Exciting news, I have just walked around the beefayre ponds looking for signs of Spring on this lovely sunny day and I’ve just seen my first Bumble bee queen of the year!
It was almost certainly a Bombus Terrestus or Buff Tailed Bumblebee, usually the first to appear from hibernation beneath the ground, often from a mouse hole! She will desperately need to replenish herself with nectar and pollen so she will seek our early flowers such as crocus, aconite, gorse and hellebores. After that she will be prospecting for a suitable nest site preferably a disused mouse, shrew or vole hole! Should be plenty of those here.
She will be seen flying in a zigzag pattern just above the ground! Please tell us if you’ve seen a Bumble bee yet and where?
Apart from all the bulbs now visibly poking their way out of the ground I saw other several other signs of spring. A red kite was flying low over the lake, a daily occurrence here now and a large group of Long Tailed Tits were moving along the hedgerow foraging. They have a highly distinctive call. The song thrush was singing, holding territory from the horse chestnut tree. They returned three years ago having being noticeably absent for several years before that.
About eight Fieldfares lifted from the old orchard as I walked by, foraging for food to build their energy levels up for their long flight up north shortly.
A rewarding spring walk!
