Christmas cards arriving - fewer each year as traditionalists decline in numbers. Quite a lot of birds - do you get them too? Will do a 12th Night review of wildlife (sensu lato) species. Camels count! Would love to see yours too. Predict Robin victory. #wildlifeonChristmascards

Not favourite where I’ve looked 10/1 with Betfair. Dull golfers and dull F1 drivers often win. www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Did you hear the Flow Country mentioned on Mastermind on Monday as a World Heritage site? Here's a book that addresses that too, available from www.lulu.com/shop/colin-r...

Glad to see this study of lead levels in children. More info here markavery.info/2025/12/11/6... Wonder what the blood lead levels in gamekeepers' kids are like?

Ladybird Artists Advent Calendar, window 8 ‘Winter Farmyard’ Artist: Ronald Lampitt

Day 8 of my botanical #adventcalendar - Yellow Bird's-nest. This bizarre plant is a mycoheterotroph - it has no chlorophyll, so can't photosynthesis, and gets all its food from parasitising underground fungi! In central Scotland it is found on mining bings - islands of biodiversity #wildflowerhour

"Historic return to London"? From that statement then you must have plenty of historical evidence they were in London previously. Can you share it with us, plenty would like to see it. @alexanderlees.bsky.social @iancarter67.bsky.social @markavery.bsky.social

A very handsome Echiniscus testudo Tardigrade found in lichen on a branch blown down in the winds in Alexandra Park, Hastings. #UKWildlife #Tardigrade

An old garden gate. One of many I come across on my walks - but this one stopped me in my tracks. I wonder what treasures and adventures lie behind the gate, and beyond those steps? I think I might start paying more attention to old garden gates... #gardens #gates

Ladybird Artists Advent Calendar, window 9 ‘Evening Snow’ Artist: SR Badmin

1/2 #speciesaday no. 682 is Tomoxia bucephala. A Nationally Scarce saproxylic 'tumbling flower beetle'. Superficially like the much commoner Variimorda villosa, but a different pattern and more strongly associated with deadwood. I have recorded it between 2nd June and 10th July. Not annual for me.

President Zelenskyy has rejected the Trump peace plan, submitted to him in its original Russian.

Finally, a fern! Day 10 of my botanical #adventcalendar is the delicate Alpine Lady-fern, a species of Scottish mountains that grows where the snow lies late, consequently declining linked to changing climate I find the pattern of its fronds very restful, almost hypnotic to look at... #wildfernhour

Tree Sparrow in our garden on the Northumberland coast. Numbers are well down in our garden this year compared to previous winters. @btobirds.bsky.social #nebirding

Losses of specialist and expansion of thermophilic generalist macro-moths in nature reserves of Central Europe: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Today, December 12 is International Iberian Lynx Day. A good day to celebrate the recovery of the species. In 'Critical danger of Extinction' 25 years ago, there are now over 2400 Iberian #Lynx. #rewilding

Snow Bunting at East Head (found by Tom Snow)

Bulldozing nature policy won’t rebuild Britain. My latest blog on the continued attack on nature from this misguided Labour government and why they are listening to the wrong advisors. www.hiwwt.org.uk/blog/debbie-...

50th guest blog dismembering the case for a giant windfarm between #Haworth and #Hebden Bridge. Latest: markavery.info/2025/12/10/g... The series: markavery.info/blog/archive... #peat #plath #bronte #wuthering #floods #turbines #climate Wonderful Nick Mackinnon & friends return in new year.

Walshaw Moor on film… www.theguardian.com/film/2025/de...

Just been listening to a Mistle Thrush as I waited for the 10:27 into London at Wellingborough station. So scarce these days that it took a moment to realise what it was.

Blowy mild night in Northants and a Light Brown Apple, an appropriate December moth and, more of a surprise, this Silver Y to enjoy this morning. #TeamMoth

Hardly a nature book to be seen there. www.theguardian.com/books/2025/d...

Have read this several times. A good man and a good journalist. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Thank you Chris - and thank you for the artwork for the cover

Evan Davis @evanhd.bsky.social - were those really Starmer's words, in that order? No edits? All his own work?

Am I over-reacting here? markavery.info/2025/12/05/k...

