Neil Forbes

Gorse Ulex europaeus

Gorse in full flower with a very fine backdrop.
#wildflowerhour in #Oban

Snowdrops Mostly Galanthus nivalis f. pleniflorus

Snowdrops Mostly Galanthus nivalis f. pleniflorus

#Snowdrop recording in #Cumbria this weekend for the Flora of Cumbria Recording Group mapping project.
#wildflowerhour
@bsbibotany.bsky.social
@cumbriawildlife.bsky.social

Dog's Mercury Mercurialis perennis

Dog's Mercury, Mercurialis perennis. One of the first species to get going each year.
#wildflowerhour in South #Cumbria

Manton''s Polypody Polypodium x mantonii

Rustyback Asplenium ceterach

Whilst out Snowdrop hunting for the @bsbibotany.bsky.social @cumbriawildlife.bsky.social Flora of Cumbria Recording Group, we found some lovely patches of Manton''s Polypody, Polypodium x mantonii, & a large stand of Rustyback, Asplenium ceterach. Underbarrow, #Cumbria
#WildFernHour #wildflowerhour

Amazingly confiding Black Guillemots in Oban Harbour this week. I'm not used to seeing them in large groups like this. Awesome species and one of the few that could challenge Razorbill as my favourite (as much as favourites are invidious in the natural world).
#SuperSeabirdSunday

A wonderful Imbolc #wildflowerhour, it’s lovely to see some tentative signs of spring appearing! Special thanks to all of you for sharing your gorgeous photos! Hope you all have a great week and see you all again next Sunday! ☺️

Erophila verna. Hodbarrow Nature Reserve

Not been seeing much in flower again this week, but was pleased to find some more Common Whitlowgrass, Erophila verna, at RSPB #Hodbarrow
#wildflowerhour
@rspbengland.bsky.social

2. If we had more scrub and less intensively managed #hedgerows in the countryside they may not need it at all.
Gardens are so important for much of our wildlife as they can contain sources of food that are much scarcer than they should be in the #countryside
@rspb.bsky.social

1. This ornamental Crab Apple really comes in to its own at this time of year with up to 10 Blackbirds feeding. It can't be first choice as it gets ignored in the first half of winter, but highlights the importance of having fruit available throughout the winter months.
#Blackbird
#Garden #Wildlife

Beer & botany
🍺 & 🌿☘️🏵️
A winning combination 🍻

Blackcap, nowadays a fairly frequent winter visitor to our garden. Would've been nice if it had turned up last weekend for the #BigGardenBirdwatch
#Arnside #Cumbria

Group smiling and holding up their signs and bird puppets outside Scottish Parliament

Close up of sign which reads 'Swifties for Swift Bricks!' with a picture of Taylor Swift

Three members of RSPB staff stand together smiling holding a Curlew puppet, a Puffin puppet and a Swift puppet

Swift puppet next to Scottish parliament entrance

Today we raised our voices outside Scottish Parliament in one last push to ensure politicians stand up for Scotland's nature.

The Natural Environment Bill could be a game-changer - introducing nature targets and Swift bricks. The final debate starts today, we hope to see major wins for wildlife.

Senecio vulgaris. Arnside, Kent Estuary (Cumbria)

Goundsel, Senecio vulgaris.
#Arnside #Cumbria
#wildflowerhour

First of the year for me. Lesser Celendine, Ficaria verna. Early for up here in North Lancs.
Jenny Brown's Point, #Silverdale
#wildflowerhour

Erophila verna, Arnside Promenade

It's a classic early flowering species, but not usually this in these parts. Erophila verna, Arnside Promenade.
A total of 69 records this year on the #NewYearPlantHunt but I'd wager not many were this far north.
#wildflowerhour

Yep, that's what happens. Weather didn't help here this morning. Had loads more activity in the werk on the nicer days.

Slow going on the #BigGardenBirdwatch today but we managed 15 species and 52 birds by the end (also Great Tit, Greenfinch & Collared Dove nearby but not obliging). House Sparrows (19) as usual stole the show & it was nice to get a Goldcrest right at the end.
@rspb.bsky.social

This might be the most metal beetle I've ever seen.

Lapsana communis, Nipplewort. South Cumbria

Whilst the first #spring plants are now on their way, some stragglers from last year still remain.
Nipplewort in South Cumbria.
This was the 25th most frequently recorded species with 243 records on the #NewYearPlantHunt
#wildflowerhour
@bsbibotany.bsky.social
nyph.bsbi.org/species.php?...

