Mining bee gathering celandine pollen

Mining bee gathering celandine pollen

Mining bee, possibly a tawny mining bee (Andrena fulva), going for flower to flower in a patch of lesser celandine, adding a little to its already bulging pollen baskets at each one.

Tortoiseshell butterfly after pussy willow pollen

Tortoiseshell butterfly after pussy willow pollen

Catkins aren’t there to attract insects, but to have the pollen get to the female flowers by being carried on the breeze. But this tortoiseshell butterfly was gorging itself on the pollen of a pussy willow by the canal at Compton.

Young heron, canal towpath

Young heron, canal towpath

Young heron which landed on the footpath by the canal out in the countryside beyond Castlecroft, and started looking for fish.

Although it was a weekday, the path was busy with joggers, people walking their dogs, and more. The bird hardly had time to settle before it needed to take off again to search for quieter hunting grounds.

Spring blossom, Compton Rough

Spring blossom, Compton Rough

Tree by the footpath across Compton Rough. Not sure what sort of fruit it’s supposed to have. Can’t remember ever seeing any fruit on it. But the blossom’s there every spring.