Montpelier flowers!

A few flowers around Montpelier this morning. Hairy Bittercress Cardamine hirsuta, Common Field-speedwell Veronica persica, Green Alkanet Pentaglottis sempervirens, Alexanders Smyrnium olusatrum and Hybrid Bluebell Hyacinthoides x massartiana.

A couple of flies were taking advantage of the early sunshine - a Scathophaga and a Greenbottle (probably Lucilia sp.)

A couple of Blackcaps were singing - one at Fairlawn Road and another at the station.

Hairy Bittercress

Hybrid Bluebell

Common Field-speedwell

Green Alkanet

Alexanders

Scathophaga

Lucilia

St Andrews Park!

I had a wander round the park while the sun still shone this morning and there were a few Redwings around together with several Blackbirds, a singing Coal Tit, several Carrion Crows and a Jay. A row of dwarf Daffodils were very attractive. One of the trees in the park had about 3 species of lichen growing on it. I'm no expert but these may have included Punctelia jeckeri and Xanthoria parietina.

Carrion Crow

Daffodil

Redwing

Possible Xanthoria parietina

Possible Punctelia jeckeri

Back in Montpelier a Common Buzzard flew over, harassed by gulls, and a pair of Ravens were hanging around St Andrews Road, also being ruthlessly mobbed.

Raven

Plants around Montpelier included Annual Mercury, Green Alkanet, Dandelion, Cleavers and Lesser Celandine.

Lesser Celandine

Annual Mercury

Cleavers

Green Alkanet

Dandelion

Not much insect activity despite the sunshine - just a Bluebottle fly (probably Calliphora vicina).

Bluebottle

Montpelier Park!

A cool but sunny morning - some bird activity in the park including a pair of Great Tits, a Blue Tit or two, a couple of male Blackbirds fighting, a pair of Robins (one flicking its tail so presumably a display), a singing Wren and a couple of Woodpigeons.

There were some insects too - my first Sawfly of the year was very sluggish in the cool weather - normally they race around - a Buff-tailed Bumblebee was also enjoying the sunshine. I'm 99% sure there was a Hairy-footed Flower Bee too but it just did not stop flying so I couldn't photograph it.

Sawfly

Buff-tailed Bumblebee

Green Alkanet was coming into flower and both Lesser Celandine and White Dead-nettle also in flower.

Green Alkanet

Bee Fly!

A Dark-edged Bee Fly was nectaring on Green Alkanet in Montpelier Park this afternoon along with a Mining Bee species which evaded a photograph. Bee Flies are cute little furry animals!

Dark-edged Bee Fly

A Willow Warbler was singing at the station this morning.

Montpelier Park

A singing Willow Warbler this afternoon and a Blackcap this morning in the park, plus lots of growing Green Alkanet and White Deadnettle on the slope.

Green Alkanet

White Deadnettle

Nearby at the station a Sparrowhawk flew over both in the morning and this afternoon! Also a Blackbird carrying food so likely to be young in the nest. A couple of Green-veined Whites on the disused platform and a Red-tailed Bumblebee.

Fairlawn Road

Some unseasonal flowers today: Green Alkanet and Herb Robert, both more to be expected in spring! White Deadnettle also showing well on the verges, although this plant tends to flower throughout the year, A mystery fungus was growing on wood waste - haven't been able to ID it.

Fungus

Green Alkanet

Herb Robert

White Deadnettle

Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit and Long-tailed Tit were the birds of note.