Jamie
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arborealtechie.bsky.social
Jamie
@arborealtechie.bsky.social
1.2K followers 500 following 3.1K posts
IT guy in Wales / UK, Humanist, Pro EU.
Love science, trees and all nature.
Have PV, Battery, EV, Heat Pump, etc
We are the only true “pest species”
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arborealtechie.bsky.social
I have been conflicted for decades between the idea that ignorance of history leaves us vulnerable to repeating it (Trump's USA) and the message of Sting's song "History Will Teach Us Nothing" (eg the Hutus and Tutsis, where the origin of conflict is lost in time). Some gems in these words.
(excepts) If we seek solace in the prisons of the distant past Security in human systems, we're told, will always, always last Emotions are the sail and blind faith is the mast Without a breath of real freedom, we're getting nowhere fast ... If God is dead and an actor plays his part His words of fear will find their way to a place in your heart Without the voice of reason, every faith is its own curse Without freedom from the past, things can only get worse ... Our written history is a catalogue of crime The sordid and the powerful, the architects of time The mother of invention, the oppression of the mild The constant fear of scarcity, aggression as its child ... Convince an enemy, convince him that he's wrong To win a bloodless battle, where victory is long A simple act of faith, in reason over might To blow up his children, will only prove him right ... History will teach us nothing Sooner or later, just like the world first day Sooner or later, we learn to throw the past away Sooner or later, just like the world first day Sooner or later, we learn to throw the past away Sooner or later, we learn to throw the past away Know you human rights, be what you come here for
November 14, 2025 at 8:24 PM
arborealtechie.bsky.social
Recent #drone photo of my "wildlife area" coming into its autumn mantle. The hedge I laid in February is visible in the bottom left where the five yellow trees are.
#nature #wildlife #photography #trees
Aerial view, looking down on a landscape view of many colours of young trees (15-17 years), ranging from dark green to light yellow, with brown and russet among them. Part of the small wood is bounded by hedges. There are a few mature trees in the hedges adjacent to the young trees.
November 4, 2025 at 6:01 PM
arborealtechie.bsky.social
I don't think this can be the real image, given the aerial view of the demolition area. For one thing the image seems to show it being on the wrong side?
October 21, 2025 at 3:37 PM
arborealtechie.bsky.social
I lose a fair bit of generation on sunny winter mornings, but it would be somewhat hypocritical to fell a mature tree in pursuit of "green" electricity!
Green shed mostly covered in black PV panels on the roof and front, with shadow being cast by mature ash tree reaching its fingers over the shed. Aerial side view of shed showing three mature ash trees in hedgerow. It is winter and the trees are bare.
June 27, 2025 at 8:25 AM
arborealtechie.bsky.social
Yes, there are still stumps of old Elms here. We've recently had another round of DED that has killed a number of reasonably large Elms in the hedges. You can see two and a bit of them in this photo.
View over green fields with low hills topped by trees in distance. In the foreground cattle are grazing. There are two dead Elm trees showing silvery bare in the hedgerows. A third is peaking into the right of the photo.
June 27, 2025 at 7:40 AM
arborealtechie.bsky.social
This is a section before it got invaded and as now (during tree clearing). The whole thing was covered in a mat of Crassula. I took the groundsheet off after 2 years and that was about 8 years ago. Not seen any since, but I live in fear! Hard to even spot it for removal the way the pond is now.
Section of my first pond during the first year it was dug. There is a thin coating of ice on the water and long grass in the foreground. Section of pond surrounded by scrub and trees with many trees growing in pond and also many bull rushes.
June 20, 2025 at 7:22 PM
arborealtechie.bsky.social
Just to clarify, this is the link I'm clicking on ...
June 20, 2025 at 8:49 AM
arborealtechie.bsky.social
Can't get over how well my hedge has come back after I laid it in February. It was over 20ft tall before laying. Now the bottom has bushed out so much I can barely see into most of it.🙂
Photo of the hedge I laid in February. Now looking really bushy. A few black poplars can be seen in the hedgerow and the sky is white with grey clouds.
