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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Trying the new mobile LED trap out in Cley last night. It works! 15/11 including 2 Mallow, Feathered Thorn, Black Rustic, Green-brindled Crescent, Sallow etc. Never had the Mallow in Shrewsbury. #teammoth

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

The inspiring Wern Farm in adjacent Monts with the wildlife groups on Weds produced several of the fine Calliphorid Cynomya mortuorum, Small Copper and fleeting views of Barn Owl amongst others. #diptera @dipteristsforum.bsky.social #mybutterflyyear #ukwildlife

Several sightings of the fine, indeed spectacular, blowfly Cynomya mortuorum, which we don't often find. A big Calliphorid with a yellow face

Rubbish pic of the brief Barn Owl sighting. Always a treat to see

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

After the BSBI England meeting, a diversion 'on the way home' this afternoon via Burleydam to see the Baird's Sandpiper. An adult, apparently about 200m outside Shropshire where we have never had this American wader, with a Ringed Plover. #cheshirebirding #ukbirding

Adult Baird's Sandpiper on mud of pool edge crouching low and showing the very long wings. Adult winter scaps with a few more worn dark centred summer lower ones left.

Adult Baird's Sandpiper feeding on soft mud on edge of pool

Bair's Sandpiper and Ringed Plover. Slightly deceptive as the Baird's was obviously smaller with a better comparison but my pics of that were v poor

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Garden moths in #Shrewsbury this morning. Pristine Small Mottled Willow (it's been their year but this is the first for a while), Gold Triangle (Hypsopygia costalis) also as fresh as a Badger/Daisy. Autumnal feel w 1st Lunar Underwings (five) of the year and a 2nd Black Rustic. #teammoth #ukwildlife

A fresh looking Small Mottled Willow on an egg box

Lunar Underwing in the black inside of the moth trap

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

VP w G today the juv Ruff from y'day remained and showed well. Also lingering 1CY LRP, 2 Greenshank, 4 Green Sand, W Rail, 25+ Shoveler, 395+ Greylag etc. Lots of big Larid (140+) dropped in (v few usually) but all Lessers. 10 Clouded Yellow the commonest butterfly, V. zonaria. #shropshirebirding 🪶

Juvenile Ruff, a female on size ('Reeve'), striding across Crassula helmsii around VP this morning

The same juv Ruff with piece of wood of unknown size for scale.

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Late picking #favouriteplant of the year for #wildflowerhour but this is right up there. I believe it is Utricularia australis with that flat lip that turns up a little at the edges. In ditches at Canada Farm on Somerset Levels during the excellent Dipterists Forum week in July. Native plant✅!

Utricularia australis, a bladderwort, flowering in a ditch on the Somerset levels. A

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

VP wader fest continues with 2 juv Little Stints this pm, big thanks to Mike J for posting pic/news. They were flighty and may have dropped in after rain shower. Full on patch and Shropshire✅ for me. Also 6+ Sand Martin, 9 Shoveler, Greenshank, Green Sand. 3+ Yellow Wag etc #shropshirebirding 🪶

One of two juvenile Little Stints in shallows at Venus Pool this afternoon. Not sure how long they had been there but seemed nervous and easily spooked by wagtails and other imagined threats.

Another view of the same juv Little Stint along the edge of muddy shoreline with dark water behind. White Vs more visible at this angle

Both the juv Little Stints at the edge of the pool against the light. Proof of two, at least.

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Sorbus intermedia (Swedish Whitebeam) from the Bog Mine on a rather wet Wednesday with the wildlife group. 2 big ones and three smaller ones, including one across the lane. Also #fruits #wildflowerhour

Phone pic of a fruiting twigs from a Swedish Whitebeam on a very damp day

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Early shift for #westmidsalldayer at VP. 2 Green Sand, LRP, Water Rail, Starling (no honestly) and best of all 2 Spotted Flycatcher in the car park as I was leaving for #ParkRun volling. Less than annual for me on patch. #Shropshirebirding

1w Spotted Flycatcher on wire. Back of camera

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Garden moth trap star this morning was this stonkingly nicely marked Small Marbled (3rd garden record and 2nd this year). Also Frosted Orange nfy, Red Underwing, 9 Centre-barred Sallow, 120 LYUW, Rosy Rustic, Dusky Thorn, Box Tree etc 192/22 #teammoth #migrantmothuk #Shrewsbury #ukwildlife

