Martyn Roper

Classic seawatching at St Ives, Cornwall yesterday 1000s of birds including Gannets, Sooty Shearwater, Bonxie, Grey Phalarope, Storm and Leach's Petrels, Arctic and Long-tailed Skuas and Sabine's Gull thanks to the locals for giving directions on the birds before they disappeared around the corner

Hardly any Hen Harrier nesting attempts on English grouse moors for second year running Natural England has finally got around to publishing the data for the 2025 Hen Harrier breeding season, which demonstrate very clear differences between areas managed for conservation and those man…

Hardly any Hen Harrier nesting attempts on English grouse moors for second year running.

Hardly any surprise why.

#RaptorPersecution #WildlifeCrime #Ornithology

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/10/02/h...

Image of a deceased Puffin lying on the ground. White wording on an orange background reads: Please report sightings of dead birds.

⚠️ Please report sightings of dead birds for possible testing for Avian Influenza. ⬇️

📌 In England, Wales & Scotland: www.gov.uk/guidance/...
📌 In Northern Ireland: www.daera-ni.gov.uk/...
📌 In Republic of Ireland: aviancheck.apps.serv...

#UKBirding #BirdingWales #BirdingScotland

What I think is a Bombus terrestris Queen bumblebee newly emerged from hibernation back in February this year. Found warming herself up on the side of the garden shed.
Apparently this species can stay active all through winter if it’s mild enough. #bumblebees #insects #nature

The wonderfully gorgeous Red Admiral ( Vanessa Atalanta ) #butterflies #nature

Only 24 hours left ⏰🐝

The Moss carder bumblebee still needs your help. Your donation could be the difference in securing the future of this rare bumblebee.

Sponsor a species today and be part of saving this rare bumblebee: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/moss-carde...

YouTube video by Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust Is this the greatest threat of our time?

🌩️ Dark clouds are gathering over Liverpool for the party conference... but what is this great evil that threatens the land?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfUI...

With less than 2 weeks until the UKBMS 50th Anniversary conference we're sharing details of the talks and speakers.

Joe Cooper from the BTO will join us to talk about how UKBMS data has been used to improve the design of housing developments.

Book your free place here ⬇️
buff.ly/Kg7X3tA

A small flock of Swifts sweep across a clear blue sky, their slim bodies and crescent wings cutting sharply above the roof of a house. A beloved summer sight - and one at risk of disappearing if protections for nature are lost.

The tree you climbed as a child. Gone. The Swifts over your town. Gone. The air you breathe. Polluted. The river. Unsafe.

This is the reality of deregulation.

Cutting protections would mean disaster for nature & our economy.

Our CEO sets out why: rspb.org.uk/whats-happen... 👈

🌈 The volunteers who persist through the pouring rain get rewarded! ☀️

Our Oxon Midweek Team were treated to this beautiful view of a rainbow as they cut low sprawling bramble at the top of Chinnor Hill to maintain the open chalk grassland.

📸 Elene Walton

Oh I nearly forgot this Devils coach horse beetle #irecord

A walk around Eynsham village yesterday afternoon found lots of Ivy Bees going about their business, as well as a common Darter sunning itself and a glorious Tachina fly.

Harbour Turnstones - by Scottish wildlife artist, Ian Rendall

More of this artist's gorgeous watercolours, here: ianrendall.co.uk

#art #wildlife #birds #nature

A Meadow Brown butterfly feasting on our Sedum…which is a SUCH a great flowering plant for autumn flying butterflies and bees.

#butterflies

An oak tree in our woodland

In times of sadness angels wrap us in their comforting wings

Wryneck Jynx torquilla using its long tongue to extract ants and other small invertebrates from the ground. It visited several ant nests regularly leaving its poo by them. Turf Locks, Exe Estuary, Devon

Major new study examines nest predation in the UK New research by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) and University of East Anglia, in collaboration with other partners, has given the most comprehensive analysis of predation events at birds' nests across the UK. The research examined camera studies of more than 2,000 wild birds' nests in England, Wales, Scotland and the Isle of Man.

New research has provided the most comprehensive analysis of predation events at birds' nests across the UK:

Male Common Furrow Bees Lasioglossum calceatum gathering to roost on Lavender. Buckfastleigh, Devon

Common Furrow Bee Lasioglossum calceatum. The males always form a roost in our front garden at this time of year. They return to exactly the same Lavender plant each evening. Buckfastleigh, Devon

A lovely little surprise a couple of days ago in one of Eynsham’s prettiest streets. Hummingbird hawkmoth

A local walk this morning produced a number of butterfly species. @Eynsham Oxfordshire

A wasp spider, with striped brown and black legs and a banded yellow, white and black abdomen, suspended in its web.

🐝🕷️ One of the newest August highlights in our part of the world is the striking black-and-yellow wasp spider.

📸 Jon Hawkins - Surrey Hills Photography

A pale brown butterfly with white "streaks" through both its upper and hind wings. The edge of the hind wing is tinged orange and it has a small "tail" sticking out near the bottom. It's perched on a piece of dried brown grass, facing to the right of the photo. Its black eye is visible, as are its orange tipped black and white striped antennae. Its legs are also striped. The background is a messy mix of mostly green blades of grass.

Delighted to spot this pristine Brown Hairstreak butterfly this morning in the Lye Valley, Oxford, the first adult I've ever seen there!
#Recorded #UKWildlife #WildlifePhotos #inverts #OX3
@friendlyevalley.bsky.social @tverc1.bsky.social @upperthames.bsky.social

The blackbird is dead, long live the blackbird! On death and rebirth, the cycle of life and exciting new beginnings.

Wrote about Death and Dead Things. You're welcome: substack.com/@katebradbur...

A singe exquisite Orange-tip Butterfly, Anthocharis cardamines, egg on Cuckooflower.

Walking across a meadow today each Cuckooflower stem seemed to have a singe exquisite Orange-tip Butterfly, Anthocharis cardamines, egg on it.

#Butterflies #Leipdoptera #VC55

A striking Oystercatcher strolls along wet, rocky mudflats, its vivid orange bill tipped with a tiny morsel of food. The bird’s black and white plumage glows in the low sunlight, and a small silver leg ring is visible, marking it as part of a long-term study.

Big news from the mudflats!

The UK’s oldest known Oystercatchers - aged 41 and 43 - have been discovered on The Wash.

That’s three times their species’ average lifespan!

Legends wade amongst us... 😎

A reminder of why the East Coast Wetlands are so special: buff.ly/rgnjIeg

Chiffchaff

Male Blue Mason Bee yesterday in Oxfordshire. Stunning eyes😍

A pic I painted of a sunny yellow Dandelion with a shiny black with fluffy grey hairy tufts Ashy mining bee enjoying its nectary treasures.

It's Dandelion season - Sit for a while to see just how many pollinators visit them. One of THE best wildlife friendly plants. Image - Ashy Mining bee insectartbycath.etsy.com 🪲🐙🌱🌿🐡

Fast flowing water with a "leaky" log dam across it. There is some woven shuttering to the left of the stream.

🚨Drumroll please 🚨
Our project Managing Storm Water in the Lye Valley has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Community Action category for the Flood & Coast Excellence Awards 2024!
You can find out more about the project here: www.friendsoflyevalley.org.uk/news/index.h...