Courting pigeons, ducks, goldfinches, camelias and magnolias.

Pigeons are now to be seen paired off, chasing each other, tails raised, heads lowered in a typical bowing position seen in their courtship display.

The ducks seem to have sorted themselves out and are no longer a trio but a couple and a hanger on. The dominant male, now has no time or tolerance for the other male and is fiercely protective of the female. He guards her both jealously and zealously, keeping close beside her at all times, while also keeping a watchful eye for his competitor. Should he spy the other male nearby he chases him away all the time pecking at his tail end!

Hardly deterred the chased one soon returns, he is to be seen slowly skulking along the grass and ultimately carefully positioning himself as close as he dares to the couple. It never lasts long as within minutes the dominant male spots him and again chases him away.

The female duck when sleeping in the pond is well camouflaged as she looks like a large well rounded stone.

Again a pair of goldfinches are frequenting the garden, I would love to see them nesting here again.

The garden looks amazing, it is full of spring flowers in bloom and the different magnolias and camelias add an extra wonderful dimension.

A Spring Journey from Hertfordshire to Oxfordshire

This morning our grandson rang to say there are newts, ? palmate and  another type in his pond, and a wren nesting in his shed. I always enjoy visiting my grandson and his fiancee, seeing the progression of their pregnancy, spending time with them both and also enjoying the local wildlife.

It is 12:30 pm and the temperature is 21 degrees, a bright and beautiful day and we are on our way to visit our grandson and grand-daughter-in-law to be in Oxfordshire. Mike comments that it is seems strange to have such warm weather when there are no leaves on the majority of trees. It is true that many trees are still bereft of leaves, while others like the hawthorn are now wearing fresh spring green coats and some are even bedecked in red or white blossom. Dangly, dusty catkins and fat, fluffy pussy willow grace other trees, the verges are bright with yellow daffodils, dandelions and lesser celandines (Ranunculus ficaria). The lesser celandines have tiny tubers and once they settle somewhere they are very hard to get rid of, having made that observation I have to say they are so bright and cheerful, and look wonderful in our hedgerows and on our verges. They are one of our first spring flowers and the sight of them in the wild fills me with delight, whether it is a single plant or a verge full.

We are now on the M40 and have just seen our first red kite, before the weekend is over we will see many more of these stunning fork tailed birds. Road kills have not been as bad as usual on this journey, although each and everyone fills me with sadness. a fox on the A414, a hedgehog on the A40 and along a country road a rabbit.

The stretch of M40 we are now travelling is one of my favourite stretches, it slices through some amazing chalk downland, however just prior to this is a very attractive bridge then before you know it you are travelling between these enormous white chalk cliffs which rise up on either side of the road, dwarfing the cars passing by, immediately you are through them the countryside on both sides is so picturesque, it is not only hilly but also has excellent far reaching views and I always wish for a small parking area, styles and many footpaths leading away and into the rich greenness. It is a foolish wish for if it came true the area would soon be spoiled and would lose it's charm.

Two large, blunt tailed birds, huge like red kites fly low over the car while we are still on the motorway. Off the motorway we spot three ducks on a typically English village pond, interestingly once again two males and one female and further on a roadside verge already covered in white clover, so good for bees.

Arrival of the Ducks

We awoke to a lovely surprise this morning, on looking out of the end kitchen window we saw three ducks sitting by the pond. These will probably be with us now until just before winter sets in.

The pond will soon no longer be clear, it will become a quagmire, smelly and dirty watered, but the sight of the ducks in and around it and the promise of small, fluffy ducklings later, scrambling in and out and and swimming back and forth, fills me with pure happiness and offsets any forebodings I may have about the water.

Sadly we won't see the fish for a while now as they go into hiding once the ducks arrive!

Each year we are lucky enough to share our garden with ducks, we always have a pair and one year we had a trio, two males and one female. There was never any animosity between the two males and she willingly accepted either as a mate and seemed happy in the company of both.Having two mates meant that when marauding males alighted in the garden she was better protected.

This year we again seem to have a trio so I hope it works as well for them as it did for the last trio.

Springtime

A wonderful spring day today, the sun is shining the air smells of fresh greenery and flowers and it is a day to be enjoyed.

After lunch we sat in the garden by the pond, watching the fish and relaxing in the special feeling that a day like this brings.

The sound of the birds was magical, so many different songs to try and identify. The trees are leafing up either  in their bright spring green, or in other cases covered in blossom, each flower is so perfect and yet so many types, every one very different from the next, for example; forsythia, magnolia and flowering cherry. The flowers at a quick glance are so different, yet each flower is exquisite and of course every blossom serves the same purpose.

