11th  At last the swifts are back here. I walk through the woods and along to the park with the aim of seeing them and gratifyingly 5 or 6 appear briefly.  

The swift are still here but appear to fly together in a purposeful way suggesting they might be off soon. We’ve had six weeks without any rain. Some trees are beginning to shed leaves and gardens and grass are parched.  

10th May – Joy! A squadron of swifts over Sydenham this morning. SHW/DW flowering records: 1.5.18 hazel, oak, hawthorn, cow parsley, holly, dandelion, garlic mustard 11.5.18 sycamore, hawthorn, holly, bluebell, garlic mustard, wood millet, elder, cow parsley, herb robert, rowan, annual meadow grass, dandelion, cleavers, pendulous sedge, nettle, broom, common vetch, meadow buttercup, goat willow, […]

Five frogs in the garden pond. SHW/DW flowering record: 29.4.18 bluebell, wood anemone, primrose, dog violet, fringecups, wild garlic, thale cress, wild cherry

10th – A red-tailed bumblebee queen in the garden and a couple of large moths flying around the streetlights one evening near then.

19th – Rescued a frog which was sitting on the front door mat and popped him/her in the pond.

9th – Large flock of redwings in the chilly sun this morning.

21st  The sky was filled with swallows which I rarely see over the woods – perhaps a final feed before they set off.

13th – pair of sparrowhawks circling and mewing over the house.

16.7.17 Unidentified bumblebee on lavender. 30.6.17 Hummingbird hawkmoth on the red valerian in our garden.