tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56039872214870112932023-11-15T13:02:52.176+00:00Diary of an English Country GardenThis is a diary of an English Country Garden - the birds, animals, insects, flowers, trees and fungus.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783670557671921373noreply@blogger.comBlogger167125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603987221487011293.post-6712156642896145612014-11-05T16:31:00.002+00:002017-04-01T21:21:29.357+01:00November ???<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_3482b.JPG"><img alt="Dahlia" border="0" src="https://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_3482b.JPG" style="border-image: none; border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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Summer has gone and autumn has been glorious - very mild and not much rain. Now it's November when thoughts are turning to Christmas and wrapping up warm in front of a log fire, and the garden is still in full bloom!
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_3456b.JPG"><img alt="Dahlia" border="0" src="https://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_3456b.JPG" style="border-image: none; border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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The Dahlias proved to be a great success this summer. The deer have not touched them and it is great to have a big showy display in the new flowerbed. They have flowered all summer and are still flowering. These photos were taken this week - the first week of November!
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_3485b.JPG"><img alt="Dahlia" border="0" src="https://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_3485b.JPG" style="border-image: none; border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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For the last month we have been mowing the lawn and vowed that each would be the last cut of the year. Sadly, the grass is still growing and it will need yet another cut.
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This has also been a great year for moles, unfortunately. There are molehills all over the garden. What a mess. Last year's wet winter and this year's good summer have obviously created the perfect conditions. Not only are they tunnelling under the lawns, they are also in the flowerbeds pushing out all the bulbs sown for the spring :(
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The plants growing up the new archway have done very well and next year when they are fully established, I am sure it will look very impressive. Alongside the Dahlias, the Clematis climbing over the archway is still flowering like this one below.
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_3469-2b.JPG"><img alt="Clematis" border="0" src="https://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_3469-2b.JPG" style="border-image: none; border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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There has not been much wildlife around other than a brief glimpse of the muntjacs, roe deer and hares. However, the squirrels have been hyperactive burying nuts and acorns in the grass.
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I hope that winter will not be too harsh, but because of the wonderful autumn, at least it will be short!Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783670557671921373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603987221487011293.post-80364508380694015092014-07-17T22:28:00.001+01:002014-07-17T22:28:44.610+01:00A Beautiful Summer<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_2670b.jpg"><img alt="Dahlia" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_2670b.jpg" style="border-image: none; border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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I would hate to jinx the weather but this is turning out to be the best summer in many years. Just the right mix of rain and warmth to make the garden look really good and fine enough to be able to enjoy it.
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It is very hot and sticky today and forecast to be even hotter tomorrow. I love it!
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We have been making serious inroads into remodelling and replanting the garden. We have brought in some expert advice regarding the planting and maintenance and everything is looking very colourful. Mostly July is a very boring month when the spring flowers have finished and there is very little left to flower.
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We were advised that deer don't seem to eat Dahlias so planted some in our new flowerbed. They look stunning (see above photo) and so far uneaten! We have also planted lots of Clematis on the pergola and the new archway. Again lots of summer colour.
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_0009b.jpg"><img alt="Allium Purple Sensation" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_0009b.jpg" style="border-image: none; border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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Another addition to the flowerbeds this spring were the Alliums. Not a flower I had ever considered planting but these ones, Purple Sensation, were absolutely stunning. Thank you, Jane for suggesting them. We also planted Allium Christophii - not quite so colourful but massive blooms the size of footballs. We will definitely be planting more Alliums this autumn in the new flowerbeds.
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_2631b.jpg"><img alt="Green Silver-lines Moth" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_2631b.jpg" style="border-image: none; border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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There have not been so many butterflies this year, although the hot weather this week has brought more out - Peacocks, Comma, Fritillaries, etc. However, I have been spending time investigating the moths in the garden. I have occasionally been running a moth trap (a device with a bright light that attracts the moths and collects them in a container). It does not harm the moths and they are all released after I have identified and photographed them. The photo above shows one of the prettier ones, the aptly named Green Silver-lines.
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_2741b.jpg"><img alt="Roe Deer" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_2741b.jpg" style="border-image: none; border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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We have not seen much of the deer this summer except for the Muntjacs which are always hanging around. However, last week I saw the first fawns of the season. Mrs Roe has twins again this year. Unfortunately, I did not manage to get a photo of them all together.
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_2743b.jpg"><img alt="Roe Deer" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_2743b.jpg" style="border-image: none; border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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Last weekend I was watching a fox eating windfall apples (sadly not many apples this year). He was a fine looking creature and I managed to get a quick photo.
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_2769b.jpg"><img alt="Fox" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_2769b.jpg" style="border-image: none; border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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Finally, this year has been good for woodpeckers. There have been numerous Great Spotted youngsters on the bird feeders and there has been a pair of young Green Woodpeckers with their mother regularly on the lawn and down by the pond. No photos unfortunately.
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So a great summer so far for flowers, wildlife and weather. Long may it continue!Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783670557671921373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603987221487011293.post-69365558366577033762014-05-09T22:42:00.000+01:002014-05-09T22:42:11.777+01:00Spring in full swing<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/DSC03167b.jpg"><img alt="Garden Pond" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/DSC03167b.jpg" style="border-image: none; border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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Once again it has been a long time since I posted and springtime is in full swing. We have been very busy working on the house and garden. The garden developments are very exciting - a new patio area by the pond and lots of new plantings. In addition, we have built an archway over a new pathway which will become a significant feature of the back garden.<br />
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The picture shows the new bridge that was built over the pond last year. I will post more photos of the new developments when the plants are more established.<br />
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Getting back to the wildlife - a sad story for Mr & Mrs Mallard. She laid 14 eggs in the bole of a tree by the pond. Unfortunately, the nest was not very good and all the eggs fell out! I guess one of the magpies had a real feast. Such a pity because it would have been lovely to have 14 ducklings in the pond. The couple are still together by the pond so maybe they will try again?<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_1045b.jpg"><img alt="English Bluebells" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_1045b.jpg" style="border-image: none; border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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The bluebells have been lovely this year. They were very early and are now fading back already. They are such a spectacle it is sad to see them disappear so quickly.
