Thanks, Tony -quite possible Ashy Mining Bee -there were reports of many there last year and just seen your earlier post about them -need to go and check them out

Another possibility is one of the Myopa flies-they are parasitoids of various solitary bees -where was it Tony?

This is a good group if you want to know more https://www.facebook.com/groups/british.conopids/

Birds -minimum 6 chiffchaff, wren, robin (2), blackbird (4), greenfinch, goldfinch, oystercatcher, pair of reed bunting, 10+ Canada goose, woodpigeon Insects -common carder and buff tailed bumblebee, hundreds of alder leaf beetles Amphibian -dead toad on path near bridge 79 Flowering plants -dandeli...

Fully agree Tony -only issue (only partially true here) is that pollen dusting can be a major problem when trying to ID -as if there weren't enough characters to consider!

Based on location -possibly Andrena scotica Chocolate Mining Bee

Excellent find on bees Gareth -according to Ben Hargreaves' LCFS book Colletes cunicularis has not been recorded away from the coast in Lancashire, so especially interesting

Len -whereabouts was the Bilberry bumblebee please?

Dark-edged Bee-fly -at least two today
Aglaostigma aucupariae -a sawfly

Ichneumon stramentor wasp -captured in conservatory

Interesting Ian -lovely to see. Reading up about possible overwintering, it was once seen as highly unlikely outside SW England and only in a mild winter -but that was 15+ years ago. Perhaps rising temperatures mean they can survive the winter -or is it a very early migrant? Very difficult to photog...

Six very mobile and nosy jay; two buzzard; grey heron; at least six chiffchaff; robin; 10+ woodpigeon; tawny owl (f) calling
Three buff tailed bumblebee queen
Aggregation of 10+ Tawny Mining Bee at side of footpath

Five rabbits at Knowley House

Queen bumblebee of -Early, Red Tailed, Buff Tailed
Dark-edged Bee-fly
Tawny mining bee -female

Great find of bees Gareth especially A. clarkella -more sun needed perhaps Monday a good day for me to go out searching

Excellent -probably the fact that the sites are relatively undisturbed is the key.

Excellent finds especially as the new pond is being colonised -I will inform Chorley Council

A completely unscientific observation -but where have all the slugs gone? As a boy - about 60 years ago-they were extremely common especially after an evening rain shower (and there were very few snails, large ones at least). Now, snails are still around but slugs are hard to find. In urban areas th...