Spring Markers 2023

Every year on March 20th I record what is in flower in the garden. It is a comparatively late spring this year in the garden with the Plum blossom and Japonica still in bud and no real sign of flowers on the Cowslips or bluebells. The primroses, however, are extra good. Here are the flowers that are in bloom

Through the Kitchen Window

I decided to leave the seed heads of the Evening Primrose that are outside our backdoor a little longer and was rewarded yesterday with these Goldfinches feeding on the heads - plus a visiting 'black' Grey Squirrel.

 

Long-tailed Tits Nest Building

I spent an hour yesterday watching a pair of Long-tailed Tits building their nest in a bramble patch - impossible to get clear views but such a delight to see them bringing moss, lichen and cobwebs and weaving their nest. They are about halfway there as the final nest will be a complete ball with a single small entrance.

Orchids

Cambridge Botanic Gardens had a great display of Orchids in the corridor of the glasshouses when we visited last week. These are in-camera composites that remind me the delight of these amazing flowers amid the light and the textures around them.

Peregrine St Albans Cathedral

Great to record the Peregrine falcon hopefully nesting on St Albans Cathedral - rather distant but unmistakable! The lakeside birds are all getting ready for breeding with many squabbles and displays.

Herons Nest Building

We spent a very enjoyable hour or so watching Herons collecting nest materials.They were collecting both from the trees themselves - mainly willow - and from the ground and often seemed satisfied with even a quite small twig though they returned fairly quickly then to collect another!