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_1084b.jpg"><img alt="English Bluebells" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_1084b.jpg" style="border-image: none; border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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The butterflies have been doing well this year, probably because we had a very dry spell in early April. I have seen orange tips, brimstone, peacocks, commas and lots of whites. The brimstone in the photo has really great camouflage against the primroses.
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_0892b.jpg"><img alt="Brimstone Butterfly" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_0892b.jpg" style="border-image: none; border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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There is a baby muntjac at the moment sticking closely to its mother, but I have yet to see any roe deer fawns this year. They should be born around this time and I have no doubt we will catch a glimpse soon.<br />
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The other birds are having more success than the mallard ducks. There is a pair of long-tailed tits nesting in the berberis on the front lawn and a pair of great tits busily feeding their brood in the nesting box on the pergola. Lots of new life. I love springtime!
Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783670557671921373noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603987221487011293.post-13921182770368842152014-02-27T20:34:00.000+00:002014-02-27T20:34:23.127+00:00Wildlife of Africa<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/wildlife-of-africa.jpg"><img alt="Wildlife of Africa" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/wildlife-of-africa.jpg" style="border-image: none; border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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I have finally completed my new web site - <a href="http://www.wildlife-of-africa.com/" target="_blank">Wildlife of Africa</a>.
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I have been fascinated by Africa for many years. It is a spectacular continent, teeming with wildlife and home to some of the most majestic animals on the planet.
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I decided to put together a web site similar in style to English Country Garden to maintain a record of the animals, birds, flowers and trees that I have seen and photographed. I have researched each and tried to include some useful information.
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You can visit the web site at <a href="http://www.wildlife-of-africa.com/">www.wildlife-of-africa.com</a>. I would appreciate any feedback and also would love to be informed of any inaccuracies.
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I will be adding to it frequently because I still have photographs that have not yet been included/researched. We are also planning another trip later this year.
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I hope you enjoy it.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783670557671921373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603987221487011293.post-45393005825116155382014-02-18T16:51:00.000+00:002014-02-18T16:51:30.652+00:00Rain, Wind and More Rain<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_0068b.jpg"><img alt="Storm damage" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_0068b.jpg" style="border-image: none; border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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I have not
posted for a long time mostly because there has been little to say about the wildlife or the garden. However, it has been a miserable winter - storm after storm coming in from the Atlantic depositing huge quantities of rain.<br />
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We are lucky to live at the top of a hill so have not suffered the terrible floods like so many others in the country. Absolutely devastating for them.<br />
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We have had some awful winds and have lost 5 trees already this winter.<br />
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Last Friday’s storm was the worst I have seen since the hurricane of 1987. It started in earnest around lunchtime and howled and poured until the early hours of Saturday morning. It is a complete miracle that our power stayed on. I had candles and torches distributed all over the house and filled the flask to make sure we had a hot drink in the morning but luckily we did not need them.<br />
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The photo above shows one of the trees that came down - a massive silver birch.<br />
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On the positive side, we have had no snow and the temperatures have been reasonably warm.
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_0017f.jpg"><img alt="Snowdrop" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_0017f.jpg" style="border-image: none; border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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Spring is most definitely on its way. We have snowdrops, daffodils, primroses and crocuses in bloom but the ground is so sodden that it is like a quagmire trying to get close for photographs.<br />
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This photo is a beautiful double snowdrop. I am not sure which variety because we did not plant it but looking closely it is quite exquisite.
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_0080b.jpg"><img alt="Poor Robin" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_0080b.jpg" style="border-image: none; border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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The animals have been quite elusive this winter although I have caught glimpses of a baby muntjac with its mother.
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There are lots of birds around including this poor little robin. I am not sure what is wrong with it. It's head is almost completely bald. It has possibly been in a fight (robins are very territorial) or maybe it is something like mites.
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My bird feeder was another casualty of the storm, so I have ordered a posh new one. We are making some big changes to the garden so hopefully I will have more photos when everything starts to grow again in the spring.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783670557671921373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603987221487011293.post-4358169635655830042013-10-30T20:36:00.001+00:002013-10-30T20:36:38.660+00:00A Trip of Hares<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_1466b.jpg"><img alt="Brown Hare - Lepus europaeus" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_1466b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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We have had a lot of hares in the garden all summer but yesterday afternoon there were six of them right outside the conservatory! Too good an opportunity to miss, so I got the camera out and got a bit carried away.<br />
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Hares are one of my favourite creatures and they seem to be thriving these days, which is very good news. I think they like the combination of fields in front of our house, woods to the side, lots of luscious lawn grass and windfall apples.<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_1424b.jpg"><img alt="Brown Hare - Lepus europaeus" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_1424b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_1423b.jpg"><img alt="Brown Hare - Lepus europaeus" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_1423b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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I was wondering what is the collective noun for a group of hares? So, I looked it up and there are lots of them - husk, flick, drove, down, leash, mute, trace, and probably my favourite, a trip of hares.
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I am hoping next spring to get some photos of them "boxing".<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_1523b.jpg"><img alt="Brown Hare - Lepus europaeus" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_1523b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_1518b.jpg"><img alt="Brown Hare - Lepus europaeus" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_1518b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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For late October, the weather has been unseasonably warm. I am happy about this because the grass seed that we planted by the pond is coming through nicely. However, on Monday we had a very bad storm, predicted well in advance by the Met Office. It was forecast to be the worst storm since the hurricane in 1987 when we lost six big trees and had no electricity for a whole week.<br />
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I am happy to say that although very wild, it was not as bad as 1987. We lost part of our electricity supply for a day and a half, but suffered no other damage. Surprisingly, there were no trees uprooted, just quite a few branches down.<br />
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The clocks went back last weekend, so sadly, the darkness of winter is closing in :(Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783670557671921373noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603987221487011293.post-19156907637565850712013-10-13T22:44:00.000+01:002013-10-13T22:44:10.959+01:00A Fruitful Autumn<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_1069b.jpg"><img alt="Roe Deer eating windfall apples" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_1069b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
It is a long time since I have posted due to other commitments, but
this year has certainly been interesting.
