Dave Smallshire
@smallshire.bsky.social
Birdwatcher for 60 years, dragonflies and all other wildlife followed. Author, wildlife guide, photographer and lecturer.
Reposted by Dave Smallshire
Back to Cockwood today as my views of a distant 'orange-billed' Tern weren't great and certainly inconclusive on 03/12. But today though distantly perched it did one circuit our way and gave great in-flight scope views. A few quick shots with a 400mm lens. Happy I've seen Lesser Crested Tern👍
December 5, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Back to Cockwood today as my views of a distant 'orange-billed' Tern weren't great and certainly inconclusive on 03/12. But today though distantly perched it did one circuit our way and gave great in-flight scope views. A few quick shots with a 400mm lens. Happy I've seen Lesser Crested Tern👍
Reposted by Dave Smallshire
Curious about damselflies? 🌿
Unlock identification skills & learn about the 20 UK species with this online course from Biological Recording — just £15.
Start your wildlife journey ➡️ courses.biologicalrecording.co.uk/courses/dams...
@smallshire.bsky.social @britishdragonflies.bsky.social
Unlock identification skills & learn about the 20 UK species with this online course from Biological Recording — just £15.
Start your wildlife journey ➡️ courses.biologicalrecording.co.uk/courses/dams...
@smallshire.bsky.social @britishdragonflies.bsky.social
Damselflies of the UK: Online Course & ID Training
Master UK damselfly ID with our expert-led self‑study course. Explore 20 species, learn lifecycle, habitat, ecology & recording skills. Ideal for naturalists, recorders & beginners. Includes video les...
courses.biologicalrecording.co.uk
December 5, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Curious about damselflies? 🌿
Unlock identification skills & learn about the 20 UK species with this online course from Biological Recording — just £15.
Start your wildlife journey ➡️ courses.biologicalrecording.co.uk/courses/dams...
@smallshire.bsky.social @britishdragonflies.bsky.social
Unlock identification skills & learn about the 20 UK species with this online course from Biological Recording — just £15.
Start your wildlife journey ➡️ courses.biologicalrecording.co.uk/courses/dams...
@smallshire.bsky.social @britishdragonflies.bsky.social
2 pairs of Common Darters egglaying in the newly-restored Serpentine lake at Stover today!
November 28, 2025 at 4:30 PM
2 pairs of Common Darters egglaying in the newly-restored Serpentine lake at Stover today!
Reposted by Dave Smallshire
I am leading a course next year on behalf of Kent Wildlife Trust 'An introduction to Dragonflies and Damselflies'. See below for further details. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/events/intro...
An introduction to dragonflies and damselflies
Learn about the life cycles and habitats of dragonflies and aids to identification. Then participate in a field study of adult dragonflies.
www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk
November 23, 2025 at 9:08 PM
I am leading a course next year on behalf of Kent Wildlife Trust 'An introduction to Dragonflies and Damselflies'. See below for further details. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/events/intro...
Reposted by Dave Smallshire
The latest BDS Journal is available online, where you can also access previous issues 👉 british-dragonflies.org.uk/bds-journal/
BDS Journal - British Dragonfly Society
Image: Broad-bodied Chaser by Bruce Hyde
british-dragonflies.org.uk
November 6, 2025 at 8:08 AM
The latest BDS Journal is available online, where you can also access previous issues 👉 british-dragonflies.org.uk/bds-journal/
This is unfortunate the Sparrowhawk. It only flew a couple of feet, but out of view. It flew to our fence, but dropped the dove on the floor. I couldn't see the hawk, but when I went to look at the dove, the hawk flew from nearby past my face! Magpies found the dove and removed it in no time!
October 26, 2025 at 3:00 PM
This is unfortunate the Sparrowhawk. It only flew a couple of feet, but out of view. It flew to our fence, but dropped the dove on the floor. I couldn't see the hawk, but when I went to look at the dove, the hawk flew from nearby past my face! Magpies found the dove and removed it in no time!
After hearing loud thump on my study window, I discovered a young Sparrowhawk sitting on pondweed in the middle of my pond. What was even more surprising was that when it took off it pulled a Collared Dove out of the water beneath it!
October 26, 2025 at 2:16 PM
After hearing loud thump on my study window, I discovered a young Sparrowhawk sitting on pondweed in the middle of my pond. What was even more surprising was that when it took off it pulled a Collared Dove out of the water beneath it!
Reposted by Dave Smallshire
\o/ Available now on Talking Bat Podcast \o/
Excellent interview with Dave Smallshire @smallshire.bsky.social chatting about his life journey
Once you finish listening to Dave, why not check out all the other brilliant people we have spoken to in the series batability.podbean.com/e/talking-dr...
