This is such sad news. Had the huge pleasure of working with Kevin for a short while and he was unfailingly fun to be with, kind and courteous. His passing is a loss for football and his country but most of all his family. RIP

Here in Haute-Vienne, Central France, sustained heat wave and drought. No rain for weeks. Grazing is all brown and cattle being fed winter hay. All fireworks banned on Bastille Day due to fire risk. Worrying times

With parental advice like this, no wonder Jude Bellingham achieves so much “My mum’s been telling me all week to watch my language, watch my tackles, watch my face, watch my emotions,” he said. “So, I think she drilled it into me all week about being careful of that yellow card."

Gives a buzz every summer to see Cinnabar moth caterpillars with their yellow and black jerseys enjoying their diet of ragwort. Simple but glorious.

The morning after the night before. Did that really happen??

Always good to approach @Heathrow.com over central London, but especially after 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 won our World Cup knock out match during the flight. Took off at 1-1 but mighty relieved when a Steward at the back screamed "yessss" a few minutes after takeoff. Thanks @british-airways.bsky.social 👏 👏

Good to be in Stockholm to observe this flypast celebrating 100 years of the Swedish Airforce. A recent recruit to NATO, Sweden has much to offer the alliance

Jack Hargreaves. An absolute master story teller. From a different era of course but he understood and explained English nature and rural ways better than anybody else I've seen. One episode, when he followed a friend obsessed with kingfishers, was Springwatch well before it's time.

Emma Hays answered her critics last night on Father's Day. To her late Dad she said "Thank you for giving me so much confidence to have the opportunity to do this (be a World Cup pundit)".

Choughs thru the bins, Cubert, Cornwall

Scoff 'em before they're scone #Cornishviews #sconetastic

Sandwiched between Morrisons and Lidl in Newquay, Cornwall is a tiny bit of scrub where this gorgeous fullsome hawthorn is in flower. Proof that nature needs little help to flourish. Let's help by treasuring and connecting our UK scrubland. @bc-cornwall.bsky.social

Fresh soft-winged Wall Brown today at NT Trerice. A common insect of my youth now sadly local and restricted somewhat to coastal areas

All butterflies and moths are beautiful and precious but seeing a majestic White Admiral sweep down to float across a bramble patch and settle on a warm summer's day is something to hope for every year.

Good to spot the HMS Queen Elizabeth travelling along the Cornish Coast this afternoon

The defeat of the AV referendum is criminally under-appreciated as a dark day in British history. It was a good idea, and admirably suited to the present situation, where much of the voting public is primarily motivated by loathing of (at least) one party, rather than support for any of the others.

Lovely day out at Trelissick and Feock village yesterday. Sumptuous scenery @nationaltrust.org.uk

Great to be back at the wonderful cafe at Bedruthan Steps. No better place to fuel up after a walk along the glorious North Cornish Coast @nationaltrust.org.uk

Seems quite early for a bee swarm but one high up in our nearby ancient oak this afternoon 🐝🐝

Ok it's only apple blossom but it brings a proper feel good factor. Spring is here again at last 🍎🌸🍏

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... This echoes recent experience in France with huge queues at passport control and our flight leaving behind schedule as a result. This new system might work eventually with automatic machines but manually it seems rather unwieldy and cumbersome.

Bit of excitement here this morning in Odiham with an unexploded grenade without its pin being pulled out of the Basingstoke Canal by someone magnet fishing! Safely detonated by the Army in a nearby field

Thanks to a cancelled flight the chance be amble around the centre of Bordeaux this afternoon. Lovely setting with the Gardens and City Hall among the highlights

Stunning Spring weather here in Limousin with successive days of temperatures up to 26C and cloudless skies. Glorious

Just watched a glorious old episode of TSW's "Secrets of the Coast" on @rewindtv.bsky.social . Returning Cornish Peregrine Falcons, isolated Heath Fritillary butterflies & a very young King Charles all starring. They don't make em like that anymore, sadly.

