Paul Holt
@paulholt303.bsky.social
360 followers 440 following 70 posts
East Kent Birder often found at Samphire Hoe
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paulholt303.bsky.social
If you have ever wondered how small is a buff breasted sandpiper is, here is the Lundy bird on the 19/9 next to a starling. #ukbirding
paulholt303.bsky.social
Toadflax brocade moth caterpillar in the garden today, feeding on purple toadflax.
#mothsmatter
A black yellow and grey caterpillar on purple toadflax.
paulholt303.bsky.social
A different company emptying the cesspit at Samphire Hoe today. Someone has a good sense of humour.
Sign on a cesspit emptying lorry Sign on a cesspit emptying lorry Sign on a cesspit emptying lorry
paulholt303.bsky.social
We now have Kerry Hill and Soay sheep grazing at Samphire Hoe.
Sheep grazing in front of the white cliffs of Dover. Soay sheep grazing in front of the White Cliffs of Dover.
paulholt303.bsky.social
Lydden Spout rifle range near Abbots Cliff, Kent. Juvenile cuckoo, hobby, whinchat, lesser whitethroat 5, whitethroat 4, meadow pipit 18. #kentbirding
paulholt303.bsky.social
Convolvulus hawk moth attracted to the garden nicotiana this evening. #mothsmatter
paulholt303.bsky.social
Birding is not a new activity. Stone Age cave art at Cresswell Crags from 12,800 years ago. Described as an ibis, I wonder if it was a curlew. The beak accentuates a fossil worm burrow. #ukbirding
Image of a bird cut into limestone
paulholt303.bsky.social
Spring wheatears at Samphire Hoe, Dover equal to the number of hoopoes two of each!
paulholt303.bsky.social
Sound up for this one, tree crickets calling at Samphire Hoe this afternoon.
paulholt303.bsky.social
Caught one in Lydden last week, an unusual one for my garden.
Reposted by Paul Holt
subfossilguy.bsky.social
4m in 6 weeks ! 😱

Absurd ice ablation rates on the tongue of Gepatschferner, Austria's (soon to be) largest glacier ! 🥵

Pic and data Giulia Bertolotti
paulholt303.bsky.social
A sunny blue sky Sunday at Samphire Hoe southern oak bush cricket and bordered straw moth. Saturday we had a good count of 6 wheatears and second whinchat of the autumn. #kentbirding #mothsmatter
White Cliffs of Dover with blue sky above Southern oak bush cricket on a black bin bag Bordered straw moth
paulholt303.bsky.social
The Folkestone Warren is like this but it does have a few paths through it.
paulholt303.bsky.social
Pale prominent looking remarkably like a flake of dead wood.

#mothsmatter
A pale moth on a piece of dead wood
paulholt303.bsky.social
Hornet robber fly on the Lydden Downs near Dover.
Hornet robber fly long legs, dark eyes, wasp like  abdomen.
paulholt303.bsky.social
Saturday evening walk alongside the Swale from Faversham Creek to Castle Coote whimbrel 4, common sand 11, starling 300, pair of yellow wags, pinging beardies and a dusk hunting barn owl. #kentbirding
paulholt303.bsky.social
Tree crickets are working their way along the Kent coast. This is the first one I have actually managed to see at Samphire Hoe.
paulholt303.bsky.social
Great to see a Kent purple emperor feeding on an oak tree at Orlestone forest today.
A worn purple emperor on a oak tree sap run A worn purple emperor on an oak tree sap run A worn purple empires on an oak tree sap run
paulholt303.bsky.social
Fascinating to see a common darter dragonfly emerge from the pond at Samphire Hoe.
Freshly emerging dragonfly on pond edge Freshly emerged dragonfly on pond edge Teneral common darter on pond edge
paulholt303.bsky.social
Part of the circumhorizontal arc currently visible from Samphire Hoe created by refraction through ice crystals. A rare mid summer optical effect.
Small orange cloud in a blue sky with cirrus clouds Close up of cloud showing orange and green/blue colours
Reposted by Paul Holt
dungenessowen.bsky.social
Very pleasant couple of hours up on the chalk slopes of Lydden at the north west end of Dover, with Paul Holt

Plenty in flower like Dropwort and Chalk Fragrant Orchid which are Owen choices

First Clouded Yellow plus first 2 male Chalkhill Blues of the year starts the ‘mid summer blues’
Lydden, Dover, Kent Dropwort Chalk Fragrant Orchid
paulholt303.bsky.social
One of the school kids found this on Thursday afternoons minibeast safari at Samphire Hoe. A trapezium shield bug. The size of a match head! Very rare in the UK looks like it is a recent colonist and very likely to spread.