Gavin Thomas
@gtalstonwader.bsky.social
Birding | Patching Alston Reservoirs & Seaforth | Nature | Waders | Swifts | LFC | Beers | Me mates | Seatherney | RSPB Ecologist - views are my own
Reposted by Gavin Thomas
Last night the Government steamrollered its Planning Bill through, slamming the door on vital protections for nature.
They said it would be a ‘win-win’ for the economy and nature.
But in reality, they’ve pushed nature into last place.
They said it would be a ‘win-win’ for the economy and nature.
But in reality, they’ve pushed nature into last place.
November 25, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Last night the Government steamrollered its Planning Bill through, slamming the door on vital protections for nature.
They said it would be a ‘win-win’ for the economy and nature.
But in reality, they’ve pushed nature into last place.
They said it would be a ‘win-win’ for the economy and nature.
But in reality, they’ve pushed nature into last place.
Reposted by Gavin Thomas
Here is your late evening Avocet. Night all. xx
November 24, 2025 at 11:08 PM
Here is your late evening Avocet. Night all. xx
Reposted by Gavin Thomas
Popping back for something important…
This is for those of you who knew & loved that golden human, Jamie Normington @movingslowly.bsky.social – and those who never met him but were amused, enlightened, touched by his gift for communication and compassion here and on Twitter.
This is for those of you who knew & loved that golden human, Jamie Normington @movingslowly.bsky.social – and those who never met him but were amused, enlightened, touched by his gift for communication and compassion here and on Twitter.
November 18, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Popping back for something important…
This is for those of you who knew & loved that golden human, Jamie Normington @movingslowly.bsky.social – and those who never met him but were amused, enlightened, touched by his gift for communication and compassion here and on Twitter.
This is for those of you who knew & loved that golden human, Jamie Normington @movingslowly.bsky.social – and those who never met him but were amused, enlightened, touched by his gift for communication and compassion here and on Twitter.
Reposted by Gavin Thomas
Watching Labour MPs take a wrecking ball to nature makes me so angry & so sad. Their action tonight voting down amendments to the #PlanningBill intended to protect wildlife & habitats from destruction is so reckless & so counterproductive. People didn’t vote Labour for this 👇
Housing secretary tells Labour MPs to vote down planning bill amendment
Amendment restricts protection for animals to allow faster house building
www.theguardian.com
November 13, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Watching Labour MPs take a wrecking ball to nature makes me so angry & so sad. Their action tonight voting down amendments to the #PlanningBill intended to protect wildlife & habitats from destruction is so reckless & so counterproductive. People didn’t vote Labour for this 👇
Reposted by Gavin Thomas
Major revision of #GBRedList of plants published today shows 25% of our native & archaeophyte flora threatened with extinction. Many iconic widespread species classified as threatened for first time including Betony, Marsh Marigold, Devil’s-bit Scabious and Harebell. Another wake-up call for action!
November 5, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Major revision of #GBRedList of plants published today shows 25% of our native & archaeophyte flora threatened with extinction. Many iconic widespread species classified as threatened for first time including Betony, Marsh Marigold, Devil’s-bit Scabious and Harebell. Another wake-up call for action!
We're starting a Butterfly Friendly revolution! 🦋
Lancaster City Council have pledged to take action for butterflies and moths over the next 3 years. And Butterfly Conservation need your council to be next!
Read about how we've been working together here: butterfly-conservation.org/news-and-blo...
Lancaster City Council have pledged to take action for butterflies and moths over the next 3 years. And Butterfly Conservation need your council to be next!
Read about how we've been working together here: butterfly-conservation.org/news-and-blo...
Council pledges to become Butterfly-Friendly City
Lancaster City Council has announced a pledge to become a Butterfly-Friendly City in partnership with Butterfly Conservation.Councillors have made the announcement following the results of our 2025 Bi...
