Hilary May
@birdsbikesboots.bsky.social
Wildlife enthusiast (birds & moths especially), Cycle teacher (beginners), Gardener. Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales.
Only 8 moths of 8 species in the trap for @gardenmothscheme.bsky.social last night but included a Clifden Nonpareil! New for me - delighted. Others weren’t bad either NFY Sallow and Merveille du Jour 😊 VC41 (Dinas Powys, Vale of Glamorgan) #MothsMatter #TeamMoth
October 5, 2025 at 9:58 AM
Only 8 moths of 8 species in the trap for @gardenmothscheme.bsky.social last night but included a Clifden Nonpareil! New for me - delighted. Others weren’t bad either NFY Sallow and Merveille du Jour 😊 VC41 (Dinas Powys, Vale of Glamorgan) #MothsMatter #TeamMoth
Just 3 of the 131 moths in the trap last night for @gardenmothscheme.bsky.social
A Mocha sandwiched by Emeralds (light and small)
#mothsmatter #teammoth
A Mocha sandwiched by Emeralds (light and small)
#mothsmatter #teammoth
August 25, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Just 3 of the 131 moths in the trap last night for @gardenmothscheme.bsky.social
A Mocha sandwiched by Emeralds (light and small)
#mothsmatter #teammoth
A Mocha sandwiched by Emeralds (light and small)
#mothsmatter #teammoth
Today’s appallingly bad nature video from the garden. There were about 8 dragonflies hunting over the garden today. Not seen that before. (Also saw no less than three species of birds of prey fly over - worth looking up for 😊).
July 28, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Today’s appallingly bad nature video from the garden. There were about 8 dragonflies hunting over the garden today. Not seen that before. (Also saw no less than three species of birds of prey fly over - worth looking up for 😊).
Looks like a busy day identifying moths in my moth trap. These are just a few on the outside! A day early for #GardenMothSurvey as we have visitors on Saturday and apparently not the done thing to have a kitchen full of escaped moths! #mothsmatter
July 25, 2025 at 7:04 AM
Looks like a busy day identifying moths in my moth trap. These are just a few on the outside! A day early for #GardenMothSurvey as we have visitors on Saturday and apparently not the done thing to have a kitchen full of escaped moths! #mothsmatter
I did a #BigButterflyCount earlier and almost all the butterflies vanished but just now this happened! I’m guessing one female and a lot of males? Never seen so many together in the garden. @savebutterflies.bsky.social
July 24, 2025 at 3:28 PM
I did a #BigButterflyCount earlier and almost all the butterflies vanished but just now this happened! I’m guessing one female and a lot of males? Never seen so many together in the garden. @savebutterflies.bsky.social
Nothing to see in this video (it’s for the sound!), these (young?) birds of prey have been around and calling a lot recently. I’ve only had glimpses but my best guess is peregrines? But I’m not very confident on birds of prey? #birds
July 20, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Nothing to see in this video (it’s for the sound!), these (young?) birds of prey have been around and calling a lot recently. I’ve only had glimpses but my best guess is peregrines? But I’m not very confident on birds of prey? #birds
Despite coldest night of week (ponds frozen this am) 16 moths of 5 species for my late (as always) @gardenmothscheme.bsky.social Small Quaker, Hebrew Character, Early Grey, Common Quaker and Oak Beauty. #TeamMoth #MothsMatter
March 16, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Despite coldest night of week (ponds frozen this am) 16 moths of 5 species for my late (as always) @gardenmothscheme.bsky.social Small Quaker, Hebrew Character, Early Grey, Common Quaker and Oak Beauty. #TeamMoth #MothsMatter
Late @gardenmothscheme.bsky.social survey last night (because life 🤷) 22 moths of 14 species including these beauties. #MothsMatter #TeamMoth
March 10, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Late @gardenmothscheme.bsky.social survey last night (because life 🤷) 22 moths of 14 species including these beauties. #MothsMatter #TeamMoth
Chiffchaffs are back! Spring is getting springier by the day 😊
March 9, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Chiffchaffs are back! Spring is getting springier by the day 😊
Signs of Spring 😊🐸
February 22, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Signs of Spring 😊🐸
Plenty of amphibians on the move in the garden tonight, frogs, couple of toads and (palmate I think) newts.
