A magnificent trip of 13 Dotterel on the dizzying heights of the south Cambridgeshire uplands on Sunday evening #UKBirding

Petty Whin from Mitcham Common, and Goldilocks Buttercup with Bluebells from Threecorner Wood @ldnwildlifetrust.bsky.social, late for #WildflowerHour

The only gull on the lake, the Ross's Gull made for a surreal sight as it paddled past at close range at Thurrock Thameside Nature Park, Essex yesterday #UKBirding

Dukes, Grizz 'n' Liz from Chapel Bank @ldnwildlifetrust.bsky.social on Tuesday

Do I know anyone brave/mad enough to look at hawkweeds? It would be great to put a name to this blotchy beauty seen y'day on chalk at Hutchinson's Bank, Surrey/London, but I'm not sure if that's possible from these pics. @bramblebotanist.bsky.social is this something you can help with?

Furry potatoes doing their thing yesterday. It was lovely to be able to help some visitors, including families with young kids, to see their first Water Voles.

Bits from out and about this week - Sedge Warbler, Roe Deer and some slightly awkward Dotterels. Oilseed rape seems to have undergone a step change this year in its ability to self-seed absolutely everywhere - I expect this isn't a good thing, but it does add some nice colour to a photo.

A nice bimble on Therfield Heath in the late afternoon sun - box-fresh Brown Argus maybe Herts' first of the year, Small Coppers always a pleasure, and the earliest county record by a week of the localised Small Purple-barred moth. And just now, at home, Swiiiiiiiift!!! @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social

Just a cheeky nudge for this request to help me get some Lloydia (Gagea) love next month, thanks in advance!

Unexpected excitement on the way to the pub today while visiting friends in Bristol - a single pristine Green-winged Orchid on an unmown patch of modified grassland lawn in urban Easton. No records on the map and otherwise not even a Cowslip there! #WildflowerHour

Wheatear and hare from a pre-work stroll on Therfield Heath today

Try not to faint with awe and wonder but if I've understood 'narrow scarious margins to bracts' correctly these might be the only known Dwarf Mouse-ears in Cambs VC29, poking out of the side of a manhole cover where they were first spotted ten years ago

Rue-leaved Saxifrage, just because it's one of my favourites and I look forward to seeing where it pops up every year. This year this tiny spring gem has chosen the top of a low wall on my street #WildflowerHour

Bit of an odd one. First record of a single Pasqueflower at a south Cambs grassland today. Within sight of 60,000 plants just over the border in Herts, but not a species that seems inclined to spread by seed. Also a weirdly tall, sturdy plant. Answers on a postcard! @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Bit of an odd one. First record of a single Pasqueflower at a south Cambs grassland today. Within sight of 60,000 plants just over the border in Herts, but not a species that seems inclined to spread by seed. Also a weirdly tall, sturdy plant. Answers on a postcard! @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Hello botanists of Bluesky, I will be in north Wales next month and would like to look for the legendary Snowdon Lily. I've found various grid refs but it's a bit unclear which would require serious mountaineering! Would anyone be kind enough to help via a private message? @bsbibotany.bsky.social

A big step up in moths with 73 of 20 last night (plus Emperors to lure and Jersey Tiger caterpillars). Chamomile Shark was the standout, a new moth for me. Also a very fine Mullein (2nd record of an adult), Silver Y, Least Black Arches (Royston VC29)... #TeamMoth

Yesterday was a nice day to be an Emperor Moth, other than the inconvenience of being lured to my garden under false pretenses! Royston, Cambs VC29 #TeamMoth

Red Dead-nettle and less welcome invasive Three-cornered Leek adorning the clifftop at Trimingham, Norfolk yesterday #WildflowerHour

Pasqueflowers and Spring Sedge at Therfield Heath, Herts on Good Friday for #WildflowerHour

Common Heath flying on Kelling Heath yesterday morning - potentially the earliest ever Norfolk record #TeamMoth

There was more sunshine than we were expecting today, so we enjoyed a couple of Norfolk Adders

Sloe Carpet, Frosted Green, Lead-coloured Drab and Shoulder Stripe near Tiptree, Essex on Monday night. The Sloe Carpet was a very welcome surprise and seemingly quite an early record #TeamMoth

You know Blossom Underwings must be having a good year when one even makes it to my garden! An unexpected and very welcome lifer last night, among just 15 moths of 7 species. Royston VC29 #TeamMoth

Wild Daffodils and a cheeky early Bluebell from a Bedfordshire wood for #WildflowerHour

Early Meadow-grass (Poa infirma) turning an Essex farm track a distinctive shade of yellowish-green #WildflowerHour

Water Voles at Fowlmere RSPB this morning - nice to see them out and about again

Black Brant or hybrid at Bradwell-on-Sea, Essex on Thursday. A nice striking-looking bird but a bit of a contrast between neck and belly and perhaps not sooty enough on the mantle, although bright sunlight didn't help. Collar narrowed front and back but seemed to just about meet #UKbirding

Lovely views of at least 4 or 5 Large Tortoiseshells enjoying the afternoon sun in Kent on Wednesday. My 62nd British butterfly species - let's hope they're back for good!

