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Reposted by Arto Maatta

Jocelyn Anderson Photography @jocelynanderson.bsky.social · 11h

I rarely see Tennessee Warblers in the Spring but happily see quite a few of them in the Fall. Most of them fly across the Gulf of Mexico to get to their wintering grounds. Safe travel little birdies!

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Hugh Harrop @hughharrop.bsky.social · 21h

Over the moon (to put it mildly) to find this first year male SIBERIAN BLUE ROBIN in our garden at Hillwell, Shetland this morning. The fifth record for Britain and a first for Shetland. #BirdingScotland #UKbirding #RareBirdsUK #Birds #UKWildlife

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Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 18h

Two brilliant Shore Larks at sunny South Shield Leas today. Glad that they stayed overnight. #NEbirding #BirdsSeenIn2026 @teesbirds.bsky.social

Shore Lark on a cliff top rock against blue sky

Close-up of a Shore Lark picking seeds from grass

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Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Only 20 moths of 14 sp last night despite the mild and cloudy weather. However, Blair’s Shoulder-knot and Rhomboid Tortrix were nfy, Pink-barred Sallow provided some colour and a late Box-tree Moth is maybe a 2nd generation one. #TeamMoth @teesbirds.bsky.social

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Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Red-breasted Flycatcher at Marsden Limekiln this morning. Thanks to the finder! One of the several good birds in the county today. #NEbirding @teesbirds.bsky.social

Red-breasted Flycatcher on a bramble, facing right.

Red-breasted Flycatcher on a bramble, facing left.

Red-breasted Flycatcher on a sycamore branch, facing right

Red-breasted Flycatcher on a sycamore branch, facing left.

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Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

My morning walk on coast didn’t result in any good finds, so a bit of afternoon twitching thanks to a Corncrake found by @mickthebirder71.bsky.social in Seaham was very welcome. Everyone present got brief but good flight views after 4 pm - a nice county ✅ for me. #NEbirding @teesbirds.bsky.social

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The White Falcon @markgolley.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Coming soon to the UK... If you're a gambler, the smart money is on the impending appearance of a Nutcracker on our shores. By way of pre-emptive celebs, here's the two outrageous individuals that were part of my youth ~ Westleton November 1985 & Cocknage Wood, October 1991. Epic rare! #rarebirdsuk

1985 was a stunning year of rare bird chasing for me. One of only two occasions I hit the magic 300 mark for the yearlist and, within them, some truly outstanding birds, including one or two that still haven't "come back" (hello Little Whimbrel 👋). The autumn of 1985 was crammed full of new birds for me. A host of rarities around Scilly was followed by some tremendous long weekends bunking off school for twitches to East Anglia. The Westleton Nutcracker was supplemented by Long-billed Dowitcher, Rough-legged Buzzard, Grey Phalarope & more...(another weekend would produce the famous How Hill Black-and-white Warbler plus Snow Goose, White-tailed Eagle and - again - more! There was a Pied Wheatear in there too somewhere...

This absolute character gave ludicrous views on the edge of Stoke-on-Trent through October 1991. I think I was looking at the board of the Porthcressa when it was written large on the blackboard. My erstwhile companion, Graham Etherington, was a Stoke boy and he couldn't quite believe it...
We came off Scilly for the Flamborough Desert Warbler and took in a visit to Cocknage Wood (and Graham's mum!) and were blown away by the fearless spotty one...somewhere there is a photo of me and the bird, side by side, one of us mugging off for the camera 😂

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Jocelyn Anderson Photography @jocelynanderson.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

I'm not sure if it was a fish or a frog that this Green Heron spotted, but it was something exciting enough to make the bird go into mohawk mode.

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Patrick Barkham @patrickbarkham.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

I've written Joe Harkness's obituary for the Guardian. I hope it pays good tribute to a wonderful man who was brave, honest and made the world a better place. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

theguardian.com

Joe Harkness obituary

Writer, teacher and naturalist who explored the effects of the natural world on neurodivergency

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West Coast Birdwatching @westcoastbirds.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

HELP NEEDED! There is a stranded Manx Shearwater in the West Midlands (SOLIHULL) that needs a ride back to the coast. Can anyone in that area help? Even to take it some of the way and pass on to another volunteer? Please call 01437 723193 if you can help 🙏

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Mika Rantanen @mikarantane.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Radar image of Tuesday's mass crane migration. A 100 km long line of migrating cranes was clearly visible on weather radar. It is estimated that around 10,000 (?) cranes were involved in that formation. The highest count observed was 26,000 migrating cranes on that day in Kangasala (near Tampere).

