Stephen Barlow
@steb77.bsky.social
Naturalist, environmentalist, climate activist, nature photographer, very woke and proud of it.
Anyone fancy doing a count?
January 24, 2026 at 2:10 PM
Anyone fancy doing a count?
This was only part of the massive Starling murmuration at Whixall, on Sinker's Fields, from the bird hide yesterday evening. It's always difficult to know how much to show of it, when the sky is dull.
January 24, 2026 at 9:19 AM
This was only part of the massive Starling murmuration at Whixall, on Sinker's Fields, from the bird hide yesterday evening. It's always difficult to know how much to show of it, when the sky is dull.
I think this quote from Aldo Leopold's, Sand County Almanac (1949 - it was published posthumously), sums up the present situation.
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January 21, 2026 at 11:36 AM
I think this quote from Aldo Leopold's, Sand County Almanac (1949 - it was published posthumously), sums up the present situation.
3/3
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I will give a simple example. I noticed that European Hobbies (Falco subbuteo) had eye spots on the back of their head. So I asked the person writing a monograph on them, what he thought the purpose of that was. He said, he didn't know anything about it.
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January 20, 2026 at 12:41 PM
I will give a simple example. I noticed that European Hobbies (Falco subbuteo) had eye spots on the back of their head. So I asked the person writing a monograph on them, what he thought the purpose of that was. He said, he didn't know anything about it.
4/5
4/5
Starling murmuration, Whiixall, this evening.
January 14, 2026 at 10:19 PM
Starling murmuration, Whiixall, this evening.
Female Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, and Pied Wagtail, Sinker's Field, bird hide, Whixall, today. As you can see, the pool was frozen.
January 14, 2026 at 10:18 PM
Female Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, and Pied Wagtail, Sinker's Field, bird hide, Whixall, today. As you can see, the pool was frozen.
Mistle Thrush just now. Transferred from my camera to my phone, so not the best image quality.
January 2, 2026 at 11:15 AM
Mistle Thrush just now. Transferred from my camera to my phone, so not the best image quality.
A better photo of the female Blackcap just now. Transferred from my camera to my phone, so not the best image quality.
December 27, 2025 at 11:07 AM
A better photo of the female Blackcap just now. Transferred from my camera to my phone, so not the best image quality.
Until Wednesday I'd never seen a winter Blackcap. Now I've seen a male and female.
December 26, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Until Wednesday I'd never seen a winter Blackcap. Now I've seen a male and female.
Okay, I know you know this isn't AI generated.
December 6, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Okay, I know you know this isn't AI generated.
A Red Kite over Sinker's Fields, Whixall. There were 2.
November 28, 2025 at 6:33 PM
A Red Kite over Sinker's Fields, Whixall. There were 2.
Grok tried to falsely claim the BEIC wasn't capitalist, but mercantile. However, most historians disagree, and even Google's AI says it was capitalist. This is another example of circular logic, using a modern definition of capitalism, to falsely explain its ideological, and historic roots.
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November 2, 2025 at 2:31 AM
Grok tried to falsely claim the BEIC wasn't capitalist, but mercantile. However, most historians disagree, and even Google's AI says it was capitalist. This is another example of circular logic, using a modern definition of capitalism, to falsely explain its ideological, and historic roots.
7/
7/
I think you are in denial. Posts on Bluesky are seen by very few people. I was still getting over 1/2 million views on a single post in August. What is the good of preaching to the converted, people who already agree with you?
October 8, 2025 at 3:27 PM
I think you are in denial. Posts on Bluesky are seen by very few people. I was still getting over 1/2 million views on a single post in August. What is the good of preaching to the converted, people who already agree with you?
From Whixall Moss yesterday. It was very quiet with not much around. A 16 shot focus stack of a Brimstone butterfly, a crop from it to show the detail, a Sparrowhawk on a post, and a record shot of a lone Swallow very high up.
September 29, 2025 at 6:41 PM
From Whixall Moss yesterday. It was very quiet with not much around. A 16 shot focus stack of a Brimstone butterfly, a crop from it to show the detail, a Sparrowhawk on a post, and a record shot of a lone Swallow very high up.
