FLOWERS, INSECTS, AND BIRDS.

Dear fellow bloggers due to my left knee being very painful I have done very little visiting this week, spending most of my time lying in bed with the foot of the bed elevated to help reduce the swelling. A pkt of frozen peas was also useful  to apply every hour or so, and medication for inflammation every twelve hours Keeping the weight of my body off my knee is the best thing to do by keeping walking and even sitting to a minimum, so my lovely daughter Eva bought me my first Smartphone to keep me entertained, and I have been learning how to use this very sensitive devise which is so challenging. Images disappear at the slightest touch so I have to treat it with the upmost care, gently with tender care reminding myself that I must use less pressure when swiping up or sideways. Many people have a Smartphone these days and will know what I mean..This morning I saw an interesting french film, and the Euro news, but it has numerous channels, and I'm amazed at how far technology has come, ...can you tell I'm thrilled with my gift!

With the exception of one photo all these photos were taken in June and July in the garden. 

The Carpenter Bee.

    This flower just appeared in my garden. 

It is the Acanthus mollis plant 

otherwise known as Bear's breeches or Oyster plant. The Acanthus mollis plant has many health benefits. The roots are used in treating cough, asthma, leucorrhea, and paralysis. The shoots and leaves are used against bites of animals and insects, and the mucilage of leaves helps in the treatment of neuralgia and rheumatism.

Provençal Short-tailed Blue

Bee on yellow flowers.

Provençal Short-tailed Blue on Heather

Lang's Short-tailed Blue

Blackbird in full sun I see lots of Great-tits and Coal-tits but very few other birds  visit my balcony now,and the Blackbird has stopped coming.

Unknown insect..

Blue Hydrangea

 Bumble Bee on French Lavender

French Lavender

Cute and very tiny unknown insect.

Grasshopper.

Cabbage White Butterfly

A Jay on my balcony...

however the Jays are now infrequent visitors to my balcony.

Grasshopper.

One of my favourite plants in my garden the Mountain laurel

A closer look at these pretty flowers.

Flowers growing on garage roof tiles.

I found this Hare's foot Clover growing in the garden.

And to finish, sharing two different Jays on my balcony.

I will be linking up to Saturday's Critters, click on the icon on the side bar to see some amazing creatures from all over the globe.

BIRDS IN THE PARK

To conclude my visit to the park these photographs were taken on the same day, after the Hoopoes had moved away. I chose to stay in the same place sitting on the bench, and I was glad of the shade as the heat had risen, and the pleasant breeze that had greeted us on our arrival had dispersed. For a while I watched and listened for any sign of movement, but there was none, then quite unexpectedly a male Chaffinch flew down from a tree and landed quite near to me

I heard a flapping of wings and it turned out to be a Blackbird that had flown onto a branch of a tree just behind where I was sitting.

When I turned round I saw this tiny Thrush perched on another bench.

In a little patch of sunlight I saw the Jay directly in front of me.

Then a thrush came into view,....

and I followed it with my camera where ever it went

a little patch of sunlight makes all the difference.

As I walked towards Eva and Pedro I saw a Meadow Brown butterfly.

 

 I will be linking up to Saturday's Critters, click on the icon on the side bar to see some amazing creatures from all over the globe.

HOOPOES IN THE PARK

In June, Eva, Pedro, and I spent a couple of hours in the park. It was a hot day but there was a pleasant breeze, but even so we planned to keep in the shade. My intention had been to make my way to the river to find some dragonflies or damselflies or both if I was lucky, however on our arrival I saw what appeared to be the closed crests of two hoopoes in the tall grass, so I made my way towards them. They were hunting in deep shade which made photographing them very difficult, and I was on the wrong side of the sun. I knew that if I tried to walk around them, they might fly away, so I decided to sit down on a bench and shoot from a distance, or photograph whatever came my way. The photos I took are poor images but I'm sharing them anyway.

When they moved into the light, I still felt at a disadvantage.

but I stuck to the plan of staying where I was

and they gradually moved further and further away from me.

• until they were practically out of sight.

This is the only photo I managed to take of them both in the same frame.

Doesn't the one on the right look strange?

To be continued

Joining in the party at Saturday's Critters.