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Tim Blackburn@mothyblackburn.bsky.social |
301 followers 183 following 285 posts
Professor of Invasion Biology at UCL. Amateur father, birder, moth-er. Mainly wildlife photos and shouting into the void.
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Steve Dudley
@stevedudley.bsky.social
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I’ve been thinking about the role birding media play on issues like this. If they can’t get it right then why do we expect the general media to get it right? And why don’t they get it right? As individuals they’ve been around long enough to know the facts or where to get them 1/3
#lowcarbonbirding
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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The UK goes to the polls tomorrow. If you're undecided how to vote, this is an incredibly useful resource. Find your constituency, see the various poll results. Vote, and vote wisely!
inglesp.github.io/apogee/
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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Not one but two lifers for me in the Camden moth trap this morning, among 85:30: a long awaited September Thorn, and an unexpected Matilella (Pyla) fusca. The latter is a moth of heathland and moorland, not a common habitat around here! #TeamMoth
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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🤞
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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Four more NFY in the Camden moth trap this morning amongst 56:25. I'd been wondering where the Elephant Hawk-moths were this year, so great to get only my 2nd ever on the roof terrace. Also Dun-bar, Grey/Dark Dagger and an Oegoconia c.f. caradjai, the last two retained. #TeamMoth
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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A good night for moths back on the Camden roof terrace, with a strong 80:32. Clear highlight was a long awaited and gorgeous lifer in Scarce Silver-lines. Buff Arches was NFG, and a further 4 NFY included box-fresh Coronet and European Corn-borer. #TeamMoth
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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Isn’t it just! A real moment when I noticed it sitting amongst the grass stems behind the trap.
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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Thank you! It’s all down to the model.
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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Gosh, I almost forgot to mention that I found my 850th British moth species in Norfolk last week. And it arrived in style in the form of this stunning Bedstraw Hawk-moth. Blakeney Point delivering the goods again! #TeamMoth
2 replies 3 reposts 23 likes
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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Many thanks to local birder Mark Golley for the top tip on where to find Scarlet Tigers in Cley. Five in a five minute stop on the way home, to add another lifer to the trip to Norfolk. #TeamMoth
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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… , Shark, Light Arches, Broad-barred White, and Kent Black Arches. Thanks as always to the Morston seal boat crews and
Blakeney Point wardens for their welcome and help. #TeamMoth
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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The two trap nights on Blakeney Point added a total of 46 species to my moth year list. Highlights amongst these included Buff Arches, Rosy Wave, Common Emerald, Dotted Fan-foot … #TeamMoth
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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Moth trapping on Blakeney Point also turned up a range of specialist micros. Pediasia fascelinella, Platyes cerussella, Anerastia lotella & Eudonia lineola were all new for me, amongst 8 lifers over the two nights. #TeamMoth
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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Back from a short trip to Blakeney Point, and of course moth trapping. A total of 334:69 across two nights included many dune, shingle & saltmarsh specialists, such as Crescent Striped (a lifer), Sand Dart (my 2nd), 23 Archer’s Dart and 13 White Colon. #TeamMoth
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Gavin Haig
@notquitescilly.bsky.social
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Came across this today. Am not great at plants, so can anyone confirm whether this is Ivy Broomrape? Ta.
2 replies 1 reposts 5 likes
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@christhebarker.bsky.social
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If you’re passing a newsagent today don’t forget there’s a version of my election wipeout bingo on the centre spread of this week’s new European. Be quick though, they’re going to disappear quicker than a Tory election promise…
1 replies 26 reposts 44 likes
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Tim Allwood🇵🇸
@timallwood.bsky.social
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#lowcarbonbirding
The only thing that changes this is emitting less and less carbon as rapidly as possible.
Everything else is window dressing.
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Tim Allwood🇵🇸
@timallwood.bsky.social
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Four things you can do to help keep Earth habitable:
Stop flying
Stop eating meat
Drive as little as possible
Talk about the above
It’s that simple.
#lowcarbonbirding
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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A total of eight moths NFY today, with four micros adding to the four macros: Breckland Plume, Homoeosoma sinuella, Pyrausta despicata and Agriphila inquinatella. Well earned curry and wine at Fakenham Spoons. Keeping it classy. #TeamMoth
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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A great start to a week on Blakeney Point, with a drive up through the Brecks to Fakenham. Two macro-moth lifers in Forester & Currant Clearwing, the latter to the lure & my third Clearwing lifer in 7 days. Back up cast including Oblique Striped & Burnet Companion. #TeamMoth
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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Moth numbers up again a bit in Camden this morning, with 47:24. Another 3 NFY were Common Footman, Bird-cherry Ermine and Crassa unitella. Some nice bycatch in a Lesser Stag Beetle. Now off for a few days to see what Blakeney Point has to offer... #TeamMoth
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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A small (35:13) but nicely formed catch in the Camden moth trap this morning. The first Acrobasis of the year, and it looks to be a lifer in the scarce migrant tumidana. Also only my 3rd Nutmeg (which I catch alternate years here), with Scalloped Oak and Bee Moth amongst 6 NFY. #TeamMoth
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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Another day, another Clearwing, this time Red-tipped to the FOR lure in the wet woodland in East London's Olympic Park. A rather descaled and angry individual, it didn't want to hang around for the photoshoot. A lifer nonetheless 😀 #TeamMoth
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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Moth numbers in the Camden trap down again, despite the warm days, with just 21:14 this morning. Two micros NFY, in Gypsonoma dealbana and a tatty Mompha subbistrigella. #TeamMoth
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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Having tried and failed a couple of times this week with the lure, what should I find bouncing around the base of a local London street tree than this Red-belted Clearwing. Looks mainly black to the naked eye, but how it glitters under the flash. #TeamMoth
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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I don’t know. It concerns me that these animals have more comprehension of the world than one might think.
