Mark Nowers

Love the Linnet flock pic!

64: Big Farmland Bird Count and Operation Turtle Dove with Mark Nowers - The CountrySlide Podcast Mark Nowers is our guest on the podcast this week to talk about the upcoming GWCT Big Farmland Bird Count and his day job with Operation Turtle Dove. Mark’s interest in the natural world and particula...

There is a brilliant interview this week with @stuttonsparrows.bsky.social on the Countryslide podcast, discussing Operation Turtle Dove. countryslide.co.uk/64-big-farml...

Kind of you to say Matthew.

Celebrating similarities.

Fallow Deer at Shimpling, Suffolk. A small part of a herd that recently numbered 114+ animals. From the local Landscape Recovery project: 'the highest risk to the success of habitat enhancement and creation in the long-term, is the lack of deer management.' I'd never have guessed! 🦌🦌🦌.......

Digging a buried #ghostpond in Norfolk farmland way back in 2013. The darker lower sediments are the muds from a pond filled in 70+ years ago. We now know that ghost pond ressurection may be the most successful form of ecological restoration known! @billsutherland.bsky.social

A recently restored #pond in arable. Clear plant-filled & fringed water & all sorts of habitats present. Birds will nest in the bushes & feed on emerging insects. Pollinators of all kinds will use the pond & its plants. Every critter in the landscape will drink its water day & night. *Ponds = Life*

One of the highlights of the year was having the good people from @btoengland.bsky.social run this nest recording taster day at Flatford back in May. The Reed Bunting nest found was a bonus.

This is a sleeping giant, like hedgerow rejuvenation.

Case Study: Managing Young Farm Woodlands at Sycamore Farm - Farm Wildlife Managing young farm woodlands for biodiversity, timber quality, and the farm’s long-term value.

This was recently forwarded to me by
@stuttonsparrows.bsky.social
A brilliant example of woodland creation on a site in Suffolk. It highlights the subsequent management and the positive conservation outcomes it is achieving.
#positiveforestry

farmwildlife.info/2025/10/21/c...

That pic of the Redwing! Straight off the sea.

Arctic Skua

Arctic Tern

Northern Gannet

North Sea waves

Great day out birding North Norfolk yesterday with @stuttonsparrows.bsky.social @esbr-essex.bsky.social & @fivefootseven.bsky.social Kicked off at Sheringham with LITTLE AUK west, ARCTIC TERN, ARCTIC SKUA, LT DUCK, GANNETS, RAZORBILLS etc #Norfolkbirding #birds #birding #birdsseenin2025

Excellent! Am quite envious as they continue to elude me. 15 years ago they were rocking horse s**t rare, but numbers have taken off and are now all across England.

Blackberries softening nicely for #moths now. Found this BROAD-BORDERED YELLOW UNDERWING this evening.

Dingy Footman on ivy flowers. August 2025. Photo: Mark Nowers

Angle Shades on ivy. August 2025. Photo by Mark Nowers

Orange Sallow on ivy. August 2025. Photo: Mark Nowers

Incredible hour checking ivy last night. Recorded 30 species, including 5 I've not encountered on ivy before. That's 93 species since 2013.

Ivy is flipin' amazing!

#moths

Great to meet you Mel, had a great time. This Apodia martinii was the highlight.

Thanks for considering Sean.

The boardwalk and fencing at the Flatford Wildlife garden is made from Sweet Chestnut coppiced in Stour Wood a few miles down the road. Lovely wood to work with.

@mothiduk.bsky.social Sean, any thoughts on this please, from Loch Lomond. Pseudococcyx turionella doesn't feel right, but it's the closest I can get.

Goat moth (top) and Leopard moth, came to light on 30 June 2025 in Stutton, Suffolk. Photo: Mark Nowers

Goat v. Leopard #moths

Peach Blossom

Bright Wave.

Shaded Fan-foot

Red-necked Footman

Top quality #moths last night.

Peach Blossom the looker, but outdone on the rarity-scale by Bright Wave (netted at dusk by Sam Chamberlin), Shaded Fan-foot and Red-necked Footman.

Phwoar!

Forester moth in flower-rich Essex grassland. Rediscovered June 2025 in the county: last recorded in 1974. Photo Mark Nowers.

Last week, the Forester was rediscovered in #Essex. First time since 1974. Keep an eye in flower-rich grassland with Sorrel/Sheep's Sorrel (caterpillar foodplant). Mesmerising emerald green in flight and they do love to perch up! #moths

Will be interesting to see if at fledging, one cold egg remains.

SCARLET TIGER

Still rare in #Suffolk. Somehow this one snuck in to the shed next to where the trap was running last night. #Moths

YouTube video by RAZOR Science Show Bringing 'ghost' and 'zombie' ponds back from the dead

POND GHOSTS & ZOMBIES. A film on our #pond #restoration #Ghostponds work in @uclgeography.bsky.social by RAZOR Science featuring Norfolk Ponds Project, Helen Greaves, myself & many. Pond restoration achieves nature recovery so quickly: youtu.be/SYkbDdaUMBY?...

That's a good one Clare. Tends to be on lighter soils, but may be expanding.

Nest-recording taster day with Lee & Cheryl @btoengland.bsky.social y'day. Finding a Reed Bunting nest brought elation & amazement all-round. Attendees inspired to take new skills forward. Why are there not more naturalists/ecologists doing this?

If anyone tries to convince you that farmers are biodiversity bad guys.. This picture was sent to me today from a really pleased senior member of that community, amazed at the quantity of mining bees in his field edges this year, after we started having a proper look last year.

Natural colonisation of woodland/shrubland at 4, 10 & 29 yrs. Same spot, looking towards ancient woodland seed source 90 m away at Monks Wood Chronosequence.
Still in dynamic change, dense hawthorn & blackthorn thickets are nursery for emerging oaks. Teeming with warblers, soil carbon increasing.

Nice review in today’s Observer

“Looks beyond the usual cliches of country life: An excellent second book, acutely observed, and often very funny”

You can pre-order it here: harpercollins.co.uk/products/unc...