Top left is a broken large plant pot and inside are 2 hedgehogs feeding. The one on the right is deeper in the pot than the one on the left. To the side is a small black water dish. They also have a much larger water dish where I've sometimes seen them bathing. The green is gallium, a self seeded very welcome wildflower which supports Hummingbird HAwk Moth larvae.

080426 FZ1K Hedgehog breakfast bar in my garden last night. They have visited several times since middle of March. They have a clear run through 4 safe back gardens. Tildi thinks they live under the first home's log shed #naturelovers #wildlifephotography #york #uknaturalists

One Hedgehog feeding under a broken plant pot, small water dish to the right is empty, they also have a larger one which they something bathe in.

2 snuffling between planters, took some finding, couldn't see them for several minutes.

310326 FZ1K my garden 2 Hedgehogs, #uknaturelovers #wildlifephotography #york #uknaturalists One feeding and about 1hr later heard snuffling, couldn't see HH & then discovered 2 in a most unexpected place. As long as they are happy , so am I!

One of 2 Crows on Millennium Fieldswith what ever it has in its beak. A beautiful black Covid with feathers so shiny in today's bright light some look dark blue.

Possibility of Aurora last night so I set up the new tripod in hope... I convinced myself that the first 75 minutes image had traces of green . I was wrong. This is 7.25 hours of trails, 1.25 and 6 hrs merged in Star Stax. The clever OM1ii does all the hard work, I set exposures (15 secs, f2, 12mm, ISO 500). The camera prepares itself for 15 secs and then tells me to push the button and proceeds to take exposures until I stop it or for 6 hrs. It then merges all the images into one.

The solitary Comma butterfly seen yesterday on walkies. An orange butterfly with dark wing areas and distinctive irregular wing edges

A Small Tortoiseshell butterfly feeding on Blackthorn (I think) BRown body and head, orange wings with dark and light patterns and a pretty blue pattern to the wing edges.

21/220326 OM1ii Birds butterflies and star trails, walkies and my garden @bcyorkshire.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social @sjbastro.bsky.social @davidbflower.bsky.social @astroroyalscot.bsky.social #yorkbirding #birds #entomology #uknaturalists #OMSystem #York

A Fly, sat patiently on Ivy while I took its photo, a 10 image stack using the Super Sixty mm macro lens. Brown eyes close together, iridescent wings

A Shieldbug from above. Head, body and legs are brown but I "think" it may be a Green Shieldbug still in winter colours. Very long legs and antennae

Same insect from the side showing the right pointed peak on the shoulder

A Wasp just about to take off. Yellow & black body wings extended. I think it may be a Queen but not certain

170326 OM1ii #entomology #inverts #bugsky #uknaturalists #wildlifephotography #naturelovers #aurelians #bugmacrophotography #naturalists A Fly a Shieldbug and a Wasp, all welcome in my garden

7 Spot native Ladybird, black and white head, red wing covers with black spots. The left wing cover is dark and dented, looks injured.

A huddle of 7 Spots on Holly in my garden. Top right there are the beginnings of a bud so hopefully the Holly will flower, Mrs Holly Blue will visit and honour me by leaving eggs. Again, hopefully, if she does, the larvae will not fall victim to parasites as has happened before.

As well as large numbers of 7 Spots, today I saw 6 small black Ladybirds with curved red marks on the wing covers. Not sure if they are Kidney or Pine.

2 7 Spots with a Shieldbug, not sure which, but it looks brown, maybe its winter coat. It appears to be sitting on a Ladybird. I think Shieldbugs are largely vegetarian so hopefully the Ladybirds are safe.

050326 OM1ii #ladybirds increasing in number last few weeks. These are just a few of those seen in my garden or on walkies. #entomology #bugsky #inverts #york #aurelians #uknaturalists #wildlifephotograph #OMSystem

A beautiful, glossy black crow just a few feet away from me foraging for food. Viewed from the side, closer than I've ever been and able to see that the black is not uniform, there are shades of dark grey on chest and back.

Giving me the side eye in disgust for watching. In reality, the nictitating membrane which protects the eye. Bird is crouching close to a plastic shield protecting a young sapling, sadly one of many dead because they were planted in a hot dry spring.

