David Bradley
@sciencebase.com
Science Writer | Wildlife Photographer | Singer-Songwriter
#Science #NatureMatters #UKBirding #TeamMoth #Music #Guitar
#Science #NatureMatters #UKBirding #TeamMoth #Music #Guitar
The Starlings are gathering locally and doing their thing, murmurating to confuse raptors. About 12000 of them in this flock, hoping to see numbers up in the hundreds of thousands again by March/April.
Narrated video and extended transcript on my site #UKBirding
www.sciencebase.com/science-blog...
Narrated video and extended transcript on my site #UKBirding
www.sciencebase.com/science-blog...
December 13, 2025 at 10:33 AM
The Starlings are gathering locally and doing their thing, murmurating to confuse raptors. About 12000 of them in this flock, hoping to see numbers up in the hundreds of thousands again by March/April.
Narrated video and extended transcript on my site #UKBirding
www.sciencebase.com/science-blog...
Narrated video and extended transcript on my site #UKBirding
www.sciencebase.com/science-blog...
Apparently, there's a Razorbill on our patch, it was flushed on the River Nene by a boat and headed south towards us. It's a species you normally expect to see coastally, not this far inland. Here's one I snapped on a trip to Anglesey #UKBirding
December 13, 2025 at 8:05 AM
Apparently, there's a Razorbill on our patch, it was flushed on the River Nene by a boat and headed south towards us. It's a species you normally expect to see coastally, not this far inland. Here's one I snapped on a trip to Anglesey #UKBirding
Who doesn't love a starling murmuration? There was a good flock of 10-12000 over RSPB Ouse Fen, Earith. It was after sunset, not a lot of light in the sky #UKBirding
There's a Peregrine above the flock in this photo. The presence of a Peregrine or another raptor being the reason starlings do this
There's a Peregrine above the flock in this photo. The presence of a Peregrine or another raptor being the reason starlings do this
December 11, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Who doesn't love a starling murmuration? There was a good flock of 10-12000 over RSPB Ouse Fen, Earith. It was after sunset, not a lot of light in the sky #UKBirding
There's a Peregrine above the flock in this photo. The presence of a Peregrine or another raptor being the reason starlings do this
There's a Peregrine above the flock in this photo. The presence of a Peregrine or another raptor being the reason starlings do this
Worst weather for wildlife photography, windy, dull, and very wet, and while there may be hundreds of Whooper Swans #UKBIrding locally, I'm going to stay dry and decorate the Xmas tree instead
Also, lit up briefly last night #teamMoth 1x LBAM #NoWogan
I've got Xmas songs to arrange too for a gig
Also, lit up briefly last night #teamMoth 1x LBAM #NoWogan
I've got Xmas songs to arrange too for a gig
December 9, 2025 at 9:34 AM
Worst weather for wildlife photography, windy, dull, and very wet, and while there may be hundreds of Whooper Swans #UKBIrding locally, I'm going to stay dry and decorate the Xmas tree instead
Also, lit up briefly last night #teamMoth 1x LBAM #NoWogan
I've got Xmas songs to arrange too for a gig
Also, lit up briefly last night #teamMoth 1x LBAM #NoWogan
I've got Xmas songs to arrange too for a gig
Another visit to the patch, finally got a #recordShot of the Firecrest #UKBirding
This species, which is slightly larger than Goldcrest, but weighs about the same (~4.5g) is just as much of a pain to photograph, hahah. Didn't appear in the UK until the 1960s
This species, which is slightly larger than Goldcrest, but weighs about the same (~4.5g) is just as much of a pain to photograph, hahah. Didn't appear in the UK until the 1960s
December 2, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Another visit to the patch, finally got a #recordShot of the Firecrest #UKBirding
This species, which is slightly larger than Goldcrest, but weighs about the same (~4.5g) is just as much of a pain to photograph, hahah. Didn't appear in the UK until the 1960s
This species, which is slightly larger than Goldcrest, but weighs about the same (~4.5g) is just as much of a pain to photograph, hahah. Didn't appear in the UK until the 1960s
Nine of my 41 NFGs for 2025 here in Cambs #teamMoth More details and first dates in the ALT text.
2025 totals: ~250 sessions, ~9000 moths ~400 species
2025 totals: ~250 sessions, ~9000 moths ~400 species
November 29, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Nine of my 41 NFGs for 2025 here in Cambs #teamMoth More details and first dates in the ALT text.
2025 totals: ~250 sessions, ~9000 moths ~400 species
2025 totals: ~250 sessions, ~9000 moths ~400 species
Went looking for Firecrests that have turned up in a neighbouring village #UKBirding Heard their calls, saw one fly across the road to hide in a fir tree #NoPhotos But, there was a nice Kestrel
November 29, 2025 at 8:05 AM
Went looking for Firecrests that have turned up in a neighbouring village #UKBirding Heard their calls, saw one fly across the road to hide in a fir tree #NoPhotos But, there was a nice Kestrel
An American Grey Squirrel just ran across our lawn...if they hadn't been introduced here in the 19thC, we'd have native Red Squirrels all over the UK, but sadly they outcompete those and so we don't. Here's one on Anglesey I snapped a few years ago.
November 25, 2025 at 2:02 PM
An American Grey Squirrel just ran across our lawn...if they hadn't been introduced here in the 19thC, we'd have native Red Squirrels all over the UK, but sadly they outcompete those and so we don't. Here's one on Anglesey I snapped a few years ago.
