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Phil Saunders

@beardybirder.bsky.social
1.4K followers 1.3K following 965 posts

Professional bird botherer & bug chaser (not like that), based in Dorset. Freelance ecologist / leader for Wildlife Travel #LGBTQinSTEM. Mainly birds, inverts, & plants, with the occasional arty photo. All views my own.

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Reposted by Phil Saunders
Portland Bird Observatory @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Barred Warbler trapped at the Obs
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Reposted by Phil Saunders
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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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Just ooof
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Durwyn and I ran 6 traps at Durlston CP last night, record'g 50 spp, incl'g Sombre Brocade, Beautiful Gothic, Hoary Footman, Jersey Mocha, & many Mecyna asinalis, plus Bordered & SB Straw, Pearly U'wing, & P.vitrealis on the migrant front #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
An arrowhead shaped Sombre Brocade moth is viewed from above as it rests, facing upwards, on a sheet of grey card. The moth is patterned in shades of brown and black, with several diffuse stigma visible on the upperwing.An arrowhead shaped Beautiful Gothic moth is viewed from above as it rests, facing upwards, on a sheet of grey card. The moth is boldly chequered with brown polygons offset by cream lines of varying thickness, & two warmer brown stigma are also present. The moth is spreading its finely feathered antennae.A Jersey Mocha moth is viewed from above as it rests, wings spread and facing upwards, on a sheet of grey card. The moth is pale orange-buff in colour, with dense darker speckling across the upperwings and has single, hard to spot, white dots present in the centre of each wing.A cylindrical Hoary Footman moth is viewed from above as it rests, facing right, on a sheet of grey card. The moth has a dull orange head and long orange-yellow legs, whilst its tightly rolled wings are a very pale grey.
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
My 1st ever Many-lined in the Upton garden trap last night was much appreciated, after several other local records recently, with 2 Golden Twin-spot, Dewick's Plusia, Deep-brown Dart, 3 Blair's Mocha, & 10 Vestal the best of the rest #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
A Many-lined moth rests, wings spread and bathed in MV light, on the pale wooden inner wall of a moth trap. The moth is finely striped/lined in shades of brown and grey, with a single small black stigma visible in each forewing. The moth had unfortunately exited the trap overnight, so no better photos were taken.A roughly arrowhead shaped, and somewhat tatty, Deep-brown Dart moth rests, facing upwards and slightly to the left, on a grey-green egg box. The moth is largely coloured dark brown, with a broad darker band noticeable across the middle of each forewing.A triangular shaped Vestal moth is viewed in profile as it faces left on a grey-green egg box. The moth's creamy base colour is strongly suffused with pink, and a thick pink band runs across the middle of its upperwing.
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Reposted by Phil Saunders
Tom Lowe @saloplarus.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Magical morning on the Wirral with 36 Leach's Storm-petrels heading west into the wind, some more offshore than others 😍 #seawatching #superseabirdSunday
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Reposted by Phil Saunders
Wildlife Travel @wildlifetraveller.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Brazil, where even the small cats are big our group are now headed back along the Transpantaneira, having spent three amazing days with the Jaguars of Porto Jofre but the trip is far from over, as this Ocelot (our 2nd of the trip!) would like to point out #WildlifeTravelling in the #Pantanal
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Some interesting bycatch from the Upton garden moth traps this morning in the form of the bugs Eremocoris fenestratus & Kleidocerys resedae, & the parasitic wasp Diplazon laetatorius.
A Diplazon laetatorius wasp rests, facing upwards and seen obliquely in profile, on the pale wooden wall of a moth trap. The moth has a black head, thorax, & long curled antennae. It's first two oairs of legs are red-orange, whilst its hind pair are mostly ringed black and red, but with a diagnostic single white band.A tiny Kleidocerys resedae bug rests, facing upwards, alongside the thumbnail of a pale pink coloured thumb. The bug has long black and orange banded antennae, orange legs, and a triangular shaped head and thoracic region. The animal is boldly patterned in shades of brown, black, and umber.A darkly chunky Eremocoris fenestratus bug rests, facing upwards, on a grey egg box. The insect is mostly blackish in colouration, with reddish tibia and wing patches. Two large whitish patches can be seen towards the end of the abdomen.
