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Shane @sharkeee.bsky.social · 11h

Last nights mothing during perfect conditions brought us good numbers. Merv hit double figures with large amounts of sallow and white point. At least 80/30.
2nd gen Swallow tail, gold spot and Kent black arches were mid October surprises. Nr Spaxton VC5
#MothsMatter #Teammoth

Swallow-tailed Moth Ourapteryx sambucaria

A lemon yellow moth that has dark streaks and two pointed tails

Gold Spot Plusia festucae

A beautiful moth with a russet base colour and several metallic gold spots.

Elachista maculicerusella

A pale micro moth with several dark blotches.

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Shane @sharkeee.bsky.social · 11h

They’re most definitely about as heard several passing over too last night.

Shane @sharkeee.bsky.social · 1d

12-14 degs C and cloudy.
What will the MV lure in tonight I wonder…. #Teammoth #moths

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Shane @sharkeee.bsky.social · 2d

Thanks Dave. Found a lovely young Conger too. Never realised that they have such silver streaked tails.

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Shane @sharkeee.bsky.social · 2d

Finally and the best of the day, is this incredible
Pink Coryphella - Edmundsella pedata #Nudibranch
One of 5 seen in within 5 metres of each other. These are only around 2-3mm long.
@nudibranch.bsky.social #Somersetcoast #Coast #UKwildlife #Nature
3/3

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Shane @sharkeee.bsky.social · 2d

Soon after my jelly find, @wildlifetoursed.bsky.social calls over to show off her find.
An amazingly Macropodia - a species of long legged spider crab, complete with lovely array of camouflaging algae.
#crabs

2/3

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Shane @sharkeee.bsky.social · 2d

Yesterday myself and @wildlifetoursed.bsky.social headed to Gore point near Porlock for some long overdue ride pooling session.. Several awesome new to us species were observed.
First up was my Stalked jellyfish find, possibly Calvadosia campanulata. 1/3
#rockpool #coast #Somerset #marine

A photo of a tiny red marine creature.
A funnel shaped truck is attached by a sucker to some red algae. Up top, seven short arms extend outwards.

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Shane @sharkeee.bsky.social · 4d

An early visitor to the orchard MV trap in the shape of Merveille du Jour. A first for me, it wasn’t alone, dark sword grass, yellow lined quaker, barred sallow and a white point were there by 20:00.

Clear skies so not ideal, I wonder what species that lone bat has already taken… #Teammoth

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Shane @sharkeee.bsky.social · 8d

A closer and shorter slo-mo of today’s Clouded yellow #Butterfly
#Invertebrates #insects #Nature

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Shane @sharkeee.bsky.social · 8d

Found this beautiful traveler today. A female Clouded yellow #Butterfly who was visiting clover to deposit eggs in some Somerset grassland.
Only had a compact camera, but as these are a very mobile species, I grabbed some slowmo footage.
#UkWildlife #Invertebrates #Nature

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Shane @sharkeee.bsky.social · 25d

I think these fluffy furungi are Paxillus rubicundulus - Alder roll rim.
Found here in a damp area with loads of alder. #Fridayfungi #Fungi #Mushrooms

Close up photo displaying the underside of a fungus. The cream coloured stem has patches of brown from bruising, where the stem meets the cap, small wrinkled veins are present. The cap at this young stage has a thick coating resembling yellow/brown downy velvet,

A side on view showing the cap of the same fungi.

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Shane @sharkeee.bsky.social · 25d

The cut Scarletina remains me of my childhood plasticine that often got mixed up.

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Shane @sharkeee.bsky.social · 25d

2/2
The fine line that can just be seen in the above video appears to be fine filaments, I'm unsure whether the mite made them, but its movement seemed to be centred around this object.

A close up photo of three tiny clear filaments laying across the surface of apple tree bark.

1

Shane @sharkeee.bsky.social · 25d

1/2
This Anystis sp mite, stopped during one of it's usual rapid zigzagging movement across an apple tree. It paused for a moment and then began a curious circular movement.
Any #Acari experts out there care to tell me what's happening?
#Arachnidae #Mites #Invertabrate #Wildlife #Nature

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Shane @sharkeee.bsky.social · 26d

Ready for the rutt.
#Deer #UkWildlife #Nature #Mammals

A photo of a mature Red deer stag roaring during this year rutt. The correct term is ‘bolving’ which is a very guttural noise.
This deer is stood belly deep in bracken, its red coat is wet from rolling in muddy water, its thick neck that is covered in course long hair. The huge antlers are black with dark wet mud and have at least nine points suggesting that it’s probably around ten years of age.

