Saved from a skip - now what to do with them?

Farm equipment or dinosaur?

Fen nettle spotted on a farm today. Always enjoy finding this, and convincing people to give it a rub. (It doesn’t sting). Definitely glad it was fen nettle given the amount we walked through!

Just a brown long eared bat & a barbastelle hanging out together (Photo taken under licence) Whilst Barbastelles are rare in the UK we are very lucky that they seem to like it here in the east. All the more reason to ensure their protection here and the Western Link Road must stay off the table

The girls had their coats off on Sunday. Their fleeces had lifted nicely and this year I’ve got more than one suitable for a felt rug, so if there’s a window between surveys I may give this a go! Also - how brilliant is bailer twine?! #sheep #wool #shetlandsheep

Not every day you find a lizard in the livingroom… My daughter “muuuum, there’s a lizard in heeeerrreee” Genuinely thought she was playing a trick with her lizard toy, she’s 4 and that’s her style. But the girl was right. #lizard #commonlizard #britishecologists #ecology

Haven’t trapped for a month, but despite setting the trap, then having to move to the shed doorway for cover from a storm - we got a fantastic catch! Photos of some of the highlights; cream spotted garden tiger, swallow-tailed and elephant hawk. #norfolkmoths #britishecologsits #mothtrap #moths

Just a longhorn beetle Stenocorus meridianus 🪲 #beetle #longhornbeetle #britishbeetles

Some stunning veteran field maples in a lapsed hedgerow at a site yesterday. What a treat! #veterantrees #trees #fieldmaple #britishecologists

Great explanation why the planning and infrastructure bill is anything but a win win for nature and development @terryjermymp.bsky.social www.linkedin.com/posts/matthe...

Before the General Election Labour promised to restore nature. Less than a year in, and the new Chancellor is leading a charge against the natural world Email your MP to remove Part 3 of the Bill AND ask THEM to call out the Chancellor for her attack on nature wtru.st/fix-the-bill

Brilliant panel discussion at the Hay Festival on planning reform. m.youtube.com/watch?v=BxA_...

Hi @terryjermymp.bsky.social I have written to you 4 times regarding the planning and infrastructure bill. It seems you are concerned already about land being used for solar farms…

This is bloody awful from Toby Carvery, who have deliberately felled a 500 year old oak in Enfield. It goes together with the wider redevelopment of a very ecologically sensitive area to make a football ground for Tottenham. Again, these are not the right priorities folks.

A day of saving bees from their own silly choices.

Glad to see the potential devastating impacts of the government planning and infrastructure bill being mentioned. #eastbatconf - don’t forget to write to your MP if you haven’t. Mine hasn’t responded yet, despite emailing twice - @terryjermymp.bsky.social - hopefully I’ll hear back soon.

Fab day at the Eastern Bat Conference @batconservation.bsky.social #eastbatconf

This bill has not followed due process and there are concerns over its governance. This legislation has been rushed through the initial stages, has ignored consultation and has removed key principles from our current national environmental legislation. www.arc-trust.org/News/plannin...

Bats are site-loyal species, and losing these surveys will make their protection almost impossible. It will also impact ancient trees and other site-loyal species such as hazel dormice. Their loss cannot be compensated for. batconservationtrust.substack.com/p/the-planni...

Four of my favourite tree photos from the last couple of weeks - it was a difficult choice, I have lots to choose from. #trees #britishtrees #britishecologists #woodland #ancientwoodland #ecology #🌳

A few moths from last night’s catch. 55 in total; 22 small quakers, 14 quakers, 7 Hebrew characters, 4 clouded drabs, 2 twin spotted quakers, 2 oak beauty moths, 2 march moths, 1 water carpet and 1 early grey. Can you guess which one is checking itself out in the mirror? #britishmoths #norfolkmoths

A dotted chestnut in my workshop and a female Diurnea fagella (flightless) found in the leaf litter of an ancient woodland. #norfolkmoths #britishmoths #moths #britishecologists

Massive synthesis of studies shows biodiversity loss in all species and every ecosystem linked to humans.

A good summary of a key part of George’s latest book - The Invisible Doctrine.

