Garden Robin

Garden Robin

Monday 23 May 2016

Quick Update

Garden Nesting Activity

The Blue Tit eggs hatched last Wednesday 18th May. It was initially difficult to count the nestlings but finally counted nine so all the eggs have hatched!
(Sorry photos not the best!).




I thought the young wrens had fledged at the weekend but I was wrong - the adults are still going in and out of the nest. I spent ages trying to get a photo which is difficult as I don't want to stop the adults feeding - this is the best I could manage. (I promise if you enlarge the photo you can just make out one of the adults perched among the patio pots and on it's way to the nest).





Moths and Butterflies

I've not been putting out the moth trap much over the last two weeks as catches were so low - Shuttle-shaped Dart is the only new moth species for the year. There are several Holly Blues around the garden most days and we are still seeing the occasional Orange Tip.


Wildflower Meadow

The Yellow Rattle plugs have been planted in the Wildflower Meadow but we didn't really need to order them as hundreds of the seeds have germinated. As long as they all survive the meadow will look a picture when they all flower and hopefully the plants will help to eradicate the couch grass.

A few of the Yellow Rattle plants among other species

Tuesday 10 May 2016

Garden Update - Nests, flowers, butterflies,

A belated update on the Blue Tits - the female has laid 9 eggs and started incubating on Tuesday, 3rd May. The incubation period is 13-15 days so we should have a happy event early next week.

Apologies for the poor quality of the photos - the camera relays via the tv screen.





I am pretty sure the female wren is incubating eggs also in a nest in ivy on the patio.


The garden is looking very colourful at the moment - I went out a few days ago to practise using the Canon bridge camera.

The euphorbia I thought I had lost


Green Alkanet is in flower and plants are spreading all over the garden.


Azaleas starting to bloom


A patch of Wood Anemone and


Honesty has been attracting Orange Tip butterflies.




Orange Tips first started appearing on the 4th May and I saw my first Large White on 6th May.

I spotted the first Bee Fly of the year on 8th May - a Dark-edged Bee Fly - sorry no photo I did manage to get D to fetch the camera and even focused only for the camera to tell me there was no camera card :(


First Shield Bug of the year spotted last week - believe it is a Green Shield Bug