Excellent interview with Dave Smallshire @smallshire.bsky.social chatting about his life journey
Once you finish listening to Dave, why not check out all the other brilliant people we have spoken to in the series batability.podbean.com/e/talking-dr...
October 24, 2025 at 9:07 AM
\o/ Available now on Talking Bat Podcast \o/
Excellent interview with Dave Smallshire @smallshire.bsky.social chatting about his life journey
Once you finish listening to Dave, why not check out all the other brilliant people we have spoken to in the series batability.podbean.com/e/talking-dr...
Excellent interview with Dave Smallshire @smallshire.bsky.social chatting about his life journey
Once you finish listening to Dave, why not check out all the other brilliant people we have spoken to in the series batability.podbean.com/e/talking-dr...
Reposted by Dave Smallshire
Female Southern Hawker ovipositing in our garden pond today.
October 13, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Female Southern Hawker ovipositing in our garden pond today.
Reposted by Dave Smallshire
One of the most incredible WTF!! moments I have witnessed in 41 years birding Belvide. 8 White-rumped Sandpiper on the north shore between 4pm-5.30pm. Just short of a British Record of 11 on the outer Hebrides. Thought I'd lost the plot when I saw them. Still pinching myself. #UKbirding
October 11, 2025 at 8:06 PM
One of the most incredible WTF!! moments I have witnessed in 41 years birding Belvide. 8 White-rumped Sandpiper on the north shore between 4pm-5.30pm. Just short of a British Record of 11 on the outer Hebrides. Thought I'd lost the plot when I saw them. Still pinching myself. #UKbirding
A Southern Hawker egglaying at my pond surprised me by flying up, landing on my tee-shirt and testing me as an oviposition site! As I fumbled to try and get my phone out for a photo, she flew ... and landed on my wrist! I know Southern Hawkers are inquisitive, but that's ridiculous!
August 23, 2025 at 8:43 PM
A Southern Hawker egglaying at my pond surprised me by flying up, landing on my tee-shirt and testing me as an oviposition site! As I fumbled to try and get my phone out for a photo, she flew ... and landed on my wrist! I know Southern Hawkers are inquisitive, but that's ridiculous!
A triple birthday whammy in my S Devon garden this morning: Green Woodpecker, this Sparrowhawk (went off to chase a sparrow) and just now my first Hummingbird Hawk-moth of the year. Good things always come in threes!
August 19, 2025 at 9:39 AM
A triple birthday whammy in my S Devon garden this morning: Green Woodpecker, this Sparrowhawk (went off to chase a sparrow) and just now my first Hummingbird Hawk-moth of the year. Good things always come in threes!
Reposted by Dave Smallshire
07/08 Start P 1100-1600: Wilson's Storm-petrel (also another more distant or same bird), 23 European Storm-petrels, 691 Manx, only 7 Balearics!! (record no's further N), 22 Sandwich terns, 2 Common Terns, 14 Fulmar, juv Yl Gull, 5 Med Gulls, Turnstone, Redshank, 20+ ABF Tuna, 15 C Dolphins
August 8, 2025 at 8:10 AM
07/08 Start P 1100-1600: Wilson's Storm-petrel (also another more distant or same bird), 23 European Storm-petrels, 691 Manx, only 7 Balearics!! (record no's further N), 22 Sandwich terns, 2 Common Terns, 14 Fulmar, juv Yl Gull, 5 Med Gulls, Turnstone, Redshank, 20+ ABF Tuna, 15 C Dolphins
Highlight of the year at my pond: Southern Hawker egglaying into rotten wood. Check out that ovipositor! Pondwatching is great!
July 30, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Highlight of the year at my pond: Southern Hawker egglaying into rotten wood. Check out that ovipositor! Pondwatching is great!
Reposted by Dave Smallshire
Very privileged to have received a complimentary copy of the fifth edition of 'Dragonflies of Britain and Ireland' and to have some photos published in it too. Published in the UK from the 2nd September 2025. Looks brilliant. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social @smallshire.bsky.social
July 28, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Very privileged to have received a complimentary copy of the fifth edition of 'Dragonflies of Britain and Ireland' and to have some photos published in it too. Published in the UK from the 2nd September 2025. Looks brilliant. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social @smallshire.bsky.social
Looks good to me
Can anyone confirm that this is a male Lesser Emperor at Knepp today?
