Red-Veined Darters at the Round Pond

A Wren in a tree near the Henry Moore sculpture was hopping about furiously scolding a Magpie ...

... while one of its young took no notice of the kerfuffle and searched for insects in the brambles below.

The Robins here use the railings as a lookout post for insects on the path, which they then swoop down and grab.

The Carrion Crows in the Italian Garden like to drink and bathe in the marble fountain. It has been out of order for weeks and is completely dry, but they still have the habit of going there.

The male Peregrine was back on the barracks tower, alone as usual. He had caught a pigeon and was eating it some way back from the edge of the ledge, so that he could only be seen from a distance when he looked up from his meal.

I was taking a routine picture of Pigeon Eater on the roof of the Dell restaurant ...

... when he did a lightning swoop on a table and returned with a bit of fried fish.

The dominant Mute Swan on the Long Water had just chased some Canada Geese under the bridge and followed them out, and was being horrible to them as a firm hint not to come back.

A Red-Crested Pochard drake on the Long Water came over to the Vista hoping someone would feed him.

The Mallard ducklings on the Round Pond  are now growing their wing feathers.

The smallest Mandarin duckling was off by itself as usual, though I did see it with the family later.

I met David Element by the pond, looking for Red-Veined Darter dragonflies, of which he found no fewer than twelve. He sent this fine shot of one on a grass stem showing off its wings to advantage.

I got a more ordinary shot of one on the ground.

There were plenty of Red-Eyed Damselflies on the algae in the Italian Garden ponds.

Black-Tailed Skimmer dragonflies mated on the roof of a boathouse in a stiff breeze, with the male clinging firmly to a patch of moss to avoid being blown away.

Behind the Serpentine Lodge a Meadow Brown butterfly was feeding on a knapweed flower ...

... when it was rudely knocked off by a Honeybee.

Hoverflies were sunlit against the dark hedge of the lodge garden. I think this is a Common Drone Fly, Eristalis tenax, but the lighting is so extreme that it's hard to tell.