Andrew Lucas
@andrewlucas103.bsky.social
1.1K followers 210 following 140 posts
Retired after nearly 40 years at the coalface of nature conservation in Wales. I have a PhD on hoverflies. Interested in birding, entomology and all things nature. Siaradwr Cymraeg (ail iaith!) Clydach, Abertawe/Swansea, Cymru/Wales
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andrewlucas103.bsky.social
A nice selection of autumnal moths this morning, including Lunar Underwing (common but new for the garden), Blair's Shoulder-knot and Black Rustic. Clydach, Swansea. #teammoth
andrewlucas103.bsky.social
We were passing within a mile or two, so stopped off to see the long-staying Caspian Gull at Naseby Reservoir in Northamptonshire. #UKbirds
andrewlucas103.bsky.social
This bird got found purely because it's in a hedge next to a popular birding location. How many more are bumbling around unnoticed in scrub and woodlands across South Wales?
philipleyshon.bsky.social
Wryneck. Goldcliff lagoons, Gwent, September 25/25 #birdsinwales
andrewlucas103.bsky.social
You can keep your Sabine's Gulls and your phalaropes. Our first grandchild arrived on Thursday and he's totally adorable.
Reposted by Andrew Lucas
lisaburton.bsky.social
Well done Lib Dems. Reform's 5 (now 4) MPs but clocked up 353,660 mentions, which is 70,732 mentions per MP, highest of any party with thier 14.3% vote share in 2024

Lib Dems returned 72 MPs with 12.2% of the vote in 2024. They received 46,468 mentions; their coverage works out at only 645 per MP
bylinetimes.bsky.social
🔴BBC Accused of Pro-Reform Bias as Lib Dems Launch Campaign to End ‘Wall to Wall’ Farage Coverage

They accuse the BBC of “following Farage around like a lost puppy” and have complained to Ofcom to demand fair coverage

bylinetimes.com/2025/09/09/b...
BBC Accused of Pro-Reform Bias as Lib Dems Launch Campaign to End 'Wall to Wall' Farage Coverage
They accuse the BBC of "following Farage around like a lost puppy” and have complained to Ofcom to demand fair coverage
bylinetimes.com
andrewlucas103.bsky.social
Bit of a fiasco today in South Wales, when someone misidentified a Buzzard near Newport as a Black-winged Kite, setting off a major twitch.

Thanks to birders on the South Wales WhatsApp group, who arrived and quickly established the bird's true identity. I'd only got 25 miles down the M4!
Reposted by Andrew Lucas
abigaillowe.bsky.social
Have photos of multiple moths on egg trays from the UK?

At @ukceh.bsky.social we're training & testing AI to detect multiple moths in a single image

Reply with your images to help us reach our goal - make sure most moths are roughly identifiable

#mothsmatter #TeamMoth

Terms tinyurl.com/5xrjbv3r
andrewlucas103.bsky.social
My first lifer of our Isles of Scilly trip, and a long-standing bogey bird. Melodious Warbler at the Garrison, St Mary's.

Photo by Mark B. #UKbirding
andrewlucas103.bsky.social
A day with @scillypelagics.bsky.social never disappoints. Great, Cory's, Sooty and Manx Shearwater, Euro and Wilson's Storm-petrel, Sabine's Gull, Arctic and Great Skua, Arctic and Black Tern plus dozens of Common Dolphin playing around the boat.

Every British birder should do this once. #UKbirds
Cory's Shearwater Great Shearwater Sabine's Gull Wilson's Storm Petrel....honest!!@
andrewlucas103.bsky.social
Far right buy land near Llanafan Fawr in Powys, to set up their own little fascist community.

"We need our own areas, we need our own land..."

Seriously? I wonder how many can correctly pronounce 'Llanafan Fawr'?!

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
‘Why here?’: inside mid-Wales village where far-right figure has created a settlement
Woodlander Initiative provokes mixed reactions in Llanafan Fawr as critics say aim is to build racially exclusive communities
www.theguardian.com
andrewlucas103.bsky.social
Moth trapping near Lostwithiel, Cornwall, Rosy Underwing. A scarce immigrant species with few UK records. #teammoth
andrewlucas103.bsky.social
22 species this morning in my Clydach, Swansea garden, including the immigrant moth Small Mottled Willow. New for the garden and first SN60 record since 1998. #teammoth
andrewlucas103.bsky.social
My 4th and final @pomscheme.bsky.social survey yesterday at my site in north Carmarthenshire. 15000 steps. Data entered this morning, samples parcelled up for posting and owners thanked. And that's me done for 2025.
andrewlucas103.bsky.social
A great day of birding with @struthjones.bsky.social yesterday at Slimbridge. Tundra Bean Goose, Ruff, Spotted Redshank and Wood Sandpiper, then even the Bluethroat put in an appearance. Finally on to Grimley and cracking views of the Night Heron. #UKbirding
andrewlucas103.bsky.social
This is depressing. The Senedd environment committee interviewing the next NRW chair. In an hour, no mention of biodiversity, the nature emergency or science.

"What are your connections to Wales?"

"I've opened several supermarkets here, and I live in Bristol."

www.senedd.tv/Meeting/Arch...
Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee - 11/06/2025
The Senedd is the democratically elected body that represents the interests of Wales and its people, makes laws for Wales, agrees Welsh taxes and holds the Welsh Government to account.
www.senedd.tv
andrewlucas103.bsky.social
Newyddion ofnadwy i bawb sydd yn gyfarwydd â Rhosili. Gobeithio y bydd y perchnogion a'i busnes yn ôl cyn bo hir.
andrewlucas103.bsky.social
Classic misprint from the Guardian today, reporting Ed Milliband's statement to Parliament on the climate:

"...in Britain, a quarter of our mammals, nearly half of our bird species, are currently at risk of extinction, with birds like starlings, turtle doves and grape cartridges under threat."
andrewlucas103.bsky.social
This rather unimpressive moth is Marsh Oblique Barred. Although common on bogs and moorland in the west, it is nationally scarce. It somehow found its way to my garden moth trap in Clydach, Swansea but perhaps no big surprise as suitable habitat is only 1km away. #teammoth
Marsh Oblique Barred
andrewlucas103.bsky.social
Charging our #EV at the Tafarnaubach charger point, just off the newly completed A465 Heads of the Valleys road in South Wales. With its own wind turbine, driving doesn't get much greener. A very competitive 55p/kWh with electroverse. Looks like this will be a regular stop in future.
andrewlucas103.bsky.social
Despite our strong family connections to Canada, we don't normally do much for Canada Day.

But these are not normal times, so we went all out. A party for friends with burgers, hot dogs, poutine, pumpkin pie, timbits and some very nice maple whisky.

Bonne fête du Canada !

#CanadaDay #ElbowsUp
Reposted by Andrew Lucas
rspbcymru.bsky.social
🥰 Newyddion da dydd Gwener! Mae RSPB Gwlybtiroedd Casnewydd yn gartref i unig boblogaeth bridio’r Cambig yng Nghymru, yr aderyn ar ein logo - ac eleni mae gennym ni 13 o gywion gwych! Diolch i’r holl staff a gwirfoddolwyr ymroddedig yn RSPB Gwlybtiroedd Casnewydd!

📸 : Ben Andrew
andrewlucas103.bsky.social
76 species from a marshy grassland site near Cwmgors, Glamorgan. The west Wales speciality Double Line, also Small Seraphim, Beautiful Snout and True Lover's Knot. Migrants represented by Rush Veneer, Dark Sword-Grass and Silver Y. Also, a single insularia form of Peppered Moth. #teammoth