The Albanian people have been massively protesting for several consecutive days against slumlord crook Jared Kushner and Crimestress Ivanka seizing land in their country to the sum of billions of dollars to build a trashy resort. I hope they don’t stop until their evil corrupt deal is reversed.

Kingfisher at the Dorset patch this am & Red Kite seen 02/06/26 otherwise very quiet. Pleased to find a single Bee Orchid tucked away. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @ukorchids.bsky.social

Juvenile Great Crested Grebe #ChardRes 1 of 6 present from 4 breeding pairs. #Somersetbirds

Two out of the (only) three White-tailed Eagles fledged in England in 2025 have since 'disappeared in suspicious circumstances', i.e. people killed them within months. Read this, and see how much effort those people go to, to kill them. We all know who & why. Two out of three. Within months.

Yesterday am spent on The Blackdowns, Somerset & a welcome surprise of a singing Dartford Warbler at a former breeding site. Other highlights: Tree Pipit, Spotted Flycatcher & Garden Warbler at 3 sites; Red Kite, Firecrest, Cuckoo, Stonechat juvs, Redpoll & Yellowhammer. @somersetbirds.bsky.social

Eastern Bordered Straw Chard, South Somerset VC5 #teammoth 😲😊

Evening visit to the Dorset patch gave me my first Clouded Yellow of the year. Earlier in the day, pair of ovipositing Red-veined Darter + 2 males. Also my first Banded Demoiselle. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @britishdragonflies.bsky.social

Somewhat surprised to find at least 2 Marsh Fritillary on The Blackdowns on 23rd May whilst carrying out my spring bird count in the area! I haven't seen this species on The Blackdowns since it became extinct at Quants many years ago! @savebutterflies.bsky.social (Somerset BC sent the details)

At last I've caught Geoff!.. Hedge Beauty & my first Ni Moth too in tonights trap. Chard, South Somerset VC5 #teammoth

This year I have counted 79 Southern Marsh Orchid on my tiny front lawn in Chard, South Somerset, it's left uncut until late summer every year for #NoMowMay @plantlifeuk.bsky.social @ukorchids.bsky.social

Meant to tag @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social not Bird Club! 🥴

Probable Red-veined Darter at the Dorset patch (for 2nd year), first Meadow Brown of the year. Large Skipper posing better than the first on 22/05! 6+ Painted Lady belting about in the 30 degrees heat! @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @britishdragonflies.bsky.social

Probable Red-veined Darter at the Dorset patch (for 2nd year), first Meadow Brown of the year. Large Skipper posing better than the first on 22/05! 6+ Painted Lady belting about in the 30 degrees heat! @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @britishdragonflies.bsky.social

Unbearably hot at the Dorset patch, Red Kite over, brood of Kestrel in barn, GC Grebe still lingering....even the cattle were cooling off! @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social #PWC2026

Busy trap last night with 2 NFM: Regal Piercer & Blackthorn Tip Moth. 3 NFG: Rivulet, Garden Straw & May Highflyer. Migrants, just 2 Small Mottled Willow, Bordered Straw, Rush Veneer & 2 Diamond-back. Also 2 Pale Tussock, 2 Poplar HM, Spectacle 33+/60+ Chard, South Somerset VC5 #teammoth

4 NFM in last nights trap: Rufous Minor, Small Angle Shades, Mottled Pug & Brassy Y. Migrants: 2 Small Mottled Willow & 8+ Diamond-backs. Also Iron Prominent, Small Dusty Wave, Small Blood-vein, C Wainscot, Ingrailed Clay, Buff-tip. 23/50 Chard, South Somerset VC5 #teammoth

4 NFM in last nights trap: Brown Silver-line, Ingrailed Clay, The Minister(Eulia ministrana) & Barred Marble(Celypha striana). Also Rush Veneer, 4 Diamond-back + Oak Hook-tip (NFG) 17/27 Chard, South Somerset VC5 #teammoth

Last nights trap 26/44 inc 7 NFM: Small Mottled Willow, Alder Moth, Freyer's Pug, Broken-barred Carpet, Speckled Fanner, Oak Bent-wing, Thatch Groundling. Also 6 Diamond-back Moth, Silver Y. Chard, South Somerset VC5 #teammoth

A few firsts for the year today with Hummingbird Hawkmoth, Large Skipper & Black-tailed Skimmer seen at my Dorset patch (none were posing well for photos unfortunately!) @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @britishdragonflies.bsky.social

Short video of singing Reed Warbler at my Dorset patch youtu.be/CuwS_m_R6gM?...

