Steve's right and to all the lovely folk still on X who I'd hate to lose touch with - I only stop by here occasionally just to 'collect the mail' - I'm still around, just moved to where the sky is blue.

Freelance entomologist / invertebrate ecologist looking for work this year. Please share and spread the word. Contact wjheeney@flauna.uk

Imagine, Twitter like it was back in the day. Growing our communities. Friendly. Well, imagine no longer cos that’s what it’s like over on @Bluesky as our #ukbirding #ornithology and #LowCarbonBirding communities grow. And … no adverts! Come join us. https://t.co/YCD2N80jwo

This was a lovely surprise, thanks @BTO and @britishbirds I just did the pictures (and I hope they helped a little), Norbert's comprehensive and authoritative text is the real achievement.

🚨So thrilled that the #RiverOtter catchment is one of the 40 projects selected for natural flood management. I was pleased to support this bid by the local EA team and partners back in Nov. More than 100 properties flooded on 9/5/23. NFM is key! https://t.co/HvQKRgsHj0

GWE fishing a little closer today; at least 4 fish caught in 10 minutes. Roach or Rudd? Dorsal fin appears well behind base of pelvic fins so should be Rudd. @RSPBExeEstuary

Check out our Events page for a fantastic opportunity to improve your Gull identification with expert guidance from Martin Elliott. Four dates available. Max group size 6. Book now to secure a place.

Fish ID help please. Gt White Egret fishing at @RSPBExeEstuary Topsham Bowling Green Marsh this am: Roach, Rudd, or something else entirely?

Guillemot found on Topsham beach/Goatwalk this morning. No obvious signs of injury: reported. @devonbirds @_BTO @BirdTrack

If you don't find this concerning, you really don't understand how bad things are getting. Yes, there's an El Niño at the moment, but the sea surface temperature anomaly has never been so extreme during previous El Niños. From @guardian article - link in following post.

'A group of Exeter residents will become 'human bollards' to protest against those flouting the rules of the LTN trial in Heavitree and Whipton. ...' #SafeStreetsNow https://t.co/xdZEVoQJjV

A leading British climate scientist - @KevinClimate - tells us calmly and honestly where we are heading. We need a mass awareness campaign and then a mass uprising. Please share https://t.co/72fmZSHgpH

This should be a very interesting talk by Nik Ward and Mark Owen on Challacombe Farm, Dartmoor on Monday 19th February at the Courtney Centre Newton Abbot..

Two of three adult Med Gulls at Topsham Rec this am. Not an easy sp. to find on the Exe in January; peak counts rarely more than five in recent years as most seem to move through to winter in Cornwall and Wales @DevonBirds

Ceratopogonidae? Anybody?

Martin Elliott pic of the Pembrokeshire Magnolia Warbler. Original will go to highest email bidder (over £250) by end of Jan '24 . Prints will be available from Martin or London House Studio, £60 if orders before Christmas or £75 thereafter, prices include p&p

Freelance entomologist / invertebrate ecologist looking for work next year. Please share and spread the word. Contact wjheeney@flauna.uk

Not a good look for ecologists - I suspect even an amateur entomologist would have gone for well over 1000 species.

Now, I concede travel by train typically adds a day either side, and is typically more expensive than flying. But a) the day it adds is fun and b) it's not *that* much more expensive, esp when you consider the £££ rich birders routinely squander on high-carbon birding. 5/end