Corvids are known to be clever birds and here it is opening the plastic to get to the shoots inside.

Here it has pulled out the shoot which is still attached to the "trunk" of the sapling. It wasn't able to pull that one free but had detached some shorter ones.

010326 OM1ii Millennium Field #York #yorkbirding #ukbirds #northyorkshirebirds #uknaturalists #wildlifephotography #OMSystem It's taken 80 yrs to appreciate the beauty of the Crow, better late than never, eh! This one, very busy, was only a few feet away, so I stood, watched, point, click, hope.

Comma butterfly, out of hibernation basking in the very warm sun in Fulford Cross Allotments. Orange with dark spots and a distinctive irregular wing edge.

4 7 Spot native Ladybirds in the garden today and this one posed beautifully for its full face portrait. I was able to sit which meant I could use the 90mm macro lens with the x2 extender.

Millennium Fields, 2 Redpoll briefly seen in the little copse. Small brown bird with dark and light chest and a red patch on the forehead.

First Wasp of the year seen with the Comma butterfly. Distant but as ever, happy to see them emerging.

250226 OM1ii #York #Yorkbirding @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcyorkshire.bsky.social #entomology #wildlifephotography #bugsky #uknaturalists #OMSystem #UKBirds #UKwildlife #inverts Wonderful walkies and thanks to Tildi's choice of direction, saw my first butterfly & wasp of the year.

Polaris conveniently lives right above my chimney so I always know where to find him - clever moi! This is one hour of trails, f2 ISO 500 15 second exposures cleverly blended together by OM1ii. I don't think I will add this odd image to my potentially year long project. Don't know what was happening, I thought I heard fireworks when I went out at 7 to check the progress. I've been told that helicopters and small planes were circling overhead. Don't know the reason and no way to find out unless a York person knows and will tell me/us.

50%, 12 hours of unedited trails. 1440x2 15 second images. I may or not use this or the 2 6 hour images merged here by StarStax. There's a long way and time to go to get the other 50%

After a night of not enough sleep, 1am is far too late for me to head to bed, a bright, sunny if frosty day, perfect for a trip to Millennium Fields in search of Siskin. A Fairly large flock saw me before I saw them but 5 teased, giving me long enough for imperfect shots. Then 2 settled. This is the beautiful delicately coloured female. Light feathers and with pale stripes on the chest.

Mr Siskin much flashier, yellow green wings, yellow head with a black patch on top.

140126 OM1ii @sjbastro.bsky.social @salopchris.bsky.social @davidbflower.bsky.social @astroroyalscot.bsky.social #yorkbirding #York #northyorksbirding #uknaturalists #wildlifephotography #OMSystem #24hourstartrails Nut, The Sky Goddess & Luna Moon were kind last night so my 24 hr project began.

The local Pied Wagtail is back after a 2 year absence. It patrols several streets, this shot is from across the road, so quite distant.

Robin back on the Stray, this time sitting beside the ditch, again very fluffed up against the cold.

Quite a few Redwings again today and this one, high at the top of the bush has a berry in its beak. The pale eyebrow and the red under the wing are clearly visible.

This bird was a bit closer and just sat staring into space. I'm not certain if it IS a Redwing, the eyebrow doesn't seem light enough and I can see no trace of red.

080126 OM1ii Walmgate Stray #York #yorkbirding #ukbirding #ukwildlife #northyorksbirds #wildlifephotography #uknaturalists #birds I asked the Tiny Terrier Tyrant which way she wanted to go walkies so back to look for Redwings and not Siskin. Not sure about bird 4.

Redwing, one of maybe 5 today, all too high for decent shots. Didn't have the camera with me a few days ago when about 30 were feeding at different levels. The Stray is the only place I see them

Robin all fluffy against the cold. As always quite happy to sit and pose for several minutes

Is it a bird? Maybe it thinks it is, Squirrel perched high in the tree. At least I got a reasonably good picture of that!

As I said, I've walked these 63 acres for 50 years. A bird I don't expect to see is Kingfisher despite them living at the Uni and the ditch this bird was perched beside leads to another ditch which runs between Uni and Stray. In the 50 years, this is only my second sighting of this gorgeous bird, the other about 30 years ago. Very distant, would rather have a poor record shot than a closer blur.

