Friday activity

Good morning,
Thanks to all that contacted me with their sightings yesterday and forwarding photos. Please do not fuss about the quality of these, if I can see the insect it may well be possible to id it even if not in focus.

As some of you may know, I write a short 1500 word article for our local newspaper, the Bishop's Stortford Independent and next week I need to file my latest article ready for inclusion in the edition due out 8th April. This week's issue was from my garden so don't wish to repeat that for a while so I have an idea.

 Can everyone send me a list of things they have seen. We could turn the article into a real community idea. If you can get a photo even better but for inclusion in the paper they must be over 3Mb in size and in jpeg. All photos will be credited to you.
So, either leave a list in the comments box below with your first name or email it, with photos if possible, to jforgham"at"hotmail.com

 This would give a really good snapshot of what is about in our town and give people the idea to check their gardens, too. There are plenty of folk self isolating now and the local paper will help them keep tabs on the outside world so do get involved. Thank you.

Also, I would be really pleased to receive children's drawings of nature in their garden. Perhaps a painting of a butterfly, a felt tip picture of a bird. If you can get a photo of it to me that would be even better, as large as your phone will allow if you don't have a camera, otherwise, with camera again, in excess of 3Mb

Bee fly that you will find near flowers today.

So, any thing that moves in your garden.
Check the inside of a shed or garage for insects coming out of hibernation. Check flowers and blossom. Check the sky for birds flying by. Got a compost heap? Have a rummage, you'll come across loads of stuff.

Another activity for children: Take an old flower pot or other container with holes in the bottom and start to fill it with vegetable peelings and ripped up cardboard. When full, place it in a sunny corner of the garden and leave alone. We'll take a look at it next week so begin saving up the carrot and potato waste to attract mini beasts. An old yogurt pot will do, but do punch holes in the base.

I look forward to hearing about what you find. Have a wonderful day and I hope you make me very busy this evening and over the weekend!!

Long tailed tit from my garden