I wondered whether this might be Pink Shepherd's-purse as it seems to have slightly concave capsule sides and shortish petals, but it's not something I've knowingly seen before. Can anyone advise? Outside the Travelodge at Maldon, Essex (such a glamourous life I lead...) @bsbibotany.bsky.social

A few hours to clear the head in a quiet part of the Brecks, featuring this Crossbill twittering quietly to himself plus noisy Redpolls, Siskins and Marsh Tits. A territorial Raven would have been a big deal not long ago. A brief Orange Underwing flyby, but no Adders in their usual place.

One of these drabs is not like the others... NFG Northern Drab last night, perhaps the fourth VC29 record in the last 35 years. I am a mile from a population just over the border in Herts and always hoped I'd catch a wanderer from there, but last night's was early and unexpected! #TeamMoth

Checked local Lizard Orchids today, at Litlington the mature plant had recently been uprooted, prob by rabbit. I replanted it but suspect it's a goner. At least five baby plants within 3m radius. Nearby Therfield Heath plants, found 2025, looking good (2 large 1 small). @bsbibotany.bsky.social

New and old at Therfield Heath today - the first of this year's Pasqueflowers not far off flowering, while under the nearby beeches some of last year's White Helleborines are still visible @bsbibotany.bsky.social

A few new for year moths over the last few days, including Acleris cristana, Oak Beauty, Early Grey and Twin-spotted Quaker. I only catch one or two Oak Beauty a year and they are up there among my favourite moths. Royston, VC29 #TeamMoth

It's a nice Green morning but the moths are still very brown. Nothing spectacular on Weds night but 20 of 8 was encouraging and the Satellite was my first since 2023. Royston, VC29 #TeamMoth

'You ain't seen me, right?' I didn't think I was going to get a Jack Snipe this winter but the thermal camera did the trick on my survey yesterday, meaning I was able to take a few photos and leave this beauty in peace #UKbirding

A splash of colour suggesting that winter might finally be coming to end - Mezereon (Daphne mezereum) near Weeting, west Norfolk today. Not sure how it got there in the first place, but it seems like it's been known at this spot for over 35 years #WildflowerHour

I must have walked past this fern dozens of times on the morning dog walk, but for some reason today was the day I noticed it. Does it look OK for Cyrtomium fortunei, @bsbibotany.bsky.social? Growing wild on a shaded flint wall in Royston, Cambs VC29.

I realised to my horror that Pale Brindled Beauty wasn't on my garden list, so stuck a trap out last night and caught a grand total of one moth - a PBB! Too easy for once, although there was an element of excitement due to having to climb on top of the wheelie bins to retrieve it from the wall...

Moth round-up 2025 with some great species recorded at home (first two collages) and away. The garden total (Royston, Cambs VC29) was around 340 species #TeamMoth

Tried to stave off the advance of a cold with a blast of sea air and Sheringham's Eastern Black Redstart. Don't think that worked, but the bird was great - I've been hoping for one of these in Norfolk for ages. Very obliging when it's there, but also prone to long disappearing acts. #UKBirding

Some mothing highlights from a wonderful two-week road trip through France and northern Spain in June this year. IDs, which I hope are correct, are in the Alt text #TeamMoth

Surprising December lepidopterising - my first Bloxworth Snout and hark! A gang of Heralds, snoozing in their charming Croydon hangout. Nearby, on young blackthorn shoots, next year's Brown Hairstreaks are on their way.

Hume's Warbler, Winterton y'day. On its own, ignoring passing tit flocks, it kept to a clump of sallows and adjacent bay tree, giving occasional bursts of calls. Despite not moving far, a nightmare to photograph! My first since finding one in Wells Woods in 2015. #UKBirding #NorfolkBirding

Lovely Pallas's Warbler at Cart Gap today, 500m from car park bird and suspect 2nd bird but can't be 100% sure. Certainly felt like a find when it dropped in in front of me! Bird was on its own and calling occasionally. Also Woodcock, Snow Buntings, ++Robins and Blackbirds #NorfolkBirding #UKBirding

Enjoyed my first British Pallid Swift in a long while as it cruised over the streets of Cromer, then gave Blakeney Point a bash - barely a birder seen in 6 hrs but not many birds either. A November Whitethroat was unexpected, but I'd have preferred one of the more likely options (Pallas's or Dusky)!

Not exactly fighting off Death's-head Hawk-moths here, but Oak Rustic last night was a long-awaited new moth for me. Also Yellow-line Quaker and Sprawler this week. The wind has finally dropped to nothing so what will tonight bring? Royston, VC29 #TeamMoth

A very westerly Brown Shrike and a rather easterly Western Gorse at Upper Hollesley Common, Suffolk yesterday

A day of two halves yesterday, starting with the Suffolk Turkestan Shrike - which was attempting to shelter from winds strong enough to blow it back to Turkestan - followed by a trip to London for a glorious, tearful, joyful farewell show from the living legend that is Edwyn Collins.