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

Plymouth Thistle (Carduus pycnocephalus) at (where else?) Plymouth Hoe and Plymouth Thistle selfie with @janettem34.bsky.social on the way back from the SW. Thanks to @andymus.bsky.social for the quality gen. Three plants in flower in this area #wildflowerhour

Before heading over to Scilly this was the highlight of a day birding in W Cornwall with M8. Showy 1CY Red-necked Phalarope at Gwithian (1 Oct), my first for quite a few years. #ukbirding #cornwallbirding

Nice welcome home in the garden moth trap this morning - first Merveille du Jour here in 3 years (our nearby oak got rather savagely pruned) amongst 3/3 with a Green-brindled Crescent and an Eppos/LBAM. #teammoth

Just back from the SW summer extension. On the way down on 29 Sep this was a highlight in Bristol and a new GB plant for me, Ecballium elaterium, Squirting-cucumber. Shown by Rupert, who found them (several plants in amenity grassland edge)! Too long ago to qualify for #wildflowerhour

Least Adder's-tongue (Ophioglossum lusitanicum) on Wingletang, St Agnes, today on a fine sunny day with @andymus.bsky.social @janettem34.bsky.social About 40 plants seen in 2 tiny patches of habitat #wildflowerhour

Crocus nudiflorus (Autumn Crocus) spreading in Shrewsbury in the Quarry. There are more over towards Frankwell in more natural grassland but we were passing these in the week and they were looking splendid in the autumn sunshine. @janettem34.bsky.social #wildflowerhour

Some nice autumn moths in the garden last night. Better catch with higher temperatures and some cloud cover. Pink-barred Sallow and Brindled Green both nfy. #teammoth #Shrewsbury

VP - chilly slightly misty start, ice on the car! 810 Canadas, 595 Greylags, 2 Canlag, 9 Egyptian out of roost. Green & Common Sand, 3 Snipe, Kestrel, Fallow Deer, L Egret, 17 Shoveler, 12 Chiffchaff, Cetti's. No sign of the Ruffs. 27+Skylark, 12+ Mipit, Swallow etc to S. #Shropshirebirding

Last Shropshire Botanical Society field trip of 2025 on Catherton Common in the sun. Well attended, some fine plants recorded in the mires, we ended with the tiny and unassuming Chaffweed (Lysimachia minima) by the roadside at one of its rather few sites in the county. #wildflowerhour

Called in at VP on the way home from Catherton Common to see the two juvenile Ruffs. First of the year for the site, on size a male and female. Also 1w Ringed Plover, Common Sand etc in brief late afternoon visit. #Shropshirebirding

Definitely an autumnal feel to the garden moths in Shrewsbury yesterday with Black Rustic and Lunar Underwing nfy. Later yesterday and into the evening a distinctly aquatic feel so didn't run it last night. #teammoth

Excellent day in the Wyre Forest, Shropshire with fungi, ants, 60 Crossbills and the highlight a lovely female Araneus alsine (Strawberry Spider) found by Denise B on Neil's trousers (not their preferred habitat). nth try for these for me - what a belter! @lancefly.bsky.social #spiders #ukwildlife

Good start to the day at Ellesmere. @saloplarus.bsky.social 's juv Sabine's Gull was still there as it got light, picked up by Reevesy at 0630. At 0645 it flew a half circuit of the mere then headed strongly to N. Only the third county record. #shropshirebirding

Was going to post pics of Shining Guest-ant and Dinarda maerkelii from Wyre on Tuesday w @lancefly.bsky.social @exmoormothman.bsky.social @vc40orthops.bsky.social and Jim C but others got lovely pics of them. Also saw Rhyparochromus pini and occupied cases of Coleophora milvipennis #teammoth

Nice way to start a Monday morning - Vestal on the garden trap. Only about our third here. #teammoth #Shrewsbury

Pale Galingale (Cyperus eragrostis) in corner of organic farmyard with some nice plants with the wildlife group on Wednesday. Sort of #SeedHeads for #Wildflowerhour albeit late again

