Say it with Flowers

We went off for a local walk this morning; just across the golf course to the local shop to get bread.

On Marney's Pond were a family of 8 Mallard chicks and two families of Moorhens. The pair of Mute Swans were nowhere to be seen so perhaps they've gone elsewhere to raise a family.

Care had to be taken crossing the golf course as the usual Sunday golfers were about!

After four days (a longer than usual stay), my charges then returned home and my grandson was very pleased to see his Mum - and she him.

A very domestic day today, the dreaded "H" word but the house looks better for it. I had intended to cut the grass and do some gardening, but the sky got rather overcast and looked like rain so I just pottered instead.

Then I got the camera out. The large Rhododendron (which is in excess of 22 years' old) has just come into flower and is looking great. The Irises in the pond are a wonderful blue/purple colour - I just wish they could stay that way.

The Jay is still visiting the peanut feeder; I think it must have young not too far away as s/he makes several visits during the day.

Five pairs of Large Red Damselflies frequent the pond and one posed nicely for a picture. I was using the Macro lens hand held; so reasonably pleased with the outcome.


Large Red Damselfly (I believe it's a female?)

The tadpoles in the pond are getting bigger.

Alliums are at there best now


..and the bees love them

Pond Irises


In the greenhouse, Pelargonium Chocolate!


Not quite fully out but colourful nonetheless

An early flowering Clematis.

Walking the dog along the River Thames

Today my grandson was attending the last day of a course which is held on the banks of the Thames in the Young Mariners Club. It was kayaking day.

Having dropped him off the plan was to go for a long walk and return (three hours later) to collect my charge.

I was amazed how much better the river car park was since my last visit. It had been closed for renovations earlier this year and now, not only is the surface lacking the rather deep pitholes, but new wooden fence posts have been added and, more importantly, a great number of new trees have been planted.

I started off along the river bank in Ham (near Richmond). Normally I go downstream towards Richmond so today, for a change I decided to go upstream towards Teddington. With all the sun and rain we've had recently, the growth of the grasses, plants and trees was very lush.

I'd forgotten however, that in Spring and Summer when everything has grown so much, that the view of the river in this direction, is masked by the vegetation. So retraced my steps after a while and decided to wander around the Ham House area. Ham house doesn't open till 11.00 o'clock and entry would have been forbidden as I had Boo with me.

However, we walked around the area and I managed to take some shots of the house through gates and railings.

As we got back to the car, the rain started and I still had an hour and a half to kill. So we had a drive around Richmond Park, then parked the car at Young Mariners (a very pretty location), watched a Great-Crested Grebe, a Grey Heron and the coots etc. swimming around on the pond which is the training area. By now I'm getting rather wet and soggy so retired to the car where I had an enjoyable hour reading my book before collecting my charge and going home.

Wandering along the towpath




Newly refurbished car park - I was most impressed
with all the new planting.

The "rear" of Ham House

and some very impressive gates.

This magnificent Chestnut was not far from the
House in the common grounds. The blossom is a
deep pink which the camera (or me!) hasn't done
justice to.

The front of Ham House

And outside the grounds, a large wild-flower
meadow.

This is Boo's stance which says - "Oh here we go again;
she's got the camera/binoculars out - time for a
rest then".


A Bumble bee was enjoying the flowers too.

Return to walking-the-dog duties

My daughter is now back on shifts in the hospital and so I'm grandson and dog minding. Therefore this, as my regular readers will know, involves lots of walking.

Today I dropped my grandson at school and onto Bushey Park to walk Boo. Having enjoyed temperatures in the mid 70's over the last few days, the drop in temperature came as a bit of a shock. I do hope that this isn't a repeat of the last year's warmth followed by cool and much rain!

Apart from the "usual" birds who are all busy nesting, there was some defensive behaviour from some of the water fowl.

The Egyptian Geese goslings are still maintaining the presence on the pond where Pete and I first saw them on 1 March . There is very little difference now between them and their mum and dad. It may be that this will be my last account of the goslings as I expect that they will move from the normal "place of residence" as they get older and their change in appearance will now not be so noticeable.

The family of Mute Swans are moving about the pond and this time the cygnets were all on dry land. Mum was getting anxious as she could not reach them to protect them from the Jackdaws. The jackdaws however, weren't the least bit interested in the cygnets but wanted the food the was about.

There's a pair of Great-crested Grebes with one youngster. Mum and Dad were also defending their young one today - although it was hidden from view.

The stream as been blocked for the time being
as there is some very invasive weed that the Park's
Management are trying to get rid of. The left-hand side
is open but...

... Mum couldn't reach them from where she was and
was warding off the Jackdaws.


A pair of Great-Crested Grebes were sounding their
alarm call as...

A Grey Heron landed on the branches immediately
above them...



Two of the goslings with a parent

and one of them enjoying a meal of the pond grass

Camera lens, Great Crested Grebes and London

Well what a mixture today. The saga of my faulty lens continues and today I took it back to the company who are going to investigate further. This means I've had to leave the lens with them for further investigation. They have lent me (FOC) one of the hire lens as their treatment of my repair wasn't up to scratch.

However, I wandered along the Thames again and this time used the long focal length.