Another of the same deer, its bottom is facing the camera and it is looking to the left. This time it’s stood in course grass,

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Shane @sharkeee.bsky.social · Sep 6

It’s times like these when I’d rather not know what is using the lush riparian edges here, whether resident or migratory, it should be a sanctuary for nature.
Alas not, 4 semi ferral cats wander, freely killing mammals and birds.
Latest victim was a Grasshopper warbler.
#birds #cats #killerpets

A photo of a bird that’s been killed by a domesticated cat.

A photo of the same dead bird with its wings held open by thumb and finger. The purpose of this is to measure wingspan and see plumage, both aided in identification of this bird.

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Shane @sharkeee.bsky.social · Sep 5

One was my second time seeing the species, but that was barely a chance to look at it properly. The other was a lifer for me in adult form. It don’t put the moth trap out too much, so the chance of seeing one was limited. Good luck with finding either soon.

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Shane @sharkeee.bsky.social · Sep 2

Enjoyed my couple of meetings with the Wryneck in #Devon many images captured of it, this is one of my favourites, despite the bad composition. #Canon #photography #birds #ukwildlife #ukbirding #wildlife #nature

Shane @sharkeee.bsky.social · Sep 2

When the Wryneck at the turf came close to me, I had no time to recompose the shot - this could’ve been so much better.
However, I love how the blurred sloping grey of the concrete foreground, brown of the exe estuary mud and grass in the background all complement the tones of the bird.
#Birds

A photo of a Wryneck.
The grey and blurred foreground is to the left and slopes inline with that of the bird which stands facing to the left.
The bird itself has plumage which is a mixture of greys and browns, its throat is a buff cream. Throughout its plumage is streaks, bars and flecks which all add camouflage this normally woodland bird.
To the right of the bird in the photo, the back ground is a brown blur, across the top of the image, the distant grass is almost yellow.

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Shane @sharkeee.bsky.social · Sep 2

Have you tasted the ripe berries.
Personally I find most of them too bitter for me, but get a good one and another name for the plant becomes clear -
Toffee berry.
When ripe, the berries are brown and very soft, which some people like.

1

Shane @sharkeee.bsky.social · Sep 2

When the Wryneck at the turf came close to me, I had no time to recompose the shot - this could’ve been so much better.
However, I love how the blurred sloping grey of the concrete foreground, brown of the exe estuary mud and grass in the background all complement the tones of the bird.
#Birds

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Shane @sharkeee.bsky.social · Aug 30

Beer garden birding in Devon last night was rather wonderful.

Photo of a Wryneck on short grass. This bird has the most remarkable cryptic plumage that is coloured in shades of greys and browns, with dark steaks.
This acts to camouflage the bird in its usual woodland habitat, protecting it from predators.

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Shane @sharkeee.bsky.social · Aug 26

In the #Blackdownhills #Somerset, 5 yrs back, I came across a very large #Caterpiller which I later ID'd as Clifden nonpareil, confirming that this once UK extinct moth is back in the County.
5 yrs on and I've finally had an immaculate adult come to my garden moth trap. @savebutterflies.bsky.social

A photo showing a pale cream coloured moth larvae on a slick. The background is a blurry green with bokeh of white blurred circles.

The larvae is reared up in a defensive posture.

A photo of a large moth, partially on my hand and on the egg boxes used in the trap.
The moth has upper wings that are mostly grey, with zigzag markings and a pale cream blotch in the centre of the wing. The lower wing is very dark blue, almost black, with a bright blue band through it.

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Shane @sharkeee.bsky.social · Aug 25

Last night I met my first adult Clifden Nonpareil /Catocala fraxini.
#TeamMoth @bchighland.bsky.social #Mothsmatter #BlueMonday #Moths #invertebrae #insects #ukwildlife

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Shane @sharkeee.bsky.social · Aug 10

Many thanks.
It’s going to be many yrs until the current wild populations of beavers expend into Norfolk. Hopefully you’ll be able to venture out and find some, maybe into the badlands of the SW where beavers more widespread.

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Shane @sharkeee.bsky.social · Aug 10

😁Indeed, it’s really just a giant squish tailed vole.
I’ll cost me a small fortune in pound coins trying to get one in place.

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