Dire trap last night, but this Spectacle was NFY, just 5/6 Chard, South Somerset VC5 #teammoth

Red-eyed Damselfly (4) seen at the private fishing lake at Perry Street, South Chard, Somerset this am. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social

Please don’t put out hair for bird nests. Chicks get entangled in hair balls. Just had to cut hair strands that were tying 3 blue tit chicks together, and wrapped round the throat of one skinny chick that couldn’t swallow food. Hopefully saved in time 🤞

GC Grebe is only a scarce visitor to my Dorset patch with maybe one recorded annually, which is surprising with #ChardRes only 3 miles to the north where they are resident! This visitor has been present all day. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Peppered Moth & Black Cloak (Yellow-faced Bell) both NFG. 2 Poplar Hawkmoth, Swallow Prominent, Muslin Moth the pick of 13/21 Chard, South Somerset VC5 #teammoth

This breeding plumaged Great White Egret dropped in at my Dorset patch this evening, otherwise pretty quiet apart from about a dozen female Tufted Ducks constant 'growling' calls! @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social #PWC2026

Treble Lines (NFM), Red Chestnut & Diamond-back Moth the best from last nights trap of 12/18 in Chard, South Somerset VC5 #teammoth

My first Common Blue on the Dorset patch this morning @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

Spotted Flycatcher back on territory at my Dorset patch this morning. 2nd Pair of Lt Grebe with 3 young. 2 drake Gadwall. Garden Warbler seems to have moved on unfortunately. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Very pleased to find 3 Dingy Skipper at my Dorset patch this am, including a pair in rapid rotating display flight. I believe one of the 2 small colonies here is lost, but these were seen in a new area with sparse vegetation so 🤞 for their future survival here @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social #inverts

Afternoon spent on The Blackdown Hills didn't produce the expected species unfortunately, but a Wheatear, 3 fledged Stonechat & a couple Hares were much appreciated. @somersetbirds.bsky.social

Painted Lady influx over the last few days at my Dorset Patch & my first Wall of the year today which refused to settle with wings open! @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social #inverts

A record number of Reed Warbler at the Dorset patch this year with at least 10 singing, although I guess some may still move on. Also Garden Warbler, but all Willows & Sedges didn't linger. First Lt Grebe young have hatched. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Pale Tussock new for garden, Sharp-angled Peacock & Orange Footman (NFY), Garden Carpet, Yellow-barred Brindle in last nights trap Chard, South Somerset VC5 #teammoth

Best moth trap of the year in my Chard garden last night with Scalloped Hazel, Oak-tree Pug & Ochreous Pug all NFM. Also Diamond-back Moth, White-spotted Pug, Mocha & Early Thorn in the 17 species caught. South Somerset VC5 #teammoth

Birding fairly quiet on the Dorset patch, but my first Broad-bodied Chaser of the spring. Also NFM Barred Ant-hill Hoverfly Xanthogramma citrofasciatum. Influx of Painted Lady with at least 4 present today. #inverts @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @britishdragonflies.bsky.social

Wheatear, Cuckoo & Lesser Whitethroat on the lower slopes of The BlackdownHills, @somersetbirds.bsky.social yesterday. Garden Warbler & the first goslings on the Dorset patch today. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

Waved Umber, a new species for me, in last night's trap. Chard, South Somerset VC5 #teammoth

Dingy Skipper at the Dorset patch this morning @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social #inverts

Totally agree with you Richard...killing your garden birds with kindness 🙄

My first Silver Y of the year in last nights trap, also Aus Orangetip (NFY) 6/7 Chard, South Somerset VC5 #teammoth

Bit of a fall of Whitethroats on the Dorset patch with at least 2 singing males & a couple calling (unusual here). 2 adult GBB Gull, 1 Common Sandpiper & Grey Wagtail. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social #PWC2026

Despite the brisk easterly, a nice selection on the Dorset patch today including 2 Greenshank, 2 C. Sandpiper, Red Kite, c.8 House Martin collecting mud, Beautiful Demoiselle & 9 species of butterflies inc Green Hairstreak. #PWC2026 @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

Green-winged Orchids in perfect condition at a site in Somerset. #UKorchids #botony

Excellent #LocalPatchBirding within 8 miles of home today, with 2 Greenshank at the Dorset patch & at least 18 Sand Martin back at breeding site, Lesser Whitethroat & Cuckoo in Somerset. #PWC2026 @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @somersetbirds.bsky.social

Thrilled to find my first Large Tortoiseshell in the UK today (Somerset) @savebutterflies.bsky.social #SomersetButterflies #inverts

Swallow Prominent (NFM), singles of Diamond-back Moth & Muslin Moth in last nights' trap. Chard, South Somerset VC5 #teammoth

David Attenborough takes on PHEASANTS! “Native to Asia, but now released into our countryside on an industrial scale, over 30 million every year… eating vast numbers of insects, reptiles and amphibians every day.” Time for the Government to regulate this out-of-control industry #SecretGarden