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pilning.bsky.social
John Martin
@pilning.bsky.social
900 followers 580 following 460 posts
Birds, botany, insects and stuff mainly but not always in Shropshire and often Venus Pool
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pilning.bsky.social
John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 20h
Top morning at VP with G. Refound the Jack Snipe, also 1w RP, Green Sand, 6+ Snipe, 41 Shoveler, 11 Wigeon, 2 GWE, L Egret, 3+ W Rail. 173 Lapwing etc VP. Arctic Tern 1w briefly on CF (picked up by G) the best. Also Redpoll, Siskin, 2 Stonechat, Skylarks over. 57 spp. #shropshirebirding
Young Arctic Tern appeared in left corner of the fishery pool while we were doing the WeBS count but seemed to depart after 2-3 minutes Young Arctic Tern Great White Egret in flight
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pilning.bsky.social
John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 2d
That's the pool it was on Mike👍
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pilning.bsky.social
John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 2d
If that's the same as Gwithian then yes. Not far from Hayle. But there were a few phalaropes this autumn, mostly Grey.
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pilning.bsky.social
John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 2d
Chain Fern (Woodwardia radicans) spreading well in Gulval Churchyard, Cornwall this week. A much bigger plant than I was expecting! #wildflowerhour
Chain Fern in churchyard in W Cornwall - a large and striking fern Chain Fern fronds
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pilning.bsky.social
John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 2d
Just twitching it really Martin. Had failed to find it here years ago so very pleased!
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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 2d
Plymouth Thistle (Carduus pycnocephalus) at (where else?) Plymouth Hoe and Plymouth Thistle selfie with @janettem34.bsky.social on the way back from the SW. Thanks to @andymus.bsky.social for the quality gen. Three plants in flower in this area #wildflowerhour
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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 2d
Before heading over to Scilly this was the highlight of a day birding in W Cornwall with M8. Showy 1CY Red-necked Phalarope at Gwithian (1 Oct), my first for quite a few years. #ukbirding #cornwallbirding
Juvenile (just a few 2nd generation grey scapulars) Red-necked Phalarope at Gwithian on 1 Oct Juvenile (just a few 2nd generation grey scapulars) Red-necked Phalarope at Gwithian on 1 Oct Juvenile Red-necked Phalarope in flight against dark water at Gwithian on 1 Oct
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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 3d
Nice welcome home in the garden moth trap this morning - first Merveille du Jour here in 3 years (our nearby oak got rather savagely pruned) amongst 3/3 with a Green-brindled Crescent and an Eppos/LBAM. #teammoth
Merveille du Jour on the gate post near the moth trap. Better camouflaged on a licheny branch Green-brindled Crescent with subtle pinks and greens
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pilning.bsky.social
John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 3d
Excellent Paul, must be the same spot. Took us a while to find them.
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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 3d
Just back from the SW summer extension. On the way down on 29 Sep this was a highlight in Bristol and a new GB plant for me, Ecballium elaterium, Squirting-cucumber. Shown by Rupert, who found them (several plants in amenity grassland edge)! Too long ago to qualify for #wildflowerhour
Squirting-cucumber in grassland with yellow flowers but no squirty fruits yet Closer phone pic of Squirting-cucumber plant in the grass
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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 9d
Yes, but can't download pics til we get home. #luddite
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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 9d
Least Adder's-tongue (Ophioglossum lusitanicum) on Wingletang, St Agnes, today on a fine sunny day with @andymus.bsky.social @janettem34.bsky.social About 40 plants seen in 2 tiny patches of habitat #wildflowerhour
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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 16d
Crocus nudiflorus (Autumn Crocus) spreading in Shrewsbury in the Quarry. There are more over towards Frankwell in more natural grassland but we were passing these in the week and they were looking splendid in the autumn sunshine. @janettem34.bsky.social #wildflowerhour
Autumn Crocus (Crocus nudiflorus) in grassland Some fairly big patches in some places
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pilning.bsky.social
John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 18d
Some nice autumn moths in the garden last night. Better catch with higher temperatures and some cloud cover. Pink-barred Sallow and Brindled Green both nfy. #teammoth #Shrewsbury
Pink-barred Sallow. A yellow moth with pinky/reddish markings. Brindled Green with rather licheny camouflage with greens, greys and pinks
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pilning.bsky.social
John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 22d
Opposite the cattle grid sign for next time you're there. Makes you think it must be in other similar sites. John and Denise have obviously got a good eye for the right spots to check!
