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.

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