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Dave Smallshire @smallshire.bsky.social · 8d

This is unfortunate the Sparrowhawk. It only flew a couple of feet, but out of view. It flew to our fence, but dropped the dove on the floor. I couldn't see the hawk, but when I went to look at the dove, the hawk flew from nearby past my face! Magpies found the dove and removed it in no time!

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Dave Smallshire @smallshire.bsky.social · 8d

After hearing loud thump on my study window, I discovered a young Sparrowhawk sitting on pondweed in the middle of my pond. What was even more surprising was that when it took off it pulled a Collared Dove out of the water beneath it!

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Reposted by Dave Smallshire

Neil Middleton - BatAbility @batability.bsky.social · 10d

\o/ Available now on Talking Bat Podcast \o/
Excellent interview with Dave Smallshire @smallshire.bsky.social chatting about his life journey
Once you finish listening to Dave, why not check out all the other brilliant people we have spoken to in the series batability.podbean.com/e/talking-dr...

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Reposted by Dave Smallshire

Mark D @seaskywatch.bsky.social · 21d

Female Southern Hawker ovipositing in our garden pond today.

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Reposted by Dave Smallshire

Belvide Birding𓅪 @belvidebirding.bsky.social · 23d

One of the most incredible WTF!! moments I have witnessed in 41 years birding Belvide. 8 White-rumped Sandpiper on the north shore between 4pm-5.30pm. Just short of a British Record of 11 on the outer Hebrides. Thought I'd lost the plot when I saw them. Still pinching myself. #UKbirding

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Dave Smallshire @smallshire.bsky.social · Aug 23

A Southern Hawker egglaying at my pond surprised me by flying up, landing on my tee-shirt and testing me as an oviposition site! As I fumbled to try and get my phone out for a photo, she flew ... and landed on my wrist! I know Southern Hawkers are inquisitive, but that's ridiculous!

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Dave Smallshire @smallshire.bsky.social · Aug 19

A triple birthday whammy in my S Devon garden this morning: Green Woodpecker, this Sparrowhawk (went off to chase a sparrow) and just now my first Hummingbird Hawk-moth of the year. Good things always come in threes!

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Mark D @seaskywatch.bsky.social · Aug 8

07/08 Start P 1100-1600: Wilson's Storm-petrel (also another more distant or same bird), 23 European Storm-petrels, 691 Manx, only 7 Balearics!! (record no's further N), 22 Sandwich terns, 2 Common Terns, 14 Fulmar, juv Yl Gull, 5 Med Gulls, Turnstone, Redshank, 20+ ABF Tuna, 15 C Dolphins

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Dave Smallshire @smallshire.bsky.social · Jul 30

Highlight of the year at my pond: Southern Hawker egglaying into rotten wood. Check out that ovipositor! Pondwatching is great!

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Marc Heath @marcheath.bsky.social · Jul 28

Very privileged to have received a complimentary copy of the fifth edition of 'Dragonflies of Britain and Ireland' and to have some photos published in it too. Published in the UK from the 2nd September 2025. Looks brilliant. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social @smallshire.bsky.social

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Dave Smallshire @smallshire.bsky.social · Jul 27

Looks good to me

Jacob Wood @jacob-wood.bsky.social · Jul 26

Can anyone confirm that this is a male Lesser Emperor at Knepp today?
@smallshire.bsky.social
@kneppwilding.bsky.social

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Dave Smallshire @smallshire.bsky.social · Jul 21

Another great reason to keep the dead elm at the bottom of my garden: first Green Woodpecker (juvenile) in the garden for over 20 years - and that was in the same tree!

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Dave Smallshire @smallshire.bsky.social · Jul 16

Delighted to have my image of the type specimen of the newly-described Fossa Knifetail (Nesocordulia fossa) in a paper describing 6 new Nesocordulia from Madagascar in 2016. We saw at least 3 of these, including Fossa and Crabshear Knifetails found by K-D Dijkstra on the same day in Mantidia NP!

