While unsuccessfully looking for him here, I did at least see a Goldcrest ...
... a Wren ...
... and a Long-Tailed Tit.
Although the Redwings have left the Parade Ground, the Fieldfare was still here today.
The Egyptian goslings at the Round Pond were also all present.
A Cormorant returned to the Italian Garden after a long absence and caught a perch in the algae. Here it is shaking off the unwanted vegetation.
A pair of Great Crested Grebes were displaying on the Serpentine.
They went on to try to dance, but made such a mess of it that I will spare them embarrassment by not putting up a picture. Although the basic idea of the dance is hard-wired into a grebe's brain, they need to practise to get it right.
The Mandarins have returned to their place east of the Lido.
The Coot on the ill-sited nest by the bridge isn't going anywhere.
Carrion Crows like dunking their food in water. Here one opens a peanut on the edge of the Serpentine.
The female Little Owl in the lime tree near the Henry Moore sculpture came along to the end of the branch, where it's possible to get a closer view of this beautiful bird.
The one near the Albert Memorial was in her usual place, also looking very fine in the afternoon sunlight.
This plant in the Rose Garden is a Thalictrum aquilegifolium 'Thundercloud', according to the label. It was patronised both by a Buff-Tailed Bumblebee ...
... and an early Honeybee.
Never believe plant labels!! The Thalictrum would only just be producing leaves now. These flowers are Hellebores.
ReplyDeleteThe flowers with the bees belong to a hellebore. They are among the first plants to flower in Spring, and I grow lots of them as they are so cheering after a long dark winter. The thalictrum comes up later in the year, so it may be in the soil lying dormant at present.
ReplyDeleteGlad you both said that. I thought it was a hellebore too. But the label was so close to the plant that I had to part the leaves to read it, and I deferred to authority. Mistake.
DeleteSometimes plants wander or self-seed. So labels and plants become mis-matched. Saw this even in the Queen's own Savill Gardens!
DeleteThe labels on the plants in the Rose Garden haven't been maintained. Many are broken, and others mark plants that have disappeared. A shame, because a lot of trouble is taken to keep many varieties of roses in good order, and rose fanciers will want to know their names.
DeleteYour blog is fantastic and I find your pictures amazing ! So great to find such details.
ReplyDeleteI am the author of a french blog called "le Monde et Nous" and I would greatly appreciate if I could use one of your photos for one of my post (I need an illustration of an owl located in a hole, in a tree). Obviously, I will mention the credit !
Thank you so much ! Pascale
Thank you. You're very welcome to use any picture from my blog.
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