Amy R.

@amythebirder

Ecologist (GIS/data) & Birder in the Solent. Hants Assistant Recorder (birds). Loves nature & islands. Mostly biological recording & low carbon travel posts 🚲 🥾🚏⛴️. Views my own.

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Amy R.@amythebirder· 20d

It works, ish! Interactive map inside #R 🤯 (imported shapefile into R but haven't yet figured out how to create it in R using code) After better way to verify records to find errors & correct - e.g. "Titchfield Haven" record near Winchester. Both this & QGIS are a bit slow though (>100,000 rows)

Screenshot from R Studio showing a map with blue squares. Most of the blue squares are concentrated in one area at the southern end of the map. There are two squares very outside of this area. One is a tiny dot further west in the New Forest. The other is much further north near Winchester. The basemap is OpenStreetView. The blue squares are called hants_birds and are bird species records where the site name is all "Titchfield Haven", however there are grid reference errors and some vague grid references used so the data is not all where it should be. In the screenshot some tab names in R Studio can be seen like Environment and Viewer. The map is displayed in Viewer.

Amy R.@amythebirder· 20d

#DataVis using QGIS in this case helps highlight outliers and errors/typos easily missed in spreadsheets and by thresholds based on counts & dates. Once visualised/mapped, these can be followed up. All of these records have the same site name - notice anything about the grid refs? #Ecology

Screenshot from QGIS of bird data where each data point is a square. The square is an OS grid reference like SU50 or more detailed. Many of the record are concentrated in one area, Titchfield Haven. Other data points are away from this location, for example one square is miles away in the New Forest and has a blue arrow pointing to it. All of the data points have been given the same location name and so should have the same or more detailed grid reference. SU50 is a 10km square which covers a huge area. The other squares are much smaller.

Amy R.@amythebirder· 21d

Slightly closer view of Alum Bay, Isle of Wight and its colourful cliffs & sands - more info here: wessexcoastgeology.soton.ac.uk/Alum-Bay.htm #Solent

Close up of a cliff which doesn't look completely stable. It is colourful with different shades of browns, greys and pinkish & reddish colours. Below is a beach which has similar colours because the sand is produced by the rock falls. There is a pier which is linked to a chairlift (not visible). There are trees and scrub at the top of the cliff and a parched looking area of grassland. In the distance is the sea, a white lighthouse and Hampshire

Amy R.@amythebirder· 22d

Clustered Bellflower and Carline Thistle around the lower slopes of West High Down, near The Needles view point #WildflowerHour

Deep purple flowers of Clustered Bellflower on sloping and short chalk grassland. Below is the sea

Carline Thistle with yellow ish petals and spiky green leaves

Amy R.@amythebirder· 22d

Fancied a mini adventure so hoped over to the Isle of Wight by bus & ferry! The Island Coaster provides lovely views between Ryde & Yarmouth via the south coast and the Needles ☺️ Returned to Ryde via Newport - almost circumnavigated the island! #PublicTransport #Solent

Open top double decker bus coming down a hill. It is green and blue

The Needles - some weathered chalk that don't really look like needles. The last one has a red and white lighthouse. Apparently once did once look like a needle but it collapsed and is no longer visible. The mainland is visible in the distance

Coastal views from the bus showing white chalk cliffs in the distance, some stacks fields and some grassy areas. Clear blue skies and calm sea

Another seaview looking east. There are vegetated cliffs which drip down to a sandy beach.

Amy R.@amythebirder· 22d

Contender for the most scenic bus stop - near Alum Bay, Isle of Wight 😌 #PublicTransport

Bus stop sign next to a crash barrier. Beyond the barrier is a view of Alum Bay on the Isle of Wight with its colourful sands and cliff, and Hampshire. Hurst spit is in the distance. It is sunny with some clouds

Same bus stop looking west towards the Needles new battery. The crash barrier continues as there's a steep cliff on the other side. There are signposts for the coast part pointing north & south. The sea looks calm and Dorset is visible if you squint

Amy R.@amythebirder· 23d

Nice afternoon at Titchfield Haven where the highlight was a smart Little Stint with 4 Dunlin. Also good to see more Terns - mix of post breeding (incl. juvs) plus a few still breeding like these fluffy chicks! #LowCarbonBirding #PWC2026

Common Terns with two fluffy brown chicks which have white bellies. The adults have orange-red bills with black tip, red legs, black cap, grey mantle and wings, white/pale grey underparts underparts, dark primaries and white tail & tail streamers. They are on an island that is mostly bare shingle with small amount of green vegetation. One adult and chick is in a nest made of sticks. One adult is sat on til of a shelter and the other chick is looking up at it

