Flowers and birds in St. James's Park on 15th August 2024

Lovely Dahlia in a flowerbed near Birdcage Walk

Bride and groom posing in front of the flowerbed

Barnacle goose strutting on bare ground at the edge of the lake

Light-coloured Egyptian goose in the same area

All six Great White Pelicans were standing by the railings near the edge of the lake

The flowerbed near Horseguards Parade was full of beautiful Dahlias

Pink and yellow Lantana flowers in the same flowerbed

Canna Lily in an exotic flowerbed by the lake

Black swan having a drink

Bar-headed goose standing at the edge of the water

Mute and Black Swans wanting to be fed!

Female Mallard with young ducklings, one of which is blonde

Close view of a Grey Squirrel having lunch

Huge juvenile cygnet powering down the lake

A large swathe of lovely wild flowers at the Buckingham Palace end of the park

A patch of yellow Rudbeckia near the lake

 

Birds and flowers in Battersea Park - 4th August 2024

I began my walk at the lake where I saw mum Tufted duck with a row of six cute fluffy ducklings

The Mandarin drakes had lost most of their fancy-feathered summer breeding plumage and were resembling the duller-coloured females - apart from still having red beaks

Pair of Egyptian geese with five large fluffy goslings

Male Black-tailed Skimmer dragonfly on the path at the edge of the lake

After walking round part of the lake I made my way to the Old English Garden where a Damselfly was resting on the side of a white Water Lily

There were a few very tall Cardoons

...and this large seed head

There were lots of lovely Water Lilies on the pond in the centre of the Old English Garden

There were also Globe Thistles

...beautiful Agapanthus

...pretty white flowers

...and tall lemon Hollyhocks

A White butterfly with tattered wings landed on a flower

There were lovely pink and white Cosmos in flowerbeds near the river

Back at the lake a Great Crested Grebe was with a juvenile

In the distance, a large female dragonfly was ovipositing into the water

A young Grey Heron was standing at the edge of the lake

The Egyptian geese family that I had seen earlier resting at the edge of the lake were now on the move

A female Common Pochard was with two young ducklings