Tuesday 28 April 2015

It's all happening.

Here is Mrs. Collared Dove sitting on her little brood - I took this photo a week ago.

This morning this young one was sitting in the sun with the wind ruffling it's soft feathers having been sent off out to make room for it's younger sibling.   Mrs C.D. must have laid her two eggs at least a week apart as we caught a glimpse of the little one and it is so much smaller than the one above.

Last week the crab apple tree looked like this.
Today it is in full bloom.   I do love the little bright pink buds.

The Montana is almost fully out too and the bees are very happy, when they aren't being buffeted about by the strong breeze.   The bluetits are still busy gathering nesting material.  I think they must be building a block of flats - they've been at it for ages, and we have watched a huge blackbird fledgling being fed by it's dad.

More heartbreaking world events and all we have to moan about is the impending election.  How lucky we are in this country.

Tuesday 21 April 2015

Butterflies.

No lovely photographs sadly - the little darlings wont keep still long enough for me to focus on them!  However, I have noticed so many more butterflies in the garden this year than last year and have been trying to identify them.   Lots of peacocks, orange tips, painted lady, brimstone, small blue (chalk hill?), small fritillary, possibly a larger fritillary and meadow browns, if they are the ones that look as if they are dancing in the air together.

This weather is certainly good for them and  they seem to be enjoying it as much as I am. I am pleased that I haven't had the energy to dig up all our dandelions as I read somewhere recently that we should leave their flowers to feed the butterflies.  So I'm doing my bit for wildlife without realising it.

I hate to say it but our gardens could do with some rain - I had to water ours the other evening and it looks really parched again.  I think we are supposed to get some on Friday.  I don't think we have had any showers this April!

Enjoy it while we have it - make hay while the sun shines, or whatever you like making while the sun shines.