iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 16h

Checked some East Lothian ponds yesterday afternoon in cool and duller weather than hoped. Dug out 8 Migrant Hawker males. Pic of one of them @britishdragonflies.bsky.social @edinburghnats.bsky.social #Dragonflies #Lothian

021

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Last Bernwood: pics of female Beautiful Demoiselle, imm male Ruddy Darter, Large Skipper & Purple Hairstreak. So ended a great short trip with Rod Miller marred by the next few weeks which, losing Marion, were the worst in my long life @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #Butterflies #Dragonflies

010

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

1st Bernwood Forest: day 3 of our trip down south was the journey back to Scotland with a stop at Bernwood, near Oxford. Main target was Purple Emperor - 2 pics of a female plus 2 of Silver-washed Fritillary #Butterflies

060

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

10th Hampshire: after Crockford Stream it was back to Rownhams in pm for 2nd helpings of Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly. This time females were up for posing. 2 pics from them plus a male 'ordinary' Blue-tailed Damselfly & a female Emperor. End of day 2 @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #Dragonflies

020

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Couple of heavily cropped record pics of the Glossy Ibis taken at Aberlady at first light this morning @birdinglothian.bsky.social

0261

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

9th Hampshire: last pics from Crockford Stream - 2 of Golden-ringed Dragonfly & 2 of Keeled Skimmer, all males @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #Dragonflies

030

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

8th Hampshire: Crockford Stream had more to offer including the always stunning Beautiful Demoiselle. 3 pics of males & 1 of a pair @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #Dragonflies

041

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Visited Saltoun Forest today. Pics of 3 male perched Common Hawkers together (only got 2 together previously) and a single from another pond plus a male Black Darter and a record flight shot of male Southern Hawker @britishdragonflies.bsky.social @edinburghnats.bsky.social #Dragonflies #Lothian

061

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

7th Hampshire: the 3rd key target at Crockford Stream was Silver-studded Blue. Hard to photograph as very active in very hot (for a Scot) temperature. Pics of a male, a female and 2 of a pair #butterflies

030

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

6th Hampshire: Small Red Damselflies were also more numerous than expected at Crockford Stream. So, again 4 more pics, this time 2 of pairs & another 2 of males @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #dragonflies

020

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

5th Hampshire: another target at Crockford Stream was Small Red Damselfly. Four pics of males attached @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #dragonflies

040

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

4th Hampshire: saw many more Southern Damselflies at Crockford Stream than expected. So here is another 4 pics - this time 3 of pairs plus another 1 of a male @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #dragonflies

040

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

3rd Hampshire: morning of day 2 was spent at Crockford Stream in the New Forest, my favourite site of the trip. A key target was Southern Damselfly. Four pics of males attached @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #dragonflies

040

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Painted Lady still regular in our garden in this good year for them. Pic of one of three present today @edinburghnats.bsky.social #Butterflies #Lothian

060

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

2nd Hampshire: more from Rownhams. Two Golden-ringed Dragonfly males (spot the differences); a male Black-tailed Skimmer and mating Azure Damselflies. So ended a long but fruitful day 1 down south @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #dragonflies

041

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

1st Hampshire: moved on from Dorset to Rownhams on the north edge of Southampton. Target there was Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly having dipped in Norfolk 2 years before. Set of males @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #dragonflies

051

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

7th Dorset: also from Hammoon a set of 4 pics of male Banded Demoiselle @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #dragonflies

000

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

6th Dorset: next was Hammoon Bridge, nr Sturminster Newton targetting White-legged Damselfly. Two pics of males, one of a female & one of a pair @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #Dragonflies

020

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Hummingbird Hawk-moth in the East Lothian garden this afternoon. Always nice to get but as usual hard to get decent pics with a bridge camera. Four record shots the best I could do @edinburghnats.bsky.social #Lothian

050

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

5th Dorset: last from Silverlakes, all males. 2 of Small Red-eyed Damselfly, which was nice to see again, plus a Blue-tailed Damselfly & a Common Darter @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #dragonflies

030

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

4th Dorset: some more dragonflies from Silverlakes - 2 of male Black-tailed Skimmer, a female Emperor and a male Four-spotted Chaser @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #dragonflies

021

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

3rd Dorset: next site was Silverlakes for the main dragonfly target, Broad Scarlet only established fairly recently as a breeder in the south. Set of 5 pics of males @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #dragonflies

030

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Good afternoon today in East Lothian with super views of Migrant Hawkers. 3 pics of males plus a female & a mating pair @britishdragonflies.bsky.social @edinburghnats.bsky.social #dragonflies #Lothian

061

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

2nd Dorset: also from Bindon Hill, 2 of Marbled White & 2 of Gatekeeper. I know they are cheap as chips down south but they are not available in Scotland #Butterflies

000

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Short trip down south with Rod Miller in early July started with an overnight drive to Bindon Hill, West Lulworth in Dorset for our first target, Lulworth Skipper. Set of 4 pics attached - 3 of males and one of a female #Butterflies

