Today I was heading to London for a couple of things: The opening of an art exhibition where my Mum’s partner, Tony, always has several paintings on display, and then a trip to Harrow to pick up a harpsichord which we have been given. Nothing like a bit of variety in the middle of the week! The exhibition is always at the Mall Galleries, which are situated – perhaps unsurprisingly – on The Mall. Given the date this part of London was somewhat busy with preparations for a certain upcoming event!
I was fairly unlikely to add any birds to my year list today…..or was I?
London is the main home to a species which originated here as a small escape population, but rapidly built into a viable wild community and has now been accepted on the British bird list for many years. In some parts of London these birds are now even seen as a bit of a pest! They’re colourful but also very noisy, and easy to see – particularly if one flies right over you as you’re loading a harpsichord into a van in Harrow! A ring-necked parakeet.
Brenda writes: “There were no new flowers or moths today but I did see a lovely patch of germander speedwell in the churchyard in Wells, nestling within a patch of spotted medick. It’s probably the most striking of the speedwells with deep blue flowers and a white eye.”
New species for May 3rd:
Birds: ring-necked parakeet
TOTALS TO DATE:
Birds = 175
Moths = 25
Wildflowers = 73