Tulip 'Apricot beauty' in a border.
I planted twenty bulbs a couple of years ago. Only two have come up this year or, rather, not been eaten by our visitor, the muntjac.
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#UK: Warning as #BirdFlu found in dead gull

by Sarah Turnnidge, April 2, 2025

"A warning has been issued after a confirmed case of bird flu was found in a wild herring gull.

"#Devizes Town Council has urged dog owners to take care after the bird was found dead in the town with H5N1 Avian Influenza as part of ongoing surveillance work.

"In a post on social media a spokesperson for the local authority confirmed #Wiltshire Council had been notified of the finding by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (3APHA).

"The public have been told to avoid touching dead or sick wild birds, their #feathers, or surfaces contaminated by #BirdDroppings.

"#DogOwners should keep their pets on leads and use footpaths, the APHA said, with people who keep poultry or other birds advised to wash their hands and #disinfect footwear after handling.

"The Health Security Agency has said the risk to public health is very low. [But remember -- it is deadly for cats, and can be passed from humans to cats].

"A spokesperson for Devizes Town Council said: 'We will continue to monitor the situation and keep the public informed of any developments.'

Source:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g2xx0jdr6o
#HPAINews #AvianInfluenza #AvianFlu #PetHealth #WiltshireUK #WildHerringGulls

The Flowering currant is in full swing. The bees love it but are proving camera shy.
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Stroll down the river.

At this time of the year, Frilly, our Weeping prunus 'Frilly Frock', is the star of the show. He had a good trim in the autumn and now that he has burst into flower, looks fantastic. Yesterday morning he brightened up a grey day.
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Two wood pigeons on the stone seat in the garden, grooming each other. Observed from the bedroom window. Spring. Love is in the air.
A rather voyeuristic photograph. I feel that I am intruding on a private moment.
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Today I learned that the Cherhill Gang existed - a gang of naked highwaymen who operated (as you'd expect) in the area around the #Wiltshire village of Cherhill in the 18th century. Apparently the nakedness was either to help prevent them being identified, or possibly to scare the people they were robbing into handing over their valuables. You'd hope someone would gave them a coat or two, at least...

Following on from yesterday’s post: After breakfast, the female did the catwalk thing to pose for me.
Bear in mind that they are perfectly wild ducks, though. They just feel relaxed with me and safe in our garden.

Third day in a row that ducks are here for breakfast but this is, where it becomes complicated. We are having some identification issues: I am pretty sure that today's are not the same.
As the previous ones did not show today, I cannot be absolutely certain. Maybe they are the same and she did her makeup differently today.

Comfrey in the stumpery. Sourced from a drift of self-sown comfrey elsewhere in the garden.
The bees love it but they were camera shy. I overheard them talking: “Oh. it’s him again with this thing that goes click. Looks like a giant eye. Very suspicious. Better wait and come back when he’s gone”, they said.

Elephants' ears are beginning to flower beautifully but the leaves, every last one, have been eaten. Bloody muntjac!
But then, I wanted a wildlife friendly garden, hence I am getting the wildlife, which is satisfying. Ah well …

Happy Equinox, happy Ostara. Properly spring now. The air smells sweetly of spring and the promise of the summer that is yet to come.
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Had to stop to take a photo when I saw this today:
Outside someone’s house a Derek Trotter (Del Boy, Only Fools And Horses) style Reliant Regal Supervan three-wheeler. Looking out the back window a female blowup doll. The owner probably thought it was funny but it does make him look rather like a blowup sex doll dealer. (No, I am not making this into a hash tag.)
Only Fools And Horses, for those who don’t know, was a British television sitcom, which ran from 1981 to 2003.

Seed trays on the living room floor - this is only part of it.
Sowed annuals, biennials and perennials today. 320 seed tray cells in all. Seems a bit over the top as I only wanted to plug a few gaps in borders. Don't know how it happened.

Been busy all last week cutting down the borders. With the temperatures on the up, I reckoned that everybody is out now of their winter quarters in stems and seedheads.
The photograph is of the middle third of the #garden, viewed across. Behind the camera is the greenhouse, a little more space and a tall hedge.
Later in the year, this area is filled with tall, flowering #perennials, ornamental #grasses and #wildflowers - you cannot see from one side to the other. It is beautiful, undisciplined and overflowing with nature.
At this time of the year it is just flat. I am anxiously waiting to see what will come back.

Managed to squeeze in a 50 mile circular bike ride around Wiltshire before getting back for an afternoon/evening of six nations. However it was a school boy error going to watch Wales against England at Pewsey rugby club. #Cymru . #Stonehenge #Wiltshire #Pewsey #Rugby #SixNations.