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David Harris

@cycle4nature.bsky.social
637 followers 452 following 446 posts

I find nature fascinating and inspiring - there's always so much to learn! I love photographing plants, especially orchids. Also like butterflies, dragonflies, insects, fungi, trees, and, of course, birds 😊 Lives in Cambridge UK

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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
The ground around Cambridge has perked up over the past few weeks following much needed rain, resulting in quite a few new wildflowers blooming, some unusually late in the year. Names in ALT text. #WildflowerHour @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social
Greater Celandine, Water Mint, Wild Mignonette, Common Knapweed with Stictopleurus punctatonervosus, Bird's-foot Trefoil with Seven-spot Ladybird;
Ribwort Plantain, Common Toadflax, Viper's Bugloss, Marsh Woundwort, Orange Mullein;
White Campion, Field Scabious, Yarrow;
Chicory, Sainfoin, Vervain, White Dead-nettle, Hawkweed Oxtongue, Red Campion;
Musk Mallow, Dandelion, Common Mallow, Narrow-leaved Ragwort, Purple Toadflax, Great Willowherb.
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Can I have a third #FavouritePlant for #WildflowerHour? 😅 I joined @dunnjons.bsky.social and @thenewgalaxy.bsky.social on one of their brilliant Kent orchid tours this year, and saw a Late Spider orchid for my first time. We also found a magnificent v. flavescens, and reached 14 different orchids!
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
#FavouritePlant #2 2026 — Bee Orchid f. bicolor. My wife and I found 39 in a single colony on private land this summer — an extraordinary number for a form so rarely seen in Britain, especially in VC29. And we hadn’t even searched the whole colony. Still slightly mind-blowing! 😅 #WildflowerHour
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
#FavouritePlant of 2026 — Oxlip. We’re very lucky to have these growing locally in ancient woodland. Flowering in March, even before our county flower, the Pasqueflower, they mark the start of the wildflower season for me. And I still enjoy being told they’re Cowslips 😅 #WildflowerHour
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wildflowerhour @wildflowerhour.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
For the last weekly challenge, we want to know what was your favourite plant that you’ve spotted from across Britain and Ireland this year? Share your pics for #wildflowerhour this Sunday 8-9pm using the hashtag #favouriteplant and we’ll celebrate it with you! 🥳🌿🌸
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
@wildflowerhour.bsky.social Can we do #WildflowerHour tomorrow on BlueSky, when it's hopefully working? 🙂 @wildflowerhour.bsky.social
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wildflowerhour @wildflowerhour.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
For #Wildflowerhour this week find a wild or naturalised bloom with quirky #CommonNames! Pictured is Scutellaria galericulata, commonly named Skullcap, Hoodwort & Helmet Flower as the flowers were likened to the galerum worn by Roman soldiers ! Share your finds this Sunday 8-9pm!
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
Mugwort, Creeping Thistle, Greater Burdock, Carline Thistle, Tansy, Ragwort and Fleabane for this week's #WildflowerHour challenge, #DaisyFamily. From a cycle and a dog walk around bone-dry Cambridge today. @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social
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wildflowerhour @wildflowerhour.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
What can you find blooming along the coast? That’s the challenge this week for #WildflowerHour! Share your pics this Sunday 8-9pm using the hashtag #ByTheSea! Happy flower hunting! 🌿🌸🌊
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
Branched Bur-reed for this week's #WildflowerHour - #WetlandPlants. Lots of it growing in our local country park.
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wildflowerhour @wildflowerhour.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
The theme for this week’s #wildflowerhour challenge is wetland plants. So have a mosey in your local marsh, mire, bog, fen and see what you can find! Share your pics this Sunday 8-9pm using #wetlandplants #InternationalBogDay2026
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Late for #WildflowerHour this evening. Here's a Broad-leaved Helleborine I found in some ancient Beech woodland - #StillFlowering - probably actually #JustFlowering! I've never seen them this tiny before - the largest were only about 8" tall 😯 @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social
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Prof Bill McGuire @profbillmcguire.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
An utterly nonsensical decision from The BBC British nature is under enough attack without cutting one of the best wildlife programmes out there Sign the petition now and demand a reprieve @chrisgpackham.bsky.social act.38degrees.org.uk/act/don't-ca...
act.38degrees.org.uk
Tell the BBC: Don't cancel Winterwatch!
I just chipped in to support 38 Degrees' fearless campaigning - can you help too?
