Swans find the way out

Some of the young Mute Swans on the Long Water wanted to go under the bridge on to the Serpentine, and were shocked to find that the way was blocked by the pontoon.

But their mother had already discovered the gap, and led them through.

The Black Swan on the Round Pond spotted me and hurried over for some sunflower seeds.

All the Great Crested Grebe chicks on the Serpentine are still being fed by their devoted parents ...

... but sometimes a loud demanding chick can get so unbearable that it just has to be chased away.

The bundles of twigs at the edge of the lake that will be the edge of the new reed bed make a comfortable place for a Moorhen to rest.

This Cormorant on the Long Water seems to be standing on the water, but in fact it's on the submerged wall of the old water intake of the Italian Garden.

The area inside the semicircular wall was originally topped by iron gratings to stop leaves from getting into the steam-powered pump that worked the fountains, but these have fallen to bits. The pipework has all been altered and the intake is no longer used -- the fountains inside the garden have a recirculating system and the marble fountain on the edge carries water from the borehole into the lake. The enclosure has now become a spawning ground for fish, but every year it gets completely cleared out by the Cormorants and the process starts again in the spring.

Many of the Cormorants have left now that most of the fish have been eaten, and their perching places are increasingly occupied by Grey Herons, whose numbers have gone up after this year's record breeding season.

But there are quite a few Cormorants and three were on the fallen Lombardy poplar at Peter Pan, which they shared with Black-Headed Gulls, Coots and a Mallard.

A heron fishing on the new ramp at the Lido resented a Cormorant arriving to disturb its patient hunting method.

The single Shoveller drake on the Serpentine seems to have gone to the Long Water to be with the others, and the solitary female is lonely. She tried to associate with three Gadwalls, but they gave her the cold shoulder.

She could move to the Long Water too, but the drakes are now getting into breeding plumage and feeling their oats, and they would bother her.

The Common Gull at the Lido is still alone. Most of the Common Gulls don't arrive till November.

Three Starlings waited on a chair at the Lido restaurant.

The Robin at the southwest corner of the bridge is a moody bird. Sometimes it comes to my hand for a pine nut, but today it lurked at the back of the shrubbery and wouldn't approach.

There's never any hesitation from the hordes of Great Tits. This one was in the holly at the top of the steps, which is thick with ripe berries.

A ceanothus bush in the Rose Garden has put out some unseasonable blossom although it's also bearing seeds developed from the spring flowers.