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Andy Goodey

@andygoodey.bsky.social
360 followers 238 following 672 posts

Birder, nature and prog music. Python humour. Mid-Essex, shares abode with 10 prs Swifts, Jackdaws, bats and missus. Surveyor of farmland birds as well as Nightingale, Marsh Tit, Turtle Dove and butterflies

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Reposted by Andy Goodey
Edward Pollard @epollard.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
As it's announced that Hedgehogs will adorn our banknotes a paper comes out documenting just how badly they are fairing in the UK onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
West European Hedgehog (<fc><fi>Erinaceus europaeus</fi></fc>) Decline in Great Britain: Evidence From Multiple National‐Scale Surveys
We combined and assessed multiple national-scale monitoring datasets for the West European hedgehog. They suggest a long-term and concerning abundance decline in agricultural landscapes but apparentl...
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
This Wheatear has been furiously defending a large, insect rich, manure heap in Rayne, for at least 4 days now. Pied Wagtails, Meadow Pipits and Skylarks have all incurred its wrath during that time. It’s stared me out a few times as well @essexbirdnews.bsky.social #Essexbirding #birds
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Cheers Simon 👍
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Excellent day in Rayne, Essex began with a Woodlark low over village and calling. Also Wheatear, Stonechat, Grey Wagtail, 120 Linnet and the now almost daily pair of Raven. Green Sandpiper also noted @essexbirdnews.bsky.social #Essexbirding #birds
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
This Queen of Spain Fritillary was the undoubted highlight of a really good day in Rayne, Essex. Present in a wild bird crop, mainly Chia. Also c.10 Clouded Yellow plus multiple Brown Argus, Common Blue and Small Copper #insects #butterflies #bugs @bc-cambs-essex.bsky.social
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Some wildlife from a few of my local patches in mid Essex at the weekend: possible Amanita echinocephala (needs clarification, any takers?). Clouded Yellow, Common Blue, Small Copper and another Southern Green Shieldbug instar @bc-cambs-essex.bsky.social #wildlife #bugs
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Reposted by Andy Goodey
Richard Chew @ss15birder.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Swifts need our help! There has been a 70% decline in the Swift population in the UK since 1995. Please follow and support. saveouressexswifts.weebly.com www.facebook.com/groups/80184... #essexbirding
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Yes, that works 👍. You can never have too many ‘cronk’ references
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Just had another (or likely the same) Raven ‘cronking’ over my Essex house just now, the third this month. I shall call it ‘Bill’ after William the Cronkeror #birds #Essexbirding
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Who gets to see Spotted Crakes at all, let alone one in flight. Nice shot!
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Having again released some local trapped wildlife from various fruit cages (mainly butterflies/bees), an otherwise mundane trip to Rayne allotment resulted in 2 shieldbugs: Nezara viridula (recent arrival from continent) and Dolycoris baccarum (common). Also a worn ♀️Common Blue butterfly #bugs
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Yes. Turning up at quite a number of new sites
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Not much birdwise locally but highlight were the Firebugs; this one i rescued after it fell into a crevice in a post. Also a few Willow Emeralds and a single Clouded Yellow which obviously evaded my attempts to take its photo Mid-Essex #bugs #insects
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Some distant wader action near Braintree today with 4 Ruff and a Greenshank. Also Common Sand, 8 Yellow Wags over, 60+ Swallow, 3 Lesser Whitethroat and Marsh Harrier. 2 Nuthatch were a site tick for me. @essexbirdnews.bsky.social #Essexbirding #UKbirding #birds
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Google plans to bulldoze a wildlife haven in Essex – home to rare species – for a data centre. Sign the petition now to help save it before it’s gone forever 🐝🦋 you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/sa...
you.38degrees.org.uk
Save Arena Essex- Tell Google to search elsewhere!
&nbsp; Wedged between the Mar Dyke Valley and Lakeside Retail Park, the former Arena Essex Raceway is not your usual wildlife haven. Where once stock cars and speedway bikes lined up to cross the fini...
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Thanks. Never knew it was part of Orabanche group
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Some of the butterflies of the wooded hills of Monte Fenera NP, Valduggia, Italy, from a few days ago: Swallowtail, Dryad, Silver-washed Fritillary, Mallow Skipper and Queen of Spain Fritillary. There were 4 species of fritillary in the small garden where we stayed #butterflies #insects
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Female valezina variant of Silver-washed Fritillary in NW Italy a few days ago. #butterflies #insects
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Silver-washed Fritillary var. valezina in the wooded hills of Monte Fenera NP, Valduggia, NW Italy, a few days ago. Roughly half the females I saw were of this variant #butterflies #insects
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Spotted Fritillary, Piedmont, Italy, August, 2026 #butterflies #insects #bugs
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Spotted Fritillary, Piedmont, Italy, 2026 #butterflies #insects #bugs
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
A Heath Fritillary sp. drinking salts from my hand in Piedmont, Italy, August 2026 #butterflies #insects
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
A few of the butterflies from my trip to northwest Italy: Large Wall Brown (1), Spotted Fritillary (2) and a Heath Fritillary sp. (3-6) #butterflies #insects