Small Marbled, a very nicely marked example of a small formerly rare migrant macro, resting on the trap

Frosted Orange in an egg box with a Vine's Rustic trying to get in on the act. An autumn moth and a real stunner

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Less of the same at VP this morning, a Greenshank the only wader seen. Also 7 Shoveler, 35 Teal, juv Shelduck, big jump to 520+ Canadas, 6 Egyptian Goose, Green and GS woodpeckers, 12 Chiffs, Reed Bunting etc. Diversity plummeting as the all dayer looms 😅 #shropshirebirding 🪶

Snoozing Greenshank this morning in the shallows was the only remaining wader I could see this morning

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

VP with G, less of the same after a clear night, no sign of Curlew Sand. Greenshank, Green & Common Sand, Snipe, 3 Lapwing, juv Shelduck, 31 Shoveler. 8+ new brood Clouded Yellow round arable w Brown Argus, Common Blue, Sm Copper etc. #shropshirebirding 🪶 #mybutterflyyear @ukbutterflies.bsky.social

Clouded Yellow nectaring on Lucerne in the flowery margins. All those seen today were very fresh and thought likely to be newly emerged from eggs laid here this year.

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

VP at lunchtime w @janettem34.bsky.social in heavy showers hoping they dropped something in. The juv Curlew Sandpiper continues to entertain, 3 Greenshank (one new in), 2 LRP, 2 Green and 2+ Common Sands, Snipe, 4 juv Shelduck, 1CY Water Rail, 25 Shoveler etc #shropshirebirding 🪶

Juvenile Curlew Sandpiper flying in heavy rain showing the white rump

Greenshank wading in the shallows, one of three, one of which apparently dropped in at the start of the rain

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Also at Buildwas Abbey on Wednesday with the wildlife group some Small Teasel, Dipsacus pilosus, where we saw it before in early November last year. Looking better this time with some on theme #seedheads and even a few flowers for #wildflowerhour Always a nice plant to see

Spikey heads of Small Teasel in open woodland near the River Severn.

Flowers and leaves of Small Teasel in Nettles and grasses

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

A fine show of Colchicum autumnale (Meadow Saffron) in grassland near the River Severn at Buildwas on Wednesday with the wildlife group, looking fresh in the parched sward. We weren't expecting it but it's been recorded nearby before. #wildflowerhour

Colchicum autumnale, Meadow Saffron, flowers in parched looking grassland

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Pics of passerines from VP yesterday. Whitethroat, I thought juv/1w based on gape, dark iris etc, but why is it regrowing its gcs with an outer one in pin? Two of the 6+ Yellow Wags, one w very white super, throat and grey crown and ear covs, the other more typical 1w. #shropshirebirding 🪶

Why is this young Whitethroat replacing all its gc? Adventitious or something else? They should have full grown gcs when they're much younger looking than this, I think. Or have I aged it wrong? Even so why would it be moulting now? A second similar bird also had coverts in pin.

Young Yellow Wagtail on the mud at VP - a typically dull looking one.

Yellow Wag with pale grey crown, nape and ear coverts and white super and throat/upper breast. Makes you wonder about flava/Channel influence but can't be done at this age as they're too variable, I believe. Smart bird.

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

VP late pm w @janettem34.bsky.social continuing juv Curlew Sandpiper, new juv Turnstone (one of 2 in yesterday pm), juv LRP, juv Greenshank, 3 Green Sand, 1+ Common Sand, 4 Snipe, 18 Lapwing, 70 Teal, 28 Shoveler, L Egret, Red Kite, 6+ Yellow and 40 Pied Wag, juv Water Rail etc #shropshirebirding 🪶

Juvenile Curlew Sandpiper on the mud at VP looking as peachy as yesterday

New in yesterday, with another that had gone overnight making it seven this month at the pool, a juv Turnstone on the Carp of Destiny

Poor shot of a rather brief coming together of the Curlew Sandpiper and Turnstone double county rarity combination

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Some recent #Shropshire moths that are not as rare as they used to be. Metalampra italica at Buildwas with w the wildlife group on Weds near a pile of logs; Small Ranunculus from 25th and another Vestal from 26th both in the garden. #teammoth #ukwildlife

Metalampra italica - dead wood feeding moth that has colonised from the south but still not common in Shropshire. Yet to get one in the garden for example. Found by a log pile by Nigel Cane-Honeysett

