Philip🦎EcotrakNI
@ecotrakni.bsky.social
📤 150
📥 136
📝 1078
Nature lover and Common Lizard spotter
Just in time for Halloween, the Devil's Fingers fungi are out at Murlough, Co Down. Some proving very attractive to flies (3rd pic)
#fungi
#mushrooms
#autumn
#naturephotography
#nature
#uknature
#NTmurlough
13 days ago
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I was lucky to spot a ringtail Hen Harrier from the Blackhead Path, Co Antrim, this afternoon and even managed to get the camera out of the bag in time for a flypast!
#birds
#nibirds
#belfast
#northernireland
#ireland
#ukwildlife
#nature
#🪶
21 days ago
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Another chance to see Comet Lemmon C/2025 A6 last night (21 Oct 2025) from Belfast. This time I used a longer lens (300mm, cropped) and stacked 20 x 10sec exposures to get a better view.
23 days ago
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At last a clear evening to have a look for Comet Lemmon, C/2025 A6, here in light polluted Belfast. Still it was easily visible with binoculars although looking very small in the 100mm lens as it set over the rooftop. (19 Oct 2025)
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25 days ago
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Shaggy parasol (Chlorophyllum rhacodes) at Belvoir Park Forest, Belfast, this afternoon 🍄
26 days ago
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More fungi - from a wooded area of Lagan Meadows, Belfast. Identifications are educated guesses at best! Corrections welcomed! Weeping Widow fungi, Fairy Inkcaps?, Honey Fungus and Oysterlings (Latin names in 'ALT')
about 1 month ago
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Some fungi from a walk in Belvoir Park Forest, Belfast. Not my area of expertise but maybe Collared Earthstar, Shaggy Inkcaps, Rosy Bonnets and ???
about 1 month ago
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Can now add Aughrim Hill, Attical (Mourne Mountains) to the Common Lizard map for N Ireland. First sign was a shed skin and then 2 juveniles spotted on a sunny bank 26 Sep 2025
@argroupsuk.bsky.social
#woodlandtrust
#ukwildlife
#HSI
#reptile
#lizard
#zootoca
#northernireland
#nature
about 2 months ago
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A few of today's Common Lizard sightings, during a couple of brighter spells, at Peatlands Park, Co Armagh
@argroupsuk.bsky.social
#ukwildlife
#HSI
#reptile
#lizard
#zootoca
#northernireland
#nature
about 2 months ago
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Into Autumn and running out of time to find new Common Lizard locations, so was pleased today to find this one at Slieve Gallion, near Magherafelt (previous visits in June & July turned up nothing)
@argroupsuk.bsky.social
#ukwildlife
#HSI
#reptile
#lizard
#zootoca
#northernireland
#nature
about 2 months ago
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reposted by
Philip🦎EcotrakNI
Belfast Hills Partnership
about 2 months ago
Belfast Hills Partnership are delighted to be the recipients of a £1.1 million investment from
@daera-ni.gov.uk
for nature recovery. Read the full story on our website.
belfasthills.org/newsroom/one...
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£1.1 Million Investment into the Belfast Hills - Belfast Hills
Belfast Hills Partnership are delighted to be the recipients of a £1.1 million investment for nature recovery.
https://belfasthills.org/newsroom/one-million-investment-into-the-belfast-hills/
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The Rumble Hole waterfall, at Colin Glen/Glenside in the
#BelfastHills
, looking spectacular this afternoon (12 September 2025) Nice little rainbow at the bottom.
@belfasthills.bsky.social
#northernireland
#ireland
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2 months ago
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Cool today with sunshine & showers at Whitehead, Co Antrim but lots of common lizard sightings! My favourite pic was this trio of juvenile lizards in the grass beside the Blackhead Path
@argroupsuk.bsky.social
#ukwildlife
#HSI
#reptile
#lizard
#zootoca
#northernireland
#nature
2 months ago
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Contrasting views of Lambay Island from Portmarnock Beach yesterday
#ireland
#weather
#showers
2 months ago
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Still in the Dublin area today and this time a Common Lizard sighting on the path to the beach at Portmarnock Beach South.
#HSI
#reptile
#Ireland
2 months ago
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Visited the fantastic Botanic Gardens at Glasnevin, Dublin this afternoon but wasn't expecting any
#reptile
encounters. What a surprise then to see a terrapin (Yellow-bellied Slider?) at the edge of one of the ponds! Looks like it may be a long term resident (very tame).
#HSI
2 months ago
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Great to find a new lizard site in the Belfast Hills at Glas-na-Bradan (acquired by the
#WoodlandTrust
in 2021). 3 juveniles seen this afternoon.
