Pen Insole
@birdsblooms.bsky.social
Nature lover who dabbles in blogging about my discoveries. Always looking to learn more about the natural world and share my wonder at it.
My blog is at: birdsbloomsandbumbles.com
My blog is at: birdsbloomsandbumbles.com
Reposted by Pen Insole
THREAD.
A collection of photographs of excellent goats I have met during walks in the British countryside.
You will find the captions to each photo in the alt text.
A collection of photographs of excellent goats I have met during walks in the British countryside.
You will find the captions to each photo in the alt text.
December 7, 2025 at 12:39 PM
THREAD.
A collection of photographs of excellent goats I have met during walks in the British countryside.
You will find the captions to each photo in the alt text.
A collection of photographs of excellent goats I have met during walks in the British countryside.
You will find the captions to each photo in the alt text.
This duo of grey plovers was on the saltmarsh at Dornoch a week or so ago. Despite losing the striking 'judges wig' breeding plumage, they are still subtly beautiful in winter garb. Got to see, but not photograph the distinctive black armpits of the species in flight.
#birds
#birds
December 7, 2025 at 3:09 PM
This duo of grey plovers was on the saltmarsh at Dornoch a week or so ago. Despite losing the striking 'judges wig' breeding plumage, they are still subtly beautiful in winter garb. Got to see, but not photograph the distinctive black armpits of the species in flight.
#birds
#birds
December 6, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Reposted by Pen Insole
🛍️ Today is #SmallBusinessSaturday.
The Green Party backs small business.
Local businesses are the lifeblood of our communities. We want to see them thrive.
Let’s green business, improve employee welfare and make it easier for people to shop local #ShopLocal
The Green Party backs small business.
Local businesses are the lifeblood of our communities. We want to see them thrive.
Let’s green business, improve employee welfare and make it easier for people to shop local #ShopLocal
December 6, 2025 at 9:00 AM
🛍️ Today is #SmallBusinessSaturday.
The Green Party backs small business.
Local businesses are the lifeblood of our communities. We want to see them thrive.
Let’s green business, improve employee welfare and make it easier for people to shop local #ShopLocal
The Green Party backs small business.
Local businesses are the lifeblood of our communities. We want to see them thrive.
Let’s green business, improve employee welfare and make it easier for people to shop local #ShopLocal
Reposted by Pen Insole
The cruetly of the Guga Hunt has been recognised for years. It's time to end it: :https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE2202
December 6, 2025 at 9:00 AM
The cruetly of the Guga Hunt has been recognised for years. It's time to end it: :https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE2202
Reposted by Pen Insole
#Winter, 1955 by Japanese artist and poet Keiko Minami #WomensArt
December 6, 2025 at 9:11 AM
#Winter, 1955 by Japanese artist and poet Keiko Minami #WomensArt
Heaven forbid they can lose any of their billions of profits to paying their lowest paid workers a living wage...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
BP to scrap paid rest breaks and most bank holiday bonuses for forecourt staff
Exclusive: Plans to offset increase in minimum ‘fair pay’ set by Living Wage Foundation will affect 5,400 employees
www.theguardian.com
December 5, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Heaven forbid they can lose any of their billions of profits to paying their lowest paid workers a living wage...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Reposted by Pen Insole
December's #FullMoon is known as the #ColdMoon. Artwork by Catherine Hyde, contemporary UK artist #womensart #ArtAdvent
December 4, 2025 at 5:21 AM
December's #FullMoon is known as the #ColdMoon. Artwork by Catherine Hyde, contemporary UK artist #womensart #ArtAdvent
Reposted by Pen Insole
I'm so glad @badgertrust.bsky.social have responded to the ridiculously statistically manipulative press release from the GWCT about badger predation of wader nests: you can read their respinse here 1/2
www.badgertrust.org.uk/post/badger-...
www.badgertrust.org.uk/post/badger-...
Badger Trust responds to Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust’s misleading claims about badgers and wader bird declines.
