Ruddy thing

In the garden my first Ruddy Darter of the year. It hung around for about an hour and then moved on.

Glass Window

As colourful as a stained glass window; this remnant of an introduction just looks like a butterfly should look. It’s such a shame these Marsh Fritillaries never did make a proper viable population.

Thunderbirds are go!

Something broke my concentration. It took me a while to realise it was a commotion in the garden. The panicky alarm call of a Blue Tit took me to the back window. I could see an adult alarming in the back sycamores moving from one side of the garden to the other. She was worried about something. I was looking for the Stoat or perhaps the neighbours cat. Nothing. What was she alarming over? It took me a while to see the splashing in the corner of the pond. A bit of an International rescue was called for. When I perched her recently fledged youngster in the sunshine to dry off it wasn’t long before his mother came down to gather him up.

 

 

It’s wild

I’m told it’s even rarer than the Early Spider Orchids we saw the other day. Beautiful foliage of a deep blue green; yellow flowers that came straight from a Van Gough palette fashioned into tubes of intricate design … and someone named it Wild Cabbage!