butterfly-conservation.org
October 20, 2025 at 8:05 PM
Cutting reedbeds helps slow succession, diversifies structure & provides better viewing of wildlife. This cut area @rspbengland.bsky.social #Saltholme is currently hosting up to 9 #JackSnipe. Lots of happy #birders enjoying close views of the bobbing camo masters today. #RSPBEcology
October 20, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Cutting reedbeds helps slow succession, diversifies structure & provides better viewing of wildlife. This cut area @rspbengland.bsky.social #Saltholme is currently hosting up to 9 #JackSnipe. Lots of happy #birders enjoying close views of the bobbing camo masters today. #RSPBEcology
Simply beyond belief. 🤬 #Swifts
A mandatory swift brick for every new home won't be supported by Housing Secretary Steve Reed. That's quite a u-turn from the former Environment Secretary. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Government U-turns on support for bird-friendly swift bricks in new homes
Housing minister Steve Reed refuses to back mandating measure, despite giving support while in environment job
www.theguardian.com
October 17, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Simply beyond belief. 🤬 #Swifts
Reposted by Gavin Thomas
What happens to shorebirds when the mud disappears?
wadertales.wordpress.com/2022/10/15/w...
Blog from 15 Oct 2022 🎂3️⃣
#ornithology
wadertales.wordpress.com/2022/10/15/w...
Blog from 15 Oct 2022 🎂3️⃣
#ornithology
What happens when the mud disappears?
The Yellow Sea provides important ‘service stations’ for shorebirds on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, especially on their way north to Russian and Alaskan breeding areas. In a thought-provokin…
wadertales.wordpress.com
October 15, 2025 at 6:52 AM
What happens to shorebirds when the mud disappears?
wadertales.wordpress.com/2022/10/15/w...
Blog from 15 Oct 2022 🎂3️⃣
#ornithology
wadertales.wordpress.com/2022/10/15/w...
Blog from 15 Oct 2022 🎂3️⃣
#ornithology
Reposted by Gavin Thomas
“To be a birder is to fall in love. Obsessively, irrevocably and, perhaps, foolishly. This love, it creeps up on you.”
Here’s to the birdwatchers! Optimistic, slightly eccentric custodians of wonder and joy and passion and love
Here’s to the birdwatchers! Optimistic, slightly eccentric custodians of wonder and joy and passion and love
At its heart, birdwatching is an act of quiet rebellion, says Natalie Kyriacou. It is the gentle act of noticing – the willingness to see the world around you
www.theguardian.com
October 11, 2025 at 7:19 PM
“To be a birder is to fall in love. Obsessively, irrevocably and, perhaps, foolishly. This love, it creeps up on you.”
Reposted by Gavin Thomas
Very exciting job opportunity @rspbscience.bsky.social!
Help us track wader chicks & their prey to evaluate & improve interventions to address high levels of wader chick predation.
7 month contract, based @rspbengland.bsky.social Nene Washes.
🛎️Deadline 2nd Nov
#waders #shorebirds #ornithology
Help us track wader chicks & their prey to evaluate & improve interventions to address high levels of wader chick predation.
7 month contract, based @rspbengland.bsky.social Nene Washes.
🛎️Deadline 2nd Nov
#waders #shorebirds #ornithology
JOB ALERT: We have an exciting Senior Research Assistant post available for a project tracking predators and prey simultaneously starting early 2026. We need someone with experience tagging adult raptors or wader chicks. This you? app.vacancy-filler.co.uk/salescrm/Car...
October 9, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Very exciting job opportunity @rspbscience.bsky.social!
Help us track wader chicks & their prey to evaluate & improve interventions to address high levels of wader chick predation.
7 month contract, based @rspbengland.bsky.social Nene Washes.
🛎️Deadline 2nd Nov
#waders #shorebirds #ornithology
Help us track wader chicks & their prey to evaluate & improve interventions to address high levels of wader chick predation.
7 month contract, based @rspbengland.bsky.social Nene Washes.
🛎️Deadline 2nd Nov
#waders #shorebirds #ornithology
Reposted by Gavin Thomas
Tens of millions of essentially factory farmed poultry are dumped into the countryside each year. They boost the population of mesopredators like foxes, reducing ground nesting bird populations. They are an obvious avian flue hazard. They eat declining reptiles. Turn out they're also a health hazard
Ticks are more likely to carry the bacteria that cause Lyme disease in areas where Common Pheasants Phasianus colchicus are released, according to new research.
Read more: britishbirds.co.uk/journal/arti...
🥇Subscriber Content
Read more: britishbirds.co.uk/journal/arti...