Small Ranunculus on the wall by the garden moth trap. One of several this year

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

VP from 0535 hoping last night's Curlew Sand had stayed - yes - a beautiful peachy juv! Patch gold and a county✅ for me! Also juv Peregrine, juv Greenshank, 2 Green & 2 Common Sand, Water Rail, 2 GWE, juv Shelduck, 2 Reed Warbler, 2 Whitethroat, 2 Redstart, 110 Goldfinch #shropshirebirding 🪶

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

VP early morning - great rarity of steady then heavy rain in SE murk but not much new apart from increase in Teal to 55 and Snipe to 12. 2 juv Greenshank, 2 Green and juv Common Sand, 14 Shoveler, Water Rail, 2 Reed Warbler, 175 BH, 4 LBB and juv Herring Gull, 40 Pied Wag etc. #shropshirebirding 🪶

See what I mean? - it was almost dark at times. Juv Greenshank in shallows with rain splashing around it

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

VP with G. Fewer birds but G picked up 4 juv Turnstone dropping in. They landed out of sight, emerged from behind island for 2 minutes & off to S calling. Total stay c5 min! Otherwise 2 Greenshank, 3 Green & 2 Common Sand, 3 Snipe, 10 Lapwing, 3 Y Wag, 4 Cl Yellow. #shropshirebirding 🪶 #ukwildlife

4 juvenile Turnstone along the shoreline at VP this morning, the right hand bird behind a dead Carp. Second record of the month here but it's a county rarity and this is the largest group ever recorded in Shropshire!

One of the 4 juv Turnstones came closer but very shortly after this was taken they all looked up, called and flew out to south.

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

VP a.m. no new waders despite rain at 1st. Greenshank, 7 Green & 2 Common sand, 3 Snipe, 3 juv LRP, 13 Lapwing, 245 BHGull (many 1w & much variation), 20 L & 2GWE, Gadwall, 3 Tufted, Kingf, Nuthatch, 2 M Thrush, Willow Warbler, 2 Whitethroat, Redstart, 3 Y Wag, 30 Goldfinch etc #shropshirebirding 🪶

Lovely fresh Willow Warbler in the Chicory

Very dark 1w Black-headed Gull with chocolate wing coverts and paler brown fringed next to a more standard 1w. In the early morning rain stood in the shallows

Black-headed Gull at the pale end of variation in the rain on the edge of the water

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

VP this morning with 3 Greenshank the highlight, 2 of them in & out, calling beautifully etc. Also a record 24 Little Egret, 2 GWE, 6+ Green & 2 Common Sand, 3 j LRP, 7 Shoveler, Yellow Wag, 3 Canlag etc #shropshirebirding 🪶 #ukwildlife

3 Greenshank at VP against the light, fishing in the shallows

The 3 rather excitable and noisy Greenshank

One of the Greenshank coming in to land. One of my favourite birds and definitely one of my favourite calls

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

VP w G this a.m. Still 3 j LRP, 20 L Egret, 5 Green Sand, Y Wag, Common Sand etc. Main excitement in varying large white bird competency, almost missed 1+ juv Cattle Egret flying round and away over the hide 🤭. Good Mute Swan (and Canada Goose) rescue skills though. #shropshirebirding 🪶 no Turnstone

Good job I idly got a pic of 1 of 3 small egrets flying round then away. Chimping the image it appeared to be a juv Cattle Egret still with its grey bill that they quite quickly loose so I wonder where it is from. Doh, the first for the year here and only the third in the county, I think! Not seen again.

Canada stuck between fences between the pools, presumably too tired to fly but it could run. No match for me though (eventually!) #shropshireshufflers. Then put it over the fence to the fishery pool where there is more food and it's a bigger pool

G with Mute Swan wandering up and down the VP side of the fence line trying to get to the big pool but apparently unable to fly there. G passed it to me in a kind of Mute Swan relay then I put it into the field by the fishing pool. There's plenty of macrophyte growth in there in the much deeper water and the 3 Mute Swans didn't seem to take exception to it

Mute Swan heading for the fishery pool, but not at all grateful

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

It's that time of year again, almost exactly a year since the garden first, a bosting big Clifden Nonpareil in the garden trap! 18 Aug last year, 17th this. Otherwise quite busy but migrants just a Rush Veneer and a Small Mottled Willow. #teammoth #ukwildlife #shrewsbury