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We started with a dreadful spring followed by a summer that was better than average, temperature-wise. Autumn has been fairly changeable but certainly not cold. We have had no frosts here yet and probably less than average rainfall.<br />
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However, the conditions have obviously been just right to produce a massive harvest of fruit, nuts and berries. The apple trees are groaning under the weight of fruit. I have stashed bags full of blackberries in the freezer. The oak trees are laden with acorns and the horse chestnuts have more conkers than I have ever seen before.<br />
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Of course, this is all good news for the animals who are constantly present under the apples trees gorging themselves on windfalls.<br />
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The photo above shows a couple of roe deer. The photo below shows a muntjac and even the hares have been getting in on the act along with crows, jackdaws and jays.
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_1132b.jpg"><img alt="Muntjac eating windfall apples" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_1132b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_1113b.jpg"><img alt="Hare eating windfall apples" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_1113b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_1145b.jpg"><img alt="Roe Deer eating windfall apples" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_1145b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a><br />
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The recent rain has also brought out the fungi - various types of inkcaps, parasols, honey fungus, boletes and sulphur tuft. Here are a few photos.<br />
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The Hare's Foot Inkcaps are intriguing. They are very delicate, open up like a flower and only last a few hours.<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/cimg5200b.jpg"><img alt="Shaggy Parasol Mushroom" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/cimg5200b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/cimg5176b.jpg"><img 0="" alt="Hare's Foot Inkcap border=" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/cimg5176b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/cimg5181b.jpg"><img alt="Glistening Inkcaps" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/cimg5181b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a><br />
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We have been very busy with some long overdue reorganisation of the garden. We have had the pond dredged and tidied up and it is quite transformed with a new bridge and waterfall. The banks of the pond were quite steeply sloping which made it difficult to get close. We have reduced the slopes and hopefully next year I will be able to get better photos of some of the pond life.<br />
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It was very frustrating this summer. There were huge numbers of dragonflies but I was unable to get any photos.<br />
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We are also planning to create new flowerbeds around the pond but we will not be planting until the spring.<br />
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Look out for better pond photos next year!<br />
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We have also been reorganising the flowerbeds around the house. They had become rather overgrown and untidy.<br />
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We have created a fern garden below the kitchen window in a spot that does not get a lot of sun and is usually quite damp.<br />
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We have planted Hellebores for winter colour and hundreds of new spring bulbs. I really cannot wait to see the results next spring. I will be sure to post some photos.<br />
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The garden reorganisation does not stop there and we will be working outwards from the house to get the other flowerbeds in better shape next spring.<br />
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Let's hope that the winter will be kind to us.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783670557671921373noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603987221487011293.post-57763606348889736002013-07-28T23:03:00.005+01:002013-07-28T23:06:54.799+01:00Summer with a Vengeance<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_0484b.jpg"><img alt="Small White Butterfly" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_0484b.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 380px;" /></a>
Since last posting, summer arrived with a vengeance. Until this weekend we have had virtually no rain for weeks. The temperature went up and stayed up, some days over 30 degrees centigrade, which is not a regular occurrence in this country.<br />
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We missed the thunder storms that have been moving across the country and the lawn is quite brown.<br />
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This is the first extended hot and dry period that we have had for quite a few years and there are some wildlife benefits - the butterflies have been out in force! Much has been written about the plight of butterflies and moths which have struggled for survival in the last few summers with the adverse weather. Hopefully, this year will see them bounce back. There are hundreds of them in the garden at the moment and I have been taking a few photos.<br />
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There are a lot of whites, both large and small. The photo above shows a small white.<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_0613b.jpg"><img alt="Gatekeeper Butterfly" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_0613b.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 380px;" /></a><br />
There are also dozens of Gatekeepers, shown above. They love bramble blossom and can be identified by the two white pupils in the eye spot.<br />
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The next is a Small Tortoiseshell taken in the conservatory. Not a very interesting background to the photo but I included it because it shows the detail on the wings so nicely. I have not seen any Tortoiseshells for several years so it was a welcome visitor. No photos, but I have also seen Peacocks, Red Admirals, Brimstones and Commas.<br />
<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/CIMG5073b.jpg"><img alt="Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/CIMG5073b.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 380px;" /></a><br />
Other news in the garden - the jackdaws that I mentioned in the last post seem to have disappeared to be replaced by a family of crows. Interesting that I did not see both in the garden at the same time.<br />
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We have a cherry tree that each year bears fruit. However, as soon as the berries start to ripen, the birds come along and strip the whole tree. The berries usually disappear within 24 hours. But not this year. For some reason the birds are not eating the cherries and I don't understand why. Too many other things to eat perhaps? Something wrong with the berries? This is the first time in more than 25 years that we have lived here. Very strange. Photographic evidence below.<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/CIMG5079b.jpg"><img alt="Cherries" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/CIMG5079b.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 380px;" /></a><br />
Plenty of apples on the trees this year, too. Last year there were no apples or pears at all.<br />
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Finally, I have not had time to get any decent photos of the roses which are doing very well this summer. But, I thought I would include this quick snap of one of the roses just outside our kitchen door. We just planted it last year and it is very pretty.<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_0659b.jpg"><img alt="Rose" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_0659b.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 380px;" /></a><br />
Fingers crossed that the summer weather continues!Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783670557671921373noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603987221487011293.post-89849318908295854582013-06-30T21:53:00.003+01:002013-06-30T21:53:44.084+01:00Twins Again!<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/DSC01136b.jpg"><img alt="Roe Deer Fawns" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/DSC01136b.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 380px;" /></a>
Each year in May we usually see the new born roe deer fawns. This year, however, I was beginning to wonder if there were any until just a couple of days ago when Mum brought them into the garden. They are quite big already but still have their spots. I guess they were born in early May and Mum has kept them well hidden. They were very frisky - full of energy. I hope they will be back so that we can watch their progress.<br />
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Summer, if we can call it summer, is very disappointing. We had a week of good weather in early June but since then it has been cold, changeable and dreary. We have even had the central heating on some days :(<br />
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The usual flowers are out in the garden but this year we have a good crop of roses. We have planted climbers growing up the walls of the house to try to deter the deer from eating them. So far, the deer have not found them. Fingers crossed. When I have time, I will try to photograph some of them because the individual blooms are quite exquisite.<br />
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It is the silly season again. Last week, I was in my office when there was a bang on the window. I went outside to find a young Nuthatch which had flown into the window. It was okay, just a bit stunned so I took the opportunity to grab a photo. It flew off happily after a few minutes.<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_0046b.jpg"><img alt="Nuthatch" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_0046b.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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We have a new addition to the birds on our feeders.<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_0114b.jpg"><img alt="Jay" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_0114b.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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We always have Jays around in the garden but normally they are very shy. It is only recently that this one has taken to feeding on the feeder.<br />
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Another newcomer (or should I say newcomers because there are dozens of them) in the garden this year are the Jackdaws. I mentioned that they were nesting in the barn owl box and they obviously had a very successful brood. They must have invited all their friends because they are hanging around the the garden all day and there must be fifty or more. They are very noisy and not one of my favouriote birds but I will try to get some photos.<br />
