April Peters

@plantjunkie2

Noticer of nature. Garden dabbler. 🌱🐜🐝🕷️🪶 Shropshire UK 🇬🇧

4399 Siguiendo5077 Seguidores3444 Publicaciones

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April Peters@plantjunkie2· 19d

Fuchsia 🌱 #Shropshire #Bloomscrolling #gardenfeed #pink #FlowersonFriday

Fuchsias flower continuously from mid-summer to the early frosts, providing colour and interest with their pendent blooms. Their flowers are diverse, ranging from dainty and elegant to bold and bright, which makes them great additions in bedding displays, containers or borders.

April Peters@plantjunkie2· 20d

Star's Favourite dahlia. 🌱 #Shropshire #dahlia #Bloomscrolling #FlowersonFriday #gardenfeed #Beautiful

Dahlia 'Star's Favourite' boasts stunning, soft pink petals that curl upwards to reveal a sophisticated ivory white center. As a Cactus dahlia, it features long, thin petals that curve to create a striking, spiky appearance.

Dahlia 'Star's Favourite' flourishes in well-drained, damp soil and abundant sunlight. It can also thrive when cultivated indoors in warm, well-lit environments such as greenhouses with high-quality potting soil before being transplanted outdoors.

Plant Indoor: February-April
Plant Outdoor: May-June
Flowering Time: July - October
Max height: 90cm. from Farmer Gracy

April Peters@plantjunkie2· 20d

The BBC licence fee per household is £180 per year. They hound people relentlessly for not buying one as they assume every household watches the BBC. Numerous people have stopped paying. The BBC are looking at other ways to force people to pay for a licence. 😡

April Peters@plantjunkie2· 20d

Crazy Love Dahlia. 🌱😁 #Shropshire #gardenfeed #Flowers #Bloomscrolling #dahlia #Beautiful

Dahlia 'Crazy Love' is a stunning, highly sought-after decorative variety known for its soft, creamy-white petals that blush into vibrant lilac-pink or purple at the tips. Growing to about 90 cm (35 inches) tall, it blooms profusely from mid-summer until the first frost. It thrives in full sun and well-drained soil.
Tuber from Farmer Gracy.

April Peters@plantjunkie2· 24d

The Inclined Plane. 👍 @nationaltrust.org.uk #engineering #BlistHill #Shropshire

Key Facts About the Hay Inclined Plane:The Mechanism: Loaded boats descending the hill used gravity to pull empty or lighter boats up on parallel rails, a trip that took just 4 minutes.Dimensions: It stands 207 feet (63 meters) high and features a slope of about 7 degrees.Location: It is situated right on the edge of the Blists Hill Victorian Town and remains an excellent walking spot, complete with surrounding woodland trails.History & Preservation: It operated until 1894 and is the best-surviving example of a canal inclined plane. It is officially part of the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site.
Now under the care of The National Trust.

April Peters@plantjunkie2· Jul 13

When you're so focused on your food, you fly straight through the patio doors into my kitchen with said food in your beak. Then realise this isn't your territory. Drop the sparrow and leave. The sparrow survived. 😳🪶🌱 #Shropshire #UKwildlife #wildlivesmatter #SparrowHawk #Raptors

Female Sparrowhawk flew into my kitchen this morning. (not this bird). It was a close encounter for her and for me. Hopefully the sparrow has not died of shock. Luckily my husband was at work. He would have had a heart attack with a large raptor flying around the kitchen. He loves taking bird pictures but doesn't like them flapping near him. 😳

April Peters@plantjunkie2· Jul 6

It's teatime 🪶🌱 #garden #UKnature #UKwildlife #shropshire #wildlivesmatter #Shropshirebirding #SparrowHawk #Birdfeed #Raptors

Sparrowhawks are small birds of prey. They're adapted for hunting birds in confined spaces like dense woodland, so gardens are ideal hunting grounds for them. Adult male Sparrowhawks have a bluish-grey back and wings and orangey-brown stripes on their chest and belly. Females and young birds have brown back and wings, and brown stripes underneath. Sparrowhawks have bright yellow or orangey eyes, yellow legs and talons. Females are larger than males, as with all birds of prey.

