Landing gear down

This time of year can be relentlessly busy, and today was no exception. I was up just after 4.30am to do my last bird transect of the season and spent the afternoon taking a group of people round Lattersey Pits NR, which was celebrating its 30th anniversary. It was very hot and sticky, but the WI provided cold drinks and cake, some of which we brought home at the end of the day. After the event had finished, Pete and I went for a second walk round on our own, which is when I spotted the female Banded Demoiselle damselfly shown in the extra.

Between those engagements I managed to spend a bit of time cutting back some shrubs in the garden, which is when I spotted this White-tailed Bumblebee foraging on the Oriental Poppies. It hovered over its chosen flower and then tumbled down into the mass of purplish-black anthers, getting itself covered with a heavy dusting purple pollen.