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Let's hope that summer it still going to arrive properly and that I have some decent weather to get outdoors with my camera.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783670557671921373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603987221487011293.post-27567592993632691622013-05-09T21:27:00.000+01:002013-05-09T21:27:05.667+01:00A Very Late Spring<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_8770b.JPG"><img alt="Bluebell" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_8770b.JPG" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a><br />
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It has been a long time since I last posted. Too many things happening at home. However, I have still been watching and photographing the happenings in the garden, even though there has not been any opportunity to post them.<br />
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Finally some semblance of spring has arrived - weeks late. The bluebells are out and should reach their peak by next week. This is the most wonderful time in the garden but everything is suffering from the unseasonal weather. A short interlude of warm weather in the last week has changed to howling gales, blowing unpollinated blossom from the trees.<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_8681b.JPG"><img alt="Daffodil" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_8681b.JPG" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a><br />
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The daffodils put on a nice show this year and also the primroses - thousands of them!<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_8701d.JPG"><img alt="Cherry Laurel" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_8701d.JPG" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a><br />
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The Cherry Laurel is covered in blooms.<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_8758b.JPG"><img alt="Ash Flowers" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_8758b.JPG" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a><br />
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I managed to get some nice shots of the ash tree flowers this year. When you look close, they are absolutely fascinating and easy to recognise with their black buds.<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_8468b.JPG"><img alt="Roe buck in moult" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_8468b.JPG" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a><br />
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The roe deer have been moulting in the last few weeks and look very scruffy. These photos were taken in late March when there was still some snow on the ground. There are two roe bucks that have very impressive antlers this year. Of course, the antlers on a roe never grow particularly big, like the red deer, for example, but they do give an indication of age. The photo below shows the velvet hanging off the antlers.<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_8550b.JPG"><img alt="Roe Buck in moult" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/IMG_8550b.JPG" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a><br />
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Another very exciting sighting recently is the stoat! Sadly no photos yet, but we have seen it a couple of times in the front garden.<br />
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The hares are also doing well. There were five of them in the field over the garden fence this morning.<br />
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Next to look out for are the baby roe deer which should, hopefully, be born around now. We usually see them out with their mother at the end of May.<br />
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The birds are frantic with their nesting. A pair of Jackdaws have taken up residence in the Barn Owl box :( I would prefer Barn Owls!<br />
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The Blackbirds are doing really well this year.<br />
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Another odd sighting - one Saturday afternoon, in broad daylight, a bat was flying around the back garden.<br />
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I am hoping that we will get a reasonable summer this year so that the wildlife can get back to some semblance of normality. Fingers crossed again!Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783670557671921373noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603987221487011293.post-81153128950651092322013-03-23T22:54:00.000+00:002013-03-23T22:54:35.804+00:00What happened to Spring?<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/DSC00366b.JPG"><img alt="March Snow" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/DSC00366b.JPG" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a><br />
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It's officially springtime but I am not sure that Mother Nature realises this! What a long winter this has been and there is no let up.<br />
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We had a couple of inches of snow (5 cms) in the last 24 hours. That is very little compared to some parts of the UK and we had little disruption. However, the plants and trees still think it's winter. There are no traces of green on the trees.<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_8423b.JPG"><img alt="Pheasant in the Snow" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_8423b.JPG" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a><br />
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The animals and birds are also confused. The cock pheasants are following the females around the garden displaying their beautiful colours. The females are not interested. Today's snow dampened this guy's ardour.<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_8356b2.JPG"><img alt="Crocus" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_8356b2.JPG" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a><br />
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Some of the plants are soldiering on despite the weather. The snowdrops have almost finished flowering and these crocuses were making the most of some of the rare sunshine a couple of weeks ago.<br />
<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_8378b.JPG"><img alt="Snowdrop" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_8378b.JPG" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a><br />
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Springtime is my favourite time of year. It is Easter next week. Can we please have some decent weather to get out in the garden and enjoy it?Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783670557671921373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603987221487011293.post-55788839875032504752013-01-26T16:37:00.000+00:002013-01-26T16:37:35.346+00:00Big Garden BirdwatchThis weekend, the Big Garden Birdwatch is taking place in the UK. Hopefully thousands of people will be taking part by counting the birds spotted during the period of an hour, any time during the weekend. The results are submitted to the RSPB and provide useful feedback about the health of the UK bird population.<br />
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I did my hour this morning, just watching the birds I saw in the garden from the comfort of my house!<br />
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The day dawned bright and sunny and the rain during the night has washed away most of the snow. There were plenty of birds and animals around making the most of the better weather.<br />
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Here is my count:<br />
<ul>
<li>2 x <a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/birds/blackbird.htm" target="_blank">blackbirds</a></li>
<li>3 x <a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/birds/blue-tit.htm" target="_blank">blue tits</a></li>
<li>1 x <a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/birds/crow.htm" target="_blank">carrion crow</a></li>
<li>2 x <a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/birds/coal-tit.htm" target="_blank">coal tits</a></li>
<li>1 x <a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/birds/dunnock.htm" target="_blank">dunnock</a></li>
<li>1 x <a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/birds/great-spotted-woodpecker.htm" target="_blank">great spotted woodpecker</a></li>
<li>3 x <a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/birds/great-tit.htm" target="_blank">great tits</a></li>
<li>9 x <a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/birds/long-tailed-tit.htm" target="_blank">long-tailed tits</a></li>
<li>2 x <a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/birds/magpie.htm" target="_blank">magpies</a></li>
<li>2 x <a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/birds/marsh-tit.htm" target="_blank">marsh tits</a></li>
<li>1 x <a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/birds/nuthatch.htm" target="_blank">nuthatch</a></li>
<li>6 x <a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/birds/pheasant.htm" target="_blank">pheasants</a></li>
<li>2 x <a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/birds/robin.htm" target="_blank">robin</a></li>
<li>2 x <a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/birds/stock-dove.htm" target="_blank">stock doves</a></li>
<li>11 x <a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/birds/wood-pigeon.htm" target="_blank">wood pigeons</a></li>
<li>1 x <a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/birds/wren.htm" target="_blank">wren</a>.</li>
</ul>
That is 16 different species in total and does not include the green woodpecker who came along a bit later and the sparrowhawk who was sitting on top of the bird feeder this afternoon!<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_8211bb.jpg"><img alt="Muntjac" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_8211bb.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a><br />
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It was good to see the sun today after a couple of weeks of very dull dreary and cold weather. <br />
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I have been putting food out for the animals and birds while the snow has been on the ground. One afternoon last week there were 5 muntjacs on the back lawn vying for the food! The guy above was one of them and was very aggressive towards another male who tried to get in on the act. He was a bit more condescending to the females and youngster.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783670557671921373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603987221487011293.post-746141161723907142013-01-21T20:15:00.000+00:002013-01-21T20:15:02.641+00:00A New Baby!<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_8178b.jpg"><img alt="Muntjac Mother and Baby" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_8178b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a><br />
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The snow is still here and it's cold and miserable, but my spirits were lifted this afternoon when one of the Muntjacs brought her new baby to visit!
