Mark Avery
@markavery.bsky.social
Conservationist, campaigner, author, columnist, blogger, grandpa
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markavery.info
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Brilliant - thanks!
Feeling unusually organized today, NOT, but I do have all my ducks in a row!
Surf Scoter, Dipper Harbour, #NewBrunswick, #Canada
#birds #nature #wildlife #birdphotography
Surf Scoter, Dipper Harbour, #NewBrunswick, #Canada
#birds #nature #wildlife #birdphotography
January 15, 2026 at 5:58 PM
Brilliant - thanks!
Reposted by Mark Avery
Reposted by Mark Avery
“When I first heard they’d found a cure for dyslexia, it was like music to my arse.”
—source unknown
—source unknown
January 14, 2026 at 4:30 PM
“When I first heard they’d found a cure for dyslexia, it was like music to my arse.”
—source unknown
—source unknown
Reposted by Mark Avery
‘The cowman’
What to Look for in Winter, 1959
Artist: CF Tunnicliffe
What to Look for in Winter, 1959
Artist: CF Tunnicliffe
January 15, 2026 at 8:31 AM
‘The cowman’
What to Look for in Winter, 1959
Artist: CF Tunnicliffe
What to Look for in Winter, 1959
Artist: CF Tunnicliffe
Reposted by Mark Avery
Still limping along, with just 3 of 3 in Plymouth overnight, 2 being NFY: Dotted Border and Bloxworth Snout. Winter Moth made up the total. Puts me on 7 for the year, which is actually 4 more than this time last year!
#teammoth
#teammoth
January 15, 2026 at 7:10 AM
Still limping along, with just 3 of 3 in Plymouth overnight, 2 being NFY: Dotted Border and Bloxworth Snout. Winter Moth made up the total. Puts me on 7 for the year, which is actually 4 more than this time last year!
#teammoth
#teammoth
Reposted by Mark Avery
Good morning . Thank you to @ansolasoir.com for this morning's #FoxOfTheDay close up !
January 15, 2026 at 7:00 AM
Good morning . Thank you to @ansolasoir.com for this morning's #FoxOfTheDay close up !
Reposted by Mark Avery
Black-tailed Godwit thankful for the thawed out ground at St Aidan's. Juv m Marsh Harrier, flock of Curlews and a visible Cettis the other highlights.
#YorkshireBirding
#phonescoping #birds
#YorkshireBirding
#phonescoping #birds
January 15, 2026 at 3:09 PM
Black-tailed Godwit thankful for the thawed out ground at St Aidan's. Juv m Marsh Harrier, flock of Curlews and a visible Cettis the other highlights.
#YorkshireBirding
#phonescoping #birds
#YorkshireBirding
#phonescoping #birds
Wow!
If people are starting to browse through seed catalogs I can recommend fennel. It germinates easily and grows well even up here at 650 feet and look at all those visitors it had 🌱 #YellowThurs
January 15, 2026 at 5:56 PM
Wow!
Reposted by Mark Avery
We found a very cute little Springtail (Dicyrtomina saundersi) on our walk the other day - it’s so tiny, 2mm max, it’s only just within the capability of our macro lens! I love their little spiky bottoms!! #InsectThursday
January 15, 2026 at 1:59 PM
We found a very cute little Springtail (Dicyrtomina saundersi) on our walk the other day - it’s so tiny, 2mm max, it’s only just within the capability of our macro lens! I love their little spiky bottoms!! #InsectThursday
Reposted by Mark Avery
Hazel flowering on the way back from dropping my car at the garage. These little sea anemone-like flowers are one of my absolute favourites, and #recordsubmitted
January 15, 2026 at 9:01 AM
Hazel flowering on the way back from dropping my car at the garage. These little sea anemone-like flowers are one of my absolute favourites, and #recordsubmitted
Reposted by Mark Avery
That's a gorgeous image of erstwhile species Hebridean Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza ebudensis), with its characteristic anthocyanin-rich leaves.
It's now got the clumsiest of all British orchid names: Pugsley's Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza traunsteinerioides ssp. francis-drucei var. ebudensis) 😵
It's now got the clumsiest of all British orchid names: Pugsley's Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza traunsteinerioides ssp. francis-drucei var. ebudensis) 😵
#AlphabetChallenge
#WeekBforBooks
Pugsley’s Marsh Orchid subspecies hebridensis in June 2019
@dunnjons.bsky.social’s Orchid Summer was our guide 😊
#orchids #summer #uist
#WeekBforBooks
Pugsley’s Marsh Orchid subspecies hebridensis in June 2019
@dunnjons.bsky.social’s Orchid Summer was our guide 😊
#orchids #summer #uist
January 14, 2026 at 5:06 PM
That's a gorgeous image of erstwhile species Hebridean Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza ebudensis), with its characteristic anthocyanin-rich leaves.
