My blog is mostly about wildlife, particularly birds, walking, days out, all growing things and anything else that comes to mind.
To view pictures in larger format, just click on any picture for the picture gallery....

Wednesday 20 May 2009

Around the garden.

OK - so over the last few days I've been somewhat busy with a) looking after my Grandson (lovely!); paying some much overdue attention to the garden (OK...) and taking my car to the garage for its first service. Also for the garage to "listen to" a high-pitched whine and correct said whine. Service fine and nothing out of the ordinary, but - they couldn't hear the whine even when I could. Very understanding staff who suggested I keep a log (hey ho) and then take it back so they could try a process of elimination. At least they're trying to rectify it and that's great. Good for them.

So on to some wildlife...

A couple of days ago my first youngsters appeared in the garden - a family of Starlings - rather noisy but nonetheless my first of this season.

Last night I was circling the pond with torch in hand spotting frogs. I shone the torch down into the depths and - whey hey - spotted a newt!! Don't know what sort as it dived for cover not liking the spotlight.

Then today, my first young Robin. I know they've been nesting and the parents have gobbled up the live mealworms. Great!!

So whilst waiting for the garage to ring to say - come and get the car - I was wandering around the garden using the macro lens.

I'll leave you with the fruits of my labour:-

One flower of a Foxglove

Scabious

Water droplet in the centre of a Waterlily leaf and a very small fallen flower with an insect

Bee on Allium

Allium going to seed

Tiny, tiny pond snail - about 6mm long

Large Red Damselflies on Iris


One of the many frogs


Rosebud of a rambling rose (bought for £1.99 in Sainsburys years ago and flowers like mad every year. This is one of the highest blooms the rest are yet to come!

16 comments:

Billy Dykes said...

We've also got frogs (5) and a newt that seldom shows itself. Your garden must have so much birdlife- reading through your posts I see you even have a wintering Brambling, is he still there? My best garden bird was a Whitethroat singing a couple of days ago!

Bill

Warren Baker said...

I don't have frogs in my ponds, the newts eat all the tadpoles! They also eat all the pond snails!

Great pics today tricia!

Cheryl said...

Hi Tricia.....your garden is way ahead of mine, amazing...

My favourite flowers are foxgloves and yours is beautiful. Mine are nowhere near flowering yet.

My alliums are only just budding and yours are setting seed!!

I love frogs and newts......my little pond only has the odd frog dropping in for a dip......but I did see a heron looking at the water the other day. He flew away in disgust (I do not have fish)......


My favourite photograph is the wonderful composition of leaf, water, fallen flower and insect.....I love it......

Midmarsh John said...

Nice set of macro shots Tricia. Well spotted on the newt. Mine sill seem to be lurking at the bottom of the pond - tried to get some video but it was too murky.
Of them all I particularly like the frog portrait. The shallow depth of focus works to good effect there.

ShySongbird said...

Beautiful photos Tricia, I loved all of them. You used your waiting time well!

Like Cheryl, I can't believe how advanced everything is in your garden, my Iris and Foxgloves are nowhere near flowering.

holdingmoments said...

Cracking macro shots Tricia.
Apart from hoardes of Starlings, the bird life has been a bit quiet in my garden recently.
I bet you're well pleased with the young Robin visitor.

swatson said...

great shots especially the three within one.Like looking in a pictures within pictures right down to the tiny fly
amazing
Sheila

Tricia Ryder said...

Hi Billy. Newts seem to be secretive creatures don't they.

Warren - I had 22 frogs during the spawning seasons; then hundreds of tadpoles; now not so many but I can guess where they've all gone now!

Hi Cheryl - it always surprises me how the timings of the flowerings varies from one part of the UK to another! The leaf, water etc. was just pure luck that everything came together at the same time!

Hi John and thank you. I think macro can produce some good effects but just occasionally I wish I could get more in focus but - it will not be with the DOF.

Thanks Jan. The iris is in the pond and always flowers at this time of the year - I think it's an early one. The foxglove though - no idea as I didn't plant it; it must be self-seeded which is surprising!

Keith: thank you. Very pleased with the young robin. Hope he's around for a bit as I'd like a picture. But like yours, my garden's pretty quiet too.

Sheila - thank you very much. "Three in one" is a very apt description!

Anonymous said...

Good macros Tricia, but I love the colour of the rose. Ramblers always make a good show and they arn't as expensive as these re-constructed "new names applied to old species" jobs.

Phil and Mandy said...

Love the frog photo Tricia. Regards Phil

Tom said...

A truely fantastic set of picture Tricia... each one as good as the one before. Your picture inspire me... and make me long to get out and about with the camera ASAP.. ha! but alas a bad back as me laid up.. Jane says I'm starting to show signs of cabin fever.. oh! well at least I can nip over here and feast my eyes

Jayne said...

Wonderful pictures as usual Tricia - thanks again for sharing
Jayne

Matt Latham said...

Superb Tricia - love the Frog image

Chris said...

I'd like to get a garden like this, full of life!! Perfect environment to do many beautiful pictures but not that easy to do. Well done, they are all gorgeous.

Tricia Ryder said...

Roy - I quite agree about ramblers putting on a good show. And I like the suggestion of red on yellow in this one.

Phil - thank you - their golden eyes are amazing.

Tom - thank you for your great comments yet again. I do hope your back recovers quickly as I always enjoy your outings in your neck of the woods.

Jayne - thank you

Matt - thanks - I was pleased to get that picture.

Chris - Thank you - I've tried over several years to make it a wildlife garden and I think I'm headed on the right tracks.

Liz said...

Lovely photos Tricia, I love the foxglove!!! All I ever seem to get are the pink ones, I'd love to have a white one but I've never seen them!

It looks like things are all go in your garden at the moment, I've been busy planting lots of my seedlings (small plants) to get them going.

It's all very exciting watching things change through the seasons :)

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