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_8186b.jpg"><img alt="Muntjac Mother and Baby" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_8186b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a><br />
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This little cutie is probably only 2 - 3 weeks old. It is tiny and complete with spots and was keeping close to Mum.
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_8189b.jpg"><img alt="Baby Muntjac" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_8189b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a><br />
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I hope there is enough food to keep it alive in this bitter weather.
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_8190b.jpg"><img alt="Baby Muntjac" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_8190b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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Hopefully more photographs when it becomes a bit more adventurous!Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783670557671921373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603987221487011293.post-40739569439079201412013-01-20T16:51:00.002+00:002013-01-20T16:51:58.744+00:00Daffodils and Snow<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/DSC00073b.jpg"><img alt="January Daffodils" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/DSC00073b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a><br />
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An interesting week. On Wednesday I discovered this patch of daffodils in the garden which seem to have been flowering for some time. A touch of spring!<br />
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On Friday, winter arrived with 15 cms of snow.<br />
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Going back to Wednesday - a glorious sunny day tempted the Roe Deer family to visit. The doe and her twins born last May, who are now the same size as she is, spent most of the afternoon on the front lawn, eating anything they could find and washing it down with water from the bird bath!<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_7955b.jpg"><img alt="Roe Deer" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_7955b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_7955b.jpg"></a>
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_8030b.jpg"><img alt="Roe Deer" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_8030b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_8102ab.jpg"><img alt="Roe Deer drinking out of the bird bath" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_8102ab.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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The tough winter means the deer, both roe and muntjacs, are spending a lot of time in the garden. I guess there are more tasty shrubs and grass in the garden than in the woods. The Muntjacs especially visit numerous times each day.
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It snowed all day on Friday and the weather has remained dull and miserable ever since.<br />
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The bird feeders are overrun with small birds - blue tits, coal tits, great tits and long-tailed tits. The robins, blackbirds and pheasants are congregating beneath the feeders to catch to the crumbs and dropped seeds.<br />
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Here is a photo of one of the Muntjacs with a little robin in the snow, taken this afternoon.<br />
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The temperature has not risen above freezing for the last 3 days - tough for the creatures with little shelter.<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_8142b.jpg"><img alt="Muntjac and Robin" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_8142b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783670557671921373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603987221487011293.post-40529173054178652352012-12-31T16:25:00.000+00:002012-12-31T16:25:12.749+00:00Good Riddance 2012<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_7775b.jpg"><img alt="Muntjac" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_7775b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a><br />
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The last day of 2012 and true to this years form, it is continuing to rain. It's official - 2012 is the wettest year on record.<br />
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As I write this, it is pouring down and under the bird feeder outside the kitchen window there is a very bedraggled muntjac eating the bird seed alongside an even more bedraggled pheasant. No sign of any little birds - they are all sheltering from the deluge.<br />
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Looking back over the year, it has certainly been different to previous years, mostly due to the weather. The plants, animals and birds have all suffered. We started the year with a drought and unseasonably high temperatures in March. Everything changed in April when it became stormy and wet. It seems like it has been wet ever since.<br />
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We are lucky to live at the top of a hill and therefore not subject to flooding like some poor souls who have had their homes (and their Christmas) ruined. However, we have lost a few trees to the stormy winds. On the plus side, this winter has been remarkably warm so far.<br />
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Let's hope that 2013 will be an improvement for all of us.<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_7813b.jpg"><img alt="Muntjacs" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_7813b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a><br />
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Over the last few weeks, the deer have been frequent visitors. The Muntjac family are around every day like clockwork. The little one is growing quite big now and has lost its spots.
The photo above shows the buck and the doe.<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_7686b.jpg"><img alt="Roe Deer Twins" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_7686b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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The Roe Deer twins, born last May, are also regular visitors and are still sometimes seen with their mother. These photos, taken about 3 weeks ago, show
that the twins spend much of their time together. They are easy to identify because one of them has a small tear in one of its ears.<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_7672b.jpg"><img alt="Roe Deer" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_7672b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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Food must be in short supply in the woods because they came right up to the house in broad daylight when these photos were taken.
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_7700b.jpg"><img alt="Roe Deer" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_7700b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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As we say goodbye to 2012, I wish everyone a happy and prosperous New Year. Let us hope that the elements are kinder to us in 2013!