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
104/30 in the Upton garden traps this morning, albeit 1/2 of which were LYU. Notables incl'd another Golden Twin-spot, plus Pediasia contaminella & Acrobasis suavella, whilst Autumnal Rustic & Brindled Green were NFY. A box fresh SM Willow was my 1st in a while too #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social
A grey coloured and narrowly arrowhead shaped Small Mottled Willow moth rests, facing the camera, on a grey egg box. The moth is marbled with black & brown tones, and has a large orange-brown stigma in the centre of each forewing.A capuchino coloured Autumnal Rustic moth rests, facing upwards, on a grey egg box. The moth has several rectangular dark brown marks along the edge of each forewing and large black eyes.A densely vermiculated black, green, and brown Brindled Green moth rests, facing upwards and seen obliquely in profile, on a grey egg box.A cylindrical and brown coloured Pediasia contaminella (Rolled Grass-moth) rests, facing right, on a grey egg box. Seen in profile, the moth is diagnostically holding its abdomen raised up at a shallow angle.
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
I can't wait to lead this @wildlifetraveller.bsky.social holiday to the amazing #Pantanal in September 2027 - check out wildlife-travel.co.uk/our-holidays... if you fancy joining us in exploring one of the world's most amazing wild places.
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Another 3hr seawatch from Durlston CP this morning, in the company of several of the Purbeck great & good, produced 3 Balearic Shearwater, an Arctic Skua, 4 apiece of Common Scoter & Sandwich Tern, & a dribble of auks, Kittiwakes, & Gannet @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
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Patrick Barkham @patrickbarkham.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Rest in peace, Joe Harkness. I was shocked and gutted when I heard the news. He was a generous, inspirational teacher and such an important writer. He was brutally honest, inclusive and funny too. When I interviewed him last summer (below) he was so full of life. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
‘Intrinsically connected’: how human neurodiversity could help save nature
Biodiversity is linked to people’s diversity, and nature lends itself to people who are different, says author Joe Harkness
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Garry Hayman @purbeckpilgrim.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Highlights from Middlebere watch with @beardybirder.bsky.social @jolmitchell.bsky.social @moorebirdsbybike.bsky.social 2 Osprey, 4 poss 5 Spotted Redshank, 22 Knot, 10 Greenshank, 4 Great White Egret, 296 Blackwit, 29 Dunlin and a Yellow-legged Gull. @harbourbirds.bsky.social
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Reposted by Phil Saunders
Wildlife Travel @wildlifetraveller.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
The Pantanal is living up to the hype... #WildlifeTravelling in #Brazil
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Reposted by Phil Saunders
Owen Leyshon @dungenessowen.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
A wonderful spectacle of the thousands of House Martins gathering on wires and on the Power Station at Dungeness early this morning I reckon 8,000+ #KentBirding
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
This Wall butterfly was living up to its name when I found it resting alongside the actinic trap in the Upton garden this morning. Always a lovely species to encounter and a (perhaps overdue) first for the site.
A Wall butterfly rests in profile, facing upwards, on a weathered red brick and white mortar wall. The butterfly's rounded wings are tightly closed and the underwings are banded/streaked in shades of brown and black. Six large "eye spots" are located around the termen of the hindwing.
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
A nice array of migrants amongst 45/19 in the Upton garden this morning incl'd an apparent Tuta absoluta (NFM), Palpita vitrealis, R.Veneer, & RDP. Plusiids were also well represented, with 2 Golden Twin-spot, Dewick's Plusia, & Silver Y #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
Poor record shot of an apparent Tuta absoluta (Tomato Leaf-miner) micromoth facing right on the pale wooden floor of a moth trap. The moth is narrowly cylindrical and it's wings are heavily speckled grey and brown on a creamy background, whilst its long legs and antennae are closely ringed black and white.A Dewick's Plusia moth rests in profile, facing downward, on the pale wooden wall of a moth trap. The moth's wings are roughly triangular shaped and there is an ornate crest atop the thorax. The moth is mainly dark brown in colour, with a copper panel in the middle of the upperwing bordered by an obvious thick white streak.A Golden Twin-spot moth faces the viewer, triangular wings spread, as it rests on top of a grey egg box. The moth is coloured a mix of gold and warm brown, with two large white spots visible in the middle of each upperwing.A Silver Y moth is seen in profile as it faces left on top of a grey egg box. The moth is coloured a mix of grey, black, and and lilac, with an obvious white "Y" mark visible in the middle of the upperwing. The moth also sports an ornate crest on the top of its thorax.
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Reposted by Phil Saunders
Ben Sheldon @sheldonbirds.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Such an impressive compilation of data from tracked birds across (most of) the global range and diversity of Whimbrel in this new collaborative paper in Ibis: look at the map - so many major transoceanic movements onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
A tasty little seawatch from Durlston CP this morning (0642 - 1035hrs), with some excellent westerly tern passage: Balearic Shear' 1, A.Skua 3, Arctic Tern 107, Common Tern 11, Commic Tern 98, C.Scoter 14, Razorbill 14, Auk sp 44, Swallow 385, & a close breaching Tuna @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
A "helice" Clouded Yellow bombing through the Upton garden just now was only my second record for the site.