I then went to Bushey Park again hoping that a) The Great-Crested Grebe pair and their young one would be nearer the bank and b) the sun wouldn't be directly opposite me! Got some shots, but only record shots as they were so far away.

A Grey Heron was on the island obviously trying to cool down. And the cormorants were keeping cool in the water having a swim.

Along the river bank.








Bushey Park and cormorants..


The Great-Crested Grebe family





Grey heron wishing it were cooler.

The Young Ones

Today found me visiting my local patch, Bushey Park. Many youngsters about today and evidence of preparing for the young ones was much in evidence too.

I'd decided to set off reasonably early in the hope that the light wouldn't be too bright for taking pictures. Should have got their a little earlier.

A jackdaw was searching for nesting material, some mallards flew past and cormorants were sunning themselves on one of the islands. On the same island were the growing Egyptian Geese goslings - now just smaller versions of Mum and Dad.

A family of Mum, Dad and eight cygnets were swimming lazily around. Mum then decided she wanted her family to leave one pond, cross the footpath and go onto the next pond. Unfortunately she chose a very steep part of the bank and, although they tried really hard, only one cygnet made it. Mum then decided enough was enough and went back into the water leaving the single cygnet no other choice but to jump back in and rejoin it's family - and after all that effort to get out in the first place!

A large herd of fallow deer were having a wander and a smaller group of red deer were also around. The stags are now growing their new antlers which are covered in "velvet".



This coot had swum across with a thick branch
and was probably quite relieved to drop onto the nest

so she had a preen whilst drawing breath.

The fly past...

Young coots waiting for Mum

These three were enjoying the sun

and the youngster decided to have a wing stretch


whilst an adult had a preen

prior to flying off

A parent Egyptian goose with two of the, now, almost
adult-sized goslings

A flotilla of cynets (8 in all)

with a proud Mum and Dad


"OK children, this is where we get out, up the
bank to the right..."

"Come on up, it's not that hard..."

"Not that hard?" "Will we ever get to the top?"

"I made it!"

"Oh no, now I've got to jump back in 'cause no-one
else had the strength to get out"

Velvety new antlers

Fallow deer amble in the sun

What a difference the sun makes

After the last few days the colour everywhere is now really showing with everything bursting into flower.

As I record for the BTO Garden Watch, I can also include other wildlife than birds, and frogs etc. is one of the inclusions. As a result, I often creep around the garden pond with a torch, just after it gets dark. The neighbours (as far as I know) haven't yet sent for the men in white coats, but you can never be too sure.....

Around the garden pond last night were 5 frogs and, I'm thrilled to report, my first toad.

Today I went with my daughter and Boo (the collie) to Richmond Park whilst my Grandson was kayaking with a local group nearby.

Hawthorn had burst into bloom and a pair of swans were proudly swimming around with their six new young ones.

A large herd of fallow deer were grouped under the trees seeking the shade.

It was a bright day but high cloud persisted with the sun occasionally bursting through. Not the best conditions for pictures but....





At this point, the fallow deer ran out of space under
the first tree and, in single file, moved over to another






A common frog is grateful for the shade of the
Marsh Marigold's leaves as it comes up for a breather
during the day

My first clematis flowers.

Nostalgia and moods

What is it about this time of the year when the birds and the beasts are raising their young

It gives me a feeling of restlessness and a promise of things to come

The early spring flowers give way to the those of late spring and soon the summer blooms will delight us with a blaze of colour

The sun with its warmth throws its cloak around us to banish the blues of winter now gone

Young deer from last year are now growing we see and their mothers and fathers will soon have their new young

Around the pond water the early damselflies are seen their glorious colours aglow with the sun

The blue tits are calling, to their mates and their young and the caterpillars are hiding high up in the Oaks

The bees buzz around as they visit each flower; such promises of sweet honey for us to enjoy

As I walk in the gardens and in the parks nearby, the song of the birds fills my ears; oh what music sublime

Around in my garden as the day now dawns, the birds’ choral notes delight me; each song having its own special charm

The scent of the flowers is what I enjoy; and some which evoke thoughts of happy past times

My children were born as the summer began so for me this time is so special, as they indeed are, in the joy that they give me, as their proud mum.

And years later, again near this time of the year, a grandson gave voice to this world, and had then, and for always, a special place in my life

I still learn from my mother, as most of us do and she, now older, is still young at heart. A very special lady and one who I hold dear

My (late) Dad once said “you can’t choose your family but you can choose your friends” but in my case, I would have made that choice as friends they are indeed.

And of friends unrelated by blood? Yes – all my friends, some old and some new, enrich my life by just being you.

I’m not rich or indeed famous but what do I care? I don’t – and don’t want to be in a material way.

My life then? Undoubtedly rich and enriched.

What prompted me to write this? Heaven only knows – but having got started it’s now time to end .... on a musical note. This is someone’s music I enjoyed and still do. John Denver – sadly no longer with us – was a lover of the natural world and many of his songs reflect this passion.

And to all my dear readers, if you managed to stay here until I ended my ramblings,

Thank you.

Footnote: This is so unlike me to “publish” thoughts of this nature that I hesitate to press the “publish” button but......... here goes!


Read You Fill Up My Senses lyrics

Just after I'd published this post, I went out into the garden and saw three pairs of these: