Sarah Lambert

I love Saltfleetby - great botanically too with so many Marsh Helleborine!

A Common Toad walking across a lawn

A Common Toad in the shallows of a pond

A Smooth newt in a pond

The frog frenzy has abated but the first Common Toads of the year have now arrived and are sharing the ponds with a satisfyingly large number of Smooth Newts. So pleased to see high numbers of amphibians after last summer's prolonged drought...

#wildlifegarden #amphibians

It's definitely been a big emergence day - a couple seen from the car this morning, one in our garden at lunchtime and probably about four on the wing at Castor Hanglands this afternoon!

‘I love midges because I know what their hearts look like’: is the passion for taxonomy in danger of dying out? Insect taxonomist Art Borkent has described and named more than 300 species of midges but fears his field of science is dying out, despite millions of insects, fungi and other organisms waiting to be ...

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

A Skimmia, possibly S. japonica

Snowdrop with three green spots on inner petals

Snowdrop with an unusually shaped green mark on inner petals

Snowdrop with no green on inner petals

Snowdrop with almost fully green inner petals

Our naturalised Snowdrops are now pretty much over, but a couple of clumps are still in flower and have some rather attractive variation in the green markings on the inner petals

@wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Clockwise from top left: Garden Hellebore (in a country hedge); arable land; metal artwork of a tree; Cherry-plum; Red Campion; A vibrantly-coloured group of Primroses; a pink-petalled Daisy; Hidcote Comfrey; a good population of Toothwort growing at the base of a Black Poplar.

Looking up into the crown of the Black Poplar with a good population of Mistletoe on the branches

Intermediate Periwinkle, first found in VC53 a couple of weeks ago, thoroughly naturalised along a footpath.

In many parts of eastern England, villages are far more plant-rich than the surrounding arable. A cool and rainy walk round Witham-on-the-Hill produced 151 taxa, including a good population of Toothwort which only has 2 post-2020 sites in VC53. Names in ALT

#wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Primroses growing in a grassy sward

Stinking Hellebore - a drooping inflorescence with silvery-green, red edged flowers

Clusters of four-petalled, lime green Spurge-laurel flowers, nestled among shiny, dark-green leaves

White form of Sweet Violet Viola odorata var. dumetorum, with a purple spur

A spring-like feel on my walk in Old Sulehay NR today. Primroses in full bloom; over 70 plants of native Stinking Hellebore (much increased following management by @wildlifebcn.org); Spurge-laurel in the scrub and my first white Sweet Violets of the year.

#wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Common Frog in a mossy pond - with a cheerful smile

Two frogs in a mossy pond with frogspawn in the background

Seedlings of Yellow Rattle among grass and moss

1st March -the start of meterological spring - and it certainly feels like it in our wildlife garden - frogs purring in the pond (c.70 clumps of spawn so far) and the first Yellow Rattle seedlings in the mini-meadow - looks as though it's going to be a good year for it despite the moss takeover...

There were eight over our Peterborough garden a few days ago - they nest quite close to us too!

The long-footed fly Syntormon metathesis was a nice find from Burwell Fen, an area of fen restoration adjacent to Wicken Fen NNR. Added to the British list in 2023 from Norfolk and Kent. All known sites are high-quality wetlands, mostly spp-rich fen. Apparently the first record from the Cambs Fens.

#Wildflowerhour was started over ten years ago to promote the amazing work of the BSBI which is why it is focused on Britain and Ireland. If you are based in a different region why not start your own using a different hashtag 😀

It’s great to see lots of new followers & interaction with #wildflowerhour! 🥰 If you are new it’s so easy to join in! Find wild or naturalised blooms (not planted ones) from across Britain & Ireland & share during the magic hour Sunday’s 8-9pm when we have a proper planty party!! 🎉🌿🌸

A few hours around Crowland Abbey, Lincolnshire (last recorded by me in Feb 2015) produced a bunch of new hectad records including Glory-of-the-snow and Grey Field-speedwell in the churchyard - lovely to also find Sweet Violet and Common Lungwort in flower.

@bsbibotany.bsky.social #wildflowerhour

Butterbur Petasites hybridus flowering in the outflow from the mill pond in West Deeping

One of many sedlings of Fern-leaved Corydalis Corydalis cheilanthifolia growing at the base of a stone wall in West Deeping

An hour spent recording in West Deeping (VC53) on Wednesday, a particularly raw and grey day - highlights were flowering Butterbur (a scarce species locally) and the distinctive and delicately shaded seedlings of Fern-leaved Corydalis, new to the vice-county

#wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

An Oak Beauty moth, patterned in cream, brown and black, with feathered antennae, sitting on a piece of wood

Starting the year's moth trapping with a pristine Oak Beauty - what a stunner!

#mothsmatter #teammoth

Early Crocus Crocus tommasinianus

Primrose Primula vulgaris

Winter Aconite Eranthis hyemalis

Corsican Hellebore Helleborus argutifolius

A few more spring flowers to brighten up an utterly cold and miserable February day (though all are looking rather rain-speckled) - Early Crocus, Primrose, Winter Aconite and Corsican Hellebore - all found in local churchyards

#wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Snowdrop Galanthus nivalis in sunshine!