Clifden Nonpareil on an egg box in the moth trap. A very large licheny-grey patterned moth

Safely in the emergency jam jar (no pot large enough) showing the blue underwing

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Y'day at VP 20 Little and 1 GWEgret, 17 Grey Heron, 3 juv LRP, 5 Snipe, 4+ Green and 2+ Common sands, 2 Yellow Wag, juv Reed Warblers, 3 Canlag etc in morning w @shropshirebirdlass.bsky.social then a juv Turnstone dropped in at lunchtime so returned to view that. County rare. #shropshirebirding 🪶

Juv Reed Warbler showing well in tall herbs. Grey iris and legs, very fresh even aged plumage etc

Juvenile Turnstone at VP. My 3rd record at VP after two on 23 May 1990 and one on 8 May 2021. County rarity averaging maybe one every 2 years somewhere in Shropshire!

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Sunday 0535-0930 WeBS at VP 18 Little & 1 GWEgret, 15 Grey Heron, 5 Green Sand, juv Ruff, 2+ juv LRP, 5 Green & 3 Common sands, 3 Snipe, Shoveler, 94 Mallard, 16 Teal, 11 Eg Goose, 440 Greylag, 255 Canadas, 2 Canlag, 15 Cormorant, Kingf, 3 Yellow & 35 Pied wags, 2 Redstart etc #shropshirebirding 🪶

Black-headed Gulls and Little Egrets plus Grey Heron (and Egyptian Goose) in the early morning gloom feasting on the many fish (many of which died in the extreme heat/presumed low oxygen levels recently)

The juv Ruff amidst Black-headed Gulls, still there Sunday but not yesterday

Incoming Greylags. Numbers have really built up recently

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

VP this morning juv Ruff, 4 Green & 2 Common Sand, Snipe, 2 juv LRP, 18 L Egret, 19 Grey Heron, juv Water Rail, Kingfisher, Mandarin, 130 BHGull, 510 G'lag and 140 CAGO, Canlag, 6 Eg Goose, Yellow Wag over, Redstart, Kestrel etc. Fresh Common Blues out #shropshirebirding #butterfly 🪶 #ukwildlife

Juv Ruff with 2 Black-headed Gull. Ruff arrived yesterday. Patch yearly for me

Many big Carp look to be dying in the shallows, the water is evidently warm and presumably has too little oxygen to go round

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Best moth night of the week for diversity was 11th with 170/49 including a smart Catoptria falsella (3rd gdn), Common Lutestring (1st since 2023), Maiden's Blush, Prays fraxinella, 10 Small Mottled Willow, Wax Moth, Sallow Kitten, Sept Thorn etc #teammoth #ukwuldlife

Catoptria flasella, a smart micro lurking in the egg tray with intruding caddis

Two of 10 Small Mottled Willow - this was my 1st double figure night for them

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Yesterday's moth trap in the #Shrewsbury gdn had slightly more than today: 224/40 with Obscure Wainscot new for the garden. Also 18 Small Mottled Willow (peak count so far in a mad year for them, only a year since the garden first) Common Wainscot , 82 Large Yellow Underwing #teammoth #ukwildlife

Common Wainscot - not so common here, nice white hindwings on this one visible with minor nurdling with a biro.

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Last night's mothing slightly down in numbers on previous two nights, 203/39 but including nfy Vestal (3rd garden record), Calamatropha paludella (also 3rd) and Orange Swift. Small Mottled Willows down to 8. Bit behind with the mothage. #teammoth #ukwildlife

Vestal, migrant moth that's a pleasing yellow with a pink diagonal of varying intensity. Here upside down on table cloth used to cover the trap while off birding

Calamatropha paludella a wetland moth head down on brick wall near the trap

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

Other plants at Whixall Moss on Wednesday on the rather crispy moss itself included Cross-leaved Heath (Erica tetralix), Bog Asphodel (Narthecium ossifragum) and Bog Rosemary (Andromeda polifolia). #wildflowerhour #ukwildlife

Flower head of Cross-leaved Heath in damp heathland, not as damp as it should be though

Bog Asphodel had mainly gone over but this one had a couple of flowers left at the top of the spike

Bog Rosemary only just coming into flower

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

Whixall Moss on Wednesday with the wildlife group. Angelica (Angelica syvestris) at its best pulling in some insects including several whopping Tachina grossa. Nearby was Bifid Hemp-nettle (Galeopsis bifida). #wildflowerhour #diptera #ukwildlife

