How pigeons drink

A young Wood Pigeon finished the last of the berries in a holly tree, and an adult drank at the top of the Dell waterfall. Pigeons are, I think, the only birds that can drink just by putting their beak in the water. Other birds need to take a beakful and throw their head back to swallow it. Pigeons seem to be able to roll their tongue against their beak to make a sort of drinking straw to suck up water.

Coal Tits turned out in the hawthorn in the Rose Garden ...

... and in the corkscrew hazel in the Dell ...

... accompanied by several Blue Tits.

The other corkscrew hazel in the Flower Walk produced a Robin ...

... and the faithful one at Mount Gate emerged from a bush when called.

A Jay waited near the Italian Garden ...

... and the pair of Magpies at the Lido are now regular customers.

Carrion Crows often wait in the top of the variegated holly on the path below the Queen's Temple to swoop down when you are trying to feed a Magpie or a Jay and steal their food. It's hard to outwit these clever birds which know exactly what you're thinking.

The Lido restaurant terrace is bordered by a line of planters which shield the edge of the water from disturbance, and also attract insects, so it's a favourite place for Wagtails to hunt.

The crowds around the Wasteland don't bother Pigeon Eater in the least. He just trots between the people, looking for a pigeon that isn't paying attention.

At opposite ends of the lake, the Czech Black-Headed Gull ...

... and the one at the landing stage were in the middle of clearing rivals out of their territories.

The Grey Heron at the Triangle has found that the baskets over the new reed beds make a good fishing station, with fish lurking under the floating edge of the baskets.

Another on the Long Water was sticking to the traditional place on the Mute Swans' nesting island, which is deserted by the swans until they start breeding again next spring.

The fallen Lombardy poplar at Peter Pan is a good place for a Canada Goose to doze undisturbed by dogs and people.

Egyptian Geese walked from the edge of the Serpentine across the road to drink from a puddle in the horse ride. All birds prefer rainwater to the borehole water in the lake. The two adults are accompanied by the only young one on the lake. It still has a very slight limp from an injury a few weeks ago, but I'm sure it will recover completely.

Last night's rain has refilled the Huntress fountain in the Rose Garden with clean water, and the local Egyptians were in their usual place on the edge.