No it's not a vice ring!

Well you never can tell what's around the corner can you. I fully expected to be back here sooner than this; in fact I did attempt to update the blog, but was thwarted.

Self pity isn't a great attribute, and so this is just by way of an explanation of enforced changes, rather than anything else. My right eye has been affected by something called a Weiss Ring which is a form of PVD (Posterior Vitreous Detachment) which has left me with this view out of that eye...

It is there all of the time but floating around, and working at the computer is quite difficult. I am told that it is permanent, although in time my brain will learn to ignore it. That could take anything from 3 months to in excess of a year.

And so meantime, I am going to have to update less often, or possibly make the updates shorter. You see....there's always an upside eh! It might be a good thing to abridge these entries, I do tend to write a tome when a quick résumé with a few pictures would suffice.

Okay then, without further ado, let's crack on. Who needs perfect vision anyhow, I only need to be able to see as far as next year for 2020 vision!

After beautiful February turned into mad March, the weather finally relented, and the first signs I had of an impending spring were these  bees that were crawling around on the forest rides a few days ago. They might be Tawny Mining Bees, but equally well may not. My ID skills for bees are not great with 2 eyes! Come to think of it, they don't look at all tawny do they.

If I was excited to find those, and I was: I was apoplectic when I spotted this next one...

I think this is one of the Nomada species of Bee. I discovered it sleeping on the needles of a pine tree. You can see how it has its mandibles clamped to the needle. Fabulous eyes these have eh. 

I also spotted this bug exuvia the same day. I have been trying to work out what it might have belonged to, and more to the point, how on earth has something so delicate survived the winter?

Bug exuvia (disguarded skin)

The butterflies are back too: I have seen Brimstone, Red Admiral, Peacock and Comma already...

A Comma Butterfly

That's all for now, back as soon as I can