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wildflowerhour @wildflowerhour.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Phew it’s been so hot lately!This week’s challenge is to find those wild & naturalised plants that are surviving the drought conditions & are #StillFlowering! Share your finds for #wildflowerhour this Sunday 8-9pm!
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
I think these might be hybrid Water Lilies? On the same pond as the white ones in our local country park, Cambridge. #AquaticPlants #WildflowerHour @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
Purple Loosestrife grows in abundance by the fishing swims in our local country park. One of my favourite #AquaticPlants for #WildflowerHour 🙂 @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
A pair of White Water-Lily for this week's #WildflowerHour challlenge - #AquaticPlants There are some pink ones too on the same pond in our local country park - I assume they're hybrids of some kind? @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social
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wildflowerhour @wildflowerhour.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
With warmer temperatures forecast for the end of the week hopefully you’ll appreciate a watery theme for this week’s challenge! Find wild or naturalised aquatic plants in bloom and share for #wildflowerhour this Sunday 8-9pm using the hashtag #AquaticPlants 💦🌱
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Edward Pollard @epollard.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
A good number of Chalk Hill Blue on the Fleam Dyke (Cambs) transect this week. Warm weather, and easterly winds are forecast. Could this mean recolonisation of Magog Down....? Will they cross the 6km of farmland?
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
Greater Bladderwort growing in a popular Cambridgeshire fen - most definitely not #ClimbingPlants - more #FloatingPlants! #WildflowerHour @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
One more for #WildflowerHour, #ClimbingPlants - Traveller's Joy. So different in seed, to in flower, which is where it gets its other name from - Old Man's Beard 🙂
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
A few #ClimbingPlants for this week's #WildflowerHour Honeysuckle, Bindweed, Ivy and White Bryony. I find the tendrils of White Bryony fascinating - perfect "springs"! Zooming into the Ivy leaf, there's a Nigma walckenaeri checking its next meal 😋 @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social
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Dr Richard Bate @thenewgalaxy.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
3/7/26 #Cumbria - Phwoar! The Dark Red #Helleborines (Epipactis atrorubens) are peaking on the Limestone pavements above Morecambe Bay, in an array of colours! Tomorrow I take Arnside & District NHS out near Kendal and on Sunday it’s a trip up #HuttonRoof for @mariposanature.bsky.social
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wildflowerhour @wildflowerhour.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
Can you find a flowering wild or naturalised plant that has a climbing habit?! 🧗That’s the challenge this week for #wildflowerhour! Share your finds this Sunday 8-9pm!
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 21/06/2026
Hunting around East Anglian fens 3 weeks ago for dactylorhiza praetermissa ssp. Schoenophila, there were a few Marsh Fritillaries mainly visiting Buttercups, and I was lucky to get a photo, as they weren't settling for long at all, and I only had my "flower" lens 😂 #PollinatorPals #Wildflowerhour
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 21/06/2026
On an orchid trip in Kent a few weeks ago we were lucky to see pseudocopulation of a Late Spider orchid by a bee! #PollinatorPals #WildflowerHour
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 21/06/2026
One from a few weeks ago for #WildflowerHour, #PollinatorPals... A Swallowtail on Dame's Violet.
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 21/06/2026
A Small White butterfly on Creeping Thistle for this week's #WildflowerHour, #PollinatorPals
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wildflowerhour @wildflowerhour.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
This week’s challenge is #PollinatorPals! Find a flowering wild or naturalised plant with a pollinating visitor & snap away. Of course it’s not just about bees! Butterflies, moths, wasps, flies & beetles can be #pollinators too! Share your pics for #Wildflowerhour Sunday 8-9pm 🪲🦋🪰🐝
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
A macro shot of the underside of a fern leaf, showing the sori - a collection of sporangium, containing spores. #macro #nature
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 14/06/2026
These are all growing in a single meadow, containing hundreds of Common Spotted, Heath Spotted and Chalk (possibly Marsh) Fragrant orchids. I struggle with dacts, but I'm sure some could be hybrids. #WildflowerHour #OrchidChallenge @bsbibotany.bsky.social @ukorchids.bsky.social
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 14/06/2026
Some Early and Southern Marsh orchids for #WildflowerHour, from a Cambridgeshire fen. #OrchidChallenge @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 14/06/2026
A selection of local (VC29) Bee orchids for this week's #WildflowerHour - only one is "normal"! Including f. bicolor and f. chlorantha, and possibly v. belgarum. Not technically #ChurchyardFlowers, but some are in the grounds of a former abbey 🙂 #OrchidChallenge
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
An Early Marsh orchid ssp. ochroleuca - almost #LawnFlowers for this week's #WildflowerHour. #Orchids
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
Not our lawn, but a lovely pair of Southern Marsh orchids growing in a rather damp lawn! #WildflowerHour #LawnFlowers #Orchids
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
We did #NoMowMay, and will probably do #NoMowSummer. So we have plenty of Hedgerow Crane's-bill growing as #LawnFlowers for this week's #WildflowerHour challenge - they really brighten up the lawn when the Sun comes out 🙂
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
A fantastic orchid weekend in Kent - a bit of solo exploring on Saturday, then joined @mariposanature.bsky.social on Sunday. 14 species in total. Here's a commemorative collage for #WildflowerHour #OrchidChallenge @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social Names in ALT text.
