Dominic Collins
@dominiccollins.bsky.social
Voluntary bird and butterfly surveyor for BTO, Staffs WT, RSPB, BC (WCBS). Patch-watcher. Moth-er. Green Party, Hope not Hate & Liberty member. Re-awoken political animal. Reader and bibliophile. Poet manque. Cat lover. Endon, Staffordshire.
A splendid night's mothin' here in Endon, VC39. Top billing goes to my first ever Figure of 8, found mid-evening and promptly potted. 32/17 in total inc. 2 Satellites, Brick, Barred Sallow (having a record-breaking year here), 3 Y-l Quakers (likewise), Feathered Thorn & 8 Juniper Carpets. #TeamMoth
October 28, 2025 at 2:40 PM
A splendid night's mothin' here in Endon, VC39. Top billing goes to my first ever Figure of 8, found mid-evening and promptly potted. 32/17 in total inc. 2 Satellites, Brick, Barred Sallow (having a record-breaking year here), 3 Y-l Quakers (likewise), Feathered Thorn & 8 Juniper Carpets. #TeamMoth
I think it was @claretaz.bsky.social who made my wonder why I wasn't trapping last night. Anyway, by that point (10-ish) I was too inert to do anything more than activate the actinic angle-poise lamp that shines out onto the back garden. Within an hour, this tiny effort earned me a Mottled Umber.
October 25, 2025 at 7:19 AM
I think it was @claretaz.bsky.social who made my wonder why I wasn't trapping last night. Anyway, by that point (10-ish) I was too inert to do anything more than activate the actinic angle-poise lamp that shines out onto the back garden. Within an hour, this tiny effort earned me a Mottled Umber.
Out along the valley this afternoon. Gloomily quiet for the most part, but the winter marsh is water-logging nicely and I duly found my first Jack Snipes (2) of the season together with 13 Common. Elsewhere c120 Fieldfare and 50 Redwing were gathered in field boundary treetops. 🪶
October 24, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Out along the valley this afternoon. Gloomily quiet for the most part, but the winter marsh is water-logging nicely and I duly found my first Jack Snipes (2) of the season together with 13 Common. Elsewhere c120 Fieldfare and 50 Redwing were gathered in field boundary treetops. 🪶
Recently discovered on the driveway wall - a growth of Vapourer eggs. Would have loved to watch these being pumped out by the female, but wasn't even aware she was there. #TeamMoth
October 24, 2025 at 8:11 AM
Recently discovered on the driveway wall - a growth of Vapourer eggs. Would have loved to watch these being pumped out by the female, but wasn't even aware she was there. #TeamMoth
My local patch walk. I do most of my birding, butterflying, mothing and Brown Hare-watching within these precious confines. One day - who knows - I may write 'The Natural History of Endon' in the form of an imaginary and one-sided correspondence with the Endonian Society.
October 23, 2025 at 8:54 AM
My local patch walk. I do most of my birding, butterflying, mothing and Brown Hare-watching within these precious confines. One day - who knows - I may write 'The Natural History of Endon' in the form of an imaginary and one-sided correspondence with the Endonian Society.
Last night's moths. A Feathered Thorn appeared on the window at 7.45 p.m. At about 4 a.m. (awoken repeatedly by my own snoring / wife berating me for snoring. Decided to abandon the bed and join the moths) discovered a NFY Mottled Umber on the doorstep - later re-encountered on a wall. Plus: ...
October 22, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Last night's moths. A Feathered Thorn appeared on the window at 7.45 p.m. At about 4 a.m. (awoken repeatedly by my own snoring / wife berating me for snoring. Decided to abandon the bed and join the moths) discovered a NFY Mottled Umber on the doorstep - later re-encountered on a wall. Plus: ...
