📣New regional checklist released!
A provisional checklist of Barkflies (Psocoptera) for Cheshire & Lancashire by Keith Fowler is now available. This is the first checklist for this under-recorded group in the region.
👉 Download it here: www.northwestinvertebrates.org.uk/document/a-p...
Distant Black-necked Grebe in breeding plumage on The Mere with black neck, yellow ear fan, rusty flanks and steep forehead etc. Scarce migrants in Salop that have bred.
Couldn't resist a trip up to Ellesmere w @janettem34.bsky.social to see the sum plum Black-necked Grebe. A bit distant but nice scope views. The male Lesser Scaup remained on S shore with Tufteds, an unexpected Common Sand flew round calling & 3 singing Reed Warblers present. #shropshirebirding 🪶
Big patch of Garlic-mustard (Alliaria petiolata) along the cycle path near Mereside. Will doubtless have Orange-tip although didn't see one this morning.
Orange-tip on a lichen at Bridges earlier in the week, showing cryptic underside
Walking to the the Mereside #WeBS count this morning there was much Alliaria petiolata (Garlic-mustard) along the old cycle path. Orange-tip male a cheat from a different site earlier in the week. WeBS had 8 Tufted, Grey Heron, 2 Mallard broods, Willow W etc #wildflowerhour #cabbagechallenge 🪶
A Green-winged Orchid in flower in neutral grassland.
Close-up of a different Green-winged Orchid flower spike
'Leaves' of Moonwort just unfurling with the fertile frond also just visible within.
Green-winged Orchids (Anacamptis morio) just coming into flower at Minsterley Meadows with the wildlife group on Wednesday. All seemed to be rather dark in colour in this (large) population. We were also shown the Moonwort (Botrychium lunaria), which was just unfurling. #wildflowerhour
Male Redstart high in a large English Oak at Venus Pool against a blue sky with new young leaves of the tree
VP WeBS early morning 2 Reed and a Garden Warbler both nfy, singing Redstart high in the big oak for the patch year, 2 Whitethroat, Siskin, 2 Jay, 16 Sand Martin, 2 Common Sand, 2 Snipe, 11 Shoveler, 3 Shelduck, 3 Teal, 4 Gadwall, Cetti's, Mallard brood etc #shropshirebirding 🪶
Yes, major outage reported, it seems. Hope it is resolved ok
The endemic Viola palmensis on a rocky bank amongst a tangle of scrub high up near the top of the massive caldera. We looked in one spot for it but there was no sign, then saw this from the car as we drove by.
Still going through pics from La Palma now 6+ weeks ago. The endemic Viola palmensis on the north side of the caldera near Roques de los Muchachos, the highest point on the island at c2400m, on 2 Mar was one of the best plants of the trip and definitely at its best. #wildflowers #lapalma #botany
Bristly fly is a Tachinid, not sure of species, tricky from one photo, the hoverfly is Eristalis pertinax pale yellowy 'feet'.
One of the Mandarins, a male quite high up in a tree. 2 males were chasing a female and calling
Oystercatcher pointlessly seeing off Red Kite.
Tuesday so to VP with G as usual. Chilly and blustery w 120 Sand Martin, 2 Swallow, 45 BHGull (most 2CY), Common Sand, brood of 11 Mallard, 22 Shoveler, 18 Gadwall, 4 Siskin, Whitethroat, 3 Mandarin, Peregrine, Kestrel caught a small mammal etc. Red Kite being chased by the Oycs. #shropshirebirding
Thanks Deb, this one must be one of them. The Shotatton one the day before had no rings so presumably not theirs. Also full primaries and no red staining
Wheatear male in sheep field near Pole Cottage, Long Mynd yesterday
One of 5 singing male Pied Flycatcher at Bridges. One female seen too
Swallows on the wires, Bridges
13 Apr continued... Then normal service was resumed with 2 Wheatear and Redstart around Pole Cottage; 6 Pied Fly, 4 Redstart, 2 Swallow etc Bridges; and 4 bright male Yellow Wags at Polemere. #shropshirebirding
Dear me, how big a group? They should look after their birds better.
On putting news on WhatsApp group I saw a v recent message re one on a roof in Bayston Hill, which we had just driven through. Good job we missed the message. Clearly ours was the same as that bird, which pics showed had a green ring above the knee, and was then claimed by a zoo (as they often are).
Left wing with at least one damaged primary.
Right wing also with some damage.,,
1010 Y'day heading for the Mynd w @janettem34.bsky.social we were amazed to see a White Stork over the A49 near Chatford. After some manoeuvring we found a place to stop and caught it heading to SW overhead. Assumed it was the Shotatton bird but primary damage = not the same one. #shropshirebirding
Wood Sorrel flowers on a log in woodland at Severn Valley Country Park. White with a little pinkish venation
Bee Orchid rosette in verge by the car park looking a bit trashed. c10 here
Wood Sorrel (Oxalis acetosella) patch in woodland at Severn Valley Country Park with the wildlife group on Weds. Also Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera) rosettes looking a bit trampled. #wildflowerhour #woodlandflowers
Moenchia erecta on Lyth Hill with greyish green leaves and pointed sepals. I see far more of this now we are in Shropshire but always a treat
Changing Forget-me-not (Myosotis discolor) flowers go from yellow to blue or maybe blue to yellow, you figure it out.
