Bird, wildlife and flower log, 29 July - 4 August 2013

This week I planted all the flowering plants I'd bought last weekend and hopefully they will continue to flower through the summer, which will be good for the bees and insects.

I love it when the lavender flowers appear and of course I love the smell too!  I have several types and I can't remember which one this is, maybe Munstead or Hidcote.  I didn't label and I know that I always regret it when I don't!

Lavender © 2013 Natasha Forder

It's still busy with blackbirds, with several young all around the food tray or under the mahonia bush at the same time.

This year I seem to have missed the young woodpeckers being fed in the garden by their parents, but I've seen lots of activity from the young ones on the fat blocks.  This week I also saw a woodpecker at one of the ground level drinkers, which is unusual.  I only ever see this when it is really hot, or really cold.  So I guess the usual drinking source was not available.

There are at least three young robins around.  They are all at different stages.  One still looks very "baby", another the chest feathers are changing to red and one in between.  And they certainly have the robin attitude!

Birds	Wildlife and Insects	Flowers
Blackbird – male, female, juvenile	Grey squirrels	African daisy
Great spotted woodpecker - male, female, juvenile	Snail	Geranium
Chaffinch - male, female	Slug	Rose
Greenfinch - male, female	Backswimmer	Lavender
Blue tit - adult, juvenile	Bees - various	Daisy
Great tit - adult, juvenile	Large white butterfly	Lily
Dunnock - adult	Peacock butterfly	Hostas
Robin - adult, juvenile	Brimstone butterfly	Honeysuckle
Jay - adult, juvenile		Birdsfoot trefoil
Magpie - adult		Hemerocallis
Crow - adult		Cats Ear
Collared dove - adult		Oregano
Woodpigeon - adult, juvenile		Marjoram
Nuthatch - adult		Thyme
Goldfinch		Montbretia
		Ragwort
		Gaura cherry brandy
		Gaura lindheimeri belleza
		Penstemon pensham czar
		Lobelia x speciosa fan salmon
		Ceratostigma plumbaginoides
		Coreopsis grandiflora rising
		Coreopsis sunray
		Gaillardia sunburst yellow