Dave Helliar
@dhelliar.bsky.social
Local patch birding in Somerset, Devon & Dorset & anything to do with natural history. Retired & now trying to do my little bit to help the natural world.
Spectacular aerial display by these two Goshawk this morning in glorious sunshine! An adult & juvenile/immature?
November 8, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Spectacular aerial display by these two Goshawk this morning in glorious sunshine! An adult & juvenile/immature?
Olive-tree Pearl, 6 Rusty-dot Pearl, Dark Chestnut (NFM), 3 Feathered Thorn, 2 Silver-Y & 2 Barred Sallow were the best of 14 species last night. Chard VC5 #Teammoth @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
November 7, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Olive-tree Pearl, 6 Rusty-dot Pearl, Dark Chestnut (NFM), 3 Feathered Thorn, 2 Silver-Y & 2 Barred Sallow were the best of 14 species last night. Chard VC5 #Teammoth @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
Fairly quiet mothing last night in Chard VC5, just 2 Rusty-dot Pearl, Turnip Moth, 3 Red-green Carpet, 2 Yellow-line Quaker among the 10 species. #Teammoth
November 6, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Fairly quiet mothing last night in Chard VC5, just 2 Rusty-dot Pearl, Turnip Moth, 3 Red-green Carpet, 2 Yellow-line Quaker among the 10 species. #Teammoth
Reposted by Dave Helliar
Petition: Stop the Guga Hunt. Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to amend Section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to remove the power to grant licences for killing young Gannets.
Please sign and Repost.
#BirdingScotland #UKbirding #Birds #UKWildlife
Please sign and Repost.
#BirdingScotland #UKbirding #Birds #UKWildlife
PE2202 Stop the Guga Hunt
Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to amend Section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to remove the power to grant licences for taking Gannets on Sula Sgeir.
www.parliament.scot
November 4, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Petition: Stop the Guga Hunt. Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to amend Section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to remove the power to grant licences for killing young Gannets.
Please sign and Repost.
#BirdingScotland #UKbirding #Birds #UKWildlife
Please sign and Repost.
#BirdingScotland #UKbirding #Birds #UKWildlife
Two still present at noon today. @somersetbirds.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social
One of 2 Black Redstart at Chard Cemetery this morning (only taken 11 visits to find one & then two are present!😂) #PWC2025 @somersetbirds.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social
November 2, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Two still present at noon today. @somersetbirds.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social
Reposted by Dave Helliar
Hellllllloooo? Are you there? Please help birds by sharing this if you also want to ensure swifts & other urban birds have homes alongside us. People power works but only if we work together. SAVE OUR SWIFTS.
November 2, 2025 at 9:09 AM
Hellllllloooo? Are you there? Please help birds by sharing this if you also want to ensure swifts & other urban birds have homes alongside us. People power works but only if we work together. SAVE OUR SWIFTS.
One of 2 Black Redstart at Chard Cemetery this morning (only taken 11 visits to find one & then two are present!😂) #PWC2025 @somersetbirds.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social
November 1, 2025 at 2:49 PM
One of 2 Black Redstart at Chard Cemetery this morning (only taken 11 visits to find one & then two are present!😂) #PWC2025 @somersetbirds.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social
Redhead Goosander flew into #ChardRes at 16:20. Record count of 44 Mandarin on the 29th, also recently up to 49 Teal, 5 Shoveler, 32 GC Grebe, Water Rail & Cetti's Warbler heard. Pied Wagtail & Starling roost just starting to get underway. @somersetbirds.bsky.social
October 31, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Redhead Goosander flew into #ChardRes at 16:20. Record count of 44 Mandarin on the 29th, also recently up to 49 Teal, 5 Shoveler, 32 GC Grebe, Water Rail & Cetti's Warbler heard. Pied Wagtail & Starling roost just starting to get underway. @somersetbirds.bsky.social
I found three Brown Hairstreak eggs today during a casual search at the Dorset patch....still too much leaf on the Blackthorn bushes at present to search for more! @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
October 30, 2025 at 7:45 PM
I found three Brown Hairstreak eggs today during a casual search at the Dorset patch....still too much leaf on the Blackthorn bushes at present to search for more! @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
Nice to see some late autumn butterflies enjoying the sunshine in the shelter from the cold NW wind today. South Somerset @savebutterflies.bsky.social
October 25, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Nice to see some late autumn butterflies enjoying the sunshine in the shelter from the cold NW wind today. South Somerset @savebutterflies.bsky.social
Reposted by Dave Helliar
The Sorcerer from Kenfig last night. Finally got up the courage to remove it from the pot (after some others had seen it). As far as I know, fourth British record and first for Wales. Thanks to everyone for moral support during my meltdown. But, what a moth! #TeamMoth
October 18, 2025 at 4:58 PM
The Sorcerer from Kenfig last night. Finally got up the courage to remove it from the pot (after some others had seen it). As far as I know, fourth British record and first for Wales. Thanks to everyone for moral support during my meltdown. But, what a moth! #TeamMoth
Labour really doesn't like wildlife in any shape or form, does it!!? 😡
Government U-turns on support for bird-friendly swift bricks in new homes
Government U-turns on support for bird-friendly swift bricks in new homes
Steve Reed previously said he was in favour of requiring one hollow brick for cavity-nesting creatures in every new-build
The government is refusing to support a new amendment to install a swift brick in every new home, in a U-turn for Steve Reed after becoming housing secretary.