#Shropshirebirding too tired after all dayer for early VP visit so missed L Tern, blub. Chased @saloplarus.bsky.social moulting ad Black Tern at The Mere in heavy rain amongst the hirundines. 1st 2 GWE of the autumn at VP pm w 31 Shoveler, 5 Green Sand etc but nothing else of note had dropped in 🪶

VP yesterday for #WestMidsalldayer hard work with team total a provisional 62, lowest ever? But good looks at juv Hobby feeding over the hill were a treat, other extras 2 Goosander, Kestrel, 3 Red Kite, 2 Sprawk, Raven, 15 Egyptian Goose, 8 Green Sand, 29 Lapwing, 19 Shoveler. #shropshirebirding 🪶

VP early for #westmidsalldayer 6 Green Sand, 14 L Egret, 14 Shoveler, 7 Snipe, 2 W Rail, Kestrel, Green Woodpecker, Cetti's etc so far in a calm morning. #Shropshirebirding now interlude for #ParkRun and breakfast

Belvide yesterday with @janettem34.bsky.social Nice looks at the Grey Phalarope at the west end (too distant for pics), also lots of herons! 38 Grey, 9 GWE, 14 Little along with 4 Greenshank, Green Sand, 3 RP, Hobby, Yellow Wag etc seen #staffsbirding 🪶 #ukbirding

Away day w @janettem34.bsky.social to Middleton Lakes #RSPB (last visited goodness knows when but I saw Turtle Dove so a long time ago!) Good birding with 2 juv Curlew Sandpiper, Garganey, juv Ruff, 4 isl Blackwit, 6 Common Tern, Great White Egret, 1w Whinchat, 3 Swift etc #ukbirding #staffsbirding

Garden moth trap in Shrewsbury produced what for me were two megas this morning! My 1st Small Marbled since 1995 (vintage moth autumn on St Agnes), only maybe the second for Shropshire, and a lifer Anomalous that has wandered a fair way from its heathery home. #teammoth @bc-westmids.bsky.social

The bird highlight of the #Slovenia holiday in June/July was this male Wallcreeper that appeared above us unexpectedly on a big cliff on the Mangart Saddle. One of the absolute best birds! #birding 🪶

A few more #Slovenia mountain plants from the superb Mangart Saddle on 3 Jul. Dwarf Saussurea (Sassurea pygmaea), Alpine Bartsia (Bartsia alpina) and Cirsium spinosissiumum. #wildflowerhoursi

VP with G. Everyone loves a juv islandica Blackwit so 13 new in were birds of the morning. Juv LRP remains, 3+ Green & 1+ Common Sand, 18 Lapwing, 5 Snipe, 8 Little Egret, 9 Egyptian Goose, 18 Teal, 4 Canlags, Yellow Wag etc. Quite a few dead trees and shrubs #drought #shropshirebirding #islandica 🪶

Another nfg moth in Shrewsbury yesterday, and with fewer Shropshire records than the big blue, was Scrobipalpa ocellatella (Beet Moth), new for me back in July in Norfolk, it is spreading rapidly. Engrailed here too, which is only 6th here (4 in 2019, 1 in 2023) #teammoth @bc-westmids.bsky.social

Major incident in the garden this morning in Shrewsbury with the first Clifden Nonpareil for the garden just sat there by the trap. Have seen a couple at Portland but never caught one myself. #teammoth @janettem34.bsky.social @amanda-bug-girl.bsky.social

More Slovenia catching up. High above Vric Pass on 2 July on a hot day on scree slopes, this Silky Ringlet sought shade under my bag and drank from the rather sweaty strap! #butterflies

Quick trip out to VP this afternoon with @janettem34.bsky.social to look for the Greenshank, found earlier by Mike J, which was a lovely fresh juvenile and showed well at times. A rather scarce migrant in the county these days. Also 2 Green and 3 Common Sand etc #Shropshirebirding 🪶