Looking for a New year's resolution, how about getting involved with WeBS counts. Find a vacant site via link. In Sussex, Shinewater Lake, Selsey Bill and Norman's Bay all need a volunteer. @sussexornitholo.bsky.social @webs-gsmp.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social app.bto.org/websonline/s...

BTO Archives hold a range of material relating to the work and history of BTO and UK ornithology, plus personal papers and photographic material from key figures in ornithology and bird photography. 🐦 This includes Ronald M. Garnett’s notebooks & archives of the Reverend Maurice Bird (1857–1924).

Black-headed gull on the South Bank of the Thames in central London. Unfortunately I couldn't read the ring number, but many BH gulls move between the UK and central/eastern Europe. @btobirds.bsky.social @bh-wlbirding.bsky.social

Great to see three of our Sussex birders involved in co-authoring the LSW paper in the Dec copy of British Birds. PAM will be an important tool in the next National Bird Atlas. @sussexornitholo.bsky.social @britishbirds.bsky.social @mallalieum.bsky.social @kenandlindasmith.bsky.social

Another excellent bird report from Sussex. Thanks to everyone involved in producing such a high quality publication. @sussexornitholo.bsky.social

Two beautiful Marginated tortoises (Testudo marginata) on the Peloponnese, Greece today. Very different markings on their shells. #reptiles #PeloponneseGreece #Greekwildlife

Not the finest photo of a Clouded Yellow, but given the wind this morning I thought this was okay. Fair movement of Swallows (min 160) with a few House and Sand Martins, plus about 6+ Sandwich Terns. At Newhaven Tide Mills. @sussexornitholo.bsky.social @sussexwildlife.bsky.social 🪶

Dwarf Thistle (Cirsium acaule) near Youlgrave, Peak District. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

An outing out of the area yesterday to Seven Sisters Country Park with Alan Martin and @birdingbodds.bsky.social found a small colony of the rare Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly, including this mating pair. @southdownsnp.bsky.social

A rather poor record shot of this super dainty Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura pumilio) at a pond in Sussex. Not found by myself, but the record has been confirmed. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social @sussexwildlife.bsky.social @rxnature.bsky.social

Four compartment Swift box installed today at Seahaven academy in Newhaven. Box from Impeckable. Thanks to everyone who helped make it possible. @lewesswifts.bsky.social @sussexornitholo.bsky.social @saveourswifts.bsky.social

Chalkhill Blue (Polyommatus coridon) and Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) on the South Downs over the weekend. @sussexwildlife.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social #SDNP

It's been a good year for Jersey Tiger moths (Euplagia quadripunctaria) from my experience. A less usual but no less beautiful view from the underside, and showing that I don't clean my study window often enough 😄 @sussexwildlife.bsky.social @mothiduk.bsky.social

This colour ringed Great White Egret was seen in Rye Bay on 2nd August and photographed by John Willsher, but where had it come from? It was ringed in the nest on 22nd April at RSPB Ham Wall, as one of a brood of three. @sussexornitholo.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social

Stages in the fitting of 1 of 3 Swift bricks in Brighton today. This was a retro fit and the box sits in the cavity of the wall. Not complicated with the right equipment. @sussexornitholo.bsky.social @lewesswifts.bsky.social @bhwf.bsky.social

New YouGov polling. A monumental failure of our political class to educate, a monumental failure of our media to report fairly, for a generation

Female Migrant Hawker dragonfly (Aeshna mixta) sunning itself in Bristol this morning. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #BristolWildlife #Dragonflies

Nice combo of Common Carder Bumblebee (Bombus pascuorum) and Hornet Plumehorn (Volucella zonaria) on some type of Thistle? @sussexwildlife.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social #BugLife #bumblebees

This rather beautiful and slightly understated Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) has been gracing my kitchen recently, in Brighton, Sussex. #NationalMothWeek @mothiduk.bsky.social @sussexwildlife.bsky.social

Lovely walk at the Cuckmere today, where 2 breeding plumage Dunlin on the scrape showed really well and close to the assembled group, who were suitably impressed by their beauty. @sdnp.bsky.social @sussexornitholo.bsky.social @sussexwildlife.bsky.social

Peacock butterfly (Aglais io) on Marsh Thistle (cirsium palustre) I think 🤔 @sussexwildlife.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

At our demonstration today, I'm holding a placard stating "I support Palestine. Action must be taken." My aim is to highlight the absurdity of the government dictating what can and cannot be said by peace-seeking people

Six-spot Burnets (Zygaena filipendulae) and two Dusky Sallow (Eremobia ochroleuca) on Field Scabious (Knautia arvensis) at Stanmer Park, Brighton today. Upwards of 50 Burnets. @sussexwildlife.bsky.social @bhwf.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social @mothiduk.bsky.social

I’m delighted that my book THE LIE OF THE LAND has been longlisted for the Wainwright Prize for Conservation Writing. It’s an honour to be on a longlist alongside @robgmacfarlane.bsky.social @sophiepavs.bsky.social & many others! wainwrightprize.com/news/longlis... @wainwrightprize.bsky.social

Whilst fitting Swift boxes on the top of a block of flats today, I found 2 Herring Gull nests, although sadly one (chick in pic) had lost a parent to maybe botulism or HPAIV 🤔 @sussexornitholo.bsky.social @lewesswifts.bsky.social @smp-seabirds.bsky.social @bhwf.bsky.social

Very happy to have this delightful White-letter Hairstreak (Satyrium w-album) visit my Brighton garden this afternoon. Clearly got the instructions wrong as it was on Beech not Elm 😄 @sussexwildlife.bsky.social @ukbutterflies.bsky.social @wealdtowaves.bsky.social

