“Bee-watching in garden – never noticed “bee preferences” before. In the case of Kniphofia (red hot poker plant) – always thought it was snails eating the flowering pokers – its bees, starting as yellow at bottom and working up. Common bumble bees and honey bees seem to prefer this plant.

Foxglove.

Buff-tailed bumble bees love the Digitalis (foxglove); “the pixie hats” fall off when the bee has finished each hat. Everything likes the Salvia (“hot lips”), not overly keen on Verbascum (mullein) and Cistus though. Roses coming out and lavender in bud. Figs coming along nicely.

“Mine is a South East London (SE4) garden and not rural or rustic.”

Starlings feeding, drinking and bathing.

Blue tits, great tits and starlings still feeding. Wood pigeons and young magpies wander about in garden. Watched a kestrel circling overhead this morning. Parakeets still do squadron fly-past at roof-top level in evening”.