A poetic legend tells of Kenna, the fairy king’s daughter, who poured the magical herb moly over her slain lover hoping to restore his life — but the spell changed him into a snowdrop. Each year he rises from the cold earth to greet her, a promise of love returned with the light.

Great views of the Red-necked Grebe at Ardleigh Reservoir this morning.

Lovely wander around our Copford local patch this morning. Highlights inc BRAMBLING, RAVEN, 5 GREY WAGS, CHIFFCHAFF, SISKINS, REDPOLL, YELLOWHAMMERS, SNIPE + my 3rd patch record of STONECHAT! #essexbirding #BirdsSeenIn2026 #birds #birding #nature @britishnatureguide.bsky.social

There's nothing better than a walk down the beach with a loved one..😁

Now that's what I call a bumper crop of Holly berries. Are there no thrushes over at Elmstead Wood to eat them. I saw very few birds except a Green Sandpiper and a Little Egret.

Onwards and upwards.... :) 2026 !

WOMENSART is 10 years old this month! Over half a million followers, many thousands of incredible women artists' work and 3 successful books later... THANK YOU SO MUCH! 💙🩵💙 Georgia O'Keeffe inspired birthday cake by Tonya Alvey #WomensArt

Memories of the summer

Join team Suffolk Wildlife Trust and help fundraise for a wild Suffolk! Become part of our fundraising team and run the Ipswich Half Marathon in 2026. Sign up now and start working towards your goal. https://www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/events/ipswich-half-marathon-2026

So, onwards into 2026! The plan is to hold two live broadcast weekends during 2026. The dates are being finalised and we hope to let everyone know shortly. Thanks Everyone Tony, Heather, @shirazturvey.co.uk & Peter www.lv18radio.uk 4/4

A solid start to the new year with 58 species recorded in and around the Ipswich area including Mandarin Duck & Ring Necked Parakeet in Christchurch Park. #UKBirding. #SuffolkBirds la

Want a bigger, earlier harvest? 🥔 It’s time to start chitting! To time it perfectly, work backwards 6 weeks from your spring planting date. Place seed potatoes in a cool, bright spot with the "eyes" facing up to grow strong 1-2cm sprouts. This head start ensures a better crop! #GardeningTips #GYO

Mazarine Blue used to be a resident of our region. For example being recorded in the Gog Magog hills near Cambridge. A site that is now the best in the region for Small Blue

Long Tailed Tit in our Essex garden #bird #birds #birdphotography #ukwildlife #wildlife #wildlifephotography #nature #NaturePhotography @rspb.bsky.social

Cambs Local Nature Recovery Strategy is finalised and online. Along with a digital habitat map of the county. We supported this process and it's great to see this public cambridgeshirepeterborough-ca.gov.uk/local-nature...

1/2 Garden BirdWatchers asked why Siskins visited their feeders in higher numbers some winters compared to others. Discover the answer ⬇️🧵 #Ornithology 📷 Graham Catley/BTO 🪶

Then onto Abberton Reservoir for a few hours where it was good to see lots of local birders and highlights incl 3 TUNDRA BEAN & 15 WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, 6 SMEW, BN GREBE, SCAUP, 3 RC POCHARD, LT STINT, GREY WAG, 4+ MARSH HARRIER. #BirdsSeenIn2026 #essexbirding #birds @britishnatureguide.bsky.social

Kicked off our 2026 birding with a visit to Ardleigh Reservoir, Colchester where the RED-NECKED GREBE found by @esbr-essex.bsky.social was still present plus good to see 3 GREAT EGRET, SISKINS, GREY WAGTAIL and more. #essexbirding #BirdsSeenIn2026 #birding #birds @britishnatureguide.bsky.social

The last #wildflowerhour of 2025 & wasn’t it a lovely one! Lots in flower but will they still be in bloom for the #NewYearPlantHunt which begins on 1st January, let’s meet again next Sunday to find out! Head over to @bsbibotany.bsky.social to find out how to take part!

CLEARANCE SALE NOW ON! ⬇️ www.birders-store.co.uk/clearance-sa... #BirdingGear

A stray shower passing Beaumont Quay in Essex this evening just as the sun was setting and lighting up the base of the clouds for the second to last time in 2025. #photo #photography #sunset

My birding travels have given me a new perspective on my British birding & I had not been inclined to go to Sheringham to see the Eastern Black Redstart as I was watching them so recently in Oman. A drive out with my parents today did take us that way & it would have been rude not to call in.