Bee, Twayblade, Late Spider var. flaverscens, Common Spotted, Lady;
White Helleborine, Lady single flower, Chalk Fragrant, Man;
Fly, Green Fly;
Bird's Nest, Greater Butterfly;
Common Spotted, Lizard, Lizard crops, Late Spider, Pyramidal, Monkey, Late Spider with pollinator 🐝
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
Ooo - my favourite!
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
Here's a collection of mainly recent finds from Cambs, Beds, Kent, Norfolk and Suffolk, for this week's #WildflowerHour challenge, #WildFlowerShow. Today's highlights were actually 🦋 🫢 Names in ALT text. @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social @ukorchids.bsky.social
Early Marsh orchid ssp. ochroleuca in bud today, Swallowtail butterfly on Dame's Violet (today), Cleavers, Buttercup with Marsh Fritillary;
Green-winged orchid - - Swallowtail, Bluebells;
Man orchid, Early Spider orchid / Sweet Violet var. alba, Pasqueflowers, White Helleborine;
Early Purple orchid, Early Spider orchid, Fly orchid, Military orchid, Oxlip.
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wildflowerhour @wildflowerhour.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
It’s the #ChelseaFlowerShow2026 this week so why don’t we have a #WildFlowerShow for #WildflowerHour? Find wildflowers or combinations of several wildflower species looking absolutely spectacular & share your pics this Sunday 8-9pm! I wonder, if there will be a best-in-show?😉🏆
Find a group of wildflowers looking absolutely spectacular together, that’s the challenge this week for #wildflowerhour this Sunday 8-9pm!
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
A late one for #WildflowerHour #tinyplants.. I took these whilst photographing Pasqueflowers several weeks ago, but still haven't figured out what it is. My guess is a very tiny Hairy Violet - but I've never seen I've this small! @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social #PlantID
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
A few orchids in bloom for #WildflowerHour this week, White Helleborine, Military, Man and Fly orchids. All seem pretty small this year, but we've not had very much rain locally, so everywhere's still dry. Beds., Suffolk and Cambs. @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
For this week's #WildflowerHour challenge, #tinyplants, here is the miniscule flower of Cleavers. I would think they're less than 2 mm across - even smaller than those of Field Forget-me-not. @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social
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wildflowerhour @wildflowerhour.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Some of our #wildflowers are so incredibly minuscule they are very easy to miss! This week’s challenge is to get your specs 🤓 on & see if you find any #tinyplants in bloom. Share your finds for #WildflowerHour this Sunday 8-9pm! Happy teeny flower spotting! 🧐🌸🌿
The challenge this week is to hunt out some of our smallest wildflowers and give them some love! Pictured is one of the Cornsalads, each lovely flower is so tiny and delicate!
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
Fodder Vetch for #WildflowerHour, #CarrotsandPeas, Cambridge.
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
The Kent Early Spiders seemed even earlier than usual this year, but there were still a few good ones left when I visited last week. #WildflowerHour #Orchids
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
Cow Parsley for this week's #WildflowerHour, #CarrotsandPeas
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
A late entry for #WildflowerHour - a budding Man orchid that I found on 30th April in Cambs. Need some rain now 🤞 #orchids @ukorchids.bsky.social
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David Harris @cycle4nature.bsky.social · 03/05/2026
Trying to sneak this one into this week's #WildflowerHour #ButtercupChallenge on a technicality: Common Columbine isn’t a buttercup, but it is in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae. Also featuring one tiny aphid ghost suit! @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social
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wildflowerhour @wildflowerhour.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
Meadow, Creeping, Bulbous, Goldilocks, Celery-leaved? Do you know your buttercups? That is the challenge this week from Wild Flower Hour! Post your pics for #Wildflowerhour this Sunday 8-9pm using the hashtag #buttercupchallenge!
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