I'm afraid I am guilty of hoarding Mervs. But I think there's plenty to go round. Just popped out and lo-and-behold:
October 22, 2025 at 3:48 AM
I'm afraid I am guilty of hoarding Mervs. But I think there's plenty to go round. Just popped out and lo-and-behold:
This morning's moths. Nothing N, but I did manage my second Feathered Thorn of the year (the first turning up a month ago on 20th Sept). Also notched up my 37th Merv of the year thus far. Truly, I am blessed with Mervs. 6 Juniper Carpets was a seasonal high too. #TeamMoth
October 21, 2025 at 1:30 PM
This morning's moths. Nothing N, but I did manage my second Feathered Thorn of the year (the first turning up a month ago on 20th Sept). Also notched up my 37th Merv of the year thus far. Truly, I am blessed with Mervs. 6 Juniper Carpets was a seasonal high too. #TeamMoth
Am afflicted with mothing ennui lately, seeming only able to attract varying numbers of the same species (8 Mervs was a record). Had a tantrum yesterday and vowed not to moth again this year. But I'm out again tonight, like a sucker, like a schmuck, like a lamb to the slaughter. #TeamMoth
October 20, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Am afflicted with mothing ennui lately, seeming only able to attract varying numbers of the same species (8 Mervs was a record). Had a tantrum yesterday and vowed not to moth again this year. But I'm out again tonight, like a sucker, like a schmuck, like a lamb to the slaughter. #TeamMoth
Quite dismally quiet on the patch this morning but managed to eke out a female Pintail at the Ashes Pool with 2 Little Grebes, a Cormorant (uncommon here) and 3 Snipe. Elsewhere: 4 Snipe, 4 Fieldfare and 12 Redwing. The juve. Peregrine absent from the Peregrine Pylon this morning. Pictured anyway. 🪶
October 20, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Quite dismally quiet on the patch this morning but managed to eke out a female Pintail at the Ashes Pool with 2 Little Grebes, a Cormorant (uncommon here) and 3 Snipe. Elsewhere: 4 Snipe, 4 Fieldfare and 12 Redwing. The juve. Peregrine absent from the Peregrine Pylon this morning. Pictured anyway. 🪶
Probably my favourite photo from the day so far.
September 17, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Probably my favourite photo from the day so far.
Wish I could've been there to join those whose voices salvage some dignity and decency from this day of national disgrace. @ukstoptrump.bsky.social @hopenothate.org.uk
September 17, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Wish I could've been there to join those whose voices salvage some dignity and decency from this day of national disgrace. @ukstoptrump.bsky.social @hopenothate.org.uk
I got stung on the hand by a hornet in Leighton Buzzard recently. It was extremely painful. My hand ached for two weeks and 3 & 1/2 weeks later the entry wound is still visible.
September 10, 2025 at 10:31 AM
I got stung on the hand by a hornet in Leighton Buzzard recently. It was extremely painful. My hand ached for two weeks and 3 & 1/2 weeks later the entry wound is still visible.
Someone's been putting out the wrong flags. I thought the St George's cross was the symbol of bigotry, intolerance, scapegoating and hatred.
@hopenothate.org.uk @stopracism.bsky.social @standuptoracismuk.bsky.social
@hopenothate.org.uk @stopracism.bsky.social @standuptoracismuk.bsky.social
September 10, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Someone's been putting out the wrong flags. I thought the St George's cross was the symbol of bigotry, intolerance, scapegoating and hatred.
@hopenothate.org.uk @stopracism.bsky.social @standuptoracismuk.bsky.social
@hopenothate.org.uk @stopracism.bsky.social @standuptoracismuk.bsky.social
Not something you expect to hear at this time of year. Alarm calls from two birds heard previously. I think - having referred to @richardkbroughton.bsky.social's 'The Marsh Tit and the Willow Tit' - that an adult male WT was prompted into song by the incursion of a dispersing juvenile (both seen).
August 2, 2025 at 10:38 AM
Not something you expect to hear at this time of year. Alarm calls from two birds heard previously. I think - having referred to @richardkbroughton.bsky.social's 'The Marsh Tit and the Willow Tit' - that an adult male WT was prompted into song by the incursion of a dispersing juvenile (both seen).
