Fumaria officinalis (Common Fumitory) flowering in the snow this morning near Moele Brace in #Shrewsbury with @janettem34.bsky.social We didn't get that on the NYPH this year. #wildflowerhour

Cracking Larid flock at Battlefield late pm thanks to @saloplarus.bsky.social for the heads up. A fine 3w Caspian Gull the best I could see with nice flight views thanks to Maitre renard. At least 2 YLG too. #shopshirebirding #larid 🪶

Both local ParkRuns cancelled due to the ice so tried VP where the Kestrel caught a small mammal, 10+ Corn Bunting, 5+ Yellowhammer, 80+ Chaffinch, Siskin, Marsh Tit, 18 Snipe including one over the arable etc. Duck numbers slightly down. Handful of yearlies in the cold. #shropshirebirding 🪶

1sr VP visits of yr early and late, 1st WFG dip of yr! 340 Canadas, 47 Greylag, Canlag, 2+ Goosander. 17 Gadwall, 47 Shoveler, 140 Teal, Shelduck, 3 Egyptian Goose, 12 Wigeon, 15+ Snipe, 135 Lapwing, Red Kite, 3 Corn Bunting, 3 Y'ham, 25 Redpoll, Chiffchaff, W Rail etc 56spp #shropshirebirding 🪶

Traditional NYD #ParkRun (but Telford this year) with A then #NYPH locally with @janettem34.bsky.social @amanda-bug-girl.bsky.social & G. 31 spp (13 less than '25) with Stachys arvensis (found by G), Fumaria bastardii and purpurea the best. Usual patch of Viola odorata out. #wildflowerhour

Also at VP today this Collared Earthstar was still in reasonable condition despite the frost Geastrum michelianum seems to be the name used for the British ones (used to be triplex, I think), at least on iNaturalist. #fungi #ukwildlife

VP early doors w Dave C. No White-fronts in roost but cracking little hutchinsii Cackling Goose that flew out to N at 0740 and was relocated at Atcham by @saloplarus.bsky.social who confirmed no rings. 'Wrong' carrier species (inevitably) here so unlikely to find favour w BBRC. #shropshirebirding 🪶

Ellesmere with @janettem34.bsky.social late a.m. successful with the f Lesser Scaup quite active in NE corner. c108 Pink-feet (tricky even from pic) flew to NW calling, 2 Pintail, 80 Wigeon, 7 Shoveler, 12 Goldeneye, 55 Tufted, 2 Pochard, 3 Little & 3 GCGrebe, Siskins, Redpoll. #shropshirebirding 🪶

Slimbridge yesterday pm was good with 8 (new in, we thought) Tundra Bean Geese at far end of Dumbles then a super fly-by past Holden, calling. Also L Stint Tack Piece, 34 Cattle Egret roosting, 40 Avocet & m Green-winged Teal S Lake, saw 53 Bewick's with only 1 1w! #Gloucesterbirding #ukbirding 🪶

Festive diversion between friends/family visiting yesterday to old local patch of Westport Lake with @janettem34.bsky.social The Yellow-browed Warbler showed really well after a bit of a wait. Also 22 Pochard. #staffsbirding 🪶 #ukwildlife

False Oxlip (Primula × polyantha) already flowering in the garden in Shrewsbury. Both parent species (Cowslip and Primrose) were planted here but this arose spontaneously. Late and slightly dubious for #wildflowerhour #ukwildlife

Wildlife Group at Dingle Farm. Usual hospitality there. Birch Shieldbug landed on my bag #fieldcraft ; Orthotrichum diaphanum on Elder; vac samplers got Ypsolopha ustella; flushed a Woodcock (last ditch yearly!); Keith found Cream-spot Ladybird; Jim got new psyllid for VC40 etc #ukwildlife #teammoth

Melverley Floods with @janettem34.bsky.social this morning. At least 57 Whooper Swans (44 Cae Howell, 13+ Royal Oak), a high count for Shrops and a fine sight & sound, 3 Mutes, 320+ Pintail, 205+ Wigeon, 345 Greylag, 280 Canadas, Canlag, 6 Egyptian Goose, L Egret etc #shropshirebirding 🪶 #ukwildlife

Lobaria amplissima is extremly rare in Germany. 2020 one of the old trees died and the bark with Lobaria fall on the ground. So I took it and fixed it with binding wire on another old tree near by (without the Lobaria). Yesterday I was there and pleasantly surprised, that it worked very good.

