Monday 20 April 2015

April Colours.

I've had another busy and varied week; continuing with the internal redecorating projects mixed with a couple of early dawn morning walks to check what migrants may have returned locally; so a few images stored for future posts. I have also been enjoying the changing colours in my small garden helped by the increased daily sunshine and warmer temperatures until a chilly ENE wind picked up over the weekend.

The Narcissus have put on a good show but are now beginning to drop their colourful blooms.

I am not a particular fan of the very tall large trumpet varieties so my small garden plays host to a few of the smaller 'Triandrus' and 'Cyclamineus' forms including Reggae, Thalia and Jetfire. Over the weekend I was delighted to see that the wild N. bulbocodium had opened its tiny trumpet (sorry no pics yet).
The feeders continue to attract the colorful Goldfinch.

Plenty of blue showing everywhere with clumps of Muscari popping up all over the place. In the last few days I have also noticed at several woodland sites that our native Bluebells are starting to come into flower.



The only other blue in the garden recently was a visit from a female Holly Blue.

I carried out the first of my weekly butterfly recording transect walks on Ashtead Common on Sunday but only logged one Peacock and one Speckled Wood. Although there was plenty of sunshine the gusty ENE wind obviously kept the temperature lower than the flutters prefer.


Since taking these images early last week the Erythronium 'Pagoda' in a side border has produced its distinctive flowers and now I'll have to wait another year for them to show again.

Inspection of two of the four nest boxes revealed that nests have been built but I think the prospective tenants, Blue Tits (usual box on the rear of the shed) and probably a Dunnock (in an open box), have been frightened away by regular visit from a local cat!
A single male Dunnock is still around, regularly singing, but I haven't seen evidence of any prospective partnerships whereas on my regular local patch walks I have seen numerous pairs of Dunnock displaying courtship behaviour. 
 

Some of the other colours around the garden include the fragrant Skimmia 'Rubella', Chaenomeles (flowering quince), an alpine Campanula, the Cowslips (Primula veris) while the Robin (below) continues to add a dash of red to the colour palette on a daily basis.

At best the temperature might reach 16 deg C tomorrow but still with a chilly easterly breeze and then a change in wind direction so more unsettled weather is forecast into next weekend with the chance of rain.FAB.

Linking to Nature Notes

21 comments:

  1. A splendor of color, new blooms and fabulous bird shots! Wonderful post today!

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  2. A wonderful collection of birds and blossoms. Nice to see those Bluebells.

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  3. Beautiful flowers and I love the bird shots.

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  4. Lots to see in your little garden.

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  5. Lots of lovely colour there. A bit bare of colour here until the seeds I have been setting start to grow. I've been wondering whether local cats have been the cause of my empty nest boxes this year.

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  6. Hello Frank, your flowers are lovely.. And the Goldfinch and Robin are both pretty birds. Great shots. Have a happy week!

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  7. Oh I do so enjoy your garden shares and it does appear that you have quite a few beautiful selections right at your door step. We have many of the same here, and yet so much heavy downpours of rain, I have not had too many chances to get out and enjoy. The sun will be shinning all day today though. Happy week Frank

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  8. Beautiful colours of April!!!! Excellent pictures! Bravo Frank!
    Warm greetings :-)

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  9. ...and such vivid, intense, wonderful colors everywhere. From flowers to birds....gorgeous.

    I'd like to invite you to Hootin' Anni's to view a special post of nature's thrilling day for me.

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  10. All are very lovely, but your last photo, is so tender to my heart.

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  11. Lovely colours now Frank. Yes that Easterly doesn't give up does it.

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  12. very lovely color in all varieties.!

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  13. I love garden do-dadds. And that goldfinch.

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  14. Oh wow Frank, what gorgeous blooms you have already! Sweet little robin!

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  15. Wonderful flowers and I love the little robin.

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  16. You have a wonderful garden Frank and so much color already. We are still waiting. It looks like you have sunflower hearts (unshelled) in the feeder. They are much loved by all the birds here especially in winter when opening a frozen seed can be real work...Michelle

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  17. Nice title: The colors from April ":-)
    It is also really beautiful colors and your pictures look very cheerful and bright. You have made more pictures but still keep them as subsequent posts:-)

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  18. What a lovely garden you have. Thank you for sharing your beautiful images of it.

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  19. A lovely colourful post here Frank :)
    Your garden look very lively!
    Great Golfinch pic!
    Enjoy your week!

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  20. Unrestrained domestic cats are a huge problem. Why owners can't keep them indoors is beyond me.Great garden by the way!

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I hope you enjoyed your visit and I always appreciate your comments and feedback.

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