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 ā€“ probably a few 100 today
  4. Great Tit
  5. Jackdaw
  6. Magpie
  7. Robin ā€“ a few of these in the were in theĀ Grand Pavilion.
  8. Rose-ringed Parakeet ā€“ new to life list.
  9. Woodpigeon

If I do go next year Iā€™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 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 couldnā€™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 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 Iā€™m placed, Iā€™ll be trying to be in Heidelberg Germany on the 13th or 14th for catching up with a friend thatā€™s doing a talk there on I think the elemental make-up of distant galaxies, itā€™s been a while since Iā€™ve seen her work and sheā€™s now back in Oz, so not 100% sure what sheā€™s working onā€¦ It all depends on cash, I havenā€™t travelled since October 2011 and then this year itā€™s finally been a bit busier! Iā€™ve missed it.

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

      Didnā€™t notice the stand playing the blackbird or see it in the Pavilion, so many things to see and do, missed a few Iā€™m sure!

      Canā€™t wait to see if I can get there next year!

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