Male Fossa Knifetail (Nesocordulia fossa) - type specimen; in fact the only known specimen!

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Dave Smallshire @smallshire.bsky.social · Jul 11

You should visit Belvide (Staffs) on wet day in May. Estimates of up to 3000 taking non-biting midges. Birds flying low over the dam will part your hair!

Richard Evans @benllechbirder.bsky.social · Jul 10

One of about 40 common swifts at Ty’n y Groes, Conwy yesterday. Probably the most swifts I’ve seen at one time in the UK ever. A fantastic experience.

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Dave Smallshire @smallshire.bsky.social · Jul 9

Today's sudden heatwave brought in the first 2 Common Darters of the year to my garden pond in south Devon, joining Azure and Blue-tailed Damselflies. Emperor came to egg-lay briefly and Southern Hawker back on territory at 18:20! #PondWatch @BDSdragonflies

Common Darter: male not yet fully coloured

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Reposted by Dave Smallshire

British Dragonfly Society @britishdragonflies.bsky.social · Jul 8

🌟Dragonfly Week is here!🌟 Looking for a fun and relaxing way to enjoy nature with the family? Head to your nearest pond, slow down, and see how many dragonflies & damselflies you can spot.

👉 Visit our website for free resources, family-friendly events, and identification help.
🔗

Dragonfly Week - British Dragonfly Society

british-dragonflies.org.uk

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Dave Smallshire @smallshire.bsky.social · Jul 4

Surprised to see a male Golden-ringed Dragonfly perched over my garden pond in south Devon this morning - only the second to do so in 35 years! Should be at running water, but they do wander widely. #PondWatch
@BDSdragonflies

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Dave Smallshire @smallshire.bsky.social · Jul 1

For 30 mins at 5 pm the first territorial Southern Hawker of the year appeared at my garden pond in south Devon, joining a meagre 2 Azure Damselflies. I've only had 1 Southern Hawker emerge so far, but my neighbour's tiny pond has had 6! #PondWatch @BDSdragonflies

My neighbour's pond (with Southern Hawker exuvia): 1m x 0.5m!

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Dave Smallshire @smallshire.bsky.social · Jun 30

Survey of Stover CP yesterday in mostly cloudy but hot weather produced 17 species. Highlights were Lesser Emperor, Downy Emerald and Scarce Chasers.

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Dave Smallshire @smallshire.bsky.social · Jun 24

Nice to see some rare UK insects in N Bohemia on last week's Naturetrek tour: Chequered Skipper and Wart-biter Bush-cricket. An American Mink peering out of a riverside woodpile was perhaps not so welcome!

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Dave Smallshire @smallshire.bsky.social · Jun 24

Emeralds in N Bohemia on last week's Naturetrek tour: Downy (surprisingly common), Brilliant and Yellow-spotted (hard to make out the orange-yellow spots on a mature male!), and by contrast a beautiful immature Small Bluetail.

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Dave Smallshire @smallshire.bsky.social · Jun 24

Some more highlights from last week's Naturetrek tour to N Bohemia, Czechia: Lilypad, Yellow-spotted and Small Whitefaces, and a newly-emerged Green Snaketail.

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Dave Smallshire @smallshire.bsky.social · Jun 22

Personal highlight of last week's Naturetrek Dragonflies of North Bohemia (Czechia) tour: male Dark Whiteface (Leucorrhinia albifrons), which performed brilliantly on our final day. Images show adult male, emerging male and teneral male (x2). More to follow when images processed!

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Reposted by Dave Smallshire

Chris Packham @chrisgpackham.bsky.social · Jun 21

" Sunrise at the allotments this morning before it gets too hot to work, I was greeted by these two "

- thank you Penny Smallshire ‪@anaspenelope.bsky.social‬ for sharing ! #FoxOfTheDay

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Dave Smallshire @smallshire.bsky.social · May 22

Delighted to find 10+ male Scarce Chasers at Decoy CP, Newton Abbot, today. None seen last year, but 3 males in 2023.

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