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<br />Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783670557671921373noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603987221487011293.post-15631230907600788982012-11-04T16:50:00.003+00:002012-11-04T16:50:39.545+00:00Happy Family!<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_6911b.jpg"><img alt="Muntjac Family" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_6911b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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Following on from my last post, I now understand completely why the muntjacs were so aggressive with the fox. I think the photo above explains it - a very happy little family!<br />
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It is quite unusual to be able to photograph the buck, doe and fawn together. This photo was taken through my office window. It was very sunny but the deer were in the shade, so difficult lighting conditions.<br />
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It is also interesting that they come each day at around 3.00pm. It used to be 4.00pm but they did not change their clocks when we went back to GMT from British Summertime!<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_6890b.jpg"><img alt="Muntjac Fawn" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_6890b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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The little one is a real cutie but likes to stay close to Mum.
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_6939b.jpg"><img alt="Muntjac Doe and Fawn" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_6939b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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Mum spends a lot of timing grooming it - giving it a good lick all over.
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_6905b.jpg"><img alt="Muntjac Doe and Fawn" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_6905b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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Autumn continues with lots of rain. The water table is now so high that the smallest amount of rain causes flooding.<br />
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Many of the leaves are still on the trees with some beautiful autumn colours but the evenings are now getting darker and winter is on its way.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783670557671921373noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603987221487011293.post-8474866896105953882012-10-16T21:04:00.002+01:002012-10-16T21:04:24.922+01:00Animal Wars<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_6802b.jpg"><img alt="Fox and Muntjac" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_6802b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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It is a long time since I posted. The reason being that nothing interesting has been happening in the garden - that I have seen, anyway.<br />
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Very little is flowering, the animals have been scarce - just the occasional glimpse of a roe deer, muntjac or hare, and nothing noteworthy is going on in the bird world . . . until this week!<br />
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A few days ago I went out for a walk and found a little bird dead on the patio. It had obviously hit the window. The interesting thing was that it was a little Willow Warbler (I think), a tiny, pretty little bird. I continued on my walk and decided to pick it up and put it in the bushes out of the way on my return.<br />
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When I got back half an hour later, all that remained was a pile of feathers and a few entrails :( I guess there was a magpie around somewhere with a full tummy.<br />
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The following day, early in the morning I was just getting down to work in my office when I saw out of the corner of my eye, a tail disappear into the shrubbery next to the driveway. I registered that I did not recognise the tail. It was furry (so not a rat) but definitely not a squirrel. I watched for a while and out came a stoat!<br />
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It was too big for a weasel so must have been a stoat. I could not see its tail this time, so was unable to check for the classic black tip to the tail. I grabbed my camera in a bit of a panic but sadly did not manage a photo before it disappeared. My first encounter with a stoat and no photo - I was devastated!<br />
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This morning dawned grey and cloudy but when I opened the curtains there was a battle going on between 2 muntjacs, a buck and a doe, and a fox. The fox was trying to attack them and they were attacking back, chasing the fox all over the garden.<br />
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The photo above shows a lull in the fighting. Sadly, it was still quite dark and so the photos I took were very disappointing. The furore lasted for about 15 minutes with the muntjacs barking furiously. They were not running away and were incredibly aggressive towards the fox. I noticed later that there was a youngster with them in the woods, which accounts for the aggression.
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_6831b.jpg"><img alt="Fox " border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_6831b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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Finally, the fox - a beautiful specimen with a magnificent tail, ran off out of view reappearing seconds later with a squirrel in its mouth!<br />
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I guess that it gave up the idea of venison for breakfast and settled for squirrel instead. It then raced off across the field for a peaceful meal.<br />
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Nature in the raw. It is great to witness the behaviour of these beautiful creatures.<br />
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But the day did not end there - this afternoon I spotted another dead squirrel on the front lawn and a buzzard and red kite squabbling over it. Once again, no camera to hand! However, later I managed to snap the red kite sitting in a tree at the corner of the lawn.<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_6846b.jpg"><img alt="Red Kite" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_6846b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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So, 2012 continues with some very unpredictable weather. Hardly any of the leaves have fallen from the trees yet and they are very late in changing colour.<br />
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After having no harvest of apples or pears, there were also very few blackberries or acorns. Luckily, there are plenty of Holly and Pyracantha berries which is good news for the birds.<br />
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The recent rain is bringing out the fungi and there is a good crop of Shaggy Parasols and Shaggy Inkcaps (although I don't feel confident enough to eat any of them).<br />
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I wonder what kind of winter awaits us?Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783670557671921373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603987221487011293.post-71547999258034364332012-08-26T21:09:00.001+01:002012-08-26T21:09:48.068+01:00Yo-Yo Weather!The summer continues with very unpredictable weather - a couple of days hot and humid, then cool, wet and windy. Yesterday there was a thunderstorm which lasted for about half an hour, with thunder rumbling away but no rain or lightning that I could see here.<br />
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The adverse weather is definitely having an effect on the trees and plants. We had lots of apples and pears on the trees and every one of them has dropped off before maturing. The muntjacs have had a feast under the trees.<br />
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This is a quiet time in the garden and I have not taken many flower photos recently apart from this Water Mint which is flowering in the pond at the moment.<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_5901b.jpg"><img alt="Water Mint" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_5901b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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There are plenty of squirrels around. Last week I had some grapes in the house that were past their best. I know the badgers love to eat them, so I threw them on the lawn where they could find them under the bird feeder.<br />
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Sadly they did not last long enough for the badgers to eat them. A squirrel launched in on them and I decided to take a few photos.<br />
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He was most amusing - when he was full there were still plenty of grapes left, so he then started digging up the lawn all over the pace to bury them! I don't think he realised that they are not like acorns and would rot away quickly underground.<br /><br />
<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_5970b.jpg"><img alt="Grey Squirrel" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_5970b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_5992b.jpg"><img alt="Grey Squirrel" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_5992b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_6000b.jpg"><img alt="Grey Squirrel" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_6000b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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Finally, there seem to be a lot of rabbits around this year. They really are pests because they dig holes all over the place. Here is a photo of a rabbit on the lawn with one of its offspring.