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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 23d
VP - chilly slightly misty start, ice on the car! 810 Canadas, 595 Greylags, 2 Canlag, 9 Egyptian out of roost. Green & Common Sand, 3 Snipe, Kestrel, Fallow Deer, L Egret, 17 Shoveler, 12 Chiffchaff, Cetti's. No sign of the Ruffs. 27+Skylark, 12+ Mipit, Swallow etc to S. #Shropshirebirding
Early morning light and mist at VP with departing geese
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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 23d
Last Shropshire Botanical Society field trip of 2025 on Catherton Common in the sun. Well attended, some fine plants recorded in the mires, we ended with the tiny and unassuming Chaffweed (Lysimachia minima) by the roadside at one of its rather few sites in the county. #wildflowerhour
Chaffweed (Lysimachia minima) fruit. It's pretty distinctive, finding it is the trick. Shown by John and Denise B The easily missed Chaffweed (Lysimachia minima) in short roadside turf that is probably winter-wet and is next to heathland.
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pilning.bsky.social
John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 23d
Called in at VP on the way home from Catherton Common to see the two juvenile Ruffs. First of the year for the site, on size a male and female. Also 1w Ringed Plover, Common Sand etc in brief late afternoon visit. #Shropshirebirding
Juvenile Ruff at Venus Pool. Medium sized wader with neat scaly upperparts, rather plain below with some buff and a relatively short bill. This duller individual was much the larger of the two so a male Juvenile Ruff at Venus Pool. Smaller individual happened also to be the brighter buff of the two. It's a female on size The two juvenile Ruffs together
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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 24d
Definitely an autumnal feel to the garden moths in Shrewsbury yesterday with Black Rustic and Lunar Underwing nfy. Later yesterday and into the evening a distinctly aquatic feel so didn't run it last night. #teammoth
Black Rustic on egg box. Coal Black moth with small white marks on wing Lunar Underwing. Neatly marked autumn noctuid
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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 25d
Excellent day in the Wyre Forest, Shropshire with fungi, ants, 60 Crossbills and the highlight a lovely female Araneus alsine (Strawberry Spider) found by Denise B on Neil's trousers (not their preferred habitat). nth try for these for me - what a belter! @lancefly.bsky.social #spiders #ukwildlife
Strawberry Spider (Araneus alsine) - a portly orange spider with white spots. Nationally Scarce
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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 26d
Good start to the day at Ellesmere. @saloplarus.bsky.social 's juv Sabine's Gull was still there as it got light, picked up by Reevesy at 0630. At 0645 it flew a half circuit of the mere then headed strongly to N. Only the third county record. #shropshirebirding
Early morning light at the Mere, Ellesmere
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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 29d
Epic!
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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · Sep 13
Is it a worn cuttlefish 'shell' (I know that's not the right word for it)
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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · Sep 12
Lovely pics David!
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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · Sep 12
Was going to post pics of Shining Guest-ant and Dinarda maerkelii from Wyre on Tuesday w @lancefly.bsky.social @exmoormothman.bsky.social @vc40orthops.bsky.social and Jim C but others got lovely pics of them. Also saw Rhyparochromus pini and occupied cases of Coleophora milvipennis #teammoth
The Lygaeid bug Rhyparochromus pini is a heathland specialist with Shropshire records just in the Wyre. tick! Coleophora milvipennis case (occupied!) on young Birch leaf. Again Wyre is the Shropshire place for these. Another lifer!
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