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John Preston

@johnpleeds.bsky.social
394 followers 245 following 2.3K posts

Dabbler in environment, moths, stained glass, private pilot, when not with the Development team at The Conservation Volunteers. Own views.

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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Spotlight on heron. I got much closer but thel light changed @everyheron.bsky.social
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
A quiet moth night. Once again the home backyard out numbering the allotments. Total 9 LYUW, LBAM at set up and one Eudonia angustea, feeds on ivy blossom that we have and larva on moss, maybe the log and bike sheds roofs #TeamMoth what are those shirt dangle things on crane fly? Moon competition
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
I found one in Scotland to mark a recent 80th birthday. I hope they get to sit in it.
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
@soapywittank.bsky.social heading of town at Redcote Lane today. Are this family one of yours?
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Man's simpler response. Don't fancy flying that sky !
The new junction canal and Southfield Red. Barnby Dun S Yorks
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Any thoughts on if this is a dotted fan foot #TeamMoth
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Highlight of this morning's traps. Plus about 20 large yellow underwing and 5 misc #TeamMoth
Angleshades last seen at home 5 years ago, before I built my first trap.
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
@everyheron.bsky.social
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
@drrjwarren.bsky.social @saocousins.bsky.social
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
And pause
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
A bit if a chilly morning, but 22 of 5 which isn't bad, although 15 LYUW. A broad bordered which are just so lush and a bit of a dark mystery, but subtly gorgeous - any suggestions #TeamMoth
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
A heron prefers their own company. I am not with them, they cheat and go under water - cormorants @everyheron.bsky.social
A rock crowded with cormorants and one with a solitary heron.
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
A waiting for the bus sketch, painted in later. Portpatrick Old Light c1870 in yellow brick. Decommissioned 2900 when Killantrigan, my earlier drawing was lit a few miles north. @drrjwarren.bsky.social @saocousins.bsky.social @indikon.eurosky.social don't think I have ever done two in one day.
Watercolour of a yellow brick lighthouse, a stone quayside building and a boat coming into a rocky harbour entrance. Photo of same with railings Infront
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
I got back to the harbour and sketched another lighthouse. Then rain came, so back at the cottage I tried to paint. A disaster, the wash soaked straight through and isn't drying . A passerby mentioned pointillism. But it wasn't my plan. grrh wish I had finished it in pencil! @drrjwarren.bsky.social
Label off the sketchbook. Royal rush.com. Royal flush more like. An attempt at washing the sky and sea. Looks more like I dusted it with blue and black glitter.
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
A lunch break en plein air sketch. Killantrigan North of Portpatrick. About 30 mins. I hadn't taken water or a brush so finger smearing had to do @drrjwarren.bsky.social @saocousins.bsky.social @indikon.eurosky.social
Watercolour pencil sketch of a late Stevenson lighthouse on a headland Photo taken from the same spot.
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
@drrjwarren.bsky.social @saocousins.bsky.social @indikon.eurosky.social today's effort is maybe less successful. I nearly opened the ivory black to bring forward the framing trees but feared it would be too brutal. The castle had small gas retorts, scrubbers and a mini c4m gasometer.
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
If you go down to the woods today! Beware of the 1.2m tall willow heron @everyheron.bsky.social Culzean Castle Ayrshire
Four foot high woven willow sculpture of heron. A bit of a whole in the side.
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Occasional drawing. Dunure Ayr. Despite intentions this is my first and it is evening five! @drrjwarren.bsky.social @saocousins.bsky.social @indikon.eurosky.social other things got in the way. But may feature if I stay in tomorrow as it is a wet day in prospect.
A water colour sketch of various boats, fishing boats, traditional yacht, and motor boats in a small harbour, once home to dozens of traditional wooden fishing boats.
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Summer is almost over. Glorious sight and sound of swallows in the valley by Big Fleet viaduct Dumfries and Galloway yesterday evening.
Swallows gathering on the power lines, so much chattering
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
One lovely if oddly proportioned bird.
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
A couple more micro mysteries. #TeamMoth Allotment. Any help on these ? 5 spp of 9. Glorious morning though, serenaded by a flock.of goldfinches and a gsw.
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
#TeamMoth I think a new one in me. Maybe Tortricadae. Poss Eupoecilia Augustan I will happily be corrected. Glorious morning here. At home 6 of 7 inc this. Will the allotment traps be equally quiet better cycle up and see.
Three photos of the same c8mm micro. Central Leeds
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Reposted by John Preston
Andy Marshall @fotofacade.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
