Fortunately, the weather wasn't too bad yesterday. A lovely day spent at WWT Slimbridge. Firecrest (unfortunately no photos!) took my year list to 81 and Jack Snipe took me to 91. Jack stopped bopping when I spotted it. #ukbirding

I wasn't planning on counting them as there were so many. However, I did and there's at least 120 Snipes on that little island at Llwyn Onn Reservoir. Apparently, quite an exceptional number for one site in Glamorgan 😬. Just as well I counted! #birdingwales

No Little Gull in Cardiff Bay this morning. Black Redstart still about & I did spot a Redshank. It was lovely to see @cardiffbirder.bsky.social and @sconzani.bsky.social too. #birdingwales

I was in the area yesterday so popped down to Penarth Marina to see if I could see the Black Redstart. Conditions were terrible so I was pleased to see it-Female. Also had a Rock Pipit and Chiffy whilst there. #birdingwales

Spotted Redshank? That was my first thought. Seen from British Steel Hide, WWT Llanelli today. If it is, I will be well chuffed. #birdingwales

Taken many snowy, wintry scenes the last few days. This is my favourite of Llwyn Onn Reservoir this morning. Made up for missing Great Northern Diver.

Finish with 211 sp on my British Bird Year list. Added Little Stint & Tundra Bean Goose (lifer) at WWT Slimbridge last wkend. However, it was the Great Grey Shrike added to the list wkend b4 Xmas at New Forest, which was fab, Finally after 8 yrs of twitching it ! #birdinguk

Snipe galore at Llwyn Onn Reservoir. Great Northern Diver not in sight today. #birdingwales

Had a lovely weekend in Norfolk to see how many year ticks or lifers to add to my birding list. Snow Bunting, Firecrest (fantastic view!) , Long-tailed duck & Tawny owl added as year ticks. Shore Lark was a lifer. There were also Chinese Water Deer, Muntjacs & Grey Seals. #birdingwales

Popped into Aust, Bristol for the Penduline Tit on Sat. It took a bit of looking and thanks to the birder who got us onto it. Definitely a needle in a haystack job! Really pleased to hv a good view of it through someone's scope. Unfortunately, no photos. What a pretty little bird. #birdingwales

Snipe showing well this morning at Llwyn Onn Reservoir. I counted 13 that I could see. There are probably more. #birdingwales

Took this vid a year go. Still yet to see my first Redwing of this Autumn..😢 #birdingwales

Last night's Bioflourescent Walk was the last of a series of nature engagement sessions I was privileged to deliver for @buglife31.bsky.social #CoalSpoilsConnection project. It has been a pleasure. #natureconnection #naturematters

Llanishen & Lisvane Reservoir looked lovely this morning. Little Grebes, Tufties, Canada Geese Black headed Gulls & Grey Heron spotted. Chuffed to hv found the Grey Heron mosaic I remembered from the days before the redevelopment.

Vote for your fav green space awarded @greenflagaward.bsky.social to win Green Flag People’s Choice Awards 2025. Voting opens till 31 Oct. www.greenflagaward.org/award-winners/

Love this @rspbcymru.bsky.social Newport Wetlands. A fantastic way to show & to engage others in bird migration. #natureconnection #birdsmatter

Storm Amy last weekend meant sessions planned had to be postponed 😢 as it wasn't save to take people into the woods. So with a free weekend, when the weather cleared, it was lovely to spot many different fungi & slime mould about. #natureconnection #fungimatters

It's been awhile since I left my trap out in my garden (it had been quite wet).Just these three - Red Green Carpet, Angle Shades & Black Rustic, in the trap this morning😢. Hopefully, the trap I left out at work has a better result! 🤞 #teammoth #mothmatters

Our few days in East Yorkshire was a slow start but picked up eventually with Red-Breasted Flycatcher (lifer!), Siberian Stonechat (lifer!), Brown Shrike (British ✅) and Barred Warbler (lifer!). Definitely worth a Tunnock or two. #birdsmatter

Gutted missing out on the Wryneck at Goldcliff as we are away up north. However, as compensation we did get a Red-Breasted Flycatcher yesterday (lifer!) at Flamborough (no pics unfortunately) & a bouncing Jack Snipe at Spurn, day before. #birdsmatter

Yesterday, I joined the queue of local birders who had the privilege to see the Sabine's gull close up in Port Talbot. A lifer ✅ #birdingwales

Yesterday's weather was grim at Llwyn Onn Reservoir. So thanks to the local Dwyr Cymru warden for taking me to the spot where he saw the Grey Phalarope, 10 mins before he saw me. Very confiding little bird. #birdsmatter #birdingwales

It was a yr ago that I first trialled Bioflourescent Walks after a trip home to Msia & was amazed by what I saw under UV torch. These are photos courtesy of the Carter family who was on my walk last wk. Isn't nature spectacular when you see it in a different light? #natureconnection #bioflourescent

I dusted off my microscope & decided to give Moss Safari a go. I find microscope work challenging so wasn't too optimistic! So, it was a delight to see my 1st ever Rotifer, Nemotodes, Arcella amoeba, a Diatom of some sort & Tardigrades. Gotta ❤️ Tardis look at how they move the tiny clawed legs!

