Always a joy to see a beautiful Marsh Gentian out in flower on the Isle of Purbeck.
Jackie Hull
@jackiedh.bsky.social
Dorset birder & nature lover. Home patch Lytchett Bay.
Heard a distress call and couldn’t see anything at first it was from behind a now dry water butt. It turned out to be a frog half swallowed by a grass snake, which is a first for the garden, unfortunately for the snake but lucky for the frog as both bolted in opposite directions.
Very occasionally when the Butterfly count starts we often get Grayling in the garden and this morning is no exception with two on the buddleia. found by @jackiedh.bsky.social @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
Did my first “big butterfly count” this morning and very disappointed that my 2 Grayling don’t count, not on their list! I did have 9 Gatekeeper, 1 Small White & 6 spot Burnet as well. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
Last night we got an amazing bit of footage from one of our Osprey monitoring cams at RSPB Arne with a Nightjar landing on a perch, before taking off & landing again before a shooting star then passes straight over!! @peter-purbeck.bsky.social @rspbengland.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
Another conservatory first with this lovely Emperor dragonfly, taken with my iPhone so not a great photo and safely released to the garden.
Lovely wildlife walk at Longham Lakes with friends this morning. Several Reed Warblers and Reed Buntings singing, Swifts and Swallows swooping round us and Butterflies included this Marbled White and my first Banded demoselle this year. And so much more
Birding and more on our River Cruise on the Douro, Portugal @lytchettbirder.bsky.social twoowlsbirding.blogspot.com/2026/06/
TwO Owls Blog
twoowlsbirding.blogspot.com
A wonderful morning by the Cerne Giant. Lots of Marsh Fritillaries on the wing but only this one photo sadly deceased in a web. I’m not a photographer! The Dukes performed wonderfully and so much more at this amazing site @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
In little over 24 hours, the petition for government to stage a UK-wide briefing on the climate & nature crisis has passed the 10,000 milestone. Please help us get this to 100,000 to secure a parliamentary debate - by sharing widely. #NationalEmergencyBriefing #TimeToStepUp
Petition: Hold a UK-wide briefing on climate and nature risks
The UK faces growing risks from climate and nature breakdown - from extreme weather to economic disruption and national security threats. Yet the public has never been given a clear national briefing ...
petition.parliament.uk
Whilst trying to photograph this Small Copper with my iPhone I disturbed a Common Blue butterfly, ffy in the garden but no photo.
Please don’t put out hair for bird nests. Chicks get entangled in hair balls. Just had to cut hair strands that were tying 3 blue tit chicks together, and wrapped round the throat of one skinny chick that couldn’t swallow food. Hopefully saved in time 🤞
NEWS: @rspb.bsky.social advice on bird feeding; Feed Seasonally, Feed Safely. My blog: markavery.info/2026/04/10/g... I think the RSPB has called this right. @btobirds.bsky.social @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social @alexanderlees.bsky.social @nationaltrust.org.uk
Nice comparison of wheatear ‘types’ this AM at Greenlands Farm, Studland with both nominate Northern Wheatear (left) and Greenland sub species (right) feeding next to one another @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social
022 delivering a huge bass to CJ7 on first arriving at the nest this morning! @careyssecretgarden.bsky.social
Looking over Studland Bay from Middle Beach 6 Common Scoter, 1 black-necked grebe. @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
Glossy Ibis 10 still Wareham Common @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
Good to catch up with the super Red-rumped Swallow over the River Wey now after first going to The Fleet for the Long-tailed Duck, 2 good year ✔️
Passing Wareham Common on the by-pass the Glossy Ibis were still there middle of the common. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social
First blog for 2026, January birding @lytchettbirder.bsky.social twoowlsbirding.blogspot.com/2026/02/
TwO Owls Blog
twoowlsbirding.blogspot.com
Popped into Waddock Cross cress beds and 10 Glossy Ibis, Green Sandpipers.
Support your county bird club! Dorset Bird Club is a fantastic organisation that funds conservation initiatives, collates ornithological data from across the county, & provides a social & focal hub for local birders. If you're not one already, DBC have a fab new membership offer for the next... 1/n
Jackie and I took a trip down Wyke Regis today and caught up with the very obliging Desert Wheatear. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
Visit to Shapwick Heath and Decoy Hide was fairly quiet but 2 drake Ring-necked duck showed very nicely & very actively feeding @somersetwildlands.bsky.social
Good raptor day at Lodmoor this am, quite prolonged views of an adult White-tailed Eagle, 2 Marsh Harrier & a Sparrowhawk all in the air & showing well at the same time, later added Kestrel. 136 Golden Plover, 1/2 Great egrets and just 1 Dunlin in with some Lapwing @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social