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Alexander Lees @alexanderlees.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Full haul from the Challenger Expedition #UKBirding

White-faced Storm Petrel- one from Challenger 1 expedition to continental shelf; also Madeiran Storm Petrel (19 September), 3 Barolo-type shearwaters (19, 20 and 21 September), South Polar Skua (19 September), Desertas-type petrel (19 September), 1+ Scopoli's Shearwater (19 September), 102 Wilson's Storm Petrels, 14 Grey Phalaropes, 8 Long-tailed Skuas, 3 Leach's Storm Petrels, 707 Great Shearwaters, 1,457 Cory's Shearwaters, 15 Pomarine Skuas, 63 Sooty Shearwaters, 191 European Storm Petrels and 2 European Turtle Doves (!), plus Leatherback Turtle, Northern Bottlenose Whale, 3+ Fin Whales, Risso's Dolphin, 10 Blue Sharks, swordfish sp and 3 Ocean Sunfish, all between 17-23 September

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Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Not much happening in the moth front in our garden in the last two nights. Brown-spot Pinion was the only year ✅. Also, the first Dark Sword-grass of the autumn, some 2nd gen moths such as Light Emerald, and a very late Aspila janthinana. Durham, VC66. #TeamMoth @teesbirds.bsky.social

Aspila janthinana (a.k.a Grapholita janthinana, Hawthorn Piercer

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Andrew Harrop @ahjharrop.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

A detailed discussion of Lesser Kestrel identification (in English): #BirdingScotland marcduquet.com/wp-content/u...

marcduquet.com

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Andy Stockhausen @andy-1963.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Wow! P Hall's image of Red-billed Tropicbird off Porthgwarra this morning #ukbirding

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Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

A smart Merlin at Saltholme Pools hide today afternoon. Baird’s Sandpiper was showing on/off at the far side of Back Saltholme Pool but giving scope views only - it was much too distant for my camera. #NEbirding @teesbirds.bsky.social 🪶

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Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Windy weather yesterday evening so no surprise that the moth trap was the poorest one since the early spring with 41 of 11 sp. Nevertheless, Horse-chestnut Leaf-miner was a long-awaited year ✅. Durham, VC66 #TeamMoth @teesbirds.bsky.social

Horse-chestnut Leaf Miner (Cameraria ohridella), a very small light-brown moth with thin white chevron marks that have partial distal black lining.

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James Lowen Wildlife @jameslowenwild.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Always stay alert… Walking past some ivy on a southeast London street. My subconscious discerns a micromoth fizzing. Turns out to be Clepsis dumicolana. Turns out there are a dozen. Relatively recent, ivy-feeding colonist. And new for me.

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Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

The recent good run of rare and scarce waders in the county continues. Great to see the Lesser Yellowlegs at Saltholme RSBP today & thanks to the finders, @carolynfarry.bsky.social and Tim Robinson! 🪶 #NEbirding #RareBirdsUK @teesbirds.bsky.social

Lesser Yellowlegs wading on shallow water, looking for prey

Lesser Yellowlegs wading in shallow water with its bill slightly open

Lesser Yellowlegs feeding on shallow water

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Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Heavily cropped photos of the Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Castle Lake, Bishop Middleham, today afternoon. Thanks to Kevin Stead for finding it! The long-staying Pec Sand was feeding nearby on the same shoreline. #UKbirding #rarebirdsUK @teesbirds.bsky.social 🪶

Distant, cropped photo of a Buff-breasted Sandpiper

Buff-breasted Sandpiper probing mud with its bill

Buff-breasted Sandpiper feeding at the grassy edge of a muddy shore of a lake

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Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

One more photo of this morning’s Clifden Nonpareil - a lifer for me 🥳 while an Orange Sallow was a year ✅. The total catch 105 of 22 sp was better than yesterday’s 64 of 13 when this subtle Lunar Underwing was the first one for the autumn. #TeamMoth @teesbirds.bsky.social

Clifden Nonpareil with its wings partly open so that the blue band on black hindwing can be seen.

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Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

A pleasant surprise on the moth sheet when I went out at 6 am to switch off the light 😃. I made a sharp turn back indoors to fetch a bigger container for the Clifden Nonpareil. #TeamMoth @teesbirds.bsky.social

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Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Fantastic new plant lifers for me thanks to Camilla 😍. Both at iconic locations: Scilla at Berry Head and the orchid at Dawlish Warren.

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Camilla Lauren-Maatta @camillalm.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Not one #favouriteplant for #wildflowerhour but two, Autumn Scilla and Autumn Lady's-tresses, from our holiday in south Devon this week

Prospero autumnale, previously Scilla autumnalis, with a raceme of lilac flowers, each with 6 tepals

Spiranthes spiralis, a tiny white orchid, with spirally arranged flowers

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Richard Lewington @rlewington2.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Celebrating receiving an advance copy of my new Magnum Opus (with 4,000 images), by catching a Clifden Nonpareil on the same day.

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Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

We are gradually making our way back home from Devon and stopped at Ham Wall RSBP, Somerset, to stretch our legs. Glossy Ibis was the best bird there, showing well from the Avalon Hide. #UKbirding 🪶

Close-up cropped photo of a Glossy Ibis feeding at the edge of a pond

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Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

The final trap of our holiday in Shaldon (VC3) gave again a couple of nice new moth ✅ to me -Portland Ribbon Wave and Mullein Wave. Also yet another Vestal, Rusty-dot Pearl, Dusky & Early Thorns and E.flammealis. #TeamMoth

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Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Lina thinks that gulls would get much better response and plenty of treats if they would simply sit patiently and stare at humans with sad eyes (some gentle nudges help, too). Photo by @camillalm.bsky.social #labrador #dogs

A yellow Labrador Retriever contemplates a sign outside a pub beer garden warning about gulls that steal food.