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
A not unexpected 53/19 this morning in the Upton garden, after the first really clear & chilly night of the autumn, with a couple of Vestal and decidely tatty examples of Centre-barred Sallow & Small China-mark the only species of any note #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social
A very worn, roughly triangular shaped, Small China-mark micromoth rests, facing upwards, on the pale wooden inner wall of a moth trap. The moth is largely off-white coloured, but with a glimpse of black markings on its underwings.An arrowhead shaped, orange and yellow coloured, Centre-barred Sallow moth, viewed from above and facing left at an oblique angle, rests on a blue egg box.A triangular shaped Vestal moth faces left on a grey-green egg box. The moth is cream coloured, with a full red stripe across the wing and has obviously feathered antennae.
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Woah!
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
A brace of Whinchat, plus singles of Wheatear, Garden Warbler, & Golden Plover, the best from a few stubbornly foggy hours at St Aldhelm's Head this morning @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
A Wheatear perches right of centre atop a green-leaved bramble bush, with green and yellow stubble, a low muckheap, and a partially open barn visible in the fog behind.
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Reposted by Phil Saunders
Nige Jarman @nigej.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
A short video of a few of the 10000+ House Martins #Bockhill this morning, gathering on the Monument.
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Reposted by Phil Saunders
British Arachnological Society @britishspiders.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Turned out to be the pink day of our members' weekend, with fantastic numbers of Heather Crab Spider Thomisus onustus and towering Dorset Heath Erica ciliaris among other epic species in the wonderful Morden Bog.
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
104/35 in the Upton garden traps this morning after a damp night, incl'g a record count of 4 Golden Twin-spot (certainly est'd locally now), a probable Langmaid's Yellow U'wing, 2 Blair's Mocha, & a Vestal, with a hint of autumn courtesy of my 1st Sallow of the yr #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social
An arrowhead shaped, yellow and brown marbled, Sallow moth rests facing right on the white plastic housing of a moth trap.Two Golden Twin-spot moths rest, head downward, on a pale grey wooden plank. The moths are each brassy-hued, with ornate crests on the top of their thoraxes and two obvious white spots on each of their forewings.A Golden Twin-spot moth rests, facing right, on a grey-green egg box. The moth is brassy-hued, with an ornate crest on the top of its thorax, and with two obvious white spots visible on its forewing.A pale pinkish-brown Blair's Mocha moth rests, wings spread and angled slightly to the right, on a grey-green egg box. The moth has a single, small, black-ringed white spot in the middle of each wing.
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Still ticking over at St Aldhelm's Head this morning with 2 Whinchat, 14 Wheatear, 11 Blackcap, 20 Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 10+ flava Wag', & 113 Mipit the pick of the migrants, plus another presumed migrant Lesser Emperor hawking the cliffs east of Coastguards @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
View looking east along Pier Bottom at St Aldhelm's Head, beneath a cloudy grey sky. A large, three waypointed, wooden sign is in the left foreground, with the bare earth of the coast path just behind it and a wooden style visible to the right. Pier Bottom is behind, comprising a gently sloping valley with green and yellow grass and scattered scrub.
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Reposted by Phil Saunders
Richard K Broughton @richardkbroughton.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Mainstream conservation headed by Operation Turtle Dove (partners RSPB, Natural England, Pensthorpe Conservation Trust & Fair to Nature) is clear that such releases are reckless, unhelpful, not supported. Yet a National Park Authority is doing it anyway. #ornithology www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Turtle doves released in South Downs in bid to stop extinction
Conservationists release more than two dozen turtle doves in the South Downs National Park.
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
67/26 after a cool night in the Upton garden incl'd my 1st ever beautifully pavonine (& absolutely tiny) Tebenna micalis - a much wanted micro, plus the 11th(!) Ni Moth of the yr, 2 Vestal & RDP, Silver Y, Turnip, & Centre-barred Sallow #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
A Tebenna micalis (Beautiful Twitcher) micromoth faces the camera as it rests on the bottom of a transparent plastic tube set on a pale wooden surface. The moth's furled wings are roughly triangular and are patterned with bands of white, grey, and brown. Six large black spots, each marked with sparkling white, are located towards the termen and fine iridescent blue lines can just be made out running away from the head on the upper half of the forewings.
A Tebenna micalis (Beautiful Twitcher) micromoth is viewed from the side as it obliquely faces left on the bottom of a transparent plastic tube set on a pale wooden surface. The moth's furled wings are roughly triangular and are patterned with bands of white, grey, and brown. Six large black spots, each marked with sparkling white, are located towards the termen and fine iridescent blue lines can just be made out running away from the head on the upper half of the forewings.