070126 OM1ii #York #yorkbirding #ukbirding #northyorksbirding #naturelovers #wildlifephotography #uknaturalists @nybirdnews.bsky.social I have walked #Walmgatestray for 50 years, seeing many changes, not all improvements.

Yellow male Siskin, sitting on seed heads. Pale chest & abdomen with darker streaks. The dark head patch slightly visible

A distant shot from the side, the dark and light stripes on the wings can be seen

Feeding upside down, the yellow chest of the male and the pale abdomen visible, as is the dark head patch

Upside down again, a fragment of seed dropping from the beak and some other pink fragments still around the beak. Delightful little finches, I was so very pleased to see them and the Redpoll today, a perfect way to end 2025

311225 BYe bye 2025 with a flock of about 25 Siskin and some fairly OK shots. Millennium Fields #York #yorkbirding #naturelovers #ukbirding #ukbirds #OMSystem #uknaturalists

Male Bulfinch with his magnificent red chest and shiny black head sat happily posing, "Look at me, see how handsome I am." Mrs Bulfinch in Danesmead wood, no phot

I think possibly 3 Redpoll, no really clear shots, but enough on this to see the red head patch and the red chest above the light abdomen.

Side view, red head patch visible, light coloured chest with darker streaks

311225 Millennium Fields #York #yorkbirding #ukbirds #ukbirding #uknaturalists #naturelovers #OMSystem 3 Swans flying towards the city, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Wrens, something tiny, round and light coloured scuttling in low foliage, no chance of photo it was VERY fast.

carduelis spinus 12cms long finch male yellow and green

Male has a dark forehead

Male yellow chest, the breeding season black chest bib is absent now.

191225 Millennium Fields #York #yorkbirding #ukbirding #northyorkshirebirds #uknaturalists #wildlifephotography #OMSystem Only 2 Siskin today, clearly visible but as ever too high and distant for my bad shoulder and damaged neck.

131225 Millennium Fields #York Beautiful birdy day and a flock of about 40 Siskin left an accessible tree and flew out of my reach. These are memory shots from 2 years ago. #yorkbirding #ukbirding #ukbirds #uknaturalists #naturelovers Maybe one day I'll get decent shots again 🤞

081225 Millennium Fields. #York #Yorkbirding #ukbirding #ukbirds #naturelovers #ukwildlife #uknaturalists SISKIN, fewer seen than Saturday but a bit closer so slightly less rubbish pics. Not sure how many & again they were with Goldfinch and Blue Tits. No sign of Redpolls, hope they'll be back soon

FALCO TINNUNCULUS, Kestrel looking down on its world. Wingspan 65-80cm. I think this is male, blue grey head and dark spotted light brown chest. At least THIS shot is reasonably clear!

CARDUELIS SPINUS. Small winter visitor. Male is yellow & green with black forehead. Yellow chest visible in this very distant shot.

Apologies for a rubbish shot with wings wide spread. Black forehead visible with yellow stripes to the sides

Head down feeding and so not visible but the pale abdomen and dark & yellow side stripes above the abdomen can be seen.

061225 Millennium Fields. #York #yorkbirding #northyorkshirebirds #uknaturalists #naturelovers. Kestrel and here they are SISKIN!!!! About 40 Siskin & Goldfinch. Too high for good pics with a bad left shoulder & damaged neck but so happy they are here at last. Also 4 Cormorants crossing the Ouse

Redpoll back in the little wood on Millennium Fields. Little brown bird, looks very much like a Sparrow until you see the red markings on the head from which it gets its name. Hopefully more will soon arrive and I'll get better shots.

Male Siskin. They haven't arrived yet but hopefully soon. Yellow bird with dark stripes on the wings and tail.

We don't get Waxwings very often and these were very distant. Exquisite birds with a crest, dark throat. Wings have white, yellow and red patterns

Redwing. It's the under wing which is red. From a distance it looks quite like a Thrush, Feeds on berries.

301125 Millennium Fields. 3 Redpoll & sadly only hopeless shots. So added some memories and hopes for visitors soon🤞 #York #yorkbirding #ukbirding #ukbirds #uknaturalists #naturelovers #OMSystem #naturalists

Danesmeade Wood, Fulford, York. First photo taken for many months, an almost co-operative Blue Tit feeding on red berries. Tiny yellow bird with a blue head and a dark streak running from beak to back of head. Wings are a grey blue colour. Gregarious birds and in winter other species of Tits will join them and congregate in large flocks.

