Pond Watcher
@watcherpond.bsky.social
📤 994
📥 155
📝 363
Interested in natural history, particularly ponds. Yorkshire based.
@dst-conservation.bsky.social
I wonder if adults of this species, the largest British water beetle, will fly northwards to your ponds eventually
add a skeleton here at some point
10 days ago
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International City Nature Challenge 24-27 April. Latest issue of the Naturalist has article on results & notable finds of York CNC 2025, incl Crucifix Ground Beetle, reported to be one of Europe's rarest ground beetles
@inaturalist.bsky.social
@ynuorg.bsky.social
@teamneyedc.bsky.social
10 days ago
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Gregor Kalinkat
16 days ago
Almost half of European freshwater fishes 🐟 at risk of extinction, new IUCN Red List reveals 🧪
iucn.org/press-releas...
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Almost half of European freshwater fishes at risk of extinction, new IUCN Red List reveals
The updated European Red List of Freshwater Fishes – the most comprehensive assessment in 15 years – reveals little evidence of species recovery and calls for urgent action to protect Europe’s aquatic...
https://iucn.org/press-release/202604/almost-half-european-freshwater-fishes-risk-extinction-new-iucn-red-list
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Hybrids On The Horizon - bioGraphic
www.biographic.com/hybrids-on-t...
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Hybrids On The Horizon - bioGraphic
Chance encounters and novel conditions have led to different species cross-breeding more often. Is it a good thing?
https://www.biographic.com/hybrids-on-the-horizon/?utm_campaign=biographic_regular_20260410&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Mailjet
21 days ago
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Pond Watcher
John Walters
21 days ago
A beautiful Copper Peacock Elaphrus cupreus ground beetle on the muddy margin of a pond. Challacombe, Dartmoor, Devon
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Pond Watcher
Rob Yaxley
22 days ago
Great Silver Water Beetles are an almost regular occurrence in the moth trap in spring here. Assume they are increasing in range nationally.
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Mac
26 days ago
If you needed any other reason to support a ban on Pheasant breeding, release and shooting here's another
@lymediseaseuk.bsky.social
add a skeleton here at some point
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Pond Watcher
Butterfly Conservation Yorkshire
27 days ago
The final zoom talk rounds up 2025 Butterfly season and what a season it was! An Annus Mirablis some would say. We look at the effects of the heat and drought on the fortunes of our species on different habitats as well as exploring a record breaking early start
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/yorkshire-...
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Yorkshire Butterfly Season 2025 by Nick Hall
Nick Hall is the Yorkshire county Transect coordinator will present a review of the 2025 Butterfly Season.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/yorkshire-butterfly-season-2025-by-nick-hall-tickets-1977026075211?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true
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A small northern chalk stream, Ings Beck in North Newbald, looking fine on 30 March.
29 days ago
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Pond Watcher
NEYEDC
29 days ago
Just over three weeks to go until the City Nature Challenge begins! Find out more and get involved in Hull City Nature Challenge on our website:
www.neyedc.org.uk/hull-cnc-2026
and on iNaturalist:
uk.inaturalist.org/projects/cit...
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Hull City Nature Challenge 2026 — neyedc
https://www.neyedc.org.uk/hull-cnc-2026
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Milk Parsley planting at Hornsea Mere, East Yorkshire
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
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Project to bring swallowtail butterfly back to East Yorkshire
The UK's largest native butterfly has not been seen in the region for more than a century.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly081kmrnlo
30 days ago
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Pond Watcher
Biological Recording Company
about 1 month ago
What is a turlough? These seasonal lakes fill and drain through underground channels, creating a unique and ever-changing freshwater habitat. Join Dr
@hmbarber-james.bsky.social
on 28 May for a FREE entoLIVE exploring their hidden insect diversity 🌎 🧪 Sign up:
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1914939919...
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Botany training
www.botanic.cam.ac.uk/new-cambridg...
