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.
- Blackbird
- Blue Tit
- Feral Pigeon ā probably a few 100 today
- Great Tit
- Jackdaw
- Magpie
- Robin ā a few of these in the were in theĀ Grand Pavilion.
- Rose-ringed Parakeet ā new to life list.
- Woodpigeon
If I do go next year Iāll 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 ā 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 couldnāt 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
Wes Donze said on May 22, 2013
i am thinking of planting a couple of Rowan.
I was there yesterday too ā didn’t see a magpie though.
Saw the Robins in the main Pavilion.
There was also a Blackbird in there for a while ā 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 ā or maybe check out the Hampton Court show ā 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 Iām placed, Iāll be trying to be in Heidelberg Germany on the 13th or 14th for catching up with a friend thatās doing a talk there on I think the elemental make-up of distant galaxies, itās been a while since Iāve seen her work and sheās now back in Oz, so not 100% sure what sheās working onā¦ It all depends on cash, I havenāt travelled since October 2011 and then this year itās finally been a bit busier! Iāve missed it.
As for the Magpie it was down towards the band stage when I first got there at about 9.30am.
Didnāt notice the stand playing the blackbird or see it in the Pavilion, so many things to see and do, missed a few Iām sure!
Canāt wait to see if I can get there next year!