A quick wander to the pond near my Dad's, the pond was too icy for many invertebrates, but had a few Minnows active. Snipe and Brown Hare too. Winter midges about in the shafts of sun along a hedge, and a couple of Goldcrests flitting about to get them. Nice winter walk @yorkswildlife.bsky.social

I went to check on the ponies on Huxterwell marsh today. Despite giving us the run around last week, today they were my friends and came to investigate They are doing a good job of grazing the wetland, but this grassy area in the middle is their favourite hangout @yorkswildlife.bsky.social

The wetland restoration at work is nearly finished. Much more open water now. Once the sluice boards are put back in and the level rises on this lake there should be a mix of depths and plenty of opportunities for aquatic plants, invertebrates and the birds that eat them. @donnybirding.bsky.social

I've recorded wildlife for many years, starting with pen and paper, but in the last several years mostly recording on apps. (I still use paper to tally my moth trap findings). I can't imagine being bothered to write down 8,000 records in a year before apps. It surely has made a big impact!

The new @bsbibotany.bsky.social handbook on roses arrived today. I'm looking forward to trying to find a few species next year. Hopefully with some @sorbynathissoc.bsky.social and @ynuorg.bsky.social friends.

To maintain wetlands at early succession state, for the benefit of birds (and those that want to watch them), sometimes you need to radically reset the state of the habitat. Here a digger is scraping out the reeds and accumulated silt in this shallow lake (shallow water succeeds much quicker).

I am aware of how strange it is to be excited to find a dead hornet, take it home and stick a pin through it. It's doesn't mean I'll stop doing it though. It dwarfs all the other hymenopterans I have specimens of. A giant predator of the insects. @sorbynathissoc.bsky.social @ynuorg.bsky.social

We moved the cattle from the south to the north side of the river Went yesterday. And added a few new cattle to the herd (now 10 here). They have reign over a few fields at the moment, including this steep limestone pasture. One of the best fields in Yorkshire for flora. #BrockadaleNatureReserve

The soft magnesian limestone doesn't have as many cliffs as the harder carboniferous. But there are a couple of cliffs at Brockadale. Looks like lower one is just used for roosting, much more poo at high one suggests nesting site. A pair of kestrel here now and earlier (in the summer).

The weather was very heavy showers today, so just went for a wander near home. I'm lucky to have Ancient Woodlands and a very large park nearby. The sound and sight of the city is never far away, but I can still get lost in a quiet corner (mentally, usually not physically!) #Sheffield

How many people walk past the ridge and furrow landforms at Grave's Park in Sheffield and don't see the historic use for arable cultivation? Or the charcoal pits in nearby woods? youtu.be/6pkWmMmv8bY?... @billsutherland.bsky.social here explains how you can read a landscape and it's history.

November isn't the best time for trapping flying insects, but I trap for 24hrs once a month as part of the Bioscan project. I took the trap in yesterday, and despite the turn to colder weather there was enough sunshine and warmth for a few (mostly very small) things. 🔎

Three common galls on the same oak leaf from a lunchtime walk in the Moss Valley. The large globular one is a Cherry Gall, on the right is a flat disc, the Spangle Gall, and the right the small doughnut shaped Silk-button Gall. You'll almost certainly be able to find these near you if you look.

I was up in Wensleydale today, so called in at a @yorkswildlife.bsky.social nature reserve I've not been to before, Leyburn Old Glebe. It's best known for its flowers, but actually had a few waxcaps today. Enough to encourage someone to go back next year (I'm not close enough).

I found this enormous Pike this afternoon, looks like it may have been eaten by an Otter. I'm not sure anything else can taken in a 4'6" long Pike and would eat the insides. It didn't smell much so was fairly fresh. Anyone seen anything to suggest something different? @sorbynathissoc.bsky.social

I put out a moth trap more in hope than expectation last night. So only one macro, a Red-green Carpet, was ok with me. Today I found some Yellow-flowered Strawberry spreading about in a churchyard at Dronfield. New for me. Wildlife is endlessly interesting. Always something new or surprising.