The Redpolls are here! 3 seen today on Millennium Fields. Hopeless distant shots, couldn't get very close but delighted to see them. Maybe the Siskins will arrive soon too. Small brown bird with a little red patch above the beak between the eyes. Not sure what the seeds are that they and the Siskin eat.

261125. Woke to decidely nippy conditions with ice crystals making wonderful patterns on the south facing back door. OM1 mark2 with 90mm macro lens, 9 images stacked in camera.

Every pattern is different, intricate and beautiful.

261125 OM1ii #ukbirds #ukwildlife #yorkbirding #uknaturalists #OMSystem birds and ice crystals on the window.

Male Mallard, shiny green head, dark eyes and yellow bill, mottled brown chest. He's standing on the frozen lake.

Female Mallard swimming in the small area of open water. Shes mottled brown with a dark headm yellow bill with distinctive markings and a white chest.

This bird, I think the gynandromorph, has the male's green head but the female's white chest and yellow bill with a dark pattern. The bird is standing on the ice.

This I believe is the hybrid, but I don't know if this is correct, it could just be a very dark female with the patterned yellow bill and white chest.

261125 1st visit to #RowntreePark for months in search of the gynandromorph Mallard #ukbirds #ukwildlife #uknaturalists #yorkbirding #wildlifephotography #omsystem OM1ii

10 Nov a beautiful Red Admiral flying over Broadway, York, at 11.15 #entomology @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcyorkshire.bsky.social #bugsky #ukwildlife #inverts #uknaturalists

2 Nov. 2.30pm, Heslington Lane, York. Clear blue sky and a gorgeous Red Kite circling above my head. Of course no camera! #yorkbirding #ukbirds #ukwildlife #birds #uknaturalists

Buddleia cross to the path and very fresh Painted Lady sitting on the purple flower

Noe soaking up the heat from the path, wings extended

Enjoying breakfast!

From the side showing the intricate pattern of the underwings

080825 OM1ii Beautiful Painted Lady was feasting on Buddleia. She'll soonset off on a VERY long journey. @bcyorkshire.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social #lepidoptera #york #naturelovers #aurelians #inverts #wildlifephotography #macrophotography #ukwildlife #uknaturalists

Young Hedgehog with white stripes

In this hot it's climbed up to the breakfast bar and is feeding hungrily. There is food next door too and a safe 4 garden run.

050825 FZ1K a bit upset by the lost flowers on the grass verges this morning after the cuttermen but delighted to have Stripey come for breakfast at 9.15pm. HH is growing nicely and hopefully will be big enough to overwinter #york #naturelovers #hedgehog #wildlifephotography #uknaturalists

Poor shot with TZ200 camera, tiny Hedgehog with a broad white stripe across its back

Out star gazing last night and heard VERY loud noises from the side of the house. 2 Hedgehogs in deep conversation.

Tight crop of the one hiding under the Marjoram, no sign of white stripe.

A few minutes later heard them at the breakfast bar. I think the one at the back is Stripey, the front one much too big, I don't think the tiny HH could have put on so much size in less than a month. This could mean we still have at least 3 on our safe 4 garden run. I also heard a lot of scrabbling around under the big Ivy later in the night. Had a wonderful star gazing time last night, trace of Milky Way and Hedgehogs - magic!

030825 FZ1K 8th July 1st saw tiny Stripey Hedgehog. Last night 2 arrived while I was star gazing, don't think either in shots 2&3 is Stripey. Pic 4 probably is. #nature #uknaturalists #hedgehogs #wildlifephotography #york #naturelovers #mammals ##britishwildlife

Mrs C D in profile, gold and brown body, wings outstretched as is usual with dragonflies

Look at those big brown eyes. Wings outstretched and slightly tilted own. The tip of the left wings are bent back just a little but not enough to affect her ability to fly.

In this shot she looks as if she's standing on her head, gold and brown body straight up.

