Great Crested Grebe chick

As expected, the Great Crested Grebes nesting halfway along the Serpentine island have at least one chick. Its father brought it two small feathers, a necessary part of a grebe's diet to wrap up sharp fishbones.

On the other nest the it was the male's turn to sit, and his mate came to visit him.

The two nests are only about 30 feet apart. So far I haven't seen any territorial disputes, but these may be expected when both pairs have chicks. Luckily no one gets hurt in these encounters.

It's another matter for the single Mute cygnet at the east end of the Serpentine. The murderous father of the six on the Long Water is expanding his field of action and an enounter is all too likely. Will its mother be able to keep him off? She would certainly launch an all-out attack if he got too near.

It looks as if the young Tufted Ducks on the Long Water are now down to three, an unexpected loss since they were large enough to be safe from gulls. They were diving in the shallow water in front of Peter Pan.

Then they went to join their mother on a fallen branch.

Two Gadwalls rested on the willow by the bridge.

An Egyptian Goose on the Serpentine had its feathers disarranged by the wind while preening them.

The Coots at the bridge, whose eggs were lost in unknown circumstances, are still staying by their nest. But it looks unlikely that they'll make yet another attempt to breed this year. Even Coots have to give up sometimes.

There was a fierce stare from the dominant Black-Headed Gull on the landing stage. His dark head is fading now, but he will get it back in late winter long before the other Black-Headed Gulls.

Pigeon Eater, in his usual place on the Dell restaurant roof, was also looking challenging. He must be sick of being photographed, especially after the close attention of the filming team from PBS.

His offspring, who had been yowling down on the lake, decided to have a joyride on a pedalo.

Long-Tailed Tits were hunting around the holly tree at the northwest corner of the bridge.

A Great Tit called for attention from a hawthorn.

The tatty Robin at Mount Gate was also asking for pine nuts.

Another lurked in an oak behind the Queen's Temple.

For several days a male Emperor dragonfly has been constantly patrolling the waterfront at Peter Pan, driving off any other dragonflies that come near.

Most female damselflies are drab looking, but female Willow Emeralds are just as iridescent as males. They are more gold than green.

A Buff-Tailed Bumblebee worked over a red dahlia in the Rose Garden.