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Stephen Clayton @stevepclayton.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

For #BirdOfTheDay theme #Black&Red a moorhen that was nesting on our local park pond.

A moorhen stands on top of its nest in the water of a pond. The heads of two of its chicks can be seen in the nest built of twigs and what looks like some plastic wrappers.

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Stephen Clayton @stevepclayton.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

For today's #BirdOfTheDay theme #BestBeaks, the well-known double-beaked sacred ibis 😜.

Two sacred ibis stand on top of a thorny acacia one in front of the other, looking in different directions so that it appears as one bird with two beaks.

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Stephen Clayton @stevepclayton.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Black&White so I went out into the back garden.

A monochrome shot of a bluetit perched on the branch of a bush looking to it's left

A monochrome shot of a pigeon just about to land on a roof with its wings back behind its body, head upright.

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Eva Montemaggi @evamontemaggi.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

The UK can fund the triple lock and social care. Tax needs to change but primarily it’s the BoE that is the prob. Bond markets can be talked to. A country’s budget is not a household’s budget. For further info @annpettifor.bsky.social annpettifor.substack.com/p/its-time-t...

annpettifor.substack.com

Its Time to Ignore Defeatists on Both Right and Left

The Left must reject Neoliberal Political Framing. Taxes do not pay for government spending. Taxes are a consequence of spending.

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Stephen Clayton @stevepclayton.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

@robcrank68.bsky.social has set today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #BestOfTheMonth. For me a Mediterranean flycatcher and a male Sardinian warbler were my best. Both in Son Bou, Menorca.

A Mediterranean flycatcher sits on top of one of the walls of the Basílica de Son Bou in Menorca.

A male Sardinian warbler with distinct black upper head perches on the leafless twigs of a small bush looking down in search of food.

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Stephen Clayton @stevepclayton.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

#BirdOfTheDay is #EFG, birds beginning with any of those letters (1st name). So, here's an Egyptian goose and a goldeneye.

An Egyptian good stands in water at the edge of a pond.

A male goldeneye pictured swimming across a lake away from the camera with its head turned to the left so its golden eye is clearly visible..

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Stephen Clayton @stevepclayton.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

@helenbennett.bsky.social has set today's #BirdOfTheDay theme of #BokehBirds, birds with soft, muted or blurry backgrounds. So, here's a swallow on a wire in the Kefalonian rain, and a lovely mallard in the Wigan sunshine.

A red rumped European swallow sitting on a wire in the rain with a blurred green background.

A female mallard sits on stone at the side of a pond with its wings slightly untucked with blurred green foliage in the background.

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Leah McElrath @leahmcelrath.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Eoin’s piece is worth reading in full. The point is that it’s critical to hold the responsible parties to account and certain types of language obfuscate that responsibility. That said, I fear we’re already trying to close the barn door after the fact when it comes to precision of language.

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Stephen Clayton @stevepclayton.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

#BirdOfTheDay alt is #AIrborne any bird in flight so here's a common buzzard.

A common buzzard soaring with its wings wide open against a blue sky.

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Stephen Clayton @stevepclayton.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is: #Seabirds; any bird found at sea or the coast. Here's an Audoin's gull down at the beach.

An Audoin's gull sits atop a coconut fibre beach umbrella looking to the right with the sea and sky in the background.

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Stephen Clayton @stevepclayton.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

@robcrank68.bsky.social has set the #BirdOfTheDay alt theme of #Green, photos with Green in the backgrounds not on the birds. So, here (I think) a female Sardinian warbler with the green hedges around Son Bou beach in the background.

A female Sardinian warbler sits on the twig of a bush. The shot is side on and the bird ids looking with a slight side-eye into the leaves of the surrounding bushes.

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Stephen Clayton @stevepclayton.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Pairs, photos with pairs of the same species in them. A pair of tufted ducks from some time ago.

A pair of tufted ducks swim across the dark water of a pond, the male in the foreground with white plumage on its side, black elsewhere and a clear yellow eye. The largely chocolate brown female is in the background.

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Stephen Clayton @stevepclayton.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

For today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #ODG, any Owl, Duck or Goose. a couple of feral domestic geese I met on the beach in Son Bou, Menorca last week.

A pair of feral domestic geese, possibly Toulouse, in the foreground of a shot of the beach in Son Bou, Menorca. The goose at the front has the grey colouring of greylag or a pink-footed goose, whereas the one behind it is totally white apart from its head which has greylag colouring apart from a white line around its beak.

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HOPE not hate @hopenothate.org.uk · 05/09/2026

🚨 BREAKING: Patriot Platform, a new far right group launched by Tommy Robinson’s right hand man Daniel Thomas (AKA Danny Tommo) has blockaded the port and several roads in Dover. The masked men are from subgroups of PP, including Sussex, Essex, and South East Patriots Here’s all you need to know.