🥇Subscriber Content
October 9, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Tens of millions of essentially factory farmed poultry are dumped into the countryside each year. They boost the population of mesopredators like foxes, reducing ground nesting bird populations. They are an obvious avian flue hazard. They eat declining reptiles. Turn out they're also a health hazard
Reposted by Gavin Thomas
Plans to weaken protections for national parks will have ‘disastrous consequences’, say environmentalists
Pleased to have signed @campaign4parks.bsky.social's letter urging Ministers to drop plans to remove the Protected Landscapes Duty on public bodies 1/
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Pleased to have signed @campaign4parks.bsky.social's letter urging Ministers to drop plans to remove the Protected Landscapes Duty on public bodies 1/
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Plans to weaken protections for national parks will have ‘disastrous consequences’ say green groups
Exclusive: Letter from 170-plus organisations calls on government to drop proposed changes to planning law
www.theguardian.com
October 8, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Plans to weaken protections for national parks will have ‘disastrous consequences’, say environmentalists
Pleased to have signed @campaign4parks.bsky.social's letter urging Ministers to drop plans to remove the Protected Landscapes Duty on public bodies 1/
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Pleased to have signed @campaign4parks.bsky.social's letter urging Ministers to drop plans to remove the Protected Landscapes Duty on public bodies 1/
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Reposted by Gavin Thomas
Free stickers suitable for flag-bearing lampposts. Send a large A4 envelope with a 1st class large stamp to me at Bragg Office, PO Box 6830 Bridport DT6 9BH and I’ll send you a sheet. #ReclaimtheFlag 🏴🏴🏴🇬🇧
October 5, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Free stickers suitable for flag-bearing lampposts. Send a large A4 envelope with a 1st class large stamp to me at Bragg Office, PO Box 6830 Bridport DT6 9BH and I’ll send you a sheet. #ReclaimtheFlag 🏴🏴🏴🇬🇧
It's not often #Liverpool Bay is the envy of UK birders, but when everything aligns & #LeachsPetrels are dancing along the beach just feet away, it's a special place to be. Here's @dan-gornall.bsky.social's day being made on Wallasey beach. #StormAmy. #seabirds #superseabirdsunday
October 5, 2025 at 8:00 PM
It's not often #Liverpool Bay is the envy of UK birders, but when everything aligns & #LeachsPetrels are dancing along the beach just feet away, it's a special place to be. Here's @dan-gornall.bsky.social's day being made on Wallasey beach. #StormAmy. #seabirds #superseabirdsunday
#StormAmy delivered today with a decent tally of wind-blown #seabirds on the Mersey. 35+ #LeachsPetrel the undoubted highlight. Here's two having a little feed together whilst battling out of the river mouth just beyond the #NewBrighton breakwaters. #seabirds #superseabirdsunday
October 5, 2025 at 6:27 PM
#StormAmy delivered today with a decent tally of wind-blown #seabirds on the Mersey. 35+ #LeachsPetrel the undoubted highlight. Here's two having a little feed together whilst battling out of the river mouth just beyond the #NewBrighton breakwaters. #seabirds #superseabirdsunday
Record breaking day at #Seaforth with 83 species seen, my highest day total there ever. Highlights were a male Hen Harrier heading stratospherically high SW, the Grey Phalarope showing much better, 5 juv Curlew Sands, juv Little Stint, Spotted Redshank, 2 Ruff & a juv Black Tern. #Lancsbirding
September 21, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Record breaking day at #Seaforth with 83 species seen, my highest day total there ever. Highlights were a male Hen Harrier heading stratospherically high SW, the Grey Phalarope showing much better, 5 juv Curlew Sands, juv Little Stint, Spotted Redshank, 2 Ruff & a juv Black Tern. #Lancsbirding
Our species is a disgrace and doesn't deserve this beautiful, irreplaceable planet.
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the largest accumulation of marine debris in the world – a soup of plastic and microplastics covering a shocking area of around 1.6 million square km. Avoid adding to the pile-up by reducing single-use plastics.
More: littlegreenspace.org.uk/features/ref...
More: littlegreenspace.org.uk/features/ref...
September 16, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Our species is a disgrace and doesn't deserve this beautiful, irreplaceable planet.
The 1stw Grey Phalarope at Crosby Marine Park, Merseyside was typically confiding today, here's @gtalstonwader.bsky.social getting checked out by the waif @birdguides.bsky.social #ukbirding #autumnbirding #waders
September 16, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Reposted by Gavin Thomas
Remember, birding is there for you.
September 12, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Remember, birding is there for you.
Reposted by Gavin Thomas
Pleased to see this getting discussed. There is a total lack of support in the UK for people with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome suffering Craniocervical Instability.
