Steve Gale
@stevewg.bsky.social
Surrey-based naturalist on the edge of Greater London with a particular interest in bird migration, lepidoptera and botany. A liking for searching the under-recorded parts of the North Downs.
northdownsandbeyond.blogspot.com
northdownsandbeyond.blogspot.com
Sutton, Surrey: November plants in flower up to 271 species thanks to Sticky Groundsel and this pavement/wall join colonising Blue-flowered Leadwort (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides) although Stace only lists C. Willmottisnum). #UrbanBotany
November 28, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Sutton, Surrey: November plants in flower up to 271 species thanks to Sticky Groundsel and this pavement/wall join colonising Blue-flowered Leadwort (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides) although Stace only lists C. Willmottisnum). #UrbanBotany
Holmethorpe SP, Surrey: 49 Gadwall, 10 Teal, 34 Wigeon, 3 Water Rail, 2 Green Sandpiper, a Kingfisher, a Cetti’s Warbler, 4 Stonechat and 20 Yellowhammer #UKBirding
November 27, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Holmethorpe SP, Surrey: 49 Gadwall, 10 Teal, 34 Wigeon, 3 Water Rail, 2 Green Sandpiper, a Kingfisher, a Cetti’s Warbler, 4 Stonechat and 20 Yellowhammer #UKBirding
My natural history book of the year is ‘Urban Plants’ by @trevorthebotanist.bsky.social
Informative, entertaining and inspiring - after reading it you will never walk down a street, pass by a wall or look at a grass verge in the same way again. Highly recommended @bsbibotany.bsky.social
Informative, entertaining and inspiring - after reading it you will never walk down a street, pass by a wall or look at a grass verge in the same way again. Highly recommended @bsbibotany.bsky.social
November 24, 2025 at 7:30 PM
My natural history book of the year is ‘Urban Plants’ by @trevorthebotanist.bsky.social
Informative, entertaining and inspiring - after reading it you will never walk down a street, pass by a wall or look at a grass verge in the same way again. Highly recommended @bsbibotany.bsky.social
Informative, entertaining and inspiring - after reading it you will never walk down a street, pass by a wall or look at a grass verge in the same way again. Highly recommended @bsbibotany.bsky.social
Banstead, Surrey: November plants in flower up to 258 species with the additions of Broad-leaved Willowherb and this fine show of Chinese Mugwort outside of the library #UrbanPlants
November 23, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Banstead, Surrey: November plants in flower up to 258 species with the additions of Broad-leaved Willowherb and this fine show of Chinese Mugwort outside of the library #UrbanPlants
A few extra photos from my putative plants
November 22, 2025 at 2:01 PM
A few extra photos from my putative plants
Epsom, Surrey: November flowering up to 256 species with Cut-leaved Crane’s-bill and this striking Chinese Lantern that is finding the pavement to its liking #UrbanBotany
November 21, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Epsom, Surrey: November flowering up to 256 species with Cut-leaved Crane’s-bill and this striking Chinese Lantern that is finding the pavement to its liking #UrbanBotany
Mistletoe trying to go for some sort of Guinness Book of Records attempt
November 20, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Mistletoe trying to go for some sort of Guinness Book of Records attempt
Box Hill area, Surrey: November flowering plant species now up to 256, highlights today being Tansy (pictured), Many-seeded Goosefoot, Water-cress and a single perfect flower on a Butcher’s Broom blade
November 20, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Box Hill area, Surrey: November flowering plant species now up to 256, highlights today being Tansy (pictured), Many-seeded Goosefoot, Water-cress and a single perfect flower on a Butcher’s Broom blade
Banstead, Surrey: no new November flowers but did come across this grass verge White Saddle - a distinct fungus.
November 19, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Banstead, Surrey: no new November flowers but did come across this grass verge White Saddle - a distinct fungus.
