Summer at the wildfowl and wetlands place. I sat at the top of the tower looking out over the river. It's one of my favourite places, and somewhere I remember sitting around six months ago, watching the sun set. It's so different in summer. Cows grazing out on the salt marsh, flowers everywhere, ducklings and chickies.
The goose is a nene or Hawaiian goose, the world's rarest goose. It's a captive one, part of a breeding programme. The flamingoes are Caribbean ones I think, and the picture is especially for Dee who does like a nice flamingo. In the picture underneath the flamingoes there are two tiny moorhen chicks. In fact they had another brother as well, three of them, being shepherded around by their moorhen mum. The penultimate picture is an older chick. I love how huge their feet are. All the better for walking nimbly over lily pads.
The last picture is a day flying moth called a scarlet tiger I think. Butterfly Conservation say that it likes marshes, damp meadows and riverbanks so it's in the right place.
The planter with the lavender was in the cafe area. It had thyme, sage and curry plant in as well, and all of the planters were filled with herbs. They looked really pretty, and the pollinators loved them. A great idea for container planting, I'm taking notes.
I'm bracing myself for the last three weeks of term. There's always so much on the calendar right at the end of the academic year. And I'm still trying to do a little writing as well, I can't imagine I'll find the time for much in the summer holidays. The biggest boy has only fifteen more days of little school, then it's off to the vast pond of secondary school. He's ready though, and looking forward to it. Adventures await.
Wishing you all a good week. CJ xx
Those daisies! Wow. What a stunning sight. I love places like that. We have a botanic garden with a large lake in it, there are always ducks, geese and other waterfowl around. It's one of the best things about going there, actually. I wish you lots of peace and sanity in these last few weeks of school. It's always such a hectic time and I'm typically flat out by the end of it, but it's fun too and this year is an exciting one with your son moving up to secondary school. Best to all of you.
ReplyDeleteLovely summery photos. I've been seeing a lot of quite small butterflies (moths?) this summer on my runs, but I can never manage to photograph them. Good luck with all the end of term stuff - it's always so manic, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteWow.. you captured some great images, CJ! Isn't it amazing how fantastic a group of simple daisies can look. And pink flamingos? Sheesh.. how exotic! Loved the baby with the big feet.. pretty funny. Good job on your photos! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful daisies, potted plants and wildflowers. Wetlands are lovely places to visit, they attract all kinds of birds and insects, the butterfly is so colourful and that fluffy black chick sure does have big feet. :-))
ReplyDeleteHave a happy week dear C.J.
xoxoxo ♡
Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos, CJ. The daisies are especially spectacular to me! I hope you get the writing done you are working on and that the final swirl of school activities is full of happy times for you and yours. :)
ReplyDeleteit's great to get gardening ideas like that that herb and lavender pot - and something easily achievable at home.
ReplyDeletethat bigfooted fluffy moorhen chick is adorable! and obviously not afraid people - looks like he got pretty close to you.
Such cool photos here today CJ!! Such beautiful flamingos! And just a glorious setting all the way around!!! Wishing you all good things as the term comes to a close!! Let the adventures begin is right!!! Nicole xo
ReplyDeletelove those big feet!
ReplyDeletegood luck for the last few weeks of school x
Exciting times for your biggest boy starting a new adventure. Todays photos are stunning, the daisies symbolize the season.
ReplyDeleteI love those gentle little geese.
ReplyDeleteI smiled just reading the title to this post :o)
ReplyDeleteWell done indeed on the Scarlet Tiger- I rarely see them here so that's a good find. Tiger moths in general are declining in the UK so it's great to see yours.
Love all the birds and the babies with the ginormous feet. We get Moorhens in the garden here - their feet always remind me of green canoes! xx
Those daisies!!! Stunning. LittleR loves a flamingo (pink chickens....ostriches are big chickens). Good luck with the end of term. The ABO went on the hunt for a green t shirt for sports day this morning. Surprisingly hard to come by in the girls section!! I'm hoping it's not as hot as the forecast predicts on Weds!! Have a good week xx
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to visit the same place over the different seasons and see the different bits come to life. Lovely photos especially the daisies. :-)
ReplyDeleteI do love the daisies that are around at the moment; they're such cheerful flowers. I must visit Slimbridge again - years ago we adopted 2 nenes for 'the parents' - they were called Spike and Milly and they enjoyed a day out together to try and identify them - I can't remember if they were successful or not! I love moorhens' feet too; so comical. Good luck with the end of term - we're nearly there and it can't come quickly enough. xx
ReplyDeleteAn enjoyable post and lovely pictures. For some reason the word unfeasibly makes me smile. Your moth is indeed a Scarlet Tiger.
