Jon Dunn

Thank you, Margi

Thank you, Moira

Thanks, Helen.

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) dying of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenze (HPAI). Once contracted, this disease invariably proved fatal for Gannets, and in 2022 ripped through Britain's breeding population, killing countless thousands of birds. Image © Jon Dunn

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) gathering marine waste to line its nest. This can have fatal consequences when birds entangle in plastic or nylon. Image © Jon Dunn

Gannets are fabulous. But they've had it tough lately. Marine pollution's a constant problem, and avian influenza hit them hard. The last thing they need is an annual hunt, even a small one in the name of tradition. Please consider signing to stop the hunt:

petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE...

A variety of wildflowers seen in the UK and beyond in recent years © Jon Dunn

Starting shortly, the last of the #Winter10 wildflowerhours - and next week, the focused weekly challenges begin anew from the lovely team at @wildflowerhour.bsky.social...

I can't wait to see what I see this coming year close to and further from home. And what everyone else finds...

Our annual #OrchidsOfCyprus tour begins tomorrow - and what a fabulous array of Ophrys bee orchids alone our superb orchid tour leader, @thenewgalaxy.bsky.social, has lined up for our guests. Knowing Richard's keen eyes, there may be a pleasant surprise or two during the week...

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus! Happy St David's Day! Here are some Cennin Pedr (Wild Daffodils) I found yesterday in the Conwy valley…

A selection of some Ophrys reinholdii forms found over the years in Rhodes © Jon Dunn

One of my favourite of all European orchids today in my countdown to the incomparable @mariposanature.bsky.social #OrchidsOfRhodes tour - Ophrys reinholdii. I love everything about them - not least their contrasting colours and variability. They work on a visceral level.

#orchids #bloomscrolling

Thank you, Alan. 🙏 Hope you're having a good weekend.

Thanks, Dan. 🙏 This was taken in May 2019 which, scarily, feels like only yesterday.

A party of four foraging waders on Skaw beach, Unst, Shetland. Two Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) in the background; Dunlin (Calidris alpina) front left; and Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris) front right. © Jon Dunn

Good morning, today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #FourOrMore, an image of four or more birds.

Here's a little gang of waders on a Shetland beach. Two Turnstone, a Dunlin and a gorgeous Great Knot, the latter a great rarity in these parts.

#birds #EastCoastKin #photography #ukbirding #birdphotography

Our preparation for our orchid tours starts early and runs deep. We're certainly not in the habit of 'winging it'! 😂

Tour leader @thenewgalaxy.bsky.social is in Cyprus doing groundwork for our imminent #OrchidsOfCyprus tour, and all we can say is our guests are in for a real treat...

#orchids

Anacamptis syriaca & Himantoglossum robertianum, Orchids of Cyprus © Dr Richard Bate

Postcard live from the field this morning in Cyprus, where tour leader @thenewgalaxy.bsky.social is on the ground doing our thorough preparations for the upcoming Orchids of Cyprus tour.

The island is wonderfully lush and verdant after a wet spell, and the #orchids are looking magnificent.

Serapias carica, Orchids of Rhodes © Jon Dunn

Serapias carica, Orchids of Rhodes © Jon Dunn

Bigmouth strikes again.

Of all the Serapias tongue-orchids in Europe, Serapias carica is one of the most dramatic - with large dense clots of large, richly-coloured, profusely hairy, and deeply inviting* flowers.

#OrchidsOfRhodes

*be honest, if you were a bee, you would too 😉

#orchids

Golden-tailed Sapphire (Chrysuronia oenone), Peru © Jon Dunn

Good morning. Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is #PrimaryColours, any bird with a primary colour in their plumage.

Best I can do offhand is a Golden-tailed Sapphire, which is pretty much a rainbow in hummingbird form.

#birds #photography #EastCoastKin #hummingbird

A small handful of the many hybrid and colour-variation orchids found on our Orchids of Rhodes tour

Serapias carica hypochromic variety, Orchids of Rhodes

Nobody knows the island's orchids better than us. That's not an empty promise - our trip reports, on our website, are there for all to see. Just 2 places remain available to join us in 2028 - people who know, KNOW, and book early to secure their places. #orchids

mariposanature.com/tours/botani...

A handful of the testimonials received from our Orchids of Rhodes guests

A tiny handful of the orchids seen on our Orchids of Rhodes tour

55 orchid taxa found last year alone, 2 of Europe's most determined orchid-hunters as your guides, 1 beautiful Greek island, and a donation made to @bsbibotany.bsky.social after every orchid tour, since our very first one.

There's only one #OrchidsOfRhodes tour, and it's worth waiting for. #orchids

Last year I thought was lucky to see a single Corsican Dappled White, Euchloe insularis, on Sardinia. This year with @mariposanature.bsky.social we've been knee-deep (almost) in the related (same genus) endemic Fuerteventura Green-striped White, E. hesperidum. Very active so a challenge for the 📷.

Cheers to that

Mirror Orchid (Ophrys speculum), Orchids of Rhodes © Jon Dunn

Mirror Orchid (Ophrys speculum), Orchids of Rhodes © Jon Dunn

Look in the mirror on Rhodes and ask yourself what do you see...

There's a hall of Mirror Orchids blooming across the island, and nowhere to hide from their reflection.

Which is a good thing, obviously. They're fabulous #bloomscrolling material to share.

#OrchidsOfRhodes #orchids

Thank you so much for those kind words of recommendation, Sharon! 🙏

Scarce Fritillary (Euphydryas maturna), Romania in Spring © Jon Dunn

Danube Clouded Yellow (Colias myrmidone), Romania in Spring © Jon Dunn

Brown Bear (Ursus arctos), Romania in Spring © Janos Olah

Large Copper (Lycaena dispar), Romania in Spring © Jon Dunn

Tour update 🚨

Bookings for 2027 butterfly tours continue to come in and, this morning, Romania in Spring moves to guaranteed departure status. This is a lovely tour, with Brown Bear guaranteed too, as is a donation to our friends at @europebutterfly.bsky.social.

mariposanature.com/tours/butter...

Thank you, Alan. 🙏 Those hummingbirds flatter me - they're the best bird subjects I know of.

Oprhys calypsus var. flavescens, Orchids of Rhodes © Jon Dunn

Oprhys calypsus, Orchids of Rhodes © Jon Dunn

Some orchids are just plain different and a bit weird, like this flavescent form of Ophrys calypsus in Rhodes. The usual colours are washed out, and even its beady pseudo-eyes have turned green. With envy perhaps, as it surveys its normal brethren...

#bloomscrolling #OrchidsOfRhodes #orchids

That's a lovely image, Matthew! 👍

Black-throated Mango (Anthracothorax nigricollis), Peru © Jon Dunn

Hope your morning is as fine as mine's looking right now. The #BirdOfTheDay theme today is #WideOpenWings, which seems fairly self-explanatory, but barely touches the sides of the wonder that's hummingbird flight.

Here's a Black-throated Mango in Peru.

#birds #photography #EastCoastKin #Nature

Thanks, Rob 🙏

Fabulous news, thanks!

Let’s hope so!

Peacock (Aglais io) on flowering Blackthorn © Sarah Cuttle

Postcard from the field from tour leader Sarah Cuttle today:

Spring is finally springing with a vengeance today in the southeast of England. Hedges are frosting with Blackthorn, and it's attracting many bees, and butterflies too - lots of Brimstone, and this handsome Peacock.