Sparrowhawk, carp, bees, plants at the botanical garden

21 July. To the botanical garden.

A bit further, in a canal, two coot parents with already fairly big youngsters. One of the chicks dives.

In the garden, ring-necked parakeets call.

A hoverfly on a flower.

In the big pond, carp. Some of the fish have a goldish colour; some are grayish, some are blackish.

Also, very small fish. Baby carp? Or baby roach?

A female blue-tailed damselfly resting. Also, common blue damselflies fly around.

Then, a bird flies over the pond. It sits down in a big tree. Then, I see it is a sparrowhawk. My first time of seeing this species in the botanical garden.

In the pond near the mouth of the stream, and in the stream itself, pondskaters.

And tadpoles. Edible frog tadpoles? Common frog? Eurasian toad?

Near the bank of the pond is a “pub” for honeybees. A peat bog, where drinking water is pure.

Not far away, great horsetails.

Two herring gulls in the top of a big tree. You don’t often see gulls on trees.

A blackbird sings.

A speckled wood butterfly.

In the small pond around the source of the stream, the water lilies are pink, not the more usual white.

Near the astronomy building, blue harebell flowers. They are in a planter for zinc tolerant plants. These are special plants, rare in the Netherlands, mainly in the valley of the Geul river in Limburg province.

In the canal, a young Egyptian goose swims. And an adult great crested grebe.

A bit further, four chickens looking for food. One brownish cock, one white cock, two hens.

Finally, a patch of flowers. They attract bumblebees and honeybees. Several honeybees, including the one on the photo here, have damaged wings, suggesting old age.