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Rich Facey

@richfacey.bsky.social
59 followers 153 following 20 posts

Conservationist and Ecologist based in Wales. Can usually be found awake.

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Reposted by Rich Facey
Philip Amies @philipamies.eurosky.social · 13/09/2026
I'd also say more clearly anthropogenic ffridd and rhos are not just 'man made' these rich species assemblages have some connection to natural open habitats, the species involved have taken advantage of a novel landscape which most likely has some sort of analog in previous interglacials.
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Annie Irving @sconzani.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
It's peak Parent bug! Can't resist sharing these - at least six huddles of Parent bugs on one Alder, probably more I didn't spot. The patterns!
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Portland Bird Observatory @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
A welcome addition to the Portland suburban soundscape: Verge Cricket giving it some stick in our back garden at the Grove this evening - could almost imagine you're somewhere beside the Mediterranean.
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Rich Facey @richfacey.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
The bramble patches in our garden are replete with berries and bush-crickets at the moment. As the light fades, this female Dark Bush-cricket will be serenaded by the striking match like calls of her male counterparts.
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Julian Hughes @penrhynbirder.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Like most birders, I met #BillOddie several times, even appearing on an early series of Birding with Bill Oddie, in a one-hour birdrace around Rutland Water during the original @globalbirdfair.bsky.social. My first contact was age 16 when I asked some celebs to write some encouraging... (1/3)
A postcard dated 4/4/87 from Bill Oddie:

"I started birdwatching when I was six. Now I'm nearly 46 - and I'm keener than ever; and if I reach 96 - I'll still be at it. It's an interest and a joy for LIFE. Please don't even THINK of giving it up. Learn and have fun"
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Julian Hughes @penrhynbirder.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Welcome news about a #seabird whose Welsh population has probably never been higher. This week's @northwaleslive.bsky.social BirdNotes, with some recent sightings on land too. #BirdingWales @rspbcymru.bsky.social @btocymru.bsky.social @smp-seabirds.bsky.social www.birdnotes.wales/blog/black-g...
birdnotes.wales
Black Guillemot: a seabird on the up
At a time when many of Wales’ breeding seabirds are in trouble, meriting the launch of a conservation strategy to which the new Plaid Cymru government committed in its election manifesto, some good...
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Julian Hughes @penrhynbirder.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
If you went down to the woods in May... A short 🧵about how @birdsandbikes.bsky.social and I spent our spare time this spring in Coed Gwydyr and adjacent woodlands in the Afon Conwy catchment, #NorthWales. #BirdingWales
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Rich Facey @richfacey.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Few species have given me as much anxiety this year as the Cinnabar Moth. Last year was terrible for ragwort in the garden. There were few caterpillars. This year there is lots of ragwort but adults have been infrequent at best. I've feared the worst. But we are almost at 100 caterpillars already!
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Biological Recording Company @biologicalrecording.co.uk · 14/07/2026
Urban ponds may be small, but they’re biodiversity powerhouses 🐸💧 Yet many are in poor ecological condition. Join Dr Rachel Walker on 15 Sept for a webinar on creating, surveying & managing urban ponds for wildlife 🌎 🧪 Book here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1981358046... @barnescommon.bsky.social
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Rob Thomas @robthomasbirds.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
This, from the UK Met Office, should be brought to the in-tray of the CEO of every fossil fuel company, with a request for them to explain what they are planning to do or say, to avoid prosecution for all the damage that they have caused, and are causing.
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Rich Facey @richfacey.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Our bathroom has proved to be a good place to find inverts over the last few nights. Mainly moths but last night it hosted an Eared Leafhopper (Ledra aurita).
