Queen Bee

First queen bee of the spring for my garden - Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius).

And lots of amorous 7-Spot Ladybirds

Winter Shade Moths

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1025 Winter Shade Tortricodes alternella

Finally caught some moths in the trap this morning, the first since 23rd Nov last year.

Just 3 moths; Common Quaker, Common Plume and a Winter Shade. Winter Shade is proving to be widespread and numerous this year with numbers this year already exceeding the total recorded since it was first recorded in Nothumberland in 1889!

Rippit!

Common Frog

Frogs thrashing around in the pond since yesterday, a couple of days earlier than last year when we had a very mild February. Will they spawn before the 23rd March, my earliest garden record?

Oh, and a Blackbird is nesting in the Ivy :)

The Gambia 2012 Gallery

'Aby Rolla'

Not started a trip report yet, but finally got all the photos sorted from our 7 day visit to Footsteps Eco Lodge in The Gambia, during the first week in February 2012.

Online here: http://www.wildupnorth.org.uk/catalogue.php?place=The%20Gambia%202012

Winter Sun Moth

On the beach in Gambia.

I've got nowhere in trying to id this beauty, other than it's a Clearwing of some sort. Anyone got any ideas?

A Thicket of...........

Senegal Thick-knees

Dog's Dinner

Meet Annie, top dog at Footsteps Eco Lodge, Ganjur, Gambia

Annie's going hungry today..............but it could be worse.....

Hooded Vultures taking care of one of Annie's unfortunate cousins.

Bring on the Clowns

Yellow-billed Oxpeckers

Of all the birds in Gambia, Oxpeckers are the most comical looking, with their red noses and big feet.

Apparently it's been snowing