Bit of birding, bit of botany, bit of everything else. @Dorsetwildlife ranger for Lyscombe.(Views my own)
Dorset, England
Joined September 2010
- Tweets960
- Following747
- Followers386
- Likes3.7K
Surveying for marsh fritillary larval webs today at Bracketts Coppice. 27 webs found across two fields.
Caterpillars are still only small, probably 2nd instar? @BC_Dorset @savebutterflies @DorsetWildlife
Ben Atkinson retweeted
Silver-spotted Skipper (Hesperia comma) photographed today on the steep slopes of Fontmell Down in Dorset.
@DorsetWildlife @Team4Nature
Ben Atkinson retweeted
92 of 24 spp. in my heathland moth trap on Tuesday morning. Great to see so many beautiful yellow underwings with a couple of drinkers. Please can I check this dotted border wave @MOTHIDUK? Got to love an elephant hawker too @DorsetWildlife @BC_Dorset @DorsetMoths @BritishMoths
A good find yesterday at @DorsetWildlife Lyscombe nature reserve. Almost certain this is the Nationally rare downland bee-fly, Villa cingulata. Can anyone can confirm from this picture please? @DipteristsForum @StevenFalk1
Marsh fritillaries at Bracketts Coppice today 😀 Plus a first for me, a narrow-bordered bee-hawkmoth!! Sadly, it was too quick to photograph.
@DorsetWildlife @BC_Dorset @DorsetMoths @ukbutterflies @BflyRobin – at Puddletown, England
Ben Atkinson retweeted
A great start to #30DaysWild with a visit to Ham Wall yesterday hearing booming bitterns and a lovely walk today with Dorset Wildlife Trust learning all about the enchanting early gentian. Hard to spot, but worth it once you get your eye in! 👀 #wildflowers 💕
Some of the days highlights from Fontmell Down. Sleepy dormice (handled under license), early gentians, greater butterfly orchids and fragrant orchids.
@DorsetWildlife @PTES @BSBIbotany @ukorchids – at Puddletown, England
Ben Atkinson retweeted
100 years ago, the BBC broadcast a live duet between the cellist Beatrice Harrison and a nightingale. I made this animation that captures that moment. Narrated by @exitthelemming and sound from @FonicPost Watch here vimeo.com/535324347
@BBCRadio3 #thecelloandthenightingale
A Bird's nest orchid at Bracketts Coppice yesterday 😀
@DorsetWildlife @ukorchids @BSBIbotany @WildaboutPlants – at Puddletown, England
I saw this sawfly yesterday, in a Dorset woodland. It looked like it was egg laying on bracken. Am I right in thinking it's Strongylogaster multifasciata? @nature_spotter @bwars2000 – at Puddletown, England
Ben Atkinson retweeted
“We must not treat people with Down syndrome as second class citizens in their own country”
Thank you @LiamFox for championing people with #DownSyndrome in Parliament & challenging your colleagues to right historical wrongs. Ask your MP to vote for #NC41 bit.ly/EqualityAt24
'We must not treat people with Down's Syndrome as second class citizens'
North Somerset MP and former Cabinet Minister @LiamFox is calling for abortions of foetuses with the condition to be made illegal past 24 weeks
itv.com/news/westcountry/202…
Ben Atkinson retweeted
We’re enabling thousands of new homes whilst recovering nature.🏡
Today, with @DorsetWildlife, we've announced the land purchase of Lyscombe Farm in #Dorset through our #NutrientMitigation Scheme.
Read more: gov.uk/government/news/thous…
Ben Atkinson retweeted
Old Sulehay NR is one of my happy places.
Scents of damp earth, Hawthorn blossom and Wild Garlic in the wood
Dingy Skipper, Grizzled Skipper and Green Hairstreak #Butterflies in the quarry
A spring soundtrack of Cuckoo,Nightingale, Garden and Willow Warbler
@wildlifebcn
Ben Atkinson retweeted
i think this is so important because my life is equal after birth so it should be equal before birth. Pls repost if you agree with me #EqualityAt24 @LiamFox
A law that treats us differently because of our characteristics doesn’t meet 2024 standards. Yet we have a law that does just that after 24 weeks of pregnancy where abortion can still be offered up to birth if Down syndrome is confirmed.
Write to your MP
bit.ly/EqualityAt24
Ben Atkinson retweeted
REVEALED: 18 Tory MPs have written to Environment Secretary @SteveBarclay urging him to gut @NaturalEngland’s powers to create nature reserves (SSSIs)
This latest #AttackOnNature must not succeed
(Thanks to @jgmarshallwrite for obtaining the letter)
Thread 1/
Ben Atkinson retweeted
Discovering the extra species that will benefit from the #SpeciesRecoveryProgramme after the pond restoration project, like this male palmate newt chomping on frogspawn @NaturalEngland @DorsetWildlife @SightingDOR @ARC_Bytes
Ben Atkinson retweeted
BUTTERFLY NEWS - a Brown Hairstreak egg has been found today in the south of the county. After many years of absence the species is back breeding again in Northamptonshire! A huge well done to @BrianLaney2 for finding it!!
@butterflydoug1 @dave_b_james @savebutterflies I had to put my cap behind the egg due to auto focus. South Northamptonshire yes !!! Yes!!!!
