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.

On the off-chance that there's anyone who's not tired of Clouded Yellow photos, here's a male from a north Hertfordshire clover field yesterday. Surely one of our hardest butterflies to photograph, this one was relatively docile in a cloudy spell @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social

Can anyone share any tips for seeing Pool Frogs at Thompson Common? Working nearby today and would like to take a look.

An unexpected and very friendly Purple Emperor at Marsham Heath, Norfolk this afternoon

A new Hertfordshire site for Lizard Orchid, with two spikes appearing at Therfield Heath this year making seven orchid species now extant here @ukorchids.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Festoon, Alder Kitten, Marbled Coronet and Wood Carpet from the Brecks on Thursday night... @wjrpb.bsky.social @dcousins85.bsky.social #TeamMoth

I decided I should see some 100% legit Isle of Wight Glanville Fritillaries so hopped on the ferry. Loads between Freshwater and Compton - easy to do from Yarmouth by bus and on foot. Pearl-bordered (New Forest) and Marsh (Salisbury Plain) made for a nice fritillary trio.

Two nights mothing where I was staying just inland of Milford on Sea, Hants, got me some great moths including an early Portland Ribbon Wave, Mocha and Blair's Mocha. Great Prominent was also a long-awaited new moth for me #teammoth

Red-tipped Clearwing came to FOR lure yesterday evening. It was new for the garden (Royston VC29, now six clearwings on garden list) and was not one I was expecting to catch at home. I'd lost my previous photo of Red-tipped so this one enabled me to re-complete my clearwing collage! #TeamMoth

When you're up at an unholy hour for a breeding bird survey it would be rude not to pop down the road afterwards to get shouted at by a Great (Enormous?!) Reed Warbler

Pancalia leuwenhoekella, a surprise (although questionable origin) Large Tortoiseshell, Duke of Burgundy and Grizzled Skipper at Hutchinson's Bank/Chapel Bank reserves (London/Surrey) last week

Went back for better views of the Spotted Sandpiper at Grafham Water today - it obliged after a little while!

Green Hound's-tongue and Bird's-nest Orchids on the Surrey North Downs last week #WildflowerHour

Back for another year, against the odds! Turtle Dove, south Cambridgeshire, 27th April 2025 #UKBirding

Things that fly past you in northwest Norfolk: Barn Owl, Spoonbill and Mediterranean Gulls

Found a non-camera-shy Grasshopper Warbler this morning - no I couldn't believe it either...

Undoubtedly qualifying as a #TinyPlant: New Zealand Bittercress (Cardamine corymbosa) in a South Wootton, Norfolk garden #WildflowerHour

West Norfolk heaths do good #TinyPlants: Shepherd's Cress, Early Hair-grass, Field Wood-rush and Sheep's Sorrel #WildflowerHour

Green Alkanet would very much like to take over my whole garden but it is allowed one big patch as the insects love it. Here are Jersey and Scarlet Tiger caterpillars munching away on it the other night #TeamMoth

Enjoyable West Norfolk bimblings featuring Adders, Ring Ouzels, a very casual Roe Deer and a carpet of Field Mouse-ear

A rarity with a view for #WildflowerHour - gorgeous Yellow Whitlowgrass (Draba aizoides) on the Gower today. One I've been hoping to see for a long time!

Hopefully a sign that spring migration is moving up Another Level (commiserations to anyone unfortunate enough to get that reference...)

