Injured fox cub

While I was on the telephone, (9.00pm) I looked out the window to see if the pipistrelle bats were hunting in the back alley way. I noticed that they were, then out of the gloom a fox cub, hobbling on its back left side leg. It disappaered down the road before i could do anything, but will keep an eye out.

Return of the swifts

The first swift has returned to nest in the eaves of our neighbours house on the 5th May. Today, it was joined by 3 more swifts.

Early bee, the main pollinator of my raspberries.

The raspberries are just starting to flower and the early bee Bombus pratorum has started to visit the flowers. This two banded, red tailed bee is the smallest of the bumble bees.

The dandelions in and just outside the garden are regularly visted by bees. Occasional honey bees and two solitary bees.

This one appears to be Andrena pubescens

There has been a great increase in the number of Nomada solitary bees in my garden this year. Nomada bees are cleptoparasites because they lay their eggs in the nest cells of other bees. Each nomada species targets a specific bees species. Nomada bees could easily be mistaken for wasps.

This is a Nomada goodeniana.

This one may be a Nomada signata but the picture is not so clear for ID purposes.

Tawny Mining Bee

I noticed this beautiful female tawny mining bee cleaning itself on a leaf of the flowering currant. As aits name suggests, this is a ground nesting solitary bee.

Honey bees and cherry blossom

The garden just across the back entrance track is full of honey and bumble bees pollionating the numerous blossom.