RSPB information :

Sparrowhawk numbers plummeted in the 1950s and 60s, largely as a result of organochloride pesticides. These chemicals built up in the food chain and resulted in the shells of Sparrowhawk eggs becoming very thin and prone to breaking during incubation.

After these pesticides were banned, Sparrowhawk numbers recovered. However, between 1995 and 2023, Sparrowhawks declined by 25% and they now feature on the Birds of Conservation Concern Amber List.

April Peters@plantjunkie2· Jul 5

New to the world. 🪶🌱 #Shropshire #UKnature #UKwildlife #wildlivesmatter #gardenfeed #SparrowSunday #shropshirebirds

Conservation status
Despite their Big Garden Birdwatch success, numbers of House Sparrows have dropped by 60% in the past 45 years. In 2002, House Sparrows were added to the Red List of Conservation Concern.

Did you know?
House Sparrows are much rarer than they used to be – since 1970, almost 30 million of these little birds have vanished from the UK.

April Peters@plantjunkie2· Jul 5

I've told you many times before, I don't like my photo taken. 🤣🪶🌱 #Shropshire #UKnature #UKwildlife #wildlivesmatter #corvids #birdlife #WildBirds #crows #shropshirebirds

Carrions Crows (usually just referred to as ‘Crows’) are often seen on their own, flying low over fields and gardens, or sitting in trees or on fence posts looking for their next meal. You do also see them in pairs or small groups, and like most corvids, they become a bit more sociable in winter, even joining mixed flocks of Rooks and Jackdaws. They’re opportunistic birds and have a broad diet, eating everything from scraps on city streets, to seeds and fruits, carrion (hence their name), eggs and young birds. They will visit garden feeders, most often making nervous hit-and-run raids on open bird tables. RSPB

He visits most days at the front of the house. Waiting for the peanuts I throw out for him. 😁

April Peters@plantjunkie2· Jul 5

Dahlia, Magenta Festival 🌱😁 #Shropshire #gardenfeed #Flowers #cerisepink #Bloomscrolling #Insectsmatter @farmergracy.bsky.social

The Dahlia 'Magenta Festival' is a stunning decorative tuberous perennial known for its massive, vibrant fuchsia-pink blooms. Reaching heights of about 100cm, it is a fantastic statement plant for borders and cut flowers that blooms continuously from mid-summer straight through to the first autumn frosts.
From Farmer Gracy

April Peters@plantjunkie2· Jul 4

One of several tiny Masked Avengers. 🤣🌱🪶 #Birdfeed #UKnature #UKwildlife #UKbirds #Shropshire #UKbirding #shropshirebirds #wildlivesmatter #gardenfeed #bluetit

Recognizing a blue tit is straightforward thanks to their highly distinct plumage. Look for these key features:A bright, azure-blue crown and wings.A white face with a distinct black line running through the eye and around the back of the head.A vivid yellow breast and underparts with a greenish-blue mantle on the back.Behavior and DietDuring the spring and summer, blue tits feed primarily on caterpillars, spiders, and insects. In the autumn and winter, their diet shifts to seeds, nuts, and berries. They are incredibly agile and can hang upside down from thin twigs to reach food. They frequently visit UK garden feeders—check the RSPB Bird Guide for ideal food recommendations like sunflower seeds and suet.

April Peters@plantjunkie2· Jul 1

Brought both the kids for lunch today. 🪶🌱 #Birdfeed #UKnature #UKwildlife #UKbirds #Shropshire #UKbirding #shropshirebirds #gardenfeed #wildlivesmatter #jay

April Peters@plantjunkie2· Jun 30

Showing my kid the best places to eat around here. 😋🌱🪶 #Shropshire #UKnature #UKwildlife #wildlivesmatter #jay #Birdfeed #birdlife #Beautiful

Species information
Category
Crows and shrikes

Statistics
Length: 34cm
Wingspan: 55cm
Weight: 170g
Average lifespan: 4 years
Conservation status
Classified in the UK as Green under the Birds of Conservation Concern 5: the Red List for Birds (2021). Protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981.

