Author | Lightnews

Ranger Mark @sparkynohair.bsky.social · 9d

Went looking for Marsh Clubmoss in a bog and found a bonus Raft Spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) and lots of Pale Butterwort (Pinguicula lusitanica)

Mature Pale Butterwort plant (Pinguicula lusitanica)

2

Reposted by Ranger Mark

Rewilding Britain @rewildingbritain.org.uk · Jul 21

Enough is enough.

Rewilding Britain has joined 36 other powerful voices to demand the government end the sewage scandal once and for all.

📸 SCOTLAND: The Big Picture / Alamy

Underwater scene of a kelp forest with schools of small fish swimming among the long, flowing kelp leaves in clear blue water.

1 5 11

Ranger Mark @sparkynohair.bsky.social · Feb 9

There's really no right answer to this one. But species do move around all the time - that's just what they do. In this case we seem to have helped them though. It's probably too late now anyway - they're probably out of Pandora's box ..

1 1

Ranger Mark @sparkynohair.bsky.social · Feb 8

theconversation.com/britain-has-...

Britain has a new snake species – should climate change mean it is allowed to stay?

This species could be the poster child for conservation on a warming planet.

theconversation.com

2 1

Reposted by Ranger Mark

Chris Packham @chrisgpackham.bsky.social · Feb 7

Criminal .

Help me fight them → petition.parliament.uk/petitions/70...

14 160 440

Ranger Mark @sparkynohair.bsky.social · Feb 4

I'm listening to The Plodcast | 284. How to train your dog to behave perfectly around livestock and wildlife on Podbean, check it out! www.podbean.com/ea/dir-rar8w...

284. How to train your dog to behave perfectly around livestock and wildlife

Poorly trained dogs can be a menace to wildlife and livestock – and are a major issue in the UK countryside. This week, host Fergus is joined by friend of the Plodcast James Fair and his dog Dakota to...

www.podbean.com

Ranger Mark @sparkynohair.bsky.social · Feb 2

Great photos Ed 👍🏻

1

Reposted by Ranger Mark

National Trust @nationaltrust.org.uk · Feb 1

Britain’s peat bogs store more carbon than rainforests, but many could dry out within 50 years! 😨

That’s bad news for biodiversity, flood control, and our planet.

We're working to preserve these vital ecosystems – keeping them healthy and absorbing carbon:

Most of Britain’s peat bogs could stop forming new peat as the climate changes – new study

But bad news for peatlands could trigger the funding needed to preserve them.

buff.ly

37 150

Reposted by Ranger Mark

BTO England @btoengland.bsky.social · Jan 31

Be sure to tune into Countryfile on #WorldWetlandsDay (Sunday 2nd February) to learn about Whooper Swan monitoring in the UK 🦢 @wwtworldwide.bsky.social #UKBirding

Kane Brides 🦆 @kanebrides.bsky.social · Jan 29

On World Wetlands Day, be sure to watch BBC Countryfile on Sunday 2nd at 18:05 on BBC One as we bring one of the UK's very best wetlands, WWT Welney, to the nation's television screens! See @lizziebruce.bsky.social counting swans & me chatting to Matt Baker about the increase in Whoopers!

Filming BBC Countryfile on the banks of the Ouse Washes, an internationally important wetland.

Kane Brides speaking to BBC's Matt Baker about the increase in the Iceland Whooper Swan population.

WWT's Lizzie Bruce undertaking a Whooper Swan age assessment with BBC's Matt Baker

7 34

Reposted by Ranger Mark

Iolo Williams @iolowilliams.bsky.social · Jan 29

Let me rephrase that for you. It is absolutely moronic!!!

Bat Conservation Trust @batconservation.bsky.social · Jan 29

🦇 (1/2) In response to the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s speech today: we believe that blaming the laws that protect bats, newts and other wildlife, as well as our wider environment, for planning delays is short sighted and misguided.

Is the government’s planning reform bad for bats? - News - Bat Conservation Trust

Planning reforms risk devastating impacts to bats, here's what we're doing about it and how you can help.

www.bats.org.uk

2 18 76

Reposted by Ranger Mark

Butterfly Conservation @savebutterflies.bsky.social · Jan 29

Hello Bluesky! Butterflies and moths are often seen as a symbol of hope and new beginnings, so what better way to kick off our posts than with a thread of blue butterflies? 💙🦋

📷: Nick Edge

Large Blue resting with wings closed on a plant against a blue sky

8 43 220

Ranger Mark @sparkynohair.bsky.social · Jan 29

I thought this lot were going to better than the last lot but they may actually be worse.