We've been on this awful journey & fundraised for major neurosurgery in Spain, it saved Liv's life when NHS wouldn't help.
#EDS #CCI
We've been on this awful journey & fundraised for major neurosurgery in Spain, it saved Liv's life when NHS wouldn't help.
#EDS #CCI
September 12, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Reposted by Gavin Thomas
#SciArtSeptember 1: Islet
Somewhere in the waves of Barents Sea, a rocky islet acts as a perch for seabirds. Puffins, guillemots, razorbills and skuas are still here, though threatened by heating oceans and spreading disease. With them sits a lonely ghost of a great auk that once roamed these seas.
Somewhere in the waves of Barents Sea, a rocky islet acts as a perch for seabirds. Puffins, guillemots, razorbills and skuas are still here, though threatened by heating oceans and spreading disease. With them sits a lonely ghost of a great auk that once roamed these seas.
September 1, 2025 at 11:18 AM
#SciArtSeptember 1: Islet
Somewhere in the waves of Barents Sea, a rocky islet acts as a perch for seabirds. Puffins, guillemots, razorbills and skuas are still here, though threatened by heating oceans and spreading disease. With them sits a lonely ghost of a great auk that once roamed these seas.
Somewhere in the waves of Barents Sea, a rocky islet acts as a perch for seabirds. Puffins, guillemots, razorbills and skuas are still here, though threatened by heating oceans and spreading disease. With them sits a lonely ghost of a great auk that once roamed these seas.
Reposted by Gavin Thomas
We need your help again.
Coul Links is an extraordinary coastal dune habitat, home to rare and remarkable wildlife.
But it is now threatened for a second time by plans for an 18-hole golf course that would cause irreparable damage.
Your voice could help save it. 👇
Coul Links is an extraordinary coastal dune habitat, home to rare and remarkable wildlife.
But it is now threatened for a second time by plans for an 18-hole golf course that would cause irreparable damage.
Your voice could help save it. 👇
📢Help save Coul Links!
Once again, this beautiful place is threatened by plans for a golf course which would do irreparable damage to rare habitats and wildlife. 🌱🦆🐦🦋🪰
Join us in sending a message to Scottish Ministers to stand up for nature. Add your voice: action.rspb.org.uk/page/166270/...
Once again, this beautiful place is threatened by plans for a golf course which would do irreparable damage to rare habitats and wildlife. 🌱🦆🐦🦋🪰
Join us in sending a message to Scottish Ministers to stand up for nature. Add your voice: action.rspb.org.uk/page/166270/...
September 2, 2025 at 1:30 PM
We need your help again.
Coul Links is an extraordinary coastal dune habitat, home to rare and remarkable wildlife.
But it is now threatened for a second time by plans for an 18-hole golf course that would cause irreparable damage.
Your voice could help save it. 👇
Coul Links is an extraordinary coastal dune habitat, home to rare and remarkable wildlife.
But it is now threatened for a second time by plans for an 18-hole golf course that would cause irreparable damage.
Your voice could help save it. 👇
💚
Remembering Mark Smart, on his birthday.
Mark was the architect of so much breeding wader habitat in the UK, replacing some of the previous losses.
Gone too soon (1967-2024),
Blog about his work:
wadertales.wordpress.com/2019/06/14/m...
Mark was the architect of so much breeding wader habitat in the UK, replacing some of the previous losses.
Gone too soon (1967-2024),
Blog about his work:
wadertales.wordpress.com/2019/06/14/m...
September 1, 2025 at 6:29 PM
💚
🚨 The EU is trying to quietly weaken nature laws during summer break. We have 10 days to stop this.
Don't let them destroy our forests, rivers & wildlife in silence. #HandsOffNature handsoffnature.eu/take-action/...
Don't let them destroy our forests, rivers & wildlife in silence. #HandsOffNature handsoffnature.eu/take-action/...
Take Action - Hands Off Nature
handsoffnature.eu
August 31, 2025 at 2:45 PM
🚨 The EU is trying to quietly weaken nature laws during summer break. We have 10 days to stop this.
Don't let them destroy our forests, rivers & wildlife in silence. #HandsOffNature handsoffnature.eu/take-action/...
Don't let them destroy our forests, rivers & wildlife in silence. #HandsOffNature handsoffnature.eu/take-action/...