Birds, including juvenile Great White Pelican chicks, in St. James's Park - 19th July 2026

I visited St. James's Park again hoping to see the new Pelican chicks as I walked round the lake

I saw a pair of Mute Swans with three juvenile cygnets from the bridge across the lake

Then I encountered one of the adult Great White Pelicans walking along a path at the edge of the grass

Further round the lake, I came across some pretty mauve Agapanthus flowers

a White Agapanthus flower

Beautiful red Roses

and some very pretty pink and pale orange Roses

Great Crested Grebe getting ready to dive

Black Swan sailing along the lake

At last, a view of two of the Pelican chicks standing near an adult under a tree on the island 

Grey Heron standing in front of tall wildflowers on the other side of the lake

Grey Squirrel sitting on a log

Lonely Giant Sunflower at the edge of a patch of wildflowers

I wandered back to the area near Pelican island

One of the Pelican chicks was at the edge of the lake.  The other three chicks and five adults were hidden in the shrubbery on the island.  I will have to try again another time!

The Pelican that I had seen earlier when I first began my walk was now on the path in front of the island where the chicks and other adults were sheltering and was wondering what all the fuss was about!

When I got back to the area where I first started the walk, I saw the Mute Swan family on land

Group of Mallard ducklings and adults in the water by the bridge

 

Flowers in the Evolution Garden and Waterlily house, plus butterflies and a fox in Kew Gardens - mid July 2025

Gorgeous Day Lily in the Evolution Gardens - it was the first time I had visited this part of Kew Gardens and it was amazing on a sunny July day

Very tall yellow daisy-like flowers

Bee-spotting lesson!

White Poppy

Plums in the kitchen garden

 

and Grapes

Large ladybird on top of one of the posts in the kitchen garden

Large bee in a pink Rose in the Evolution Garden

Shrub with fancy rose-coloured flowers

Very tall Sunflower

Absolutely beautiful multi-coloured pink roses on the end of a stem

Huge clump of purple Agapanthus with white Crinium Lilies in the background

Large Artichoke or Cardoon

Orange trumpet-shaped flowers - Campsis Radicans

White Crinium Lilies with the Agapanthus in the background

Large group of orange flowers - with one tiny red flower joining them!

Silver Sea Holly

View from the Evolution Garden with a temple in the background

Lovely large purple Clematis flower

Spiky yellow petals with a bee in the centre

Purple Waterlily in the Waterlily House

Pretty pink Waterlily

Two mauve Waterlilies with a reflection of the roof in the water 

Lovely tall white Waterlily

Huge Waterlily pads

Red-eyed Damselfly on a plant near the bridge over the lake 

Female Tufted duck with duckling standing by shrubs at the edge of the lake

Hybrid goose - maybe Domestic/Greylag mix???

Common Blue damselfly on an iris leaf at the edge of the lake

Meadow Brown butterfly on mauve thistle-like flower

Holly Blue butterfly on Purple Loosestrife

Pair of mating Common Blue damselflies

Crafty fox

View of Syon House on the other side of the Thames

Gatekeeper butterfly on Ragwort in the woodland garden