I’ve just been offered a bunch of historic publications about the Lepidoptera of Staffs, I’m not sure I have room to give a home to all of them but I wondered if any VC39 #teammoth were interested in taking some? @sj84turner.bsky.social @lesevanshill.bsky.social @dominiccollins.bsky.social

Wandering around locally we were surprised to find Hieracium scotosticticum (Dappled Hawkweed) still in flower in Shrewsbury today at the bottom of a hedge on Wenlock Road. #wildflowerhour

Acanthinula aculeata, Prickly Snail, from Colstey Wood in the Shropshire hills with the wildlife group as well as the pseudoscorpion Chthonius ischnocheles. Upland conifer wood with broadleaves and wet areas. Crossbills too but no Willow Tit this time. #ukwildlife #molluscalert #pseudscorner etc

VP yesterday pm with HJG & G, 55spp. 2 Chiffchaff including presumed tristis (not H), Treecreeper, Marsh Tit, Goldcrest, Coal Tit, 15 LTT, 2 Stonechat, 3 Corn Bunting, Kes, L Redpoll, 5 Gadwall, 3 Shelduck, 2 L Grebe, 27 Wigeon, 2 Tufted, 105 Lapwing, 12 Snipe etc #shropshirebirding 🪶

Mothing last night 4/4, December Moth, Mottled Umber, Winter and LBAM (Eppos) on a mild murky night. Another Indian Meal Moth in the house yesterday plus Beautiful Plume. #teammoth #ukwildlife #shrewsbury

VP WeBS in murk: 2 Shelduck, 116 Teal, 15 Shoveler, 10 Gadwall, 12 Wigeon, 68 Mallard, 1 Canada (where are the geese of late?), 119 Lapwing, 18 Snipe. Even less than usual on CF: 3 L Grebe, 6 Coot and 3 Cormorant. Also Chiff, 21 F'fare, 20 Redwing, 10 Y'ham, Siskin, 6 Redpoll etc #shropshirebirding

Good to be out with the wildlife group again near Bicton after a hiatus (2 cancelled due to weather and a week away). Usual mix of species groups from birds to bryophytes and of course invertebrates. #ukwildlife 🪶

First trapping night of the month in #Shrewsbury. As an old birding mate from Shrewsbury would have said, 'December Moths? Stiff!'. 7 in all and a Mottled Umber. #teammoth #woganfreezone

First trapping for a couple of weeks last night - still not ventured into the Woganosphere with a single Chestnut in this morning. And an indoor wonder on 29 Nov was this Indian Meal Moth (Plodia interpunctella), as in I wonder what that's been eating... #teammoth #ukwildlife

Sunny and birdy day on Anglesey today with @janettem34.bsky.social - 4 Slavonian Grebe, GND, 35 Pale-bellied Brents Penrhos; Red-necked Grebe (my 1st for ages!),4 Black Guillemot, Chough etc Holyhead Harbour; Barnacle Goose and 8 Pink-feet Cors Dygda RSPB. #angleseybirding #ukbirding 🪶

Borth y Gest plants in flower this week. Shaggy Soldier (Galinsoga quadriradiata) and Burnet Rose (Rosa spinosissima) #wildflowerhour

Good day's birding in Porthmadog with 5+ Jack Snipe, 110 Snipe, 40 Knot & 37 Sanderling (briefly), 17 Dunlin, Barwit, 8 Blackwit, 6 Turnstone, 790 Oystercatcher, 8 R-b Merganser, 3 Goosander, Blackcap, 60 Shoveler, Shag, Rock Pipit and an annoying poss Little Stint with the Knot. #ukbirding 🪶

Senecio inaequidens (Narrow-leaved Ragwort) in flower at Porthmadog today. #wildflowerhour

VP - 2 Crossbill loudly over N hide, Marsh Tit, 38 Redwing, 25 Fieldfare, big push Woodpigeon to NW/N (I had 4700+ but was not there early - still going late pm!), 6+ Corn Bunting, 6 Yellowhammer, 20+ Reed B, Stonechat, Chiff, Red Kite, W Rails, Cetti's, 2 Kes. No Lapwing, 1 Glag. #shropshirebirding

Teucrium hircanicum hanging on in Knighton, on the North ('Shropshire') side of the R Teme but apparently in Radnorshire due to some quirk of VC boundaries. Found by @johnlyden.bsky.social Not many records on DDb and all since 2009. With @janettem34.bsky.social #wildflowerhour

VP with G colour ringed Curlew head started in 2018, 198 Lapwing, 12 Snipe, 24 Wigeon, 68 Teal, 20 Shoveler, GWE, 5 Shelduck, Chiffchaff, Kingfisher, 11 sinensis Cormorant, 6 Redwing, 2 Fieldfare, Cetti's, W Rails etc so quite birdy despite the murky SW breeze. #shropshirebirding 🪶

Shoo-fly update, it's now actually in flower. Likely bird seed alien, suspiciously near our bird feeder. #wildflowerhour Nicandra physalodes. Another bird seed plant on my #WeBS count at Mereside. Panicum miliaceum

