The Lemon Fool

I notice my first snowdrops are showing their colour this morning in Southern Perthshire. It is also trying to snow!

Dod

First croci coming into bloom for me down in sunny Winchester.

John

Two of our red roses are still flowering. Not yet Winter here.

It was perishing at the loch this morning - a NW wind gusting to 40mph. But there hasn't yet been a real winter - no ice on the loch, and very little snow on the hills. But the forecast suggests this is all likely to change in the coming week, with snow and deep frosts. I think I'll postpone my early seed planting.

redsturgeon wrote:First croci coming into bloom for me down in sunny Winchester.

John

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same here in west wales. (yellow).

I was in the Lake District for a few days at the end of last week, and saw an almost carpet of crocuses in full bloom in the gounds of Penrith church, and hazel catkins nicely extended in Borrowdale.

Got lots of small white flowers at the bottom of the garden. At low level, heather, and at bush level laurustinum.

More interesting, the bumblebees. Plenty of them, and they seem to have been around continually for most if not all of January. Yesterday was as cold as any day we've had, yet one buzzed up to me (some way from the flowers) as I went out in the afternoon.

Saw the first isolated groups of 2-3 European swallows last week, swooping over the newly harvested wheat and barley fields in the Eastern Ethiopian Highlands. Their numbers will build, particularly over the Central and Western Highlands, over the next months as larger flocks arrive, before they disappear again in early March. Saw them moving south last November as well, I always wonder where they have been and where they are going.
On the other side of the continent, at similar latitude, the cuckoos have begun their movement north. Selbourne leading after taking a sneaky short-cut across the Gulf of Guinea . . . .
https://www.bto.org/science/migration/t ... CNZDL5%2C1

BP

I was gazing out of my window yesterday watching the birds on the feeders in the garden and noticed a couple of blue tits paying close attention to a bird box I put up a few years ago. Its never been used so fingers crossed a mating pair settles in there this year

Skotch wrote:I was gazing out of my window yesterday watching the birds on the feeders in the garden and noticed a couple of blue tits paying close attention to a bird box I put up a few years ago. Its never been used so fingers crossed a mating pair settles in there this year

I understand they are very particular about the diameter of the entry hole. Blue tits and great tits have different requirements.

Also for some reason they will often appear to peck around the edge of the hole. I used to assume that meant the hole needed to be enlarged, and duly enlarged it, but the blue tits rejected it and great tits moved in.

I have since read that the pecking is just something they do, even when the hole is correct.

Had snowdrops in flower for nearly three weeks.

Bluebell leaves appearing. My frequent visits from a non-singing (female?) robin have become less frequent, but there are now two robins sometimes close to each other without fighting, and occasional robin singing, so perhaps they now hold a larger territory.

Niger seed is still being taken but usually without my seeing the goldfinches which seem to be the only customers for that.

Woodpigeons now stripping ivy berries.

I put some bluebells in last year, and the first flower is now appearing. Six mini-clumps appear to be coming up nicely. The location is behind a north-facing fence (i.e. on the north side). The first lavender crocuses are just flowering, and bluebell leaves are showing. I have masses of summer snowflakes, whose leaves are prolific, but too early for them to flower.

TJH

tjh290633 wrote:I put some bluebells in last year, and the first flower is now appearing. Six mini-clumps appear to be coming up nicely. The location is behind a north-facing fence (i.e. on the north side). The first lavender crocuses are just flowering, and bluebell leaves are showing. I have masses of summer snowflakes, whose leaves are prolific, but too early for them to flower.

TJH

I hope they are English bluebells, and not the dreaded Spanish imported variety?

Nimrod103 wrote:

tjh290633 wrote:I put some bluebells in last year, and the first flower is now appearing. Six mini-clumps appear to be coming up nicely. The location is behind a north-facing fence (i.e. on the north side). The first lavender crocuses are just flowering, and bluebell leaves are showing. I have masses of summer snowflakes, whose leaves are prolific, but too early for them to flower.

TJH

I hope they are English bluebells, and not the dreaded Spanish imported variety?

Should have said snowdrops. I have loads of bluebells, which include both sorts. Blue, white and pink. Again, they were here before our house was built. Scattered all over the place.

TJH

tjh290633 wrote:

Nimrod103 wrote:

tjh290633 wrote:I put some bluebells in last year, and the first flower is now appearing. Six mini-clumps appear to be coming up nicely. The location is behind a north-facing fence (i.e. on the north side). The first lavender crocuses are just flowering, and bluebell leaves are showing. I have masses of summer snowflakes, whose leaves are prolific, but too early for them to flower.

TJH

I hope they are English bluebells, and not the dreaded Spanish imported variety?

Should have said snowdrops. I have loads of bluebells, which include both sorts. Blue, white and pink. Again, they were here before our house was built. Scattered all over the place.

TJH

Oh dear. From what I have seen, pink and white varieties are Spanish thugs, along with blue (often a paler blue than English). They can be recognized as Spanish by having a broader leaf, lacking in scent, flowers all around the stalk rather than down one side only, and quite successfully invasive. There is a worry that, in time, they will hybridize with and replace the English bluebell.
In my area, the problem is also 3 cornered garlic, another Spanish invader, which spreads abominably.

Nimrod103 wrote:I hope they are English bluebells, and not the dreaded Spanish imported variety?

British as can be. Why, I had them specially imported from Gibraltar.

BJ

bungeejumper wrote:

Nimrod103 wrote:I hope they are English bluebells, and not the dreaded Spanish imported variety?

British as can be. Why, I had them specially imported from Gibraltar.

BJ

The only good bluebell to be found in the Mediterranean area:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Bluebell_(K80)

I heard a blackbird whistling enthusiastically this evening. Spring is in the air!

We did a 'lift the bed' hoover of the main bedroom.

If there's a surer sign of spring, then in all my years I've yet to discover it....

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

A couple of days ago the frogs appeared in our pond.

And we have a magnolia flowering, one bud at any rate.

On the negative side, I already had to cut the grass. PO was very lawn-proud, it has gone downhill somewhat since. We were told by a PO from the 70s that when they bought, what is now the main lawn was put down to leeks. Sounds a much better idea to me.
Not that I have anything against lawns, so long they are owned by other people.

V8