We have had to keep the back door shut at home because a queen buff-tailed bumblebee has been coming in. I assumed that it’s been looking for a place to hibernate. However, is it looking for a place to nest? Since the 1990’s it has been noted that the later generation queens have been nesting… Read More

We have just returned from South Spain staying on the Atlantic Coast near the Portuguese border close to muddy creeks and estuaries. In the 3 weeks we were there we saw migration in progress. A wader’s paradise. Curlew sandpipers and grey plovers in large numbers. By the end of our time there, there were just… Read More

Even though we have had some rain recently, the water tables around here remain very low. Ponds that should be ponds are muddy holes. It has, however, allowed us to do scrub clearance around the bird sanctuary pond. Here, the bird ringers continue to have a good year, so the bramble bashing, scratches etc. are… Read More

The seasons are changing fast and early, but not the temperature. I ate my first ripe blackberry in July this year and have a container of them in the freezer. The apples have been coming off the trees, even the russet in the garden thinks it’s time to drop its load. Trees are under stress… Read More