Matt Hull
@hull24matt
25//Consultant Ecologist for RSK Biocensus// Life-long birder with particular interest in bird migration and impact of climate change on long-distance migrants
Nice views of Brown Hairstreak & 2 Wall Brown at Shipton Bellinger today. Visit to Stockbridge Down produced flyover Tree Pipit, 2 Silver-spotted Skipper, 2 Clouded Yellow, 25 Brown Argus, 4 Chalkhill Blue, 35 Common Blue, 8 Painted Lady, 20 Meadow Brown & 15 Small Heath. #hampshire #ukbutterflies
Sand Point/Middle Hope AM: 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Sand Martin, 35 Swallow, 6 Willow Warbler, 5 Chiffchaff, 1 Sedge Warbler, 9 Blackcap, 6 Lesser Whitethroat, 39 Whitethroat, 1 Redstart, 5 Stonechat, 3 Yellow Wag, 2 Tree Pipit, 1 Bullfinch, 4 Greenfinch & 2 Reed Bunting. @bristolbirding.bsky.social
Sand Point/Middle Hope: 14 Swift, 3 Whimbrel, 3 Ringed Plover, 1 Snipe, 1 Common Gull, 2 GBB Gull, 1 S. Martin, 9 Swallow, 1 H. Martin, 9 Willow Warbler, 13 Chiffchaff, 7 Blackcap, 3 L. Whitethroat, 28 Whitethroat, 3 Yellow Wag, 2 Tree Pipit, 1 Bullfinch & 18 Greenfinch. @bristolbirding.bsky.social
Highbridge garden moth trap (25/07/26): Oak Eggar, Dusky Thorn, Orange Swift, Blood Vein, Beet Armyworm Moth, Small Grey, Flame Shoulder, Light Brown Apple Moth, Brindled Flat-body, London Dowd, Willow Ermine, Marbled Piercer, Rusty Dot Pearl, Cloaked Minor & Setaceous Hebrew Character. #ukmoths
Much closer views of the Long-tailed Shrike at Eastleach Martin this afternoon. Less busy too with only c.20 birders present. @glosterbirder.bsky.social
Thursley Common (24/07/26): 15 Banded Demoiselle, 6 Small Red Damselfly, 10 Red-eyed Damselfly, 1 Brown Hawker, 3 Emperor Dragonfly, 55 Black-tailed Skimmer, 75 Keeled Skimmer, 7 Black Darter & a brief view of 2 possible Downy/Brilliant Emerald. #ukdragonflies
Huge numbers of Lesser Emperor at Ham Wall yesterday w/ at least 46 around the reserve. Other stuff included 6 Small Red-eyed Damselfly, 11 Brown Hawker, 5 Four-spotted Chaser, 1 Black-tailed Skimmer, 5 Ruddy Darter, 1 Small Copper, 60 Red Admiral, 4 Painted Lady & a Grass Snake! #ukdragonflies
Highbridge garden moth trap (11/07/26): Elephant H. Moth, Rosy Footman, Drinker, Maiden’s Bush, Jersey Tiger, Ruby Tiger, Poplar H. Moth, Peacock, Pale Prominent, Dark Umber, Scarce Footman, Poplar Grey, Shaded Broad Bar, Wormwood Pug, Lunar Spotted Pinion, Dusky Brocade + many others! #ukmoths
Silverlake, Dorset (11/07/26): 6 Emperor, 1 Lesser Emperor, 20+ Scarlet Darter, c.35 Black-tailed Skimmer, 2 Keeled Skimmer, 1 Common Darter, Small Red-eyed Damselfly, 1 Silver-washed Fritillary & 1 Red Kite. #ukdragonflies
Hunt for Quail on Friday in S. Glos produced only one distant calling male, but supporting cast of RL Partridge, Little Owl, Mistle Thrush, 12 Yellow Wag, Grey Wag, 14 Yellowhammer & 19 Corn Bunting was definitely worthwhile! @bristolbirding.bsky.social
Trip down to my old haunts of Dartmoor & Plymouth yesterday produced High Brown Fritillary, my 1st Gatekeeper of the year, White-letter Hairstreak, Purple Hairstreak, Ring-necked Parakeet & a Mediterranean Gull on the Plym Estuary at Saltram Park. #ukbutterflies
Huge no's of Marbled Whites all over Somerset during the weekend w/ 1st White Admirals & Silver-washed Fritillaries also emerging. Finally managed to get a photo of the ever elusive Garden Warbler after failing on so many occasions this year! Southern Hawker new for my year list too. #ukbutterflies
Dunkery, Exmoor (14/06/26): 1 Large Skipper, 14 Green Hairstreak, 1 Red Admiral, 5 Painted Lady, 16 Heath Fritillary, 8 Small Heath, 1 Red-legged Partridge, 1+ Wood Warbler, 1 Redstart, 12 Stonechat, 1 Tree Pipit, 2 Redpoll & 3 Siskin. #somersetbirding #ukbutterflies
Butterfly/dragonfly transect at Watercress Farm today: Banded & Beautiful Demoiselle, Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly, Large Red Damselfly, Broad-bodied Chaser, Scarce Chaser, Black-tailed Skimmer, Small & Large Skipper, Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell & my 1st Marbled White of 2026. #ukdragonflies
Priddy Pools (30/05/26): 5 Red-eyed Damselfly, 1 Emerald Damselfly, 3 Emperor, 1 Hairy Dragonfly, 4 Downy Emerald, 1 Four-spotted Chaser, 1 Grizzled Skipper, 2 Common Blue, 2 Painted Lady, 5 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, 15 Small Heath & 1 Southern Marsh Orchid. #ukbutterflies #ukdragonflies
Bank holiday weekend @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social w/ @reuben-veal.bsky.social & @cousensbirding.bsky.social. c.130 Brent Goose, Eider, 2 Turtle Dove, 240 Sanderling, Temminck's Stint, Med Gull, Caspian Gull, 100 Little Tern, Bee-eater, v. late Redwing, 2+ Spotted Fly, c.10 Yellow Wag & Tree Pipit.
