Bee Flies, Bees and Birds in Toft

A miscellany from the last couple of days in Toft - bee flies taken at 1/800th and1/6400th second and still not quite stopping wing movement; three Andrena species of mining bees (A,nitida, A. heamorrhoa and A. cineraria); three migrant species (Chiffchaff, blackcap,Willow warbler) and a Dunnock.

 

Paxton Breeding Bird Survey and Mining Bees

Yesterday was the first Breeding Bird survey of 2024 at Paxton - a windy but warm 7am start to the walk to catch the early song was rewarded by singing Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Willow Warblers on our route and elsewhere Garden Warblers and Reed Warblers announced their presence while Nightingales are here singing in the private areas of the site. Later in the morning I went to look for Mining bees in a favourite location and the bramble leaves were teaming with different species - haven't identified all yet (shown are the Early Colletes female and male, ?Orange-tailed Mining Bee, Small Sallow Mining Bee, Tawny Mining Bee and Red Mason Bee

Local Birds

Some of the birds from my morning walk to Harwick Wood including very confiding Wrens and Willow Warbler. Very surprised to see a fully fledged Robin youngster when the Blackcap and Nuthatch are only just beginning their breeding. Red Kite and Linnet just for the colours!!

Paxton Pits RPS Field Trip

 On Saturday, we had our second Field trip of 2021 for the RPS Nature Group, a general natural history day at Paxton Pits. We saw a wide variety of birds and insects on a warm very bright sunny day. It was not the best conditions to get photos but certainly made the whole day very enjoyable. The Willow Warblers were singing very prominently from many perches along with Blackcaps. The bees are mining bees Andrena nitida and Andrena nigroaenea with a Blood bee (Sphecodes) that is a parasite of bees laying its egg in their brood chambers

Spring Comes to Toft Wood

Yesterday for the first time I heard a Willow Warblers singing in Toft Wood and managed to photograph it in full song. The Woodland Trust has cut back quite a number of trees and bushes to widen the paths. On the walk round the fields back home, the view is now turning yellow with a lot of the oilseed rape in flower.

A Glimpse of Toft Wildlife

With the current lockdown, I am spending more time than usual photographing in our local area rather than visiting neighbouring good nature areas but I am certainly enjoying the great range of species the village can provide. These range from the Cluster flies ready for squadron take off, hoveflies -  Myathropa (with the bat mark on the thorax) and Merodon (a great and variable mimic of bees), various solitary bees some very small so needed adjustment of depth of field, to hedgerow birds - Willow Warbler, Whitethroat and Yellow Hammer