Little Stint in breeding plumage that is starting to fade. To my eyes the fridges looked more golden than rufous or rusty orange tones, with the rest of the feathers looking dark. It had dark legs, short ish dark bill and white underparts. It is a very small wading bird. Feeding on mud on the edge of a shallow scrape

Amy R.@amythebirder· 28d

Early morning walk yesterday yielded the first juvenile Yellow-legged Gull (just left of centre) which joined the fishing flock off Elmore & Browndown #LowCarbonBirding

Part of a fishing flock of terns and gulls. Most of the gulls are Black-headed Gulls - whitw underparts, pale grey mantle, dark brown hood starting to fade. A few are large juvenile gulls which look brown. One is a Yellow-legged Gull which shows more contrast and has a dark eye mask, thick black tail band with white rump, and brown wings

Amy R.@amythebirder· 28d

It's been lovely watching the Sandwich Terns fishing off Lee-on-the Solent this week - even managed to get one in focus! #HantsBirds

Sandwich Tern with white underparts, a black cap and bill with yellow tip. The background is blurred - blue sea, distant red buoy and trees on the Isle of Wight

Amy R.@amythebirder· Jul 11

Good morning from an uncomfortably warm #Solent - That's a lot of boats! Believe it's for Round the Island but please do correct me if mistaken.

Clear blue sky and relatively flat sea with a light breeze. In the distance in front of the Isle of Wight is a very long line of with sailing boats covering the gap between the island and NE Solent. In the foreground is a vegetated shingle beach

Amy R.@amythebirder· Jul 5

Autumn at Titchfield Haven! Spotted Redshank kindly lingered for ages until I got round to visiting, plus Green & 4 Common Sandpipers & 2 Little Ringed Plovers. #LowCarbonBirding #PWC2026

Spotted Redshank sleeping with dark grey upper parts, pale underparts, and long legs

Two distant wading birds on some mud at the back of a scrape. They are both quite small with brown upper parts and pale underparts. The bird on the right is a Little Ringed Plover and has a black breast band. There are reedbeds behind them and some Black-headed Gulls - small ish gulls with pale grey upper parts, white underparts, black primaries and dark brown hood - in the foreground

Amy R.@amythebirder· Jul 5

Lovely windchill this morning 😌👌 Great to have Grasshoppers & bush crickets back as part of the soundscape again!

Beach with vegetated shingle. There is wild carrot and sea kale and some other species. The tide is out so some intertidal shingle is visible, as is a groyne. In the distance is the Isle of Wight

Amy R.@amythebirder· Jul 4

Grey Bush-cricket habitat at Lee-on-the Solent. After realising they'd spread west from Browndown last year, I'd better keep listening out at Hill Head 🤞 #UKWildlife

Vegetated Cliffs or slope with a wooden post for the Solent Way and English Coast Path. Clear blue skies

Amy R.@amythebirder· Jun 30

Quick #heatwave question: if the advice is to close all windows - even if shaded? - what do you do about ventilation to reduce stuffiness inside please? Would love MVHR but alas I don't / probably can't have atm, so only windows for ventilation...

Screenshot of Aranet 4 app showing CO2 ppm increasing throughout the day before decreasing because windows were opened after 6pm to try to get fresh air in, despite the high temperatures outside. The graph colour codes the readings with below 800ppm green, 800-1399ppm orange and above that red. Ideally indoor CO2 levels should be below 800ppm. This is a way of getting an idea of how well ventilated buildings are. It starts off green because windows were opened at sunrise before being closed fairly early due to extreme heat.

Amy R.@amythebirder· Jun 28

Jersey Cudweed near the Gosport Bus Interchange #WildflowerHour

Jersey Cudweed with mustard coloured flowers

Amy R.@amythebirder· Jun 21

Take your pick ☺️ (benches below the cliff too!)

A row of black benches on a grassy cliff top. The seafront bends round in a bay to the west. It is sunny with clear skies

Amy R.@amythebirder· Jun 21

#SummerSolstice sunrise in the Solent 😌 The coolest it'll be for some time... Curlew calling - I hear by declare autumn had begun! 😅 #LowCarbonBirding

Early morning in the Solent. It is almost flat calm. There is a black bench facing the sea and on a grassy cliff top. Opposite is the Isle of Wight which looks mainly trees except for Cowes with lots of white buildings. Squint and you'll see sun reflecting off windows in Cowes!