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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🥳
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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But what do the moths get out of looking so fabulous, do you think?
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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Just, why?!
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Stephen Heard
@stephenbheard.bsky.social
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This one's for you and the jewel box, @mothyblackburn.bsky.social! Pink-shaded fern moth, Callopistria mollissima, visiting our screen porch. Our yard has abundant ostrich fern and several other ferns, so this is likely a local.
Sure, some birds are pretty, but LOOK AT THIS GUY.
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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At last moth numbers and diversity picking up in the London trap, with 45:26 this morning. "Highlight" was a lifer in the (underwhelming) Lesser Wax Moth. Four more NFY included Ethmia quadrilella, Codling Moth and Zeiraphera isertana. Past 250 species for the year now. #TeamMoth
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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Now that's the way to start the day. A Hornet Moth on
Hampstead Heath in London this morning, an incredible mimic and simply one of the UK's best insects. And a lifer for me on top 😎. #TeamMoth
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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Panic when Zoe showed me the photo on her phone, and I had to rush across the site to see if it was still there!
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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Happy Father's Day, Dad. Miss you.
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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🍻
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Tim Allwood🇵🇸
@timallwood.bsky.social
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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Having run 38 traps at FSC Blencathra this trip, student Zoe finds Moth of the Week this morning on the accommodation kitchen window frame. Scallop Shell, an absolutely stunning insect, and a lifer to boot 😀. #FieldCourseFortnight #TeamMoth
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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A pleasant wander around FSC Blencathra this morning ahead of the forecast rain. A pair of Red Squirrels were more focused on each other than on me, and then on the Stoat that shot past. The local Spotted Flycatchers were working hard feeding nestlings. #FieldCourseFortnight #UKBirding #LakeDistrict
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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More moths from the student-led trapping this morning, all NFY for me: Map-winged Swift, Common Wave, Bright-line Brown-eye and Green Silver-lines. Numbers recovering after the dreadful weekend weather. #TeamMoth
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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Some moorland moths from a late evening yomp in the Lake District. Neofaculta ericetella, a candidate for Coleophora alticolella (retained), Striped Twin-spot Carpet in the field, and Narrow-winged Pug. Just a dozen species, mainly netted or shot pre-dusk. #TeamMoth
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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A couple more NFY from the FSC Blencathra moth traps this morning - Coxcomb Prominent and Clouded-bordered Brindle. Numbers still low unfortunately. #FieldCourseFortnight #TeamMoth
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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Maintained our 100% record of finding Tawny Owls
at FSC Blencathra on #FieldCourseFortnight. Blackbirds spooked the adult before I could get a photo, but the fledgling was much more relaxed.
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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That time of the week when the students take the lead running the moth traps. And they came up trumps with an unequivocal Larch Pug, a lifer for me. Small Angle Shades, Brown Rustic and Broom Moth were NFY in a better catch in improved conditions. #TeamMoth
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Dan Webb
@danwebb.bsky.social
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I have just been sent this extract from a 19th Century book that describes nightingales as ‘positively troublesome, by their nocturnal disturbance’ in my home village of Sellack. And another ‘impossible to take an evening walk in June without hearing reeling grasshopper warbler’! One record in 2024
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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Another grim night for moths at FSC Blencathra in the wind and cold, with just 7:6 across two traps. One NFY at least, and only the second Striped Twin-spot Carpet I've caught (after one here last year). #TeamMoth
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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Watch this space...
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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A challenging set of Pugs to start the first morning in the Lake District. Look to me to be Common, Grey and Oak-tree, but opinions from better qualified moth-ers welcome! #TeamMoth
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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Low numbers again in the London moth trap, but another 3 NFY among 19:13, with Hoary Footman (annual here now), Eudonia lacustrata (by the looks), and Swammerdamia pyrella. Off to the Lake District today as part of #FieldCourseFortnight so hoping for a few more species up there... #TeamMoth
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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Another cooler and slower night for moths in Camden, with only 22:15 to the trap this morning. One NFY in the now apparently well-established White-point, and a co-operative Treble Brown Spot making up for a flighty NFY earlier in the week. #TeamMoth
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Tim Blackburn
@mothyblackburn.bsky.social
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Thanks Dave, and apologies for having to listen to me at the start!
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