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Carl T. Bergstrom @carlbergstrom.com · 08/09/2026

This merlin just flew into my house and landed on my desk while I was taking a zoom call. I now have at least one colleague who thinks I need to come up with better excuses to get out of meetings.

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Alexander Lees @alexanderlees.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Potential first record for the Northern Hemisphere. Suddenly on the radar for seawatchers in the NE Atlantic too... #UKBirding #IrishBirding #Ornithology

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Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Lime-speck Pug on the wall of our holiday let in Shaldon, Devon. #TeamMoth

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Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Dunnock at Dartmoor today. We saw also 3 Ravens, 6 Stonechats and 2 Whitethroats during a couple of hours long stroll near Haytor Rocks. #UKbirding 🪶

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Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Clouded Yellow at Dawlish Warren today afternoon. At least five were actively flying around and feeding near the visitor centre. #butterflies #UKwildlife 🦋

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Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Sanderlings at Dawlish Warren today afternoon. #UKbirding 🪶

Sanderling picking insects from a small pile of seaweed

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Gary Woodburn @gary-woodburn.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Info back from the Stavanger Ringing Scheme regarding the recent Red-backed Shrike at Low Newton. Ringed 10 days earlier on Norway's south coast, it covered 657km/408 miles to reach Low Newton. It's the first ever recovery of a Norwegian ringed Red-backed Shrike in the UK ! #NEbirding #BirdRinging

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Damian Money @damianmoney.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Striped Hawkmoth from my Skelton garden trap last night. A first for Cleveland I think, unless anybody else has had one recently ? @bcyorkshire.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social @migrantmothuk.bsky.social @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social @northyorksbirds.bsky.social

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Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

More holiday moths from Shaldon, Devon. Our cottage has only a small front yard, but the travel trap still attracted 2 lifers - Small Blood Vein and Cosmopterix pulchrimella. Also, SMW & Vine’s Rustic worth mention. 2 Vestals & Humminbird H-m at Labrador Bay in the afternoon. #TeamMoth

Cosmopterix pulchrimella (Pellitory Beauty)

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Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Lina approved today’s starting point for the afternoon walk. #labrador #dogs

Me and Lina, a yellow labrador retriever, standing in front of a sign that says Labrador Bay Nature Reserve.

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Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

One of my madder ideas - but it worked. I left the outdoor light of our holiday let on (Shaldon, Devon) & found 5 moth sp on the wall in the morning, including a lifer: Mecyna asinalis! Earlier yesterday I found a Vestal at Teignmouth Morrisons car park😃 (thanks to the 🐕 for that). #TeamMoth

Mecyna asinalis (Madder Pearl) on a white wall.

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Matt Bruce @mattjbruce.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Egyptian Nightjar on a boulder beach at Virkie, Shetland this afternoon. Incredible. #UKBirding #RareBirds

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Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI) @bsbibotany.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Here's a great opportunity to support Identiplant, our very popular online #WildflowerID course: by becoming an Identiplant tutor! Find out how you can help beginner botanists get started, by attending an online intro session at 7pm on Tuesday 22 Sept: www.tickettailor.com/events/botan...

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Rachel Leggett @rleggos.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

I got the shot. I've been scheming and hoping the conditions would work out for this for two weeks!! 🪶

A broad-tailed hummingbird hovers next to an anise hyssop plant framed by purple blooms and with a rainbow behind it!!! The bird also has a little bead of water on its bill because it is raining.

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Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Many thanks to Derek Charlton for finding this smart Red-backed Shrike near Hetton-le-Hill today and helping with the exact location. An excellent bird to get on my 10km from home patch list! #NEbirding @teesbirds.bsky.social

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Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

While waiting for the Wryneck to appear at South Gare (VC62) I noticed grass moths flitting around and managed to grab a photo. Looks like that they are Agriphila geniculea (Chevron Grass Moth) - a lifer for me! (but happy to be corrected, if needed) #TeamMoth @teesbirds.bsky.social

Agriphila geniculea, Chevron Grass Moth, on ground among low vegetation

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Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

There’s a Wryneck trying to hide behind the leaves in the photo. The bird at South Gare,Teesmouth, was typically elusive today afternoon. Thanks to @gjsharplesbirding.bsky.social for brief scope views of the whole bird! #NEbirding @teesbirds.bsky.social

Wryneck on a rose tree branch, partly hidden behind leaves.

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Camilla Lauren-Maatta @camillalm.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

The Narrow-leaved Ragwort Senecio inaequidens, an alien species originally from South Africa, very abundant on wasteland above sand dunes at South Gare, Teesside #wildflowerhour

Bushy plant with linear fleshy leaves and yellow daisy-like flowers

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Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Last night’s trapping brought 170 moths of 22sp. What I think is an Angle-barred Pug is a garden ✅. Generally, not much colour in this week’s traps but Red-green Carpet this morning and Yellow-barred Brindle yesterday were nice to see. #TeamMoth @teesbirds.bsky.social

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