When I have time I like to draw and this has made me study flowers in much greater depth than I probably would have done, I have a secret yen to embroider flowers which bloom in the garden, but as always time is my enemy. Many years ago, I determined that I would keep a written and drawn record of all the flowers wild or otherwise in the garden, , I managed quite a number,but life and its business caught up with me and it is a long time since I put pencil to paper. There are so many flowers already in bloom and waiting to be drawn.

I also kept a record of types of birds visiting the garden, this one was easier to keep up as I kept it in my bird book. My binoculars are always to hand on the side in the kitchen or beside me in the lounge and are used many times during each day, and of course for star gazing at night!

I did keep up my nature diary through the years and with my son's invaluable help it was transferred to the computer and has become my online blog, it gives me much pleasure to record nature and to share it with my friends and readers. I have had so many lovely feedback comments, they add to my pleasure. Thank you so much.

Magnolias and Other Spring Flowers

This afternoon was warm and we sat outside enjoying the pleasant weather and watching the fish in the pond. The spring garden is so pretty, it has five magnolias presently four are in bloom; magnolia soulangeana with its huge mid pink blooms, which as the flower opens gradually change to pale pink, I read that this is known as the saucer magnolia, and it certainly is true that the flowers open out into the most wonderful saucer shape, but are of course larger than saucers.

Magnolia leonard messel, this is a darker pink and is paler inside, it has thin tapering petals and as many as ten on each flower. It is a very delicate looking tree and so pretty, it is very different in form from the last magnolia I described, but they stand opposite each other on the end left hand lawn and each one sets the other off beautifully.

The third magnolia is susan, it is bushier than the last one described and has reddish deep purple flowers, they are thin and goblet shaped and don't hold their shape so well as they open, it is not as pretty as leonard messel or as handsome as soulangeana but we bought it for its strong colour and it sits well in the garden.

Fourthly the wonderful magnolia stellata also known as star magnolia, there is a pink version known as magnolia stellata rosea, but we have the beautiful white one, it is slow growing and quite a compact plant, the flowers are multi-petalled and each one is long and thin. It is a magical plant, at dusk it seems to glow and even on a dark night, when everything else is lost in the black of night, the white petals will pick up any light shed by the moon and it looks captivating. During the day your eyes are drawn to its perfect canopy of white star like flowers.

The fifth magnolia not at present in bloom, is a grandiflora, it has magnificent shiny, tough leathery looking leaves. Many times I have cut it back over the years, because it grows so fast and is so big. Once I even sawed the trunk right down to ground level, but to no avail it just sent out many shoots and now has several trunks, which from time to time we remove, but it grows undaunted. It seems to flower almost all through the year with the largest flowers imaginable and the most incredible perfume --- that is usually how we know it is in flower as we are stopped in our tracks and assailed by the most wonderful smell.

Apart from the magnolias there are several forsythias in brightest eye catching yellow in flower, and at ground level are primulas of all types, including the dear little mauve one, wild primroses of which there are dozens and tall polyanthus, violets in varying shades from white through to darkest purple, pink and mauve aubretias scrambling down both the bank and a wall and a pretty white arabis that has already been flowering for several weeks.

To be able to sit out in such peace and contentment as a garden brings is very special, and these are moments to be cherished.

A sorry but hopeful tale

When we first moved here I planted hardy geraniums and daffodils all along our boundary, only to find they were disappearing. One day I caught a man with his gardening tools digging them up, I explained we had planted them and they were on our land, but he stubbornly refused to stop and became aggressive. He said they were wayside flowers and he had every right to take them. In the end there was nothing left to say, and discretion being the better part of valour, I retreated, hoping that his ill gotten gains gave him as much pleasure as they had given us and so many passers by.

I vowed that never again would I plant on the borders again, however eventually I changed my mind and after a few years had passed I planted the bank opposite to our home with snowdrops and daffodils, this was not only for our pleasure but also for the enjoyment of anyone passing down the lane.

There are a great number of daffodils and they make a brilliant show having increased in number over the years. Sadly last Sunday I noticed a stretch bereft of flowers and realised it was Mother's Day. Later when I looked again I saw a second bare stretch.

This was better than a few years ago when all of the daffodils disappeared overnight --- once again this happened the night before Mother's Day.

It is strange how people think that plants and flowers on the borders of peoples gardens are theirs for the taking.

Ribes, chionodoxias, long tailed tits, goldfinches and tea on the lawn

Beautiful spring like day, 16 degrees, cloudless blue sky and no wind.

