In the Garden

[Robin]

Oh, lovely, @eggyg! That prompted me to think, oh, ours haven't come up this year…and go and look for them. There they are, completely hidden by a thuggish Phygelis that’s grown up in front of them, (now pruned within an inch of its life!) and some rather slug chewed irises. They haven’t done as well this year, but there are still a few hanging on.

 

[eggyg]

I’ve put this on the gardening thread as I can’t find my bird thread. But it was in the garden TBF.

We’ve both been busy this morning, Mr Eggy in the garden and me cooking. So no time for watching the birds. We sat down for lunch at 12.30 and although it’s quite a windy day the finches and jackdaws were all over the feeders. Goldfinches, chaffinches, greenfinches and a male siskin. I then spotted something “different” grabbed the binoculars and then my camera but it flew away. I was mad. Half guessed at a linnet but as I’ve only ever seen them once in East Yorkshire I wasn’t sure. Finished our lunch and I was tidying up,when Mr Eggy shouted “ he’s back”. Grabbed my camera, fired off a few shots through the French windows. He was really enjoying the sunflower hearts and was happy mixing with the other birds. Downloaded photos and got out my Collins. Similar to a linnet but the head and long tail was bothering me. I’ve now come to the conclusion it’s a male lesser redpoll. Never ever seen one anywhere in my travels. Can anyone confirm?

 

[silentsquirrel]

Looks more like a common redpoll?

 

[Leadinglights]

I’ve put this on the gardening thread as I can’t find my bird thread. But it was in the garden TBF.

We’ve both been busy this morning, Mr Eggy in the garden and me cooking. So no time for watching the birds. We sat down for lunch at 12.30 and although it’s quite a windy day the finches and jackdaws were all over the feeders. Goldfinches, chaffinches, greenfinches and a male siskin. I then spotted something “different” grabbed the binoculars and then my camera but it flew away. I was mad. Half guessed at a linnet but as I’ve only ever seen them once in East Yorkshire I wasn’t sure. Finished our lunch and I was tidying up,when Mr Eggy shouted “ he’s back”. Grabbed my camera, fired off a few shots through the French windows. He was really enjoying the sunflower hearts and was happy mixing with the other birds. Downloaded photos and got out my Collins. Similar to a linnet but the head and long tail was bothering me. I’ve now come to the conclusion it’s a male lesser redpoll. Never ever seen one anywhere in my travels. Can anyone confirm?

Looks spot on for a linnet, I have a RSPB pocket Birdfeeder Guide and it looks exactly like pictured in there.

 

[eggyg]

Looks more like a common redpoll?

It’s unlikely they’d be in our area. They’re just winter visitors and usually reside on the east coast. Unless it’s been blown over to the north west! I did think that at first but its tail isn’t as long or forked. It’s a mystery.

 

[eggyg]

Looks spot on for a linnet, I have a RSPB pocket Birdfeeder Guide and it looks exactly like pictured in there.

That was my first thought but the linnet’s head isn’t as red. I’ll have to do some more research I think.

 

[Leadinglights]

This looks pretty similar to your pic
*

 

[silentsquirrel]

It does have the 2 white lines on the folded wing that the RSPB site mentions, and pictures of linnets don't seem to. Usually east coast, but the map shown shows a bit of blue for winter on the west coast, though perhaps a bit further north than you.

We had a chough once in our garden in Newport (the SE Wales one) that shouldn't have been anywhere near!

It’s unlikely they’d be in our area. They’re just winter visitors and usually reside on the east coast. Unless it’s been blown over to the north west! I did think that at first but its tail isn’t as long or forked. It’s a mystery.

 

[Robin]

With the strong winds we’ve had recently, I wouldn’t worry about strict demarcation areas, they’re probably being blown all over the place. Looks like a redpoll to me. we used to have linnets at our old house, where we were closer to farmland and had a stream running through the garden, but I haven't seen one for years.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

My oldest and I have knocked some reclaimed/recycled scaffolding boards into a replacement garden table after our last one (based on a reclaimed cable drum) succumbed to dry rot. Luckily we were able to use some fence posts that had snapped at ground level for the legs, as the rest of them was in great shape.

The shade sail went up yesterday too - the official start of summer in our house. Though the wind is blowing a hoolie overnight so it’ll come down again this evening until Tuesday when it’s all calm again.

 

[Satan’s little helper]

My oldest and I have knocked some reclaimed/recycled scaffolding boards into a replacement garden table after our last one (based on a reclaimed cable drum) succumbed to dry rot. Luckily we were able to use some fence posts that had snapped at ground level for the legs, as the rest of them was in great shape.

The shade sail went up yesterday too - the official start of summer in our house. Though the wind is blowing a hoolie overnight so it’ll come down again this evening until Tuesday when it’s all calm again.

View attachment 29977

That’s a Victorian terraced house garden, if I’m not mistaken? Love the table.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

That’s a Victorian terraced house garden, if I’m not mistaken? Love the table.

Yes it is. Long, narrow, and almost exactly due south. Which oddly means (with the high walls) that it’s quite shady, apart from a blisteringly hot section in the middle of the day!

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

A little more work down the “shed end” yesterday, to extend the paving where the old shed used to be and give us somewhere to put the bikes. Just needs a little gentle rain to get the dry sand and cement mix to firm up a bit.

 

[Robin]

A little more work down the “shed end” yesterday, to extend the paving where the old shed used to be and give us somewhere to put the bikes. Just needs a little gentle rain to get the dry sand and cement mix to firm up a bit.

Hope the rain is gentle enough, we are forecast thunderstorms for this afternoon, it occurred to me it might see off my peonies, seeing a couple of red petals lying on your paving.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Hope the rain is gentle enough, we are forecast thunderstorms for this afternoon, it occurred to me it might see off my peonies, seeing a couple of red petals lying on your paving.

Ah yes, those are dropping from a rambling rose that scrambles way up above the back wall (Etoile d’Holland I think?). Stunning scent which is slightly wasted as all the flowers are waving about roughly 20 feet in mid air!

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

We decided to participate in our neighbourhood ‘Secret Garden’ trail (mostly as a motivation for me to sort out the end of the garden after the shed move. But my oldest also had a lot of fun reinventing some aged and battered ceramic gnomes and a few other garden ornaments from The Range to add some whimsy and things to spot for any little ones being dragged around.

 

[eggyg]

At last! We’ve had our first veg from the garden this year. Everything is so behind. I’ve had two courgettes and some new potatoes. Soz no photos, we’ve scoffed the lot we were so excited!

 

[Robin]

At last! We’ve had our first veg from the garden this year. Everything is so behind. I’ve had two courgettes and some new potatoes. Soz no photos, we’ve scoffed the lot we were so excited!

Ooh, your courgettes are way ahead of ours, I went on holiday at the wrong time, and only got them started very late. We had our first new potatoes yesterday, though, I’m growing them in pots on the patio so I can just go out with a fork and have a rummage if I need some for tea. Didn’t think to take a photo of them before we smothered them in butter and ate them!

 

[AndyGlos]

I don't have a garden as such. Living in the countryside in an old Mill and with woodland around the deer eat all the roses and other plants. I am totally spoilt though with other wildlife. I have stoats, nesting kingfishers, trout, badgers, foxes, buzzards, a tame robin, wrens but best of all otters. I took this picture this morning as the sun is out and the first butterfly I have seen this year.

 

[grovesy]

Following my faint and sustaining a neck pain ten weeks ago, and the bluming slugs eating most of my seedlings, my garden is getting a bit neglected.