A few fungi from a walk at Ladies Spring Wood, Sheffield today. Wrinkled Peach, Common Funnel, Wood Blewit and Honey Fungus. Honey Fungus seems to be taking advantage of of stressed trees from the summer drought, as it's common this autumn. @sorbynathissoc.bsky.social

Calling all @sorbynathissoc.bsky.social @ynuorg.bsky.social @yorkswildlife.bsky.social members, there is a great indoor workshop on soliderflies coming up soon. I'll be there, and hope to see you too! www.ywt.org.uk/events/2025-... Or DM me for details @uk-soldierflies.bsky.social

Possibly a new (to me) pinkgill, Entoloma violaceoserrulatum, found in my local cemetery. But pinkgills are tricky, and impossible to be sure without microscopy. The photo doesn't do the indigo colour of the stem justice. @sorbynathissoc.bsky.social

A quiet moth trap this morning, and Autumn species. Perhaps a little too cold for many things? Merveille du jour is always a nice surprise.

Grassland fungi are not as showy as usual this year. I had to do a lot of searching to find not many species today. A bit more rain should bring more out hopefully. Meadow Coral, an undetermined Earth-tongue (finger for scale, this is a big one), Blackening Waxcap. @plantlifeuk.bsky.social

Has anyone else noticed bladderwort appearing where pre planted coir mats or rolls have been used? I can't be certain that's the source, but noticed this twice now. (Not sure which species this one is. But the other was U australis). @bsbibotany.bsky.social @ynuorg.bsky.social

Rove beetles are the odd beetles that don't look like beetles. Their wing cases being short and their abdomen is on show, unlike other beetles. This large beast is a Devil's Coach Horse, and is a predator of other invertebrates. See at @wildsheffield.bsky.social 's Blackamoor nature reserve

I was in the centre of Rotherham this morning for a meeting, right by the river. So I had a look for any interesting plants. Plenty of Frogbit, which is otherwise rare in South Yorkshire, and declined enormously. It must be floating down from somewhere upstream. @sorbynathissoc.bsky.social

Not so many things still in flower now, but a couple of things from this week. Nodding Thistle, and Autumn Gentian. From a couple of @yorkswildlife.bsky.social nature reserves on magnesian limestone (Brockadale and Sprotbrough flash). @wildflowerhour.bsky.social #WildflowerHour

Great Mullein from earlier in the week at Lathkill Dale in the Peak District. Most had finished flowering, but found one or two still in flower. Rosettes will flower next year. The hairiness of the filaments being a key thing to look for in this species. @wildflowerhour.bsky.social #WildflowerHour

Ash dieback is continuing to take a toll on some of the nature reserves I look after. @yorkswildlife.bsky.social Some very large ash died this year, some looking ropey. Many small trees already dead. Lots of trees to make safe near paths and roads. 📷 Brockadale nature reserve 😕

I went investigating on scree habitat today. Looking fairly bare, it mostly has commoner plants. Wood Sage is frequently in bare scree, Mouse-eared Hawk-weed often where soil is starting to form. The thing I was looking for though is very rare, Red Hemp-nettle. Declined in arable, but still ok here

I went for an autumn wander today, still a few things in flower, although mostly IDing things vegetatively. Harebells still going strong, Dark Red Helleborine not in flower but easy enough to find at the moment, I tried IDing an eyebright, it was just the common one. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Choosing a favourite for #WildflowerHour is impossible. So just a couple of things that I was pleased to find in 2025. Rare Spring Sedge involved lots of crawling around on my knees looking at small sedges You can't find Grass Vetchling if you want to, I just happen across it every couple of years

I rowed out to some of the islands at Parson's Carr nature reserve today. In spring these are home to many Black-headed Gulls, which prefer no trees and less vegetation, so was brushcutting, Sophie was chainsawing Spear-leaved Orache was very common around the shore line @donnybirding.bsky.social

Last of the Parsley Water-dropwort flowers. Only plants regrowing after browsing are now flowering, the rest are running to seed. I rubbed a few plants today, and they do indeed smell like parsley or parsnips, but so many carrot family things do, maybe there is another reason for the name?

