Butterflies and Birds.

Same old weather again without the sun and a bit windier. As I sat at the pc this morning my attention kept getting distracted by the birds I could see out in the garden. First 3 chaffinches were bobbing about on the patio, then some sparrows followed by a robin. A pair of swallows kept swooping past the window but even though I went and checked all the other windows at the back of the house I couldn't see where they were going. I could see a magpie out in the field and a thrush was looking for worms. Peter came into the room and promptly asked what the brown bird with the long beak was - no idea from that description. Finally a tiny wren hopped about on the conservatory gutter. Naturally not one of these birds stayed still long enough for me to take a picture. A ringlet on a weed! in the golden marjoram.

When I did venture outside I was surprised by how warm it was. I'm still weeding the path around the pond, this side is taking much longer because apart from the creeping jenny that has crept all over the path there are more deep rooted weeds that have to be dug out if I don't want them growing back again. And I keep getting diverted and start weeding the beds next to the path. The butterflies are flittering all over the place though the wind is putting them off settling and feeding. When Peter walked past the bed of golden marjoram a whole cloud of butterflies rose up, mostly ringlets and large whites.
Down in the bog garden the astilbes are flowering well though I'm finding it hard to understand why with at least 8 or 9 varieties planted there they seem to be mostly pink or white. I'm sure I've planted some red ones as well. The overhanging branches are making that area a bit too shady so later in the year I'll be getting out my bow saw to make a few adjustments. And apart from some more general tidying up that has been my quiet day.