Category Archives: Lockdown Diary

While I was photographing Ivy Bees I noticed a large bug on a leaf. Not only did I not recognise it, I had no clue even what order of insects it belongs to. With some help from the bee forum … Continue reading →

We decided we need a change of scene so went to look at the sea. Joss Bay was crowded – sun seekers had filled the car park, or rather that part not already being used informally by some ‘travellers’ and … Continue reading →

Realising I should have taken some ‘before’ pictures in advance of my Autumn remodelling, I hastily took some shots of the garden. So, you can see how the area of the garden I tackled yesterday, looked BEFORE I got started: … Continue reading →

This time of year is the ideal time to re-model as many plants are past their best so can be cut back and the weather is often mild and so conducive to working outside. Trimming bushes will mean there is … Continue reading →

I was pruning the variegated ceanothus during my tidy up of the corner of the garden by the back gate (more of this tomorrow) when something started crawling on my left temple. As I had clippers in one hand and … Continue reading →

Still flying, this diminutive hoverfly is still making a fly-line for the big yellow osteospermum – apparently they should still be about in November! Several there today hovering before settling. Thick-leggeds Hoverfly Syritta pipiens Sad to have to pull up … Continue reading →

A random afternoon today. Decided to take a look at the sea at high tide (c.1.30pm) from Westgate. In a vista of perhaps ten square miles of ocean I saw… just 9 birds! There were more yachts than birds and … Continue reading →

Our mild, marine climate means that some insects fly in all months. But most species either hibernate, become torpid or die. For the most part ‘queens’ survive and may have a small coterie of workers or drones to restart colonies. … Continue reading →

The rest of Tuesday morning was spent on Sandwich estate along the Old Deal Road in pleasant sunshine. Old Deal Road February 2020 A few migrants topped by two or three Whinchats. Supporting cast were twelve Whimbrel, several buzzards (two … Continue reading →

Anything about? That’s the perennial question we birders ask when we meet another, in the hopes they can ‘put us on to’ a good bird. Well Tuesday’s birding morning was excellent. We spent an hour or two along the road … Continue reading →