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Hilary May

@birdsbikesboots.bsky.social
83 followers 117 following 57 posts

Wildlife enthusiast (birds & moths especially), Cycle teacher (beginners), Gardener. Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales.

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Hilary May @birdsbikesboots.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
One advantage of hot weather is it sends me outside after dark and I’ve just seen my first ever (as far as I remember) glow worm. In the garden! Just added to LERC app @sewbrec.org.uk
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Hilary May @birdsbikesboots.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
It’s a treat to be early for a train and spend time spotting bees at Dinas Powys station.
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London Cycling Campaign @londoncycling.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
Even with the election just days away, we're still getting new pledges of support from candidates across London 🚲 Send an email to yours today, and potentially change your boroughs cycling future: lcc.org.uk/streets
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Seeder Wood @seederwood.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
Lots of Tomato plants for sale! Grown in peat free compost from seed by our little hands. Collection from CF63 and ‘pay what you feel’ Please support our @youngenterprise #Alex14 #Tomas12 #Emilia5 send us a message if you’d like some 🍅🍅🍅
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Hilary May @birdsbikesboots.bsky.social · 26/04/2026
First Hummingbird Hawkmoth of year in garden today and in moth trap (one day late for @gardenmothscheme.bsky.social ) first Mocha’s and first cockchafer/May bug. Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales #mothsmatter #teammoth
A Mocha moth
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Hilary May @birdsbikesboots.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Seen Mullein moth caterpillars in the garden many times, but last night first time seeing an adult which came to the window rather than a trap. Subtler than the caterpillar but just as beautiful. Glad I spotted it! #mothsmatter #teammoth #mywildgarden
Adult Mullein Moth 16 April 2026Mullein moth caterpillar on water figwort June 2024
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Hilary May @birdsbikesboots.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Good example of motonormativity from YouGov today. Question before was had I driven a car in the last 90 days. Then jumps to assuming I drove every day! Imagine how daft that would seem for trains, films, shopping or anything else. One for @ianwalker.bsky.social
Survey from YouGov ‘how many complete trips do you take in a typical day in your car?’ Answer options one to four or more
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BTO | British Trust for Ornithology @btobirds.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
Spring is an active time for garden birds. 🐦 By recording what species visit your garden each week, you can contribute to research on how populations are changing in the UK. 🪶 Just a few minutes, with little birding experienced needed. Take part in BTO Garden BirdWatch ➡️ www.bto.org/gbw
A Blue Tit hangs from a tree branch appearing in the top of the image. Wording below reads: Garden BirdWatch. This spring, make your garden count.
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BTO East Glamorgan @eastglambto.bsky.social · 03/04/2026
The bird survey you can do without leaving home and introducing Hilary May, @birdsbikesboots.bsky.social, its new local Ambassador. tinyurl.com/y6stfsm2 Yr arolwg adar y gallwch ei wneud heb adael eich cartref a chyflwyniad i Hilary May, ei Lysgennad lleol newydd. @bto-gbw.bsky.social
tinyurl.com
The BTO’s Garden BirdWatch survey and introducing Hilary, its new local Ambassador
Gardens are becoming increasingly important for wildlife and we need to understand how and why populations of garden birds and other wildlife are changing, so that we can better help them. This is …
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Hilary May @birdsbikesboots.bsky.social · 22/03/2026
One day late for @gardenmothscheme.bsky.social but best trap of the year so far 63 moths of 14species. Top species: 15 Early Grey all in the trap, 10 Streamer on the outside. 2 Scorched Carpet & 1 Satellite added interest #mothsmatter Plus amazing birdsong. I love Spring.
