With awful news (e.g. Planning Bill), I escape in nature. #Greenwich: Moth trap (12th) - Feathered Thorn + 2 Udea ferrugalis (at last a little for @migrantmothuk.bsky.social!). 3 Teal on Park lake briefly (Oct) - until fountain began; my 1st autumn Ashy Mining Bee (Sept) a sign of the climate times.

What a legend.

Irreplaceable habitats are on the line. This is the reality if an unamended Part 3 of the Bill passes. It must not.

Found me a lesser-spotted #woodpeckers nest in last week. 1st in 23 yr used to nest around here i#blackheath #greenwich #lewisham - why not anymore? Mix of joy/sadness This 1 is for @joebeale.bsky.social youtu.be/W8zSOszVqCg #birds #nature #wildlife #UrbanNature #urbanwildlife

There's a fair chance of finding something interesting if you look at insects - like this Least Black Arches moth. Few Greenwich records, but it has increased nationally. Blackheath this a.m: a Yellow Wagtail paused on migration to catch insects amongst Dandelions. A benefit of less intense mowing!

Well here's #mothfaceFriday. A Centre-barred Sallow looking a bit socially uncomfortable.

A Wall on a Wall - had a #butterfly discovery a few days ago on #blackheath this video goes into detail about said butterfly and its population collapse in London +shout 4 g8 book link in reply#SE #england 4 @joebeale.bsky.social @garrypogson.bsky.social @katemidd.bsky.social youtu.be/fIIDLeYczkw

Apparently #mothfaceFriday is a thing. Well here's one (Elephant Hawk) from Greenwich last summer.

The Dark-edged Bee-flies are back Ted. #Greenwich today.

My first Comma and first Brimstone of 2025, about 10 yards apart, at Vanbrugh Pits, Greenwich thurs lunchtime. Several years now the same bramble patch has yielded my first comma of the year @joebeale.bsky.social @dustygedge.bsky.social

If you live in #lewisham #deptford #blackheath #greenwich or anywhere else #selondon a little video ad for a talk I will be doing locally on #nature #wildlife #birds #greenroofs and #greencities as a local #geezer @joebeale.bsky.social @dohertyta.bsky.social @katemidd.bsky.social

Old Park in Canterbury is a superb area of acid grassland with a flora including Harebell, Bedstraw (or Clove-scented) Broomrape & Mossy Stonecrop, & loads of Nightingales. The MoD owns it and has put it up for sale. Join the campaign to save this extraordinary site canterburyoldpark.org.uk

So excited to see this in print🥳 Congratulations Leslie for a very comprehensive guide on London's butterfly species👏 From species distributions to conservation efforts, if you want to ID butterfly species or conserve them, then this is the guide for you🦋📖 www.naturebureau.co.uk/the-butterfl...

Hello Bluesky! We've just joined and are looking forward to meeting likeminded societies and people! The LNHS is a local natural history society concerned with recording the wildlife of London, covering a 20-mile radius from St. Paul's Cathedral. #UKWildlife #LondonWildlife

Good news for Swanscombe SSSI's exceptional wildlife, and for the local community! Swanscombe - a site rich in natural wonders, from orchids to Nightingales - has been under threat for years from an ill-conceived theme park. Also nice to see my photo in use 🙂 community.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/b/rs...

Thanks very much to the Vanbrugh Volunteers who helped with a bit of habitat management in #Greenwich on Sunday. It's to maintain a dynamic mix of habitats of varying structure, openness, and stages of growth, to maximise the benefit to wildlife. We also cleared a fair bit of litter!

VIDEO: Buglife are among conservation groups welcoming news the company behind plans for a theme park on the Swanscombe peninsula has gone into liquidation #kmfmnews

The Eric Ravilious Wood Engraving Postcard Collection (Selborne). Six beautiful postcards featuring wood engravings produced by Eric Ravilious to illustrate an edition of his favourite book, ‘A Natural History of Selborne’. www.rathergoodart.co.uk/product/eric... #ericravilious #rathergoodart

Some beautiful insects from 2024 in #Greenwich_Park. Brindled Green new to the Park, Ferdinandea cuprea hoverfly on a tree trunk also likely new for the site, Metalampra italica a small #moth also new here but spreading and frequent; larvae may eat fungi. Oak Hook-tip, a finely patterned species.

In the spirit of Christmas (and seeing as I’m new here) I thought I’d host a little #giveaway. For the chance to win* a signed copy of my book, Wild City, which came out in paperback this year: 1. Share this post 2. Comment with your favourite wild species that you’ve spotted in an urban setting!

Other work by the Ladybird artists ‘Gusty Twilight’ Artist: CF Tunnicliffe

'E' is for.... Eider! Eiders - by Lancaster artist and printmaker, John Hatton I've been looking forward to 'E' so I can post this gorgeous linocut! More of this artist's beautiful work, here: johnhattonart.co.uk #AlphabetBirds #birdart #birds #art 🪶

On Bluesky the group of people following is smaller than on X, but engagment here seems better. If you are following me here and I haven't reciprocated and you'd like me to, please let me know!

The last moth trap of the year last night, four species in very mild conditions included a December Moth and an Oak Rustic - seemingly 1st #Greenwich record. The reniform stigma is much more subtle and varied when seen under magnification than it appears at first glance. #teammoth

More 2024 moths and a #snipefly from #Greenwich. Light Brocade, Rhagio lineola first Greenwich record since 1943, Black Rustic and Feathered Thorn looking autumnal, and a gorgeous Acleris kochiella (c16mm); 1st Greenwich Park record. I love its raised scales resembling rough tree bark. #teammoth

Clancy's Rustic became frequent in #Greenwich in 2024. This moth wasn't even listed for Greenwich Park/Blackheath in my 2023 review! Rambur's Pied Shieldbug also seems well established. Yellow-legged Clearwing isn't new but it's good to chance upon one rather than using a lure. #Londonwildlife

I feel seen

Around 80 people in the UK naturalists starter pack now. I must be missing a bunch of people, let me know if you're one of them or know someone who should be in here go.bsky.app/DeyPecR

The London Naturalist (journal of the London Natural History Society - worth joining if keen on London's wildlife) 2024 covers many topics, including my paper on #Greenwich soldierflies and allies. Here's a link to an online version of that paper if of interest: www.researchgate.net/profile/Joe-....

Bluesky seems OK so far. One downside, unless I'm missing something, is lack of some location information in bio. If a post says "good to see x bird/moth/etc in the park", it's trickier to find out if the sighting is in my region and worth looking out for, or at the other end of the country.

Yesterday's full moon was apparently a 'Woodcock moon', so here are some beautiful Woodcock feathers I found at Salthouse shingle, Norfolk, a few days ago - all that's left of two migrants, presumably predated, perhaps by a Great Black-backed Gull or Peregrine. Love the bright white tips under some!

Greenwich didn't see much of the migrant moth influx to S/E coasts or the key species associated with it. Greenwich's 2nd Jersey Mocha, after one in 2022. The cinnamon-tinted Cydia amplana - few previously, but several this year. But are they overlooked residents? #teammoth #moths #greenwichwildlife

I've set up an account here, which will be mainly about SE London wildlife, with occasional forays further afield. I can't promise there won't be some politics too, however! To start off, here's a gorgeous Merveille du Jour and Barred Sallow from late October in Greenwich Park.