Happy New Year everyone! As per the last five years, I started 2026 birding within c10km of home, aiming to note as many species as possible, as part of a collective effort. 107 was a personal best (previous high 102). Jack Snipe seen with thermal (not flushed) & Great Northern Diver two highlights.

What will be your first butterfly of 2026? Brimstone would be one of the favourites.

Happy New Year 🥳 We hope 2026 is a good one! Remember, you can keep up with all the latest dragonfly news this year by signing up to our free monthly e-newsletter 📰 british-dragonflies.org.uk/get-involved...

Enjoyed seeing my first Red-necked Grebe for several years at Ardleigh Res. and this handsome ♂ Smew at Abberton Reservoir, also my first for several years. @essexbirdnews.bsky.social #Essexbirding #birds

Great joy to have R N Grebe in the mighty Stour area this afternoon (ta @esbr-essex.bsky.social ) - here's a pencilling of its resting head shape. #BirdArt

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7 Dec: Legend tells of a bird with a broken wing who begged each tree for shelter from the cold. All the trees refused; only a fir tree offered it sanctuary. For this kindness the Frost King decreed that the North Wind should never blow away its leaves in winter. #FolkloreSunday

Our Lesser Redpolls are back! They have been feeding in Silver Birch trees in our Essex garden for the past few winters & returned this week #birds #birdphotography #ukwildlife #wildlife #wildlifephotography #nature #natirephotography @rspb.bsky.social

Not sure if vid. works on repeat, but anyway this should be one of the juv GNDs on the Stour this week losing its rag with a fish way too big to swallow and hammering it with its beak. #BirdArt

The last Save Our Suffolk Swifts talk of 2025 is next week in Ipswich Wednesday, 10 December, 7.30pm Museum Street Methodist Church, 17 Black Horse Lane, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 2EF Simon Hooton will reveal the incredible life and ecology of Suffolk's swifts @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social

Votes have been cast in the EBwS Autumn 2025 Bird Photography Competition quarter-finals, now it's semi-final time! Here are the entries in the 2nd - please choose your favourite photo from these four and vote here: strawpoll.com/Dwyo3do4eyA #ebwsphotos

Candlesnuff

Gliophorus psittacinus 🦜 #allthingsfungi #fungifriends

Wonderful weather on Fri 5th Dec 2025 for a visit to Minsmere. Highlights incl fab views of BEARDED REEDLINGS, 3 BITTERNS, distant views of the TEMMINCK'S STINT, MARSH HARRIERS and good numbers of ducks on the scrape. #SuffolkBirding #birds #birding #BirdsSeenIn2025 @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social

Last one of these for the year, monthly wildlife blogs of Beth Chatto Gardens as seen through the lenses of the staff: www.bethchatto.co.uk/discover/our... All previous ones can be found there too, or linked from my own website at www.chrisgibsonwildlife.co.uk/beth-chatto-... #naturewriting

Here's a backlit GND from the Stour earlier in the week. Beak open between dives. #BirdArt

It's been a long wait but an advance copy of 'Grasshoppers' has finally arrived. It's been worth the wait with excellent printing

D-class lifeboat launched from Walton and Frinton, Essex at 17:28 - https://rnli.org/WaltonandFrinton

D-class lifeboat launched from Clacton-on-Sea, Essex at 16:52 - https://rnli.org/ClactononSea

Severn-class lifeboat launched from Harwich, Essex at 13:56 - https://rnli.org/Harwich

Stuck for Christmas gift ideas…. how about a Big Meadow Search book? 🤔😉🤓 2 volumes compiled from the project’s social media posts. Bk: 1 covers grassland indicator species with a range of associated species whilst Bk 2 has >200 different species, again with associated species

The British Lichen Society photo competition is open to all. The themes this year are ‘Under the microscope’ and ‘The bigger picture’. Find the full details at the bottom of our AGM Weekend page. Judging will take place by popular vote during this event. britishlichensociety.org.uk/the-society/...

I can’t resist posting another photo of Aseroe rubra (Anemone Stinkhorn). This was the largest specimen I found and nicely shows the remains of the ‘egg’ it emerged from. Surrey 4/12/25 #fungi #FungiFriends

Warmer days may feel far away now, but some of our fluttery friends may still make appearances when that winter sun shows itself in our gardens and green spaces 🦋❄️ #SaveButterflies #MothsMatter

A selection of the stunning images included in the BDS 2026 calendar 😍 Treat yourself, friends and family 🎁 All proceeds support the BDS 💚 british-dragonflies.org.uk/product/bds-...