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Matt Hobbs

@migrationmatt.bsky.social
295 followers 249 following 178 posts

Wild things

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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 17h
Nice trap last night in #Bristol 27sp. Two long-awaited NFG Scarce Bordered Straw and Gem - both quite fresh. Also L-album, Angle Shades, Vestal, 7 Turnip, 11 Rush Veneer, RDP of the migrants. I tend to do well in rain as my trap is under cover #teammoth #moths @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
From an otherwise unremarkable trap today came a remarkable 7 Vestal in #Bristol All were this pink-flushed form (6/7 in pics) that are more common this year but I've not caught before - apparently the flushing caused by pupal stage heat. Where are they coming from? @migrantmothuk.bsky.social #moths
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Annie Leymarie @annieleymarie.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
"Burnham’s buckling on this issue... has immense implications for democracy, for policy formation and for every other aspect of civic life. What it means is that the ultra-rich will continue to own our politics and our country... Get this wrong and every other wrong thing follows."👇
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Annie Leymarie @annieleymarie.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
"Despite the UK's best efforts" it will require gas..."primarily to heat hard-to-electrify homes (...)" "Best efforts" have been pitiful in this respect: we're worse than most other European countries for heat pump adoption, with confusing info/policies, new-builds haven't required roof solar, etc.
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
The Small Brindled Tortrix Gysonoma minutana I caught today had already been caught by a Zebra Spider - which I've not seen before at a moth trap. The moth is still pretty scarce in Avon after the first record in 2010 so I rescued it - sorry Zebra Spider !! #moths
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
An excellent moth trap today w/ some great migrants - 4 Vestal 😳 , Saltmarsh Knot-horn Ancylosis oblitella (NFG ca. 3rd for Avon) + L-album Wainscot. Plus another 3 micros NFG Hypatima rhomboidiella, Gypsonoma minutana, and Heather Tortrix - pretty crazy 😀 #moths @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
The last two (I promise ...) of the beautiful Long-tailed Shrike in the evening sun yesterday 🥰 #birds #ukbirding #wildlifephotography
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
And some perched shots of the Long-tailed Shrike in #Gloucs yesterday. One of the best birds I've seen - just beautiful #birds #ukbirding #wildlifephotography
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
A couple more of the Long-tailed Shrike in #Gloucs yesterday. This time in flight and taking off #birds #ukbirding #wildlifephotography @birdguides.bsky.social
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
Paid a visit to the Long-tailed Shrike yesterday after my wife decided to visit a friend in Swindon. What a stunning bird - an absolute joy to watch 😍 Completely unconcerned by the small group watching it and flying down to feed on insects feet away #ukbirding #birds #wildlifephotography
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Neil Miles @neilsmiles.com · 17/08/2026
29th August 1985 - An excited Michael Fish gets to deploy the rarely seen red number as the temperature gets up to an incredible 26 degrees in London!
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James Murray @james-bg.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
This does need saying again and again. Any discussion about land use and food security that doesn’t start with ‘please consider eating a little less meat’ is fundamentally unserious.
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
A few nice moths from 3 mornings trapping in my garden in #Henleaze #Bristol last week - including two overdue lifers for me - Sallow Kitten and Beet Moth and a NFG - Cydia amplana #moths diversity was between 42 and 50 sp. per night
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Black-winged stilt giving a mallard what for at Suscinio #Brittany #France #birds #naturephotography
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Black-winged Stilt from Suscinio #Brittany #France last week. Just look at that eye 😍 - oh and the legs ... #birds #naturephotography
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Common Tern feeding at Suscinio #Brittany #France last week #birds #naturephotography
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
I had a lovely couple of mornings at Suscinio #Brittany last week. A superb place for waders, terns and gulls. Images here are of green, wood and common sandpiper, spoonbill, and willow warbler #birds #naturephotography
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Hummers in action from last week in #Brittany #France #moths so many around this year
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Over the three nights I trapped at the Golfe de Morbihan #Brittany last week with a 40w actinic, I caught a nice range of migrants, some of which are colonising and breeding in Britain and some of which are still very rare. Here's a selection @migrantmothuk.bsky.social #moths
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