@belfasthills.bsky.social
@argroupsuk.bsky.social
#woodlandtrust
#ukwildlife
#HSI
#reptile
#lizard
#zootoca
#northernireland
#nature
3 months ago
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Migrant Hawker dragonfly seen today at Ballyhornan coastal path, Co Down, N Ireland. Obligingly settled on a Gorse bush in front of me
@britishdragonflies.bsky.social
#dragonfly
#ukwildlife
3 months ago
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Still had time yesterday for one more potential Common Lizard site - Hen Mountain trail in the Mournes. This turned out to be the best of the 3 sites visited with a total of 17 lizards seen on the lower path.
@argroupsuk.bsky.social
#ukwildlife
#HSI
#reptile
#lizard
#zootoca
#northernireland
#nature
3 months ago
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Two more new Common Lizard sites yesterday (6th Aug). An old quarry at Spelga in the Mournes (after several visits in recent years) and along the road verges at Kinnahalla Road.
#ukwildlife
#HSI
#reptile
#lizard
#zootoca
#northernireland
#ireland
#nature
3 months ago
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At the end of the Ballykinler Path you reach the dunes & beach - accessible when the military firing range is not active! Here, again, Common Lizards are plentiful but you can't wander too far into the dunes.
@argroupsuk.bsky.social
#ukwildlife
#HSI
#reptile
#lizard
#zootoca
#northernireland
#nature
3 months ago
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Yet another new site for Common Lizards in N Ireland - Ballykinler Coastal Path (1 Aug). Not the most exciting or well known path but a perfect lizard corridor (even if not intended) on the left.
@argroupsuk.bsky.social
#ukwildlife
#HSI
#reptile
#lizard
#zootoca
#northernireland
#ireland
#nature
3 months ago
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Not the most comfortable basking spot but this old broken fence post was just high enough to catch the late afternoon sun at Slievenacloy, Co Antrim today.
@argroupsuk.bsky.social
#ukwildlife
#HSI
#reptile
#lizard
#zootoca
#northernireland
#ireland
#nature
4 months ago
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A bit of a break from the lizards, today I visited the RSPB reserve at Belfast Harbour and was delighted to see a Spoonbill. It has been there for 7 weeks and I'm only getting to see it now (heavily cropped/distant photo)
#birds
#nibirds
#belfast
#northernireland
#ireland
#ukwildlife
#nature
#🪶
4 months ago
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Two more new Common Lizard locations today in Co Antrim. Collin Road verge - a shed skin on a fence was the first sign. Then more sightings at Wolf Bog Windfarm. 9 adult and 16 neonates in total.
@argroupsuk.bsky.social
#ukwildlife
#HSI
#reptile
#lizard
#zootoca
#northernireland
#ireland
#nature
4 months ago
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Found another new site for Common Lizards today at Tornaroy, Co Antrim
#BelfastHills
. Not far from the Divis mountain, so unsurprising but I'd been checking this lane for 4/5 years without success
@argroupsuk.bsky.social
#ukwildlife
#HSI
#reptile
#lizard
#zootoca
#northernireland
#ireland
#nature
4 months ago
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Yes, baby lizards are out in the Belfast Hills too (photos 16 July 2025). Always love this time of year - seeing the new generation of Common Lizards arrive🦎🦎🦎
@argroupsuk.bsky.social
#ukwildlife
#HSI
#reptile
#lizard
#zootoca
#northernireland
#ireland
#nature
4 months ago
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reposted by
Philip🦎EcotrakNI
Belfast Hills Partnership
4 months ago
Please don’t start any fires deliberately. Even if you haven’t got malicious intentions fire can get out of hand quickly. Don’t ever tackle a wildfire yourself; leave the scene of the fire as quickly & safely as possible as flames can spread incredibly quickly & call 999 ASAP.
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First baby lizards of 2025 at Blackhead Path, Co Antrim. Very early again this year (same date as 2023) thanks to a sunny May/June incubation period.
@argroupsuk.bsky.social
#ukwildlife
#HSI
#reptile
#lizard
#zootoca
#northernireland
#ireland
4 months ago
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Four-spotted Chaser and several Common Lizards at Divis Mountain, Belfast, yesterday. One of the lizards was quite close to the Long Barn.
5 months ago
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One of my failed target sites for Common Lizards in 2024 was Flagstaff Viewpoint in Co Armagh. Same result on a revisit today (18 June) in perfect conditions ...but I did see 2 on verge of the nearby Flagstaff Road, including this beauty! .
@argroupsuk.bsky.social
#DragonInHills
#HSI
#reptiles
5 months ago
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Glad to report that Common Lizard sightings are picking up at Slievenacloy, in the Belfast Hills. Well into double figures on this visit - mostly juveniles and gravid females.