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New Cambridge course set to revive botany and bridge critical gap in plant science education - Cambridge University Botanic Garden
The programme is aimed at advanced undergraduates, PhD students, early-career researchers, professional ecologists, horticulturalists and conservation practitioners seeking deeper botanical expertise.
https://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk/new-cambridge-course-set-to-revive-botany-and-bridge-critical-gap-in-plant-science-education/
about 1 month ago
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Pond Watcher
Yorkshire Naturalists' Union
about 1 month ago
It was wonderful to welcome 80 people to the YNU's annual conference in York last Saturday to discuss means and methods of increasing the recording effort of some of Yorkshire's under-recorded taxon, and improve the quality of records sent in to our volunteer county recorders.
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Pond Watcher
Ian Duggan
3 months ago
This is so crazy! Invasive mallards in NZ have been observed preying on the chicks of our "bird of the century", pūteketeke. "This duck behaviour was unknown to DoC experts, and there was a concern that it would spread, as ducks learned from each other".
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/doc-fears...
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'We were horrified': DoC shock as ducks filmed eating native chicks alive
DoC has euthanised three mallards from Lake Alexandrina to stop copycat attacks.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/doc-fears-mallard-duck-attacks-on-puteketeke-chicks-could-spread-in-south-island/2MAIEDMDA5HW5O5577OHPFZBGM/?utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=nzh_fb&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwdGRjcAPvrFRjbGNrA--rnmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHm49RBcJI5L89K65K2OIHQpAUElyaNyo2OMlhELO9SqIzltpx_iGfxp31hZc_aem_BDQMiUqlumhmU1jP7wBEsQ
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Pond Watcher
National Library of Scotland
about 2 months ago
How much have our coastlines changed in the last century? 🌊 Our georeferenced map viewer allows you to directly compare maps from history with the present day. In this example, you can see Great Cowden on the Yorkshire coast, where the shoreline has receded around 200 metres over the last century.
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Pond Watcher
Rob Yaxley
about 2 months ago
Bristly millipedes out and about at Garvestone church today.
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Pond Watcher
Wendy English
about 2 months ago
After the devastating wildfire on Fylingdales, it's interesting to see the appearance of some fungi specialising in fire sites, and a liverwort growing on bare damp soil.
@fylingdalesed.bsky.social
@northyorkmoors.org.uk
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Pond Watcher
martinswarren.bsky.social
about 2 months ago
I would have thought this was a bit premature? They turn up in small numbers but we cannot rule out releases for many sightings. I would have thought Clouded Yellow was a better candidate as we have larvae confirmed breeding on cliffs of Bournemouth most winters
@dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
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Pond Watcher
NEYEDC
about 2 months ago
Our team had an uplifting afternoon this past Friday at the Hull and East Yorkshire Nature Recovery Conference, celebrating the launch of the region's LNRS. We particularly loved the video produced to introduce the strategy - you can find it (+ lots of other resources) here:
heylnp.co.uk/lnrs/
🌿
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Hull and East Yorkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy - Hull and East Yorkshire Local Nature Partnership
Contribute to Hull & East Yorkshire's Nature Recovery Strategy. Discover priority habitats, explore funding opportunities, and support local biodiversity today.
https://heylnp.co.uk/lnrs/
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Pond Watcher
Dr Keith Wilson 💭
about 2 months ago
“If this biological pump didn’t exist, atmospheric CO₂ levels would be roughly twice those as they are at the moment. So the oceans are doing a pretty good job”
#ClimateEmergency
#Biodiversity
www.bbc.com/news/article...
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Tiny creature gorges, gets fat, and locks up planet-warming carbon
Scientists find out how the epic deep sea migration of a tiny animal is storing planet-warming carbon.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c628nnz3rp9o
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Pond Watcher
The Irish Pages Press
about 2 months ago
“When all this is over I mean / to travel north...” ~ ‘Lochan’, a beautiful
#poem
by Kathleen Jamie 🍃 Our
#Scotland
issue, co-edited by Kathleen, is available here:
irishpages.org/product/vol-...