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Tom Roberts @tpgroberts.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

I do wish any of these pieces that criticise tax rises in favour of "welfare reform," would engage in the 16 year long experiment in welfare reform that has culminated in marginal savings and an increase (until recently) in child poverty. Truly, a mugs game. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

thetimes.com

Andy Burnham warned over ‘stupid’ tax raid on capital gains

Lord O’Neill of Gatley, who declined a role as the PM’s economic adviser, says raising taxes in the budget would show ministers were not serious about growth

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Adam Rutherford @adamrutherford.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

I've been revisiting my 2021 book How to Argue With a Racist, in light of the Cofnas situation - i didn't name him or the scientifically illiterati with who he breaks bread. But I thought these sections from the end might be of interest.

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Rob Cheesewright @robcheesewright.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

@rory-stewart.bsky.social - please do correct the record. Evidence below - both our territorial and consumption emissions are falling.

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Steve "Whistling Joe" Everett @whistlingjoe.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Not something you'll see very often - Hedychrum rutilans, one of the Jewel Wasps. Extinct in the UK up to a handful of years ago, now popping up in the southeast. A specialist cuckoo on the Beewolf - this one spotted by Mrs WJ just off #DiggerAlley @rspbminsmere.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social

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Aveek Bhattacharya @aveek18.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Since the Premier League starts back up tomorrow, I (well mostly Claude) made a little personality quiz to help you decide who to support. Give it a go and tell me what you think aveek-18.github.io/sporting-hat/

aveek-18.github.io

THE SPORTING HAT — which Premier League club should you support?

12 questions. 20 clubs. One destiny. The Hat's decision is final.

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Peter Geoghegan @petergeoghegan.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

This really is a remarkably positive story - done in the face of massive right wing media opposition too Burnham should take note

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Stephen Clayton @stevepclayton.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Here's a gift for students when being challenged on their use of AI. "AI did almost all of the writing. I remain the expert and the thought leader behind the piece."

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Nadine Batchelor-Hunt @nadinebh.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

We are so very lucky to have @stephenkb.bsky.social both as an industry and as a society

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John Ganz @lioneltrolling.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

A recent paper by two economists inadvertently paints a Marxian picture with orthodox economics.— t.co/nobCs31izi

t.co

https://www.unpopularfront.news/p/marx-keynes-and-ai

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Laura Phillips @lauraphillips.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

"To challenge wholesale an autistic person's account of the facts of their life can therefore amount to something considerably more invasive than ordinary fact-checking: it can become an assault upon the narrative structures through which that person understands who they are." Worth your time, IMO.

substack.com

Jason Arday: J'Accuse the British Media

After the death of Jason Arday, Will Self asks what happens when the media machine mistakes what interests the public for the public interest.

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Stephen Clayton @stevepclayton.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Was taking shots of this garden spider devouring a fly, and it seemed to want to come and see me off! #Insects #Spiders #MacroMonday

A close up, macro shot of a garden spider feeding on a fly it has captured. The almost golden coloured spider is hanging head down with its fangs embedded in the fly which is wrapped in thread.

The same garden spider in macro, but it has moved off the spider and towards the camera displaying its fangs as if to ward off the photographer.

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Rootless Cosmopolitan @brennick.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

In a world full of Trumps, Musks, Jenricks and “Tommy Robinson”, choose to be a Hannah Arendt.

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Stephen Clayton @stevepclayton.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is #50ShadesOfGrey, birds with grey plumage, which gives me a chance to post one of this grey crowned crane again.

A grey crowned crane stands by water pecking at the dry ground. It's different shades of grey plumage are clearly seen from the pale grey of its neck graduating to darker shades along its back.

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Stephen Clayton @stevepclayton.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

The #BirdOfTheDay theme is #AtOneWithNature celebrating birds in their natural environment. No manmade objects. This is how I mostly see jays...

A jay in the centre of the shot with its back to the camera sits in crowded leafy woodland and is quite well hidden.

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Stephen Clayton @stevepclayton.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

#BirdOfTheDay theme is #PeekABoo: birds peeking out at the camera. You can just about see this song thrush peeking out at the camera.

In the centre of the shot a song thrush is hidden amongst the dark green foliage of trees and ivy in full leaf, one eye peeking out towards the camera.

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Stephen Clayton @stevepclayton.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

A migrant hawker (?) dragonfly down at the Flashes this morning. Original shot and then heavily cropped and tinkered with in Lightroom. #Dragonfly #Insects #UKWildlife #Nature #MacroPhotography

A migrant hawker dragonfly caught in mid flight in the centre of the shot with a blue sky background and green foliage in the lower background. Nikon Z6iii, Nikkor 70-300mm, f/5.6, 1/2500, ISO 800

A heavily cropped version on the first shot showing the dragonfly in close up with some corrections and noise reduction done in Lightroom.

