Jacob Wood

Very lucky to find this Common Octopus at Wembury this morning during the low tide. We also managed to find our target species- Solar-powered Seaslug (Elysia viridis) @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social
#rockpooling #wembury

Grayling

Holly Blue

Aish Tor, Dartmoor- 6 Grayling, 2 Clouded Yellow, 2 Holly Blue

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary

Bolt Head this morning. 5 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, 2 Clouded Yellow, 3 Small Copper and several Silver-Y moths.
Also a Red Kite went low west over the headland.
#devonbirding

1,978 Balearics that is...

Berry Head 08:00-16:30
Count after @clennonvalley.bsky.social left was 685 so a total of 1,978!!
Also on top of Mike's counts another 284 Manx, 6 Arctic Skua, 1 Sooty, 1 Euro-storm, 1 Prob. Wilson's S (13:55), 2 Bonxie.
Also saw Mike's Yelkouan Shearwater!
#devonbirds
#ukbirding

6% of the global population of Balearics!

Has Cornwall had higher numbers of Fea's-type this year than in previous? Still very rare here in Devon!

Cheers Duerden!

Thank you! Photos are terrible but views were actually very good and could see the white face, green eyes, brown body + tail with bright blue base.

Can anyone confirm that this is a male Lesser Emperor at Knepp today?
@smallshire.bsky.social
@kneppwilding.bsky.social

Common Quail singing and seen (!) in edge of arable field immediately SW of Chantry Hill carpark, West Sussex. An unexpected lifer for me whilst looking for butterflies!
Also 3 Silver-spotted Skipper, 7 Chalk Hill Blue, 12 Brown Argus and 2 Dark-green Fritillary.
#ukbirding

Brown Hairstreak

Adonis Blue

Chalk Hill Blue (male)

Chalk Hill Blue (female)

Medley Bottom, East Sussex this morning.
Large numbers of butterflies of many species including Chalk Hill, Adonis, Brown Argus, Brown Hairstreak, Clouded Yellow, Brimstone and Essex Skipper.

Brown Argus underwing

Brown Argus upper wing

12+ Brown Argus seen at Orley Common, Devon this afternoon with good numbers of Common Blue. Many Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown plus Brimstone and 3 Silver-washed Frit.
@savebutterflies.bsky.social #devonbutterfly

Berry Head 17:00-19:30
Manx 250+
Balearic 29
Sand. Tern 6
Med. Gull 7
Common Dolphin 30+

Also 1 small blue and 2 hummingbird hawkmoth in quarry
#devonbirds
#ukbirding

Today we're in court!

Our case challenging overgrazing on Dartmoor will be heard over the next two days. Wish us luck.

Read the press release from our lawyers: wildjustice.org.uk/sssis/legal-...

Had a brilliant selection of butterflies around home in Paignton recently with 6+ Purple Hairstreaks, 1 White Admiral and 2 White-letter Hairstreak (my first ever) this week!

Thanks for finding and showing us. Love that 1st photo of the pair!

Six-belted Clearwing Bembecia ichneumoniformis

Six-belted Clearwing Bembecia ichneumoniformis

Six-belted Clearwing Bembecia ichneumoniformis

Six-belted Clearwing Bembecia ichneumoniformis

Mating Six-belted Clearwings in the quarry at Berry Head this morning! Soon after @jacob-wood.bsky.social and family came and spotted another, so three in all.
Shots 2+3 flying low over the ground and 4. on Yellow Rattle.
Larval food plants Kidney Vetch + Bird's-foot Trefoil, lots on Berry Head.

Six-belted Clearwing at Berry Head

Some nice moths at Berry Head this morning. Highlights were 3 Six-belted Clearwing, egg laying Hummingbird Hawkmoth and many Six-spotted Burnet in the quarry. Thanks @devonshirenature.bsky.social for spotting the Clearwings!

Wow! I'll have to take a look at BH this week. I did see a 'red' darter come in over the seawatch point yesterday morning 🤔

BerryHd 8:25-14:00
1000+ Manx, 10 Balearic, 1 Sooty shear, 1 Puffin, 1 Artc Skua, 1 juv YLG, 10+ Med Gull, 12 Swift. 5 Risso's Dolphin, 30-40 Common Dolphin
#devonbirding #ukbirding

Purple Hairstreak found on footpath with deformed lower wings.

Late morning at Long Woods nr Kingswear to look for White Admirals after seeing @devonshirenature.bsky.social post a few days ago. Again at least 20 White Admirals, 2 Silver-washed Frit and 10+ Purple Hairstreaks! @savebutterflies.bsky.social

@birdguides.bsky.social female type harrier presumed Monty's but couldn't rule out pallid. I should have put monty's/pallid

Prob. ad fem Montagu's Harrier initially over road near Cockingford Farm Campsite on Dartmoor at 11:00 with distant views from gateway over trees before getting very good views for 2-3 mins quartering over moorland at 50.5560944, -3.8033258 until 11:30. No further sign by 15:15

Berry Head, Devon evening seawatch 19:15-20:25
6+ RISSO'S DOLPHIN heading N and breaching, 1 Harbour Porpoise.
Manx 221 (S)
Balearic 2 (S)
Sandwich Tern 6 (S)
Mute Swan 1 (N)

#ukbirding #devonbirding

Marsh Fritillary at several sites on Dartmoor today #butterflyconservation

2nd winter Yellow-legged Gull on Mansands marsh this morning.
#devonbirding #devonbirds

What's the latest Devon record for Great Shearwater? 23rd Nov seems pretty late in the season!

Ah no I didn't see the second Great. I might try the shelter tomorrow!

#devonbirds #ukbirding