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Spring Allotment - Growing Colour

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  Rhubarb Bluebells Blackcurrants Unripe Asparagus and Buttercup

Blue tit juveniles squabbling over food. British Garden Birds

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Viva la Tulip!

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Red Stripe: The coloured jewel to brighten up a cloudy May. Bold Stripes Apricot Fool: The earth is awake after its winter sleep. Bumble Yellow : Food for bees When colours collide Double Ruff   Candy Floss: Sweet Thinking Pinky and Purpey Angels did Delight The bold and the beautiful

Spring has Sprung

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Apple blossoms ready to bloom, and the pear buds are emerging. Rhubarb alien about to birth, with tulips pointing skyward.

Stop Ruffling my Feathers

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Wing feathers create uniform windproof surfaces Arranged in an overlapping pattern like roof tiles, the waterproof tips are exposed to the elements and the fluffy bases are tucked close to the body. The longest flight feathers occupy the outer half of the wing and are controlled and rotated like rigid fingers, helping generate forward thrust. Interlocking velcro structure on bird feathers creates a smooth, flexible, and resilient surface that supports flight. Tail feathers, have an interlocking microstructure similar to wing feathers. The smaller feathers on the shoulder of the wing create a smooth, airfoil efficient region over the primary flight feathers, at the point where they attach to the bone. Tail feathers are important flight feathers, attached to the bone they are essential for steering The under feathers create a fluffy insulating structure.  Birds maintain their coat through regular preening t o ensure that every feather is in good shape.  Tail feathers, have an in...

The Blue Tit - Fearless Acrobats

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  Blue tits are tiny acrobatic birds seen as a flash of blue and yellow colour  from shrub to tree and through the long grass .    These fearless flyers can hang upside down on the tiniest twig or  at the tip long grasses as they scout for food.  They fly with in a 'bounding' style, alternating rapid wing beats with short moments where they pull their wings in to the side, creating an aerodynamic bullet shape, as they dive forward through the air.  In the summer they feed mostly on invertebrates (caterpillars, and other insects.)  In autumn they also eat berries and small seeds or nuts. They form groups with other small birds (such as great tits and robins) to forage and find food sources. They are colourful and acrobatic. With their tiny super hero mask.  They can hang upside down to feed.  The British Trust for Ornithology’s Garden Bird Feeding Survey says that Blue Tit numbers have declined 42% in the last 40 years. summer [ˈsəmər] s...

The Finger Tips of Bird's Wings - Primary feathers

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Primary feathers are the "fingertip" feathers, the longest on a bird's wing and the farthest away from the bird's body when the wings are extended. These feathers are attached to the bones of the bird's wing.   The skin and muscle is strong to provide support for the feather.  In flight, they are responsible for thrust.   This helps to propel the bird forward Each feather can be rotated individually to control flight directions  They can be adjusted for lift and air resistance. if the primary feathers are lifted and splayed, the bird's flight will slow and the altitude will drop.