A glimpse of a Redwing

A Redwing appeared in a tree behind the Albert Memorial. There aren't many in the park, as the main flock is waiting for the Winter Wasteland to close so that they can feast on worms in the ruined grassland. (The Wasteland opened today and the east end of Hyde Park is full of hideous cacophony.)

At the next tree I was besieged by Great Tits ...

... a couple of Blue Tits ...

... and a single Coal Tit. This was probably one from the Flower Walk, as it came confidently to my hand. Or perhaps it was just very hungry because of the cold.

Ahmet Amerikali found a Long-Tailed Tit at the southwest corner of the bridge.

The Little Owl was out in her usual horse chestnut tree in the morning. She went back into her hole later, probably troubled by Magpies and Jays.

The Black-Headed Gull who owns the landing stage stood grumpily at one end because there was an immovable Grey Heron at the other.

A heron fishing at the boathouse studiously ignored a Cormorant. Actually they were probably benefiting each other, as the Cormorants dive under the concrete beams and fish inside the boathouse, driving fish out; while the herons fish outside, driving fish in.

A small gang of Cormorants fished cooperatively on the Serpentine. They catch more in this way, as one Cormorant drives fish away towards another.

Ahmet found a Cormorant with a fish under the parapet of the Italian Garden. All the fish that Cormorants and herons are catching seem to be quite small, and the ravenous Cormorants may already have hoovered up most of the medium-sized fish as they do eventually every year.

The Black Swan preened on the Round Pond, occasionally muttering melodiously to himself.

A Mute Swan was putting in a little flying practice on the Serpentine. She made a wide circle and landed more or less where she had taken off.

There was a solitary Shoveller drake at the east end of the lake, the only one I saw on the Serpentine. Most of the Shovellers on the Long Water have left.

Pochards and Tufted Ducks like to hang around under a tree just north of the Vista. A fallen Lombardy poplar behind makes a good perch for Cormorants.

There's only one Moorhen left in the Dell, as the foxes have eaten all the others.

It's a tough life being a Moorhen. Just as you think it's safe to go back into the water a Coot drives you up a tree.

Yesterday and today there has been a fox at the pond dipping platform.

Virginia took this rather puzzling picture of a fox, maybe the same one, on the gravel strip. Its prey is hard to identify. There won't be any goslings around at this time of year, and it doesn't look like a Tufted Duck either, as it has a pale tip to its bill and Tufted Ducks have a dark one. Also, there is what looks like a swan's egg on the gravel, though it might just be a big round white stone.