This Six Spot Burnet (Zygaena filipendulae) brightened up my WeBS count yesterday. @webs-gsmp.bsky.social @sussexwildlife.bsky.social

I was lucky enough to get a quick record shot of this Golden-ringed dragonfly (Cordulegaster boltonii) today in a West Sussex woodland. @sussexwildlife.bsky.social @britishdragonflies.bsky.social

Speckled Bush Cricket (Leptophyes punctatissima) today in Wakehurst Place, West Sussex. @sussexwildlife.bsky.social @rbgkew.bsky.social

Lots of Marbled White butterflies on the wing at the moment, these ones at Ebernoe SWT reserve in West Sussex yesterday. @sussexwildlife.bsky.social @europebutterfly.bsky.social @ukbutterflies.bsky.social

A scorching day for installing nine #Swift boxes and two artificial House Martin cups around #Lewes with the wonderful @birdingbodds.bsky.social Dave Boddington, Swift Champion for Sussex Ornithological Society. Thank you!

📖SMPnews is out now - Issue 3 | Spring 2025🌱 This newsletter is for anyone interested in #seabirds, #wildlife, #CitizenScience or simply enjoys a good read! Thank you to everyone who contributed.👏 🔭 Check it out at www.bto.org/smp-news 👀 @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social

🌊🐣 Excited to share the Seabird Monitoring Programme! Join us in conserving our UK breeding seabird populations through data collection and research. 🪶💚 Explore getting involved inland or at the coast at www.bto.org/smp. Together, we can make a difference! #Seabirds #Conservation #Ornithology

Copper and Gold. Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) from earlier in May, Sussex. @sussexwildlife.bsky.social @europebutterfly.bsky.social @southdownsnp.bsky.social

Despite the dull weather yesterday, this Downy Emerald (Cordulia aenea) stood out like a jewel in a cool and damp woodland in West Sussex. @sussexwildlife.bsky.social @ukceh.bsky.social @britishnatureguide.bsky.social @britishdragonflies.bsky.social

BTO are looking for volunteers to cover 1-km squares to look for Nightjar on Cannock Chase. It's a really simple survey to take part in, just two evening visits Find out more: www.bto.org/get-involved... @westmidbirdclub.bsky.social @staffsbirdnews.bsky.social #staffsbirds

Green-veined White (Pieris napi) in Sussex when the sun was shining and the wind not blowing 😃 @sussexwildlife.bsky.social @europebutterfly.bsky.social

It's been a long time since I found a Wild Service Tree (Sorbus torminalis) here in Sussex. A beautiful, if understated tree. @sussexwildlife.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wtscotsocial.bsky.social

The Usutu virus threatens Blackbirds ➡️ www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... Sign up to our Blackbirds in Gardens survey to help monitor this species ➡️ www.bto.org/blackbirds #Ornithology

Interesting to see that the BirdTrack reporting rate for Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin) in Sussex shows a big increase this year against the historic rate, chiming with my experience. How about other people? 🪶 @sussexornitholo.bsky.social @sussexwildlife.bsky.social @birdtrack.bsky.social

Timely that the 2024 Breeding Bird Survey Report has just been published, having completed my 59th BBS visit, the 13th year for this site, with a total of 75 species. Garden Warbler was latest addition to the list today. @btobirds.bsky.social @bbs-birds.bsky.social @sussexornitholo.bsky.social

Garden Tiger (Arctia caja) moth caterpillar at Sheepcote this morning. Also Dingy Skipper and Green Hairstreak butterflies, singing Sedge Warbler and Stonechat female bringing food to young in nest. @mothiduk.bsky.social @sussexornitholo.bsky.social @sussexwildlife.bsky.social

long tailed skua east at Bill #ukbirding #RareBirdsUK

Recorded my 55th species (Garden Warbler) at BBS square today, 16th year, average of 30.8 species per year, range 26-35. Also 3rd record of Willow Warbler. Not bad for urban fringe. Pic is Wayfaring tree, a typical calcareous shrub. @bbs-birds.bsky.social @sussexornitholo.bsky.social

Pleased to find this Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages) at Sheepcote this morning. Last few days have seen many butterflies and dragonflies on the wing. @ukbutterflies.bsky.social @sussexwildlife.bsky.social @southdownsnp.bsky.social

Definitively the year's wildlife highlight so far: Grass Snake attempting to swallow a Common Toad whole. The latter has inflated itself as a defence mechanism, making the serpent's task unenviable. Norfolk, this week.

BTO's Hugh Hanmer, Senior Research Ecologist, is a speaker at this webinar where he'll be discussing the decline in Blackbirds in the UK and the spread of Usutu virus. Sign up to attend on the link below. ⬇️

A massive and very beautiful Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus sulphureous) at Ebernoe SWT this morning growing on an equally beautiful Beech tree (Fagus sylvatica). @sussexwildlife.bsky.social @wtscotsocial.bsky.social @djgwild.bsky.social

Midland Hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata) perhaps? and Alder (Alnus glutinosa) in West Sussex woodlands this week. Both are good for wildlife with Alder seeds favoured by Siskin, Redpoll and Goldfinch. @sussexwildlife.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wtscotsocial.bsky.social

Willow (Salix sp., White or Crack?) in the early morning on a BBS/WeBS survey this week. Recently fledged Mallard, and a singing Cuckoo - spring is definitely here 😃 @bsbibotany.bsky.social @sussexwildlife.bsky.social @webs-gsmp.bsky.social @bbs-birds.bsky.social