Another swan island

A Long-Tailed Tit near Peter Pan paused on a twig for a moment ...

... before flinging itself into the air.

Both the Coal Tits in the Dell were in the corkscrew hazel bush, calling in small clear voices.

One of them has a few white feathers above each eye, but I have no idea which is male and which is female.

There was a good turnout of small birds in the Rose Garden, including this Blue Tit.

The Robin by the Diana fountain came down to take pine nuts from the path for the first time.

By the time I got to Mount Gate it was drizzling, but the faithful Robin came out when called.

A Jay near Peter Pan needed no calling to tuen up for a peanut.

The male Peregrine, not seen for some time, was on the Knightsbridge Barracks tower.

Herring Gulls grow up quite slowly, taking four years to reach full adulthood. This young gull flirting with an adult is only a year and a half old.

The dominant Black-Headed Gull on the landing stage is now in full breeding plumage.

Another perched on the head of one of the river nymphs in the Italian Garden. She is dreadfully eroded. When the Italian Garden was made in 1860 the builders were fobbed off with an inferior grade of Portland limestone which has not lasted at all well.

A Grey Heron perched on top of a holly tree by the bridge, scaring off the Wood Pigeons which had come to eat the berries.

Another stood on a brand new nesting island intended for Mute Swans, which has just been placed by the Diana fountain reed bed. 

This may attract the swans that have previously nested in a very unsuitable place nearby at the Lido restaurant terrace. Nevertheless, it is less than a hundred yards from the other new nesting island, and both places will be exposed to conflict from the killer swan from the Long Water, as well as by swans from the island, so a lot of fighting and attacks on cygnets are to be expected. There are already too many swans in the park, and in the opinion of several sensible people installing these islands is a serious mistake.

The Black Swan was by the buoys at the Lido. He had temporarily abandoned his pursuit of 4GIQ as two male Mute Swans were cruising nearby with wings raised menacingly.

Jenna explained the presence of this Canada Goose on the fallen tree at Peter Pan. It's the mate of the one that died, sadly standing in a familiar place where the pair used to go.

Almost all the Great Crested Grebes have left, including the young ones. There may be as few as two in the park now. This one was fishing under moored boats at the island.

The miscellaneous small weeds growing along the edge of the shrubbery at the Triangle gave a pair of Moorhens a choice of tasty morsels. Egyptian Geese also like this place, and I have seen a witch here gathering herbs for her potions.