Really this headline should read “late stage capitalism and market monopoly destroys the environment, livelihoods and food security”. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

This paper is potentially huge. It concludes that "fragmented landscapes have lower diversity, at all scales, than do unfragmented landscapes...The pervasive effects of ongoing habitat destruction and fragmentation are real and should not be minimized." !!!!!

Some nice old orchard trees today including a few veterans. #veterantree #trees #orchard

A few sheep pics of my Shetland flock. These ladies are kept for wool and generally just get to meander around the field. They dislike being caught for health checks and shearing, but will come to you for food and biscuits, and the occasional cuddle. #sheep #wool #shetlandsheep #weaving #weaver

Moth catch this weekend: March Moth – 1 Mottled Umber – 1 Hebrew Character – 4 Lunar Underwing – 2 Clouded Drab – 3 Common Quaker – 13 Double-striped Pug – 1 Light Brown Apple Moth – 1 Small Quaker – 13 Nice surprise, after only 4 the weekend before!

The list of words the Trump administration has banned from research grants is even longer than the lists I’ve seen online. Here are screenshots of the words confirmed by the NYTimes and listed in this article www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

There were so many bees in this clients garden on the heather earlier this week. Nice to hear the familiar buzz again. #bumblebee #bee

Today my daughter and I beat ‘pop up pirate’ and got all the swords in the barrel bar the last one, which popped the pirate.

Set the moth trap last night, first time using it so was keen to test it out. 4 moths; 1 small brindled beauty, 1 Hebrew character and 2 march moths. Think I also have my 10 year old hooked! #moths #mothtrap #britishecologist

Old Park in Canterbury is a superb area of acid grassland with a flora including Harebell, Bedstraw (or Clove-scented) Broomrape & Mossy Stonecrop, & loads of Nightingales. The MoD owns it and has put it up for sale. Join the campaign to save this extraordinary site canterburyoldpark.org.uk

Trump administration planning to roll back nearly 50 years' worth of National Environmental Policy Act regulations: www.eenews.net/articles/tru...

Studying environmental sciences is about studying our life support system. It should not be partisan.

I live a new book, but especially love this one - I pre-ordered but it’s only just arrived. 🦇 That’s my afternoon sorted! #britishecologist

Great afternoon with my son listening to Steve Backshall chat about whales. We got to meet him at the end and my son (who’s also a total nature geek like me) was incredibly inspired. This is why engagement with kids is just so important! Thanks Steve!

It's not just scientists & environmental groups warning of the imminent dangers of unchecked climate & nature breakdown 🧵 1️⃣ International consultants Deloitte say that over 50 years: ❌ Continued inaction will cost the world $178 trillion ✅ Accelerating net zero will deliver a $43 trillion benefit.

Plant translocations & reintroductions is relatively new science. Learning from others' successes & failures enables progress. Understanding species' autoecologies & pressures, combined with good protocols, is a good start. It's fascinating to see what approaches work. I want to dig into that data!

63 years ago Rachel Carson published her groundbreaking Silent Spring. Today Dave Goulson et al are continuing the work. nature.com/articles/s4146…

Global Ecology 🌐 starter pack vol 1 & 2 are full and curated !! ✨💚 Please share so they will fly into the blue sky 🦋🌈 Vol1 👉 bsky.app/starter-pack... Vol2 👉 bsky.app/starter-pack... Will start a Vol. 3 soon, please reply if you want to be in ! 🌐🧪🌍🦤🍁🦑🪴🦉🐍🌾

Sizewell C has now felled 21,675 trees. Absolutely outrageously damaging project in one of the most environmentally sensitive areas of England.

Some beautiful vet trees and stumps which lay on the proposed route of the western link road in Norwich. Whilst the council have withdrawn the application, with the planning reforms set to give projects like this the green light, we must not get complacent. #veterantree #trees #britishecologist

Hey Ecologists working in the UK - drop me a message or reply to this post and I will add you to the starter pack. Once in, you should then see it as a feed option. I also encourage the use of the #britishecologist hashtag, and I will try and add those who have used it.

This Labour government is not nature’s friend. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Apparently a project I’m working on around the Ouse Washes was on CountryFile this last week. I don’t watch the BBC, having ditched it a few years ago (and with it all live TV) due to the biased reporting which hasn’t improved, but if you have access to CountryFile it might be worth a watch.