iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Phil Saunders

Sarah Lambert @sarahlambert7.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

After a tip-off from a friend, I was pleased to re-find the Striated Bird's-nest fungi at @wildlifebcn.org Old Sulehay Forest. First seen by me late last autumn, it was interesting to see them at an earlier stage, when the fruiting bodies are covered with brownish hairs #figifriends #fungi

Five Striated Bird's-nest Cyathus striatus fungi on buried wood, three unopened ones covered with light-brown curled hairs, and two just opened showing the 'eggs'

Close-up of four Striated Bird's-nest Cyathus striatus fungi , three unopened ones covered with light-brown curled hairs, and one just opened showing the 'eggs'

Close-up of two mature Striated Bird's-nest Cyathus striatus fungi, the now hairless brown 'nests' containing the 'eggs' or peridioles

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Reposted by Phil Saunders

Wildlife Travel @wildlifetraveller.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

the second Harpy Eagle encounter in two days, in the Sierra de la Macarena words fail. just an awesome beast, in an awesome location, thanks to some awesome people, who have brought us to a place where tourism was unimaginable just a decade ago. we will be back.

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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 18h

A few nice bits and bobs encountered around the Danube Delta during this week's @wildlifetraveller.bsky.social holiday: Cardinal, Flower-of-an-hour, and Eastern/European Tree Frog.

A boldly brown and dull orange chequered Cardinal butterfly rests, wings spread, as it nectars on a bank of thistles. There is an obvious greenish sheen across the butterfly's entire upperwing.

The white outer petals of a Flower-of-an-hour (Hibiscus trionum) flower strongly contrast with the deep purple inner petals and gold-dusted stamens, against a blurred backdrop of green, red, and yellow vegetation.

A bright green Eastern or European Tree Frog shows off its' golden eyes and brown "mask" as it clambers amongst dead brown stems.

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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 18h

Superlative views of White-tailed Eagles were had on a daily basis during the @wildlifetraveller.bsky.social Danube Delta holiday this past week. There're few places in the world where you can get up so close and personal with truly wild individuals amongst an astounding wetland setting.

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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 18h

I'm just back from 9 days' leading on the @wildlifetraveller.bsky.social autumn exploration of the Danube Delta in wonderful Romania - a truly magical place at any time of the year that spoiled us rotten (both weather and natural history-wise)!

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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

Indeed. Any one would make your day on Shetland!

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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.

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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 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.

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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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Reposted by Phil Saunders

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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Reposted by Phil Saunders

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.

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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 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.

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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

Yep, it's been amazing. Huge numbers inland too.

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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 · 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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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

All on my wish list too, Paul! Certainly wouldn't say no to a Death's-head, or a Gem of the Scar Bank or Tunbridge Wells variety, either...

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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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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

Cheers Luke. That's really interesting!

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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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Phil Saunders @beardybirder.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Yes, there's at least one for the Weymouth and Portland area, at which Martin and co at the Ob's are very good at putting out news of anything interesting.

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