This is part of other very strange behaviour. Up until just a few weeks ago, I was getting a huge amount of views and likes on my threads. But all of a sudden, even after they have been up over half an hour, I get no interactions at all.
Here's screengrab, of a random thread I wrote last month.
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Here's screengrab, of a random thread I wrote last month.
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September 27, 2025 at 11:49 PM
This is part of other very strange behaviour. Up until just a few weeks ago, I was getting a huge amount of views and likes on my threads. But all of a sudden, even after they have been up over half an hour, I get no interactions at all.
Here's screengrab, of a random thread I wrote last month.
2/
Here's screengrab, of a random thread I wrote last month.
2/
A Barn Owl from this evening. Only a record shot.
September 19, 2025 at 9:51 PM
A Barn Owl from this evening. Only a record shot.
Red Admiral and Peacock, Fenns Moss NNR, this afternoon.
July 16, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Red Admiral and Peacock, Fenns Moss NNR, this afternoon.
This gives an idea of the size of the cabinet, showing it before the stone was placed in the cabinet. Also, a close-up of the caption.
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June 28, 2025 at 7:08 PM
This gives an idea of the size of the cabinet, showing it before the stone was placed in the cabinet. Also, a close-up of the caption.
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I dropped in at Shrewsbury Museum today, to see if they'd placed the Whixall Stone, in the cabinet made for it, where my sunset photograph is the backdrop - they had. Previously, the stone had been in another exhibition.
the-past.com/feature/foun...
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June 28, 2025 at 7:08 PM
I dropped in at Shrewsbury Museum today, to see if they'd placed the Whixall Stone, in the cabinet made for it, where my sunset photograph is the backdrop - they had. Previously, the stone had been in another exhibition.
the-past.com/feature/foun...
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the-past.com/feature/foun...
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Chilling with Darwin today
June 28, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Chilling with Darwin today
Another experimental Silver-studded Blue Butterfly photo, from Prees Heath Common Reserve @savebutterflies.bsky.social
This one is a 10 shot focus stack, handheld, natural light.
This one is a 10 shot focus stack, handheld, natural light.
June 19, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Another experimental Silver-studded Blue Butterfly photo, from Prees Heath Common Reserve @savebutterflies.bsky.social
This one is a 10 shot focus stack, handheld, natural light.
This one is a 10 shot focus stack, handheld, natural light.
Some experimental wide-angle macro photographs of Silver-studded Blue Butterflies on Prees Heath Common Reserve @savebutterflies.bsky.social this evening.
Experimenting with fill-in flash set up, and the just generally scoping out how to do it.
Experimenting with fill-in flash set up, and the just generally scoping out how to do it.
June 10, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Some experimental wide-angle macro photographs of Silver-studded Blue Butterflies on Prees Heath Common Reserve @savebutterflies.bsky.social this evening.
Experimenting with fill-in flash set up, and the just generally scoping out how to do it.
Experimenting with fill-in flash set up, and the just generally scoping out how to do it.
I think I forgot to post these here the other day. One of 2 families of Stonechats and their fledglings, on Prees Heath Common reserve.
June 6, 2025 at 11:22 AM
I think I forgot to post these here the other day. One of 2 families of Stonechats and their fledglings, on Prees Heath Common reserve.
A pair of Silver-studded Blue butterflies, on Prees Heath Common reserve @savebutterflies.bsky.social
June 2, 2025 at 8:01 PM
A pair of Silver-studded Blue butterflies, on Prees Heath Common reserve @savebutterflies.bsky.social
My first Silver-studded Blue Butterflies of the year on @savebutterflies.bsky.social's Prees Heath Common reserve this morning. It was a bit blustery so a challenge getting the photos.
June 1, 2025 at 10:55 AM
My first Silver-studded Blue Butterflies of the year on @savebutterflies.bsky.social's Prees Heath Common reserve this morning. It was a bit blustery so a challenge getting the photos.