Sparrows, unknown flowers and bees
Hello again! Today I'm going to tell you about a Sparrow that I saw on my drive. Because there's ivy on my house, many birds nest there - including Sparrows. Sparrows are small birds that eat birdseed and insects. They are hunted by the Sparrow-Hawk (a larger faster bird).
Once, I was sitting on my drive very quietly when a Sparrow swooped down and started picking up crumbs off the ground. It was about a metre away and yet it was completely unaware of my presence. I silently took my camera out of my pocket and took a couple of pictures. The Sparrow was an adult - judging by it's size - but these are small birds; it was certainly no bigger than my fist. Compared to common birds like Blackbirds, Sparrows are tiny and are hard to spot due to their brown colouring - which blends in perfectly with trees. Sparrows nest and have chicks around Spring, which has just passed and so, in the mornings, you might hear the persistent chirping of chicks waiting for food around this time of year!
There are many flowers that only bloom in Summer, such as this one here. This flower is absent in Winter and Spring and yet it makes a sudden appearance during the Summer. It contrasts hugely to the dark green of the ivy, brightening up the garden. The delicate pink attracts many insects and this flower doesn't need to be cut back because it dies away after every Summer and grows back just after the end of Spring. Despite it's different appearance to many other flowers, I have never discovered what this flower is called so if anyone knows or can suggest what it might be called, please comment.
The flower, like I said, attracts many insects and bees love this flower! We find many bees on flying towards this one, leaving other flowers to the wasps. Here is a picture of a bee with it's head stuck in the flower. It certainly seems to be enjoying it! But, as you probably know, bees are endangered and we have been sad to discover many dead bees lying on the ground.
Please do not kill bees if you find one and do not aggravate one because if it stings someone, it dies. If there is a bee and you would like it to go away, walk away from it or put it in a cup - holding a piece of paper under it - and release it somewhere. Bees don't sting just for the fun of it; they do it to protect their hive and other bees. A bee will not sting willingly unless it has a reason so don't give it a reason!
Once, I was sitting on my drive very quietly when a Sparrow swooped down and started picking up crumbs off the ground. It was about a metre away and yet it was completely unaware of my presence. I silently took my camera out of my pocket and took a couple of pictures. The Sparrow was an adult - judging by it's size - but these are small birds; it was certainly no bigger than my fist. Compared to common birds like Blackbirds, Sparrows are tiny and are hard to spot due to their brown colouring - which blends in perfectly with trees. Sparrows nest and have chicks around Spring, which has just passed and so, in the mornings, you might hear the persistent chirping of chicks waiting for food around this time of year!
There are many flowers that only bloom in Summer, such as this one here. This flower is absent in Winter and Spring and yet it makes a sudden appearance during the Summer. It contrasts hugely to the dark green of the ivy, brightening up the garden. The delicate pink attracts many insects and this flower doesn't need to be cut back because it dies away after every Summer and grows back just after the end of Spring. Despite it's different appearance to many other flowers, I have never discovered what this flower is called so if anyone knows or can suggest what it might be called, please comment. 
Please do not kill bees if you find one and do not aggravate one because if it stings someone, it dies. If there is a bee and you would like it to go away, walk away from it or put it in a cup - holding a piece of paper under it - and release it somewhere. Bees don't sting just for the fun of it; they do it to protect their hive and other bees. A bee will not sting willingly unless it has a reason so don't give it a reason!
I think your pink flower is a sweet-pea which is self-seeding each year. They usually have a gorgeous smell. If you pick them regularly it encourages more flowers to grow and they look really pretty in a vase on the table or window sill.
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