1 8

Reposted by Ranger Mark

Mya Bambrick @myabambrick.bsky.social · Jan 28

Exciting festival at Carey’s Secret Garden coming up soon!!

Talks from fantastic speakers like @birdingfox.bsky.social, @btobirds.bsky.social,Tim Mackrill, a variety of workshops, and an exclusive screening of Amy King and I’s new documentary 🤩

👉🏻 bookings.careyssecretgarden.co.uk/event/careys...

6 12

Ranger Mark @sparkynohair.bsky.social · Jan 28

Great news Seb 👍🏻

2

Ranger Mark @sparkynohair.bsky.social · Jan 28

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Songbirds being killed by pesticides found in pet fur flea treatments

Exclusive: Chemical in treatment for pet fleas and ticks is found in nests of blue and great tits, killing chicks

www.theguardian.com

Ranger Mark @sparkynohair.bsky.social · Jan 27

A single solitary female blackbird...

Ranger Mark @sparkynohair.bsky.social · Jan 27

We need this ASAP. Does it matter who's idea it is if it's a good idea...?

Caroline Lucas @carolinelucas.bsky.social · Jan 26

Great to see momentum continuing to grow for introducing the #NaturalHistory GCSE - it just needs green light from government! A brilliant way to help restore nature, improve young people’s physical & mental health & fill the green skills gap.

Launch natural history GCSE in England now, campaigners urge Labour

Environmentalists say new course could be delayed until 2030 because it is viewed as Conservative party initiative

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Ranger Mark

Vanna Bartlett @vannabartlett.bsky.social · Dec 1

One of the highlights of studying my local Wasp Spiders (Argiope bruennichi) last year was seeing Hornets (Vespa crabro) taking them as prey. The Hornet flew low, banging webs to locate a spider. It grabbed a spider, which clung to its web, the Hornet chewed its legs off to remove it from the web.

A Hornet grappling a spider in its web in low vegetation in a meadow.

The Hornet is chewing at the spiders legs while keeping clear of its venomous fangs.

The Hornet has removed the spider from its web and is sitting on the ground with its prey, repositioning it in its mandibles before flying off with it.

The broken strands of the spiders web with four of its chewed off legs still hanging there, testimony to the brief battle that took place.

10 30 150

Reposted by Ranger Mark

joemyers2k.bsky.social @joemyers2k.bsky.social · Jan 25

So pleased to get my new book today. Some beautiful illustrations from @rlewington2.bsky.social @britishspiders.bsky.social

The front cover of the Pocket Guide to British Spiders, featuring a Wasp Spider.

A page from the guide showing the layout.

3 16

Ranger Mark @sparkynohair.bsky.social · Jan 25

Fingers crossed 🤞🏻

Ranger Mark @sparkynohair.bsky.social · Jan 24

@fernowl.bsky.social hello 👍🏻

Reposted by Ranger Mark

BBC Autumnwatch Fans @bbcspringwatch.bsky.social · Jan 24

Heads up! It's the last day of Winterwatch ❄️🐦🦊

We have a day packed FULL of the best of this season's wildlife! Tune in now to our LIVE 🔴🎥 wildlife cameras, stream Winterwatch on BBC iPlayer and tune in 8pm on BBC Two 📺

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...

#Winter #BBCwinterwatch #Nature #wildlife

Winterwatch - Winterwatch Live 2025

Watch live cameras from the Winterwatch location in Dorset.

www.bbc.co.uk

2 7 50

Reposted by Ranger Mark

Seb Elwood @sebelwood.bsky.social · Jan 24

A fantastic evening having the chance to catch and show some Common and Jack Snipe live on @bbcspringwatch.bsky.social as part of Stour Ringing Group. Lovely to meet @iolowilliams.bsky.social and all the amazing team who put the show together too.

3 5 36

Ranger Mark @sparkynohair.bsky.social · Jan 24

You guys did well on live TV... Well done 👍🏻

Reposted by Ranger Mark

Mark Avery @markavery.bsky.social · Jan 23

49,000 signatures for banning driven grouse shooting - thank you for your strong support. Plz sign & share petition.parliament.uk/petitions/70...

Looking forward to 50,000 soon.

Petition: Ban driven grouse shooting

Chris Packham, Ruth Tingay and Mark Avery (Wild Justice) believe that driven grouse shooting is bad for people, the environment and wildlife. People; we think grouse shooting is economically insignifi...

petition.parliament.uk

4 73 130