The swallows were flying very high up this morning and didn't come down to drink while I was there. There was still the usual crowd of greylags with a few Canada geese and some Egyptians, along with the mute swan couple - no sign of their cygnets today although they are well grown now.

The wasp nest has grown even more:

and is still just as active. I saw no bees today and only this hoverfly on a teasel:

Not too sure what this one is, but perhaps a syrphus species which are among the commonest flower-visitng hoverflies:

There was lots of preening going on today - great crested grebe:

A heron on the far bank of the Thames:

and a black-headed gull:

who was joined by a few more today. There haven't been many around in the summer but they will come in hordes in a few months time:

The hops are growing well, mostly in the hawthorn bushes but have also sprung up in new areas. I read recently that they can grow in areas where there is spilt beer which is a bit of an urban myth unless roots were mixed in:

Pond skaters were around in their hundreds today enjoying the sun:

and a wood pigeon kept an eye on me as I walked through the woods:

There were fewer warblers around today - the graden warblers had moved up to another area of wood today, plus a chiffchaff and a couple of willow warblers. I also heard a nuthatch which I don't hear often around this part and a large flock of long-tailed tits were busy in the trees with some blue tits and a couple of great tits.