I did some moth trapping at the Golfe de Morbihan #Brittany last week. Most species were migrants with my personal highlight this Striped Hawkmoth, the 1st I've caught, on 4th August @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
Striped HawkmothFocus stack of Striped HawkmothFocus stack of Striped Hawkmoth
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
As well as the dolphins already posted about from a pelagic with Faune Océan in the Mor Braz area of #Brittany #France on 1 August were ca. 300 Balearic Shearwater (an important summer feeding area), 1 Manx, 17 Euro Storm Petrel and an unexpected Guillemot #birds #ocean #wildlifephotography #Nikon
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Also seen from a pelagic with Faune Océan in the Mor Braz area of southern #Brittany #France on 1 August were a small group of Short-beaked Common Dolphins#cetaceans #ocean #wildlifephotography #Nikon
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Just got from a wonderful week around Le Golfe de Morbihan in #Brittany #France. On my first full day I took a pelagic with Faune Océan in the Mor Braz area. Fantastic view of Bottlenose Dolphins were one of the highlights of an excellent trip #cetaceans #ocean #wildlifephotography #Nikon
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Also from the 80w MV this morning a likely Golden-rod Pug, which is <10 records from Avon but which may need gen-det to confirm given it's rarity and it's similarity to Grey Pug #moths
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Another great trap with two NFG migrants - Tree-lichen Beauty and Ni Moth - both rare in Avon until 2026. Both exciting and worrying given context of successive climate-change driven heatwaves driving rapid colonisation of many migrant insect sp. #moths #climatechange @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
Tree-lichen MothTree-lichen MothNi Moth
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
A crazy morning spent soaking wet under two bridges in #Bristol counting roosting Old Lady moths. Found 44 clusters of up to 120, with a total of 1760 moths 😳 often exquisitely arranged into overlapping tiles of lacework wings. Thanks 4 the pics Lior Kestenberg! #moths @savebutterflies.bsky.social
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Beautiful fresh Ni Moth in the traps at Henleaze Lake this morning among 61 other species was a new UK moth for me #moths #naturephotography @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
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Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
If you're worried about our future - Andy Burnham is very clearly signalling nothing will change. But we can still turn this around with the Green Party getting even bigger. No new oil & gas so we can all have a liveable future. We need your help. Join.greenparty.org.uk
Burnham to announce plans for new north sea oil and gas drilling
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
The Sparrowhawk family in #Badock'sWood @bristolbirding.bsky.social are moving around near the nest now with both adults (it was just the male up to now) hunting and bringing food to perches for the fledglings. This female has just had a meal and life is pretty good 😎 #ukbirding #birds
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Another day another lifer moth ! This time it was the first moth I saw out of the kitchen window at 0530 - another beautiful migrant, the Sulphur Pearl (Sitochroa palealis) among 'only' 50 species this morning - other pics are of orchard ermine (prob.) + ruby tiger #moths @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
Sulphur Pearl (Sitochroa palealis) - this one likely to be a migrant but does breed in the UK with larvae feeding on wild carrot principally.Probably orchard ermine given how grey it is but orchard/apple and spindle ermines usually aggregated unless dissected to identifyRuby Tiger moth
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
So the #Badock'sWood sparrowhawks that I've been following branched 3 days ago and fledged yesterday. Their development is so fast - from the left 7th, 10th, 14th (today's male). The adult female has clearly lost weight during the process - pics showing today and 7 May #ukbirding #birds
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
A few moth pics from last Friday in the garden. I've decided I must try harder again with #macro #photography Canary-shouldered Thorn (x2), Elephant Hawkmoth and Poplar Hawkmoth - stunners one and all #moths
Canary-shouldered thorn mothCanary-shouldered Thorn mothElephant HawkmothPoplar Hawkmoth
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
I've been following this family of Sparrowhawks in my local wood Badock's Wood #Bristol for nearly 3 months through nest-building, laying, incubating, hatching and now getting close to fledging with 4 healthy chicks nearly ready to go. A daily treat 🥰 @bristolbirding.bsky.social #ukbirding
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
78 species #Moths at Henleaze Lake #Bristol this morning from 3 traps (2xMV + blacklight) included two lifers for me - a long awaited Dewick's Plusia 😍 and Brown-veined Wainscot plus NFY White Satin and Leopard and a few other migrants inc. 14 Rush Veneer and 8 Small Mottled Willow
Dewick's PlusiaWhite SatinLeopardBrown-veined Wainscot
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Ketan Joshi @ketanjoshi.co · 03/07/2026
Fun fact: the vast majority of all carbon re-captured by CCS is used to dislodge more oil from nearly-depleted oil fields thepoint.com.au/off-the-char...
