Sign in

Arto Maatta

@artom.bsky.social
1.4K followers 987 following 1.5K posts

Birding, moths, and general interest in nature. A retired Cell Biologist.

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Arto Maatta
teesmouthbirdclub.bsky.social @teesmouthbirdclub.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Released 5 Oct. Tees Estuary area. Juv female peregrine with BTO ring. She is distinctive because her in-care feeding, has prematurely coloured her bare parts yellow like a full adult. Date and location observations are welcome. @teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social
1146
Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Good luck with your new camera 📷!
110
Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Sometimes they spread wings a bit when resting giving a glimpse of red colour.
010
Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Looks like Red Underwing (Catocala nupta). Their hind wings have striking black and red colour I’m not sure how widespread they are in Germany.
210
Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Declining here, too - but a few more records ranging from 4 to 9 in the last five years after a really poor decade.
010
Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Fingers crossed for you! I was pretty pleased when I saw it on the wall as they are quite uncommon here.
110
Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
The best trap since mid-September, 60 of 23 sp. Merveille du Jour was the first for the autumn, Figure of Eight a garden ✅, while Grey Shoulder-knot and Yellow-line & Red-line Quakers were also nfy. #TeamMoth @teesbirds.bsky.social
Merveille du Jour on a red autumn leafFigure of Eight Grey Shoulder-knotYellow-line Quaker (left) and Red-line Quaker
2434
Reposted by Arto Maatta
Wellcome Sanger Institute @sangerinstitute.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
You swat them away, but more come to replace them – flies are survival experts. Read our latest blog to hear from our experts on why these two-winged wonders are worth studying. 🪰 sangerinstitute.blog/2026/08/20/six…
sangerinstitute.blog
Six facts about midges and gnats - Wellcome Sanger Institute Blog
Small flies, big mysteries. Genomics can help reveal the evolutionary picture of these two-winged wonders. Small flies, big mysteries. Genomics can help reveal the evolutionary picture of these two-winged wonders.
0175
Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Thanks! They were quite confining, staying close to a busy stretch of the coastal path. Much more exciting than the current meagre moth trap catches.
130
Reposted by Arto Maatta
Christian Loyo @christianloyo.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
"most [young scientists] have never experienced a payline above 12% or tasted a chloroform-isoamyl alcohol mixture, and I genuinely do not know which of those losses is more devastating." Easily the best thing I've read this week inpreparation.substack.com/p/opinion-re...
inpreparation.substack.com
Opinion: I Miss When The NIH Payline Was 40% And We All Mouth-Pipetted Phenol
By Dr. Douglas R. Waverly, Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry, Yale University
0143
Reposted by Arto Maatta
Jocelyn Anderson Photography @jocelynanderson.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
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!
649754
Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Happy Birthday, Peggy 🥳
010
Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Cheers! Well worth a visit if you have not yet been there!
110
Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Thanks! For once, the light was good up here.
010
Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Thanks!
000
Reposted by Arto Maatta
Hugh Harrop @hughharrop.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
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
1637643
Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
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 Shore Lark on sandy groundClose-up of a Shore Lark picking seeds from grass
4862
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
Blair’s Shoulder-knotRhomboid TortrixPink-barred SallowBox-treeMoth
0352
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 rightRed-breasted Flycatcher on a sycamore branch, facing left.
0592
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
0322
Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
I had 6 of 5 last nigh, so not bothering tonight.
050
Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Bit of a shocker that last photo 🥶.
150
Reposted by Arto Maatta
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 😂
7848
Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Good luck! Fingers crossed for a mega.
110
Reposted by Arto Maatta
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.
1046150
Reposted by Arto Maatta
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
1421364
Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Sunset in Durham about half an hour ago. Clouds are disappand and temperatures dropping now.
Sunset with red and yellow colours reflected on thin cloud cover
261
Reposted by Arto Maatta
Elina Mäntylä @elinamantyla.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Heylen et al. Lyme beyond the season: late-autumn dissemination of infected ticks by southward migrating redwings (Turdus iliacus) link.springer.com/article/10.1... #ornithology
link.springer.com
Lyme beyond the season: late-autumn dissemination of infected ticks by southward migrating redwings (Turdus iliacus) - Parasites & Vectors
Background Climate warming is altering the seasonal timing of many ecological interactions. Migratory birds typically time their movements using photoperiodic cues, whereas the activity of ectoparasit...
0115
Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Barred S is a good catch! I added Pink-barred Sallow to the year list, but slim pickings otherwise.
130
Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
I’m seconding what Andy said! I have always enjoyed reading your thoughts, Carl.
021
Reposted by Arto Maatta
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 🙏
22528
Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Yes
000
Reposted by Arto Maatta
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).
620261
Reposted by Arto Maatta
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
3407
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
Brown-spot PinionDark Sword-grassLight EmeraldAspila janthinana (a.k.a Grapholita janthinana, Hawthorn Piercer
1382
Reposted by Arto Maatta
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
0116
Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Brilliant!!
120
Reposted by Arto Maatta
Andy Stockhausen @andy-1963.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Wow! P Hall's image of Red-billed Tropicbird off Porthgwarra this morning #ukbirding
418725
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 🪶
Merlin standing on ground
0504
Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
I have been wondering if they have a parasitic wasp that has not yet caught up with the leaf-miner’s range expansion and will eventually catch up and curtail the moth population.
131
Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
That’s why I have been waiting for an adult in the moth trap - we have a few completely ravaged trees in our neighbourhood! (The speed of the spreading of the moth has been phenomenal).
010
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.
1392
Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Glad that you managed to see the BBS and had such a great time at our neck of woods!
110
Reposted by Arto Maatta
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.
1436
Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
They are on their way I had a quick peek at the 🇫🇮 record submission website. 32 Yellowbrows there yesterday, many of them at west coast locations.
162
Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Same problem for me. Happens rarely, usually switching the phone off & on again helps but not this time.
010
Reposted by Arto Maatta
WildBirdAcoustics.bsky.social @wildbirdacoustics.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
blogbirder.blogspot.com/2026/09/bird... What an incredible day of birding, a summary at the link below…
blogbirder.blogspot.com
Birding at Hällögern; 18th September 2026
Above; A cracking juvenile Honey Buzzard overhead this morning on a day when the island produced the goods... When things go well here on ...
071
Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Good to find the same leaf!! You are having a nice run of county firsts now.
020
Arto Maatta @artom.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Great record! Congrats for the county first!
020