Scorched carpet mothStreamer mothEarly Grey mothSatellite moth
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Plantlife @plantlifeuk.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
No Mow May is back and it's bigger and wilder than ever! 🌱🐝 Leave the mower in the shed this No Mow Movement! Watch your lawn come alive with wildflowers, bees, and butterflies. Pledge to join the No Mow Movement👉 loom.ly/ay3YcNA Sign up. Stop mowing. Sit back and let it grow.💚 #NMM
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Wild About Nature Dinas Powys @wildnaturedinas.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
This Sunday it’s our Nature on your Doorstep event, do join us for lots of information, children’s activities and homemade cakes. Also s seed swap, do bring seeds if you have any spare @valelnp.bsky.social
Poster for Nature on your Doorstep event for Dina’s Powys Wild about Nature. Murchfield Community Centre Sunday 22nd March 1-3pm. Free entry
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Hilary May @birdsbikesboots.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
How funny The Other Bennet Sister had a shot of a moth fluttering against a window only it was a box-tree moth which certainly wasn’t in the UK in the 18th Century. I wonder how many other moth & Austen fans there are? Niche. #mothsmatter
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Little Green Space @lgspace.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
Five things to avoid if you want to help nature: 🐞 Plastic grass 🐞 Peat 🐞 Pesticides 🐞 Weedkiller 🐞 Being too tidy More: littlegreenspace.org.uk/features/wha... #biodiversity #wildlifegarden
Ladybird on a green plant
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Hilary May @birdsbikesboots.bsky.social · 09/03/2026
Hoping sound works, nothing to see in video but what’s making the background chatter? (NOT the song thrush!) spent ages trying to spot the birds but well hidden amongst the ivy but sounds like so many birds. Amazing but frustrating #birds
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Wild About Nature Dinas Powys @wildnaturedinas.bsky.social · 08/03/2026
Great turn out for our litter pick today. The Ash Path & car park are a lot tidier now.
Before litter pick - twenty plus people with litter pickers and red bags. One hour later after litter pick. 20+ people with 30+ red bags full of litter.
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Wild About Nature Dinas Powys @wildnaturedinas.bsky.social · 07/03/2026
Not sure we can promise blue skies, but come and help with our litter pick tomorrow, meeting in Tesco carpark. 2pm. Hot drinks in the library afterwards. what3words location: w3w.co/quiet.foam.j... facebook.com/events/s/lit...
A group of adults and children with red bags of rubbish collected on a litter pick.
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Hilary May @birdsbikesboots.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
One of my favourite Spring Moths. Oak Beauty. One of 27 moths of 9 spp in trap last night. Early for @gardenmothscheme.bsky.social #mothsmatter #teammoth
Oak Beauty moth
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Hilary May @birdsbikesboots.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
The wonderful charity I work for has a fundraiser on at the moment. Please do support and share. www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/30-more-ye...
crowdfunder.co.uk
Help us deliver 30 more years of inclusive cycling
Raise £50,000 by end March to enable Cardiff Pedal Power to continue to deliver it's inclusive cycling services to its service-users
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Hilary May @birdsbikesboots.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
This looks amazing, consultation is very easy to complete as well. Fingers crossed it happens - I'd love a cycling holiday to try this out :-) consult.westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk/westmorland-...
consult.westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk
Grasmere to Dunmail Raise Active Travel - Westmorland and Furness Council - Citizen Space
This site will help you find, share and participate in consultations that interest you.
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Wild About Nature Dinas Powys @wildnaturedinas.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
We have two events in March. 8th March 2pm Litter Pick meeting behind Tesco and this event on Sun 22nd March. @valelnp.bsky.social
Nature on your doorstep poster. Free Indoor event, suitable for all. Murchfield Community Centre. Sunday 22nd March 1-3pm.
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BTO Cymru @btocymru.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
Not long until our next FREE BTO Youth Girls Go Birding walk at Bute Park, Cardiff on Saturday 10 January! Book a space here: www.bto.org/our-work/eve...
Two people raise their coffee mugs outdoors. Wording alongside reads: Girls go birding: Birding and a brew. The Secret Garden, Bute Park, Cardiff. Saturday 10th January, 10:00-12:00. Open to cis women, trans women and those identifying as female and non-binary. Aged 25 and under. Free entry! bto.org/youth-events.