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_6035b.jpg"><img alt="Rabbit with youngster" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_6035b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); float: left; margin: 0px 10px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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This weekend is a holiday weekend with a day off tomorrow, so of course, there is rain forecast :(Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783670557671921373noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603987221487011293.post-32607620484502901992012-07-28T21:55:00.001+01:002012-07-28T21:55:14.491+01:00Hot, Hot, Hot!I don't recall a summer with so many extremes of weather. After weeks of cold and wet weather, it was all change this week. Hot and humid with temperatures over 30C (86F) - once again not the usual UK summer weather.<br />
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The warmer weather has brought out the butterflies and moths, but still not as many as usual.<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_5674b.jpg"><img alt="Purple Emperor Butterfly" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_5674b.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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I managed to snap this Purple Emperor butterfly yesterday. It was a bit difficult to get a decent photo being quite high in a tree but I think it is interesting because you can see the purple sheen on its wing which give it its name. Only the male has this colouring.<br />
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A piece of good news about the roe deer twins - I have now seen them with their mother a couple of times. My fears that something had happened to her were happily unfounded.<br />
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Just before this hot spell, the hares were spending a lot of time in the garden. I took a series of photos one day when a couple of them were right outside our conservatory. It had been raining so their coat was a bit damp, but I rather like some of the poses.<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_5483b.jpg"><img alt="Brown Hare" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_5483b.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_5513b.jpg"><img alt="Brown Hare" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_5513b.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_5621b.jpg"><img alt="Brown Hare" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_5621b.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_5625b.jpg"><img alt="Brown Hare" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_5625b.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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Finally, it seems to be the grasshopper season. There have been dozens them in and around the house. I keep picking them up on a piece of paper and depositing them outside, but they seem to leap straight back in again! There were 5 of them on our French windows one day last week.<br />
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The weather has now cooled down a bit to more "normal" summer temperatures. I hope the rain holds off at least for the duration of the Olympic Games.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783670557671921373noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603987221487011293.post-26571230276521898902012-07-14T17:24:00.000+01:002012-07-14T17:27:43.134+01:00Wet, Wet, Wet!<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_5308b.jpg"><img alt="Roe Deer Fawns" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_5308b.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 380px;" /></a>
Not much to report at the moment apart from the lousy weather. I don't actually recall the last time we had a full day without any rain :(<br />
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June was officially the wettest since records began and July is not looking much better.<br />
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We have been lucky not to be affected by flooding that other people in the UK have experienced. We live at the top of a hill so we feel relatively safe in that respect.<br />
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The weather has played havoc with most of the usual outdoor summer activities - village fetes and the like. But, it is a really tough year for wildlife, too. I have hardly seen any butterflies, moths, damselflies or dragonflies this year. The garden is normally teaming with insect life at this time of year.<br />
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The twin roe deer are still around but no sign of their mother. I am wondering if something has happened to her? There are also two Muntjacs hanging round under the apple trees most days eating windfalls.<br />
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A very strange event happened last week - and I missed it! A friend saw a mole above ground right outside my kitchen door! There is no doubt that it was a mole but it was on the patio and then started burrowing into the ground under one of my climbing roses growing up the pergola. Sadly no photo. I looked up this strange behaviour and my book says that moles are sometimes seen above ground in wet weather. So, it is not only us humans that are feeling disgruntled with this miserable weather! The strange thing is that there are no molehills around this year, so I have no idea what this little chap was doing or where it is.<br />
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When the weather allows I have been out watching the badgers at the sett. Their behaviour is also very strange compared to last year. I watched them for much of last summer and they would emerge from the sett at around 8.30pm and have a good scratch. This grooming would go on for 15 - 20 minutes. They would scratch themselves and then each other.<br />
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This year there is less grooming and when they emerge from the sett they start mock fighting. They have a good rough and tumble with each other, sometimes just two, sometimes three or four of them. I am sure they are not hurting each other but there is lots of squeaking and squawking. Very entertaining.<br />
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The weather has not been good enough to do much flower photography. Everything is being battered by the rain. St Swithin's day tomorrow and the weather forecast is good. I am hoping that the tradition holds true and the next 40 days and 40 nights will follow suit.<br />
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Fingers crossed!<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_5318b.jpg"><img alt="Roe Deer Fawns" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_5318b.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 380px;" /> </a>Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783670557671921373noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603987221487011293.post-7413167454598983732012-06-24T20:20:00.001+01:002012-06-24T20:20:32.947+01:00It's Twins!<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_5101b.jpg"><img alt="Roe Deer Fawns" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_5101b.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 380px;" /></a>
I know that the Roe Deer fawns are usually born in early May. However, Mum has kept them well hidden this year because I had not seen any until a couple of days ago. This year, it's twins! These two little rascals are now old enough to explore without Mum and I spotted them on our back lawn in broad daylight.<br />
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They were never still so taking photos was not easy. These two were the best I could get.