Badger Trust rejects GWCT’s claim linking badgers to 42% of Curlew and Lapwing nest predation, warning it fuels damaging misinformation.
www.badgertrust.org.uk
December 3, 2025 at 5:18 PM
I'm so glad @badgertrust.bsky.social have responded to the ridiculously statistically manipulative press release from the GWCT about badger predation of wader nests: you can read their respinse here 1/2
www.badgertrust.org.uk/post/badger-...
www.badgertrust.org.uk/post/badger-...
Reposted by Pen Insole
Countless things wrong with Labour's pandering to the right but one, as we can see, is that the right will hate them with a demented fury regardless of what they do so one would be wise not to invite the hatred of the left (very broadly defined) as well. I've never understood that strategy
December 3, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Countless things wrong with Labour's pandering to the right but one, as we can see, is that the right will hate them with a demented fury regardless of what they do so one would be wise not to invite the hatred of the left (very broadly defined) as well. I've never understood that strategy
Reposted by Pen Insole
I'm giving a talk for @bsbibotany.bsky.social on Wednesday evening next week (3rd December) all about our endemic plants.
It's fun (and free) and you can book tickets here: share.google/xVbMPUkmaPCS...
It's fun (and free) and you can book tickets here: share.google/xVbMPUkmaPCS...
November 30, 2025 at 1:12 PM
I'm giving a talk for @bsbibotany.bsky.social on Wednesday evening next week (3rd December) all about our endemic plants.
It's fun (and free) and you can book tickets here: share.google/xVbMPUkmaPCS...
It's fun (and free) and you can book tickets here: share.google/xVbMPUkmaPCS...
Reposted by Pen Insole
A lovely patch of lichen. #FungiFriends.
December 2, 2025 at 5:27 PM
A lovely patch of lichen. #FungiFriends.
Reposted by Pen Insole
Labour’s anti-migration policies are contributing to the UK’s sluggish economic growth, the world’s foremost economic forecaster has warned
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
New blow for Reeves as Labour’s anti-migration policies blamed for sluggish UK growth
Less than a week after her controversial Budget, Rachel Reeves has been warned that tax hikes and spending cuts will pile pressure on the UK economy in next two years
www.independent.co.uk
December 2, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Labour’s anti-migration policies are contributing to the UK’s sluggish economic growth, the world’s foremost economic forecaster has warned
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
This is essential reading to anyone wanting to understand the daily impacts of creeping privatisation of the NHS; it illustrates perfectly how competition just doesn't work when it comes to specialist services
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...
‘I wish I could say I kept my cool’: my maddening experience with the NHS wheelchair service
The long read: After I was paralysed in a climbing accident, I discovered how inconsiderate, illogical and incompetent many wheelchair providers can be
www.theguardian.com
December 2, 2025 at 9:16 AM
This is essential reading to anyone wanting to understand the daily impacts of creeping privatisation of the NHS; it illustrates perfectly how competition just doesn't work when it comes to specialist services
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...
Reposted by Pen Insole
Bloody hell.
December 2, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Bloody hell.
Reposted by Pen Insole
Hen Harrier found poisoned on a grouse moor in North Yorkshire.
Once again, details have only come to light through scrutiny of a spreadsheet - where's the publicity from the Police? This is supposed to be a national wildlife crime priority!
#RaptorResearch
raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/12/01/h...
Once again, details have only come to light through scrutiny of a spreadsheet - where's the publicity from the Police? This is supposed to be a national wildlife crime priority!
#RaptorResearch
raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/12/01/h...
Hen Harrier found poisoned on a grouse moor in North Yorkshire
I’ve blogged recently about a number of illegally-killed Hen Harriers whose deaths have not been publicised by the authorities (Hen Harrier ‘Susie’ who was found dead with gunshot…
raptorpersecutionuk.org
December 1, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Hen Harrier found poisoned on a grouse moor in North Yorkshire.
Once again, details have only come to light through scrutiny of a spreadsheet - where's the publicity from the Police? This is supposed to be a national wildlife crime priority!
#RaptorResearch
raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/12/01/h...
Once again, details have only come to light through scrutiny of a spreadsheet - where's the publicity from the Police? This is supposed to be a national wildlife crime priority!
#RaptorResearch
raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/12/01/h...