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Wild About Nature Dinas Powys @wildnaturedinas.bsky.social · 12/10/2025
It’s our AGM next week - Monday 20th October. Bit different this year as minimal formal business followed by talks on Wildlife Gardening. And cake 🍰 All welcome
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Hilary May @birdsbikesboots.bsky.social · 05/10/2025
Only 8 moths of 8 species in the trap for @gardenmothscheme.bsky.social last night but included a Clifden Nonpareil! New for me - delighted. Others weren’t bad either NFY Sallow and Merveille du Jour 😊 VC41 (Dinas Powys, Vale of Glamorgan) #MothsMatter #TeamMoth
Clifden Nonpareil/Blue Underwing on size 9 crocs!Sallow mothMerveille du Jour moth
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BTO Shropshire @btoshropshire.bsky.social · 09/09/2025
Gethin from @btocymru.bsky.social will be running an “Introduction to Garden BirdWatch” online event to promote @bto-gbw.bsky.social on 4 November at 7pm. It is open to all regions. For more information please see the image of the flyer. To book your place go to www.bto.org/our-work/eve...
A screenshot of a post promoting an online event for the Garden BirdWatch survey, illustrated with a picture of a Nuthatch.
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Hilary May @birdsbikesboots.bsky.social · 25/08/2025
Just 3 of the 131 moths in the trap last night for @gardenmothscheme.bsky.social A Mocha sandwiched by Emeralds (light and small) #mothsmatter #teammoth
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Hilary May @birdsbikesboots.bsky.social · 28/07/2025
Today’s appallingly bad nature video from the garden. There were about 8 dragonflies hunting over the garden today. Not seen that before. (Also saw no less than three species of birds of prey fly over - worth looking up for 😊).
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Hilary May @birdsbikesboots.bsky.social · 25/07/2025
Looks like a busy day identifying moths in my moth trap. These are just a few on the outside! A day early for #GardenMothSurvey as we have visitors on Saturday and apparently not the done thing to have a kitchen full of escaped moths! #mothsmatter
Jersey Tiger mothFour spotted footman mothA thorn moth (I need to check species!)Coronet moth
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Hilary May @birdsbikesboots.bsky.social · 24/07/2025
I did a #BigButterflyCount earlier and almost all the butterflies vanished but just now this happened! I’m guessing one female and a lot of males? Never seen so many together in the garden. @savebutterflies.bsky.social
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Hilary May @birdsbikesboots.bsky.social · 20/07/2025
Nothing to see in this video (it’s for the sound!), these (young?) birds of prey have been around and calling a lot recently. I’ve only had glimpses but my best guess is peregrines? But I’m not very confident on birds of prey? #birds
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Lev Parikian @levparikian.bsky.social · 20/07/2025
My favourite of this week’s Six Things. A 2-minute film about the guys employed to drive the route of a Tour de France stage beforehand and alter anything painted on the road by fans that might be unsuitable for broadcast. Here they are turning a cock and balls into an owl. nos.nl/l/2294368
Two men in orange hiviz jackets, with large tubs of white paint. There js a white van in the background. On the road, various bits of painting, including a yellow cock and balls which they’re in the process of transforming into an image of an owl.
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Hilary May @birdsbikesboots.bsky.social · 09/06/2025
This Thursday- an informal meet up to discuss everything cycling for women from learning to racing. #Cardiff #cycling
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Hilary May @birdsbikesboots.bsky.social · 05/06/2025
Whatever the weather (although hopefully more ☀️ than 🌧️) it’s Pedal Power Cardiff’s Ride for All this Saturday - come and join us. #Cycling #Cardiff
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Wild About Nature Dinas Powys @wildnaturedinas.bsky.social · 05/06/2025
Even on a wet morning there are bumblebees enjoying our patch at Dinas Powys station. Thanks to John who looks after this for us.
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Nicola Chester @nicolawriting.bsky.social · 03/06/2025
This is so important! Dog owners, challenge vets when offered these unnecessary & deeply harmful treatments. I’ve had dogs all my life, & never had to use them. Ticks can be removed easily & safely, & dogs treated (& kept away from water) only IF they get fleas! @davegoulson.bsky.social
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Rob Thomas @robthomasbirds.bsky.social · 01/06/2025
Petition against the development of a hugely damaging Aqua Park at one of Glamorgan’s best wildlife sites. chng.it/hBdbBxwLLR
chng.it
Sign the Petition
Halt the Installation of the Aqua Park at Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, Penarth
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Wild About Nature Dinas Powys @wildnaturedinas.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
Bird walk this Sunday 4pm, meet Murchfield Community Centre
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Wild About Nature Dinas Powys @wildnaturedinas.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
Also our friends at GPG in Penarth are holding this event on Monday evening and we’ll be there.
