RobboJan's Naturetrek: New Arrivals In The Garden

Home – Tuesday 16^th June 2015

Bee Orchid

Today, I’ve seen the first Greenfinch fledgling in the garden. Altogether we have now had the following fledglings in the garden over the last few weeks: Blackbirds, Starlings, House Sparrows, Dunnocks, Rook, Song Thrush, Blue Tit, Collared Dove, Stock Dove and Robin.

We’re still getting Reed Buntings and Yellowhammers feeding in the garden so it would be good if we saw some of their fledglings.

It’s 11.45am and the garden is alive with insects: White Tailed Bumblebees, Tree Bumblebee, Blue Damselfly, various Hoverflies. There are plenty of birds as well and I’ve just spotted a Buzzard riding a thermal over the field behind us. It looks as if everyone is enjoying this Summer day.

We tend to let our grass grow a little longer than most people. We do it to allow Bees, Butterflies and other pollinators to have access to the grass pollen. This year is supposed to be a good year for Bee Orchids and allowing the grass to grow a little longer than usual will help them. As it happened our Daughter-In-Law, Dawn had photographed some on her Mum’s lawn just the other day. You can see her excellent pictures on her web site here:

http://dawnmonrose.co.uk/30-days-wild/

Because we’re a pair of old crocks at the moment, Jan with her wrists and me with my mobility problems our Son, Drew came and cut the grass for us today and found a Bee Orchid growing in our front garden, unfortunately it was only discovered after it was cut down but even so it is still beautiful. Perhaps a good lesson for us all. We have never had Bee Orchids before so it was completely unexpected and a wonderful surprise.