250725 OM1ii 90mm +x2 ext Millennium Fields York First Dragonfly to pose for me this year, Mrs Common Darter #odonata #inverts #naturelovers #insectmacrophotography #aurelians #york #bugsky #bugfriends #uknaturalists

Profile of a Comma butterfly on buddleia in my garden. The comma from which it derives its name is clearly seen

A Red Admiral, wings outstretched on buddleia in my garden. Also seen 1 Peacock and 4 Large Whites

Dovesfoot Cranesbill, the larval food plant of Brown Argus, which I am delighte dto have found on Millennium Fields, York. In August 2019 I found 8 Brown Argus and since then a steady 6 or 7 each year, 2 broods. Last year I only saw 1st brood but there was activity which made me hopeful for 2025. In spring I saw 2 who seemed very interested in each other. Dare I hope...? Then the heat came and plants shrivelled and died, including the Dovesfoot Cranesbill. No Brown Argus seen after those first 2 i spring but today I found several small clumps of this tiny pink flowering plant. Again, dare I hope...? Only time will tell.

Couldn't resist these glorious leaves as we walked down the street, they looked spectacular against the masses of greenery.

250725 OM1ii 90mm +x2 ext @bcyorkshire.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social #entomology #aurelians #naturelovers #york #uknaturalists #lepidoptera #inverts My garden and seen on walkies.

A cluster of yellow eggs, some with tiny black heads visible as the minute first instar caterpillar prepares to emerge. There are some empty, partially eaten white shells. Several yellow caterpillars with black heads and white spikes along their bodies crawling on the nasturtium leaf or on the bodies of their siblings

At the right of this shot is an out of focus clump of eggs surrounded by empty shells. Central is another cluster of eggs and at the bottom of the clump is a brownish red and white insect which in other shots was seen eating the eggs. I do not know what this insect is.

Another enemy, this time a 7 Spot Ladybird happily feeding on the eggs. There are several larger caterpillars bottom right and above the eggs 3 yellow first instar. Centre right is a cluster of brown circles, probably/possibly where eggs were laid, the caterpillars emerged and all the shells eaten.

A healthy looking clump of green and yellow with dark spots 2nd instar. When they are 4th instar I'll bring a few home and raise them

160725 OM1ii Aaron's gdn. Large White butterfly eggs & larvae. @bcyorkshire.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social #entomology #york #uknaturalists #wildlifephotography #naturelovers #aurelians #inverts #insectphotography #OMSystem 60mm or 90+x2 ext stacked in camera #lepidoptera

150725 OM1ii Gdn visitors today. 2 Goldfinch feasting on self seeded path blocking Knapweed & an "Here I am now I'm gone" HBHM @bcyorkshire.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social #inverts #yorkbirding #ukbirding #uknaturalists #wildlifephotography #teammoth #gdnmothscheme #naturelovers

An aging beauty with bald patches on the head and abdomen. Antennae folded along the back and twisted at the ends

The incredibly beautiful colours visible in this shot. Antennae upright and touching in the centre then separating. Brown eyes, proboscis curled in

On the window in all its glorious glory. It's easy to see why it is called Mother of Pearl. Exquisite markings that shimmer and shine in the light.

A tight crop of the eyes, head and antennae, which are orange with pale dots on th einner surface. this is something I had never seen before, my something new for today - along with moth identifications! Thank you to all who help me.

120725 OM1ii 60mm lens images stacked in camera Star of the show 5 Mother of Pearl. First seen for far too long @bcyorkshire.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social #muchadoaboutmothing #inverts #mothmacrophotography #naturelovers #teammoth #entomology #york #aurelians #uknaturalists

Green Damselfly, may be Banded Demoiselle a female I think.

First Small Copper of the year on this site feeding on thistle and being joined by a Hoverfly, determined to land ON the Butterfly. There's another insect at the top right of the thistle head.

One of 3 Esseex Skippers seen today, too hot to stay long and search for more. This one is feeding on Teasel and is sharing with several Hoverflies and an out of focus bee.

Essex Skipper feeding on Teasel and second is flying in, determined to join the party.

120725 OM1ii Millennium Fields. 1st Damselfly & Small Copper of the year here. @bcyorkshire.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social #odonanta #inverts #ukwildlife #naturelovers #york #wildlifephotography #aurelians #entomology #uknaturalists #OMSystem