@argroupsuk.bsky.social
#HSI
#reptiles
5 months ago
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The Red Mason bees in my garden much prefer the bamboo tubes to the plastic ones but they did partially fill a few of them and I can see some bee larvae have hatched and are busy eating the pollen 🐝
5 months ago
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In South Belfast the Ash trees that have have not been killed by dieback are under attack from hundreds of little green Ash Sawfly caterpillars! Many already making their way down the trunks to pupate in the soil. Maybe a food source for some birds? (Like this Jay - pic 4)
5 months ago
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Very few Common Lizard sightings at Slievenacloy, Co Antrim, recently and despite ideal weather it was the same today. I'm hoping it's just that the sunny/warm spring has altered their basking habits. Anyway here's one that was making use of a hedgerow stump.
@argroupsuk.bsky.social
#HSI
#reptiles
6 months ago
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Now 4 years in a row that I've had one of these non-native "fleecy" jumping spiders, Pseudeuophrys lanigera, in my garden! Lifespan supposedly 1-3 years so maybe not the same one? When it disappeared from sight, I realised it might be hiding in this cable clip!
@britishspiders.bsky.social
6 months ago
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Among the Beetles seen at Murlough yesterday, Garden Chafers (Phyllopertha horticola) were the most active! Agrypnus murinus, a large click beetle is new to me. Just one Marram Weevil (Philopedon plagiatum) and a very small brown weevil that I can't identify - any idea
@markgurn.bsky.social
?
6 months ago
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A mostly cloudy day at Murlough NNR, Co Down, yesterday but some late brightness brought a few Common Lizards out to bask
@bbcspringwatch.bsky.social
@iolowilliams.bsky.social
@argroupsuk.bsky.social
#ukwildlife
#HSI
#reptile
#lizard
#zootoca
#northernireland
#ireland
6 months ago
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An unusual sight on the Ormeau Embankment, Belfast, this morning! A White Stork! Had to stop the car (safely) to get these pics.
#birds
#nibirds
#belfast
#northernireland
#ireland
#ukwildlife
#nature
#🪶
6 months ago
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Also at Murlough NNR, Co Down, there were quite a lot of these mining bees, possibly Andrena barbilabris . If correct, then the Blood Bees seen in the same area are likely to be Sphecodes pellucidus.
@obeckett98.bsky.social
@microwild.bsky.social
6 months ago
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Another spider hunting wasp I think (not great photos) - this time at Murlough NNR. Nearest match I can find is Episyron rufipes. What do you think?
@obeckett98.bsky.social
@microwild.bsky.social
6 months ago
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Working in the garden I suddenly felt a buzzing under my shirt collar and a slight sting. Quickly removed the shirt and found this little bee (phone camera pic)! I think it's a Leafcutter but it's out a bit early - don't usually see them until June/July. Maybe the warm weather has brought them out?
6 months ago
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First Cuckoo I have heard this year - at Murlough, Co Down. Just about able to see it in the middle of a gorse bush, using full zoom (400mm equiv). Sorry about the camera noise.
#birds
#nibirds
#🪶#belfast
#northernireland
#ireland
#ukwildlife
#nature
#nationaltrust
#murlough
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6 months ago
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A farm holiday in Devon with the grandchildren provided few opportunities but I did manage to fit in one morning visit to Dawlish Warren and was thrilled to see some Sand Lizards - including one male in full breeding colours 🦎@argroupsuk.bsky.social
#ukwildlife
#HSI
#reptile
#lizard
#sandlizard
6 months ago
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Bee hotel is buzzing today! Red Mason bees very active in today's heat.
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7 months ago
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Some of the of bees/wasps seen around Camlough Lake yesterday. Spider hunting wasp? (Pompilidae) Andrena sp, Halictus rubicundus and Nomada sp. More precise ids welcomed!
@entospace.bsky.social
@dmac00.bsky.social
7 months ago
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A nice green-coloured Common Lizard seen yesterday (24 April) at Slieve Gullion, Co Armagh
@argroupsuk.bsky.social
#ukwildlife
#HSI
#reptile
#lizard
#zootoca
#northernireland
#ireland
7 months ago
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A brief visit today to a little quarry near Camlough Lake, Co Armagh, produced 4 Common Lizard sightings - all of them in this one photo! (Find the 2 hidden ones!)
@argroupsuk.bsky.social
#ukwildlife
#HSI
#reptile
#lizard
#zootoca
#northernireland
#ireland
7 months ago
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At Slievenacloy, Co Antrim, this afternoon only juvenile Common Lizards were out basking (3 seen). Willow Warblers, Ruby Tiger moths and loads of Orange Tip butterflies all added to the Spring feeling
#UKwildlife
@ulsterwildlife.bsky.social
@argroupsuk.bsky.social
7 months ago
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Cirrus radiatus? clouds over Belfast at lunchtime today
@barrabest.bsky.social
#weather
#clouds
7 months ago
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