First Pasqueflower of the year and my first local Green Field-speedwell were highlights of local wanderings this weekend #WildFlowerHour

Must be a funny business being a Water Pipit - you spend summer in some glorious Alpine meadow then come over here to slum it in a rubbish-filled overflow channel. This one has been coming to the same spot for several winters and is less skittish than most others of its species #UKBirding

Norfolk coast on a sunny Saturday afternoon - thousands of birds and not a single human to be seen! Surprise Shorty, Hen Harrier cruising through and a couple of thousand Brents dropping in for a wash and brush-up - lovely stuff. #UKBirding

There's not many finer sights than a pair of Pintail. Also a mucky-beaked Whooper, Shelducks getting frisky and a fox among the Wigeon (RSPB Frampton and Freiston earlier in the month)

Gos 'n' Cross on a bright morning in the Suffolk Brecks last week #UKBirding

Glossy Ibis, Goosanders and Great Egret at Deeping Lakes, Lincs yesterday. For a likely coloniser there aren't many ibis around this winter #UKBirding

Despite the fierce wind there was a nice selection of sleepy owls in the Lincs and Cambs fens yesterday #UKBirding

Nice views of the Great Northern Diver near Peterborough yesterday. The nervous upwards glance in the last pic was due to a low-flying Red Kite! #UKBirding

I see the one up top a lot more often than I see the one down below these days! Great Egret and Goosander in the Lincolnshire fens today #UKBirding

Day one in the northeast and birds not playing nicely, with the exceptions being the showy Druridge Bay White-billed Diver and a fly-through Iceland Gull at Customs House, South Shields. Let's see what today brings... #UKbirding

Highlights from a couple of #NewYearPlantHunt walks in Royston today included my first local record of Jersey Cudweed - one I was expecting to find at some point, but still not many records on the map between Cambridge and London. Other highlights included Keeled-fruited Cornsalad...

On this bleakest November morning please travel back six months with me and enjoy this colourful patchwork of Spring Gentian, Mountain Everlasting, Early Purple Orchid and Hoary Rock-rose (The Burren, Ireland, May 2024)

Black-necked Grebe and a few more of the Lapland Bunting from Staines Reservoirs yesterday morning #UKBirding

Be warned if visiting the Staines Lapland Bunting - it has no respect for personal space! #UKBirding

Only 11 moths of 5 species last night, but who cares when one of them is your first Gem? Royston, Cambridgeshire VC29 #TeamMoth

Sprawler, Silver Y, Feathered Thorn and November Moth agg also in the garden last week (Royston, Cambs VC29) #TeamMoth

Scarce Bordered Straw, Palpita vitrealis, Dark Sword-grass and Delicate from the garden traps last week (Royston, Cambs VC29) #TeamMoth

A very grumpy otter on an East Anglian river yesterday. Can anyone help ID its lunch? Thought maybe Bullhead, but I'm really no good at fish when they're not accompanied by chips...

Two years since my favourite daytime moth find - this Crimson Speckled at Aldeburgh, Suffolk, which was good compensation following an Alpine Accentor dip. The accentor situation was then rectified in Norfolk two days later, which was nice!

A cheeky glimpse of aurora, and a magical night sky over Cairngorm. 13th February 2024.

I'm aiming to finally get to grips with ferns this year, and I started off with a good find last week: Sea Spleenwort (Asplenium marinum) in some very cool sea caves at Covesea, Moray @bsbibotany.bsky.social

First recent chance to get the moth trap out: 17 moths of 7 species on Sun night were all garden regulars, but 8 of 8 last night included new for garden Black-spotted Chestnut and Pale Pinion, and 2nd garden March Moth! Also a rather strikingly-marked Common Quaker. Royston, vc29

It's all relative, and by this month's standards three moths was a comparative bonanza! New for garden Dotted Border, plus Beautiful Plume and Chestnut - Royston, vc29, 28/1. Mothing at this time of year is a particular struggle when you're nowhere near any decent woodland #teammoth

Have run the moth trap on three nights this month for a grand total of one(!) moth - a Common Plume. Hard going! #teammoth

Hang in there - it's only two months until we can enjoy sights like this again (Pasqueflower, Therfield Heath, Hertfordshire).

Short-eared Owls doing their thing. Cambridgeshire Fens, earlier this month.

Better than your average views of a Norfolk Black-throated Diver, from Holme a couple of weeks ago.

Some Cambridgeshire Smew, from earlier in the month.