General (County) update - 10th March 2011

• A pal from work took a photo of a bumblebee at lunch today and showed it to me - and its the first tree bumblebee of the year - very nice to see today, considering it was blowing an absolute hooly all day.
• The queen tree bumblebee was feeding from some daffodils that had been cut from the ground (from somewhere) and placed in a pile on the spot that a local homeless person was stabbed repeatedly to death about three weeks ago.
• The toad patrol are ready to help one of the most famous groups of toads in the UK. About 7 miles from Swift Half, on the border of Berks and Bucks, hundreds of toads overwinter in a bluebell wood Anna and I visit in April each year. But before April, these toads all wait for a wet, warm, March evening - and ALL cross the road to their breeding ponds, on the other side of the road, on the same night.
• This site (like I've mentioned) is quite famous round 'ere. It was also the site of the first "toad underpass" that was built in the UK.
• I will try and watch the weather forecast like a hawk over the next week (I know the toad patrol crew are out there now, in case) and get up there to help these beautiful creatures across the road, rather than getting squashed by the passing traffic.
• I keep saying I'll make it up there for this specific March night, but never have yet. Maybe this year...