More Grebes!!

A couple of days ago, I had my second young visitor. This time a young Blackbird who came for a drink from the pond. A couple of days later and the third youngster was a Goldfinch.

There have been also a couple of Jays visiting. Jays visiting the garden is not unusual but these two seem to be a pair.

Had a wander over to Barnes. The Great Crested Grebes have abandoned their original nest and built another in a different part of that area of water. Neat that they've done so not too far from a hide!

A coot came a little too close to the nest and, I'm glad to say, the Grebe showed some aggression and chased it off!

I thought we were in for a full dance but it was just a bit of head waggling!

Further around, one of the many warbles in full voice. I think this is a Reed Warbler given its rather plain colouring. But if you know any different....

A little Grebe was diving for fish..

whilst a Grey Heron had a good scratch :D

Just a brief post today but more pics in the pipeline!

Flora and Fauna on a dull day!

The weather's been dire, which could not have escaped everyone's attention in the UK!! I've pottered to various places and felt in need of colour. So the other day I headed off for RHS Wisley to check on progress of the new bird hide. Didn't look much different to when I was last there. Hey ho... perhaps it will be good for Autumn watching!

Irises...

and cascading Wisteria!

For OC - we've got bears too ;)

I don't know what these are (they're so familiar) but they're very pretty.

Magnolia

A fly past from three Mallards whilst gazing at the Greenhouse from the top of the Rockery

and a wonderfully coloured Tulip really brightened the day.

On the way back I called in at Bushy Park. This female was having a laugh..

whilst the Tufted Duck looked rather chipper :D

A cormorant posed minding its own business!

"who you looking at?"

Seemed he had the pond to himself.

until a Magpie flew over.

and yesterday, over at London Wetland Centre, in the grey, cold and drizzly weather a Grey Heron posed!

and another, out on the scrape, fished for "tiddlers"

And a Common Tern kept us entertained for some time - wheeling about and diving for fish.

(I do wish they'd change the height of the windows in the hides at London Wetland Centre - just couldn't follow the tern as it dived in front of us!) Well that's my excuse anyway ;)

And today? Much the same weather so shopping called!!

Who has stolen the sun and warmth and left us grey and rain?????

Hither and thither... fledgling visitor

I've had a new addition to my garden. A couple of days ago the first fledgling visitor was a young Robin. He's been around for a couple of days now but yesterday, one of the two adults was aggressively chasing the youngster away. It's been feeding itself so perhaps the parent feels their job is done?



I seem to have lost a bit of "ooomph" at the moment and somehow the pictures won't come to me. So these are just some bits and pieces from various local visits.

At London Wetland Centre, high up in a building's wall, a Starling is nesting. This Jackdaw tried desperately to get it's head/beak into the nest but was unsuccessful. The parent Starling returned and managed to get into the nest and out again. Phew!!

A small blue butterfly landed briefly on the path..

Over in Bushy Park a male Mandarin Duck posed in a tree

Seems odd to see the bigger birds up there...

A tiny wren skulked deep in the new green growth peering at something down on the ground..

and along the streams some wonderful colour - Candelabra Primroses

And the Azaleas are a riot of colour

The pink blossom on this tree was mirrored in the pond below.

as were the azaleas and new green of the trees beside this pond

and wondering who was looking back at it, this young Egyptian Goose was reflected

A short stroll around Claremont Gardens produced some of the first English Bluebells of the season.

The trees at Claremont really are enormous and the colour wonderful.

Around the edge of the lake...

A long grassy "drive" carries the eye up to the building at the top. This, the Belvedere Tower, is not often open to the public and I seem to have missed the most recent opening. Hey ho, another time maybe.

And that's it till the next one......