Slow-worms enjoying the sun

The slow-worms in my garden have been enjoying the recent spell of hot weather. These beautiful legless lizards are delightful and of course completely harmless. They do in fact help the garden as they will eat small slugs and other garden pests.

They have been basking in different locations in our garden and I think there are at least 5 individuals as they differ in size, colour and whether their tail is still intact.

I rescued this little chap (or chap-ess) as it was about to slither into a bag of garden green waste while I was gardening destined for the green bin.

(I always tie them once I have finished to prevent frogs or other animals climbing inside)


This poor slow-worm was next to our green house on a very rainy day.

I thought it was dead at first, but it was alive but very cold. I brought it inside and warmed it with my hands.

Once it recovered I released it back in the garden in a safe dry spot.

Wren

The weather is still very cold and frosty. I watched a wren from the kitchen window foraging for food in the foligae on the side of the hut.

The wren is unmistakable with its rounded body and tail which sticks up behind. It is also very well camouflaged.

The wren also moves in almost a jerky movement, as it searched in the foliage and undeneath the rain gutter.

Small white butterflies egg laying

It was a hot sunny day yesterday. Several small white butterflies Pieris rapae in the garden feeding on the Buddleia bush and laying eggs on the nasturtium plants.


The butterfly is in the process of laying an egg. You can also see a few eggs that have already been laid on the leaf.

Blackbird gaping to keep cool

It was a hot sunny day. I noticed a female blackbird in the front garden gaping and spreading its wings to keep cool.

The blackbird was sitting in the shade of the buddleia bush, in an exposed position. I have witnessed this behaviour on quite a few occasions, once even in the shade of trees in the middle of a park.

The beak was open wide and it appeared to be panting, both designed to reduce the birds internal body temperature.


I was a bit concerned because there are several cats who pass through our garden as well as our own. However, after a while a passer by, walking noisily along the path the other side of the buddleia disturbed the blackbird and it flew off.