Seasonal Spotlight on Aberglasney (2): February 2010

I thought it might be interesting to compare the following photos with ones taken on 9 June 2009 at Aberglasney, the garden lost in time and home of the poet, John Dyer, Carmarthenshire, Wales, UK. So this is a second batch of occasional seasonal photographs.

'Hear the thrush, while all is still,
Within the groves of Grongar Hill'

John Dyer (d.1757)

• The House at Aberglasney (partly open to the public, often with exhibitions)

• The view from Aberglasney to Grongar Hill (the view from my favourite seat)

• The Upper Walled Garden (with Celtic design flowerbeds)

• The stream in Pigeon House Wood - my apologies: my eyes alighted on the robin, and I forgot to photograph the stream!

• The Cloister Garden: an early crocus
  

• The stream in Bishop Rudd's Walk

Invertebrate Life

• I did not take any photographs of invertebrates this time. I noticed a number of snails in the stone-work. I looked for insect life on the edge of the pond in The Pool Garden, but did not see anything. (We have seen newts and an eel here: my photo of an eel at Aberglasney is here)
  

Bird life

• This magnificent Red Kite was circling overhead.

• I think this was a Green Finch. It was hard to see, right in the tree top - but its yellow feathers glinted in the sunlight.

• I guess it was not surprising that there was no sign of the Pied Flycatcher we saw last June.

Plants

• Snowdrops (and at top of post)
  

• Early signs of a Bluebell
  
  
  
• Primroses
  

... And finally, for Aberglasney's literary links (Wordsworth, Gillian Clarke...), you may like to click here. I hope you have enjoyed this virtual visit to the garden.

Postscript
We drove home via the castle at Dryslwyn, where we saw a Nuthatch...

and a Tree Creeper...

Seasonal Spotlight on Aberglasney (1): POSTSCRIPT - Eels

P.S. Those who read my previous post will have read about the eels at Aberglasney: this is one we saw in the pool.

P.P.S. Speaking of eels (think: Sargasso Sea), Crafty Green Poet has reminded me that it is World Oceans Day. Do take a look at the links on her blog.

Beautiful Birds(1): Tree Creeper and Woodpecker

There were so many welcome signs of Spring this weekend after the long hard winter. The celandines were out in the banks, there were bumblebees on the crocuses, clumps of primrose in the hedge and green shoots that will eventually produce bluebells. It was lovely to watch the tree creeper going about its business at Aberglasney, home of John Dyer, 'Bard of the Fleece'. The Great Spotted Woodpecker was joining a band of chaffinches for a snack at Dryslwyn Castle.