030

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Lastly some butterflies from Saltoun Forest, East Lothian today - 2 each of Painted Lady, Peacock & Red Admiral @edinburghnats.bsky.social #Butterflies #Lothian

130

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Now some damselflies from Saltoun today - Common Blue Damselfly and 3 of Emerald Damselfly. All males @britishdragonflies.bsky.social @edinburghnats.bsky.social #Dragonflies #Lothian

020

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

More dragonfly pics from Saltoun today - male Black Darter, male Common Darter & female Common Darter @britishdragonflies.bsky.social @edinburghnats.bsky.social #Dragonflies #Lothian

000

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

First visit this year to Saltoun Forest in East Lothian today. Some dragonfly pics - 3 of Common Hawkers on the same tree & 2 different Southern Hawkers (as normally the case my pics in flight are record shots) @britishdragonflies.bsky.social @edinburghnats.bsky.social #Dragonflies #Lothian

020

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Final Colorado: some scenic pics - Grand Mesa and Loveland Pass. Also a rare pic of AB - on the rim of the Black Canyon of Gunnison NP (taken by Fran Sullivan).

020

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

35th Colorado: Pics of Blue-eyed Darner, Gray Hairstreak, Painted Lady (same as ours not American) and I know it's not wild but couldn't resist a Texas Longhorn.

010

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

34th Colorado: pics of Yellow-bellied Marmot, Least Chipmunk, Gunnison's Prairie Dog and White-tailed Prairie Dog.

050

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

33rd Colorado: pics of Bighorn Sheep, White-tailed Antelope Squirrel, Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel and Common Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel.

031

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

32d Colorado: still a few to go that are not bird photos. Pics of Pronghorn, Mule Deer, White-tailed Deer and Elk.

150

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

My late wife Marion liked seeing butterflies & other wildlife in her much loved & well tended garden. Pics from the garden a few days before her recent funeral. Painted Lady, Comma, Red Admiral, Peacock & Large White. Not my best but that's not the point. I will miss her for the rest of my days 💔

1110

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Managed to find time for a short visit to Aberlady this am in overcast conditions for a few pics of the 1st summer male Red-footed Falcon. Two of it perched and two in flight at high ISO for a bridge camera.

170

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

For those who knew Marion, my lovely wife for almost 55 years, I am sad to say she passed away peacefully in her sleep at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary following a serious leg infection.

130

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

31st Colorado: final bird pics. Horned Lark at Loveland Pass in the Rockies at over 12000 ft. Then in Ponderosa Pine forest west of Denver Western Bluebird, Williamson's Sapsucker and Pygmy Nuthatch.

030

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

30th Colorado: last from the Craig area (not Wray area as stated in previous post - apologies). Pics of Vesper Sparrow; Western Meadowlark; Brewer's Blackbird; and record shot of White-faced Ibis.

160

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

29th Colorado: penultimate stop was in the north in the Wray area not far from the Wyoming border. Pics of Sandhill Crane, Golden Eagle on eyrie plus record shots of Prairie Falcon and a pair of Cinnamon Teal.

040

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

28th Colorado: Last from the Basalt to Glenwood Springs. Pics of Pinyon Jay, American Dipper, Common Merganser & Lewis's Woodpecker.

040

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

27th Colorado: next was the Basalt to Glenwood Springs area (valley running NW below Aspen Ski Resort). Two pics of Bald Eagle, one bird on guard and the other on a huge eyrie, plus singles of Osprey and American Crow.

040

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

26th Colorado: last from the Grand Junction area. Two pics of Western Bluebird and singles of Great Horned Owl and Lesser Goldfinch.

030

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

25th Colorado: next was the Grand Junction area near the border with Utah. Pics of Pinyon Jay, Black-throated Sparrow and two of White-crowned Sparrow.

030

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

24th Colorado: last from Grand Mesa. Two pics of Red-naped Sapsucker; a Fox Sparrow ('Slate-coloured' form); and Band-tailed Pigeons.

050

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

23rd Colorado: still Grand Mesa. Pics of Steller's Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Dark-eyed ('Grey-headed') Junco and Cassin's Finch.

050

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

22nd Colorado: more from Grand Mesa. Two pics of American Three-toed Woodpecker plus singles of Pine Grosbeak and Evening Grosbeak.

060

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

21st Colorado: next site at higher elevation Grand Mesa still had some good snow. Nice to see Canada Jay again there after Alaska in 2024. Three pics of that plus one of Clark's Nutcracker.

040

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

20th Colorado: some more from the Montrose & Delta area. Pics of American Coots; Belted Kingfisher; Great Blue Heron; and Western Grebe.

020

Alan Brown 71 @alanbrown71.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

19th Colorado: still in the west a few from the Montrose & Delta area - Mountain Bluebird; Say's Phoebe; Red-winged Blackbird; and record shot of Sagebrush Sparrow.

040