Managed to pop west to Kidwelly for the Lesser Yellowlegs yesterday. Unfortunately, no photos but thks to the birders who were there for lowering their scope for me to see it. It was a life ✅! Did get a second ✅ (year tick) for the day at WWT Llanelli of the Grey Phalarope. #birdingwales

After the long dry spell, autumn has slowly emerged in the last week. #fungimatters

It wasn't a great weekend to be out & about. Showers & sunshine. So a wander closer to home, it was. One of my favourite places - Morlais Quarry. Rugged. Desolate. Beautiful

It was really dry at Goldcliff yesterday but managed to ✅ a juvenile Yellow-Wagtail. It was also great to see this Golden plover. The vid doesn't do it justice. Popped by at Peterstone en route home & ✅ Marsh sandpiper. Unfortunately no pix or vid! #birdingwales

Buff tip moth caterpillars munched away. Didn't take them long to devour the leaf! #natureconnection #teammoth

It's in a bit of a hurry crossing a path! I think this is a White Ermine moth caterpillar, probably looking for a cosy place to settle in and start the next process of its lifecycle. #natureconnection #invertebratesmatter #mothmatters #teammoth

It was my pleasure to have spent the day with these kiddies & the adults they brought along to two Minibeasts sessions at Ynysangharad Park today. Many thanks to Canolfan Calon Taf for organising this. #natureconnection #invertebratesmatter

Whilst out on an all night moth trapping last Thurs night, these are a few finds using a UV torch. Looking forward to delivering Bioflourescent walks planned in coming weeks. #natureconnection #getoutside #bioflourescent

Looking forward to delivering a Nature Walk this Sat as part of Buglife Cymru's Coal Spoil Connection project. 🤞Weather holds & not too sorchiou!

Canary-Shouldered Thorn greeted me yesterday morning at work. Elephant Hawkmoth caterpillar greeted me as I was about to leave. #teammoth

A lovely day spent at WWT Llanelli yesterday . Two year ticks for me - Green sandpiper & Cattle egret from the Steel Hide. Then, a perfectly perched young Kingfisher on a rock at Peter Scott hide. ☺️ #natureconnection #birdingwales

We had a great day last yr in our first bioblitz. So I am looking forward to meeting up & spending the day with like-minded local naturalists tomorrow. Let's see how many more species we can add to the site's sp list! #walesnatureweek #natureconnection #naturematters

Well done to BridgendLNP for organising its first Nature Festival. It was well attended & both my Nature Treasure Hunt walks were over subscribed! Hopefully the kiddies went home having learned something!! ☺️ #natureconnection #walesnatureweek

Looking forward to delivering a Nature Treasure Hunt tomorrow at Bridgend LNP's Nature Festival at Newbridge Fields. #natureconnection #naturematters #walesnatureweek

It was a small haul in my trap last night 😢 - 14 moths, 11 species. Nevertheless, a few highlights :Scalloped Oak, Pale Prominent, Black Arches & Dark Arches. #mothmatters #teammoth

Many thanks to @valelnp.bsky.social for the invitation to be be part of yesterday's Vale Nature Festival. It was my pleasure to spend the afternoon talking about flora, galls, fungi & little critters. #natureconnection #naturematters 📸 Courtesy of Emily Shaw, Vale LNP

Last night was the last visit for my @btobirds.bsky.social Heathland Bird survey for Nightjars. A clear sight of a female in flight. Otherwise quiet. Over the 2 visits of 2 squares, I have at least 8 churring males +1 female. It will be interesting to see the overall result the survey. #birdingwales

It has been my pleasure to have been part of this year's #Greenflagwales team of volunteer judges. My congratulations to the team at Victoria Park, Neath Port Talbot, team & volunteers at Tirphil Community Hub in Caerphilly. #keepwalestidy #greenspacematters

It was a warm one at Parc Bryn Bach for Blaenau Gwent & Torfaen LNP Go Wild nature festival #walesnatureweek. Great to catch up with @buglife31.bsky.social @sewbrec.org.uk, Coal Spoil Fungi. Looking forward to @valelnp.bsky.social Nature Festival next week!

Visit 2 of one of my Nightjar survey sq for @btobirds.bsky.social was fruitful. I did contain my excitement but gasped when a Nightjar flew quite close over my head & landed on the path. Another wing-clapped in flight. In total I had at least 4 males in that square & some midges! #birdingwales

Sadly, it has been poor haul in my moth trap the last 2 nights at 2 different locations within a site. Both nights produced only a few species when this time last year, one of the locations had 200 moths, 47 species. Climate chaos? #mothmatters #teammoth

There had been numerous reported sightings of Roe Deers at Garwnant. However, it is lovely when you catch one on a camera trap like this. #natureconnection

Happy #insectweek week. Let's celebrate the little things that power our world. Stand Tall for the Small. #natureconnection #naturematters #invertebratesmatter

It wasn't a great result 😔 from my garden moth trap last Saturday night. 27 moths, 18 species. A few highlights - Swallow tail, Spectacle, Large Yellow and Underwing & Brimstone. #natureconnection #mothmatters #teammoth

Surveyed my 2nd Nightjar square last night. Took a while to hear any. Fortunately, there were 2 churring males. Not so fortunate, there were midges hence the fashionable head gear. Bonus was, quite a few toads about😊. #birdsmatter #birdingwales

With the warm weather, I was hoping for a better result from the moth trap in my garden last night. Unfortunately, only a small haul of just 10 moths, 8 sp. A few photos - Flame, Cinnabar, Heart & Dart and a lovely caddiesfly, Athripsodes bilineatus. #natureconnection #mothmatters