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angusrobin.bsky.social

@angusrobin.bsky.social
149 followers 148 following 52 posts

SW LesserSpot network volunteer, birder and GP based in Taunton

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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Long-tailed Skua at Steart Pt this morning, pic by Andy Harris @somersetbirds.bsky.social
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
Blurry picture of a White-letter Hairstreak nectaring at East Quantoxhead, Somerset this morning.
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
A new Pied Flycatcher nest on a fledged Blue Tit nest @piedflynet.bsky.social @somersetbirds.bsky.social @btosomerset.bsky.social
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
Good luck with the move, not too far I hope?
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
This Wood Warbler was singing in a new spot on the Quantocks for me this year. Nearby a female Lesser Spot was quietly feeding. Only one new GSW nest found today (calling young giving them away) @somersetbirds.bsky.social @btosomerset.bsky.social
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
(To be clear, this a nest from a few years ago to demonstrate a nest with calling young.)
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
Here’s an example of LSW young calling from a nest (there were three young not far off fledging in this nest) @ukrbbp.bsky.social @lesserspotnet.bsky.social
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
These 2m and 2f LSW young will fledge in the next few days. Two other Somerset nests have already fledged on Thursday. There will be young calling from LSW and GSW nests over the next two weeks @ukrbbp.bsky.social @lesserspotnet.bsky.social @btosomerset.bsky.social @somersetbirds.bsky.social
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
6 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker nests have been monitored in Devon and Somerset this year. One failed at the hatching stage, others will be fledging in the next few days, 1-2 weeks early. Young can now be heard calling in nests @lesserspotnet.bsky.social @somersetbirds.bsky.social @ukrbbp.bsky.social
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BTO | British Trust for Ornithology @btobirds.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
It’s May, so no more seed and peanuts in bird feeders. BTO Senior Research Ecologist Dr Kate Plummer, part of the Technical Steering Group that carried out the evidence review on which the new guidance is based, sets out the reasoning behind the changes in this BTO blog ➡️ www.bto.org/our-work/new...
Two Greenfinches perch on a hanging bird feeder.
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Lesser Spot Network @lesserspotnet.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
May LSW nesting update. Go out now to look for Lesser Spotted Woodpecker nests. Adults actively feeding their young become more detectable. To find a nest this year, get out into the woods now, it will all be over in 4 weeks. Latest update on nests www.woodpecker-network.org.uk/index.php/news
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Connor Murphy
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 02/05/2026
Lesser Spotted Wdpkr nests monitored across Southern England are generally early this year, with several already hatching. Some nests will fledge from mid-May, with young birds audible preceding week. @lesserspotnet.bsky.social @somersetbirds.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social @ukrbbp.bsky.social
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
Foggy Exmoor morning today with an unpaired LSW still drumming. Wood Warbler singing with Firecrest, Redstarts, Pied Fly and Garden Warbler @somersetbirds.bsky.social @ukrbbp.bsky.social
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The Rare Breeding Birds Panel @ukrbbp.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
By submitting records of rare breeding birds, you can help inform their conservation. Don’t know how to submit records? Don’t worry, here’s RBBP Secretary @markaeaton.bsky.social to tell you how youtu.be/MWNq_JM9cZU?... #UKbirding #ornithology #birds
youtu.be
Submitting records of rare breeding birds
YouTube video by Rare Breeding Birds Panel
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 25/02/2026
Oh no, it’s a fully-feathered beast of an owl!
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 25/02/2026
Trip to the S of France with @naturetrek.bsky.social is going well!
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
@somersetbirds.bsky.social
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Lesser Spot Network @lesserspotnet.bsky.social · 08/02/2026
Our new guidance note/protocol for using sound recorders to detect Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers gives practical details for using Song Meter Mini & Micro recorders from Wildlife Acoustics in woodland with suitable habitat & has proved a great success www.woodpecker-network.org.uk/index.php/ne...
woodpecker-network.org.uk
Woodpecker Network - Setting up and using sound recorders for detecting Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers
A forum to encourage and facilitate the study of woodpeckers in Britain and Ireland
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British Birds @britishbirds.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
Bioacoustics as a tool for the detection and monitoring of a scarce woodland bird – the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker paper now live in the latest British Birds journal. Read more:
britishbirds.co.uk
Bioacoustics as a tool for the detection and monitoring of a scarce woodland bird – the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Having declined massively in numbers and range in Britain over the last few decades, the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dryobates minor is a priority...
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BTO | British Trust for Ornithology @btobirds.bsky.social · 14/12/2025
⚠️ The UK’s smallest and rarest woodpecker, the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker is a shy and elusive bird. It’s rapidly becoming one of our scarcest breeding birds, with substantial declines since the 1980s. 🧵⬇️ #bioacoustics #ornithology
A cut out image of a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker on a tree features on a green background. Wording alongside reads: New insights unlocked with acoustic monitoring. Image credit bottom right reads: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker ©MikeLane45 from Getty Images, via Canva.com.