📝 Field Notes from my Camper-van-camino: The remarkable St. Peter and St. Paul, Lavenham www.digest.andymarsh...
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
The prospect of rain, glorious rain
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
A small c20mm moth possibly Anarta any thoughts #TeamMoth many thanks.
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Sunburst sky
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Is that typical? I think it is enjoying that water slide.
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Trees are just ace
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Just look at the bone structure
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Petra Michaela @petramichaela.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
If the heat bothers you, plant a tree. If the rain bothers you, plant a tree. If you like fruit, plant a tree. If you like birds, plant a tree. And if you like life, plant a tree.
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Reposted by John Preston
ᴄʜᴀʀʟᴇʏ★ᴘɪʀᴏᴛʜ @charlespiroth.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
A Passing Storm (1849), by Frederic Edwin Church
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Mothing still quite but these rather brightened up the morning. Low teens out of about 20. #TeamMoth plus lots of small water boatmen and the third picture.
Flame carpetOrange swift one of 4Wood wasp ?
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Reposted by John Preston
🇨🇦JOY 🇨🇦 @joycomes.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Scaly-breasted Manias 12 cm eats mostly grass seeds, lives in open tropical grasslands and farmlands, and builds dome-shaped nests in trees or buildings India and Sri Lanka Indonesia ,Philippines Feral populations : Hawaii, parts of California, Florida, Australia, and parts of the West Indies
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
@drrjwarren.bsky.social
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Reposted by John Preston
Miss Kimmi Kitty Mama @miss-kimmi.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Maria Golub, Ukrainian artist
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Awesome bird and photograph. Remember pulling in by a Newfoundland inlet to eat lunch and watched one catch three flat fish
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Stunning, reduction is a method I can't get my head around
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Just up on t'ill
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Smile thank you @everyheron.bsky.social
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
A disappointing first home trap session after the Ireland trip 13 of 9, the bycatch was more interesting. 3 traps black light at home, LED and actinic allotment. Have maybe missed the teasel micro moths Rosela this year #TeamMoth
A small spider with zigzag deep pink stripes on cream bulbous abdomen the candy stripeA striking caddis fly with dark wings and long white maybe striped antenna
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
We must do better than this ?
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
@everyheron.bsky.social
Heron on the stern of a fishing boat.
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
#TeamMoth beware the night time robot mower. Fortunately I caught it only partly entangled in the cable and the damage is superficial. Perils of holiday cottage mothing.
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Carlingford Lough after sundown and a gig about how song and art can bring peace and healing @everyheron.bsky.social
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Another attempt at #Dailydrawing2026 this magnificent pile was built in 1729, portico 1820s. Stroketown is a planned settlement with a very wide main street leading to the Park gates. The National Famine Museum drawing on the extensive estate archives is in the outbuildings.
A watercolour of a Palladian mansion seen through an arch of overhanging branches.  Thankfully not as many windows as Wentworth Woodhouse 365 !
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Emma Mitchell @silverpebble2.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
You might need this little soapstone carving of a whale today… (1200-1600 CE, Chumash culture, California, held at Musée des Beaux Arts, Montreal)
A little smily soapstone carving of a whale by Chumash culture, circa 1200-1600 CE, California
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
#dailydrawing2026 sketched on site but in composite. Back in 1919 the surrounding area was festooned with Marconi's long wave aerials, wooden huts, a power station A relief to see land , and then the hazard of the wires, before a grass field revealed itself as big and the plane nosed over.
The approximate site of the landing of the first transatlantic flight. Clifden West of Ireland.Not a bad studio view
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
Well Connemara has given me my first trap into the 100s, a bit overwhelmed. Maybe two dozen drinkers and my first garden tigers, 3. Noctuidae colour variations proving challenging. True lovers knots, light emerald and pugs all over the white wall. #TeamMoth this was a black light screened MV ? !
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
@everyheron this coastal Connemara heron was not impressed by the common tern that stopped by and hoovered surveying the pool. It dived but may not have found supper.
A grey heron looking over a rocky pool. Seaweed covered rocks around, blue water in the bay behind.
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John Preston @johnpleeds.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
This window fills one wall of Our Lady of the Wayside, Lissycssey Co Clare. 1979. By Johnny Murphy and Michael Timlin
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