Arto Maatta

Heard just my first singing 🎵 Chiffchaff of the year in trees by the railway line at Crossgate Moor, Durham City 😃. #NEbirding @teesbirds.bsky.social

Verion of the Zulu meme, where the text says ‘Quakers, Sir. Thousands of them’

Entomology technician post in my lab in London (position is for 11 months starting August 2026). The work is about sentience and cognition in a variety of insect species. Thank you for sharing (and applying)! qmul-jobs.tal.net/vx/mobile-0/...

The Surprising Connection Between Spruce Trees, Pine Siskins, and Salmonella Outbreaks New research linking climate, conifer seed production, and siskin irruptions could provide an early warning system for dangerous salmonella outbreaks at bird feeders and among people.

In case you missed it: For Audubon, I wrote about some new research putting together the cascade of ecological events that leads to salmonella outbreaks at urban birdfeeders. 🪶 www.audubon.org/magazine/sur...

A short thread on a couple of Black Brant x DBB hybrids in the Wells Beach Road flock this week which may be of interest to some! #NorfolkBirding
1/7

Lead-coloured is on my most-wanted list, too. There’s one record in my square this century, but generally only one or two per year in the whole County!

Downpour in Alnwick, Northumberland, painting by Pete Rumney.

I had a closer look at our county records website. Oak Beauty seems to have a clear cyclical fluctuation in the number of individuals - e.g 12 in 2020, 95 in 2022 and again down to 31 in 2024, so maybe a good season will bring more of them to you!

We have quite a few Oaks and other broadleaved trees near our garden. That said, March is usually the main month for Oak Beauties here, so there’s still time for them to find your trap!

Oak Beauty (Biston strataria)

Moth numbers are creeping up in our garden: 17 of 9 sp last night, including the two first Oak Beauties of the year! Durham, VC66. #TeamMoth @teesbirds.bsky.social

Macro photo of a brown stink bug in face view on a leaf, guarding a tightly-clustered bunch of eggs that are shaped and colored exactly like a full tray of dark beer with foam on top.

Finally, the bug is back with a round of the Guinness.

Cheers Tom. Good to see you. I needed to leave quickly to take our dog out so didn’t have time to hang out and chat with people.

Cheers! The bycatch suggestion was made by others at site (who know their fish better than I do). It dived for the fish really close to the pier. Hopefully plenty to eat, but oil and fuel spills are always another risk in harbours!

White-billed Diver (Yelliw-billed Loon in US English)

White-billed Diver

White-billed Diver with a fish (probably a bycatch that fishermen have thrown away).

White-billed Diver

I made quick visit to see the moulting adult White-billed Diver at Blyth South Harbour, Northumberland, this morning. It was showing very well! Hopefully, it finds more food and survives. #NEbirding #RareBirdsUK @teesbirds.bsky.social 🪶

The whole coast is wonderful up there!

White petals, reflexed sepals

Spring is here! Cherry Plum Prunus cerasifera just coming into flower at Teesside #wildflowerhour

Primrose, Primula vulgaris

I saw my first Primroses of the year in Durham yesterday (also Lesser Celandines were flowering, but I forgot to snap a photo). #WildflowerHour

Two Chestnut moths

They are very tricky, in my opionion. I have never seen a convincing Dark C, as every “darker” candidate I catch seem to have bit too rounded wing corners (like the left hand one here).

An exciting afternoon with a happy ending! Many thanks to all who provided updates about the White-tailed Eagle on its way south. I managed to see it sat by Substation Flash at Cowpen Marsh with less than 10 minutes spare before it flew off😃. #NEbirding @teesbirds.bsky.social

Glaucous Gull

Glaucous Gull stretching wings.

Glaucous Gull with Herring Gulls

I needed a couple of attempts before finally catching up with the Glaucous Gull at Shibdon Pond this morning. #NEbirding @teesbirds.bsky.social 🪶

They are the best of winter Noctuids!

During the breeding season American White Pelicans have a bump on their beak. It's an ornamental display to attract mates, and both females and males have them. This photo was taken in Michigan; these pelicans are primarily found in freshwater lakes and rivers.

During breeding, the whiskers on the chin of the male Great Bustards gets very long and bushy. Check out the muttonchops on this dude. I wonder if he waxes that. 😂 Meanwhile his buddy is primping up his tail feathers for the disco tonight. 🕺😂 #BirdingHungary #bigbirds #bustards

Sunday and Tuesday look like the best bets here, too!

Common Quaker

Chestnut

Tortricodes alternella

Ypsolopha ustella

Last night’s haul was 6 moths of 5 sp. Common Quaker, Chestnut and Ypsolopha ustella were nfy while Tortricodes alternella and Pale Brindled Beauty also made an appearance. Durham, VC66. #TeamMoth @teesbirds.bsky.social

Thanks!

A female Smew swimming on a pond.

The female Smew at RSBP Saltholme showed eventually very well at Wildlife Watchpoint today. #NEbirding @teesbirds.bsky.social 🪶

Bit more windy than anticipated up here but after a week in Finland, +8C felt tropical enough to switch the light on (no moths yet, of course).

Pancake Day reveals a new, highly divisive intergenerational split - while older generations are loyal to traditional lemon and sugar pancake topping, younger adults are more likely to say they prefer Nutella or chocolate spread on their pancakes.

An interesting discussion of Pacific Diver identification (in English):

marcduquet.com/wp-content/u...

#BirdingScotland