Long-tailed Blues at Portsdown Hill, Hampshire 8/8/26 - an enjoyable few hours with at least three of these, although hard to get a good upperwing shot - third image suggests we might get another emergence later in the autumn, if she can find the nearby everlasting peas..
Did my #SouthDowns BBS Butterfly survey. It's like surveying crisp toast! Worrying times....not sure how the butterfly larvae or Autumn Lady's Tresses will survive... but a Hornet Robberfly was an unexpected treat @btobirds.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social @sussexwildlife.bsky.social
A very juvenile-looking Whinchat from the CEF nets this mrng - quite an oddball plumage for us as migrant youngsters usually look much more grown up by the time they reach us.
A very enjoyable day with @gnhbirder66.bsky.social @dartfordtrapper.bsky.social and Ravi in the Dunge area. Superb birding and other bits, found a cracking male Montagu’s Harrier my first in the UK for over 10 years. Also Black Terns, Wood Sand, Great Egret, Willow Warblers, Beewolfs . Superb 👌
Come stay at Dungeness Bird Observatory this autumn! There is plenty of availability, and hopefully lots to look at too! #kentbirding
Great day out yesterday at Oare, Elmley and Harty area, Kent
Court ruling protects migrating European Turtle-doves in Sicily www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/C...
Court ruling protects migrating European Turtle-doves in Sicily
A Palermo court has suspended Sicily's 2026-27 hunting calendar, removing September pre-opening days during the species' autumn passage.
rarebirdalert.co.uk
Congratulations to Spain on winning the last ever World Cup.
Here's the full story of what we believe to be the start of the colonisation of yet another new orthopteran to the British Isles.
Team cricket - how we found a cricket new to the British Isles
This following italicised sections were written by Matt Phelps, who first heard this unusual cricket... I strolled over to Sussex Wildlif...
analternativenaturalhistoryofsussex.blogspot.com
Good to meet up with @seasalterbirder.bsky.social and @gnhbirder66.bsky.social today . A few nice birds but more of a social really
Kilnsea Wetlands and Beacon Ponds brought much of the highlights from today’s sightings, including our first Buff-breasted Sandpiper since 2018, 2 White-rumped Sandpipers, Little Stint and 2 Roseate Terns. #Spurnbirds Buff-breasted Sandpiper by Thomas Willoughby 📷 (1/2)
Autumn is ticking on with the first Willow, Garden and Grasshopper Warblers being recorded in the last few days, and Sand Martins continue to head out to sea with the peak so far being a thousand on the 17th. Moth traps still producing, an Eastern Bordered Straw the best from last night #kentbirding
A pleasant hour this morning watching the Hudsonian Godwit at Cattawade on the Suffolk shoreline and also friends reunited . The Old Gits club, getting old gracefully🫣😬😎👌
I was year-ticking the Bonaparte's Gull when @swalebirder.bsky.social phoned to say he had just found an American Golden Plover. The last shot is both birds together! Never close, but a stunning bird. Thanks Geoff.
Scymnus interruptus, one of the wee-ladybirds. Two adult colour forms and a larva - all found by friends at East Malling. @ukladybirds.bsky.social @kentfieldclub.bsky.social #KentNature
A quick look at Bluewater early this afternoon. Good to see Lesser Emperors continuing to flourish locally, I saw a minimum of six individuals showing really well. A few Emperors, Brown Hawker, SREDamselfly and plenty of Black-tailed Skimmers. No Darters though 🧐
Morning All. Unfortunately, due to today's closure of the NWT Cley Visitor Centre, we'll be unable open our little shop there today. Our main shop in Glandford is open as usual, from 10am-4pm. #UKBirding
Dusky Clearwings today , still can’t find any in Kent yet but I’ll keep trying . Three individuals seen, quite a bit of size variation and all appeared between 1500 and 16
Who said moths are dull and eat clothes? Royal Mail stamps issue, release date 9th July
Marloes, Pembrokeshire with @gnhbirder66.bsky.social . Thrift Clearwings, Red-veined Darter and beautiful scenery
As a microbiologist I love shit but then again so do Purple Emps. Also a few friends nearby
A willow emerald damselfly at cock ash lake near Sellindge this evening. Seems quite early this year. How does this compare with other records @marcheath.bsky.social
Male Red veined Darters from Swanscombe Marshes, Kent yday. NEW photos @ marcheath.blogspot.com. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social @smallshire.bsky.social @bbcspringwatch.bsky.social #KentDragonflies #odonata #Teamdragonfly
Unfortunately Jack had to head home but a very quick visit to a another site on the way home produced the expected Currant Clearwings . Pretty good week for insects despite the mixed weather. Hopefully more Clearwings and other super insects to come later in the year 🙂
I met up with @snapsjackel.bsky.social and his wife in Kent today . We saw a few bits including Spotted Flycatcher, plenty of Heath Fritillaries and a superb Yellow-legged Clearwing . It was a good catch up talking about the good old days 🙂👌
Excellent day out in the end. Swanscombe Marshes produced 15+ Red veined Darter and 1 Lesser Emperor. A very breezy Oare Marshes PM produced 10 Dainty Damselfly (6 teneral) 70+ Ruddy Darter and 25+ Scarce Emerald Damselfly. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social @smallshire.bsky.social #KentDragonflies
📣 Applications are now open for the Martin Garner Spurn Young Birder Competition 2026! If you're aged 16 or under and passionate about birding, this is your chance to compete at #MigFest2026 and win some fantastic prizes. ⏰ Applications close 19 July 🔗 tinyurl.com/MGSYB2026 Please share!
🫣🫣🫣🧐😱😱😱😎😂
Joanna Bagniewska@joannabagniewska.com · 2mo ago🪶 Birds masturbate. 🦜 This is normal, and not (as often is believed) a maladaptive behaviour only found in captivity. 🍑 Pet bird owners - chill, and let your budgie have some fun. 🧪 Study of masturbation in 120 bird species, by @matildabrindle.bsky.social: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