A mass of Angelica flowers with a large Tachinid fly Tachina grossa

Closer photo of Angelica flower head with the very large Tachina grossa

Flowers of Bifid Hemp-nettle (Galeopsis bifida). Undulate/notched lip with rather solid pinky purple centre

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

VP 0715-0925 w @janettem34.bsky.social Greenshank dropped in, then out, 5+ Green & 3+ Common Sand, 2 juv LRP, 1 Redstart, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Garden Warbler, usual Whitethroats, CC, BC, Marsh Tit etc 2 Vestals and a Clouded Yellow seen around the arable. #teammoth #shropshirebirding 🪶 #migrantmoths

Backlit Greenshank fishing in shallow water.

Greenshank taking flight. Heard it calling again from the arable field and apparently it flew off 9might well return though)

Garden Warbler lurking in the hedge, after berries. Curse that leaf

Vestal - migrant moth resting upside down in the grass

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

VP this morning pristine juv Common Gull, 2 juv LRP, 4+ Green & 2+ Common sands, Snipe, 12 L Egret incl colour-ringed juv, 7 Grey Heron, 55 BHGull, Tufted, 9 Teal, 330 Greylag, Green Woodp, 2 family parties of Whitethroats, Redstart, juv Song Thrush, 3 Bullfinch etc #shropshirebirding 🪶 #ukwildlife

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

Nice flush system above Ratlinghope with the wildlife group on Wednesday. 7 Carex species including Flea Sedge (Carex pulicaris) with the fleas ready to ping. #wildflowerhour #ukwildlife

Fruiting head of Flea Sedge in a flush on the edge of the Long Mynd. The ripe female utricles ping off like jumping fleas if you prod them

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

Great rarity today - a twitch! To Glos with @janettem34.bsky.social for the long-staying first-summer Long-tailed Shrike, only the third for Britain. Showed very well at times and was catching what looked like Orthoptera. Missed it catch a vole before we arrived. Heat hazy pics #ukbirding 🪶

First-summer Long-tailed Shrike in Hawthorn hedge from which it was hunting in the long flowery field margins

It briefly showed facing away showing the orangey rump etc

Another view of the shrike, front on this time in the same bush

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

The largest and 2nd largest invertebrates of yesterday's wildlife group trip on the edge of the Long Mynd above Ratlinghope. The rather unwelcome but spectacular Signal Crayfish and the very welcome and only a bit less showy Golden-ringed Dragonfly on Jim's chair. #ukwildlife #odonata #crustacean

A large Signal Crayfish, twice the size of our native species, in the clear water of a stony stream.

Golden-ringed Dragonfly (Cordulegaster boltonii) chair sitting for Jim

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

VP this morning, hides only. Rarity - light drizzle briefly! Influx of Little Egrets (10 incl new juvs), 2+ Green & 3+ Common Sand, 4 Grey Heron, 15 Teal, 11 Egyptian Goose (5 flew in causing much scrapping), Green Woodpecker, Reed Warbler etc. #shropshirebirding 🪶

Adult Little Egret at Venus Pool, one of 10 including a number new in, mainly juvs

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

VP w G a sum plum schinzii Dunlin the highlight, 2 Green & 2 Common sands, 20 BHGull incl a very fresh juv (where from?), 290+ Greylag, Canlag, 9 Egyptian Goose, 5 Teal, 3 Whitethroats, Reed Bunting but hedges and arable quiet. 9 Clouded Yellow, Conops quadrifiasciatus. #shropshirebirding 🪶 #diptera

Dunlin in summer plumage at VP picked up by G. It;s got a small belly patch and shortish bill typical of schinzii. I am rusty though as this is the first one I have seen here this year! They used to be very regular

A recently feldged juvenile Black-headed Gull in the water. Seems unlikely to have travelled that far to get here

Conops quadrifasciatus on Ragwort round the arable

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Reposted by John Martin

Andy Musgrove @andymus.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Following the sad news about Bill Oddie, here's our own little tribute from BUBO Listing bubo.org/bill-oddie.h.... RIP Bill.

bubo.org

Bill Oddie

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Tree-lichen Beauty in the garden in Shrewsbury yesterday was an unexpected garden tick, only my 2nd ever and maybe only one previous county record if West Midlands Moths is up to date. A second this morning was just mad (marked differently but the first had been released several 100m away) #teammoth