It's now got the clumsiest of all British orchid names: Pugsley's Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza traunsteinerioides ssp. francis-drucei var. ebudensis) 😵
It's now got the clumsiest of all British orchid names: Pugsley's Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza traunsteinerioides ssp. francis-drucei var. ebudensis) 😵
Reposted by Mark Avery
Helena Dollimore MP raised the issue of Bio-beads at Prime Minister's Question Time.
🚨Deadline to sign the petition in 26 January 2026🚨
Sign here: www.helenadollimore.com/binthebeads
#BinTheBeads
🚨Deadline to sign the petition in 26 January 2026🚨
Sign here: www.helenadollimore.com/binthebeads
#BinTheBeads
January 14, 2026 at 5:10 PM
Helena Dollimore MP raised the issue of Bio-beads at Prime Minister's Question Time.
🚨Deadline to sign the petition in 26 January 2026🚨
Sign here: www.helenadollimore.com/binthebeads
#BinTheBeads
🚨Deadline to sign the petition in 26 January 2026🚨
Sign here: www.helenadollimore.com/binthebeads
#BinTheBeads
Reposted by Mark Avery
I’ve just been doing a bit of lichen verifying on irecord, and have seen more photos of Xanthoria parietina than you would have thought possible…
January 14, 2026 at 6:23 PM
I’ve just been doing a bit of lichen verifying on irecord, and have seen more photos of Xanthoria parietina than you would have thought possible…
Agree totally
The Government staying on X is pathetic: Ministers need to show some moral backbone inews.co.uk/opinion/the-...
January 14, 2026 at 8:23 PM
Agree totally
Reposted by Mark Avery
The lichen event at Holkham on Saturday was great, I saw and learnt lots. I had no idea a lichen could be anywhere near as tiny as those pinhead lichens! Lovely Cladonias and Peltigeras and especially great to be with people who can identify them! @norfolknats.bsky.social @robyaxley.bsky.social
January 14, 2026 at 7:09 PM
The lichen event at Holkham on Saturday was great, I saw and learnt lots. I had no idea a lichen could be anywhere near as tiny as those pinhead lichens! Lovely Cladonias and Peltigeras and especially great to be with people who can identify them! @norfolknats.bsky.social @robyaxley.bsky.social
Reposted by Mark Avery
One I completed before I got ill.
Finished page of artwork of the @flamboroughbird.bsky.social Song Sparrow from last year.
Finished page of artwork of the @flamboroughbird.bsky.social Song Sparrow from last year.
January 14, 2026 at 7:19 PM
One I completed before I got ill.
Finished page of artwork of the @flamboroughbird.bsky.social Song Sparrow from last year.
Finished page of artwork of the @flamboroughbird.bsky.social Song Sparrow from last year.
Reposted by Mark Avery
Pretty much as usual in most recent years here, Early Moth is the first moth of the year to a 20W actinic CFL running in an outdoor light fitting. Had a couple over the last two nights. #vc55moths #teammoth
January 14, 2026 at 7:34 PM
Pretty much as usual in most recent years here, Early Moth is the first moth of the year to a 20W actinic CFL running in an outdoor light fitting. Had a couple over the last two nights. #vc55moths #teammoth
Reposted by Mark Avery
Turns out that having to wait an extra 20 mins after my first train was cancelled this morning wasn't such a bad thing as a poke around the station's plants produced my first larvae of the Rosemary beetle (Chrysolina americana). And now I know where to look for adults later in the year.
January 14, 2026 at 7:42 PM
Turns out that having to wait an extra 20 mins after my first train was cancelled this morning wasn't such a bad thing as a poke around the station's plants produced my first larvae of the Rosemary beetle (Chrysolina americana). And now I know where to look for adults later in the year.
We feel your pain (a bit).
Scoured all the sunlit barriers, fence posts, benches and vegetation at #BemptonCliffs for Diptera on Monday, but not a winter-active fly to be seen, not even a Calliphora. And no flat-flies on this Kestrel either! Hard times for dipterists... 😄 @ynuorg.bsky.social @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
January 14, 2026 at 8:19 PM
We feel your pain (a bit).