February 20, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Plenty of amphibians on the move in the garden tonight, frogs, couple of toads and (palmate I think) newts.
Dead otter seen on the way to work 🙁 Turns out friend of a colleague works on an otter project so hopefully corpse will be collected and used for research.
Also another unseen benefit of cycling - easy to stop to take photos of roadkill!
Poor otter though - such a waste.
Also another unseen benefit of cycling - easy to stop to take photos of roadkill!
Poor otter though - such a waste.
February 12, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Dead otter seen on the way to work 🙁 Turns out friend of a colleague works on an otter project so hopefully corpse will be collected and used for research.
Also another unseen benefit of cycling - easy to stop to take photos of roadkill!
Poor otter though - such a waste.
Also another unseen benefit of cycling - easy to stop to take photos of roadkill!
Poor otter though - such a waste.
Not really surprising that a book about reducing car use & saving wildlife is right up my alley. It’s not just roadkill & climate change the impacts of road traffic are huge. Drive less and drive slower fits in very well with #20sPlenty.
February 11, 2025 at 8:10 AM
Not really surprising that a book about reducing car use & saving wildlife is right up my alley. It’s not just roadkill & climate change the impacts of road traffic are huge. Drive less and drive slower fits in very well with #20sPlenty.
Nice to find Jelly Ear Fungus on dead wood in the garden.
February 10, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Nice to find Jelly Ear Fungus on dead wood in the garden.
I’m hoping the official photographers got better pictures but Pedal Power lantern ride 1/3 went very well. Nothing like cycling round Cardiff with a giant swan 😂
February 1, 2025 at 8:38 PM
I’m hoping the official photographers got better pictures but Pedal Power lantern ride 1/3 went very well. Nothing like cycling round Cardiff with a giant swan 😂
First moths of 2025! After no empty traps in 2024 I’ve had a run of empties this year but at last two micros. #gardenmothscheme #mothsmatter
February 1, 2025 at 11:03 AM
First moths of 2025! After no empty traps in 2024 I’ve had a run of empties this year but at last two micros. #gardenmothscheme #mothsmatter
Weather looks hopeful for Pedal Power’s first lantern ride this Saturday. If you’re in Cardiff and fancy cycling with a giant swan do join us!
January 31, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Weather looks hopeful for Pedal Power’s first lantern ride this Saturday. If you’re in Cardiff and fancy cycling with a giant swan do join us!
This is my most anticipated review of the year. Especially as it waits until it’s actually a full year! @bto-gbw.bsky.social
January 28, 2025 at 4:55 PM
This is my most anticipated review of the year. Especially as it waits until it’s actually a full year! @bto-gbw.bsky.social
More frogspawn this morning and actually saw the frogs rather than just hearing the splash! #MyWildGarden
January 27, 2025 at 4:21 PM
More frogspawn this morning and actually saw the frogs rather than just hearing the splash! #MyWildGarden
10 species for #BigGardenBirdwatch the blackbirds hid but otherwise pretty pleased.
January 25, 2025 at 2:22 PM
10 species for #BigGardenBirdwatch the blackbirds hid but otherwise pretty pleased.
This was a surprise this morning! Frozen on top but hopefully some will survive. Previous earliest date 29th Jan #Frogspawn #Winterwatch
January 25, 2025 at 12:12 PM
This was a surprise this morning! Frozen on top but hopefully some will survive. Previous earliest date 29th Jan #Frogspawn #Winterwatch
I finished the Christmas jigsaw - no thanks to the cat. There is an extra piece - not something I’ve come across before. I wonder if someone else was missing the hare’s legs!
January 6, 2025 at 8:53 PM
I finished the Christmas jigsaw - no thanks to the cat. There is an extra piece - not something I’ve come across before. I wonder if someone else was missing the hare’s legs!
Great morning birdwatching with friends at Aberthaw Nature Reserve. Including great views of my first ever firecrest (or at least first that I remember/identified). No photos of birds just the frozen lake.
January 4, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Great morning birdwatching with friends at Aberthaw Nature Reserve. Including great views of my first ever firecrest (or at least first that I remember/identified). No photos of birds just the frozen lake.