An arrow head shaped Centre-barred Sallow moth rests, facing upwards, in a grey-green egg box. The moth's wings are a bright orange-yellow with a ruddy brown band running across the middle and along the termen. The head is the same colour.An arrow head shaped Ni Moth rests, facing obliquely right, on a grey egg box. The moth is densely patterned in shades of grey and brown, and has a distinctive swollen white "Y" mark halfway along the wing.
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
theguardian.com
Country diary: Wetland plants have prospered this year – and I love this understated beauty | Sarah Lambert
Ailsworth, Cambridgeshire: Trifid bur-marigold is struggling nationally, but thanks to a little ‘Goldilocks’ land management, it has the perfect conditions here
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Reposted by Phil Saunders
Andrew Connolly @andrewmc2401.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
450,000. That's the estimated number of tree swallows we observed this past weekend migrating down the Connecticut River. The radar picking up a flock over 1/2 mile long, and the sky was filled for over 40 minutes. it was a sight to be seen and a reminder to go lights out at night this fall! 🌎(1/2)
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Fig-leaf Skeletoniser in the Upton garden this afternoon. It's been a good year locally for these funky little adventives #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social
An arrowhead shaped Fig-leaf Skeletoniser micromoth rests, facing left, amongst bright green, rounded, leaves set against a blurred yellow background. The moth has white legs, a black and brown speckled head, and it's wings are banded in shades of brown with fine white lines separating the different colours.
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Reposted by Phil Saunders
Graham Appleton @wadertales.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Great Snipe migration. High at night and VERY high by day. wadertales.wordpress.com/2021/06/30/f... @waderstudy.bsky.social conference update: Changes in altitude are very slow. Energy costs of up/down are very low. journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/... #ornithology
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
A few nice bits & bobs amongst 150/45 in the Upton garden traps this morning, incl'd 2 (box fresh) Golden Twin-spot, 2 Vestal, 3 Blair's Mocha, Yellow Belle, Palpita vitrealis, Beet Moth, & what looks to be a very worn Ancylosis oblitella #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
A very worn (apparent) Ancylosis oblitella (Saltmarsh Knot-horn) micromoth rests, facing right, at a 45 degree angle on the pale wooden floor of a moth trap. The pale & faded moth is subtly patterned with a couple of dentate cross lines and has several small dark stigma across the dark speckled wing.A ruddy brown Blair's Moch moth rests, wings spread, on the white plastic inner wall of a moth trap. The moth is densely speckled and has single, small, black-ringed spots in the centre of each wing.A densely speckled and arrowhead shaped Yellow Belle moth rests, facing upward, on a brown cardboard box. The moth's wings have a pale yellow  base colour, with two, blue-grey, dentate lines running across them.A bright copper and ruddy-pink Golden Twin-spot moth rests, facing left, on a grey-green egg box. The moth has an ornate crest on its abdomen and two obvious whitish spots in the middle of its wing.
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
At least 6 Lesser Emperor hawking coastal fields at St Aldhelm's Head (Dorset) this morning, with several also noted by others east along the coast at Durlston CP. Given the distance from likely breeding habitat, perhaps immigrants rather than local dispersers? @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
One of those rare, magic, mornings at St Aldhelm's Head, with a typically furtive Ortolan seen/heard several times in flight first thing, followed by a pale juv Honey Buzzard north at 1030hrs, & capped off by 6+ Lesser Emperor (new for the site) hawking over the paddocks @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
A rounded marker stone, emblazoned with the words "Coast Path" and "Winspit" and respective direction arrows stands amongst short yellow and green coastal grassland. A sliver of blue sea is visible in the background and a light blue sky, besmirched with a smattering of white clouds, stands overhead.
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
The nationally scarce Selania leplastriana (Coast Piercer) - flushed from underfoot at St Aldhelm's Head earlier today #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social
A buff and brown barred Selania leplastriana (Coast Piercer) micromoth rests vertically against a dried brown grass stem, with other stems visible in the background.
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Extremely elusive/wide ranging Ortolan Bunting at St Aldhelm's Head this morning, seen/heard twice in flight between 0752 & 0847hrs, with no further sign by 1008hrs since last sighting in Pier Bottom @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
It says a lot when the highlights of your 4hr Durlston CP seawatch are a brace of Wall Lizard & a Grayling... Single Manx & Fulmar west, plus a smattering of Sarnies & Gannet, were all that could be eeked out during what felt like pretty favourable conditions @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
A green and brown marbled Wall Lizard, its' tail mostly hidden in a cevice, rests vertically and faces obliquely right on a grey brick wall speckled with yellow lichen.