As a lad I remember going to Norfolk with my Dad to meet great entomologist Rafe Eley. We discussed the sad decline of the Large Tortoiseshell butterfly which had been common but had disappeared in the early 60s. But now it seems to be back. Truly, happy days! www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Impressive new interior at Bel & Dragon in Cookham. An old coaching inn steeped in history, the interior features have been preserved and enhanced with great skill in this recent renovation.

Seems a world away now but catching up with the details of the momentous 2024 General Election. Comprehensive analysis thanks to @psurridge.bsky.social @timbale.bsky.social @drjennings.bsky.social et al

Could just agree to sell Greenland and then employ our local solicitor to do the paperwork and searches...then say the chain fell through after 6 months or so.

Very entertaining footy match this afternoon (via A406), well done both teams, cracking 2nd half ended @hendonfc.bsky.social 2-4 AFCPortchester

From the other site. But says it all. Thank you everyone who keeps non league going! @nonleaguevolunteers.co.uk

Cold night out on the South Coast for @afctotton.bsky.social 1-1 @chippenhamtown.com in the National South. About right on the balance of play

It's a busy morning in many hospitality venues around the country and in Odiham it's Merry Christmas from the hard working staff at Bel & the Dragon 🎄⛄️🎄

Lovely carol service at All Saints Church, Crondall this evening. Beautiful singing from the choir! Thank you to all involved.

It's the middle of December and we have an active bumblebee nest in the compost heap! Clearly collecting pollen. In and out every 30 secs or so @bumblebeetrust.bsky.social @greenhampshire.bsky.social

Desperately sad news that Robin Smith has passed. One of my cricketing heroes, a stalwart for my county Hampshire and my country. RIP great man

Rewarding morning in Cliddesden talking to residents alongside @emmawright111.bsky.social & @jonisdavies.bsky.social . Basingstoke Hospital, the challenges of development and speeding through the village just some of the topics discussed @alexkbrewer.bsky.social

The changes to insect populations & behaviours, even in my short lifetime, are staggering. It's nearly November but there are numerous Red Admirals still feeding on this bank of asters. Assume some will stay and others will eventually head South. It's an extraordinary change.

Very pleased to be presented with a new apple variety today, this tasty #HowdensWonder 🍎 Both a cooker and an eater, it stores unusually well. Nice and sharp on the taste buds too

Out canvassing and delivering in sunny Farnham with new LibDem councillor Tony Fairclough this morning. Always good to be out talking to voters!

The new European Butterfly Red List is published today, with worrying findings. Over 1/4 (28%) of Europe’s 442 species are threatened with extinction or are close to being so. The situation is far worse for our 148 endemic species, 40% are now threatened or nearly so www.bc-europe.eu/webpage.php?...

Windy day but a good crew out in Yateley West including prospective Hampshire Mayoral candidate @martin.tod.social

Very hard to beat the sandy beaches and gorgeous setting of Bournemouth @libdems.org.uk

Interesting to see what matters most to students at the UCA Freshers Fair in Farnham. Affordable housing and Gaza, perhaps unsurprisingly, topping the unconventional poll

Nature Notes Moths & Hedgehogs rule ok?

The #BigButterflyCount results are in and it's official... 2025 was an average year for butterflies. See the full results and what can be done to help butterflies and moths 👇 https://butterfly-conservation.org/big-butterfly-count-results-2025

Not quite ready for a new career as a model but love Sally Ferguson's homage to our beautiful butterflies and moths at the graduate exhibition at Farnham's UCA @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Entertaining game at the picturesque Beveree this afternoon in National League South. Late drama as the visitors had a goal disallowed but it ended Hampton & Richmond 3-2 Ebbsfleet Utd

Superlative and uplifting choral presentiation from @stmartinsvoices.bsky.social at the uniquely cavernous setting of @brunelmuseum.bsky.social in Rotherhithe tonight. Nothing beats live performance