Poznan UCI world championships 2019

We’re just back from Poland where Wayne competed in the uci world championship 150km road race - an awesome experience to race for your country and compete against nations from across the globe. So first thing to worry about getting the bike safely there - this is said bike on conveyor belt!

Then on to register and hope all paper work in order

And they're off ....

The finish -  150 km in 4hrs16m in 34 degree heat -  no idea how any of the competitors managed to finish in such conditions and no water given out at the end but what an experience - definitely a baptism of fire for a race novice like Wayne up against some of the fittest amateurs on the planet - lots of high speed crashes too not for the faint hearted!

We’d like to thank North Lincs council for their support in assisting Wayne to get to the world championships and for the use of facilities at The Pods  https://www.northlincs.gov.uk/leisure/the-pods/


We then had a couple of days to explore the city of Poznan - a beautiful city with lots going for it - can definitely recommend it has a place to visit - very strange having no binoculars with us but still managed a list of 32 birds!!

The museum of the 1956 uprising

Lots of fresh lemonade to combat the 34 degrees

The celebration and calorie uptake begins ..

Double tequila frozen raspberry cocktail - very nice

A trip to Citadel Park 10,000 acres of woods, meadows, sculptures and rose gardens - right on the edge of the city - never seen interpretive boards like these in children play areas in the uk

Lots of Fire Bugs

A visit to the National Museum to see Poland's only Claude Monet

A few bugs and things

A bit of a mish mash of the last week or so starting today whilst sat on my garden bench I noticed a wasp fly out of a piece of wood which fell off said bench last week!  Having taken these not so good photos I think I have identified it as Ectemnius continuus and if you zoom in you can see its taking some prey into a nest chamber - happy to be corrected if you know better

 Volucella bombylans - Bumblebee Hoverfly

Not sure what this little bee is nearest guess Sand-pit mining bee - left hand insect ???

No idea what this is - help required with id please!

Plenty of emerging Black-tailed Skimmers at Messingham just hanging around drying out

A grizzly find at Messingham - tested me for  a while until I found the rest not far away

Sun Fly - Helophilus pendulum - quite a few on Alkborough Flats

Lots of Scorpion flys out at Messingham on Friday

Took this yesterday whilst dipping the Black-winged Pratincole at Frampton - a Grass Spider - look carefully

and finally took this Cheilosia illustrata at Messingham - its a fly that mimics a furry bumblebee

Time to catch up

Its a long time since I did a blog post seemed to have got out of the habit but feels like I ought to resurrect it so...

Lets start with Alkborough and a pair of 14-spot Ladybirds followed by my so far highlight of the spring Hairy-footed flower bees and Common Mourning Bee 

 Hairy-footed flower bees

Common Mourning Bee predating Hairy-footed colony

These were down on the flats and my nearest guess as to what they are is Devils Coach Horse Larvae - hopefully someone will put me right!

Perhaps no definitely the most exciting find was a pair of Spotted Flycatchers building a nest in our front garden in a box my father made 15 years ago and today they have been mating so hopefully eggs soon!

Almost exciting was this discovery in the park last night a male lesser stag beetle - only the second one I have ever seen

and again only my second encounter with the delightfully named Dog Vomit Slime Mould also in Normanby Park

Hairy-footed flower bee excavating

Common Mourning bee presumably just laid an egg in Hairy-footed chamber!

A few from the weekend

A bit of a mixture here in no particular order ..

Hairy-footed Flower Bee

Mourning Bee - a first for me in Alkborough the host being the above Hairy-footed

Sorrel - Bolton Abey

Hairy Shieldbugs - mass eruption dozens flying round my feet!

Wood anenome with Toothwort

Dark-edged bee-fly - plenty everywhere in N Lincs at present

Always look forward to these Green Long-horn Moths

Lesser Celandine with friend!

Primrose

Toothwort about to go over

Bolton Abbey