First time on east coast of England w/ @reuben-veal.bsky.social & @cousensbirding.bsky.social. Thousands of Kittiwakes, Razorbills, Guillemots, Fulmars & Gannets w/ smaller no's of Puffin & Tree Sparrow at Bempton Cliffs. Grey Partridge, Y. Wag, Yellowhammer & Corn Bunting also seen. #ukbirding
Nice long weekend spent in the New Forest w/ Cuckoo, Woodcock, Goshawk, Nightjar, Hobby, Woodlark, Wood Warbler, Dartford Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Redstart, Tree Pipit & Hawfinch all seen well. #ukbirding
Trip down to the New Forest for long weekend began w/ a search for butterflies at Fontmell/Melbury Downs. Was rewarded with great views of Glanville Fritillary, Adonis Blue, Grizzled Skipper & Dingy Skipper. Duke of Burgundy seen at a nearby site. #ukbutterflies #butterflyconservation
Spring in full-swing on the Quantocks today: 3+ Cuckoo, Goshawk, Hobby, 16 Wood Warbler, 19 Willow Warbler, 3 Garden Warbler, 2 Whitethroat, 3 Dartford Warbler, 10 Firecrest, 5 Spotted Flycatcher, 42 Pied Flycatcher, 13 Redstart, 3 Tree Pipit, 2 Crossbill & 1 Yellowhammer. #somersetbirding
Sand Point/Middle Hope: Big influx of Painted Lady today w/ 34 seen. Also 10 Whimbrel, 1 Little Tern, 4 Gannet, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 S. Martin, 40 Swallow, 1 Ww Warbler, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Wheatear, 2 Yellow Wag, 1 Grey Wag, 2 Tree Pipit, 7 Redpoll & 6 Siskin. @bristolbirding.bsky.social
Excellent weekend in northern France w/ @migrationmatt.bsky.social & @aravindramesh19.bsky.social. Turtle Dove, B-n-Grebe, Kentish Plover, 3 Temminck's, Pom Skua, Bonxie, ++ Common/Arctic/Little/Black Tern, Black & Red-throated Divers, 75+ Spoonbill, Hen Harrier, SE Owl, Bluethroat, Savi's & Serin.
Sand Point/Middle Hope: 11 Whimbrel, 33 Black Tern, c.20 Arctic Tern, 1,235 Commic Tern, 2,005 Common Tern, 1 skua sp., 1 Fulmar, 6 Yellow Wag, 3 Tree Pipit & 2 Redpoll. 2 Med Gulls of the end of the point were a real treat! @bristolbirding.bsky.social
Sand Point/Middle Hope: 2 Swift, 1 Cuckoo, 30 Barwit, 20 Arctic/Common Tern, 6 S. Martin, 39 Swallow, 7 H. Martin, 11 Ww Warbler, 4 Garden Warbler, 2 L. Whitethroat, 42 Whitethroat, 2 Spotted Fly, 2 Whinchat, 1 Wheatear, 12 Y. Wag, 1 Tripit, 11 Redpoll & 7 Siskin. @bristolbirding.bsky.social
Sand Point/Middle Hope AM: 7 Swift, 5 Whimbrel, 1 Osprey, 38 S. Martin, 282 Swallow, 177 H. Martin, 11 Ww Warbler, 2 Gropper, 4 Garden Warbler, 4 Lssr Whitethroat, 39 Whitethroat, 1 Mistle Thrush, 2 Redstart, 23 Yellow Wag, 12 Tree Pipit, 16 Redpoll & 21 Siskin. @bristolbirding.bsky.social
Sand Point/Middle Hope AM: 9 Whimbrel, 1 Sand Martin, 15 Swallow, 19 Willow Warbler, 22 Chiffchaff, 2 Grasshopper Warbler, 10 Blackcap, 6 Garden Warbler, 6 Lesser Whitethroat, 34 Whitethroat, 1 Redstart, 2 Whinchat, 7 Yellow Wagtail, 16 Tree Pipit, 4 Redpoll & 5 Siskin. @bristolbirding.bsky.social
Sand Point/Middle Hope w/ BOC & @reuben-veal.bsky.social: 8 Sandwich Tern, 2 GBB Gull, 1 skua sp., 1 Arctic Skua, 1 Shag, 1 Merlin, 156 Swallow, 24 House Martin, 4 Willow Warbler, 2 Grasshopper Warbler, 10 Blackcap, 2+ Ring Ouzel, 1 Redstart, 1 Wheatear & 60 Goldfinch. @bristolbirding.bsky.social
Nice to see all three black-and-white flycatcher species during the week w/ Semi-collared, Collared and Pied Flycatchers all seen (the latter being surprisingly the least common out of the three!) #WildTravelling #Cyprus #CyprusBirds
Sand Point/Middle Hope AM: 240 Woodpigeon, 1 Merlin, 55 Sand Martin, 25 Swallow, 47 Willow Warbler, 26 Chiffchaff, 37 Blackcap, 8 Whitethroat, 3 Redstart, 3 Wheatear, 1 Yellow Wag, 11 Tree Pipit, 4 Redpoll & 1 Siskin. Willow Warbler photographed from my garden yesterday. @bristolbirding.bsky.social