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Wild Card @wildcard.land · 14/07/2026
BREAKING: The Church of England makes landmark commitment to... business as usual? 🤔 This comes at the same time that the Church announces new teachings for the "mass extinction crisis". The Church of England can talk the talk, but clearly they can't walk the (nature) walk. #SynodVoteForNature
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Guy Shrubsole @guyshrubsole.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Appalling: Church of England votes against plan to rewild 30% of its land by 2030 @wildcard.land have run a noble campaign trying to get the CofE to see sense But this demonstrates exactly why Ministers can't rely on landowners to voluntarily support 30by30: www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
theguardian.com
Church of England votes against plan to rewild 30% of its land by 2030
Campaigners criticise C of E for failing to show moral leadership as one of country’s biggest landowners
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Mike Shewring @mikeshewring.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
1/🛰️🧠 New open-access paper! We built a deep-learning (U-Net) model to automatically map surfaced vehicle "hill tracks" across the UK uplands from 25 cm aerial imagery — the first spatially comprehensive assessment of their extent. 🔓 doi.org/10.1002/2688...
doi.org
Vehicle tracks in the <fc>UK</fc> uplands vary in occurrence with land use and overlap with peatlands and protected areas
Surfaced vehicle tracks are widespread across GB uplands, yet their extent and environmental footprint have until now been poorly quantified. Using remote sensing and a semi-automated detection model...
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Julian Hughes @penrhynbirder.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Well worth a read. Some of the highest track densities are in Southeast Wales, and the highest level of nature designation makes no difference to whether tracks have been created through semi-natural habitats. Cumulative impact could be large. @natreswales.bsky.social will be interested, I'm sure.
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Jon Burke🌍 @jonburkeuk.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
‘…we need to achieve a minimum of 40% street tree canopy cover, and preferably more, before we start to really feel the benefits of nature’s most advanced air-conditioning technology.’ Me, for Big Issue, on tackling urban #heatwaves…👇 www.bigissue.com/opinion/heat...
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Rich Facey @richfacey.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Quick lunchtime tidy up of our mini greenhouse resulted in Knot Grass #moth caterpillar lurking amongst the bunching onions.
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Rich Facey @richfacey.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
A chance encounter with a new species for the garden- a Large Skipper resting on an Oxeye Daisy in our mini meadow! @sewbrec.org.uk #bufferfly
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Julian Hughes @penrhynbirder.bsky.social · 27/06/2026
Excellent review of the birds of Pumlumon, most likely reflecting the whole of the Cambrian Mountains, by ecologists with decades of experience of the region's birds. If you're #BirdingWales and not subscribing to @britishbirds.bsky.social, please consider fixing that.
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Richard K Broughton @richardkbroughton.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
New #OpenAccess in #BirdStudy Artificial nests differ from natural nests in predation rates and predator identity: important to study natural nests if possible. Are artificial nests suitable to study wader nest predation? A case study on wet grasslands: doi.org/10.1080/0006... #ornithology #waders
A real Lapwing nest. See Figure 2.Lapwing on nest. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Breeding_Northern_Lapwing.jpg
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Peter Stronach @macstronach.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
and a wee bit of video of the Woodcock with chicks in tow! #highlandbirds 🪶
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UK Seabird Monitoring Programme @smp-seabirds.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
It's Insect Week! Though we might normally think of seabirds feeding on fish and crustaceans, many species, like these gulls, feed on insects too. How many times have you seen gulls following a tractor, or terns hawking insects? #Seabirds @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social
An image of gulls foraging behind a tractor as it ploughs the ground.
