Chocolate Mining Bees and more on our #DailyExercise walk

There's something appropriate about seeing chocolate mining bees (Andrena scotica) so close to Easter. We first noticed a colony of these bees on Friday (you can read more about Friday's #DailyExercise walk in this blogpost). Today we found another colony of these lovely bees close to the original colony

These bees were quite quiet as it was cool and dull when we were out (though it is sunnier and warmer just now). Mining bees are solitary bees, so called because they nest separately rather than in a hive, but their nests are often close together and they're often seen in groups.

The cherry trees will soon be in bloom, these are the trees in our street

and here is some of the blossom on a tree in one of the cemeteries

The ash trees are blooming beautifully

and the leaves and buds on the horse chestnut continue to develop

The cemeteries are full of birdsong including chaffinches, wrens, robins, blackcaps, willow warblers and chiffchaffs. We've also seen goldcrests, blue tits, great tits, goldfinches, bullfinches and blackbirds. We've occasionally heard or seen great spotted woodpeckers, mistle thrushes and one unexpected pheasant (whose photo you can see in this blogpost).

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The UK Government is, at the moment, allowing us out for one form of #DailyExercise once a day in addition to visiting the shops (as infrequently as possible), travelling to work (for those with essential jobs that can't be done from home) and medical emergencies including helping those who are self isolating. Though there are suggestions that the privilege of outdoor exercise may be removed because of the actions of some people who have been gathering in greenspaces without paying any attention to the need for proper social distancing.