The fine weather at the end of March was not to continue and occasional snowfall and hailstorms meant that summer species have since been slow to emerge.
Snow was still on the ground in patches when I cycled up to Parkhead on the Waskerley Way last weekend, naively hoping to see the odd bumblebee queen or butterfly. Instead there were plenty of skylarks on the way plus a few lapwing in semi-display mode and a grouse was clearly audible on the moors. One thing that was surprising is that I was sure I heard a cuckoo calling on the fringe of Consett on the way back. It seemed remarkably early although there are odd records of them turning up in late winter in Southern England. Turning into my street at the end of the day there was a single buff-tailed bumblebee queen.
In the garden, the dunnocks have continued to help somewhat in getting rid of some of the nyger seed from the bird table and a squirrel has been taking some of the peanuts that seem to have become less popular with the birds.
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The other day I thought I might have spotted my first non-bumblebee of the year but it turned out to be a hoverfly, probably a drone fly.
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| Drone Fly |
Today was similarly quiet when I went on a bike ride to the Princess Anne Park near Washington Centre. On the way back it perked up somewhat. Chiffchaffs were singing everywhere and there were a small number of buff-tailed bumblebees lclearly looking for nesting sites. At one point there were even some rather strange-looking cows wandering along the side of the track.
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| Cow |
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