Just an ordinary day

A cold dark Sunday didn't keep people out of the park, so there wasn't much to see. Apologies for rather a dull post.

There is a large group of Great Tits at the south end of the bridge, and they flock out to take pine nuts from my hand. Here are three pecking delicately at their treats.

Aside from the pair in the Rose Garden, there are two Robins that will take pine nuts from the ground ...

... and the familair pair of Chaffinches of which the male is getting very bold.

Seeing the feeding going on in a flower bed, a Blue Tit came over to see what it could get. They are much shyer than Great Tits and take some time watching the others before they gain confidence.

I only saw one Jay today, near the Queen's Temple. Autumn is a busy time for them, with acorns to collect and bury.

The Little Owl at the Round Pond was huddled well down in her hole.

A Grey Heron was fishing in the Dell stream.

A Lesser Black-Backed Gull and a Common Gull exchanged stares on the moored pedalos.

Of the two Lesser Black-Backs with pink legs we usually see the one with pale eyes which is Pigeon Eater's rival for the Dell restaurant territory. The other, with unusual dark eyes, was here today.

Pigeon Eater stared down disapprovingly from his place on the roof, but was too busy chasing off young Herring Gulls to deal with the intruder.

Cormorants have a habit of perching on thin branches that you think wouldn't be strong enough to support the weight of quite a heavy bird. So far I haven't been lucky enough to see one actually landing on a perch like this -- it must involve a lot of perilous sagging and swaying.

One of the young Great Crested Grebes on the Long Water was fishing by itself in the reed bed under the Italian Garden, though when it saw its dutiful father approaching it hurried out and started squeaking at him.

The two pairs on the Serpentine were resting quietly, ignoring the passing pedalos which they are absolutely used to.

There are very few Shovellers on the Serpentine, maybe only two drakes.

Most of them are on the Long Water, staying on the east side away from human disturbance. They like the shelter of the overhanging bushes along the edge.

The fox was on the willow again, but not in a place where you could get a clear view. It will be easier when the leaves fall.