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.
Just 5 moths in last nights' trap, this White-point, plus Large Pale Masoner, Yellow-line Quaker, Common Plume & LBAM.
Chard VC5 #Teammoth @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
Chard VC5 #Teammoth @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
November 13, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Just 5 moths in last nights' trap, this White-point, plus Large Pale Masoner, Yellow-line Quaker, Common Plume & LBAM.
Chard VC5 #Teammoth @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
Chard VC5 #Teammoth @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
Surprised to see this Comma nectaring on Orange Ball Buddleia in my Somerset garden today in total cloud cover, still mild though at 14C!
@savebutterflies.bsky.social
@savebutterflies.bsky.social
November 12, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Surprised to see this Comma nectaring on Orange Ball Buddleia in my Somerset garden today in total cloud cover, still mild though at 14C!
@savebutterflies.bsky.social
@savebutterflies.bsky.social
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
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
Amazing Simon! just 12 miles further SOUTH at Chard & it was rubbish! Just 4 moths: White-point, Silver-Y, Red-line Quaker & a LBAM....very odd & very disappointing! VC5 South Somerset #Teammoth
October 29, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Amazing Simon! just 12 miles further SOUTH at Chard & it was rubbish! Just 4 moths: White-point, Silver-Y, Red-line Quaker & a LBAM....very odd & very disappointing! VC5 South Somerset #Teammoth
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
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
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
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
The Seaton Marsh Wryneck did the decent thing & showed eventually today! My first for 4 years. Good to meet Viv @vivkeene.bsky.social Nick Howe & Alan Smith. #DevonBirds
September 19, 2025 at 2:46 PM
The Seaton Marsh Wryneck did the decent thing & showed eventually today! My first for 4 years. Good to meet Viv @vivkeene.bsky.social Nick Howe & Alan Smith. #DevonBirds
An evening visit to my inland Dorset patch in late sunshine & migrants still passing through, with Redstart & Spotted Flycatcher feeding from fence line, amazing count of 7 Green Sandpiper & 2 Common Sandpiper #PWC2025 @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
September 18, 2025 at 6:56 PM
An evening visit to my inland Dorset patch in late sunshine & migrants still passing through, with Redstart & Spotted Flycatcher feeding from fence line, amazing count of 7 Green Sandpiper & 2 Common Sandpiper #PWC2025 @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
It's always a good day when you find a Whinchat! This one, with 2 Stonechat in set-a-side fields on Chard outskirts. #PWC2025 @somersetbirds.bsky.social
September 18, 2025 at 12:41 PM
It's always a good day when you find a Whinchat! This one, with 2 Stonechat in set-a-side fields on Chard outskirts. #PWC2025 @somersetbirds.bsky.social
An off patch visit to Cheddar Res this am, gave very distant views of Red-necked Phalarope, plus 3 Grey Phalarope, 6 Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Ruff, 5 Glossy Ibis, singles of Red-crested Pochard, Black & Common Terns, plus Dunlin & Ringed Plover (dull light, wind & distance= crap photos!) #SomersetBirding
September 17, 2025 at 8:33 PM
An off patch visit to Cheddar Res this am, gave very distant views of Red-necked Phalarope, plus 3 Grey Phalarope, 6 Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Ruff, 5 Glossy Ibis, singles of Red-crested Pochard, Black & Common Terns, plus Dunlin & Ringed Plover (dull light, wind & distance= crap photos!) #SomersetBirding