Young Hobbies out and about

The Hobbies that visit every year to breed have a favourite plane tree some way from their nest to which they lead their young as soon as they can fly. There's nothing special about this tree, it's just their habit.

One of the two young ones crossed the Long Water and circled over Buck Hill.

The male Little Owl at the Serpentine Gallery was in a very leafy spot in the big plane tree and there was no place from which I could get a good view of him.

Both Robins in the Flower Walk came out for pine nuts.

So did the familiar female Chaffinch.

This Blue Tit at the southwest corner of the bridge is also a regular customer.

There are now four Great Tits in the big yew in the Dell expecting their daily treat, but I didn't see either of the Coal Tits.

Pigeon Eater was in his usual place at the Dell restaurant. He took a break from hunting to preen. As he approaches the autumn moult he's not quite as smart as usual, and there is a broken feather on his right wing.

A Cormorant at the island had found the only comfortable place to rest on the wire baskets where a patch of grass has come up. The Grey Heron in the background likes to rest there too, and was hanging around enviously.

The four Little Grebe chicks on the Long Water could be seen on the edge of a patch of reeds. One was in front of the others waiting to intercept a parent bringing a fish ...

... but the parent dodged the pushy youngster and fed one of the others. They are careful to see that all the chicks get their share.

The three Great Crested Grebe chicks could be seen at a distance by the big poplar tree.

One of the two chicks from the east end of the Serpentine island poked around at the edge of the lake looking for aquatic larvae and other small water creatures. It's still being well fed by its parents but a little extra is always welcome.

An adult at the island caught a pike which looked too large to swallow. I don't know what happened afterwards because a gull swooped down and the grebe had to dive, still holding the pike, and it came up under the bushes.

Two Mute Swans, 4GIX and 4GIK, took over the ruined nesting raft and will no doubt wreck the flimsy structure even more. A teenage Moorhen got out of their way.

As I was photographing them some more swans charged down the lake.

The four Egyptian goslings at Fisherman's Keep are still young enough to enjoy going into a huddle. Their mother is keeping an eye on them and they are safe for now.

Autumn crocuses are out at the southwest corner of the bridge, and a Common Carder bee visited them.