ReplyDeleteThanks, and you too. Flighty xx
Awww, those big feet did make me laugh, it looks like the wrong legs are attached to the body. It's brilliant to have somewhere as wonderful as this close by, there's so much to see and so many differences to note each time you go. Enjoy these last weeks of school, I miss mine being at primary school with all the end of school events which used to happen.
ReplyDeleteI miss the moorhens that used to nest in my parents' garden. Hope you all stay strong and fit for these last few weeks of term. The ox-eye daisies like the roses, the elderflowers and the strawberries (!) have been fabulous this year and I love your photos.
ReplyDeleteYou are SO RIGHT ......those ARE Caribbean flamingos. That's what FLO is! :-)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures! Love those moorhen feet! Glad I don't have to knit socks for THOSE long toes!
I am wishing you a good week, too! I am that for us the end of term madness is over. We are settling into a nice routine of doing very little. For now. Wouldn't it be nice if plays, concerts and whatnot were spread over the year? I am so much more interested in birds since I have been reading about them here. I never noticed before how many different kinds there are even here in the city. Thank you. Our little local moorhen had chicks but I don't think they have survived (too many urban foxes). I have only seen them once. I had no idea they have enormous feet. Cxx
ReplyDeleteFabulous to see so many daisies all massed together!!! That pot with the lavender etc is beautiful as well isn't it. I hope that you don't find the next few weeks of term too too exhausting and that you can still enjoy some fun in the meantime! xx
ReplyDeleteI love the daisies and those ENORMOUS feet!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love your ox eye daisy photos, so beautiful. I've really enjoyed seeing them everywhere this summer. And yes, we are feeling the effects of the countdown to end of term here too. I am mentally bracing myself. xx
ReplyDeleteThese boys do have a way of growing up on us, don't they know it isn't fair and they need to stay properly little for longer?
ReplyDeleteHugs to you my friend,
Meredith
Lovely post, CJ. Ox-eye daisies are stopping me in my tracks all over the place, they're just so cheerful massed together. The herb planter is a brilliant idea. I made one recently for my niece after the purchase of a nice cylindrical terracotta pot from Morrisons. There's a bit of a gap in the middle so lavender would be a great idea. (Scented pelargoniums was another, I have a few spares from cuttings knocking around.) Hope you can enjoy the next few weeks, I always used to find that the kids were exhausted by the end of the summer term - and hopefully some of this warm weather will last into the holidays! Have a lovely week, Caro x
ReplyDeleteGorgeous photos! I really want to take Lyla to a butterfly conservatory place, I think she's old enough now to really appreciate it and have fun. And your biggest boy in secondary school soon... ahhh!
ReplyDeleteThose daises are an amazing sight! I always enjoy your visits to the Wetlands and waterfowl place, one day I will get there! I have always loved flamingo's they always look so elegant and thei colour is so different to everything else. Sarah x
ReplyDeleteIs it true that flamingos are pink because of all the shrimp they eat? I'm sure I heard that somewhere! Lovely daisies and I can't believe the size of that chick's feet! We had junior sports day today, what a roasting hot day it was too. Due to a misapplication with the sun cream, I now have a very odd shaped sunburnt patch on the back of just one leg. Oh well, it's cargo pants for me tomorrow.. Xx
ReplyDeleteWe were trying to count ducklings earlier but they kept swopping places on the water and diving in among the reeds along the bank and we kept losing count. I think there were seven, here's hoping there are still seven next time we see them. One of the joys of living by a river is watching all the critters that live on, in, and along it :)
ReplyDeleteScarlet tigers are one of my favourite summer things - we usually have lots in the garden here, but the only one I've seen this year is the one pictured on the blog! I've been feeling a bit bereft, so thanks for sharing!
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