James Harding-Morris

Congratulations to our dear friend @commonbynature.bsky.social on the publication today of his Urban Flora of Newcastle and North Tyneside.
James is a #BSBICountyRecorder for the area so knows whereof he speaks!
More about the book here:
bsbi.org/blog/2026/03...
Full interview coming very soon!

I co-lead my first ceramic workshop yesterday - a nature-walk followed by tile-making and vase-making using leaves, flowers and twigs for impressions. Knowledge of plants increased and some gorgeous work produced - can't wait to see how they look after firing.

Lundy has been dramatically described as 'Britain's Galapagos' but it's not an unreasonable comparison. It hosts the only British example of 'co-endemism' - an endemic species that is host to another endemic species (and perhaps even *two* endemic species...)

Interested? Book a ticket!

I found a big patch of Rough Horsetail in North Yorkshire, VC62, last weekend. Despite being on a footpath to a waterfall and presumably passed by thousands of people a year, this is the first hectad record in over a decade!

#RecordSubmitted

I suppose the difference is that it's important for beginners to submit photos for confirmation, whereas you're a trusted recorder.

(Or you could consider using the BSBI Recording App and then you can also submit photos with your records...)

Coltsfoot absolutely blazing in the sun today, and right outside my front door!

Our 100 Plants in 2026 activity (supporting people to identify and record their first 100 plants in 2026) has a talk tonight: Recording For Beginners - Using iRecord

If you're interested, you can book here: bsbi.org/take-part/ev...

A trip to Whitby at the weekend netted me the first hectad record of Green Snowdrop. Beautiful views etc., were also had.

#RecordSubmitted

It was a fantastic trip last weekend with Duerden and Christian. South Wales is ridiculously rich in fascinating invertebrates.

It's not subtle, but my favourite was possibly the chunky Portuguese Millipede with that spiral of raspberry coloured legs.

Creeping Marshwort conservation with Thetford Conservation Group. Meet 10.30 at Nun's Bridges Car Park, Thetford.
Work to support and protect Thetford's rarest plant, discovered here in 2020 (only found in two other places in the UK!). Contact David Pentin www.icanbea.org.uk/app/explore/...

PhD opportunity: I am looking for someone with a passion for the natural environment and an interest in developing applied research collaboratively with the RSPB.
ONly two weeks left to apply!
#phd #ecology #rewilding #naturerecovery #bird #plant #invertebrates #biodiveristy #research #teesside

I'm excited to be part of Watching Narrowly: A Natural History Book Day on Saturday 21 March at @gilbertwhites.bsky.social

I’ll be speaking as part of this celebration of nature writing in Selborne.

Join us in the heart of the South Downs!

Tickets available here: gilbertwhiteshouse.org.uk

It's publication day!

It’s official!

The 'Urban Flora of Newcastle and North Tyneside' will be published on Monday 9 March 🌿 📖

I’m hugely proud of this, and ever so grateful to @nenature.bsky.social and @bsbibotany.bsky.social for their support in making it happen. #botany #urbanflora

Reminder that the deadline to apply for this great role as BSBI Wales Officer is midnight on Monday 23 February.
Interested?
Apply here:
bsbi.org/about/people...
Sounds good but not for you?
Please share this post and help us spread the word!

Cover reveal! The Long Spring 2nd edition comes out soon, with updates and new material.

I hope you enjoy it!

Which, coincidentally, is the only place I've ever seen it! (photo from August 2024)

#RecordSubmitted, obviously

I am now going to add 'botanical detective' to my LinkedIn.

Tune in next time for why Sir Duncan the Tall is not a very good botanist.

I then just googled where it was filmed to double-check, and apparently main filming locations were Urmston and Stockport.

Bingo! There's a recent record from the 10k square over Urmston.

I knew it was filmed somewhere proper (i.e., in the North) so by cross referencing with Plant Atlas I was able to come up with a likely list of filming locations: plantatlas2020.org/atlas/2cd4p9...

I was watching the new BBC sitcom Small Prophets this evening and had to pause when, in episode 3, there appears to be a lot of Aponogeton distachyos, Cape-pondweed, in the canal!

#TVBotany

@bsbibotany.bsky.social

Well, I admit it's a bit of a guess. Naturalised refers to species that have escaped from gardens & are reproducing in the wild. As these are an unusual species in a village I assume they're a relatively recent deliberate planting but maybe they'll naturalise with time.

share.google/JsTNiOjVRMhg...

What looks to be Crocus sieberi popping up on a roadside verge in East Yorkshire. Obviously originally planted, but persisting. A first for VC61.

#RecordSubmitted

I'm doing this with Gabriel Nichols Pottery in Lincolnshire - you might have seen Gabriel as a guest-judge on Pottery Throwdown last week where he threw a chiminea using ‘wild’ Humber Estuary clay.

youtu.be/Tizgyq7dAzg?...

I'm always looking for new ways to engage people with plant. In March I'll bedoing something new - running some botany + clay workshops.

A nature walk to collect leaves, seeds and twigs then using these to emboss clay to make tiles or slab-built vases.

gabrielnichols.co.uk/courses-%26-...

We're trialling something new this year at the BSBI - an activity designed to support absolute beginner botanists with identifying *and* recording their first ever 100 plants in 2026 🌿

If you know anyone that might like to take part then please spread the word:

bsbi.org/take-part/ac...

Creeping Comfrey, Symphytum grandiflorum, was another completely new hectad record from a walk today. Shows how many obvious species have not yet been recorded - or have recently appeared in new sites.

#RecordSubmitted

Green Snowdrop, Galanthus woronowii, was a new hectad record on a walk today!

It was growing mixed with G. nivalis, but no sign of hybrids. A population to keep an eye on.

#RecordSubmitted

You also get to work with me, which I like to think is a good thing.

Yes, these are the 'normal' Common Snowdrop, Galanthus nivalis. No less beautiful though!