Surrey Uber patch November flowers now up to 246 species. A few areas of reconfigured bank along the River Hogsmill were very productive, with the imported soil full of Marigolds, Cosmos, Phacelia plus a bonus Wormwood and Moldavian Dragon-head. Also pavement Jersey Cudweed in Epsom #UrbanBotany
November 18, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Surrey Uber patch November flowers now up to 246 species. A few areas of reconfigured bank along the River Hogsmill were very productive, with the imported soil full of Marigolds, Cosmos, Phacelia plus a bonus Wormwood and Moldavian Dragon-head. Also pavement Jersey Cudweed in Epsom #UrbanBotany
This has stumped me. Growing alongside the River Hogsmill (Surrey) on disturbed ground, with a right mix of the wild and exotic. Any suggestions welcome! Colour a good match, nettle-like leaves. Thanks. @bsbibotany.bsky.social
November 18, 2025 at 3:45 PM
This has stumped me. Growing alongside the River Hogsmill (Surrey) on disturbed ground, with a right mix of the wild and exotic. Any suggestions welcome! Colour a good match, nettle-like leaves. Thanks. @bsbibotany.bsky.social
November flowering plant challenge - Surrey Uber patch: now up to 236 species with addition of Himalayan Balsam, Common Fumitory and this flower bed interloper Eastern Pellitory-of-the-wall, until today a plant I hadn’t heard of - distinct from P. judaica in its obvious robustness #UrbanPlants
November 17, 2025 at 6:44 PM
November flowering plant challenge - Surrey Uber patch: now up to 236 species with addition of Himalayan Balsam, Common Fumitory and this flower bed interloper Eastern Pellitory-of-the-wall, until today a plant I hadn’t heard of - distinct from P. judaica in its obvious robustness #UrbanPlants
Checking the garden again revealed another Sprawler (2nd garden record) plus this female Feathered Thorn - I normally trap males. Colour reproduction here pretty good. #TeamMoth
November 16, 2025 at 10:10 AM
Checking the garden again revealed another Sprawler (2nd garden record) plus this female Feathered Thorn - I normally trap males. Colour reproduction here pretty good. #TeamMoth
Banstead, Surrey: another interesting night at the MV, with two Scarce Umber, only the 2nd & 3rd garden records (first being 12/11/90). Also a record 5 December Moths, 2 Turnip, a Red-green Carpet, 2 Feathered Thorn and a ferrugalis #TeamMoth
November 16, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Banstead, Surrey: another interesting night at the MV, with two Scarce Umber, only the 2nd & 3rd garden records (first being 12/11/90). Also a record 5 December Moths, 2 Turnip, a Red-green Carpet, 2 Feathered Thorn and a ferrugalis #TeamMoth
Banstead, Surrey: two ferrugalis and a Yellow-line Quaker to the MV, together with this small pug that I’m assuming to be Double-striped #TeamMoth
November 15, 2025 at 8:17 AM
Banstead, Surrey: two ferrugalis and a Yellow-line Quaker to the MV, together with this small pug that I’m assuming to be Double-striped #TeamMoth
This Sprawler was the 421st species of micro to the garden, and the sixth new one this year, the others being Beautiful Snout, Light Crimson Underwing, The Tissue, Dingy Shell and Oak Rustic. #TeamMoth
November 14, 2025 at 12:37 PM
This Sprawler was the 421st species of micro to the garden, and the sixth new one this year, the others being Beautiful Snout, Light Crimson Underwing, The Tissue, Dingy Shell and Oak Rustic. #TeamMoth
Banstead, Surrey: after 38 years of trapping the garden’s first ever Sprawler (a decreasing species in range and abundance), along with a good mix, including Red-green Carpet, Cypress Carpet, Satellite, Feathered Thorn, Green-brindled Crescent and the migrant pyralid Palpita vitrealis #TeamMoth
November 14, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Banstead, Surrey: after 38 years of trapping the garden’s first ever Sprawler (a decreasing species in range and abundance), along with a good mix, including Red-green Carpet, Cypress Carpet, Satellite, Feathered Thorn, Green-brindled Crescent and the migrant pyralid Palpita vitrealis #TeamMoth
November flowering in the Surrey Uber patch: now up to 228sp with highlights of Bladder Campion and this naturalised Scarlet Gaura (listed on @panspecieslisting.bsky.social so included here) - found ‘escaped’ on lose paving close to other plants in a bed.