It's the first of the month, so there's a new bird of the Month post over on my blog. This month I look at the appropriately wintry snow bunting. A scarce UK breeder but between 10,000 and 15,000 birds spend the winter in the UK
#birds
birdsbloomsandbumbles.com/bird-of-the-...
#birds
birdsbloomsandbumbles.com/bird-of-the-...
Bird of the Month December 2025: Snow Bunting - Birds, Blooms and Bumbles
Bird of the month December 2025: snow bunting including where to see it, seasonal movements and appearance
birdsbloomsandbumbles.com
December 1, 2025 at 9:43 AM
It's the first of the month, so there's a new bird of the Month post over on my blog. This month I look at the appropriately wintry snow bunting. A scarce UK breeder but between 10,000 and 15,000 birds spend the winter in the UK
#birds
birdsbloomsandbumbles.com/bird-of-the-...
#birds
birdsbloomsandbumbles.com/bird-of-the-...
Reposted by Pen Insole
25% OFF our whole shop this weekend only! protectthewild.shop/products/pro...
November 29, 2025 at 9:00 AM
25% OFF our whole shop this weekend only! protectthewild.shop/products/pro...
Reposted by Pen Insole
'Driving home...' by contemporary Welsh painter Sarah Evans #WomensArt
November 28, 2025 at 5:41 PM
'Driving home...' by contemporary Welsh painter Sarah Evans #WomensArt
Reposted by Pen Insole
Probably the main lesson I learned, after painting my garden shed black, is that that's a completely impossible thing to do without having 'Paint It, Black' as an ear worm, with the lyrics amended to "I see a shed door and I want it painted black".
November 26, 2025 at 7:50 AM
Probably the main lesson I learned, after painting my garden shed black, is that that's a completely impossible thing to do without having 'Paint It, Black' as an ear worm, with the lyrics amended to "I see a shed door and I want it painted black".
Reposted by Pen Insole
I’m a past winner of the Orwell Prize & won partly because I exposed Vote Leave’s unlawful activities.
Michael Gove was its co-convener & refused to answer a single q. He’s now a judge of the prize & our world is truly one that Orwell would recognise
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...
Michael Gove was its co-convener & refused to answer a single q. He’s now a judge of the prize & our world is truly one that Orwell would recognise
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...
Michael Gove Made Orwell Prize Judge Despite Record of Attacking Journalists and Dodging Scrutiny
Critics say "Orwell would have enjoyed the irony" of the former Conservative minister's appointment
bylinetimes.com
November 25, 2025 at 5:53 PM
I’m a past winner of the Orwell Prize & won partly because I exposed Vote Leave’s unlawful activities.
Michael Gove was its co-convener & refused to answer a single q. He’s now a judge of the prize & our world is truly one that Orwell would recognise
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...
Michael Gove was its co-convener & refused to answer a single q. He’s now a judge of the prize & our world is truly one that Orwell would recognise
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...
This stunning male sparrowhawk dropped briefly into the car park behind our house last week. I usually only see these beautiful raptors in flight and at some distance, so this was a real treat.
#raptors
#raptorappreciation
#raptors
#raptorappreciation
November 25, 2025 at 5:21 PM
This stunning male sparrowhawk dropped briefly into the car park behind our house last week. I usually only see these beautiful raptors in flight and at some distance, so this was a real treat.
#raptors
#raptorappreciation
#raptors
#raptorappreciation
Reposted by Pen Insole
A shameful step back for nature as UK government pushes through the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.
Thanks to all who raised their voices and showed support for our precious wildlife.
Thanks to all who raised their voices and showed support for our precious wildlife.
A shameful step back for nature as UK Government pushes through damaging Planning and Infrastructure Bill | The Wildlife Trusts
Despite valiant efforts by nature champions in the House of Lords, last night saw the Government bulldoze the wildlife-harming Planning & Infrastructure Bill through its last remaining hurdles. Matt B...
www.wildlifetrusts.org
November 25, 2025 at 12:24 PM
A shameful step back for nature as UK government pushes through the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.
Thanks to all who raised their voices and showed support for our precious wildlife.
Thanks to all who raised their voices and showed support for our precious wildlife.