Black redstart around the hotel on Rhodes. Beautiful.

Last morning in Rhodes and the shots of the long tailed blue I wanted. A pretty fresh specimen too. @europebutterfly.bsky.social

Plenty of swallowtails around on Rhodes at the minute. A beautiful golden treat in late October. Good views from a tiny hill top monastery too.

Away in Rhodes weather is beautiful, a little brighter and warmer than Dartmoor in late October. Lots of flowers and butterflies still about. And I was very happy to see three red backed shrike this afternoon.

A male adder returned close to its hibernaculum. Dartmoor. @argroupsuk.bsky.social

When searching for Brown Hairstreak eggs in the winter advice is to look between shin and chest height. Is this because that's often where the newer growth is? @savebutterflies.bsky.social @martinswarren.bsky.social On my local hedge I see egg laying above this up to the top of the hedge at 4m.

About 10 clouded yellows in a couple of fields on North East Dartmoor. My 2nd highest number up here. In the heat it felt very Mediterranean. @bcdevon.bsky.social

My first Brown Hairstreak of the year a mile from my house. This female was searching for the perfect spot on the blackthorn to lay her eggs @bcdevon.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Spotted flycatchers in the garden on the power cable this morning. A beautiful sight #Birds

Beautiful Brimstones around today. Lots of peacocks too. Silver-washed fritillaries in the greatest numbers Ive ever seen but the white admiral season is almost over.

White admirals are my favourite. An absolute pleasure to see so many today in numerous woodland clearings @savebutterflies.bsky.social

So many butterflies today. 18 species including 50+ silver-washed, 20+ White admirals, 10+ purple hairstreaks, 10+ Red Admirals and 10+ newly emerged peacocks. Feel very lucky. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcdevon.bsky.social

Purple hairstreak numbers increasing. About 30 this evening. 15 in my favourite tree. Far away for my camera. I love watching them fight for sunny spots. A thrill to see them spiral and a treat to see which way around they land and the different shades they appear. @savebutterflies.bsky.social

White admiral females looking for egg laying sites this afternoon at Bovey valley woods. Weaving their way in and out of branches in the shade where honey suckle is growing. Very different to the way I usually see them gliding down from the tops of the trees. @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Only a handful of purple hairstreaks out this evening at my local Hotspot. Hoping for many more in the next few weeks. Surprised to see this very confiding female low down on the bracken. Taken with my phone. Closest Ive been to one. Beautiful! @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcdevon.bsky.social

Approximately 7 White Admirals in Bovey Valley woods today. It is one of my favourite places to be even on an overcast day @bcdevon.bsky.social 3 silver-washed fritillaries bombing about. A great contrast to the more elegant WA.

More High Browns and Dark Green fritillaries bombing around and occasionally stopping to fuel up on Dartmoor this morning. @bcdevon.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

First Ringlet of the year. So pretty. Also first and only one white admiral seen at Hisley Wood. Distant shot @bcdevon.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

All three of the larger fritillaries out now on Dartmoor and I love them! @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcdevon.bsky.social @ukbutterflies.bsky.social

Mainly the male feeding chicks this morning. A morning of different eating speeds. The smaller insects they devour in seconds. The larger (unknown to me, any thoughts @lesserspotnet.bsky.social ?) morsels taking a while for them to grab. How many days to fledging?

Hole at the back of the lesser spot nest barely visible and not increasing in size. 16 visits in one hour between 9 and 10 this morning (before the rain). 9 male 7 female. Working hard. I think they'll fledge by Wednesday. @lesserspotnet.bsky.social #Birds

Lesser spots are so beautiful and charismatic. You might have already guessed but I'm totally addicted. @lesserspotnet.bsky.social #Birds

One Lesser Spot nest has fully fledged. The other quite a way to go. Slight concerns over a small hole in the back of the nest. Noticed by both Male and Female this morning. @lesserspotnet.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social #birds @stuckateur.bsky.social

LesserSpotNet special pin badges presented by @angusrobin.bsky.social to volunteers Stuart @stuckateur.bsky.social (left) & Ed @edhorncastle.bsky.social (right) who found and monitored breeding outcomes at LSW nests in Devon - many thanks both

Just to see these birds is a privilege these days sadly,truly wonderful birds i could watch all day SW Uk

Lesser spot chicks doing well. The male and the female feeding and the male taking out fecal sacks. Is the female calling to the male or trying to entice the chicks out in the 2nd clip @lesserspotnet.bsky.social ?She did this a number of times today @angusrobin.bsky.social @stuckateur.bsky.social

Checked in with the lesser spot nest found by @stuckateur.bsky.social both Male and Female working hard to feed the young. @lesserspotnet.bsky.social clearing of what I think are faecal sacks a prominent part of the morning. Also lots of spotted flycatchers which grabbed the attention of the Male.