Tree-lichen Beauty from garden trap set on 26 July in Shrewsbury on a plank with bits of algae rather than lichen. Released in the evening some distance away

An even more outrageous second individual this morning from trap set on 27th. Obviously differently marked so not a homing moth

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Volucella fest along the cycle path to Mereside WeBS this morning. 2 V zonaria on Buddleja on the way there, then V inanis and V pellucens on Hogweed on the way back. #diptera #ukwildlife #hovers

Hornet Hoverfly (Volucella zonaria), one of 2 on Buddleja flowers

Volucella inanis on Hogweed. A smaller version of zonaria without the rich orangey chestnut on the abdomen

Great Pied Hoverfly (Volucella pellucnes) on the same Hogweed flower as inanis

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

VP 2 Green & 1 Common Sand, Marsh Tit on thistles, Redstart, 270 Glag, 9 Egyptian Goose, 3 L Egret, 2 Green Woodp, 2 Reed Warb, Swallows over hay stubble etc. Mereside WeBS - two late Mallard broods of 5 & 3 with 75 ads/fg juv, 2 summering Tufteds, 20 Canadas incl juvs etc. #shropshirebirding #webs

Young Swallow hawking low over pale coloured hay field stubble at Venus Pool

One of the pair of Tufted Ducks that have, unusually, summered at Mereside this year

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

A rare Wednesday wildlife group out-of-county foray to N Herefordshire's Mowley Valley this week, where it was nice to find some Isolepis setacea (Bristle Club-rush) on the new scrapes. #wildflowerhour #wetlandplants

Close-up of the flower head of Bristle Club-rush

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Also at Mowley Valley w the wildlife group, other highlights included yet another Clouded Yellow, a fine little bunch of Lispes (Muscidae) running about & courting on damp mud and the spotty eyed hover Eristalinus sepulchralis. #ukwildlife #mybutterflyyear #diptera @dipteristsforum.bsky.social

Clouded Yellow at rest (briefly!) on Creeping Thistle flowers in an uncut margin of hay field

A Lispe sp on a remaining damp patch of mud, Nippy little Muscids that are tricky to catch love running around on mud.

Eristalinus sepulchralis - a hover related to drone flies with great eyes, here on a scrape-side stone

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Mowley Valley in N Herefordshire yesterday w Wildlife Group. Their new scrapes were good for odonata including Emerald Damselfly new for the site, Common Darter, Emperor, Black-tailed Skimmer, Four-spotted Chaser, Common Blue & Blue-tailed Damselflies. #odonata #dragonfly #ukwildlife

Lestes sponsa male (Emerald Damselfly) resting on a rush stem

Sympetrum striolatum male (Common Darter) in flight over one of the scrapes

Anax imperator male (Emperor Dragonfly) flying against the blurred vegetation of the far side of one of the scrapes. 2+ males were zooming about and scrapping and at least one female ovipositing

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

VP this a.m. w G. Birds similar to yesterday incl Common Sand plus Green Sand, Green Woodp, Sand Martin, 15 BHGulls (c6 this year's juvs). We counted 10, possibly 1-2 more, Clouded Yellow around the arable including a helice. At least one f hanging around the Lucerne. #ukwildlife

Flighty helice Clouded Yellow at VP this morning

Flighty helice Clouded Yellow at VP this morning showing greyish upperside to hindwing and quite broad dark grey margin flying through rather dead looking plants

Clouded Yellow of the normal variety at rest on Lucerne plant. Flight shots showed it to be a female

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Reposted by John Martin

The White Falcon @markgolley.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Sadly there were no takers over the weekend for the freebie Macmillan Guide, so if anyone would like this copy of a still brilliant little guide, ping us a DM or message me here & we can sort it from there. It has a slight rip on the back cover, which I'll sellotape up for free too 😉

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

VP this morning, late summer Greylag flock grown to 190, 9 Egyptian Goose, Mandarin, 6 Teal, L Egret ad, Common Sand, 18 Lapwing, Green Woodp, Kingfisher, L Whitethroat, 4 Whitethroat, Redstart, M Thrush, Nuthatch etc. 1st Prosena siberita of the season. #shropshirebirding #diptera #ukwildlife

Greylag summer flock is now building quite quickly, it seems.

Prosena siberita on Creeping Thistle Flower with its splendid mouthparts visible

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