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Still never seen one yet
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
🤣 I think they still use snail mail
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
Lots of flying ants here
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
Pegsdon Hills, nr Hitchin: fine Wildlife Trust reserve. Exceptional butterfly numbers in scenic hills, especially blues on carpets of scented Marjoram. Chalkhill, Common and Brown Argus. 15+ Clouded Yellow. Ravens cronking eerily in distance and an early return Wheatear. #insects #bugs
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
I remember my regular autumn birding trips to Scilly back in the day, always hoping to see a fabled Hummingbird Hawkmoth there. I never did but nowadays they appear daily in my Rayne garden this time of year - so easy to be blasé about them #moths #insects #bugs
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Not sure how this one managed to get to neighbours stairs either!
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
My neighbour just alerted me to this Elephant Hawkmoth caterpillar that was climbing up his stairs! Just rescued and placed on our fuchsia. The fuchsia’s rosy!
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Some poor photos of a fem. helice Clouded Yellow at Level’s Green, nr Farnham, Essex. There were c30 Clouded Yellows on the Lucerne crop plus many Common Blues. Also another possible Red Bartsia Bee, this time from Takeley. @bc-cambs-essex.bsky.social #insects #bugs #nature
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
..and very nice you both look too! 😀
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
A somewhat distant Ruff today inland in Essex at Pincey Brook, Hatfield Broad Oak. Also 3 Green Sandpipers and a Kingfisher @essexbirdnews.bsky.social #nature #Essexbirding #birds #UKbirding
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Hatfield Broad Oak: having noticed the abundance of Red Bartsia in 2025, I searched for associated bee and found a possible contender. A Ruff on pool was nice with 3 Green Sands + Kingfisher. Fast-flying Painted Ladies, probably 50+ were constantly north over site @essexbirdnews.bsky.social #nature
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
😢
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
RIP Bill Oddie
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
More from my local patch in mid-Essex today: Clouded Yellow, Red-banded Sand Wasp, Red Bartsia, Firebugs, Small Red-eyed Damselfly and Burnet Companion #nature @bc-cambs-essex.bsky.social #bugs
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
Local Buzzard plus a Jersey Tiger moth in my village yesterday in Essex yesterday
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Reposted by Andy Goodey
Andy Symes @andysymes.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
Visited Stotfold, Beds Green-flowered Helleborines only to find whole colony (and significant area of woodland floor) in the process of being trashed by dumping of waste soil from a nearby development. Work now stopped til Mon when I'll have to try to speak with council... @ukorchids.bsky.social
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Well done and thanks for your efforts Andy. I hope you’re successful
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Cheers Mel. Pleased to have such things on the local patch
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
The local Little Owl showed at its favoured brick building this evening in Rayne @essexbirdnews.bsky.social #Essexbirding #birds
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Happy to see this Hedgehog in my wild garden in Essex, the first I’ve seen here for many #hedgehogs
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Beewolf at my local gravel pit in Essex at the weekend #bugs #insects #nature @britishnatureguide.bsky.social
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Hoping this might be Hedychrum rutilans, a rare cuckoo wasp with 9 coastal records in Essex. Found at my local gravel pit at weekend #insects #bugs #buglife @britishnatureguide.bsky.social #nature
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Successful trip to local gravel pits produced Red-legged Spider Wasp, Beewolf, Firebug, Hedychrum rutilans (cuckoo wasp), Wall Brown. Black-tailed Skimmer. The cuckoo wasp is a parasitoid of Beewolf and, if confirmed, is a rare coastal species in Essex @bc-cambs-essex.bsky.social #insects #bugs
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
Pair of Hairy Shieldbugs have been ‘at it’ most of the day on the scabious in my wild garden in Rayne, Essex. Also a Hummingbird Hawkmoth earlier and 4 Red Kites overhead giving their delightful call.
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Local gravel pit visit near Braintree, Essex in windy conditions: Beewolf, Firebug, 3 Clouded Yellow in an area of masses of trefoil, a potential food plant snd possible Red-legged Spider Wasp @britishnatureguide.bsky.social #insects #nature #bugs @bc-cambs-essex.bsky.social
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Berechurch, Colchester, Essex at weekend: 7 Silver-washed Fritillaries patrolling sunny edge and, especially, the dappled woodland interior. Also 2 White Admiral, Brown Argus, Common Blue and my first for site Marbled White on nearby meadows @bc-cambs-essex.bsky.social #butterflies #bugs #nature
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Andy Goodey @andygoodey.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
The BBC cancelling Winterwatch is such a shame, especially when we need to be connecting with nature more than ever. If we want people to protect our wildlife, we have to show them it! Add your name to ask the BBC to reconsider. you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/do...
you.38degrees.org.uk
Tell the BBC: Save Winterwatch!
The UK is losing its wildlife, and shows like Winterwatch are vital for connecting us to nature. The BBC's decision to cancel it makes no sense. Let's ask them to rethink this! Add your name here:
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