Now the rain has stopped

After two days of fairly solid but oh so welcome rain, 

this evening was beautiful  

The sky was filled with swallow screaming parties - a wonderful sound. 

We escaped the confines of the house and went into the garden.

The cats were pottering around, Himself and Youngest were in the workshop 

and I stood and listened to the sounds from the garden, 

the excited screams of the swallows, 

the buzz of insects foraging

 and birds settling down in the trees.

I thought it would be a good time 

to 'hunt' the bees as they rummaged around for their final meal of the day.

The more I looked and listened,

the more I noticed the plants 

rattling,

quivering

and giving up their precious nectar. 

The evening light made taking clear pictures

a little tricky

as did the cats as they came to 'help'.

They like to watch wild life too (that's what they keep telling me!)

 There was a very buzzzy garden bumblebee

inspecting each blossom of the Polygonatum (Solomon's Seal).

I tried to creep up without disturbing the bumble

and no sooner than I'd focussed with the camera,

the bee was off checking out another flower.

The rain had really brought on the garden,

flowers are opening

and the bees are feasting!

Just look at those little baskets of pollen on the bee's legs! A busy little worker :)

I think this one is a Barbut's cuckoo bumble bee, 

I hesitate because although the markings are similar,

 this variety is mostly found in the the south, 

we might be a bit to far north here in Lancashire.

Eventually the midgies desire to eat me whole

sent me indoors.

But not before I stood at the gate for a moment longer,

observing the swallows 

dashing through the sky.

They are a joy to watch.

Taking part of 30daysWild

 #30DaysWild