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Pond Watcher
Edward Pollard
about 2 months ago
"There's five times as many butterflies on cattle grazing sites compared with sheep grazed sites,"
@bcyorkshire.bsky.social
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
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Yorkshire Dales sheep and cattle swap boosts biodiversity - studies
Natural England began switching to cattle grazing at its Ingleborough site in the Dales in 2004.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3rzz924rxlo
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Pond Watcher
Yorkshire Naturalists' Union
about 2 months ago
The full programme for the YNU Conference on 21st March has now been released! For full details (and to get your tickets!) see the YNU website:
www.ynu.org.uk/news-events/...
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Pond Watcher
British Beekeepers Association
2 months ago
The first credible sighting of a yellow-legged Asian hornet has been reported by the National Bee Unit/Defra on 26.2.26 in the Doncaster area of South Yorkshire. Please stay vigilant. NB the Wrexham, Wales nest found in January has been officially listed in 2025 data
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Pond Watcher
Yorkshire Naturalists' Union
3 months ago
Join us for this year's YNU Conference on Saturday 21st March at The Priory Street Centre, York: 'Recording Yorkshire's natural history - beyond ‘The State of Yorkshire's Nature’ report'. Purchase your tickets here:
www.ynu.org.uk/join-the-ynu...
or contact
[email protected]
.
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Pond Watcher
Nic Wilson
3 months ago
When there are limpet shells in your thatch, you know something's not quite right with the weather. Today's
@theguardian.com
country diary by
@tomallanwriter.bsky.social
considers storm damage in a beleaguered Devon village.
#countrydiary
#naturewriting
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Country diary: How much bad weather can one village take? | Tom Allan
Torcross, Devon: 2026 has been defined by storms here. My job of repairing a thatched roof is simple compared with the wider recovery
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/feb/12/country-diary-how-much-bad-weather-can-one-village-take
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Pond Watcher
Jean-Lou Justine
3 months ago
New paper published today in
@peerj.bsky.social
Based on simple observation and citizen science, we show that cats and dogs can contribute to the spread of invasive land flatworms—no molecular data needed.🧪 Open access:
peerj.com/articles/207...
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Pond Watcher
Dr Marcus Rhodes
3 months ago
Three-lobed Crowfoot is at peak flowering just now in the Mediterranean temporary ponds on the Lizard Heaths.
#WildflowerHour
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Pond Watcher
William Bishop
3 months ago
Andricus sieboldi. The Barnacle Gall. Wasp gall on oak sapling. Bayfordbury, Herts today. Always near the base of the plant.
#galls
#galling
.
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@scarpermac.bsky.social
for info following your recent post about this book
add a skeleton here at some point
3 months ago
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A UK climate security report backed by the intelligence services was quietly buried – a pattern we’ve seen many times before
theconversation.com/a-uk-climate...
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A UK climate security report backed by the intelligence services was quietly buried – a pattern we’ve seen many times before
Governments have been warned about climate change for 70 years. They’re still suppressing the worst news.
https://theconversation.com/a-uk-climate-security-report-backed-by-the-intelligence-services-was-quietly-buried-a-pattern-weve-seen-many-times-before-274325?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bylineblueskybutton
3 months ago
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Pond Watcher
Dr Victoria Xiaoxiao Ma
3 months ago
Tuesday
#morningread
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Pond Watcher
British Arachnological Society
3 months ago
For
#WorldWetlandsDay
, we're shining a light on four of the 25% of Britain's threatened spider species that are wetland specialists. They're entirely dependent on aquatic habitats remaining wet, unpolluted and growing, not shrinking, in size and connectivity
@naturalengland.bsky.social
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On
#WorldWetlandsDay
here is a spring-fed woodland pond In Elloughton Dale on the southern edge of the Yorkshire Wolds.
@freshwaterhabitats.bsky.social
@carlsayer.bsky.social
@chrismcgregor.bsky.social
3 months ago
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Pond Watcher
Convention on Wetlands
3 months ago
Happy
#WorldWetlandsDay
! Traditional knowledge has long guided the sustainable use of wetlands. As the Convention on Wetlands marks 55 years,
#WorldWetlandsDay2026
calls on us to protect wetlands and honour cultural heritage.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_Mc...
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World Wetlands Day 2026
YouTube video by The Convention on Wetlands
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_MciI5xiqo
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Pond Watcher
DrZP
3 months ago
www.bmj.com/content/392/...