As environment secretary, Reed told campaigner Hannah Bourne-Taylor she was “pushing at an open door” and he and others had wanted to add to the party’s manifesto her proposal that developers must include a £35 hollow brick in every new home. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
October 17, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Labour really doesn't like wildlife in any shape or form, does it!!? 😡
Late afternoon sunshine at my Dorset patch after 5 days of total cloud cover & a Clouded Yellow, Migrant Hawker hunting & a Peregrine perched at dusk.....lovely! Also present: 47 Teal, 3 Shoveler, drake Gadwall & Wigeon, 2 Green Sandpiper @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
October 16, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Late afternoon sunshine at my Dorset patch after 5 days of total cloud cover & a Clouded Yellow, Migrant Hawker hunting & a Peregrine perched at dusk.....lovely! Also present: 47 Teal, 3 Shoveler, drake Gadwall & Wigeon, 2 Green Sandpiper @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
Another good moth trap last night with White-point & Green-brindled Crescent both NFM + Blair's Shoulder-knot & Treble Brown Spot both NFG. Also Black Rustic, Brindled Green & Red-line Quaker of note. South Somerset VC5 #Teammoth
October 14, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Another good moth trap last night with White-point & Green-brindled Crescent both NFM + Blair's Shoulder-knot & Treble Brown Spot both NFG. Also Black Rustic, Brindled Green & Red-line Quaker of note. South Somerset VC5 #Teammoth
Very pleased to see my first Merveille du Jour this morning, a mint specimen too! South Somerset VC5
October 12, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Very pleased to see my first Merveille du Jour this morning, a mint specimen too! South Somerset VC5
Little Ringed Plover taken at my inland Dorset patch back in the Spring, where they successfully fledged 3 young. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
September 30, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Little Ringed Plover taken at my inland Dorset patch back in the Spring, where they successfully fledged 3 young. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
Please sign letter of objection, thanks
The squirrels of the Bryn Arau Duon forest one of just three surviving colonies in Wales.
protectthewild.substack.com/p/red-squirr...
protectthewild.substack.com/p/red-squirr...
Red Squirrels threatened by renewable energy project
The squirrels of the Bryn Arau Duon forest one of just three surviving colonies in Wales.
protectthewild.substack.com
September 29, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Please sign letter of objection, thanks
This confiding Chiffchaff has been feeding on aphids infesting Tansy in my Chard garden for the last 4 days. Today it caught a Box-tree Moth too. These photos were taken less than 2 metres away. @somersetbirds.bsky.social
September 25, 2025 at 7:30 PM
This confiding Chiffchaff has been feeding on aphids infesting Tansy in my Chard garden for the last 4 days. Today it caught a Box-tree Moth too. These photos were taken less than 2 metres away. @somersetbirds.bsky.social
Almost didn't set the moth trap last night, with another cold clear night forecast, but glad I did with Brindled Green NFM & Black Rustic NFG South Somerset VC5 #Teammoth
September 25, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Almost didn't set the moth trap last night, with another cold clear night forecast, but glad I did with Brindled Green NFM & Black Rustic NFG South Somerset VC5 #Teammoth
Stubble fields near Chard today held c.50 Skylark, c.30 Meadow Pipit, c.20 Goldfinch, 2 Stonechat, 1 Grey Wagtail & Peregrine. @somersetbirds.bsky.social
September 25, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Stubble fields near Chard today held c.50 Skylark, c.30 Meadow Pipit, c.20 Goldfinch, 2 Stonechat, 1 Grey Wagtail & Peregrine. @somersetbirds.bsky.social
First returning Wigeon of the autumn on the Dorset patch today. Also my first (!) Redpoll of the year, 6 Siskin over, 3 Stonechat, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Snipe, Kingfisher & 2 Marsh Tit. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social #PWC2025
September 24, 2025 at 8:38 PM
First returning Wigeon of the autumn on the Dorset patch today. Also my first (!) Redpoll of the year, 6 Siskin over, 3 Stonechat, 2 Green Sandpiper, 2 Snipe, Kingfisher & 2 Marsh Tit. @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social #PWC2025
Reposted by Dave Helliar
This has received no publicity but is damning. A clear explanation of why this type of reintroduction is not just a distraction and a waste of resources but is ACTIVELY HARMFUL to conservation. Environmental journalists please note and please publicise.
operationturtledove.org/captive-rele...
operationturtledove.org/captive-rele...
Operation Turtle Dove’s view on the release of captive-bred Turtle Doves as a conservation measure - Operation Turtle Dove
Operation Turtle Dove is a science-led conservation partnership working to reverse the decline of Turtle Doves in the UK by restoring habitat and addressing key threats. Learn why captive-bred release...
operationturtledove.org
September 21, 2025 at 5:43 AM
This has received no publicity but is damning. A clear explanation of why this type of reintroduction is not just a distraction and a waste of resources but is ACTIVELY HARMFUL to conservation. Environmental journalists please note and please publicise.
operationturtledove.org/captive-rele...
operationturtledove.org/captive-rele...
Common Tern at a very windy #ChardRes today! @somersetbirds.bsky.social
September 20, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Common Tern at a very windy #ChardRes today! @somersetbirds.bsky.social
Reasonable moth trap last night with Portland Ribbon Wave NFM, Rush Veneer, Turnip Moth, Pale Mottled Willow, 12 Lunar Underwing & at least 18 Box-tree Moth! 18 species/80 moths recorded. South Somerset VC5 #teammoth
September 20, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Reasonable moth trap last night with Portland Ribbon Wave NFM, Rush Veneer, Turnip Moth, Pale Mottled Willow, 12 Lunar Underwing & at least 18 Box-tree Moth! 18 species/80 moths recorded. South Somerset VC5 #teammoth