Out along the valley this afternoon. A Hobby over the Ashes Pool in an unsuccessful attempt to snatch a Swallow or Housemartin. 2 Redstarts (1 juve + 1 f. / juve seen briefly in flight) and the local Green Woodpeckers have had an excellent breeding season - 6 inc. juves counted today. 🪶
July 31, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Out along the valley this afternoon. A Hobby over the Ashes Pool in an unsuccessful attempt to snatch a Swallow or Housemartin. 2 Redstarts (1 juve + 1 f. / juve seen briefly in flight) and the local Green Woodpeckers have had an excellent breeding season - 6 inc. juves counted today. 🪶
Mompha locupletella, or Flame Mompha - a willowherb leaf-miner - taken on 22nd July. Only my second record of this tiny but (especially when fully revealed under magnification) very attractive species. Photographed with my clip-on macro lens. #TeamMoth
July 27, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Mompha locupletella, or Flame Mompha - a willowherb leaf-miner - taken on 22nd July. Only my second record of this tiny but (especially when fully revealed under magnification) very attractive species. Photographed with my clip-on macro lens. #TeamMoth
Congratulations, again, Stringfellow.
July 26, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Congratulations, again, Stringfellow.
Butterflying along the disused railway line this afternoon. 16 spp. recorded, including Small Copper, Painted Lady and a record 29 Speckled Wood. Also 5 spp. of day-flying moth, including this surprise Scallop Shell, gorging on ragwort. @bc-westmids.bsky.social #TeamMoth #TeamRagwort
July 24, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Butterflying along the disused railway line this afternoon. 16 spp. recorded, including Small Copper, Painted Lady and a record 29 Speckled Wood. Also 5 spp. of day-flying moth, including this surprise Scallop Shell, gorging on ragwort. @bc-westmids.bsky.social #TeamMoth #TeamRagwort
They're not the best of photos (can try to get a better one if need be), but might this be Diasemiopsis ramburialis? (Endon, north Staffs, VC39). Thanks!
@migrantmothuk.bsky.social
@migrantmothuk.bsky.social
July 22, 2025 at 5:59 AM
They're not the best of photos (can try to get a better one if need be), but might this be Diasemiopsis ramburialis? (Endon, north Staffs, VC39). Thanks!
@migrantmothuk.bsky.social
@migrantmothuk.bsky.social
Some highlights from recent moth traps. An NFG Drinker which slept through the disaster which befell the trap when I tripped over its cable, and three second-records: Small Yellow Wave, Brown-line Bright-Eye, and a Northern Spinach which wouldn't agree to a photo outside its pot. #TeamMoth
July 4, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Some highlights from recent moth traps. An NFG Drinker which slept through the disaster which befell the trap when I tripped over its cable, and three second-records: Small Yellow Wave, Brown-line Bright-Eye, and a Northern Spinach which wouldn't agree to a photo outside its pot. #TeamMoth
Large Yellow Underwings. Like the gaping brood of some hell-spawned moth-bird that, thank God, doesn't return to the accursed nest in your presence.
They'd suddenly, horribly proliferated - from 20 on the 21st, 38 on the 24th, 22 on the 25th, to a trap-rattling 181 last night. #TeamMoth
They'd suddenly, horribly proliferated - from 20 on the 21st, 38 on the 24th, 22 on the 25th, to a trap-rattling 181 last night. #TeamMoth
June 28, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Large Yellow Underwings. Like the gaping brood of some hell-spawned moth-bird that, thank God, doesn't return to the accursed nest in your presence.
They'd suddenly, horribly proliferated - from 20 on the 21st, 38 on the 24th, 22 on the 25th, to a trap-rattling 181 last night. #TeamMoth
They'd suddenly, horribly proliferated - from 20 on the 21st, 38 on the 24th, 22 on the 25th, to a trap-rattling 181 last night. #TeamMoth