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Rich Facey @richfacey.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
This year, my laid back approach towards thistles growing in the garden has been rewarded with a Painted Lady caterpillar! Cue obsessive checking of every thistle plant in the garden! Adults have been a near daily sighting since late May. #butterflies #butterfly #caterpillars
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Rich Facey @richfacey.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
Over the weekend the moth trap caught 40 individuals across 20 species. My favourite by far were two Buff Arches (pictured). Large Yellow Underwing and Garden Grass-Veneer were the most numerous species but neither species reached double figures. #TeamMoth #Moths
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Graham Appleton @wadertales.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
On this day in 2017, I asked what would happen to head-started Black-tailed Godwit numbers: wadertales.wordpress.com/2017/06/13/s... 🎂9️⃣ Here's an assessment from 2024: wadertales.wordpress.com/2024/09/26/h... And some 2025 stuff about inbreeding: wadertales.wordpress.com/2025/04/29/i... #ornithology
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Rich Facey @richfacey.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
Last night's catch comprised 30 moths across 17 species. Heart & Club and Buff Ermine were the most numerous. A tatty looking Buff Tip was the first of the year, as well as Barred Yellow which is new for the garden (I think...). #TeamMoth #Moths
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Caroline Lucas @carolinelucas.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
Good news! Ministers have finally given green light to new #NaturalHistory GCSE. We’ve campaigned so long for this! Big hats off to tireless advocate Mary Colwell 🙌 Now our young people will have a chance to get to know & love the natural world, to feel awe & wonder, & gain skills to protect it 🌷🌳🦡
theguardian.com
Natural history GCSE to teach teenagers to plant wildflower-friendly gardens
Long-awaited course to examine human effects on natural world and explore everyday ways to aid biodiversity
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Rich Facey @richfacey.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
Brown Mottlegill, or "Mower's mushroom" are springing up all over a patch of regularly mown lawn - although this year it's been mainly grazed by guinea pigs! #mushrooms #fungi
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Julian Hughes @penrhynbirder.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
No prizes for guessing what would headline this week's @northwaleslive.bsky.social BirdNotes... It's set to be just the seventh first-for-Britain found in #NorthWales, a list that dates back to 1753. A few non-heron sightings too. 📷John Riley #BirdingWales www.birdnotes.wales/blog/first-f...
birdnotes.wales
First for Britain draws the crowds
Caernarfon residents woke on Sunday to an array of expensive optical equipment lined along the harbour wall. Britain’s first Western Reef Heron has attracted birders from across the country since...
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Rich Facey @richfacey.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
A surprise find in the garden this weekend was in the form of a solitary Pyramidal Orchid. We've lived here almost 5 years and while Common Spotted Orchids have flowred every year, this is the first time Pryamidal Orchid has.
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Wild Horizons @wildhorizons.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
Always nice to see late nests successful. 8 Willow Tit nestlings now fledged from this protected cavity. They’re being fed by both parents, moving through a beautiful valley that’s in the process of rewilding. Soon they’ll disperse, search for a mate and home range and they’re only a few weeks old!
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MAKS 26 👀🇺🇦 @maks23.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
💥 In Donetsk region, birds are building nests from drone fiber optics.
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Curlew Action @curlewaction.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
Read our latest blog by Mary Colwell: Curlews & Rewilding www.curlewaction.org/curlews-rewi... 📷 Peadar Morgan
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Bumblebee Conservation Trust @bumblebeetrust.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
Your quick guide to help you tell apart the common bumblebees you spot this month 🐝👀 What bumblebees have you spotted recently?
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Rich Facey @richfacey.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
I wasn't expect much in the #moth trap after such a wet, windy, and cold night. But waiting were 29 individuals across 12 species. Heart & Dart made up most of the catch (14), and it was nice to see the return of Silver Y. #TeamMoth
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Rich Facey @richfacey.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
The first grasshopper nymphs of the year have started to appear in our mini meadow.
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Mr and Mrs Trellis @thenorfolkcoast.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
Does Woodland Restoration Benefit Moths? Online free talk Tuesday, 10 November 2026 13:00 with EntoLive... www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/does-woodl...
eventbrite.co.uk
Does Woodland Restoration Benefit Moths?
Patrick Cook (Butterfly Conservation) shares results from a project looking at the impacts of woodland restoration on moths in Scotland.