Stacked area chart showing that the vast majority of captured CO2 has been used to extract more fossil fuels, with the red area (used for fossil extraction) rising sharply since ~2010 while the thin green area (stored underground) remains small from 1996–2024.
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BTO | British Trust for Ornithology @btobirds.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
1/3 We’ve taken the difficult decision to not return to Global Birdfair as an exhibitor. While we recognise that Birdfair provides an opportunity to meet with members and volunteers, our continued investment in other ways to engage with supporters is proving to be a more effective use of resources.
Image of a Smew from front on in the water. Image credit in bottom right corner reads: Smew © Sarah Kelman, BTO.
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
Small Marbled this morning in my garden (2nd record after 1 last year) plus first Eyed Hawkmoth and Garden Tiger of the year #Henleaze #Bristol @migrantmothuk.bsky.social #nikon #naturephotography
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 27/06/2026
A pretty busy heatwave for moths for me with 165 sp. recorded in 5 nights between Henleaze Lake #Bristol and my garden down the road. The best single moth was a #dreammoth for me in a catch of 107 sp. from the garden yesterday - Rosy Knot-horn (Oncocera semirubella) 😍 @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 21/06/2026
I spent the morning today looking for Large Blues on the Cotswolds. Saw 7 with at least 6 egg-laying females. This was the only one that opened it's wings and the only one that laid eggs on Marjoram, not Wild Thyme (shown here) @savebutterflies.bsky.social
female Large BlueFemale Large BlueLarge blue laying eggs on Marjoram, not Wild Thyme, it's usual host plant
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
I've not done much trapping in 2026 but this female Pammene ignorata (Obscure Tortrix) was confirmed by gen-det from my garden on 28 May. 3rd Avon record after 2 in 2006 (2nd+3rd UK records). Does anyone know what the current UK status is? @migrantmothuk.bsky.social Apologies for pot pics 🙂
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Alan Curry @yellowbrow.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
Another vagrant on St Paul Island, an absolute stonker of a Red-necked Stint! #Birding
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Amazing and reminds me of a time when one was found grounded on the Pride of Bilbao
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Mark D @seaskywatch.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
About 50+ miles at sea out of Santander and this beautiful Turtle Dove is crossing Biscay!
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Matt Hull @hull24matt.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
Spring in full-swing on the Quantocks today: 3+ Cuckoo, Goshawk, Hobby, 16 Wood Warbler, 19 Willow Warbler, 3 Garden Warbler, 2 Whitethroat, 3 Dartford Warbler, 10 Firecrest, 5 Spotted Flycatcher, 42 Pied Flycatcher, 13 Redstart, 3 Tree Pipit, 2 Crossbill & 1 Yellowhammer. #somersetbirding
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
The last few pics of Wood Warbler singing their hearts out in the Quantocks yesterday #ukbirding #bird #Nikon #wildlifephotography @somersetbirds.bsky.social
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
Some more of yesterday's Wood Warblers in the Quantocks - this time caught taking off or in flight - sallying between song perches in their territory #ukbirding #bird #Nikon #wildlifephotography @somersetbirds.bsky.social
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
My favourite sound of ancient woodland is a singing male Wood Warbler. This one on the Quantocks yesterday was a joy to watch switching song perches around it's display area #ukbirding #bird #Nikon #wildlifephotography @somersetbirds.bsky.social
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
I saw many Pied Flycatchers on the Quantocks yesterday, all in a very particular valley combe Sessile Oak woodland habitat that they seem to do very well in. A beautiful fragile environment and a perfectly adapted species 😍 🌱 #ukbirding #birds #Nikon #wildlifephotography @somersetbirds.bsky.social
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
Enjoyed a fantastic Saturday on the Quantocks with my wife - a 7 mile walk, delicious lunch, and amazing birds - cuckoo, tree pipit, garden warbler, redstart and best of all 29 pied flycatcher* and 7 wood warbler* #ukbirding #bird #Nikon #wildlifephotography @somersetbirds.bsky.social
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Matt Hobbs @migrationmatt.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
Brimstone butterflies getting jiggy on Monday in the Forêt de Rihoult Clairmarais #Pas-de-Calais #butterflies #Nikon #wildlifephotography @aravindramesh19.bsky.social @hull24matt.bsky.social
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