As promised, "Life on the Other Side of The Pond" and how a Robin over here is a tiny Old World Flycatcher, but over there it's a beast of a Red-breasted Thrush #UKBirding #USBirding #NatureMatters
www.sciencebase.com/science-blog...
More about this particular Robin in the ALT
www.sciencebase.com/science-blog...
More about this particular Robin in the ALT
November 24, 2025 at 12:33 PM
As promised, "Life on the Other Side of The Pond" and how a Robin over here is a tiny Old World Flycatcher, but over there it's a beast of a Red-breasted Thrush #UKBirding #USBirding #NatureMatters
www.sciencebase.com/science-blog...
More about this particular Robin in the ALT
www.sciencebase.com/science-blog...
More about this particular Robin in the ALT
Regulus regulus, the Goldcrest. Its scientific name a tautonym, both genus and species the same because this bird is the "type" of the genus, it's the first and defining species. US viewers will perhaps recognise it as a kinglet and it is, indeed, a kinglet type species. #UKBirding
November 22, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Regulus regulus, the Goldcrest. Its scientific name a tautonym, both genus and species the same because this bird is the "type" of the genus, it's the first and defining species. US viewers will perhaps recognise it as a kinglet and it is, indeed, a kinglet type species. #UKBirding
A brave little moth kept Wogan at bay this evening #teamMoth
It's got a marking like this on each forewing, it's one of the The moths, you know it...
It's got a marking like this on each forewing, it's one of the The moths, you know it...
November 20, 2025 at 7:46 PM
A brave little moth kept Wogan at bay this evening #teamMoth
It's got a marking like this on each forewing, it's one of the The moths, you know it...
It's got a marking like this on each forewing, it's one of the The moths, you know it...
November 18, 2025 at 5:06 PM
November 18, 2025 at 1:50 PM
At this time of year, there's almost always someone who'll post a photo of a murmuration where the starlings are flocking and it looks a bit like a big bird in flight...
There are about 1000 birds in this flock, there were easily a couple of dozen such flocks on the patch we watched this evening
There are about 1000 birds in this flock, there were easily a couple of dozen such flocks on the patch we watched this evening
November 17, 2025 at 5:49 PM
At this time of year, there's almost always someone who'll post a photo of a murmuration where the starlings are flocking and it looks a bit like a big bird in flight...
There are about 1000 birds in this flock, there were easily a couple of dozen such flocks on the patch we watched this evening
There are about 1000 birds in this flock, there were easily a couple of dozen such flocks on the patch we watched this evening
Still no Wogan #teamMoth VC29 9C, dry
In fact, far better, an NFG last night - Scarce Umber. Almost missed it as it was resting on the conservatory window frame behind the trap and I only spotted it when I resetting the trap.
In fact, far better, an NFG last night - Scarce Umber. Almost missed it as it was resting on the conservatory window frame behind the trap and I only spotted it when I resetting the trap.
November 16, 2025 at 10:10 AM
Still no Wogan #teamMoth VC29 9C, dry
In fact, far better, an NFG last night - Scarce Umber. Almost missed it as it was resting on the conservatory window frame behind the trap and I only spotted it when I resetting the trap.
In fact, far better, an NFG last night - Scarce Umber. Almost missed it as it was resting on the conservatory window frame behind the trap and I only spotted it when I resetting the trap.
Grey Shoulder-knot was 40th new for garden of 391 total species this year for me; previously I've only seen it in Hayley Wood, west of Cambridge in 2023 #teamMoth
November 12, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Grey Shoulder-knot was 40th new for garden of 391 total species this year for me; previously I've only seen it in Hayley Wood, west of Cambridge in 2023 #teamMoth
Here they are - Black-spotted Chestnut
November 10, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Here they are - Black-spotted Chestnut
Still no Wogan...but then it's perhaps too warm for him, 12C here in Cambs for me.
390th species of the year - Black-spotted Rustic
Also, a bunch of the usual reprobates: Large Wainscot,
LBAM, Least Carpet, Red-green Carpet, Turnip Moth #teamMoth
390th species of the year - Black-spotted Rustic
Also, a bunch of the usual reprobates: Large Wainscot,
LBAM, Least Carpet, Red-green Carpet, Turnip Moth #teamMoth
November 10, 2025 at 10:37 AM
Still no Wogan...but then it's perhaps too warm for him, 12C here in Cambs for me.
390th species of the year - Black-spotted Rustic
Also, a bunch of the usual reprobates: Large Wainscot,
LBAM, Least Carpet, Red-green Carpet, Turnip Moth #teamMoth
390th species of the year - Black-spotted Rustic
Also, a bunch of the usual reprobates: Large Wainscot,
LBAM, Least Carpet, Red-green Carpet, Turnip Moth #teamMoth
The Sprawler turned up last night, great moth #teamMoth It was on the fence near the trap
I seem to have it in my April records, twice, this year, which seems odd...it's an October-December flyer, isn't it?
I seem to have it in my April records, twice, this year, which seems odd...it's an October-December flyer, isn't it?
November 7, 2025 at 9:55 AM
The Sprawler turned up last night, great moth #teamMoth It was on the fence near the trap
I seem to have it in my April records, twice, this year, which seems odd...it's an October-December flyer, isn't it?
I seem to have it in my April records, twice, this year, which seems odd...it's an October-December flyer, isn't it?