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RSPB @rspb.bsky.social · 26/04/2025
Swifts are on their way back...and many are trying to reach the same nest sites they’ve used for years. But scaffolding can block the way. Check before you build & keep entrances clear. ❗ Their active nests are protected by law. Let them in.
A Swift in fast, direct flight towards a building, aiming for a small nest site entrance under the eaves. These returning birds rely on clear access to their summer nesting spots,  obstructions, like scaffolding, can block them out entirely - adding pressure to a species already at risk.
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Wild About Nature Dinas Powys @wildnaturedinas.bsky.social · 26/04/2025
It’s our annual Spring Flower walk tomorrow and looks like a lovely day for it. All details in image.
Meet at Millbrook Road entrance to Dinas Powys woods 10-12noon. 2-3 miles including a steep climb.
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Cardiff Cycle City | Dinas Feicio Caerdydd @cardiffcyclecity.bsky.social · 31/03/2025
The Network Gaps You Want Fixed Recently at #Cardiff Cycle City, we launched an online survey for our ‘Network Gaps’ campaign to give you the chance to voice your frustrations with #Cycling infrastructure in Cardiff. Find out what people had to say:
cardiffcyclecity.org
The Network Gaps You Want Fixed - Cardiff Cycle City
Recently at Cardiff Cycle City, we launched an online survey for our ‘Network Gaps’ campaign...
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Hilary May @birdsbikesboots.bsky.social · 16/03/2025
Despite coldest night of week (ponds frozen this am) 16 moths of 5 species for my late (as always) @gardenmothscheme.bsky.social Small Quaker, Hebrew Character, Early Grey, Common Quaker and Oak Beauty. #TeamMoth #MothsMatter
Oak Beauty mothEarly Grey Moth
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Hilary May @birdsbikesboots.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
Late @gardenmothscheme.bsky.social survey last night (because life 🤷) 22 moths of 14 species including these beauties. #MothsMatter #TeamMoth
Oak BeautyStreamer mothShoulder Stripe mothDotted Border moth
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Hilary May @birdsbikesboots.bsky.social · 09/03/2025
Chiffchaffs are back! Spring is getting springier by the day 😊
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Wild About Nature Dinas Powys @wildnaturedinas.bsky.social · 08/03/2025
Care about Dinas? Hate litter? Come and help clear the Ash Path and surrounding area. Tomorrow (Sun 9th) 2pm. Meeting in Tesco car park. All welcome. fb.me/e/2l8efK1TJ
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Wild Justice @wildjustice.bsky.social · 06/03/2025
That's 70.000 people who want to see driven grouse shooting banned. We're nearly 3/4 of the way there to our target of 100,000 signatures. Do you want a ban? If so, please like & share this post! Sign here: petition.parliament.uk/petitions/70...
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South East Wales Biodiversity Records Centre @sewbrec.org.uk · 27/02/2025
New course open for booking! An introduction to moth trapping for complete beginners. Attendees can also borrow a trap to try at home. Saturday 5th April at our office in Talbot Green #SouthWales Please email info@sewbrec.org.uk to book a free space. #TeamMoth #MothsMatter
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Hilary May @birdsbikesboots.bsky.social · 22/02/2025
Signs of Spring 😊🐸
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BTO East Glamorgan @eastglambto.bsky.social · 01/02/2025
Grey Herons are in decline. It’s important we know where they breed. We know of only 5 heronries in our region. Are there others out there we don’t know about? This spring, when you’re out birding, please keep an eye out for heronries and message us if you find one. Thanks 🙏
An image of a Grey Heron and a list of known heronries in Eastern Glamorgan: Coryton Wood, Mynydd Gelliwion near Trehafod, Darran near Merthyr Vale, Merthyr Mawr Sawmill and Ogmore Vale.
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Hilary May @birdsbikesboots.bsky.social · 20/02/2025
Plenty of amphibians on the move in the garden tonight, frogs, couple of toads and (palmate I think) newts.
Toad & newt
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