The Lungwort Bears Buzzy Fruit

After two hours in the cricket nets, distinguishing myself by batting equally badly both left and right handed, I immediately took myself out into another apocalyptic wind to search for...well, anything. I had no goal in mind, other than avoiding a soaking.

Indeed as I left my flat, I had no idea of where I was even going to go. But surveying the sky revealed it had a fair bit of blue, and this reassured me enough to head out on the Owl Road.

And Owl Road that I nearly got blown off the moment I headed onto it.

Some brown game birds were startled at my approach and headed off into the scrub at the northern end of Hawton Works, but I couldn't identify them at a distance but were probably female pheasant, which seem to be around in huge numbers this spring.

No matter which way I ran, the wind always seemed to be in my face.

In Hawton, the sun came out, skirted by grey veils of rain falling from darkly threatening clouds. Far too early in the year to make hay while the sun shone, but on the Hawton lungwort, someone was at work.

One of my contributors here told me to keep an eye out for hairy footed flower bees on this plant, but not today. This - I think - was a worker early bumble bee, one that had a middling day judging by its pollen sacs, but was going to mine this lungwort for all it was worth.

To see a bumblebee this time of year is still noteworthy, but mainly you see queens around at the moment and I don't think this was one. It even allowed me to get so reasonably acceptable photographs, before calling time on the encounter and heading off towards the churchyard.

While I headed for home.

Si

Veils of rain at Hawton

Bumbling on the lungwort

Not much pollen yet

Get stuck in lad!

Still busy

Tree house

Squirrel on the pergola

Hawton church and the weather front

Entrance to Sconce Park found this very fresh smelling flower on display