RangerToby

Just doing my part spreading the gospel Carl! 🙌

Live cameras now rolling! So mane #RedSquirrels out and about 😀

Stonechat doing a bit of hawking of flies in the sunny spells at Mount Stewart this afternoon
#winterwatch
@bbcspringwatch.bsky.social

@aspectforest.bsky.social - Was up your way for a bit this week... checking out Bure catchment work at Blickling +some of the @norfolkponds.bsky.social people & Norfolk rivers Trust.
Great stuff happening there - ripe for scaling up.

Also many, many most excelent hedgerow oaks to drool over.

But some excellent brash use when doing glade coppicing among the standards... and it's worked :)

Would be good to have the herbaceous layer along with it but not going to happen with so many deer.

Clearly an ongoing issue with Deer numbers (and a depressing amount of grey squirrel)

Coppice rotation areas and any natural regen getting knawed to death...

But at least there is se control taking place.

Been a bit of Ranger on tour this week (been a while) tho busy did pop in on #HatfieldForest to perve at veteran trees...

Was not disappointed 👌

@nationaltrust.org.uk

Holy moly... the deer there must be rife! Is there any understory there at all?

Timber pr0n 👌

Storm Eowyn blown Douglas Fur all milled up for use to replace the gardens pergolas

#MountStewartMoment #WoodIsGood
@nationaltrust.org.uk

A Common Darter Dragonfly basks in the sun at rest on a festival urinal!

I suppose a perch is a perch when you're a invert 😅

Spotted at #Vantastival this morning.

#biodiversityireland
@nbntrust.bsky.social

Indeed, tho for my patch, we're a smaller operation, have flexibility of smaller kit suitable for the site & the time to use winch/skidding which helps no end!
That & doing the TSM works in summer with due care makes more time for felling in winter, extract in spring.
Appreciate luxury this affords

Still working through blowouts on the estate. Some very nice Western Red Cedar to extract from this compartment.
Going to make an excellent sunny glade once done with Oak and Sweet Chestnut to cast natural regen 👌
#MountStewartMoment

To be fair tho the ground needs it. Just not all in the space of a few minutes!

This years floofs - details coming soon :)

By-catch this week while trapping for the 1st grey squirrel that's arrived this year. Normally, plenty of #RedSquirrels that subsequently get a free meal, then rocket launch themselves out when released.

Today, a juvenile Pine Marten, likley just out on its own now as they dispurse through Autumn.

I know right, at the bottom too! Anyone I know has only ever had them at rest... It absolutely chucked it down for about 15mins at dawn just as I was waking up. Bound to have been other things. I'm happy tho, never had one of my own before.

Final chance for Somerset trapping last night, didn't get out before rain came on so recon I lost a few at rest as only one soggy Jersey Tiger.

But...

Inside, a Vestal! :)

Also a lovely looking Mocha, beautiful person.

Great finish now heading back to NI
@migrantmothuk.bsky.social
#TeamMoth

Good-looking but had deffo be head banging in the trap going by that bald spot!

Catching up on submitint the 2nd night New Forest moths from the 13th/14th after a super @beautifuldaysfest.bsky.social
Highlight was good looking Beautiful Yellow Underwing!

At the festival itself not trapping but did spot a few Chinese Characters & A.strams at rest near floodlights

#TeamMoth

1st night in New Forest, clear skys but a nice trio of new to me species; Black Arches, Clay Triple Lines.

But the special one is adventive Musotima nitidalis / Marbled Fern - first recorded in 2009 Dorset now turning up in the S counties.
#teammoth #newforest @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

Snap on the Orange Swift this morning over in Wellington and picked up Rusty dot & Rush Veneer yesterday down Ottery way.

Jersey Tigers bloody everywhere!

So I had to go to Somerset to get in on the migrant moth action (family visit)

9 new to me species to the 6W actinic

8 Jersey Tigers!

Even had a Four spot Footman the day before in East Devon.

Off to New Forest next.
#MothsMatter #TeamMoth @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

So who got their early cropping varieties picked before the storm?

Thankyou!
You know what makes this more embarrassing... I've had them before according to the star beside them!!

Fair few at mine this week too :) makes a change from C.rustics and LYUs. Glad to see them back in numbers but also they can piss off lf9r distubing everything on the traps with their continual fidgeting 😜

Im pulling my hair out at these and probably now can't see for looking... (Assuming two females and a male) ...worn Udea Prunalis? Bright white/cream underwing.
N.Coast, N.Ireland
@mothiduk.bsky.social

Bullrush Wainsoct to the North Coast Coleraine area last night. Not been recorded since pree 2000 and only two sites in county.
#mothsmatter #teammoth

100% agree, cracking CCF managed throughout the country. Oak incorporated into this one we passed though in the midlands..
(Excuse the holiday pics!)

Finally, I was graced with a Ghost Moth to the N.Coast garden. And a Female too. :)
Took over 10yrs of recording/trapping!

#teammoth #mothsmatter