Amy R.@amythebirder· Jun 20

Chicory at Monk's Hill, Hill Head and Roesel's Bush-crickets adding to the soundscape ☺️ #WildflowerHour

Amy R.@amythebirder· Jun 20

Is this Black Horehound? Along Broom Way & the eastern edge of Daedalus #WildflowerHour #WildflowerID

Hairy plant with lots of small pinkish purple flowers and dark reddish corolla

Amy R.@amythebirder· Jun 20

Got to make the most of the lovely cool (bearable) weather in the #Solent today 😌 Nice breeze and low cloud keeping temperatures more normal.

Low cloud over the Solent but most of Isle of Wight is visible. The sea is fairly calm. In the foreground are two black benches facing the sea on a grassy cliff top

Amy R.@amythebirder· Jun 16

Sea views & species rich chalk grassland from Butser Hill: highest point in @southdownsnp.bsky.social and almost the highest point in Hampshire!

Butser Hill looking towards one of the valleys. There is species rich chalk grassland in the foreground and farmland in the distance

Butser Hill looking south. The habours are visible and beyond that the Isle of Wight

Amy R.@amythebirder· Jun 16

Lovely day in East Hampshire with colleagues enjoying species rich chalk grassland including 6 species of orchid (4 pictured) #WildflowerHour

Species rich chalk grassland on a slope with lots of yellow bird's-foot trefoil and pale pink common spotted orchids. In the distance are some naturalists walking along a path. There are trees and scrub providing more cover for wildlife

Greater Butterfly orchid with white flowers

Amy R.@amythebirder· Jun 14

Strawberry clover and flowery verges at Daedalus, Lee-on-the Solent #WildflowerHour

Another flowery verge. It is near a small white building

Amy R.@amythebirder· Jun 12

Ha! Ah, good point. Fuelled by M&S Cheese & Marmite? 😆 (Might have to try that next time I'm in Glasgow!) Guess it's like the times explaining that yes I can drive but no don't have car & you can see the confusion. Drove myself crazy with that decision but was worth it & eye opening.

M&S pre prepared sandwich in yellow packaging with a Marmite jar drawn it. It says Cheese and Marmite and is £2.40

Amy R.@amythebirder· Jun 9

Tiree to Fareham in c. 19 hours + 5 hour gap in Oban to wander around: 3 trains (1 sleeper), ferry, cargo bike ride in London, taxi on the island & bus home #LowCarbonBirding #PublicTransport

Rear of the ferry with the ramp up and Tiree in the distance. It is sunny with few clouds

Blue ScotRail train at Crianlarich station. It is 21:59 but still just light. There is a mountain in the distance.

Green ish Caledonian Sleeper also at Crianlarich. There is a mountain in the distance.

London Waterloo platform which is undercover and a white SWR train with blue doors.

Amy R.@amythebirder· Jun 7

So peaceful & quiet up here 😌 #Hebrides

Sandy and rocky beach at Hynish looking towards Mannal. Some white houses are visible in the distance. It is sunny and the sea is a lovely blue

Amy R.@amythebirder· Jun 7

Common Milkwort by Loch a' Phuill, Tiree VC103 #WildflowerHour

Pink flowers that are like a tube in shape

Amy R.@amythebirder· Jun 6

Are these Dune Chafers? Many seen on the dunes at Tràigh Bhì, Tiree today VC103 #UKWildlife

Beetles which I believe to be Dune Chafers that are mainly dark brown. Some have green heads. They are on dunes and sand.

Tràigh Bhì, a sandy beach on Tiree with extensive sand dunes. The dunes are developed and are very vegetated at the top. The beach also has areas with large pebbles. Looking west the bay goes round to Balephuil and Ben Hynish. It is overcast

Amy R.@amythebirder· Jun 5

Coll & Gunna seen from Caolas, Tiree - not much separating these islands! #Hebrides

Tiree grassland with lots of yellow buttercups (& orchids etc that aren't obvious in the photo), a small area of sea called Gunna Sound and more islands on the otherwise. One is a tiny island called Gunna which looks green and behind / next to it is Coll.

Amy R.@amythebirder· Jun 5

Enjoyable few days exploring more of Tiree with thanks to Jean for lifts & company, and sea watching off Mannal. Constant streams of Manxies, Auks & Gannets + occasional Bonxie & Arctic Skuas 😄 #BirdingScotland 📷 Tràigh Shathalum, Tiree #Hebrides