Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Andrew Clarke @mrandrewclarke.bsky.social · 3d

Ah, the back end of the Johnson years… so many memories! And not even the slightest whiff of corruption, either at home or abroad.

I mean haven’t we all had a quick look down the back of the sofa and bought a £3.8 million mansion with cash?

1 2

Andrew Clarke @mrandrewclarke.bsky.social · 3d

Great to read this short article about the Cors Ddyga Glossy Ibises. Written by naturalist Nigel Brown and illustrated with a truly stunning image by @jmjbirding.bsky.social

apple.news/AsgfWVGZMQu6...

Country diary: The marshes are graced with a little catwalk glamour — The Guardian

Ynys Môn (Anglesey): What a pleasure it is to watch a pair of glossy ibis – true head-turners, and an increasingly common sight

apple.news

2 3

Andrew Clarke @mrandrewclarke.bsky.social · 3d

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cambri...

National Trust Wicken Fen nature reserve

Wicken Fen National Trust nature reserve becomes first UK site to record 10,000 species of wildlife

www.nationaltrust.org.uk

1

Reposted by Andrew Clarke

Sheffield Bird Study Group @shefbirdstudy.bsky.social · 15d

Any birders reporting autumn passage Ring Ouzels (esp in southern England) please look out for coloured leg rings on juveniles from the Peak District Eastern Moors project. 🙏
Report to [email protected]

Combo of 3 colours on left leg

@birdguides.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social
#ukbirding

5 24

Reposted by Andrew Clarke

Rachel Taylor @fidhw.bsky.social · 6d

Birds in stained glass, freestanding #art or wall sculptures, rarely window panels. My birds are celebrations, explanations, rants and sometimes tears; but like the birds that inspire them, they are all beautiful dancers-with-light…

4 12 46

Reposted by Andrew Clarke

Richard Morris @ahistoryinart.bsky.social · 8d

Daniel Gerber's 'Shad Fishery,' (1943) depicts townsfolk gathered on the riverbank at Cuttalossa, a Pennsylvanian hamlet tucked into a bend in the Delaware River, armed with nets to catch shad (a herring like fish) as they swim upstream.

3 12 110

Reposted by Andrew Clarke

James Harding-Morris @bsbicountries.bsky.social · 19d

Some positive plant news from the BSBI - Holly Fern rediscovered in Cwm Idwal after 150 years! share.google/ZlNYNfC4f6h2...

And with a quote from our very own @bsbicymru.bsky.social

Plant Atlas maps for Holly Fern here: share.google/9t1TB44l1G1i...

“A remarkable discovery”: Rare fern found in Welsh valley 150 years after being wiped out by Victorians | Countryfile.com

The young holly fern was rediscovered by a naturalist on the rugged slopes of Cwm Idwal in Eryri National Park.

share.google

2 14 66

Reposted by Andrew Clarke

Dr Jo Ball @drjeball.bsky.social · 14d

A #Roman figurine of a lizard, carved from a single piece of hyaline quartz. It was found in a Gallo-Roman tomb in Belgium, where it was buried as part of an assortment of grave goods about 2000 years ago (📷 MFAH, Brussels) 🏺 AncientBlueSky #Archaeology #RomanArchaeology

4 86 340

Reposted by Andrew Clarke

Julian Hughes @penrhynbirder.bsky.social · 19d

Most only get to see Sabine's Gulls through a rain-spattered 'scope, but this was the week to see them up close during the biggest ever Welsh influx. The week's sightings in #NorthWales in @northwaleslive.bsky.social BirdNotes.

📷 Kevin Hitch #BirdingWales

www.birdnotes.wales/blog/gales-b...

Gales bring Arctic visitors to North Wales

This month’s windy conditions has brought unprecedented numbers of seabirds close to Welsh coasts. It will take time to collate all the counts, but those of two species stand out. The national...

www.birdnotes.wales

1 5 34

Reposted by Andrew Clarke

Julian Hughes @penrhynbirder.bsky.social · 20d

With several sites in Wales hosting multiple Grey Phalaropes over the weekend, 2025 is now the best year this century, with 112. #BirdingWales

The best-ever year will take some beating, however. 227 were seen from The Smalls lighthouse alone in just 12 days, during 18-29 September 1960.

Chart shows the number of Grey Phalaropes recorded in Wales annually since 2001. The best year on record was, until this weekend, 2001 with 107 individuals. 2025 has now overtaken that with 112.

1 5 32

Andrew Clarke @mrandrewclarke.bsky.social · 22d

When you consider that the UK relies heavily on imports of many tree crops (despite the fact that we have some of the best soils and climate for arboriculture in Europe) and simply removing herbivores naturally results in tree cover why are we not developing more agroforestry projects?

Jeremy Bartlett @jeremybartlett.bsky.social · 22d

Something unusual in the Swaffham area.

In rows behind deer fences, at first glance they look like giant non-flowering sunflowers auditioning for 'The Day of the Triffids'.

They're actually very fast growing hybrid Paulownia (Foxglove Trees).

eastangliabylines.co.uk/environment/...

A plantation of hybrid Paulownia trees just north of Swaffham, Norfolk.

4

Reposted by Andrew Clarke

Paul Roberts @npaulroberts.bsky.social · 22d

A spellbinding display from six Sabine's Gulls at Jackstones Pier, Aberavon. Incredible to witness at close quarters. Little Tern, Black Tern and two Grey Phalaropes also present.

1 4 35

Andrew Clarke @mrandrewclarke.bsky.social · 22d

2

Reposted by Andrew Clarke

Biological Recording Company @biologicalrecording.co.uk · 22d

🌸🐝 What do pollinators really need beyond flowers?

