Normal weather resumes

It was a dull day with occasional drizzle, and not much was happening. A female Great Spotted Woodpecker called from a treetop near the Buck Hill shelter.

The Robin at the southwest corner of the bridge retreated into the bushes when I picked up the camera, but was lured out again by the promise of pine nuts.

There was another which I haven't seen before by Peter Pan, perched above some withered blackberries.

The dry spell has had a bad effect on fruit, and when I went up to the top of Buck Hill to see the rowan trees I found only one of them with fruit, and that was mostly shrivelled. The big yew tree in the Dell has managed to produce some, which were being enjoyed by a young Blackbird ...

... while a Coal Tit looked down from a twig waiting for pine nuts to be put on the railings.

A Jay at Temple Gate was also looking expectant.

The male Little Owl at the Serpentine was in a skittish mood, probably disliking the drizzle, and soon retreated into the middle of the plane tree where he was invisible.

Two young Grey Wagtails looked for insects on the edge of the Dell restaurant terrace.

The Czech Black-Headed Gull was patrolling his territory along the shore at Fisherman's Keep ...

... and the other dominant gull was in his usual place on the landing stage by the Diana fountain.

Since the other dominant Black-Headed Gull between these territories, Blue 2331, died these two have ruled the whole south shore, and other gulls have had to stay on the moored boats or other side of the lake. It was noticeable that both the Czech gull and 2331, who was found in Latvia, migrated here from quite far away. Perhaps well travelled gulls tend to dominate. The gull at the landing stage has no ring and who knows where it comes from.

The adult Grey Heron that was ousted from the willow tree at the bridge was back in place.

Then it saw its young rival advancing along the shore and flew down, and you could glimpse an angry confrontation through the leaves.

The Little Grebe family is being much harassed by Black-Headed Gulls trying to snatch fish. They sensibly spend a lot of their time under the willow or an arch of the bridge.

The young Great Crested Grebes on the Serpentine are still being fed by their parents ...

... but they are also beginning to look for fish for themselves. They probably aren't catching much, but they know that small fish lurk under the edge of the concrete shelf surrounding the lake and are probably taking a few in this easy place.

Egyptian Geese drank from a puddle at the island. All the birds prefer rainwater to the stuff in the lake, which evidently tastes nasty.

There are still some Willow Emerald damselflies, always a late season species. This male was on a twig near the Italian Garden.

A traditional Kurdish line dance in the Rose Garden. These dances are held once a month in various parks in London, accompanied by a picnic. You don't have to be a Kurd to join in, anyone is welcome.