June 13, 2025 at 6:30 PM
arborealtechie.bsky.social
Appalling quality photos, but what are these pale grey moths that flutter endlessly over the surface of my pond? They never seem to land or touch the water and there can be over 20 of them. Light was poor and they never stop still - should have picked a better day (and lens) for photos.
Surface of pond with dots of duckweed and a bull rush in frame. Above the water is a blurry pale grey moth or possibly butterfly. Surface of pond with dots of duckweed and water milfoil just below surface. Above the water is a blurry pale grey moth or possibly butterfly. Surface of pond with dots of duckweed, several bull rushes and water milfoil just below surface. Above the water is a blurry pale grey moth or possibly butterfly.
June 13, 2025 at 4:49 PM
arborealtechie.bsky.social
Another one of my oaks has fallen victim to Grey Squirrels.😢 Just about the whole trunk has been stripped clean.
Dry brown dead leaves on one of my oaks. The bark has all been stripped on the trunk and the wood underneath is showing.
June 13, 2025 at 3:39 PM
arborealtechie.bsky.social
I think this is probably Germander Speedwell, growing in the gloom below the canopy of my trees in my wildlife area.
#photography #nature #wildflowers
Small flower growing among dry brown leaves and moss on the floor of my woodland. The mid-green leaves are toothed and pointed. The flowers are a darkish blue with pale stamens and a white "bird's-eye" in the centre. This gives it another name, as it's also known as Bird's Eye, cat's eye or dolly's eye Speedwell.
June 13, 2025 at 3:35 PM
arborealtechie.bsky.social
Mine was basically that but with friendly people instead of animals. Trumpton, Chigley and Camberwick Green were approximately what I expected. Everyone says hello, no litter, Fire Brigade rescues children's kites, kittens, clears blocked roads and even occasionally puts out fires.
Model figures watching fire engine lifting uniformed man with brass helmet up to clock tower - probably to fix clock or retrieve item blown up there. Whole town stands around to watch; including mayor, flower seller and posh lady with lapdogs.
June 13, 2025 at 8:51 AM
arborealtechie.bsky.social
This is my "hide", situated by a pond in my wildlife area. I could hear a lot of alarms calls from various birds and thought there was a cat about, so was following the sounds. What I disturbed wasn't a cat but a Tawny Owl! Which 30 seconds before this photo was sitting on a branch over the door.
Green painted corrugated metal sheet, secured vertically to a wooden frame. My "hide" is cobbled together from bits of an old Anderson shelter. Mostly covered by dogwood and other shrubs.
June 12, 2025 at 9:29 PM
arborealtechie.bsky.social
Not great detail but I thought I'd seen it on a spider.
Crop from a larger photo. Brown and black spider facing downwards, resting on a rotting three trunk on the sun. There are pinpricks of light reflected in two black eyes.
June 12, 2025 at 9:01 PM
arborealtechie.bsky.social
I have gauges for measuring threads on metal screws/bolts. That gets crazy too!
Table showing conversion ratios for Metric threads, British inch threads and American inch threads.
June 10, 2025 at 6:02 PM
arborealtechie.bsky.social
Just walked a 5.2km circle from house, along single-track country lanes.

I saw :-
3 cars, 3 vans
<30 birds, including distant/overhead (mostly one colony of crows)
6 butterflies (1 alone, 2 together, 3 together)
1 bee
0 wasps
0 hoverflies
Did hear occasional unseen buzzing.
Scary.
#SilentSummer
Single track road leading away from camera with long grass and wildflower verges and hedges. Road verge with long grass and wildflowers. Hedge is behind verge. View over hedge showing green field with cows and distant hills and trees. View across mottled green field with trees in the hedgerow and distant hills. The sky is blue with white clouds.
June 10, 2025 at 2:02 PM
arborealtechie.bsky.social
I also have a scythe with a metal snath, which I bought from Amazon about 20 years ago. It was useless until I discovered that the blade was set at totally the wrong angle. I got a short (55cm) ditching blade from the Scythe Shop and now it's great for confined areas, like paths.
Photo of two scythes lying on grass. Left is a wooden snath (handle) sythe with a 65cm Profisense blade, on the right is a metal handles snath with a 55cm ditching blade. By them is a chopped plastic milk bottle which I use to hold water and my sharpening stones. I path I cut with the scythes through my trees when they were younger. The canopy has now closed, so I don't need to cut the access paths any longer.