Habitats
Heathland and moorland
Farmland
Woodland
Towns and gardens
About
The jay is a brightly coloured crow that can be found in woodland, parks and gardens. Surprisingly shy, its screaming call is most likely to be heard as it flies between trees - watch out for a flash of a bright white rump. Jays eat invertebrates, especially caterpillars and beetles, and are famous for enjoying acorns (and other nuts and fruits) during the autumn; they will also cache their finds for later. Jays are present all year-round, but are most obvious in autumn when they have to move about in the open more often, looking for food.
How to identify
A brightly coloured crow, the jay is unmistakeable. It is mainly pinkish-buff, with a black tail, white rump, black 'moustache', and black-and-white wings that sport a brilliant blue patch.
Distribution
Widespread, but absent from the north of Scotland.
Did you know?
The acorns that jays collect and bury in the autumn ready for the winter ahead, often get forgotten, growing into oak saplings and eventually trees. Woodland Trust UK

April Peters@plantjunkie2· Jun 25

Exploring dry land.🐸🌱 #Shropshire #UKnature #UKwildlife #wildlivesmatter #herps #Toads #pondlife #gardenfeed

Toadlets
Early in the spring, toads gather en masse to the ponds they were born in to go about their noisy and sometimes boisterous courtship over a couple of weeks. Once the spawn is laid, the adults hop off again, leaving their tadpoles to their own luck. Over the spring and summer those tadpoles will have been eating and growing, going from vegetarians to hungry meat eaters, and exchanging their tail for legs. By July, they are ready to leave the water and go make their way onto dry land. All together. Woodland Trust

April Peters@plantjunkie2· Jun 24

Bright yellow blooms. Really stands out in the garden, makes me smile. 😁🌱 #gardenfeed #UKnature #Garden #Beautiful #Flowers #blooms #Shropshire #loosestrife

Also known as large yellow loosestrife or spotted loosestrife. this species demands almost no attention at all, it’s tough, overwinters well, is suited to a wide range of habitats and spreads profusely along runners, not to mention that it’s very fetching when it’s in flower. Very similar to Yellow loosestrife but slightly larger. Dotted loosestrife has long upright stems that bloom mid to late summer with yellow flowers.

Took a cutting last year from my friends garden. Very easy to grow. Love it's vibrant yellow flowers.
I have it in the front and back garden. 😁

April Peters@plantjunkie2· Jun 23

When you put your washing out and it crisp dries in less than an hour. 🔥😳

April Peters@plantjunkie2· Jun 23

Here's a mama, she's been in and out of the pond this week. Too hot and dry for her.

April Peters@plantjunkie2· Jun 23

Some are almost ready to start their new lives on land. 🌱🐸 #Shropshire #UKnature #UKwildlife #wildlivesmatter #herps #Toads #pondlife #gardenfeed

April Peters@plantjunkie2· Jun 20

Dahlia from seed. Cactus mix. Love dahlias. 🌱 #Shropshire #Flowers #Garden #Beautiful #gardenfeed #dahlia #Insectsmatter

The real advantage in growing Dahlias from seed is that you get the best of both worlds. The first year will provide a very economical collection of bright flowers and each plant will produce tubers that can be carefully lifted at the end of the end of the season for storing and re-planting the following year.

Cactus Mixed produces large double blooms formed with slender pointed petals. This variety makes a lovely garden display and a superb cut flower because of its vibrant colour and its overall growing height of 90-120cm.
Half Hardy Perennial but treat as Half Hardy Annual. Kings Seeds.

Grown from seed, started in February this year. Hopefully I can lift it at he end of the year and look after the tubers for next year. Currently Blackfly love it. 😳

April Peters@plantjunkie2· Jun 9

My friend in the USA just sent me these wonderful Cecropia moth pictures.🐝🦋🐛 🐜 She knows how much I love nature and wildlife. #moths #Insectsmatter #inthewild #Insect #michigan #Nature