Young herons out of the nest

The Grey Herons' nest on the island was empty for the first time. So all the young herons are flying, though they will be returning to the nest for some time to be fed. One of them flew back into the nest, on the right of this picture, and then out on to a branch.

A young Great Crested Grebe had unwisely flown down from the Serpentine into into the little stream in the Dell. 

It's stuck, because it needs a 50 yard run over clear water to take off, and then open ground while it slowly gains altitude. Attempts are already under way to catch it and bring it back, but it's going to be a tricky job as they can dive in a flash and swim at 15 mph under water. Meanwhile, it seemed calm and was mildly interested in the large carp in the stream. There will be some smaller fish , if it can get them. It has been eating insects, so it should be all right for a while.

A pair of adults -- not its parents -- rested peacefully on the lake above ...

... and all was well with the family on the Long Water.

The Coots under the Italian Garden have gone, though it's not clear whether this means they have lost their two remaining chicks to the pike or whether they have had the good sense to move them out of the danger zone. A male grebe, in fact the father of the family in the previous picture, was fishing in the reeds next to their nest, so they were certainly not around or there would have been a squabble.

A female Mute Swan was stranded in the Italian Garden, having been chased up there from the Long Water by the killer swan, who was cruising around with his family in the water below.

She is not actually in much trouble. She can wait till the killer has moved away and then get down via the marble fountain, an awkward series of jumps but swans do it. Or when the park has closed she can make an enormous effort and take off from the ground -- easier for females, as they are smaller. Meanwhile, there is plenty of algae in the fountain pools for her to eat. Swans sometimes stay here for days, apparently by choice.

A Cormorant shone in the sunlight on a post at Peter Pan.

The catalpa trees by the Italian Garden are now full of Rose-Ringed Parakeets eating the beans out of the long pods.

The Little Owl at the Round Pond was in the same place as yesterday. I hope she doesn't adopt it as her usual perch, as it's impossible to get a good picture of her there.

A Carrion Crow washed in the Serpentine, shook some of the water off, and flapped soggily away.

A Wood Pigeon looked peeved. It had flown into a privet bush by the bridge hoping to find some berries, but they had all been eaten.

A Long-Tailed Tit perched in a nearby holly tree.

The familiar Robin in the Flower Walk comes out like clockwork every time I go past.

There are still some Black-Tailed Skimmer dragonflies on the edge of the Serpentine. They like to sun themselves on the gravel rolled into the tarmac, which evidently resembles their natural habitat.

Several Speckled Wood butterflies were flying around the Rose Garden. They appear early and late, as they produce two generations a year. The caterpillars feed on a few kinds of grass which evidently they can find among the rich variety of grasses in the park.

Sunshine makes pretty rainbows in the fountains in the Italian Garden. Like all rainbows, they are dreadfully hard to photograph and this is the best I could manage.