Category Archives: Lockdown Diary

I checked with the bee, ant & wasp forum and they endorsed my bee ID… which pleased me greatly. Not a new bee in the garden, not a new bee for the year, not even a new bee for this … Continue reading →

My planned outing today was banjaxed by my body… I guess my ‘re-modelling’ of part of the garden took its toll and the preventive medication lulled me into false security by the bell tolling a day later! The area below … Continue reading →

Yesterday was a good day… a morning Zoom meeting with my local Wildlife Trust was extremely encouraging with the organisation being very receptive to working to make a re-wildling scheme accessible to all. Moreover, they want to consult on plans … Continue reading →

I’m always looking for more plants that look good and attract insects. So below are two newly acquired plants. I’ve often seen Mahonia in people’s gardens with its evergreen holly-like leaves and florets of bright yellow flowers, but just not … Continue reading →

It’s bad enough that I have to paw through all my reference works trying to separate similar species of birds… at least with birds there can be different songs or behaviour to help. It’s hard enough telling one bee from … Continue reading →

It may not be a difficult bee to ID… but I am nevertheless proud that I managed to work this out for myself. At first I thought the yellow face alone would be diagnostic as I’ve never seen a bee … Continue reading →

I bought this for the bees and boy do they love it… as many as five Buff-tailed Bumblebees were on it this morning fighting over the spoils. Hyssop Hyssopus officinalis Elsewhere Mallow is just coming into flower… presumably the shade … Continue reading →

These guys were hanging out this morning. How disappointing to arrive at East Blean woods to find the car park closed… three cars parked on the verge by the gate… on a narrow overly fast road this is a hazard … Continue reading →

I’m always pleased when I can add a name to a plant. These lilies have almost all flowered now although there is still one bud to open and another in full bloom… the rest are shrivelled like popped balloons and … Continue reading →

Yesterday saw us temporarily unlocked… we spent a very pleasant morning at Oare Nature Reserve. I just manage to socially distance from other birders viewing the East Flood, while Maggie circuited the flood, getting fit. I meant to take pictures … Continue reading →