Blinks already in fruit in short open turf
Spring annuals on Lyth Hill last weekend with @janettem34.bsky.social Upright Chickweed (Moenchia erecta), Changing Forget-me-not (Myosotis discolor) and Blinks (Montia fontana) already going over. Blinks and you've missed it etc. #wildflowerhour
Kestrel hunting over the arable field at VP
The hovering Kestrel over the arable field. They're not the common site they were in my youth!
Later at VP with @janettem34.bsky.social Whitethroat nfy in the lane hedge, Common Sand, 2 LRP, 4 Oystercatcher, 13 Shoveler, 12 Gadwall, 22 Tufted, GWE, the confiding Kestrel, c50 Sand Martin, Swallow, 4+ Willow Warbler, Cetti's etc in blustery conditions with heavy showers. #shropshirebirding
White Stork along the edge of ploughed field
Both feet seen and no rings just above them nor above the 'knees'. Plumage not stained like the recent bird in Monts so either faded or a different bird
Flew and dropped to next field closer to the village where it was watched in field being ploughed. All seem to be regarded as suspected reintroduction birds or escapes these days but wild ones obviously still occur, spring is the time and this is about as good as we could expect in Shropshire. Ave it!
White Stork by A5 at Shotatton this morning, thanks to Reevesy for the refind. It moved just S of the village to fields being ploughed. No sign of rings and not the recent bird in Staffs? as primaries all present and correct. All suspect but as good as we could get these days. #shropshirebirding 🪶
The rather stunning hoverfly Chrysotoxum triarcuatum, endemic to W Canary Islands, showing the red abdomen - various British Chrysotoxum species are all yellow and black.
The longhorn bee Eucera graciliceps, is also a Canary endemic
A couple of Canary Islands endemic insects from our trip to La Palma on our way up to Roques de los Muchachos on 2 Mar. The splendid hoverfly Chrysotoxum triarcuatum and the 'slender long-horned bee' Eucera graciliceps. with @janettem34.bsky.social #diptera #lapalma
It's in our garden but it was a 'weed' in our neighbours' when we arrived and we were delighted when it arrived unaided. We did actually introduce it in the back but it disappeared there and it persists in the front in the site of its own choice!
A Robin perched on a branch, its beak full of food and other material.
To reduce disease, we all need to make some urgent but simple changes to how we feed our garden birds.
See our website for the latest guidance: brnw.ch/21x1t4w
Brindled Beauty in egg box
A second Brindled Beauty in a more favourable position
Garden moths slightly down last night but 2 Brindled Beauty were nfy. #Shrewsbury #Teammoth
A Mistle Thrush on the ground shows its brown back, greyish nape and crown and spotted breast and belly. To the left, white wording on a blue background reads: Out now! The latest population trends for breeding birds in the UK. The BBS logo featuring a Goldfinch is top right of the image.
1/ The 2025 BBS Report is out now! It was a record year for volunteers taking part, with 2,800+ visiting 4,058 survey squares across the UK, Channel Islands & Isle of Man. A huge thank you to our volunteers!
@btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social #Ornithology
Pair of Little Ringed Plover mating at VP
Pair of Oystercatcher with the same idea
VP with G (changing hide codes and dropping the water a little) on Tuesday on a warm sunny day. LRP pair, Oystercatcher pair, 4 Willow Warbler, 4 Blackcap including a female, Sprawk, Red Kite, 5 Gadwall, 16 Shoveler. Holly Blue nfy, O-tips, Brimstone, Peacock and a Small Tort. #shropshirebirding
Indeed, they will probably be fine next year but sorry to miss a close look at the spectacle
All likely, several Blackcaps new in yesterday at local patch in Shropshire. Chiffchaff now in numbers and Linnets on the move. Wise to try and get visuals to check new ones, good way to learn the songs and calls
Mind you, Common Sand used to breed on the Rea Brook and many other rivers and streams in the shire, so also greatly declined.
I was referring to Redshank, used to breed at the pool. Don't think Common Sand have ever bred, but they're very regular as a migrant.
Peacock basking in the sunshine at VP
Comma on Blackthorn flowers at Venus Pool
And also at VP with @janettem34.bsky.social this morning were Peacock, Comma and Orange-tip with another Orange-tip later along Otley Road #butterflies @westmbms-99.bsky.social
Scill bithynica in flower on verge of the A49 south of Bayston Hill.
Pale flowered examples of S bithynica
More were of the typical blue form. Even more had been recently mown, sadly.
Twitched Scilla bithynica 'on the way back' (after dipping Dipper) where @bramblebotanist.bsky.social found it a year or two ago new for VC40. A purple haze as I recently drove by now 90% had been mown on the verge.