Hazel, Corylus avellana RSPB The Lodge Nature Reserve

Aren't Hazel flowers brilliant 💚
- The Lodge Nature Reserve.
#wildflowerhour
#Phenology
#Hedgerows
#Tree #Flowers
@rspbengland.bsky.social

"There is one political problem from which all others follow, [including] the devastation of the living world.

It is simply stated: the extreme wealth of a small number of people."

If you truly care about nature, it's madness to ignore the root cause of its destruction.

Breeding Wader Surveyor (Fixed Term) | RSPB We are looking for fieldworkers to undertake a survey of breeding wader species at sites across Wales (primarily in North Wales, Powys and Gwent). The role will be mobile, visiting a wide range of upl...

Six roles with @rspbcymru.bsky.social to survey breeding waders in #Wales in March/April, with a particular focus on #Curlews. Closing date is 25 January.

#ConservationJobs

app.vacancy-filler.co.uk/salescrm/Car...

Donate to Save the Beacon Ponds Little Tern Project, organized by Spurn Bird Obs Without urgent support, the Beacon Ponds Little Tern Project may not be able … Spurn Bird Obs needs your support for Save the Beacon Ponds Little Tern Project

The Little Tern colony @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social is one of the most productive in the UK. A funding shortfall means eggs & chicks could be lost to disturbance & predation in 2026. Please donate and spread the word to keep our #LittleTerns safe. #SuperSeabirdSunday #seabirds gofund.me/45a4b0054

Asplenium adiantum-nigrum, Black Spleenwort

After the excitement of the #NewYearPlantHumt I've barely had a minute to look for plants this week. Nothing in flower of note but this thriving patch of Black Spleenwort brightened up a very wet, grey day in the Forest of #Bowland today.
#wildflowerhour
#WildFernHour
@bsbibotany.bsky.social

YouTube video by Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland Winter Talk: Urban plants, with Trevor Dines

If you missed my talk on alien plants and have an hour to kill before #TheTraitors (haha!), it’s now available here www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCdC.... Enjoy! @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Too early for the #NewYearPlantHunt, Cow Parsely was an unexpected find in Kentmere on 29th Dec given that there was almost nothing else in flower here.
#wildflowerhour
#Cumbria

Crepis capillaris, Trifolium dubium, Sagina procumbens

Heathwaite (Arnside Knott) for the #NewYearPlantHunt
Lesser trefoil was unexpected and Procumbent Pearlwort was pleasing due to the sheer improbability of finding one of the tiny flowers at this time of year. Crepis capillaris a bit more expected bit always nice to see
#wildflowerhour

Arnside Village - 16 species: Erica carnea, Poa annua, Euphorbia peplus, Tripleurospermum maritimum, Cardamine hirsuta, Sonchus oleraceus, Tanacetum parthenium, Lapsana communis, Pseudofumaria lutea & Pentaglottis sempervirens 📷 (also recorded Cardamine flexuosa, Capsella bursa-pastoris, Cymbalaria muralis, Campanula poscharskyana, Senecio vulgaris & Bellis perennis - no 📷)

The #Winter10 (16) for the #NewYearPlantHunt
#wildflowerhour
#Arnside Village, #Cumbria
An equal split between native and naturalised species (I think).
Names in Alt.

Aira praecox

Corylus avellana

Cardamine flexuosa

We really weren't expecting to find Early Hair-grass, Aira praecox at Low Wood in the Duddon Valley on the #NewYearPlantHunt. Early normally means April not Jan. The supporting cast included Hazel catkins & Wavy Bittercress.
#wildflowerhour
#Cumbria

Silver Hairgrass, Rough Hawkbit, Smooth Hawk's-beard, Hawkweed sp, Cock's-foot, Dandelion, Annual Meadow-grass, Cock's-foot, Wavy Bittercress, Gorse, Daisy & Scarlet Pimpernel.

The #Winter 10 (12) from @rspbengland.bsky.social #Hodbarrow
#NewYearPlantHunt for #wildflowerhour
Silver Hair-grass was the least expected species. Rough Hawkbit and Smooth Hawk's-beard were nice to get. & Tim Rich has kindly confirmed that we can count the Scarlet Pimpernel as flowering 😁