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St Kilda World Heritage Site NTS @stkildawhs.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
Grateful to any visitors this season that are able to photograph any of @jezierskimt.bsky.social 's colour-ringed birds in the Village. If you're able to read a darvic ring, please report the alphanumeric code, time and location to NTS staff for contribution to Michal's research 🙏
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Breeding Bird Surveys (BBS) @bbs-birds.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
It’s Volunteers’ Week! 2025 was the best year on record for BBS coverage across the UK. Thank you so much to the 2,828 volunteers who took part in the survey last year. We appreciate your time and effort. @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social #Ornithology #VolunteersWeek
A brown Dunnock with a grey chest says: '2025 was a record breaking year for coverage!' The BBS logo also features, which is an illustration of a Goldfinch.
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Rich Facey @richfacey.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
This (increasingly worn) Hummingbird Hawkmoth has been a more or less daily visitor for the past week. Just a summer visitor or one of an increasing breeding population? I'm hoping the latter!
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Joshua Styles @joshual951.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Five years on & my gardens are an absolute paradise - 100s of orchids, 1000s of grasshoppers and so much more! All I did was plant native wildflowers plus mow ot twice a year, removing clippings each time. Low maintenance ✅ Amazing for wildlife ✅ What’s not to love?! 🌱❤️
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Rich Facey @richfacey.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
Heard my first Wood Warbler of the year this morning, while out with the dogs. It was singing along this path/ride between two large old stands of mixed conifers.
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Richard K Broughton @richardkbroughton.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
Two of the species named here cause most Willow Tit nest failures, one occasionally causes nest failure, and the other has never been proven to cause a Willow Tit nest loss - but which one? It's Grey Squirrel! No proven records of Willow Tit nest destruction, but it might happen very occasionally.
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Wild Horizons @wildhorizons.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
It’s a busy time for Willow Tits. In a couple of hours today, at this nest the pair had to chase off a Blue Tit, Grey Squirrel, Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Marsh Tit. That’s on top of constantly feeding the 7 nestlings inside this (now protected) willow snag, feeding themselves, AND bath time!
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Rich Facey @richfacey.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
If you build it, they will come! A Large Red Damselfly seems to have set up territory on our pond. The water and its surface is teeming with life. So much so that earlier this morning a Spotted Flycatcher spent some time hunting insects over the ponds surface!
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Julian Hughes @penrhynbirder.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
Wood Warbler surveys are a good enough reason to wander Coed Gwydyr early in the morning, but even better when an encounter is unexpected. Plus a roundup of recent sightings around #NorthWales in @northwaleslive.bsky.social BirdNotes. 📷 Tony Pope. #BirdingWales www.birdnotes.wales/blog/fleetin...
birdnotes.wales
Fleeting moment with an enigmatic owl
Last week, I was surprised and delighted to see a Long-eared Owl flap slowly and silently between conifers in a North Wales plantation. The view lasted only a few seconds, but as these are rarely...
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NationCymru @nation.cymru · 17/05/2026
There is a calm to simply being away from screens, billboard adverts and car horns. There is added joy in using your senses to notice and observe the natural environment, like we evolved to do over millions of years ✍️ Jon Conradi
wp.me
The path to valuing our wildlife
Jon Conradi, Wild Mosaic At the end of April I took a bad photo of a tiny bug resting on an old woody stalk in a field of long grass. This turned out to be the thousandth species recorded in the Wilde...
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Rich Facey @richfacey.bsky.social · 16/05/2026
The moth trapp was virtually empty this morning with just two moths! An Ingrailed Clay (left) and Shuttle Shaped Dart. It was a bit chilly over night here. #TeamMoth #moths
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Julian Hughes @penrhynbirder.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
If you walked in an oakwood last autumn, you might remember that there were a lot of acorns. Now there are a lot of tiny Oak trees, where no animals graze. This was a random square metre (approx) that contained c.50 tiny trees. Across Wales, there must be tens of millions.
An area of approximately one square metre, containing a variety of plants. Dominant are the bright green, irregularly shaped Oak leaves, with a small number of Bluebells among them, and Ivy and Bramble sp. They are all growing through the litter layer of brown Oak leaves from last year
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Rob Thomas @robthomasbirds.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
Another very worrying incursion of a non-native predator onto a Scottish Island, after the recent news of rats on Mousa.
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