Mark Bravery
@markbravery.bsky.social
Birding mostly in and around London, drinking real ale across most of Britain, following Sutton Utd FC home and away
🍺 Tally Ho, Hungerford Newtown, Berks: hospitable, community-run, village pub, about an hour's walk north of Hungerford. Most tables were laid up for diners; I sat at one of the others, alongside an elderly drinker, with my refreshing pint of Ramsbury Gold, brewed just over the Wiltshire border.
@davidelement.bsky.social: support here on the flea treatment issue from a House of Lords committee - while Wildlife Trusts want to go further.
Doug Parr@dougparr.bsky.social · 18h agoThe Wildlife Trusts are calling for a complete ban on 5 dangerous chemicals “Two sugar cubes of the concentrated active ingredient imidacloprid would be enough to exceed the predicted no-effect concentration in about 400 Olympic-sized swimming pools” www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
This was only my second 2026 sighting of a Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly Aglais urticae. This once common species has become elusive, probably due to parasitism of the larvae by Sturmia bella tachinid flies that reached the UK earlier this century. Anthropogenic climate change may be implicated too.
Today is the 20th day of the year in which a temperature of 32 °C or higher has been recorded in the UK - this exceeds the previous record of 19 days in 1995 📈
Game. Repost and add your contribution. Make up the name of a rock star using a quintessentially English forename and a surname comprised of an Indian food. Bill Biryani
Cab Davidson@gnomeicide.bsky.social · 4d agoGame. Repost and add your contribution. Make up the name of a rock star using a quintessentially English forename and a surname composing an Indian* food. Charlie Chutney (Because someone obviously already did Tanita Tika)
"more work needed to assess risk from collapse of ecosystem services" Really? I think we all know the risks, as shown by a number of already published analyses Forget further assessment - we need action - by yesterday www.theguardian.com/business/202...
ECB official warns climate crisis poses growing threat to ‘core financial stability’
Exclusive: As wildfires rage across Europe, Frank Elderson tells the Guardian nature loss poses a growing risk to the global economy
theguardian.com
Can confirm Kew Gardens picked up no measurable precipitation yesterday, there has been a weather station at Kew for 155 years and this will be first instance of a totally rainless calendar month. #London #drought
Tumbleweeds in a Dry Desert Landscape
ALT: Tumbleweeds in a Dry Desert Landscape
static.klipy.com
🍺 Cocky Anchor, Romsey: old Market Place building converted to pub use, with table service. Young guy in Burnham-style t-shirt intones tediously about World Cup. A pint of Reefer, from Eastleigh's Steam Town brewery, tasty with orange notes, completes Hampshire for me in the 2026 Good Beer Guide. 😀
🍺 Flack's Taproom, Romsey, Hants: housed in the Flack Manor brewery (on the inevitable industrial estate), and only open Fri/Sat (non-brewing days), this relaxed drinking space drew in a scattering of mostly middle-aged customers. The brewery's Romsey Gold was beautifully cool on a warm afternoon.
Dunwich Heath wildfire burns through key bird habitat A wildfire covering around 100 hectares has spread from Dunwich Heath into parts of RSPB Minsmere, threatening nationally important habitat for heathland birds. www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/D...
Dunwich Heath wildfire burns through key bird habitat
A wildfire covering around 100 hectares has spread from Dunwich Heath into parts of RSPB Minsmere, threatening nationally important habitat for heathland birds.
rarebirdalert.co.uk
Last night’s Buck Moon lit up the sky in spectacular style 🌕 The Buck Moon is July’s full moon, inspired by the time of year when male deer begin growing their new antlers. If you managed to spot it, share your photos with us at weatherpics@metoffice.gov.uk 📷 Photo credit: Grahame Madge, Exeter
Dunwich Heath still on fire this morning at 0430 seen from Southwold
🍺 Bel & the Dragon, Kingsclere Hants: former coaching inn dating back to the 15th century, later the Swan Hotel, now part of a small, upmarket, Fuller's-owned chain. A bunch of blokes go outside, then come back in again and order a load of burgers. My Hophead (served in a Renegade glass) is decent.