The great @markavery.bsky.social has a new book out co-written with Colin Rees . It focusses on 2024 from two birders either side of the pond – birds , wildlife , politics , the changing seasons – it's all in there + half the profits go to @wildjustice.bsky.social ! Get yours at chrispackh.am/93ade7

Trevor - thank you for such a book. You deserve a beer or two. @bsbibotany.bsky.social @plantlifeuk.bsky.social

My blog's book of the year for 2025 is.... markavery.info/2025/11/30/t... #naturewriting @nicolawriting.bsky.social @tonyjuniper.bsky.social @adamweymouth.bsky.social #roydennis #rogermorgangrenville #davidnorth @patrickgalbraith.bsky.social @trevorthebotanist.bsky.social

My last review before I reveal my blog's Book of 2025 (at noon). And it's a cracker! Book: Ghosts of the Farm by @nicolawriting.bsky.social Review: markavery.info/2025/11/30/s... Publisher: @chelseagreenbooks.bsky.social "A wonderful book" #naturewriting

My penultimate review before I reveal my blog's Book of 2025 at noon. Sunday book review: Lifelines by @julianhoffman.bsky.social Review: markavery.info/2025/11/30/s... Publisher: @eandtbooks.bsky.social "Very enjoyable & recommended to those interested in both people & wildlife" #naturewriting

A poll of readers of my monthly newsletter (464 responses) shows that 44% of them say they voted #Labour in 2024 but only 7% would vote that way in a general election tomorrow. Massive swing to the #Greens. Details: bit.ly/3KwBiaP @nataliegreenpeer.bsky.social @greenjennyjones.bsky.social

Nish Kumar supports rewilding. "The future I want to see is one where the incredible diversity of nature replaces polluted waters and silent landscapes." Blog: markavery.info/2025/11/28/r... #rewilding @rewildingbritain.org.uk 📷Matt Stronge

Guest blog: Nick MacKinnon continues to demolish the case, already in tatters, for huge Walshaw Moor windfarm. Blog: markavery.info/2025/11/28/g... Who knows, but I'd be shocked if it got 👍👍 Part of me wants a parallel universe where we see what wd've happened without this strong local campaign.

A couple of December moths in (actually, outside) the moth trap this morning. They are quite cute.

BSBI @bsbibotany.bsky.social announces winning photographs markavery.info/2025/11/27/w... Third category: sharing plants with others Great Reedmace (Typha latifolia), Cambridgeshire by Edward Burden

BSBI @bsbibotany.bsky.social announces winning photographs markavery.info/2025/11/27/w... Second category: finding plants in wild places. Into the depths – Aquatic plants at Loch Ullachie, Aberdeenshire by Ian Francis

BSBI @bsbibotany.bsky.social announces winning photographs markavery.info/2025/11/27/w... First category: Up close with diagnostic features. Grass-of Parnassus (Parnassia palustris), Birnie, Morayshire, by Catriona Matheson

Peat with a dram on The Oa of Islay markavery.info/2025/11/22/r...

Skylark Lane and Swift Avenue markavery.info/2025/11/22/r... RSPB finds bird populations falling while roads named after those birds are rising. Hmm - is that progress? 📷Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)

Our future is wild - www.rewildingbritain.org.uk/appeal

Sunday book review: Spiders and Harvestmen of Yorkshire by @ecology-digest.bsky.social Publisher: Pisces Review: markavery.info/2025/11/16/s... @ynuorg.bsky.social @britishspiders.bsky.social @yorkshiredales.org.uk @northyorkmoors.org.uk @yorkswildlife.bsky.social @wildsheffield.bsky.social

Ian - many thanks! Nice shelves!

You can tell me what you think - the reader is the judge.

Looking forward to reading this. #naturewriting

Sunday book review: Conserving Nature in Greater Yellowstone by Robert Keiter. Publisher: uchicagopress.bsky.social Review: markavery.info/2025/11/16/s... #yellowstone #grizzly #wolf #fire #elk #grazing #ecosystemapproach

Gary - thanks for this. Under new management now. A lot of Pheasants around, I noticed...

Yesterday I had the pleasure of looking around Windsor Great Park with the amazing Ted Green. Ancient trees & very rich in fungi and invertebrates. A fascinating visit of one of our most important SACs. Appropriately (?) we had mushroom pizza in the Savill Garden restaurant for lunch.