Greater Snowdrop Galanthus elwesii with its broad, hooded leaves

Green Snowdrop Galanthus woronowii, a relative newcomer which is now locally well-established

Peak Snowdrop in Uffington Churchyard

Peak snowdrop time in South Lincolnshire and Peterborough - filling churchyards and popping up on lots of country road verges. Straightforward Snowdrop is most frequently encountered, but Greater Snowdrop and Green Snowdrop seem to be increasing locally

#wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

White-flowered Intermediate Periwinke Vinca difformis, establshed on a Lincolnshire road verge

The cheerful yellow flower of Lesser Celandine Ficaria verna - always a pleasure to see

The small green and purple flowers of Butcher's-broom Ruscus aculeatus

A particularly attractive flower of Common Field-speedwell Veronica persica, with shades of blue and mauve on a whitish ground

It's been a while... Yesterday's sunshine tempted me out to record in VC53 - good to see some spring colour, though the highlight was discovering Intermediate Periwinkle established on a road verge in Dunsby, apparently new to Lincolnshire...

#wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Still not been to see this!!

The Pacific coast of Costa Rica at Uvita, viewed from the sea, with a small motorboat in the mid distance and rising forested hills in the background, all set against a cloudy tropical sky.

A panorama across the Talamanca Mountains, taken from the summit of Cerro de la Muerte, with paramo-shrouded rocks in the foreground, forested hills in the mid distance, and a cloud-topped mountain ridge in the distance, set against a cloud streaked azure sky.

A view upwards into the Costa Rican oakwood canopy, with huge tree trunks rising up to meet a leafy green canopy, with patches of blue sky visible in between.

Our Wildlife Travel group (on board a small motorboat & all wearing red life jackets) explore the narrow tributaries dissecting the tropical lowland riparian forest in Tortuguero National Park, with towering green palms and other trees bordering a muddy brown channel.

The diverisity of habitats within Costa Rica is staggering, & our @wildlifetraveller.bsky.social group were able to experience a fantastic sample of them, incl'g Pacific coastal waters & seasonal forest, Caribbean lowland forest, mid & high elevation tropical forests, & the fascinating paramo

We were treated to an amazing spectacle on the Tarcoles River, during the recent @wildlifetraveller.bsky.social Costa Rica tour, when our arrival coincided with local fishermen emptying their nets, surrounding them (& us) in a swirling mass of Magnificent Frigatebirds, Brown Pelicans, & Royal Terns

A male White-necked Jacobin perches on a twit against a blurred green background.

A Lesson's Motmot perches on a bare branch in front of several banana leaves.

A calling Prong-billed Barbet perches on a bare branch, against a backdrop of green leaves.

A sleepy Boat-biiled Heron perches on a riverside branch, amongst large green leaves.

Just back from two weeks guiding on the 2026 @wildlifetraveller.bsky.social Costa Rica wildlife tour, with a few of the avian highlights pictured below. Just some of the 260+ bird species we encountered, including 23 species of hummingbird(!), in this fantastically diverse & welcoming country

We were treated to superlative views of both Costa Rican sloth species during the recent @wildlifetraveller.bsky.social tour, but this impeccably groomed female Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth at Baru (alongside her tiny pup, just off camera) was particularly confiding (video taken through 'scope).

Any encounter with an owl, particularly away from known roost sites, is a joy & we were fortunate to record 4 species during the recent @wildlifetraveller.bsky.social Costa Rica wildlife tour, incl'g multiple night time Spectacled Owls, as well as this showy Ferruginous Pygmy Owl at Punta Leona

An Upland Leopard Frog, viewed from above, perches on a large grey stone.

A juvenile Golden-eyed Tree Frog, facing left, rests on a waxy green leaf.

Portrait of a large Cane Toad, facing left, resting on a concrete path.

A torchlit portrait of a Red-eyed Leaf Frog, facing right and viewed obliquely from below, resting on a large green and pink leaf.

Amphibians were well represented during the recent @wildlifetraveller.bsky.social Costa Rica tour, with the group encountering a range of beautiful species during our night time forays, including the iconic Red-eyed Leaf Frog, the burly Cane Toad, & the charming Golden-eyed Tree Frog

The mammal lovers had their fill too during the recent @wildlifetraveller.bsky.social Costa Rica tour, encountering White-nosed Coati, Nine-banded Armadillo, Humpback Whale, C.American Agouti, & Proboscis Bat, plus 2 sloth & 3 monkey spp, altho' these amazing views of Tayra definitely stole the show

Gladiolus flanaganii, the blood red "Suicide Gladiolus" growing on sheer wet cliffs up the Sani Pass

Gladiolus longicollis, up above the clouds in Lesotho

Gladiolus sericeovillosus, along the Drakensberg back roads towards Giant's Castle

Gladiolus papilio in the impressive surroundings of Golden Gate National Park

no botanical trip to South Africa would be complete without some glorious gladioli. which I guess means our tour of the #Drakensberg is nearing completion...

(names in alt)

#WildlifeTravelling with @sarahlambert7.bsky.social

We've enjoyed a bunch of red hot pokers of the southern Drakensberg over the last couple of days

Kniphofia caulescens, a chunky beast up in Lesotho

slender K. ichopensis and luminous K. porphyrantha from the Sani Pass

& K. laxiflora around Pevensey

#BotanicalOverload, with plenty more to come

Country diary: Which is the ‘fast sinker’ out of me and the grebe? | Nic Wilson Waresley, Cambridgeshire: In a near-freezing lake, I’m treated to an up-close view of one of my favourite birds

In today's @theguardian.com country diary, I meet a fellow swimmer better adapted to cold water than I am!

#countrydiary #naturewriting

Statement on the management of Grafham Water Nature Reserve | Wildlife Trust for Beds Cambs & Northants The Wildlife Trust for Beds, Cambs and Northants is deeply disappointed that Anglian Water have decided to manage the Grafham Water Nature Reserve themselves in future and will no longer be asking the...

A statement from Wildlife Trust BCN on the future management of Grafham Water Nature Reserve