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 10/12/2025
Did you film that today? Lovely.
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 05/12/2025
@somersetbirds.bsky.social
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Lesser Spot Network @lesserspotnet.bsky.social · 22/11/2025
Something to celebrate - our 2025 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker report - successful breeding season, the most nests monitored & highest number of chicks fledged per nest since we started in 2015. Acoustic monitoring giving amazing results too, download here www.woodpecker-network.org.uk/images/L_S_W...
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker at its nest in New Forest, photo by Steve LaycockSix Lesser Spot young in a Quantocks nest, photo Gus Robin
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 25/09/2025
Wow.
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 19/09/2025
Group of eleven Black-throated divers seen from the Applecross Inn, looking towards Skye. Earlier had a pair of WT Eagle overhead - so close the pic was with my phone.
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Somerset Ornithological Society @somersetbirds.bsky.social · 19/08/2025
The latest issue of the SOS newsletter - the Bittern - is winging its way to members' inboxes this week. somersetbirding.org.uk/membership/
somersetbirding.org.uk
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Lesser Spot Network @lesserspotnet.bsky.social · 18/08/2025
1 Pleased to be presenting the latest results gathered by Woodpecker-Network volunteers on Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers and what we can do to conserve them better #BOUatEOU www.woodpecker-netwo...
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 15/06/2025
Three Green Woodpecker chicks in a Quantock nest this morning
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 31/05/2025
Four nests have been found so far across Devon and Somerset, including one brood of six). There’s still time to find more this week @lesserspotnet.bsky.social
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 26/05/2025
Excellent find Stu and probably the first LSW nest found using a thermal camera. Brilliant effort. Hopefully it will have a good outcome despite the lateness of the predicted fledge date (the chicks look very young).
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 21/05/2025
Here are young GSW calling from their nest site (this was filmed in early June, but some GSW nests are noisy now) @lesserspotnet.bsky.social
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 21/05/2025
Here are young LSW calling from a nest site in a birch stump @lesserspotnet.bsky.social
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 19/05/2025
…and thermal cameras do help find and monitor woodpecker nests! Here’s a Great Spotted Woodpecker nest on a cool morning with older chicks making plenty of heat. @lesserspotnet.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social (Hikmicro Falcon FQ35 but SW optics have kindly loaned a Hikmicro Lynx 2.0 too.)
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 17/05/2025
This ground-level Pied Fly nest now has seven eggs and adults seen at the nest @piedflynet.bsky.social @hurlstone.bsky.social
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 10/05/2025
Pied Fly pair have built a nest in this root hole, no eggs yet. Warm on thermal imaging. @piedflynet.bsky.social
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 28/04/2025
Hi Carl, the @lesserspotnet.bsky.social works hard to find and monitor LSW on the Quantocks, would you be willing to share your sighting record details with us?
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 26/04/2025
4 Pied Fly eggs in the earliest of the nests on my Quantock run of boxes. 7/16 boxes have PiedFly so far and have really cracked on this week @piedflynet.bsky.social
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 16/04/2025
My first Cuckoo of the year calling in Aisholt wood, Quantocks today (view is towards Aisholt Common)
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 14/04/2025
Wood chips from an oak on the path - looked up to see a new GSW nest in progress in Hodders Co, Quantock Hills. (There’s an older hole below the new one too.)
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 12/04/2025
A day of two halves in Somerset too - started with woodpeckers, Pied Fly and Ring Ouzels on the Quantocks, then the Whiskered Tern on the way home to start Acoustic Pipeline woodpecker recording analysis. Fingers crossed!
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 06/04/2025
Lots of PiedFly on the Quantocks this morning, maybe five males on a loop walk.
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 05/04/2025
These will both be listening for LSW at historical sites from today. Fingers crossed! Thanks for your work @simongillings.bsky.social @lesserspotnet.bsky.social (And thanks to the Quantock Natural Landscapes team for the equipment loan.)
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 01/04/2025
Red Kite over Higher Hare Knap, Quantocks, plus all three woodpeckers on the route in and out of the Combes. 3 GSW, 3 Green, 3 LSW!
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 23/03/2025
Three LSW were heard (one seen) on a Somerset OS Quantock walk today looking for signs and holes of woodpeckers. Sadly no LSW encounters yesterday on the same route, despite better weather. Thanks to the brave folk who braved the hills and I hope we find more territories and nest sites this year.
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
We heard one that morning, but not everyone got it. Perhaps Lesser Spotted Woodpecker should get one of the stamps on the bbc news this morning! @lesserspotnet.bsky.social (Had 5+ heard this morning drumming this morning, somewhere else in the NF!)
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 06/03/2025
I was on holiday from Somerset exactly because of this! Have a look at the woodpecker network website if you want to read about our work in the uk, finding and monioring birds, esp Lesser Spots.
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 06/03/2025
Had a pair of Syrian this afternoon. No Green in Poland, but that’s ok by me.
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 06/03/2025
We saw many Lesser Spotted, they were plentiful.
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angusrobin.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
The 8 were: Lesser, Middle, Great, White-backed, Black, Grey-headed, Three-toed and…damn, only 7 - need to find a Green this afternoon now!
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