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Sarah @sarahfaulkner.bsky.social · 2d

So many plants to enjoy at the Nothe, Weymouth - seaweed in rockpools and trees in the park, but stand still too long and the squirrels will take advantage! 😂
For #wildflowerhour, flowers of Chicory, Tamarisk and Mayweed add colour. But the Ivy flowers are the stars - abuzz with honeybees and wasps.

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Sarah @sarahfaulkner.bsky.social · 2d

As well as being rich in fungi, Higher Hyde Heath offers beautiful flora for #wildflowerhour.

Lavish clumps of Heather (Ling), with the deeper-coloured larger flowers of Bell Heather dotted between, and a lovely blue Heath(?) Milkwort.

Back in the woods were Tormentil and Wild Strawberry flowers.

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Sarah @sarahfaulkner.bsky.social · 2d

It seems to be a great autumn for Fly Algaric - lots of these beauties at DWT Higher Hyde Heath. 🍄

Plenty of other #fungi too, incl Woolly Milkcap, Crested Coral, Bulbous Honey Fungus & Candlesnuff.

Speckled Wood on the wing and Red Kite overhead - what a fab morning!

@dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

Selection of fungi at Higher Hyde Heath. Incl Fly Algaric, Bulbous Honey Fungus, green stained wood of Green ElfCup, Woolly Milkcap, Sulfur Tuft, Birch Bolete, Blusher, Candlesnuff, Birch Polypore, Brittlegill sp, Crested Coral

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Sarah @sarahfaulkner.bsky.social · 4d

A mid-week walk in Affpuddle Forest was rewarded with lots of fabulous #fungi. An abundance of Fly Algaric, as well as various Brittlegills and Boletes, and some really impressive Turkeytail.

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Sarah @sarahfaulkner.bsky.social · 9d

This Sea Aster is still putting on an incredible display at RSPB Lodmoor Reserve. Absolutely gorgeous.

Combined with seeing the Glossy Ibis going off to roost with the Great White Egrets, and a Marsh Harrier floating over the reed beds....it doesn't get much better than this!!

#wildflowerhour

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Sarah @sarahfaulkner.bsky.social · 9d

So happy to have 3 super-smart Black Rustic in the moth trap this morning (Weymouth) - an autumn favourite. 😍

Overall 11 species (23 individuals), included Barred Sallow, Lunar Underwing, Beaded Chestnut and Feathered Ranunculus.

#teammoth
@dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
@dorsetmoths.bsky.social

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Sarah @sarahfaulkner.bsky.social · 10d

For #UKFungusDay a few fungi from the splendid DWT Reserve, Kingcombe Meadows - including Lilac Fibrecap and Crested (or White) Coral.

@dorsetwildlife.bsky.social
#mycology
#fungifriends

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Sarah @sarahfaulkner.bsky.social · 11d

Brilliant photos. I feel very fortunate to have enjoyed the spectacular Tuna activity yesterday. Really exciting seeing them leap out the water. They move so fast - I don't know how David got these amazing photos...Jedi reflexes!! Big thanks to the survey team for being so friendly & informative.

Sarah @sarahfaulkner.bsky.social · 11d

A plethora of fabulous fungi from Puddletown Forest to bring some colour on a grey day.
Lots of gorgeous Bolettes and Russula, but particularly pleased to find tiny Green Elf Cup - often find the green-stained wood but rarely the fruiting bodies. 🍄
#fungifriends #fungifriday #fungusfriday #mycology

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Sarah @sarahfaulkner.bsky.social · 12d

Harvesting tomatoes has become a lot more time consuming! I suddenly have loads of gorgeous Garden Spiders (Araneus diadematus) making webs everywhere at my allotment.

I'm keen to try not to disturb their webs, but I think getting through the laser field in the Oceans 12 film would be easier!! 😅

Garden Spider, sunflowers and tomatoes at my allotment.

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Sarah @sarahfaulkner.bsky.social · 13d

Really great photos, Graham.
Loving the opportunity to enjoy the Wryneck again, what a brilliant encounter with a fabulous bird.
I took my own Wryneck souvenir shot that afternoon - not quite on a par with yours.....😂

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Sarah @sarahfaulkner.bsky.social · 14d

Hi! Just in case you didn't get an ID for this gorgeous caterpillar, I think it's probably a Knot Grass moth caterpillar.

This site is a good resource if you've not come across it before:
www.ukleps.org/CommNamesAlp...

Lepidoptera Species by Common Name in Alphabetical Order

www.ukleps.org

Sarah @sarahfaulkner.bsky.social · 14d

Did you get an ID for this one? If not, my thoughts are Argolamprotes micella. But I'm no expert.

Sarah @sarahfaulkner.bsky.social · 16d

For #wildflowerhour a throwback to August and a music festival in Portsmouth. The parched ground and heavy footfall left little opportunity for plants to thrive, but this one bank somehow remained a green oasis, dotted with the pretty candy-striped flowers of Field Bindweed. A very welcome sight.

Field Bindweed and deckchair at Victorious music festival in Portsmouth.

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Sarah @sarahfaulkner.bsky.social · 16d

Plenty of butterflies on the wing around Barleycroft Lane, Portland today too.
Including 3 Wall, Clouded Yellow, 2 Painted Lady, and lots of Red Admiral nectaring on Ivy flowers.
Also a bonus Hummingbird Hawkmoth, and, on the birding front, a fabulous Wryneck.
@dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

Wall Brown at Barleycroft Lane, Portland

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Sarah @sarahfaulkner.bsky.social · 19d

Lovely weather for my butterfly transect at Lorton Meadows, Weymouth.
16 Speckled Wood, plus Comma and Large White recorded.
Delighted to end my butterfly season on a high, with two Small Copper - my favourite butterfly!

@ukbms.bsky.social @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

Lorton Meadows, DWT Reserve, Weymouth.
2 Small Copper butterflies, some slime mould fungus, view over the meadows, and a Speckled Wood butterfly with wings closed.

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Sarah @sarahfaulkner.bsky.social · 22d

An exciting visitor to my allotment - the incredible Hummingbird Hawkmoth!

Mesmerising watching it flit between flowers, pausing to probe each with a long proboscis, the wings (allegedly beating 80 times per second) just a blur.

#teammoth @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

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Sarah @sarahfaulkner.bsky.social · 23d

Plenty of tiny, beautiful, Eyebright flowers in the wild quarries on Portland.
Not sure of species - my Wildflower ID book quickly made me realise these were going to be tricky, and that feeling was compounded by one of the Eyebright having the scientific name of Euphrasia confusa!!
#wildflowerhour

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Sarah @sarahfaulkner.bsky.social · 25d

What a fabulously fluffy caterpillar - Fox Moth at Tout Quarry, Portland this morning.

@dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
@dorsetmoths.bsky.social

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Sarah @sarahfaulkner.bsky.social · 26d

Two Walls seen today at Tidmoor Point, Weymouth - one looking a little worn but the other very fresh looking and pristine.

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