Walk round the lake and visit to the Old English Garden in Battersea Park - 3rd September 2026

I began my walk by the lake where I came across these two grey/white pigeons - I don't normally take photographs of pigeons, but I had not seen any in this colourway before

There were not many ducks on the lake, apart from the usual Mallards and Coots, but this female Common Pochard was amongst them

There were some lovely berries on this shrub at the edge of the lake

A Jay was perching on a tree branch - unfortunately in a dark area so I had to lighten the picture

Pampas Grass in the sunlight near the lake

I saw a Willow Emerald damselfly perching on a stem

and a Speckled Wood butterfly on a leaf

and also a Common Darter dragonfly resting on railings

There were still some beautiful pink Roses in the Rose Garden

and some purple Verbena

Huge Cardoon plant with lots of seed heads in the Old English Garden

Waterlilies in the pond in the Old English Garden

I sat on a bench under the Wisteria and relaxed for a while looking at the pond and fountain

There were still a few flowers on the Wisteria

There was a fringed curtain of green algae hanging all round the fountain bowl

Huge seed head in the Old English Garden

Lemon Hollyhock flower

Another pretty Waterlily

and another view of the pond and fountain with the Cardoon plant in the background

Beautiful dark pink Hollyhock flower

Back in the main part of the park, I came across flowering Yucca plants

and some lovely orange berries

Back at the lake, there were two female Mallards - one blonde and one in normal colouring

A dog had entered the lake and disturbed the water birds - the Mute Swan hissed loudly at it!

 

Birds and flowers in Thornwick Bay, East Yorkshire - 5th June 2026

I arrived in Thornwick Bay during the early afternoon and was able to move into my accommodation straight away - this was the pleasant view through the front window of my mobile home

After unpacking, I went for a wander round the site

A Barn Swallow was sitting on the top of an outside light on a storage building

Male Chaffinch singing from the top of the hedge round Thornwick nature reserve

Tall Ox-eye daisies inside the nature reserve

Male Gadwall on the water at Thornwick Pools

Speckled Wood butterfly on a leaf inside the reserve

Wild Orchids and Ragged Robin flowers near the water at Thornwick fishing lake

Lovely yellow Water Iris at the edge of the lake

Goldfinch sitting on a fence

Another Goldfinch at the top of a hedge

Female Linnet on a thin stem

Wild Orchids among Buttercups in the gorge leading to the sea at Thornwick Bay

Rocks in Thornwick Bay

Deep crevasse in the cliffs in Thornwick Bay

Pretty white flowers on the cliff in Thornwick Bay

Meadow Pipit sitting high up on a cable

Lovely yellow flowers at the holiday park

Pair of canoodling Wood Pigeons on a fence

Vipers Bugloss at the edge of an expanse of grass at Thornwick Bay