Reposted by Mark Avery
Just 2 days left for teams of students on #PlantSciences degree programmes in Britain & Ireland to register for #BUC2026!
First round of Botanical University Challenge is on 11 Feb online so save that date.
@bsbibotany.bsky.social is proud to be a @bucbotany.bsky.social supporter again this year!
First round of Botanical University Challenge is on 11 Feb online so save that date.
@bsbibotany.bsky.social is proud to be a @bucbotany.bsky.social supporter again this year!
🌱🌾🌲🌍🌿🍄🌺🌳🌴🌷🪳🐝🧬🥦 Botanical University Challenge 2026 #BUC2026 starts on-line 11 February. Teams of 4 students on degree programmes should register by 16 January. See website for more details. botanicaluniversitychallenge.co.uk
January 14, 2026 at 2:50 PM
Just 2 days left for teams of students on #PlantSciences degree programmes in Britain & Ireland to register for #BUC2026!
First round of Botanical University Challenge is on 11 Feb online so save that date.
@bsbibotany.bsky.social is proud to be a @bucbotany.bsky.social supporter again this year!
First round of Botanical University Challenge is on 11 Feb online so save that date.
@bsbibotany.bsky.social is proud to be a @bucbotany.bsky.social supporter again this year!
Reposted by Mark Avery
Review of the Week: 5-11 January 2026
There were plenty of unusual records as 2026 got underway, including Red-flanked Bluetail in London and Corncrake in Hertfordshire, reports Sam Viles:
There were plenty of unusual records as 2026 got underway, including Red-flanked Bluetail in London and Corncrake in Hertfordshire, reports Sam Viles:
Review of the Week: 5-11 January 2026
There were plenty of unusual records as 2026 got underway, including Red-flanked Bluetail in London and Corncrake in Hertfordshire, reports Sam Viles.
bit.ly
January 14, 2026 at 7:02 PM
Review of the Week: 5-11 January 2026
There were plenty of unusual records as 2026 got underway, including Red-flanked Bluetail in London and Corncrake in Hertfordshire, reports Sam Viles:
There were plenty of unusual records as 2026 got underway, including Red-flanked Bluetail in London and Corncrake in Hertfordshire, reports Sam Viles:
Reposted by Mark Avery
January 14, 2026 at 6:51 PM
Reposted by Mark Avery
The hedgerows were steaming outside the kitchen window this morning, as the sun lit them up following a sharp frost.
Never fails to surprise.
#Winter #JacktheShepherdBlowshisNail #Love'sLaboursLost
Never fails to surprise.
#Winter #JacktheShepherdBlowshisNail #Love'sLaboursLost
January 14, 2026 at 4:57 PM
The hedgerows were steaming outside the kitchen window this morning, as the sun lit them up following a sharp frost.
Never fails to surprise.
#Winter #JacktheShepherdBlowshisNail #Love'sLaboursLost
Never fails to surprise.
#Winter #JacktheShepherdBlowshisNail #Love'sLaboursLost
So sad, so disappointing but so true.
When you don’t have a moral compass then it’s difficult to steer a course - and that is today’s @teamlabouruk.bsky.social government.
When you don’t have a moral compass then it’s difficult to steer a course - and that is today’s @teamlabouruk.bsky.social government.
Onwards and sideways for Keir after another U-turn leaves him going nowhere | John Crace
Onwards and sideways for Keir after another U-turn leaves him going nowhere | John Crace
Having lost the faith of his party and the public, the prime minister turns to dad jokes – and he’s even worse at those than running the country
www.theguardian.com
January 14, 2026 at 7:28 PM
So sad, so disappointing but so true.
When you don’t have a moral compass then it’s difficult to steer a course - and that is today’s @teamlabouruk.bsky.social government.
When you don’t have a moral compass then it’s difficult to steer a course - and that is today’s @teamlabouruk.bsky.social government.
Reposted by Mark Avery
No to airport expansion... until the aviation industry solves their climate issues. www.standard.co.uk/news/politic...
Heathrow third runway: Ministers admit eco-fuel target key to expansion may be missed
The Government has backed a bigger Heathrow and is now deciding how tests on economic growth, air quality, noise and climate change should be set
www.standard.co.uk
January 14, 2026 at 7:09 PM
No to airport expansion... until the aviation industry solves their climate issues. www.standard.co.uk/news/politic...