An egg-laying Brown Hairstreak today in Devon completes my butterflying year #ukbutterflies

I'm always amazed at what turns up in my moth box in my innercity courtyard garden here in Plymouth, this morning it was graced by my first Eastern Bordered Straw #teammoth

While taking another look at the Small Red-eyed Damselflies at Drakes Reservoir on North Hill in Plymouth today I was very pleased to find at least 2 Red-veined Darters, my first in the UK #Dragonfly #Damselflies

The National Trust at Saltram continue their environmental vandalism of Blaxton Meadow, once a muddy home for feeding Waders and now presumably being reverted back to a cricket pitch #Saltram#NationalTrust

Ridiculously hot on a visit to Upton Towans near Hayle at the weekend, the trains were a bit of a nightmare too but I did manage to find the hoped for Brown Argus & Silver-studded Blues although in the heat they were very active and restless #ukbutterflies

Quite a few Purple Hairstreaks low down on the Bracken on a Dartmoor walk today, probably trying to escape the heat. A Small Tortoiseshell was a rare surprise too. #ukbutterflies

Mad Dogs & Englishmen (& Butterflyers) Go Out in the Midday Sun! A final look for the year at the very flitty Fritillaries on Dartmoor in baking hot weather this morning was worth it but very glad to get back home and cool down #ukbutterflies

Two unexpected butterfly sightings on a trip to Luxembourg last week - a female Lesser Purple Emperor of the pale form clytie on a shop window along the high street of Esch-Sur-Alzette (probably to escape the heat) and at least 3 Marbled Fritillary at the top of the chairlift at Vianden #Butterflies

Like buses, another 4 Fritillary day on Dartmoor yesterday. 2 Silver-washed and a Small Pearl-bordered were camera shy and the heat meant the High Brown and Dark Green were hyperactive but I managed some decent views before I started to melt in the very hot sunshine #ukbutterflies

The Purple Hairstreaks had emerged amongst the White-letter Hairstreaks at Oreston yesterday while nearby 6-Spot Burnet were on the wing with many mating pairs seen and being watched by Burnet Companions #ukbutterflies #teammoth

The Fritillaries were far too flitty in the hot sunshine on Dartmoor yesterday but a surprise find were 2 White Admiral in a woodland glade. Even more of a surprise was hearing 2 Nightjars briefly churring together at 4pm in the afternoon! #ukbutterflies

A 4 Fritillary day on Dartmoor today with singles of High Brown, Silver-washed and Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary and around 7 Dark Green Fritillary all seen. Don't think I've ever had a 4 Fritillary day before. #ukbutterflies

Surprised to find a few tardy waders along the beach at Wembury this morning with a Whimbrel, a Dunlin and 4 Sanderling still present #devonbirds

With 4 White-letter Hairstreak being reported yesterday at a site in Plymouth I headed out this morning for a look about in less than ideal weather conditions. Very pleased to find just 1 but my earliest ever sighting. A few Bee Orchids also seen nearby. #UKButterflies

Still too hot for me but the butterflies on the edge of Dartmoor were loving it yesterday, Painted Lady were everywhere and there has been a good emergence of Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary. The heat has meant they are very active and getting any photos was a bit challenging #UKButterflies

That is so weird, when I ran it through ObsIdentify I got totally different "guesses"!

I found this moth in the day time at Wembury on the South Devon coast, very faded so presumably unidentifiable but any ID help gratefully received @mothiduk.bsky.social

The hot weather is not to my liking but the flowers and insects are loving it with Dingy Skipper, Southern Marsh Orchid, Green Hairstreak and Large Skipper all seen this morning at another site in Plymouth due for development soon #ukbutterflies

A miserable morning of weather at Wembury was brightened up by 37 Sanderling along the beach with 8 Dunlin, 7 Turnstone and 5 Whimbrel. Also 1st summer Common- & Mediterranean Gulls feeding in the surf and 3 1st summer Kittiwakes flying west offshore. And someone has lost a buoy. #devonbirds

A bit of wader passage at Wembury today with singles of Grey Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit and Ringed Plover, 4 Sanderling, 5 Dunlin, at least 6 flighty & mobile Whimbrel and 31 Turnstone present amongst the usual Oystercatchers #devonbirds

After a 2 hour search on Friday 8th May I finally found 2 Dingy Skipper at a site in Plymouth, sadly they will now be the last I will see here as the site will shortly have houses built on it #ukbutterflies

At least 7 Painted Lady at Wembury Point in Devon this morning along with 5 Green Hairstreaks, a Small Copper and a male Brimstone #UKButterflies

I managed to get to Wembury Point for the early morning ebbing high tide today before the dog walkers arrived and enjoyed some wonderful views of 23 variously plumaged Bar-tailed Godwits feeding along the beach #devonbirds

A trip down to St.Ives yesterday where The Pallas's Warbler in Trewyn Gardens didn't stay still for a second. A Herring Gull with its tongue hanging out under its bill was scrounging food near the train station while the Bonaparte's Gull showed very well at the nearby Hayle Estuary #cornwallbirds

Interesting to watch a pair of Adders getting frisky in the sunshine today although the larger female seemed quite unimpressed by the males attentions.

Green Hairstreaks at Wembury today, my earliest date ever. The human world may be getting increasingly darker but Mother Nature just carries on to remind us that there is still beauty in the world #butterflies

After being present for over 3 months I thought it was about time I headed down to Boscathnoe Reservoir near Penzance to have a look at the wintering Dusky Warbler and it showed very well indeed. Also a bonus Bonaparte's Gull on the Hayle Estuary before heading home #Cornwallbirds

Finding a 1st winter Bonaparte's Gull on The Plym wasn't on my radar this morning but it was a very nice surprise, my first in Plymouth #devonbirds

A few familiar birds from the UK also seen in Japan, some 6000 miles away. No House Sparrows present but Tree Sparrows very common, even in the cities.

Very pleased to see Steller's Eagle in Japan, a beast of a bird with 6 seen, and also pleased to see Azure-winged Magpie after failing to see them in Spain.