Unseasonal Egyptian goslings

Egyptian Geese have been in England since the 17th century when they were imported as ornamental park birds, but they still haven't got the idea of the northern seasons and may breed at any time of year. This brood of seven has just appeared by the bridge. They took hastily to the water to avoid a passing dog.

The smallest Egyptian gosling of the three at Fisherman's Keep is way behind the other two in development, but it seems healthy and active. There are a couple of very small adults in the park, and it looks as if this is going to be another.

There was a teenage Little Grebe on the Round Pond, certainly one of those hatched on the Long Water. It still has traces of juvenile stripes on its face.

One of the Great Crested Grebe teenagers on the Long Water was pestering its mother by the bridge ...

... and the other was under the arch being given a substantial perch by its father.

The single smaller chick was under a bush on the Long Water with its father and the lone Mute cygnet.

This cygnet and its parents were the only swans on the Long Water when I went by. It seems that the two adults have realised that they need to behave properly and bully the other swans off their territory. The Black Swan, who used to visit the Long Water regularly, hasn't been there for several days. He was in his usual place by the landing stage.

The trio of a Canada Goose and two Canada x Greylag hybrids cruised by the Triangle. The Canada and one hybrid are mates, and the other hybrid must be a sibling of the first. There used to be one more Canada in the group, but it has disappeared.

Moorhens can eat practically anything, and the windborne debris at the corner of the Long Water by the Italian Garden is a useful source of insects and other small creatures. I think the thing it gets at beginning of the clip is a snail, as these tend to cluster on floating objects.

The debris at the Dell restaurant is equally full of insects, and provides a good place for Pied and Grey Wagtails to hunt.

A Grey Heron preened in the willow tree by the bridge, a popular lookout point for herons and there is often rivalry about who gets to perch in the tree.

The heron fishing under the ramp at the Lido glared at a Cormorant. It depends on quiet and stealth, while the Cormorant's active fishing style disturbs everything.

The female Little Owl at the Serpentine Gallery was in the lime tree. Although this is now her usual tree she perches in many different places in it and is often hard to find.

A Robin sang at Peter Pan.

A Coal Tit at Temple Gate had found a small larva.

The female in the Dell was making it hard to get a picture. She peeped out round a yew twig.

It was quite a cold day and the bee activity in the Rose Garden was well down, but there was a Common Carder on a lantana.

A Common Drone Fly rested on a leaf. They haven't been as common as usual this year, outnumbered by European Drone Flies.