Works and days

The boss Mute Swan and 4DTT had a post-mating display on the Long Water. She still hasn't shown any interest in the nesting island, but no doubt the boss will demonstrate its usefulness to her by the usual ritual of ripping up plants and throwing them about.

The Black Swan has hijacked 4GIQ from her rightful mate again, and was with her at the landing stage. She really does follow him freely, which is not the way for a supposedly faithful swan to behave.

The lone teenager was with his parents again at the east end of the Serpentine, still not going near any other swans though the boss's six teenagers are now completely integrated into the society on the lake.

A pair of Great Crested Grebes displayed at the west end of the island.

In the tree above the nesting pair of Grey Herons were changing places. They take it in turns to sit on the eggs.

Pigeon Eater now has the pure white head of his breeding plumage and looks very smart.

The dominant Black-Headed Gull had been pushed off the head of the Big Bird statue by a Carrion Crow, which was clearly pleased with itself.

A crow in the wreckage of the Wasteland pulled up a bit of dead turf to see if there were any worms underneath.

There are still no interesting visitors here, but there's plenty of time.

A Blue Tit perched in an osmanthus bush in the Rose Garden ...

... and another was looking expectant on a bench.

Both Coal Tits were waiting in a rose bush ...

... and the pair in the Dell were chasing each other through the big yew tree.

The female Robin at Mount Gate came out on the railings.

This is the mate of the familiar Robin by the Buck Hill shelter, still shy and difficult to feed.

It doesn't take much to start Feral Pigeons gathering into a frantic mob. Wood Pigeons are fewer and slower, and you can see that what attracted both is breadcrumbs that someone threw down.

The familiar Pied Wagtail hasn't been visible for a while, so it was good to see her back hunting on the edge of the lake by the boathouses.

The broken water pipe in the Italian Garden has been repaired in just two days ...

... but work on the smashed parapet of the bridge has only just got to the stage of lifting the first stone 25 months after the accident.

Apparently the delay was caused by problems with insurance, though I don't know the details. You would suppose that the driver's insurance company would be liable for damage caused by him, and that they would have fought tooth and nail against having to pay millions for major repairs to a historic structure.