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Debbie Alston

@debbie1alston.bsky.social

430 followers 390 following 370 posts

Early retired ecologist, nature enthusiast and conservation volunteer now living in Sussex. Botany, butterflies, birds and mammals mostly. Monty Python and Michael Palin fan.

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Reposted by Debbie Alston

Plantlife @plantlifeuk.bsky.social · 20h

🍄‍🟫FREE online waxcap training course🍄‍🟫

Whether you’re a beginner, regular citizen scientist for #WaxcapWatch, a land manager or simply someone who loves learning about nature - our free fungi course is for you. 🍄

Take your waxcap knowledge to the next level 👉 https://loom.ly/-W0_R_4

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Reposted by Debbie Alston

BSBI Botany @bsbibotany.bsky.social · 16h

Want to up your #WildFlowerID game this winter?
We just launched our Winter Webinar programme!
7-8pm, every Tuesday from 4 Nov - 10 Feb.
Thanks to funding from @daera-ni.gov.uk, these 10 great plant ID webinars are FREE for all of you to attend!
Programme & booking links: bsbi.org/botanical-sk...

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Debbie Alston @debbie1alston.bsky.social · 1d

Out with the @southdownsnp.bsky.social volunteers today managing on Haven brow on Seven Sisters Country Park today. We got to see the Scrub munching machine in action too!

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Debbie Alston @debbie1alston.bsky.social · 4d

Saw our first Fly agaric of the year today in Abbot's Wood in East Sussex. Plus plenty of other fungus 🍄🍄

Debbie Alston @debbie1alston.bsky.social · 9d

Helping cut and rake the chalk grassland on part of Belle Toute today with the @southdownsnp.bsky.social volunteers and #EastbourneDownland volunteers

Debbie Alston @debbie1alston.bsky.social · 10d

Great day at Rye harbour today - total of 61 species of birds seen/ heard including a Glossy Ibis seen flying over Castle Water about 3.30pm. @sussexornitholo.bsky.social

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Debbie Alston @debbie1alston.bsky.social · 11d

It was a fab night Eric, thank you! xx

Debbie Alston @debbie1alston.bsky.social · 12d

Devil's-bit scabious in flower on Eastbourne downs today #wildflowerhour

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Debbie Alston @debbie1alston.bsky.social · 12d

Hemp agrimony seen flowering today on Eastbourne downs #wildflowerhour

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Debbie Alston @debbie1alston.bsky.social · 12d

Field scabious seen on Eastbourne downs today #wildflowerhour

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Debbie Alston @debbie1alston.bsky.social · 12d

Flowering ivy seen today on the Eastbourne downs #wildflowerhour

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Debbie Alston @debbie1alston.bsky.social · 12d

The Eider duck is still visible from Eastbourne seafront near the Holywell end @sussexornitholo.bsky.social

Debbie Alston @debbie1alston.bsky.social · 13d

We had a wonderful evening at the Royal Albert Hall in the company of @ericidle.bsky.social . Wow, what a great night! Full of songs and stories, including some touching memories of his friendship with both George Harrison and Robin Williams. Prof Brian Cox came on during the encore. Loved it 😍.

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Debbie Alston @debbie1alston.bsky.social · 15d

Chalk grassland restoration today with the @southdownsnp.bsky.social volunteers at Cloth Farm near Jevington. An ongoing project to remove a lot of the scrub

Debbie Alston @debbie1alston.bsky.social · 17d

Out with the Seaford Natural History group looking at fungi with the very knowledgeable Jim and Janet Howell in Friston Forest. Plenty of new-to-me species, including the helpfully named Orange peel fungus and Dead Moll's fingers

Debbie Alston @debbie1alston.bsky.social · 23d

A snoozing Pelican in St James Park from our trip to London yesterday

Debbie Alston @debbie1alston.bsky.social · 25d

I had a great time teaching a 3 day mammal course for the FSC over the weekend - looking at mammal signs, tracks, owl pellets and using the Longworth traps. Over two years since I last taught, but thankfully I can still do it and it brings me huge joy as well! Roll on next year, I hope....

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Debbie Alston @debbie1alston.bsky.social · Sep 8

Spent a day at Pagham Harbour today watching the tide rise and fall and the birds come and go. Total of 50 species of birds seen/heard including this Spoonbill at a high tide roost with the egrets and herons @sussexornitholo.bsky.social

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Debbie Alston @debbie1alston.bsky.social · Sep 7

Broad- leaved Everlasting pea seen this week on Hayling Island ( sadly no Long- tailed Blues hanging about near it 😔) #wildlowerhour

Debbie Alston @debbie1alston.bsky.social · Sep 7

Sea Holly from Hayling island this week #wildflowerhour

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Debbie Alston @debbie1alston.bsky.social · Sep 7

Autumn gentian from the South Downs this week #wildflowerhour

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Debbie Alston @debbie1alston.bsky.social · Sep 6

The Grey Phalarope is still present on the Oysterbeds, Hayling island this morning along with a high tide roost of Dunlin, Turnstone, RPlover, Grey plover, Knot, Redshank and a single Bar-tailed Godwit @hosbirding.bsky.social

Debbie Alston @debbie1alston.bsky.social · Sep 5

A slightly better photo of the Grey Phalarope on the Oysterbeds LNR, Hayling Island, Hampshire today @hosbirding.bsky.social

Debbie Alston @debbie1alston.bsky.social · Sep 4

Saw our first Grey Phalarope today ( juvenile) at Hayling island Oysterbeds this afternoon. Still in same place at 8pm this evening @hosbirding.bsky.social ( bad photo in low light 🫣)

Debbie Alston @debbie1alston.bsky.social · Sep 1

Haha, no nothing to do with me Richard. Nice though 😊 💩💩😊