Nettle-leaved Bellflower (Campanula trachelium) still blooming at Buildwas Abbey this week with the wildlife group for #wildflowerhour also Common Polypody (Polypodium vulgare) on the walls and Small Teasel (Dipsacus pilosus) nearby

Venus Pool WeBS early morning 660 Canadas, Canlag, 21 Greylag, 12 Egyptian, 61 Teal, 21 Shoveler, 15 Wigeon (influx), 3 GWE, L Egret, 2 W Rail, 210 Lapwing, 5 Snipe. 2 L Grebe & GCG on CF. Influx of 22 Corn Bunting with 4 Y'hammer, 35 Linnet, 35 Greenfinch, 15 Reed B, 2 Chiffs. #shropshirebirding 🪶

Startled to find a Streak in the trap this morning in #Shrewsbury - only ever seen one before in a show home leaflet dispenser in Bradley Stoke (the obvious place to look) a very long time ago! #teammoth #Boogityboogity 14/8 with Clepsis consimilana also unexpected in Nov

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?...

A splendid Merv, a small flock of Figures of 8, a late Setaceous Hebrew Character, Feathered Thorn and Eudonia angustea here in #Shrewsbury #teammoth not bad for November

Oxford Ragwort (Senecio squalidus) by the river in Shrewsbury this afternoon. With @janettem34.bsky.social #wildflowerhour

On the same pelagic out of St Mary's on 6 Oct a bunch of Cory's Shearwaters close to the Bishop Rock. #ukbirding 🪶

Some more Scilly pics from way back on 6 Oct pelagic. Great Shearwater (awesome as ever) and Garfish fleeing the Blue-fin Tuna that we saw but was too quick for a pic. #ukbirding #psl #fish

VP with G this morning, the highlight this Curlew, a patch yearly for me. Unringed and I reckon an adult. Otherwise GWE, L Egret, 10 Egyptian Goose, Snipe, 158 Lapwing, 2 Wigeon, 25+ Shoveler, 6 Tufted. Tail end of Woodpigeon movement, Raven, Kestrel, Chiffchaff etc #shropshirebirding

Even closer to home, in the garden in fact, this Nicandra physalodes (Apple-of-Peru/Shoo-fly) popped up unexpectedly, maybe via compost. Always liked it since first seeing it on Tresco 40 years ago and love its English names. #wildflowerhour #ukwildlife

In the same area in Melverley there were several Buckthorns (Rhamnus catharticus) in fruit, which is not something I see at all often in Shropshire. #wildflowerhour #ukwildlife

Wildlife Group trip to site in Severn flood plain near Melverley with nice pond that had abundant Fine-leaved Water-dropwort (Oenanthe aquatica), still in flower, plus Water-violet (Hottonia palustris) and Trifid Bur-marigold (Bidens tripartita). #wildflowerhour #ukwildlife

Much digging about in a compost / horse dung / straw heap in All Stretton on Weds produced several fab inverts including many of these 1.9mm long Compost Chernes/Chelifer pseudoscorpions (Pselaphochernes scorpioides) incl two females carrying eggs.

White-point in #Shrewsbury last night was a new one for the garden and still has few VC40 records. Having a good year down south. So is Figure-of-Eight, including locally, so good to finally get it for the year (three) as well. #teammoth @bc-westmids.bsky.social

Top compost heap nurdling by @vc40orthops.bsky.social at Bagbatch on Weds w JoW producing my 1st Lesser Earwig for yonks, lots of Ostearius melanopygius (Compost Money-spiders) and some super Compost Chelifers (Psleaphochernes scorpioides) including females with eggs. #pseudscorner #compostcorner

I was really pleased to have my pic of the Sand Leek (Allium scorodoprasum), found new for Shropshire at Clun Castle in June, on the cover of BSBI News! #wildflowerhour

Just to remind me it was warmer and summer-like only last week, in some places, here are a couple of pics from St Agnes. Hoopoe and Clouded Yellow, neither of which I am likely to see again this year! #ukbirding #mybutterflyyear

Top morning at VP with G. Refound the Jack Snipe, also 1w RP, Green Sand, 6+ Snipe, 41 Shoveler, 11 Wigeon, 2 GWE, L Egret, 3+ W Rail. 173 Lapwing etc VP. Arctic Tern 1w briefly on CF (picked up by G) the best. Also Redpoll, Siskin, 2 Stonechat, Skylarks over. 57 spp. #shropshirebirding

Chain Fern (Woodwardia radicans) spreading well in Gulval Churchyard, Cornwall this week. A much bigger plant than I was expecting! #wildflowerhour