Two beautiful common small wild birds in the shrubbery at St. James's Park last Sunday

For a change it was sunny last Sunday after weeks of dull rainy days so my camera took me for a walk in St. James's Park, London.

Someone was feeding the birds and I was lucky enough to be able to photograph the following two beautiful common wild birds that were both briefly perching in a shrub with fresh young buds.

Great Tit

Blue Tit

These birds moved around so quickly, flitting in and out of cover, that I was very pleased to have caught them on camera!

Turquoise and white peacocks at Pendley

Last month I stayed overnight at Pendley Manor, near Tring.  There are some peacocks freely roaming around the grounds and there are signs in the car park informing guests that the peacocks have right-of-way.

Some tall stone urns are at the edge of the car park and this wonderful sight greeted us when we drove into the hotel grounds.

Brightly coloured peacock on top of stone urn with his feathers hanging over the side

Beautiful turquoise peacock showing off his long feathers

Later, whilst wandering around the hotel grounds, I came across a white peacock.  He was standing on the stone wall outside one of the hotel's communal rooms and surveying his domain.  His colouring is such a contrast to the red bricks of the building and the russet leaves on the nearby shrub.

White peacock standing on stone wall near russet-leaved shrub

Then this gorgeous white peacock decided it was time to jump off the wall and to wander further round the extensive hotel grounds.

White peacock getting ready to jump off the stone wall

They are lovely additions to a hotel stay and it was great to see such magnificent birds at close quarters.

Soggy summer in the park

It was lovely and sunny yesterday morning so I decided to go for another walk in the park.  It was a big mistake!  I forgot to take an umbrella and had not been there very long when the heavens opened. 

Luckily, there was no lightning, so I sheltered under a tree by the lake.  It was very pretty with a view of azaleas, irises and all sorts of greenery.

Shelter under the tree during heavy rain

 Also, in the distance, was a Mute swan and her cygnets.  There is a lot of green algae in the water at the moment, which does not look very attractive.  I suppose it must provide extra food for the waterbirds.

Mute swan and 6 cygnets in the rain

While I was still sheltering, a group of Mallards swam across the centre of the lake.  Well, it was good weather for ducks!

4 Mallards with Mute swan and cygnets in the background

I had to take shelter for quite a while.  In the end, I got fed up and gave up standing under the tree. Needless to say, I got very wet while walking to the underground station.  I had decided to take a tube train home rather than walk - I wonder why?

Autumn colours in St. James's Park

I love going for walks and looking at nature in London.  St. James's Park, right in front of Buckingham Palace, is very easy to reach and I go there a lot.

Autumn colours

I loved the colours there last October.

Berries and distant swan