Wagtails at work

The young male Little Owl was out again, but today in the hole on the other side of the broken horse chestnut tree. The tree is completely hollow, and the owls can climb about inside it and emerge where they choose.

The Coal Tits in the Dell were still chasing each other through the yew tree.

The familiar Robin in the Rose Garden posed decoratively among rose hips. It waited patiently because it knew it was going to take some pine nuts.

A Grey Wagtail looked for insects and larvae on the edge of the Serpentine by the Lido restaurant terrace. The wagtails in the park are often seen near the restaurants, as spilt food attracts insects.

The same bird also visited the Dell restaurant terrace.

A Pied Wagtail was doing good service at the bowling green removing wireworms from the immaculate turf. Wireworms, which are actually click beetle larvae, damage the roots of plants.

A Black-Headed Gull had got a piece of fish from somewhere, probably accidentally dropped by another bird.

A young Herring Gull had won a piece of cake from the Lido restuarant.

Cormorants crowded on every available space on the island. One perched on a rowing boat that had come unmoored and glided past the others like a general reviewing his troops.

Another was playing with a leaf, and kept hold of it while it was jumping on to a post.

The Grey Heron which was pushed off the electric boat platform by Cormorants had regained its place.

The Great Crested Grebes from the east end of the lake cruised by. The chick had been fishing with its parents, but the fish it was holding was certainly given to it.

A Coot passed holding a partly eaten horse chestnut. Information about the toxicity of horse chestnuts is very uncertain, and some people are reported to eat them cooked, but everyone agrees that they are bitter when raw and not palatable to most species other than deer.

The dominant male Mute Swan chased off an intruder that had got too close to his teenagers. He didn't need to fight to shift it, as his murderous reputation is enough and other swans melt away at his approach. The intruder retreated down the lake and he returned to the family.

A Pochard drake rested under the willow at the bridge.

There has been a big late emergence of Common Carder bees, and here are some browsing on the Michaelmas daisies in the Rose Garden.

The shire horses were out on Buck Hill as volunteers raked up cut grass.  Shortly after this the ambulance helicopter landed, but I don't think any of them had had an accident with a scythe and needed a foot reattached.

The Black Walnut trees near the Rose Garden have produced walnuts among their pretty yellow leaves. This is an American species, but the nuts are just as good to eat as those of native trees.