November 13, 2025 at 5:38 PM
November flowering in the Surrey Uber patch: now up to 228sp with highlights of Bladder Campion and this naturalised Scarlet Gaura (listed on @panspecieslisting.bsky.social so included here) - found ‘escaped’ on lose paving close to other plants in a bed.
Westhumble Chapel, Surrey: built c1200 and abandoned mid-1500s. I’m stood here on a sultry day, in a t-shirt, in mid-November. I bet those that came here to worship and this time of year used to wrap up well. We live in very different times.
November 13, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Westhumble Chapel, Surrey: built c1200 and abandoned mid-1500s. I’m stood here on a sultry day, in a t-shirt, in mid-November. I bet those that came here to worship and this time of year used to wrap up well. We live in very different times.
Colley Hill, Surrey: 12,000 Woodpigeons viewable this afternoon, including 8,200 that moved north over the downs #UKBirding
November 12, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Colley Hill, Surrey: 12,000 Woodpigeons viewable this afternoon, including 8,200 that moved north over the downs #UKBirding
Banstead, Surrey: the garden MV went on for the first time in a while - what with the unusual mildness and faint promise of migrant moths - and was delighted to record a first for the garden, an Oak Rustic. Expected but welcome (420th micro here) #TeamMoth
November 12, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Banstead, Surrey: the garden MV went on for the first time in a while - what with the unusual mildness and faint promise of migrant moths - and was delighted to record a first for the garden, an Oak Rustic. Expected but welcome (420th micro here) #TeamMoth
Day 11 of the ‘November in flower’ Surrey Uber patch bash. A blitz and a half across Reigate Heath and nearby farmland bumped the total up to 222 species, including Musk Stork’s-bill (pictured), Apple-of-Peru, Stone Parsley, Dwarf Mallow and a few ‘late’ and a few ‘early’ flowerers
November 11, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Day 11 of the ‘November in flower’ Surrey Uber patch bash. A blitz and a half across Reigate Heath and nearby farmland bumped the total up to 222 species, including Musk Stork’s-bill (pictured), Apple-of-Peru, Stone Parsley, Dwarf Mallow and a few ‘late’ and a few ‘early’ flowerers
Reigate Heath - Buckland, Surrey: an unexpected and spectacular show from Woodpigeons, with a very conservative 34,000 gathering above fields and farmland from 14.20hrs, 10k heading off in one lump northwards at 15.15hrs, the rest seemingly settling down #UKBirding #Patchbirding
November 11, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Reigate Heath - Buckland, Surrey: an unexpected and spectacular show from Woodpigeons, with a very conservative 34,000 gathering above fields and farmland from 14.20hrs, 10k heading off in one lump northwards at 15.15hrs, the rest seemingly settling down #UKBirding #Patchbirding
Day 10 of the Surrey Uber patch ‘November plants in flower’ gig: now up to 190 species, with a short walk this afternoon adding Dark Mullein and this Winter Jasmine that has found a naturalised home on a grass verge
November 10, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Day 10 of the Surrey Uber patch ‘November plants in flower’ gig: now up to 190 species, with a short walk this afternoon adding Dark Mullein and this Winter Jasmine that has found a naturalised home on a grass verge
Day 9 of November flowering on the Uber patch. An afternoon on Headley Heath brought the total up to 188sp with Lesser Spearwort, Waterpepper, Bell Heather and Viper’s-bugloss (pictured) amongst the additions
November 9, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Day 9 of November flowering on the Uber patch. An afternoon on Headley Heath brought the total up to 188sp with Lesser Spearwort, Waterpepper, Bell Heather and Viper’s-bugloss (pictured) amongst the additions