Lower ground next to Holland Pits, has a much bigger catchment to gather water.

This is a pond restored autumn 2024:- A brilliant success. This is near the top of the locsl landscape, but has responded very well to the month or so of above average rainfall here. At Holland Pits several perched ponds very low.

Our 2 new ponds are filling. Most etablished ponds though are still empty or have a long way to go.

I glimpse my first butterfly of the year Peacock probably. Also a Cetti singing at Great Holland pits today.

Unexpected visiter to our garden this afternoon. A Bank Vole helping itself to the birds sunflower hearts. #wildspaces #vole #essexwildlife

When the rain stops what can you be doing to make your garden more attractive for moths & butterflies? buff.ly/BFDDx13

Protect Middlewick - A Test Case for Nature www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/full-prote... #birds #wildlife @essexbirdnews.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social

@britishspiders.bsky.social Zebra Jumping Spider, a male I believe, seen this afternoon on our North East Essex cottage external wall in the rain. A common tiny jumping spider in the South East but didn't expect to see one on 1st February. #jumpingspider #zebra #wildspaces

Red dead-nettle in our #wildspaces of our garden #wildflowerhour

Snowdrop coming to life in our North East Essex garden #wildflowerhour

Cowslip been flowering in our North East Essex garden for a few days #wildflowerhour

Lovely walk raising ££ for the legal defence of our Old King George Oak, against Aviva & Wivenhoe Town Council, both still set on killing the tree while actively withholding the evidence by which it is condemned. Shame on all concerned. Our 8yo guest Aria Rose says it all! @stopthechop.bsky.social

BBC News - Durham wildlife protection consultation extended - BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

BBC News - 'Explosion' of water vole numbers across the East of England - BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Memories of the summer

Cambs Local Nature Recovery Strategy is finalised and online. Along with a digital habitat map of the county. We supported this process and it's great to see this public cambridgeshirepeterborough-ca.gov.uk/local-nature...

The 11th watercolour in this series is the Idas Blue, in Dutch: Vals heideblauwtje 🦋 Hint about the series theme: 1981 🦋 All butterflies in this series are painted true size in a 10x10 cm square 🦋 #watercolour #butterfly #idasblue #plebejusidas #valsheideblauwtje #savetheinsects #melissahalley

The BTO have just reported that 56% of UK butterfly species have been recorded in gardens. It shows how important gardens are to UK wildlife, to learn more sign up to the Butterfly Conservation newsletter for monthly tips on how to attract more butterflies to your garden buff.ly/6xHYo5j

The glory of a well managed Norfolk marl pit #pond. If a little buffered from the fields & no inflow pipe ponds can be spectacularly diverse even in intensive arable. Ponds are probably the most important farm habitat @farmwildlifeuk.bsky.social

BBC News - Rare miro-moth pair recorded in Hampshire for first time - BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The British Lichen Society photo competition is open to all. The themes this year are ‘Under the microscope’ and ‘The bigger picture’. Find the full details at the bottom of our AGM Weekend page. Judging will take place by popular vote during this event. britishlichensociety.org.uk/the-society/...

Wildlife Trust facing woodland crisis thanks to tree disease @wildlifebcn.org www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

A very poor photo form our garden on 5th October, but this is verified as Crytea erythraea, 5th #irecord record. This parasitoid lays eggs on or in Plumed Fan-foot moth, Pechipogo plumigeralis. @bc-cambs-essex.bsky.social #moths #ichneumonid wasps

BBC News - Suffolk Wildlife Trust completes purchase of Worlingham Marshes - BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The team recreating the famous Sutton Hoo Anglo-Saxon burial ship is inviting the public to name it! The Sutton Hoo Ships Company (SHSC) aim to complete the project next year before getting the ship on the River Deben in 2027. You can submit your nomination here: saxonship.org/suggest-a-na...

We have still have a few tickets left for our exclusive members behind-the-scenes visit for a close-up viewing of the world-renowned Fountaine-Neimy Butterfly Collection at the Norwich Castle Museum on Thursday. To book your free tickets👉 buff.ly/AkiOp1S

The 9th watercolour in this series is the Red Underwing Skipper (Dutch: Kalkgraslanddikkopje). Hint about the series theme: 1976. Painted true size in a 10x10 cm black square 🦋 #watercolour #butterfly #redunderwingskipper #spialiasertorius #kalkgraslanddikkopje #lookforbeauty #melissahalley

BBC News - Butterfly home restored by sheep after Harbury Tunnel landslide - BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

WORK PARTY - Sun 23/11, 10am Devil's Dyke near Newmarket. Please come along and help us with essential conservation work to support the Chalkhill Blue, Adonis Blue, Dingy Skipper, and other grassland species. butterfly-conservation.org/events/cambs...

We have arranged 2 free member visits to the Fountaine-Neimy Collection at Norwich Castle Museum which contains around 22000 butterflies collected between 1890-1940. Most specimens were bred from eggs or caterpillars, and are therefore in exceptionally fine condition. buff.ly/1EdJlDV

Obsidentify gives this as a likely worldwide rarity. It is a Coral fungus. Does anyone have any comments?

The number of butterflies at risk of extinction across Europe has increased significantly in the past 15 years, a new assessment has warned:

youtu.be/bGu0rofa0nw?... A ponds project in Essex. @norfolkponds.bsky.social

The importance of Middlewick Ranges in Essex youtu.be/Ku-eD0J42as?...

Ragwort Fly, Sphenella marginata I believe. Seen today at The Naze.

A single moth in the trap last night, December moth #teammoths #essex

In case you missed it I recently posted my video on how to film wildlife youtu.be/Zr7HqTM5saE #wildlife #wildlifefilmmaking #nature #ukwildlife #filmmaking #video

** BRANCH AGM TOMORROW ** A reminder that the Cambridgeshire & Essex branch's AGM and Members' Day is in-person this year. Foxton Village Hall on Saturday November 8th at 2pm All Cambridgeshire & Essex BC branch members are invited to join us.

From purple swathes of heather to riverside meadows, Knettishall Heath has an extraordinary mix of habitat. One of Suffolk’s largest surviving areas of Breck heath, it is an ancient place where the past is written into the landscape.

If anyone takes Watsonalla binaria/uncinula (Oak/Spiny Hook-tip) from now, please check with your County Recorder if they wish specimens to be retained for microscopic examination (at the discretion of the recorder) and confirmation. Image: Oak Hook-tip (above), Spiny Hook-tip (below). #MothsMatter