Flowers and wildlife seen during a birthday walk in St. James's Park in mid-April 2025

It was a sunny Spring day and the beautiful Cowslips were in flower

Gargi, the only Great White Pelican in the park that can fly, was a lonely figure standing by herself at the edge of the lake.  Her five Pelican friends were in the island enclosure and not allowed out due to the possibility of bird flu in the area.  Gargi, apparently, could decide whether to join them or not!

Nene/Hawaiian goose standing at the edge of the lake

Mute Swan on a nest at the far end of the lake

Grey Heron standing on a branch towards the top of a tree

Tulip city in the flowerbeds at the Horseguards Parade end of the park

Close-up view of a lovely blue Iris

Two Barnacle geese not looking at one another!

Pretty pink Cherry blossom on a tree at the other end of the park

White Ross's goose trying to hide away on the island in the lake

Bar-headed goose swimming on the lake

 

Mid-February 2024 visit to Battersea Park for birds and blossom

I went for a walk round Battersea Park in mid-February and enjoyed seeing the wildlife and signs of Spring in various parts of the park.

I began with a visit to the Mandarin ducks on the lake

Great Crested Grebe with golden reflections in the water

Patch of beautiful little Violets near the edge of the lake

I followed a Magpie along the path until it turned round and posed for me

A Moorhen walked tentatively along a horizontal branch

White Quince flowers at the edge of the path

A Grey Squirrel was practising some aerobatics and having lunch at the top of a tree

There were mini Irises in the Old English Garden

Pink Cherry blossom at the edge of the lake

A male Gadwall had something to quack about

Coral and white Quince blossom further along the path around the lake

Later on, several Mandarins were standing at the edge of the lake

Two Common Pochards swam past

Very relaxed male Mandarin duck

Spring flowers and birds in Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens towards the end of February 2024

I went for another lovely walk round Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens towards the end of February and was pleased to see an abundance of Spring flowers and some birds.

Lot and lots of beautiful Spring crocus at the entrance at Hyde Park Corner

Also some lovely bright yellow daffodils

and grass covered with dark purple mini irises

Bunch of pale primroses in the Rose Garden

Green Rose-ringed Parakeet perching in a tree covered with white cherry plum blossom

A Great Crested Grebe was resting near the edge of the lake

Cormorant standing on a post near the Peter Pan statue

Two Cormorants were perching on a fallen tree in the Long Water

Lovely pink cherry blossom near the Serpentine

Two male Gadwalls on the Serpentine

Very distant pair of Peregrine Falcons perching near the top of the army barracks tower in Knightsbridge - viewed while I was standing at the edge of the Serpentine lake in Hyde Park

Grey Heron standing on a nest in a tree covered with cherry plum blossom

Another Grey Heron perching in a nearby tree on the little island in the Serpentine

Redwings standing on bare earth in the Parade Ground after the Winter Wasteland had been dismantled