High Brown Fritillaries out today on Dartmoor. Many were so fresh they weren't dry and fully orange yet. Still a bit crinkly. A fantastic vibrant butterfly which bombs all over the bracken hillside. @bcdevon.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Checked in with the lesser spot nest found by @stuckateur.bsky.social both Male and Female working hard to feed the young. @lesserspotnet.bsky.social clearing of what I think are faecal sacks a prominent part of the morning. Also lots of spotted flycatchers which grabbed the attention of the Male.

Interesting aberration of heath fritillary today. @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Finally made it across the Tamar to see the Heath Fritillaries. Lots of mating going on in the mixed conditions. Beautiful butterflies always enjoy my annual trip across the border @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Marsh fritillaries on Dartmoor. Quick trip after clocking off work a little early. @bcdevon.bsky.social @ukbutterflies.bsky.social All part of a count for @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Hard to stop visiting the bogs of Dartmoor when the beautiful Marsh Fritillary lays in wait. @bcdevon.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

6 painted ladies today, as many as I saw the whole of last year. Green veined white on what I think should be named after them not the cuckoo (there was a cuckoo around). Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary on bog bean. Heath spotted orchids too. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @ukbutterflies.bsky.social

Amazing spring day and the marsh fritillaries are out on Dartmoor. What could be better @bcdevon.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social #ukbutterflies

I found this juvenile otter today on the road. It kept wanting to lie in the road. I encouraged it towards a little stream. Hope it gets to safety.

Beautiful green glow in the woods today. Good company too with the flycatchers and a lost pearl bordered fritillary come off the common. #Birds

Tree pipits everywhere, lots of fresh in Whinchats (a distant shot in situ). 5 cuckoos 4 males (Another distant shot!) one female. Pearl bordered fritillaries still hanging on too. Great day over 3 sites on Dartmoor. #Birds

Pied flycatchers doing well in the beautiful geeen woods of Dartmoor. Lots of flies about today #Birds

3 male redstarts singing in the early morning light this morning #birds

Distant shots of two male and one female cuckoos. Great to watch them all catching caterpillars. Plus my first whinchats of the year. All on North East Dartmoor. #Birds

Took my neice for her first butterfly count for @savebutterflies.bsky.social 17 pearl bordered fritillaries in 20 minutes even though it was overcast. We had a great time @bcdevon.bsky.social

Was hoping for egg laying this Easter Sunday. Not sure its happening yet but maybe. The male was calling from in the hole. The female came over had a good look. Went off to eat and did visit again this morning. @lesserspotnet.bsky.social #birds

Female Lesser Spot did show up a few times in the morning. She helped excavate for a bit then sat on the top of the stump, fed for a bit and flew off @lesserspotnet.bsky.social #Birds

Male Lesser Spot was back on excavating duty today after some atrocious weather. He must be almost finished as he started on the 5th of April @lesserspotnet.bsky.social #birds

The most redstarts I've seen on my little patch. At least 4 males and 3 females seen. Lots of chasing, singing and calling. But most of all looking beautiful in the early morning sun! #Birds

Went to check if the PBFs had survived the storm on 3 sites in North Dartmoor. A lethargic start but numbers and activity increased @bcdevon.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social @ukbutterflies.bsky.social Hard to argue there is a better underside in any UK butterfly @stephmurphy.bsky.social

Windy and wobbly but great to hear a grasshopper warbler on Dartmoor yesterday. The song still shocks me everytime I hear it.

The redstarts are totally outnumbered by the pied flycatchers with only one pair on my little patch of heaven in the woods. Still great to see them checking out nest holes.