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Ecosystem destruction will force the UK to tackle food security
The UK’s approach to food makes it increasingly vulnerable in an unstable world. A great food transformation with a focus on resilience is urgently needed, argues Paul Behrens Last week the UK gover...
https://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj.s199
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Pond Watcher
NEYEDC
3 months ago
We're now just a few months away from this year's City Nature Challenge, which will be running for the 4th year in Hull. Find out all the details for how to get involved on our website:
www.neyedc.org.uk/hull-cnc-2026
and visit our iNaturalist project here:
uk.inaturalist.org/projects/cit...
🔎
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@norfolkponds.bsky.social
@carlsayer.bsky.social
@norfolknats.bsky.social
Have you come across Tufted Ducks being called Arps?
add a skeleton here at some point
3 months ago
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Tufted ducks, according to Google AI, are called "Arps" (or "Harps") on Norfolk & Suffolk Broads as a local dialect contraction of their scientific genus name, Aythya. Is this 'origin' of Arps name correct?
3 months ago
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What were the first animals? The fierce sponge–jelly battle that just won’t end
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
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What were the first animals? The fierce sponge–jelly battle that just won’t end
For almost two decades, scientists have debated whether sponges or comb jellies are the first animal lineage. Now some are calling for a more harmonious approach.
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-00238-z
3 months ago
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Pond Watcher
John Walters
3 months ago
Bee-hunting beetles are the first animals known to fake the smell of flowers | Science | AAAS
www.science.org/content/arti...
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Bee-hunting beetles are the first animals known to fake the smell of flowers
Study of parasitic blister beetles reveals a new form of chemical deception
https://www.science.org/content/article/bee-hunting-beetles-are-first-animals-known-fake-smell-flowers
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Pond Watcher
Dr Craig R McClain
4 months ago
We have no idea what it does down there yet. Predator? Menace? Vibes-only organism? Classic deep sea: shows up, breaks the rules, refuses to explain itself. Watch video at
www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-stor...
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NOAA Scientists Virtually Discover New Species of Comb Jelly Near Puerto Rico
The comb jellies were recorded two and a half miles below sea level using NOAA's Deep Discoverer remotely operated vehicle.
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/noaa-scientists-virtually-discover-new-species-comb-jelly-near-puerto-rico
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Pond Watcher
Chris McGregor
3 months ago
After five years in the making! All proceeds going directly back into supporting more conservation. To secure yourself a copy, please send an email to
[email protected]
£25 for an amazing hardback with full colour photos and illustrations is an absolute bargain!
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Pond Watcher
Ian Beavis
4 months ago
Tunbridge Wells' very own Rev Thomas Stebbing monographed the crustaceans from the Challenger expeditions. He never went to sea himself, but studied the specimens at his home, Ephraim Lodge on Tunbridge Wells Common
add a skeleton here at some point
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Pond Watcher
Sarah Land 🌱
4 months ago
If people are starting to browse through seed catalogs I can recommend fennel. It germinates easily and grows well even up here at 650 feet and look at all those visitors it had 🌱
#YellowThurs
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Great Silver Water-beetle found in moth trap at Kilnsea, East Yorkshire, Sept 2025
@ynuorg.bsky.social
@tc271.bsky.social
@chrismcgregor.bsky.social
add a skeleton here at some point
4 months ago
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Pond Watcher
Norfolk Ponds Project
4 months ago
Rare plants often turn up in restored Norfolk farm
#ponds
: Translucent Stonewort (Nitella translucens), Tassel Stonewort (Tolypella intricata), Bladder Sedge (Carex vesicaria) & Marsh Speedwell (Veronica scutellata). Very special species usually confined to nature reserves
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The Reptile Who Plays Possum - bioGraphic
www.biographic.com/the-reptile-...
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The Reptile Who Plays Possum - bioGraphic
Grass snakes fake death to avoid predation.
https://www.biographic.com/the-reptile-who-plays-possum/?utm_campaign=biographic_regular_20260109&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Mailjet
4 months ago
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