You can see their spots are just fading, so I guess they are a couple of months old.<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_5113b.jpg"><img alt="Roe Deer Fawn" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_5113b.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 380px;" /></a>
The weather has continued to be very unpredictable - a couple of days of decent weather followed by several horrible days with heavy rain and winds.<br />
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I have continued to try to photograph the flowers whenever the weather allows. The wind dropped suddenly the other day so I snapped these Primula.<br />
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I have never been a fan of Primula (except wild primroses which are so beautiful and delicate), but because the deer don't eat them I decided that it is a good idea for a bit of colour in the garden.<br />
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Whilst in Scotland on holiday the last couple of times, I have visited the gardens at Armadale Castle and Dunvegan Castle, both on the Isle of Skye. Both had beautiful displays of Primula and some really unusual varieties. When I got home last time I bought some and they are flowering nicely in the garden this year.<br />
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The one below is Primula Vialii, which originates from China. It is very pretty and above all untouched by the deer!<br />
<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_5090b.jpg"><img alt="Primula Vialii" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_5090b.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 380px;" /></a><br />
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Another shrub which has started to flower is Senecio greyii, also called Senecio Sunshine. Very aptly named because the flowers look like little suns and it is a very cheerful shrub with pretty grey foliage.<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_5261b.jpg"><img alt="Senecio 'Sunshine'" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_5261b.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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It continues to be a difficult year in the garden with the weather. The butterflies and moths are almost non-existent, which is very sad.<br />
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I am also watching the badgers regularly at the sett when the weather allows. I don't take photos but just watch these beautiful creatures at play.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783670557671921373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603987221487011293.post-48178948372324413132012-06-07T15:04:00.001+01:002012-06-07T15:04:32.098+01:00Flaming June?<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_4031b.jpg"><img alt="Juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_4031b.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 380px;" /></a>
British people are renowned for talking about the weather, myself included. It is not surprising because from one week to the next we don't know what to expect.<br />
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We had a heatwave in March. April was the wettest in the last hundred years. The rain continued into May but halfway through the month it changed into another heatwave. We sweltered in unseasonable temperatures for about 2 weeks and now it has changed back to winter!<br />
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We have stormy winds, heavy rain and it is so cold that we have turned the central heating back on - 2 weeks from mid-summers day!<br />
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This weirdness is also reflected in the garden. Some things have flowered early, some have hardly flowered at all, but sadly the wind and rain are damaging the blooms.<br />
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The baby birds have all been born early. There are dozens of squirrels, but virtually no moths or butterflies. Completely topsy turvy.<br />
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This leads me on to the photo above. We found this juvenile great spotted woodpecker on the patio. It had obviously flown into the window and stunned itself. I kept an eye open for predators to make sure it recovered before the magpies took an interest. At the same time I got this lovely close-up. The red head shows that it is a juvenile.<br />
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I am happy to say it flew off unharmed not long after taking this photo :)<br />
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I have continued to take more flower photos after building up the momentum with my April challenge. However, it has mostly been too windy to take flower shots outdoors.<br />
<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_4072b.jpg"><img alt="Columbine - Aquilegia" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_4072b.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 380px;" /></a><br />
I rather like this picture of Aquilegia. It is an intriguingly complex flower.<br />
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Below, is a close-up of the tiny Pyracantha flowers. I find it interesting that the anthers on the stamens are different colours on the same stem. Some flowers have orange anthers and other, white.<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_4132b.jpg"><img alt="Pyracantha Flowers" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_4132b.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 380px;" /></a><br />
It will be interesting to see how the remainder of this summer progresses. The year has been full of surprises so far.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783670557671921373noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603987221487011293.post-46283891010313671162012-05-27T21:12:00.000+01:002012-05-27T21:12:47.135+01:00A Sudden Change in the Weather<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_3839b.jpg"><img alt="Germander Speedwell" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_3839b.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 380px;" /></a>
2012 is proving to be a very varied year with respect to weather - even more than normal in the UK. After 6 weeks of horrible, cold, wet weather, it suddenly changed. The weather forecast did not even predict it. The temperature has been in the high 20's centigrade for the last week with the wind from the East. This is most unusual because our hot weather normally comes from the South. It is also very unusual for May when the temperature is normally 16-20 degrees. I won't complain - I love hot weather!
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The wild flowers are continuing to bloom in the garden. The photo above is Germander Speedwell. There are carpets of it blooming at the moment.<br />
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_3904b.jpg"><img alt="Common Vetch" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_3904b.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 380px;" /></a>
There are also huge clumps of Common Vetch in the flowerbed. Even though it is a weed, it is pretty and I don't feel inclined to pull it out.
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_3934b.jpg"><img alt="Star of Bethlehem" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_3934b.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 380px;" /></a>
I found a clump of this Star of Bethlehem. It must have seeded itself because I did not plant it.
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<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_3857b.jpg"><img alt="Bracken Frond Unfurling" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_3857b.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 380px;" /></a>
The bracken is also unfurling which makes a very pretty photo.
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Finally, this evening I saw a Red Kite feasting on something at the bottom of the garden. On closer inspection it was a pheasant. Sadly, I think "Hoppy" who I mentioned last week is no longer with us :(Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783670557671921373noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603987221487011293.post-8525792821149408492012-05-20T21:21:00.000+01:002012-05-20T21:22:33.764+01:00Beech Leaves and Partridges<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_3774b.jpg"><img alt="Beech leaves" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_3774b.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 380px;" /></a>
Since I finished my April challenge, the weather has not improved - grey, cold and showery. The plants and creatures are completely confused about the weather. The apple blossom finally came out weeks after the cherry and pear, but there are no bees or other insects around to pollinate.<br />
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The leaves are appearing on the trees and I love it when everything looks so fresh and green. I just had to take a photo of these pristine beech leaves before they they are nibbled by insects.<br />
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The birds are very busy feeding their young but there has been one casualty of the mating season. I have posted photos before of cock pheasants fighting. They are really quite vicious with each other. Well a couple of weeks ago, one of the pheasants was hopping around completely lame in one leg. Lo and behold, a day or so later, we saw another pheasant hobbling around with a sore leg! I have no idea whether they were fighting each other or whether there was another pheasant that has attacked both of them.
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The pheasant that was only slightly hurt seems to have recovered, but "hoppy" as we now call him, is still in a bad way. He can hardly put any weight on the bad leg and hops everywhere. When we see him, we put extra seed out for him, but sadly I think his days are numbered.<br />
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There has been a bullfinch around on several occasions landing on some plants just outside my office window. Unfortunately, I have not managed to get a photo.<br />
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The couple of red-legged partridges below have been in the garden for a few months and are inseparable. I guess they are nesting, but because we normally see both together, I guess she has not laid her eggs yet. I find them very strange looking birds with their bright red eyes. They are very nervous and don't hang around for long when disturbed.<br />
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We are eagerly awaiting sightings of the roe deer fawns this year. We normally see them during the last weekend of May. I hope this year will be no exception!<br />
<a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_3567d.jpg"><img alt="Red-legged Partridges" border="0" src="http://www.english-country-garden.com/images/blog/Img_3567d.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 2px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 380px;" /></a>
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<br />Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783670557671921373noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5603987221487011293.post-88161209001037426192012-05-20T21:02:00.000+01:002012-05-20T21:02:24.001+01:00New Web Site LiveI mentioned some time ago that I was working on a redesign of my web site <a href="http://www.english-country-garden.com/">www.english-country-garden.com</a>.<br />
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I am pleased to say that it is now live. There are still a few issues that need to be corrected but it's almost all there - more than 500 pages!<br />
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I have been replacing some of the old images with better ones on the information pages. I also wanted to showcase some of my best photographs so have created a series of photo galleries.<br />
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If anyone cares to visit, you may need to refresh your browser if you have visited before because all the page names are the same.<br />
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Any feedback (especially if you find any errors) would be gratefully received.Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07783670557671921373noreply@blogger.com0