We had tea on the lawn as if it were a summers day!

Noticed a group of deep blue hyacinths on the bank and further back almost out of sight behind a spotted laurel was a pretty pink ribes in full flower, and all along the bank are clumps of violets and primroses. On the opposite side of the garden in deep shade is a clump of pale blue chionodoxias and also just one deep blue one on the bank.

Was pleased to see long tailed tits bathing in the pond and also goldfinches collecting nesting material.

Canada Geese, Mallards and a Moorhen

Took some bread today and visited the canal, to feed the ducks. Most people don't realise this is a canal, but think of it instead as the river. The river is further along the lane and is much narrower.

We were disappointed on reaching the river to find only two canada geese, but they set up such a cacophany as they hurried toward us, that before we knew it there were ducks appearing from both up and down the river and from adjacent gardens - all mallards, both male and female. Some flying, others paddling and all jostling and rushing to make sure they were among the lucky ones to be fed. One lonely little moorhen also turned up, but try as we might we were unable to feed him as he was so timid and the ducks rushed at him and kept him away from the food.

The chill wind was stronger now and we were so cold we were glad to be making our way back home.

The pond

The pond is a continual source of pleasure to us, it is very rarely that we look down the garden and don't see a bird bathing in it.

In fact I was delighted to see a dunnock bathing in the pond, after recently noting that I have never seen them drink from the bird baths or pond or bathe in either.

The notable exceptions are the jays and magpies, both drink from the pond but never bathe in it.

Down to the river

Took a look at the river, it was a dirty brown colour and was rushing along. Debris from fallen trees and other detritus almost blocking it's path in places, making it rush and swell in an effort to pass the clutter and foaming as it hurries on its way.

The foam being caught up and gathered into a large dirty mound, against the bank just before the bridge.

Green Woodpecker

Spent a very enjoyable six minutes watching the green woodpecker from the side kitchen window today.

He was not many inches from the wall and I was able to look straight down on him. He was so close that I could not only see the drops of rain on his back but also individual feathers.

He was very absorbed in poking between the paving stones and also pecking into clumps of grass.

Sadly no camera to hand and fear of disturbing him prevented my fetching it.

Catkins, Cones and tiny red Flowers of the Alder Tree

The lane is pretty at this time of year, bright yellow celandines, snowdrops in abundance sadly now past their best, dozens of daffodils in fat bud. There are glorious alder trees, each branch splitting into many smaller ones, and covered with a fine array of long, stretched, yellow (reminiscent of primroses) catkins swaying in the breeze and shedding their maleness in the pollen shaken off and carried to the tiny almost insignificant red flowers, then of course to complete the magic of this tree, there are the tiny cones, dark, pretty and beautifully formed.

I have read of two different myths about the alder tree. The first is a Scandinavian myth and it tells us that the alder is the tree from which woman was created. The second is an Irish myth and in it we hear that man is created from the alder. Interestingly same tree but opposite sexes in the two myths.

The alder, latin name Alnus Glutinosis and genus Alnus is one of my very favourite trees. It is usually found growing by rivers, streams or ditches, and often is seen with catkins and cones, always with cones and sometimes with catkins, cones and tiny red flowers.

Spring lacewing and ladybirds

Ladybirds  both British and European are appearing crawling on window sills and walls and today I found a lacewing flying around the kitchen, hopefully sure signs that spring is on its way.

Four types of catkins, bees, moths and ladybirds

A cold bright day. We've had several odd warm, bright days in the last few weeks.

This is the first year that I can remember seeing both bees and moths throughout the whole winter, and on several occasions ladybirds.

The side lawn looked beautiful this morning, the sun was shining brightly and the grass was covered all over with sparkling dew drops and dozens of daisies all open and turning their pretty yellow centered and white edged faces to the sun.

Each morning we are greeted by the song thrush singing loud and long, he also does this each evening, and one afternoon last week he treated us to an additional concert.

The garden is already full of the signs of spring, walking round I found three different catkins, the first I spied on the silver birch, second on the hazel and third on the garrya elliptica. I know if I walk down the lane tomorrow I shall find a fourth type, the alder catkins growing prettily together with last years cones and their red tipped female flower on the branch nearby.

Flowers in bloom are the last of the snowdrops, a gathering of pink self seeded hyacinths, yellow, white and maroon primulas and primroses, huge sweeps of pink and white hellebores, the red tinged, green flowered helleborus foetida, yellow winter flowering jasmine, deep pink and strongly scented viburnum bodnantense and daisies.