Wildlife & Gardens

This little beggar has been hammering on the patio door hoping I would feed him

 

i know him he is a wrongun
best avoided

 

You have been warned…

 

You can tell spring has arrived - snowdrops are now gone daffs are fading and bluebells are beginning to appear. My favourite at the moment though is our snakes head fritilleries which each year seem to get stronger and spread further. Forsythia is lovely too

 

Because we are at 220m above sea level our daffs, and we have hundreds, 20+ varieties, are only just opening. March and April are great months.

 

My tulips are starting to come out here in the wet SW. Delightful.

 

I planted bulbs like everyone says, but the results are very disappointing.

 

Deep joy!

A Blackcap eating the piece of apple on one of the trees this lunchtime.

Haven't seen one here before.

Didn't dare start the car so as not to disturb him.

He was there for about four minutes.

Great to see.

 

Yes blackcaps love apples. Given it's 30/3, could have just arrived for spring/summer or be just about to leave having over-wintered.

 

Well I consider myself blessed to have witnessed his feeding and enjoyment!

I hope to see him and others again.

I went into WGC and saw the cherry in blossom by Waitrose.

"Loveliest of trees the cherry now
Is hung with bloom along the bough.
And stands along the woodland ride
Wearing white for Easter tide."

 

Saw my first Brimstone butterfly of the year today.

 

A Dougie?!

 

Well it was certainly yellow.

 

I trod in some dogsh1t this morning

 

You dingbat - you planted them upside down..

 

Don't talk to me about tulips. Planted about 100 bulbs last year and squirrels dug them all up. Even when I finally protected some with netting they ate them after they started to grow and I removed the protection.

 

Badgers got mine the first year I grew them, but they seem to have moved away.

 

We haven't seen blackcaps or redwings for a long time. most exotic at the moment is our goldcrests.

 

Do you have pine trees in your garden ? They particularly love pines. Planted one in my garden when we moved in 12 years ago specifically to attract them.

 

No - we had some old tall ones but they were dying so we had them taken down. Whereabouts do you live?

 

That’s nice.

In Plymouth there is an established tradition of chopping trees down, recently enhanced by our City Council. It goes back to the Pilgrim Fathers ..

 

We have the same issue with munjac and roe deer. They seem to leave the daffs and snowdrops alone but the crocus flower are gone within 24 hrs. I've watched them just hoover them all up in the space of about 5 mins.

 

Wigginton near Tring.

 

In Devon there are thousands of different types of daffs along waysides and hedgerows.
Such a pleasure driving when they’re all out.

 

It's your 'Ousman innit?!

The wonderful,ever brilliant AE Housman.

 

Yes, indeed.
And Shropshire is my second favourite county.

 

Take a look at ' Sleeping with Dandelions ' winner of Wildlife Photo of the Year'.
Enchanting.

 

Just seen a Piebald blackbird on the verge on (Benny) Carbone Hill in Cuffley,never seen one before.

Well done to Fergal Sharkey on Terese Coffey's pathetic water pollution bill.

Ripped it to shreds on Times Radio twenty minutes ago.

 

Could it have have been a ring ouzel ? See below.
During April they migrate to UK, ultimately heading for mountains but tend to stop at "hills" like Ivinghoe Beacon for a few days en route.
A great spot if so. They get reported as rare bird sightings in Sth England.

 

No it was definitely a "Daphne" as he was scuttling along the verge near the top of Carbone Hill where it meets The Ridgeway and the road where Smarmy Cecil used to live ...ah yes Vineyards Road.

Had a white head not chest like Mezet Ozil in your picture.

 

Fox cubs out and about!

 

Not seen any on our wildlife camera yet. Hopefully this week? Adult still coming for food on its own while the cat and I watch from a safe distance by torch. Got lots of great video clips of cubs last year