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July 31
The end of a very dry month and when we open our bedroom
shutters we see wood pigeons dust bathing on the dust dry lawn. But a
shower passes across and they fly off. The thistles are turning to seed
and yesterday I saw goldfinches feeding on them -- the first time I
have seen and heard them since spring
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July 29
I opened our door and there was a great flurry of activity
in the laurel bushes. They were full of scrawny looking blackbirds who
continue to scrabble away in their depths along with blue tits and
great tits. The blackbirds, presumably, were immature youngsters who
become very common at this time of year in the garden. The blackberries
are beginning to ripen and the lawn is littered with fallen mulberries.
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July 27
The other center of activity is the large lavender bush
which is always full of bees cruising from one flower head to the next.
The Speckled Woods are also searching for nectar and today a Cabbage
White was also fluttering around
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July 26
The Mulberry tree is very much the center of attention in
the garden at the moment. The berries are black and juicy and
attracting the birds. The wood pigeons thump off at the slightest
provocation and the blackbirds are enjoying the feast. I saw one very
guilty looking bird today with a Mulberry in its mouth hopping off into
the holly tree. But the most distinctive birds of this season are the
starlings who are always making little rustling sounds in the tree and
surrounding bushes, you hardly ever see them in the act but they are
always there secretly gobbling up the harvest.
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July 20
Butterflies are not profuse in the garden but they put in an
appearance. One of the most common is the Speckled Wood and for the
first time I was able to get some good pictures. Also there were two
Gatekeepers, appropriately enough, fluttering around the gate into the
garden
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July 16
The berries and fruit are beginning to emerge. On the
Mulberry tree leaves are streaked with dark red where the starlings and
other birds have begun to feed on the ripe fruit on the top of the
tree. Further down within reach green is turning to red and dark fruit
peeps out between the leaves. Also dark green plums are swelling in the
plum trees lost in the wilderness and the brambles are smothered with
unripe fruit and just here and there a black berry emerges shining in
the sun.
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July 15
I came home from three weeks away to a dry and parched
garden. The early summer flowers have gone and although the lavender is
flowering, and the hollyhocks, everything is dominated by the greens
and browns of high summer. And overnight it rained. Leaving the garden
still brown wet and smelling of them. Green Mulberry's poke out from
under the big green, leathery leaves and the elderberries are beginning
their journey to fruity blackness
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