Today experienced the 24th day of year hitting 30C in London. For perspective in whole of 1980s we had 21 days.
The Office: Woman Holding 'HOT' Sign
ALT: The Office: Woman Holding 'HOT' Sign
static.klipy.com
Saddened by the news our friend Bill Oddie has passed away. We spent many happy days birding with Bill on his beloved Fair Isle and here in Shetland and his books in the 1980s inspired us and a generation of young birders. Since then he has inspired millions to appreciate nature. A true legend.
🦋 I was pleased today to get these two shots (both quite heavily cropped) of a Clouded Yellow feeding on Greater Burdock by Lower Morden Equestrian Centre (SW London).
🍺 Horse & Groom, Woodgreen, Hants: extensive yet homely village pub on the western fringe of the New Forest. I looked into the public bar and the old locals therein immediately stopped talking. The Downton New Forest Ale, usually too malty for my palate, was refreshing on a warm, humid afternoon.
🦋 Hutchinson's Bank, New Addington, nr Croydon; Small Blue, Common Blue, Chalkhill Blue, Gatekeeper
Welcome to GGL Spike! Decent signing that. Very highly rated keeper, remember him getting the move to City from the Wombles. #suttonunited www.suttonunited.net/official-bri...
Official: Brits Signs On Loan From Manchester City - Sutton United Football Club
Sutton United Football Club is delighted to confirm the signing […]
suttonunited.net
🐦⬛ Oare Marshes, Kent, today: the back-yet-again Bonaparte's Gull was still in breeding attire, waders included Whimbrel, Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff, Green Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover. A look back over what's left of the East Flood added Cattle Egret and Water Rail. 🦋 Bonus Clouded Yellow.
⚽️🌎🏆 All of England welcomed this Spanish victory. 🇪🇦 And England reclaim the honour of being the only country to have won the World Cup once. 🇫🇴
Hard Brexit has led to misery and missed flights for thousands of British travellers this summer. And it's about to get a lot worse with the rush. Don't get caught out, and don't forget who to blame... spoiler, it's not the EU that is just "protecting its borders" www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
New EU system tripling time to get through border, airport boss says
Ryanair has also warned passengers travelling to Europe this summer to prepare for extended waits.
bbc.co.uk
🍺🚍⚽️🇫🇴 Numbers from yesterday: 6 pints drunk in 5 pubs on 44 bus route crawl. Home to see 10 goals as England weave to 3rd place in 2026 World Cup, best finish since 1966. Photo (using timer) by Mike Flynn of 4 drinkers in Battersea Brewery Tap Room.
Well finally a cooler than average day in London area. A max of 23.5C at Heathrow which is 0.7C below 1991-2020 norm for July 18th, this is first below average day in 37 days. Worth noting on older climatology 1961-1990 this would have been ~1C above average. #climate
🪰🦋 Insects of Wandle Park today showing autumnal colours in summer: Jersey Tiger, Common Darter, Hornet Mimic Hoverfly, Meadow Brown
🍺 Brewers Tap, Portsmouth: largeish Milton micropub on two floors (nobody upstairs, downstairs and outside cooler!), tap for Southsea Brewing Co. Their 4.9% Golden Hour (their only cask offering this evening) was in good nick but rather chewy and under-hopped. Youngish crowd in.
🍺 Auckland Arms, Portsmouth: back-street Southsea pub with splendid tiled frontage commemorating the local yet long-gone Long's brewery. Mature clientele, with a few dogs, relaxed ambience. The Bowman Swift One, once a favourite of mine, is cool but a little tired.
🍺 LOST Room, Lee-on-the-Solent, Hants: side-street micropub, the first three letters of its name being the town's initials. The front is basically furnished, the back room has seating reclaimed from a hovercraft. The Church End What the Fox's Hat, from Warwickshire, is malty with a bitter finish.
🍺 Welcome Stranger, Kimpton, Hants: three-roomed, village pub, west of Andover, which I reached by a 15-minute bus ride then a 35-minute walk. Local Dave was happy to be in my photo. The Flacks Sunshine, from Romsey's Flack Manor brewery, was pleasant but unremarkable. House Martins nest nearby. 🐦⬛