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Stephen Clayton @stevepclayton.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Today’s Alt #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Busted; birds looking directly at camera. A black-headed gull from this morning.

A black headed gull its wings out wide flies towards the camera at a slight angle as it turns in the air against a backdrop of grey clouds.

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Stephen Clayton @stevepclayton.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #LittleBrownBirds. So, from a walk round Pennington Flash this morning: a juvenile greenfinch, a secretive wren, a juvenile dunnock, and probably a willow warbler.

A juvenile greenfinch sits in the moss covered branches of a dead tree.

A wren hides in the undergrowth in amongst the seed heads of dock plants.

A juvenile dunnock sits on top of a wire fence within the dense foliage of wild rose.

Probably a willow warbler sitting on the branch of an oak tree in full leaf.

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Rebecca Sear @rebeccasear.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

“The tragic implication of Plümper and Neumayer’s analysis is not that individual scientists are unusually dishonest, but that a system designed to incentivise truth-seeking has been incrementally transformed into one that often rewards its distortion” blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofb...

blogs.lse.ac.uk

Is publication, not truth, now the driving pursuit of science? - LSE Review of Books

The Credibility Crisis in Science by Thomas Plümper and Eric Neumayer explores how researcher incentives and publication bias distort scientific knowledge

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Stephen Clayton @stevepclayton.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Firsts - your earliest bird captures. This is the very first shot of a bird I took with my first digital SLR (used Nikon D3200 with Sigma 18-200mm) - 30th May 2020. #Birds #Photography

A female blackbird rests on the wire frame of a feeder in a garden with trees in full leaf.

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Stuart Hoddinott @stuarthoddinott.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

This is a genuinely exciting announcement about Burnham's intention for public service reform There are some potentially massive changes to the way that services are funded and operate A few things that jumped out at me 👇 www.gov.uk/government/p...

gov.uk

Rewiring the State – Cabinet Statement (HTML)

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Stephen Clayton @stevepclayton.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Just voted in GM Mayoral by-election and our polling station seemed busier than normal for local elections, if that means anything. #GMMayor #By-Election

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Ed Conway @edconway.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

👕 It might just look like yet another silly season story. But the furore over Andy Burnham's casual-wear actually tells you rather a lot about the architecture of the economy around us, and the profound challenges facing anyone wanting to change it👇 edconway.substack.com/p/what-andy-...

edconway.substack.com

What Andy Burnham's £80 T-shirt really tells us

This isn't just a story about expensive clothes. It's about where things are made, about why you can't really trust what it says on the label and about what happens after the "end of geography"

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Charlotte Weatherill @ckweatherill.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

The point isn't to produce essays, it's to teach students how to think for fuck's sake. The minute you automate that, it's over. You might as well close the course. Which they're also doing. This is an attack on learning, and everyone is just shrugging.

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Samira Ahmed @samiraahmeduk.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Loved this by @gralefrit.bsky.social. And here's the real Talos in the @mediamuseum.bsky.social in Bradford. It's still menacing and tragic..

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Stephen Clayton @stevepclayton.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

A few handheld macro shots with and without flash from the garden yesterday (Nikon Z6iii, Sigma 105mm 1:2.8 with FTZii, Godox V860iii). #Insects #UKWildlife #Nature #MacroPhotography

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Stephen Clayton @stevepclayton.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme: #EmeraldBackdrop – Images where the background colour is green.

A male blackbird sitting on top of a white fencepost with an emerald green blurred background. There is also a mist of fine rain.

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Stephen Clayton @stevepclayton.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Some evening insect macro practice. A mint moth on the bay tree, a couple of sage leaf hoppers on the sage, and a bumblebee (not sure which kind) in a geranium flower #Insects #UKWildlife #Nature #MacroPhotography

Two sage leafhoppers sitting on a sage leaf.

A bumblebee very active inside the flower of a geranium.

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Stephen Clayton @stevepclayton.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is #EyeOfTheWild – piercing eye or eyes as the dominant feature of the portrait. The first one shows a crow's nictating membrane which seems to reflect the blue sky. The second has the red eyes of nosey pigeons. #Birds #UKNature #Photography

A crow sits on the end of a roof ridge, wings folded neatly away and its head looking toward the right of the shot. Its eye looks blue, which results from the nictating membrane being over it.

Three pigeons (two stock doves and one with pied colouring) stand on the top of a wall all facing to the left of the picture. Their left eyes are all facing the camera and they appear to all be looking at the same point with great interest. Their yes have a red-orange hue.

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Stephen Clayton @stevepclayton.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #SittingDownOnTheJob, birds sitting on the floor. One of those categories that makes me realise how few photos of this kind I take. #Birds #Photography #UKWildlife

A greylag gosling sitting in grass with a few daisies around it.

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