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Matt Parkins

@dartmoorraven.bsky.social

Woodland conservationist. Love trees, wild places and the occasional dormouse. Working in the beautiful wooded valleys of Dartmoor. I can take you for a guided wildlife walk if you find your way to www.ravenquest.co.uk

237 Followers  |  368 Following  |  21 Posts  |  Joined: 01.12.2023  |  1.8075

Latest posts by dartmoorraven.bsky.social on Bluesky

Pink and white bell heather growing in a small woodland glade

Pink and white bell heather growing in a small woodland glade

Restoring ancient woodlands in the Dart valley #Dartmoor. Slowly extracting the introduced conifer trees lets the light in for the native species to return. Here a patch of bell heather in various shades of pink is enhanced by a beautiful cluster of white. The ancient oaks are also making a return 🌳

06.08.2025 15:59 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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It's been a damselfly kind of day at our local County Wildlife Site #Dartmoor

11.06.2025 22:11 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Quite a few around #Dartmoor Three seen in Fingle Woods today

16.05.2025 20:50 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Hazel dormouse curled up in torpor (deep sleep) in the bottom of a nest box

Hazel dormouse curled up in torpor (deep sleep) in the bottom of a nest box

Three long eared bats hanging inside a dormouse nest box. Their long ears are folded back close to their furry bodies

Three long eared bats hanging inside a dormouse nest box. Their long ears are folded back close to their furry bodies

Dormouse hibernation season is coming to an end, starting another optimistic spring. A few are leaving their ground level winter nests and appearing in nest boxes (strictly licensed monitoring) It must be my lucky day to find 3 long eared bats resting in a nest box #Dartmoor #Devon

08.04.2025 19:36 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
red admiral butterfly with ragged wing edges basking on the ground in woodland

red admiral butterfly with ragged wing edges basking on the ground in woodland

Early spring sunshine in the woods of #Dartmoor and a few degrees above freezing, a ragged red admiral emerged from its winter dormancy. Nature’s will to survive never ceases to amaze me

04.03.2025 22:09 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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A beautiful #Dartmoor morning. Up early to survey deer in the valley woodlands 🌳

21.01.2025 09:23 β€” πŸ‘ 11    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Two Moors Pine Marten project - Georgia hunting for food
YouTube video by The Woodland Trust Two Moors Pine Marten project - Georgia hunting for food

Working in woodland restoration and conservation in Woodland Trust sites around #Dartmoor has been a great privilege for me over the last ten years, but monitoring the recently reintroduced pine martens is a real treat! www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmPJ...

18.12.2024 11:00 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
A wet border terrier by a wind blown oak tree across the woodland path

A wet border terrier by a wind blown oak tree across the woodland path

Not impressed by #stormbert More frequent, more severe storms they said #climatechange That's two this week already! #borderterrier #btposse

23.11.2024 14:14 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Early season snowfall today at Okehampton. It's still autumn and the weight of snow on leaf bearing trees has brought down many branches and larger limbs. Is this a sign of climate instability? Is this what it looks like? Shame about the beautiful copper beech tree @englishheritage.bsky.social

21.11.2024 17:18 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Dartmoor Nature Alliance has drafted a vision for Dartmoor. It's a work in progress, and the Alliance wants to involve more people in refining this vision over the coming months.

Here are some highlights and a link at the end to the full document ... 🧡

14.11.2024 10:14 β€” πŸ‘ 149    πŸ” 43    πŸ’¬ 6    πŸ“Œ 9
Looking up through the autumn leaves on the branches of ancient oak woods to the Bluesky above

Looking up through the autumn leaves on the branches of ancient oak woods to the Bluesky above

Another Bluesky day in the woods of Dartmoor. A moment to stand under a mighty oak canopy in the ancient autumnal woods of Dartmoor's valleys. I'm at home here 😍

13.11.2024 18:10 β€” πŸ‘ 16    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Two sleepy dormice curled up next to each other

Two sleepy dormice curled up next to each other

One of the last dormouse nest box checks of the season before hibernation. This dedicated mother won't leave her young one until it is independent. Then it's time for her to build her own hibernation nest. After that ... Good luck little one!! Monitoring and photo under Natural England licence

21.10.2024 18:07 β€” πŸ‘ 31    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 1
Large brown bird of prey with pale flecks deep in concentration in search of food

Large brown bird of prey with pale flecks deep in concentration in search of food

Large brown bird of prey with pale flecks deep in concentration in search of food

Large brown bird of prey with pale flecks deep in concentration in search of food

I've been waiting ten years to find a buzzard that will stay still for a while. Today was the day. This one was standing in a patch of mud, looking for food. What a beautiful bird - in spite of the muddy feet!

07.10.2024 18:17 β€” πŸ‘ 17    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0
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Welsh mountain rowan berries. Seed stored in damp sand over the winter. Teeny tiny trees next spring 🌱

11.09.2024 12:34 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Been talking about small woodland mammals at the Meldon Wildlife Festival #Dartmoor again today. Accompanied by one large and one small wood mouse. A great event to share wildlife stories ... and free too!

20.08.2024 17:29 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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It's been a small woodland mammal kind of weekend with open days at Yarner Wood and Okehampton Castle #Dartmoor. I love to chat about wildlife and woodland conservation with a close-up look at voles and wood mice.

19.05.2024 21:00 β€” πŸ‘ 11    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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The woods of east Dartmoor today - both before and after the rain. I love my job!

06.05.2024 20:38 β€” πŸ‘ 11    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0
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The best day of the year so far! The first dormouse of the year in the woods of #Dartmoor has emerged from hibernation but still very sleepy. Found during a licensed survey - please do not disturb. They are classified as vulnerable to extinction in the UK #torpor

30.03.2024 20:54 β€” πŸ‘ 22    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 0
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Oil beetles are emerging in the woods of #Dartmoor Spring is about to spring #optimism

10.03.2024 13:53 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Hair ice forming on sticks in the woods. After a wet and windy December, 2024 starts with frost and ice to remind us of proper woodland winter weather. How long will it last? #climatechange

08.01.2024 21:52 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Another day ... another #Dartmoor woodland. This one with a bit more altitude and a bit more snow

02.12.2023 17:46 β€” πŸ‘ 18    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0
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My first day on Bluesky is also a #bluesky winter day in the woods of #Dartmoor - a site survey with our beautiful #borderterrier pup

01.12.2023 15:40 β€” πŸ‘ 30    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 1

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