The dramatic changes in smoking behaviour that have happened across my lifetime are a source of hope to me.

The feast day of St Mark falls on Friday this week, and his flies (Bibio marci) were out in strength @northcavewet.bsky.social today. This male took time to let me see just how hairy he is! Elsewhere: sound and vision for both cuckoo and bittern 😀

‘Curator’s Strawberry Tree’ #284 in #treehunting. Taxi-driver for a student offer day, I’ve had time for some tree hunting in Sheffield today. Last to be caught was this Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) at the entrance to Sheffield Botanical Garden. 26 of 1000

‘Sheffield’s Witness’ #283 in #treehunting. A gorgeous day for tree-gazing in Sheffield Botanical Gardens. This Corstorphine plane (Acer pseudoplatanus ‘Corstorphinense’) was alight in the sunshine. 25 of 1000

‘Grande Plane’ #285 in #treehunting. An ivy-clad Oriental Plane (Platanus orientalis) looms over the road near Weston Park in Sheffield. 24 of 1000

‘Museum Maple’ #286 in #treehunting. A Cappadocian Maple (Acer cappadocium) coming into leaf beside Weston Park Museum in Sheffield. 23 of 1000

Important news for nature vs. nurture debates everywhere….

A chance today to catch that colour 😍

‘Mrs Gaskell’s Mulberry’ #173 in #treehunting. A haggard Black mulberry (Morus nigra) tucked into a Manchester park beside the Victorian author’s house. 22 of 1000

Speckled wood butterflies were fighting it out for the best spots of sunlight @northcavewet.bsky.social. Elsewhere: it was all about the 🎶, blackcaps everywhere, willow warblers and best of all - booming bittern

‘Altrincham Puzzle’ #192 in #treehunting. A very impressive Fern-leaved beech (Fagus sylvatica ‘Asplenifolia’) just coming into leaf in John Leigh Park, Altrincham. 21 of 1000

‘Pride of Timperley’ #191 in #treehunting. The perfect day to find this Yoshino Cherry (Prunus x yedoensi) blooming gorgeously in De Quincey Park, Altrincham. 20 of 1000

Sunday Girl

🎼
I know a girl from a lonely street
Cold as ice cream, but still as sweet
Dry your eyes, Sunday Girl

Hey, I saw your guy with a different girl
Looks like he's in another world
Run and hide, Sunday Girl 🎼

Debbie Harry photographed by Chris Stein 1976

#debbieharry #punkrockhistory

Painting of a woodland carpeted with light purple blossoms

Britain is home to almost half of the world’s bluebells, found in ancient or semi-natural woodlands, flowering in April and May. 'Bluebell woods' by contemporary UK painter Susan Entwistle #WomensArt

This image is an oil painting titled Evening Scene by the Docks, Hull, created by the English artist John Atkinson Grimshaw. It features a nocturnal urban landscape typical of Grimshaw's work, capturing a waterfront scene with shipping vessels and industrial architecture in the background. The work is part of the collection at the Ferens Art Gallery in Hull.

🧵The Hull Dock Strike erupted in April 1893 amid a bitter dispute between dockers and employers, fuelled by the use of non-union labour. Violence flared across the docks, with riots, police charges, and widespread disorder. On 22 April, suspected arson destroyed vast timber

A Japanese colour woodblock print with a monkey sitting on a willow branch. It is muted in colour, mostly greys.

A melancholy monkey is skillfully captured in this wonderful colour woodblock print by Japanese artist Ohara Koson.

Born in Kanazawa in 1877, Koson was a master of kachō-ga (bird and flower pictures) but also created numerous works of other animals during a prolific career.

Cowslips (Primula veris) adding some further colour to the paths @northcavewet.bsky.social today. Elsewhere: Brimstone, Peacock 🦋

An Alder fly (Sialis spp.) basking in the Spring sunshine @northcavewet.bsky.social today

Always a treat, a pale and classy Snake’s head fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris) @northcavewet.bsky.social today. Elsewhere: sand martins returning to check their nest holes.

The Yearlist to the end of March 2026 at North Cave Wetlands stands at 116 species.
With new species seen during the month shown in Red.
Undoubted highlight of the month was the first successful breeding of Egyptian Goose with a pair hatching 9 young on Crosslands Lake.
@northcavewet.bsky.social

For those who don’t know, the OU brought teachers like Doreen Massey, Stuart Hall, Margie Wetherell, Grahame Thompson, John Allen, Tony Bennett to design and write degree courses to anyone, regardless of prior qualifications often FOR FREE and until 2010ish for around £3-500 p.a.

Blackthorn in full bloom @northcavewet.bsky.social today 😍

The annual opportunity to imagine a time before flowers, as horsetails raise their spore cones to the sky @northcavewet.bsky.social

Small, but perfectly formed! 😀 A Field Pansy (Viola arvensis) highlights the nectar route for pollinators on a sunny, but very blustery day, @northcavewet.bsky.social. Elsewhere: sixty curlew and first blackcap song 🎶

“Behind the spray of the male sallow-willow, shadows from the further bank of the pool - and from overhanging branches - are reflected on the still surface of the water”

What to Look for in Spring
Writer: EL Grant Watson
Artist: CF Tunnicliffe

Pretty confident this was a Mining Bee (Andrena spp.) @northcavewet.bsky.social today. Want to believe it’s an Early Mining Bee (Andrena haemorrhoa) because…well it’s still ‘early’ 😀 and it seems a reasonable fit, but happy to be corrected @suillia.bsky.social

Despite a bit of warmth, this sparkling fly, Gymnocheta viridis, was one of only a few insects I spotted on the wing @northcavewet.bsky.social today. Elsewhere: avocets and marsh harriers.

‘Lakeside Elm’ #258 in #treehunting. This impressive Huntingdon Elm (Ulmus x hollandica ‘Vegeta’) has previously gone unnoticed as I’ve plodded round Hull East Park Parkrun - not in future! 19 of 1000

‘Knotted Acacia’ #259 in #treehunting. The Reckitt & Sons model Garden Village in Hull is tree-rich. Off ‘Laburnum Avenue’ is ‘Acacia Drive’, where this False acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia) thrives. 18 of 1000

Male Ash flowers, looking like unseasonable blackberries, appearing @northcavewet.bsky.social today. Elsewhere: Skylarks 🎶