Sometimes bees key out easily, other times not. This male furrow bee was tricky, although I had a good idea what it was I struggled to get through the key to the right place. Discounting all the other species I came back to Orange-legged Furrow Bee (H. rubicundus) @sorbynathissoc.bsky.social

An early start this morning, our ponies needed a visit from the vet, who wanted to come at 9am. We needed to set up our temporary squeeze in the catching pen, and allow plenty of time for these fairly feral horses to not follow the script. But they did as was asked, in the pen first time.

Great Woodrush grows happily on the drier steep slopes of wooded valleys in Sheffield. On first look they look ok, but the drought is taking it's toll. Leaves lost shine and rolling up. Young plants probably dead as completely brown.

I'm camping in the Craven Dales with family, not ideal timing for botanising but still some bits. My list of ferns i think I can ID is slowing increasing too. So had Hard Shield, Limestone and Brittle Bladder ferns amongst the limestone pavements. @yorkswildlife.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Two birds, one stone. Boiling water for a cuppa in the storm kettle, and toasting marshmallows at the same time. 🙂 I gave up camping years ago, but my children want to do it. So having to refind old kit and learn new ways.

A really interesting project. Wildlife could thrive, but waiting for things to just turn up often is very slow - populations are small so unlikely to spread. I saw Spiked Speedwell in the Alps recently, it seemed happy on a well used path, but was in lots of good habitat with large populations

Today I was leading a group of volunteers at Sprotbrough flash nature reserve. Cutting wader bays opposite the hide in the hope of attracting passage waders. I spotted an odd looking dock, then many more. I think it's Marsh Dock, not recorded here before and not common 🙂 @yorkswildlife.bsky.social

I managed a day of my hols without children, so walked higher into the Alps. Lots of fens where the land was flatter and over serpentine rock. Grass of Parnassus was in so many places! And what I think may be a False Asphodel in the best area. A few weeks late for best flower display though.

Our latest book SPIDERS & HARVESTMEN OF YORKSHIRE by Richard I. Wilson is nearing completion for publication this Autumn - Grab a bargain, pre-order your copy now & SAVE £10 on published price - order online at naturebureau.co.uk/bookshop @yorkswildlife.bsky.social @britishspiders.bsky.social

The lake by Livigno, northern Italy, is lower than usual so many annual plants, although I didn't spot anything exceptional. But it's always interesting looking at a new habitat. Back at the road, going back to the car, and spotted a few perennial things in silty margins of the stream. 🙂

Wood ants everywhere (well not quite everywhere, but many nests found). I'm not sure of the species found in this part of the Alps. It's good enough for me to just see this massive colony. Small Cow-wheat was nearby, it's been suggested the seeds get moved around by ants.

Having a nice holiday in the Alps, same place as always; but the diversity and abundance of wildlife is still always a appreciated. Grass of Parnassus is one of favourites, so finding a load in a wet clearing in the woods was a nice surprise.

A couple of wetland plants from this week #WildflowerHour. Lesser Water-plantain on the edge of a base rich pond at Potteric Carr; and Bog Pimpernel in a flush on a hillside near Keighley. At opposite ends of VC63. @wildflowerhour.bsky.social

Very disappointing hay crop at Potteric Carr this year. After the sheep went off at the end of winter we've had barely any rain. Large hand sized cracks in the ground in this field attest to the dryness. Less than a quarter of the crop of last time in this field. We'll have to cut another field.

Any help with this sawfly appreciated. I'm not even sure I'm getting to the right genus in the key. In the field I thought an Athalia, but the long antennae maybe aren't right and I keyed it to Pachynematus (but it looks like many if these species are now a different genus). @suillia.bsky.social

A couple of pretty insects: An interesting wasp, Ectemnius continuus, that was swept from Wild Angelica. Lovely contrasting black and yellow And a well named Bronze Furrow Bee, with it's metallic colour to its body Both from interesting SSSI grassland that is at risk from under management.

Not a great photo, but some Squinancywort from Brockadale this week. An easy one to overlook as small and looks like other Bedstraw until you bend down to it. A plant of good quality limestone grassland. @wildflowerhour.bsky.social #WildflowerHour

I was thinking back to the YNU meeting to Kingsdale Head earlier in the month. I had a look through (and used key) in @averisben.bsky.social book, which was useful. 👍 Things like Long-stalked Yellow Sedge, Marsh Valerian, Butterwort etc were found only in this flush, making the site more diverse.