@lukephillips.bsky.social
Nature stuff!! Mainly birds, bird ringing and moths but probably other stuff as well. Based in west Dorset.
A close up image of a women showing the back of her head as she stands in a field writing bird survey notes on a notebook, with trees visible in the background.
£54 million! 😮 That’s the estimated financial value of our incredible volunteers’ efforts in 2024. They contributed an estimated over 2.6 million hours to BTO work. 📝 A huge thank you to our amazing volunteers! #InternationalVolunteerDay
📷 Ben Igglesden / BTO
Good news!
Earlier this year I shared reports that the land around the Cerne Abbas Giant was up for sale
I’m delighted that, after lots of conversations, the land has now been bought by the National Trust (who already own the Giant): www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
bsky.app/profile/guys...
No Marsh Tit ringed in Scotland in recent years. Figures not out for this year yet but dont think that will change the picture.
02.12.2025 20:11 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0Nice! Easily aged as a 1st winter female from pics.
24.11.2025 16:11 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0Are you an MSc student based at a UK university? Or do you know one?
RSPB @rspbscience.bsky.social have just released their list of research projects for 2026:
www.rspb.org.uk/helping-natu...
#ornithology #conservationscience 🌍
Huge thanks to Ian and the other ringers involved with colour ringing Cirl Buntings! So much to learn and please keep an eye out. Details on how to report here - cr-birding.org/node/7187
15.11.2025 16:07 — 👍 17 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
Apparent Pine Bunting perched amongst Elder twigs.
Apparent Pine Bunting perched amongst Elder twigs.
Pine Bunting seen briefly with mobile Yellowhammer flock at St Aldhelm's Head Quarry at 1030hrs & not relocated as of 1250hrs. Ltd parking available in Renscombe car park, otherwise park in Worth Mattravers village car park and walk down, staying out of private fields @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
13.11.2025 12:58 — 👍 203 🔁 16 💬 11 📌 3
A split graphic. Headings read: “While they make NOISE…” “The public makes SENSE.” On the left, politicians including Kier Starmer, Rachel Reeves and Steve Reed in Westminster gesture energetically, surrounded by cut-out speech tiles reading: “FURTHER AND FASTER”, “BUILD, BABY, BUILD”, “WE’RE TAKING ON THE NIMBYS”, and “STOP WORRYING ABOUT BATS & NEWTS”. Steve Reed wears a bright red “Build Baby Build” baseball cap. The right side shows a blurred green park scene with bold text: “2 in 3 say politicians are out of touch when it comes to nature.”
For months, ministers have been pushing a false choice between nature and growth.
Now, new research shows just how out of touch they are.
With data from More In Common, it's time to set the record straight. 👇
Rescued the odd Great-crested Grebe when I worked at Radipole that landed on the car park after heavy rain. No doubt they thought it was a lake and got stuck. Ringed one of them and saw it for quite a long time afterwards hanging around on the lake.
11.11.2025 08:30 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
12 different RSPB magazines called ‘bird notes’ laid out in a grid to show the bird illustrations on the front
I bought these old RSPB magazines for their CF Tunnicliffe cover pictures. They look so good together (with that delicious typeface!)
07.11.2025 19:50 — 👍 283 🔁 42 💬 10 📌 4
Whooper Swan sick with bird flu in a field, photograph by Kane Brides
Worrying reports of bird flu (avian influenza) are coming in, including an outbreak in Whooper Swans in the Fens. Other waterbirds are also being affected, and cases are rising.
📷 Sick Whooper Swan by Kane Brides
#UKBirding #BirdingWales #BirdingScotland
A close, detailed portrait of a Swift’s face. Its dark eyes and sleek feathers fill the frame, showing a rare close-up this special and vulnerable bird.
Last night, Peers voted against Swift bricks: rejecting a simple, proven way to help one of our fastest declining birds recover. ❌
We share @hannahbournetaylor.bsky.social's disappointment & frustration.
The vote came late, but with government refusing to back it, its fate was already sealed.
This is VERY good news - the massive loophole that allows grouse moor owners & their gamekeepers to avoid sanction for killing birds of prey is about to be closed.
#RaptorResearch #WildlifeCrime
Discussion at @revivecoalition.bsky.social conf this w/e
raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/11/03/b...
White-throated Sparrow record from 2009 wasn't that far away from Calshot really and also there was the Spanish Sparrow, also in Calshot in 2012. Both accepted I'm assuming.
03.11.2025 15:55 — 👍 7 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
Yellow-browed Bunting, trapped and ringed at Abbotsbury. One of three firsts for Dorset in the last 2 months.