Find out with Prof @jeffollerton.bsky.social in Gardening for Pollinators: It’s About More Than Just Flowers!

Join us on 14 Jan 2026 on this Online Symposium.

Check it out here:
👉 www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1419239717...

3 10

Andrew Clarke @mrandrewclarke.bsky.social · 22d

Morning fungal folk. Mycology books come in many variations; some are serious tones packed full of detailed scale drawings and scientific jargon… others leave you asking so many questions.

“Hey guys, why is that man in a tuxedo holding a mushroom? Why the trumpet?”

🤣

Cascade Mycological Society @cascademyco.bsky.social · 22d

#NatureBookChallenge #FungiFriends #MycoBookClub

Book cover of All That the Rain Promises and More by David Arora. A bearded man in a tuxedo, grinning while holding a trombone and a large cluster of golden mushrooms as he he walks in a woodland setting.

1

Reposted by Andrew Clarke

The Slim Dude 🇨🇦 @slimdude.ca · 23d

All this raises the question: why should profits for investors be given priority over affordable, clean energy for all?

www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...

Linda McQuaig: Solar energy has dropped dramatically in price and that’s a problem for investors

Long considered a luxury for chardonnay-sipping environmentalists, solar energy now has the potential to become the energy choice of beer-drinking workers concerned about the cost of living.

www.thestar.com

10 23 64

Reposted by Andrew Clarke

Countryside Jobs Service @countrysidejobs.bsky.social · 24d

New funding for local groups to tackle nature recovery across UK - @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social
Grants of up to £25,000 now available to improve nature for communities thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery c-js.co.uk/3KpHReM

New funding for local groups to tackle nature recovery across UK

c-js.co.uk

1 1

Reposted by Andrew Clarke

Samantha Asumadu @samanthaasumadu.substack.com · 24d

An NHS doctor who was working at St. Thomas' hospital, which is on the route where the far right marched:

10 59 120

Reposted by Andrew Clarke

Alexander Lees @alexanderlees.bsky.social · 24d

Ian Carter and myself argued this point here www.whittlespublishing.com/Great_Miscon... - species with high dispersal capacity can typically naturally recolonise suitable habitats IF the original drivers of declines have been remediated.

Raptor Persecution UK @raptorpersuk.bsky.social · 25d

This was a massive distraction project, intended to draw attention away from the ongoing illegal killing on northern UK grouse moors.

Maybe now NE & Defra will put their (our!) money where it really needs to go - on ramped up enforcement.

#RaptorResearch

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/09/16/g...

Good news! Natural England pulls the plug on ‘reintroduction’ of Hen Harriers to southern England

It’s been a long time coming, but today Natural England has announced it is finally pulling the plug on it’s project to ‘reintroduce’ Hen Harriers to southern England. It ma…

raptorpersecutionuk.org

14 39

Reposted by Andrew Clarke

Biodiversity Heritage Library @biodivlibrary.bsky.social · 26d

The BHL online collection just hit 200,000 titles! A title could be a single rare book or an entire 200-year journal run, so 200,000 titles is huge (63+ million pages!). Check out BHL's MAMMOTH collection here: www.biodiversitylibrary.org 📖 🧪 🦣 #OpenAccess #OpenScience #ILoveBHL

A large orange-red shaggy mammoth with big white rusks, walking through the snow. There are trees and a rhino in the background.

2 15 59

Reposted by Andrew Clarke

Jo Stephen @jostephen.bsky.social · 27d

Lots of Heathers; Ling, Cross-leaved, Bell, Cornish, Dorset & the hybrid between Dorset & Cross-leaved, Erica watsonii, I can't pick just one #favouriteplant for #wildflowerhour

2 14 150

Reposted by Andrew Clarke

The Wildlife Oculus @thewildlifeoculus.bsky.social · 27d

One of the three Grey Phalaropes at Lisvane/Llanhishen reservoirs this morning. The Phalropes were seen to be occasionally taking to the air and picking off flying insects. #birdingwales

7 12 140

Andrew Clarke @mrandrewclarke.bsky.social · 28d

Good effort! After a few similar encounters (interesting birds heard but not logged) I now routinely run a free Voice Recorder Pro app on my iPhone when out and about.

Have managed to confirm Serin & Red-throated Pipit here in recent years (both unseen). A real game-changer when hunting rares.

TG42Birder🇵🇸 @tg42birder.bsky.social · 28d

A bit on the recent Pacific Golden Plover at Waxham. Without the increased knowledge of calls and online resources, a bird that we’d have probably overlooked 15 years ago.
#norfolkbirding

tg42lowcarbonbirding.wixsite.com/tg42/post/pa...

Pacific Golden Plover, Waxham

Pacific Golden Plover, Waxham, Sep 6-8Saturday morning was another predictable disappointment on the migrant front with only a Willow Warbler of note. A flock of Golden Plover flew south then north of...

tg42lowcarbonbirding.wixsite.com

4

Andrew Clarke @mrandrewclarke.bsky.social · 28d

Although I can tolerate some of the abbreviations that birders use for species eg Spot Fly (Spotted Flycatcher) and Gropper (Grasshopper Warbler) today I heard someone describe a Pectoral Sandpiper as a ‘Peccie’ and I nearly did a homicide! 🙄

#UKBirding

1 3

Reposted by Andrew Clarke

Sheffield Bird Study Group @shefbirdstudy.bsky.social · Sep 11

Dr Tim Birkhead's end of year report on the Guillemots of Skomer www.sbsg.org/sbsg-news/th...

#UKBIRDING #birdingwales

The Birdman of Skomer

Sheffield Bird Study Group was formed in December 1972 as a forum for birdwatchers in and around the city with an active interest in ornithology. We aim to promote an interest in birds in the communit...

www.sbsg.org

2 5