Anglesey Abbey with a Dusting of Snow

'Silent, and soft, and slow
   Descends the snow.'

Longfellow 

Anglesey Abbey, near Cambridge, is in the care of the National Trust. We met up with friends last Saturday, and enjoyed a walk through the gardens and grounds, which are renowned for their collection of Snowdrops. I think it was the first time I have ever actually seen those Snowdrops against a background of (admittedly thawing) snow. The stand of Silver Birch trees looks beautiful in every season.

As we walked along the lode by the mill, we caught sight of a flash of electric blue. This could only mean one thing: a Kingfisher, my first of the season, and sure enough we were granted a second look as the bird darted into the trees along the bank. It was too fast for our cameras, so here is 'one I prepared earlier', a Kingfisher photograph from 2016...

There was very little in the way of breeze despite temperatures hovering around 0 degrees centigrade. But there must have been a ripple to make these marbled reflections.

This scene brought back my 1960s childhood ... It is always a joy to see a bank of spring flowers.

And here's a close-up of one of the Snowdrop species.

We are always drawn to this Tibetan Cherry tree with its lustrous sheen. It reminds me of the one at Dryburgh Abbey in Scotland, last resting place of Sir Walter Scott.

More Aconites...

I decided to take an off-centre photo this time in the grove of Himalayan Silver Birch...

Snowdrops under what I think is a Corkscrew Hazel or Corylus avellana contorta... It's other name seems to be Harry Lauder's walking stick.

More Snowdrops...

There is not a lot that is wild about this clump of Dogwood twigs, but the clump blazed like a bonfire in the winter sunlight.

I think this may be my first insect picture on the blog for 2019. I have seen a few flies and queen bumbles about, but it was a joy to catch this bee at work.

Witch Hazel is always one of the first shrubs we see in flower...

More Aconites...

   

...and Snowdrops. 

Sunshine on snow...