Spring is sprung

A golden early spring afternoon at Swaddywell, with the first solitary bees of the season out on a sheltered area of the south-facing quarry face, and a bank of Hairy Violet in bloom nearby. The first catkins of the Goat Willow have also appeared, and were being visited by queen Buff-tailed and Red-tailed Bumblebees (too quick to be photographed).