Tim Cowley

Many thanks for finding these Dick. We sometimes get aquatic beetles attracted to moth traps, might this be one? We have previously recorded Agabus bipustulatus in traps.

Hi Dick, Wyndham Lake is a fishing lake and Swan Mere was until a few years ago. Interesting to learn more about our invertebrates.

Pallas’ Grasshopper Warbler perched on a fence, Fair Isle, Shetland 03 October 2012.

On this day in 2012, a Pallas’ Grasshopper Warbler on Fair Isle. Fingers crossed some migrants closer to home this weekend.

The small Agrothereutes abbreviatus parasitic wasp found at DST Leconfield, near Beverley, East Yorkshire on 22 Aug 25. Only 15 UK records of this wasp on the NBN Atlas.
#Wasps
#IchneumonidWasps
#YorkshireWasps
#YNU

Clifden Nonpareil moth on a poplar tree trunk.

Clifden Nonpareil moth on a poplar tree trunk

Clifden Nonpareil moth on a poplar tree trunk.

Clifden Nonpareil moth on a poplar tree trunk.

A first for me, a Clifden Nonpareil at DST Leconfield, near Beverley, E Yorks, caught by Mike Coverdale on 24 Aug 25.
#YorkshireMoths
#MothsUK
#DSTLeconfield
#Lepidoptera

The distinctive Two-lobed Deer Fly at DST Leconfield, near Beverley, East Yorkshire 28 Jun 25
#DSTLeconfield
#YNU
#Diptera

Two-girdled Digger Wasp (Argogorytes mystaceus) at DST Leconfield, near Beverley, East Uorkshire 29 Jun 25
#DSTLeconfield
#YNU
#YorkshireWasps

Golden-bloomed Longhorn beetle.

Spotted Longhorn beetle

Wasp Beetle

A few more beetles from DST Leconfield, near Beverley, East Yorkshire:
Golden-bloomed Longhorn
Spotted Longhorn
Wasp Beetle
#DSTLeconfield
#YorkshireBeetles
#YNU

Silis ruficollis beetle.

Malthinus flaveolus soldier beetle

Malachius bipustulatus

A few recent beetle records from DST Leconfield, near Beverley, East Yorkshire:
Silis ruficollis
Malthinus flaveolus
Malachius bipustulatus
#DSTLeconfield
#YorkshireBeetles
#YNU

Pheasant-tailed Jacana walking across water lilies in a Sri Lankan pond.

Pheasant-tailed Jacana seen walking across the water lily leaves in Sri Lanka, Jan 20. It’s a great country if you like to watch wildlife.
#SriLanka
#AsianBirds

Alan, I’ve just checked through the iNaturalist website photo archive for Vapourer, beyond the app, and there is a photograph identical to this one. All the best!

Lepidoptera larvae on a Whitebeam leaf.

I would be grateful for any help with this larvae, found on Whitebeam at DST Leconfield, near Beverley, East Yorkshire on 11 May 25.
#Lepidoptera
#Caterpillars

Dingy Skippers are having a good spring at DST Leconfield, near Beverley, East Yorkshire with 3 new areas found on site.
#Yorkshire_Butterflies
#Butterflies
# Lepidoptera

Thanks to Andreas Taeger on iNaturalist for identifying this sawfly found at DST Leconfield, near Beverley, East Yorkshire today, 06 May 25, the Flax Carver (Rhogogaster chambersi)
#Sawflies
#Symphyta

Doing a bit of historical birding updates on eBird and it took me back to 27 Feb 05, when this Gyrfalcon was wintering in Kelowna, British Columbia.

George I’ll send you some details.

Mike Coverdale noted DST appears to be an important site for Gadwall in the Hull Valley. Only the main lake iut of 3 is checked regularly, but we have seen more than 100 on there most of this winter. Highest count this winter was 147. Numbers have started to drop now.

Many thanks John!

Great painting Owen!

The RN Grebe and RR Swallow were actually at Weel fishing lake, just over the river Owen. It’s a good place to look for migrants, like Whimbrel, Green Sands and Yellow Wagtails. It can also be good for birds of prey in winter, ie Harriers and Owls.

Eurasian Bittern and Great White Egret at DST Leconfield, near Beverley, E Yorks on 28 Jan 25.
#DSTLeconfield

Saturday morning was spent in Cornwall with @gt1366.bsky.social, watching the Booted Eagle from the A30 and higher around the Tregallast Well, between Crowlas and Whitecross.

One day after you posted this there’s a pale morph in Cornwall. I still don’t understand why the Chew Valley bird wasn’t accepted. Maybe the recent sightings will help with a belated acceptance?

As one of the many that saw the Chew Valley bird, I agree.

Moth traps will be out, and hopefully some moths, all being well the naturalists will be fast asleep in their warm beds.

The photo was taken in May, so both in breeding plumage. The two tone bill and shaggy crest of the Chinese or Swinhoe’s Egret are also a nice differences from Little and Snowy Egrets.

Chinese Egret (above, right) and Little Egret (below, left)

One for @everyheron.bsky.social

Chinese Egret (above, right) and Little Egret (below, left)

DST Leconfield BioBlitz 2025 poster, with dates and contact details.

The Defence School of Transport at Leconfield, East Yorkshire has been running BioBlitzes for local naturalists at this restricted MOD site for 3 years. The site will be running more events in 2025, please see the attached poster with amended dates for more information.
#DSTLeconfield
#BioBlitz

Summer plumaged Rock Ptarmigan in the Cairngorms.

Breeding plumaged male Snow Bunting on the Cairngorm Plateau, amongst the millions of boulders.

Seeing a Snow Bunting yesterday reminded me of time spent in the Cairngorms. Something I would like to repeat in 2025.
#ScottishBirds
#Cairngorms

Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting

Snow Bunting

Some great birds around the East Halton Skitter area on 04 Jan 25, with @routledgesteve.bsky.social and @jondrakes.bsky.social. Birds inc Bearded Reedling, 20+ Yellowhammer, Short-eared Owl, Water Pipit, Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwits, Avocets, Little Egret and this confiding Snow Bunting.