Our November e-Bulletin should be arriving in Member's inboxes this evening. Lots to enjoy and discover. Nature's Recovery, news of 3 firsts for Dorset and more. Not a member yet? Join here dorsetbirds.co.uk/membership/ Tx @joestockwell.bsky.social for the pic
01.11.2025 17:46 — 👍 23 🔁 4 💬 0 📌 0
Our colour ringing season at Lytchett Bay is off to a great start with 5 Water Pipit & 5 Rock Pipit marked (under license) already. Please look out for yellow (Water) and white (Rock) marked birds and report all sightings 🙏 #Dorsetbirds
30.10.2025 16:25 — 👍 64 🔁 9 💬 0 📌 0
Yesterday we trapped a Norwegian ringed Goldfinch, which was originally ringed on 6th August this year at Jomfruland Fuglestajion by a young girl, pictured with the bird. The map shows Fair Isle in blue & Jomfruland in red, a movement of over 600km!
📸 Alex Penn & Ola Nordsteien
Hope you pick up a few UK ringed Chiffs considering the numbers ringed this autumn!
29.10.2025 06:52 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0Brilliant piece debunking the nonsense claim in the Daily Telegraph. But it’s dangerous nonsense, polarising attitudes & whipping up prejudice.
The DTelegraph is such a shit newspaper. Oh, and the photo? Staged - captive eagle, already-dead lamb.
A Common Swift in flight, silhouetted against a pale blue sky as it swoops past a white building fitted with Swift bricks. A visual reminder of how simple design changes in new homes could give this declining species a future.
Take Swifts. Their numbers have plummeted by 68% in just 28 years.
We're proud to stand with @hannahbournetaylor.bsky.social in calling for Swift bricks. Nesting spaces built into new homes would give these remarkable birds a future.
Amendment 245: simple fix, huge impact. Surely a no-brainer?
Good news on Dorset Cirl Buntings continues to arrive. Early data from the breeding season confirms they are continuing to re-establish a population in the county. Please submit any outstanding records now. 🙏 In winter our focus switches to feeding flocks - please send us all sightings. 🙏
24.10.2025 11:37 — 👍 64 🔁 9 💬 0 📌 1Thrilled to have the first Cirl Bunting colour ringed on Portland as part of a Dorset wide project to understand more about the species spread across the county. Please keep a look out and report any sightings. And huge thanks to all the ringers involved 💚.
@dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
A Dartford Warbler perches on top of a gorse bush. Wording above reads: Heathland Birds Survey. Submit your data. The BTO logo is top right of the image.
We'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone who took part in the Heathland Birds Survey! 🙌
All remaining survey returns are urgently required, before 30th November, to inform future conservation action. If you need any help submitting your records please email heathlandbirds@bto.org. Thank you!
Exasperated. Gutted. Furious. Terrified. Sometimes swear words are the only ones that fit.
Our delightful government - who we put our trust in - is u-turning on THE easiest Nature action *ever*.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Bit of interest elsewhere on the farm though with a flyover Great White Egret (!) and more expected was a Black Redstart around some of the farm buildings. Couple of Teal on one of the small was also noteworthy.
@dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
A quiet morning for ringing on the farm (nr Bridport) with grounded migrants starting to dwindle as the autumn goes on. But a few Goldcrest always brighten up a morning though. All 5 grammes of them!
18.10.2025 14:41 — 👍 40 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 0
Baikal Teal, Abbotsbury
Baikal Teal at Abbotsbury Swannery this afternoon with 500+ Teal. Flock very mobile. Swannery open 10am tomorrow. No entry before 10am. Doubtfully viewable from rights of way other than grounds. There is no right of way SE of tank traps on beach. If you walk beyond fence there everything will flush!
14.10.2025 16:42 — 👍 53 🔁 6 💬 1 📌 0
Announcing an exciting new event 🤩
🌿 Be the Future of Nature’s Recovery in Dorset & Beyond
📍 Bournemouth Uni
🗓️ Sat 22 Nov 1–6pm
A free @btobirds.bsky.social x @bournemouthuni.bsky.social conference with Megan McCubbin, Paul Morton, Katiana Saleiko & more! 🙌🏻
More info👉🏻 www.bto.org/our-work/eve...
A Black-headed Gull stands with its beak wide open. The wording ‘Gull ID training sessions’ features bottom right of the image, and the BTO logo features top right.
Confused by gulls? 🤔 Join our online Gull ID training sessions in November ➡️ www.bto.org/training
Our two-part, online Gull ID course run by our expert team helps you build knowledge and confidence to make gull ID easier! #UKBirding #Ornithology
Ah great! Yep, that's mine although not from where I thought it would be. Thought it would be Coppet Hill considering geographically its closer to your site but its from a site near Beaminster. Great stuff!
11.10.2025 17:42 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