@smallshire.bsky.social
@kneppwilding.bsky.social
@smallshire.bsky.social
@kneppwilding.bsky.social
July 27, 2025 at 7:27 AM
Looks good to me
Another great reason to keep the dead elm at the bottom of my garden: first Green Woodpecker (juvenile) in the garden for over 20 years - and that was in the same tree!
July 21, 2025 at 10:48 AM
Another great reason to keep the dead elm at the bottom of my garden: first Green Woodpecker (juvenile) in the garden for over 20 years - and that was in the same tree!
Delighted to have my image of the type specimen of the newly-described Fossa Knifetail (Nesocordulia fossa) in a paper describing 6 new Nesocordulia from Madagascar in 2016. We saw at least 3 of these, including Fossa and Crabshear Knifetails found by K-D Dijkstra on the same day in Mantidia NP!
July 16, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Delighted to have my image of the type specimen of the newly-described Fossa Knifetail (Nesocordulia fossa) in a paper describing 6 new Nesocordulia from Madagascar in 2016. We saw at least 3 of these, including Fossa and Crabshear Knifetails found by K-D Dijkstra on the same day in Mantidia NP!
You should visit Belvide (Staffs) on wet day in May. Estimates of up to 3000 taking non-biting midges. Birds flying low over the dam will part your hair!
July 11, 2025 at 8:37 AM
You should visit Belvide (Staffs) on wet day in May. Estimates of up to 3000 taking non-biting midges. Birds flying low over the dam will part your hair!
Today's sudden heatwave brought in the first 2 Common Darters of the year to my garden pond in south Devon, joining Azure and Blue-tailed Damselflies. Emperor came to egg-lay briefly and Southern Hawker back on territory at 18:20! #PondWatch @BDSdragonflies
July 9, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Today's sudden heatwave brought in the first 2 Common Darters of the year to my garden pond in south Devon, joining Azure and Blue-tailed Damselflies. Emperor came to egg-lay briefly and Southern Hawker back on territory at 18:20! #PondWatch @BDSdragonflies
Reposted by Dave Smallshire
🌟Dragonfly Week is here!🌟 Looking for a fun and relaxing way to enjoy nature with the family? Head to your nearest pond, slow down, and see how many dragonflies & damselflies you can spot.
👉 Visit our website for free resources, family-friendly events, and identification help.
🔗
👉 Visit our website for free resources, family-friendly events, and identification help.
🔗
Dragonfly Week - British Dragonfly Society
british-dragonflies.org.uk
July 8, 2025 at 4:07 PM
🌟Dragonfly Week is here!🌟 Looking for a fun and relaxing way to enjoy nature with the family? Head to your nearest pond, slow down, and see how many dragonflies & damselflies you can spot.
👉 Visit our website for free resources, family-friendly events, and identification help.
🔗
👉 Visit our website for free resources, family-friendly events, and identification help.
🔗
Surprised to see a male Golden-ringed Dragonfly perched over my garden pond in south Devon this morning - only the second to do so in 35 years! Should be at running water, but they do wander widely. #PondWatch
@BDSdragonflies
@BDSdragonflies
July 4, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Surprised to see a male Golden-ringed Dragonfly perched over my garden pond in south Devon this morning - only the second to do so in 35 years! Should be at running water, but they do wander widely. #PondWatch
@BDSdragonflies
@BDSdragonflies
For 30 mins at 5 pm the first territorial Southern Hawker of the year appeared at my garden pond in south Devon, joining a meagre 2 Azure Damselflies. I've only had 1 Southern Hawker emerge so far, but my neighbour's tiny pond has had 6! #PondWatch @BDSdragonflies
July 1, 2025 at 6:26 PM
For 30 mins at 5 pm the first territorial Southern Hawker of the year appeared at my garden pond in south Devon, joining a meagre 2 Azure Damselflies. I've only had 1 Southern Hawker emerge so far, but my neighbour's tiny pond has had 6! #PondWatch @BDSdragonflies
Survey of Stover CP yesterday in mostly cloudy but hot weather produced 17 species. Highlights were Lesser Emperor, Downy Emerald and Scarce Chasers.
June 30, 2025 at 10:50 AM
Survey of Stover CP yesterday in mostly cloudy but hot weather produced 17 species. Highlights were Lesser Emperor, Downy Emerald and Scarce Chasers.
Nice to see some rare UK insects in N Bohemia on last week's Naturetrek tour: Chequered Skipper and Wart-biter Bush-cricket. An American Mink peering out of a riverside woodpile was perhaps not so welcome!
June 24, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Nice to see some rare UK insects in N Bohemia on last week's Naturetrek tour: Chequered Skipper and Wart-biter Bush-cricket. An American Mink peering out of a riverside woodpile was perhaps not so welcome!