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

 

Visit to Upton Country Park, near Poole, Dorset on 13th July 2024

It was a lovely morning, so I walked from Rockley Park to Upton Country Park where I saw some playful young calves

There were lots of lovely flowers in the walled garden

Sea Holly

Dahlias

Pale lilac Poppy with bee

More Dahlias

I walked along to the water's edge and saw a Little Egret and Black-tailed Godwit

There was a large group of Black-tailed Godwits in summer plumage some distance away

Unfortunately it began to rain, so I headed to the shelter of the bird hide.  

An Oystercatcher had been digging in the mud.

A Black-tailed Godwit in winter plumage was also looking for food

It was raining quite heavily and I was stuck in the bird hide for a couple of hours!

Little Egret in the rain

The rain eventually stopped.  Here is a view of the railway line that crosses Holes Bay with the Twin Sail bridge in the distance.  This needs to be repaired and, with the twin sections of the bridge in the air, has been out of use for some time.  There is a Little Egret and a Black-tailed Godwit in the foreground.

I called in at Lychett Bay on my way back to the mobile home park and saw a pair of Mute Swan with two little cygnets, one of which is the white Polish version.  It then started raining again!

 

Lovely flowers at Upton Country Park, near Poole, Dorset, in October

 I spent a week in Poole during October and, on the first day, I visited Upton Country Park.  Below are photographs of the house and some of the beautiful flowers in the Walled Garden.

Front view of Upton House

Rear view of Upton House

Beautiful Orchid

Fuchsia

View of a corner in the Walled Garden

Wonderful mauve/white Dahlia

Purple berries on a shrub

Robin perching on a shrub with hanging flowers

Dahlias

Lovely hanging flowers - I don't know what they are called

Frilly Dahlias