singing. This one came out on the path in the Flower Walk to collect a pine nut ...

... and another looked out over the Diana fountain car park. (Apologies for not having noticed earlier that these two pictures had disappeared for some reason.)

The cabbage palms in the Dell bear a cluster of berry-like fruit which is popular with many birds, including these Starlings.

Pigeon Eater was preening on the Dell restaurant roof. He has got his dark winter head feathers remarkably quickly.

The number of Cormorants is increasing. They have reoccupied their favourite tree on the island, ousting the Grey Heron that was perching there.

One flew off a post on the Long Water.

Two of the Great Crested Grebe chicks here were pestering their father.

On the Serpentine one chick and its mother were quiet for once and having a preen together.

Moorhens love climbing, and this one at the Vista had got to the top of a bush.

A Coot in the Italian Garden had returned to an old nest which they have used for several years and is now overgrown with great willowherb.

A mild day brought out a fair number of insects. At the Lido restaurant a Large White butterfly perched on a cultivated buddleia (the wild variety that grows in many places in the park finished flowering several weeks ago).

A Buff-Tailed Bumblebee browsed on a caryopteris flower.

A Common Carder worked over a gypsywort.