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Portland Bird Observatory @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
The Northern Bottle-nosed Whales off East Cliffs this morning: youtu.be/bw2dzcI1IUE?...
youtu.be
Northern Bottle-nosed Whales, Portland Bill, 2nd September 2026
YouTube video by Martin Cade
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Old World Webworm was a welcome new species for me today (courtesy of @dunccrip.bsky.social's trap, via @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social) and made up somewhat for totally failing to connect with either RC Starling or Northern Bottlenose Whale in some pretty testy weather #TeamMoth
A grey, black, & white patterned Old World Webworm moth faces left as it rests on a pale grey slate.
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
A 2hr seawatch from Durlston this morning was decidedly underwhelming, with a lone dark morph Arctic Skua west, with a handful of terns, gulls, & Gannet the best of the rest @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
137/50 in the two Upton garden traps last night incl'd a gorgeous Golden Twin-spot & my 1st "in trap" Convolvulus Hawkmoth, both of which annoyingly did a bunk as I opened up, alongside 4 Vestal & a handful of other common migrants #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
A large, delta-winged, Convolvulus Hawkmoth flutters inside a pale wooden moth trap, viewed through the clear perspex sleeve. The moth is patterned in shades of brown, black, and grey, with obvious pink and white barring along its exposed abdomen.A triangular shaped Vestal moth faces left on the pale wooden crossbar of a moth trap, partially silhouetted against a black tabletop. The moth is pale yellow in colour, with a broad pink stripe running across its wing, and shows strongly feathered antennae.A strongly MV-lit Golden Twin-spot moth rests vertically, facing downwards, after dark in a wooden moth trap. The colours of the moth are largely bled out due to the ambient lighting, but the two spots that give its name can clearly be seen.
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
A White Stork (presumably from one of the various ongoing, non-Natural England sanctioned, releases) overflew the Wareham Bypass roundabout and appeared to land in one of the fields to the west at 1140hrs @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Another highlight from y'day's Wembury Point rockpooling session, this fabulously blue (& decidedly feisty) Lobster was an ace discovery by @jacob-wood.bsky.social in one of the deeper pools.
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Jacob Wood @jacob-wood.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Calma glaucoides and Gargamella rosi nudibranchs at Wembury Point today with @beardybirder.bsky.social
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
The uncommon & somewhat range-restricted Trumpet Anemone was new for us at Wembury Pt y'day, with many seen alongside the impressive Dahlia & Strawberry Anemones, & the more widespread Snakelocks.
A green & white patterned Trumpet Anemone "faces" the camera, with thin white lines marking the oral disc.A large, white & red patterned, Dahlia Anemone, viewed obliquely from the side as it rests on a large grey-brown rock.A Strawberry Anemone, tentacles retracted, is attached to a red algal-covered rock. The anemone is bright red with numerous yellow-white spots.
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
A couple of new fish species for us from the Wembury Point rockpools y'day: the beautifully patterned & bizarrely shaped Shorthorn Sculpin, & the surprisingly eel-like Five-bearded Rockling.
A vibrantly brown, black, & white patterned Shorthorn Sculpin (fish) spreads its large, serrated, pectoral fins as it faces the camera, resting amongst red & yellow-green seaweed.A red-brown coloured Five-bearded Rockling (fish) faces right in a shallow rockpool, with its eel-like body & elongated barbels standing out against the pebbly pool bottom.
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
We enjoyed some fabulous rockpooling at Wembury Pt y'day, with 4 species of nudibranch encountered (courtesy of @jacob-wood.bsky.social & family), incl'g the tiny Favorinus branchialis; the sponge-like Doris berghi; the vibrantly hefty Gargamella (Discodoris) rosi; & the sublime Calma glaucoides.
A tiny Favorinus branchialis nudibranch faces right as it moves amongst white nudibranch eggs strewn across a brown mottled rock. The animal is covered in thickly-curved white tubercles, & it has obvious brown rhinophores.A warty, beige-coloured, Doris berghi nudibranch faces the camera (with its stubby rhinophores visible towards the bottom on the image) as it rests on a brown and white rock.A vibrantly blue & yellow-tubercled Calma glaucoides nudibranch moves towards the camera over a brown algal-covered rock.A bright orange-red Gargamella (Discodoris) rosi nudibranch faces the camera, viewed briefly within a white plast tub, showing off its subtly white-ringed mantle and large red gill cluster.
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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
A blink and you'll miss it Clouded Yellow, whizzing past just now, was a new butterfly species for the Upton garden.
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