June 7, 2025 at 8:13 AM
arborealtechie.bsky.social
Having finish completed "No Mow May" and started "Let it bloom June" the "lawn" is now nearly waist high in places. But it's a lot more attractive and interesting than stripes or a bowling green!
#photography #nature
A white clover (with red centre) surrounded by buttercups and grasses. Many species of grass with seed heads, including Yorkshire Fog, Sweet Vernal and Rough meadow. A red/pink clover surrounded by buttercups and grasses. Tiny forget-me-not, with pale blue flowers and white triangular markings around the yellow centres. Completely surrounded by much larger grasses, which are out of focus.
June 6, 2025 at 8:21 PM
arborealtechie.bsky.social
Ladybird larvae on a grass stem. One of the many advantages of letting your grass grow.
#photography #macro #insects
Orange and black ladybird larvae crawling over the top of a leaning grass stem. There is a seed head on the left with many green and reddy pink seeds. Orange and black ladybird larvae crawling over the top of a leaning grass stem. There is a seed head on the left with many green and reddy pink seeds.
June 6, 2025 at 7:55 PM
arborealtechie.bsky.social
I first thought this was Leucozona lucorum, but the thorax is shiny black, not brown and hairy.

... most likely Volucella pellucens. Which is apparently found in wooded areas and is "very fond" of bramble blossom. So it's probably right at home!
#photography #macro #insects #flies
White flower with dark and light green seeds against a reddy brown blurred background. There is a hoverfly resting on the flower extracting nectar. It is mostly black with a pale white/cream band around its abdominal segment. White flower with dark and light green seeds against a light green and orangy blurred background. There is a hoverfly resting on the flower extracting nectar. It is mostly black with a pale white/cream band around its abdominal segment. This photo is looking down on the fly more than the first.
June 6, 2025 at 4:49 PM
arborealtechie.bsky.social
The eyes have it! I think this may be Dolichopus popularis. One from my foray to inspect my laid hedge today.

I've seen very few beetles this year. Anyone else find that?
#photography #macro #insects #flies
Light green leaf with a fly on it. Shadows are cast on the leaf and the fly. The fly had a green shiny back with spiky black hairs. The eyes are shiny green turning to shiny red at the tops.
June 4, 2025 at 8:19 PM
arborealtechie.bsky.social
Not yet ID'd this fly. Looks a bit like Chloromyia Formosa, but not sure it is. Also on my hedge this afternoon.
#photography #macro #insects #flies
Fly on a green leaf, side on with legs that have black and golden browns segments. The body has a metallic shine with golden hairs.
June 4, 2025 at 4:16 PM
arborealtechie.bsky.social
I've been surprised and delighted at the regrowth of the hedge I laid in February. I had a few minutes spare and took the camera in search of insects. However, this Dog Rose caught my eye.
#photography #nature #flowers
Three groups of dark green leaves surrounding the flower of a Dog Rose. The centre and stamens are yellow. The petals tend from nearly white at the centre to dark pink, with prominent darker veins at the edges.
June 4, 2025 at 3:56 PM
arborealtechie.bsky.social
What I love about macro photography is the way it lets you appreciate the incredible detail and complexity in insects, which could only otherwise be observed in dead specimens. I had no idea that Orange Tip butterflies had spotted eyes or were so hairy until I took this photo!
Orange Tip Butterfly on a Cuckooflower. Its wings are closed, showing the intricate marbling pattern in yellow and green on its otherwise white wings. The cuckooflower is in bloom with pink flowers.
June 3, 2025 at 1:02 PM
arborealtechie.bsky.social
This was ours lawn this afternoon. You can still see the remains of primroses and common vetch in the "lawn".
Border with foxglove, herb bennett and self-seeded ash saplings. Beyond which is a long grass lawn, beyond which are a variety of trees, such as Apple, Pear and Ash. Long grass lawn, with the leaves of primrose plants and common vetch amongst the grass. The seed heads of various grass varieties are ripening in the sun.
June 2, 2025 at 4:19 PM