Birds of Chelsea Flower Show

Managed a good day at Chelsea, ankle only went out twice and added 1 new species to year and life list (although I think I have seen oneĀ silhouetted on the sky last time I was in London.

  1. Blackbird
  2. Blue Tit
  3. Feral Pigeon – probably a few 100 today
  4. Great Tit
  5. Jackdaw
  6. Magpie
  7. Robin – a few of these in the were in theĀ Grand Pavilion.
  8. Rose-ringed Parakeet – new to life list.
  9. Woodpigeon

If I do go next year I’ll be catching the train, my preferred means of transport when I can afford it, even booking 6 weeks in advance East Coast Railways wanted Ā£240 per person return – Edinburgh to Kings Cross, I booked flights for Ā£45 return, then 2 days later ECR wrote saying they had Ā£28 tickets each way! Ā Still more expensive but I was rather frustrated as I knew Ā the train would have got me into the centre instead of Gatwick on the way in and Luton on the way out and I could bring back plants if I purchased any, instead I flew and couldn’t buy anything at Chelsea!

There were even a few places giving out free plants and I had to say no! Ā Terrible, they had a nice Rowan which would have been perfect for my garden, and hopefully attracting waxwings for years got come. Ā Wish I had of been able to, next year! Ā Now ECR need to get their cheap tickets up 6 weeks in advance like they used to!

 

Below are comments that got lost when the website went down.Ā 

2 responses to Birds of Chelsea Flower Show

  1. Wes Donze said on May 22, 2013

    i am thinking of planting a couple of Rowan.
    I was there yesterday too – didn’t see a magpie though.
    Saw the Robins in the main Pavilion.
    There was also a Blackbird in there for a while – it looked a bit agitated as one stand was playing birdsong that happened to be a blackbird song so the real one was wondering where it was as it could not see it
    Hope you get to come along another year – or maybe check out the Hampton Court show – it is on a bit later in the year

    http://www.rhs.org.uk/Shows-Events/RHS-Hampton-Court-Palace-Flower-Show/2013

    • KiwiGav said on May 22, 2013

      Thanks Wes, hope you had a great time and I really want to do it again. Also the WWT was a great suggestion, managed 2 new species for my life list. Will get the list up tomorrow, about midnight here and exhausted.

      Love to go to Hampton Court! Will see how I’m placed, I’ll be trying to be in Heidelberg Germany on the 13th or 14th for catching up with a friend that’s doing a talk there on I think the elemental make-up of distant galaxies, it’s been a while since I’ve seen her work and she’s now back in Oz, so not 100% sure what she’s working on… It all depends on cash, I haven’t travelled since October 2011 and then this year it’s finally been a bit busier! I’ve missed it.

      As for the Magpie it was down towards the band stage when I first got there at about 9.30am.

      Didn’t notice the stand playing the blackbird or see it in the Pavilion, so many things to see and do, missed a few I’m sure!

      Can’t wait to see if I can get there next year!

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