On yer bike!

Did a bit of birding by bike today, heading down to Holywell Dene, then onwards to Seaton Delaval Hall for an expensive bowl of national trust soup.

A couple of roe deer ran across the track in the dene, nearly resulting in a fatality - the bike rider not the deer!

A kingfisher flashed blue on it's way down the dene, and two dippers were in full song.

Overhead two jays were seen, an unusual record this near the coast.

In the fields towards the obelisk a single wheatear was spotted on a fence post.

But the highlight of the day had to be the Hummingbird Hawk-Moth that returned to the garden again.

The Wildlife Garden

I find it quite astonishing what will come and live in a garden that is focused on being wildlife friendly. Here's a few of the residents in my garden seen yesterday.

Common Carder Bee

Gold Spot Moth

Migrant Hawker

Honey Bee

Hoverfly - Ceilosiini sp

Leaf-Cutter Bee

Peacock Butterfly

Red Admiral Butterfly

Thick-legged Hoverfly

Tree Sparrow - another 3rd clutcher!

Lesser Yellow Underwing Moths

Wall Butterfly

Solitary Wasp - Ectemnius sp.

Tittivating

My wife Gail reckons I spend too much time 'tittivating the garden'. She's probably right (she normally is) but the local wildlife seems pleased.

The colony of Tree Sparrows in my garden, which was just one pair in a hole in the house wall two years ago, is now, with the addition of a few nest boxes,  seven pairs producing at least sixty young!

Taking a break from raising a third brood!

Another 10 boxes have gone up on my neighbour's stable wall, and another 10 will go here and there ready for next spring. Maybe 20 :)

The right plants in the right places have also brought an abundance of invertebrates, especially in my 'untidy' garden. Gives the Tree Sparrows plenty of food for their young.

Yarrow Plume moth, likes the Yarrow :)

And the butterflies are loving the nectar bar in the front garden.

Small Tortoiseshell

Wall

Time for some more gardening....

Unbridled Terns

Artic Terns

A trip to the Farne Islands is great with or without rarities, and the fact that a Bridled Tern was reported on Inner Farne was coincidental to our trip. Just as well as it had 'gone fishing' when we were there.

Still, plenty of fine feathered friends to provide one of natures great shows.....

Guillemots

Guilletmots with young

Bridled Guillimot

Kittiwake

Puffins

And boat loads of people

Monumental Anteater

A Wryneck at Whitley Bay Cemetery today showed well, hunting for ants amongst the gravestones.

Willow Warbler - Snapped!

Outside our holiday cottage in Pembrokeshire was a large Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum). This North American shrub was literally buzzing with bees, and flies, the latter proving rather palatable for a Willow Warbler.

Blue skies, sunshine, a light breeze, and the sound of a Willow Warbler snapping at flies - now that's spring!

Hopping along...

According to the national news, frogs have been in a spawning frenzy for the last week, everywhere, except here!

Not a single sighting of a frog or toad in mine or my neighbours pond.

Conspiracy theories began to be concocted; a mystery disease, maybe some nasty spray used by the farmer....but then today, while doing a spot of gardening........

Meanwhile, the Blue Tits have some competition for their nest box...

And in the moth trap, a new species for the garden....

Oak Beauty

Sprung!

Last week saw some spring arrivals to the garden, and some preparations for those to come.

First off was a very aptly named Spring Usher, a new moth for the garden, and for me.

Spring Usher

Next was a March Moth, right on cue.

March Moth

And the crocuses provided a welcome source of nectar for a queen Buff-tailed Bumblebee.

Buff-tailed Bumblebee

A queen Common Wasp was out sunning herself, demonised by most, but a great garden pest controller for those who understand these valuable, voracious predators.

Common Wasp

In preparation for the Swallows arriving back in April, I've completed building a log store for them to nest in. Hope they appreciated it!

Swallow Hut