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kentfieldclub.bsky.social
Kent Field Club
@kentfieldclub.bsky.social
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Kent Field Club, founded in 1955, aims to study, record, and deepen the understanding and appreciation of the natural history of Kent, UK. Find more, see our publications, and/or join us here https://www.kentfieldclub.org.uk/
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kentfieldclub.bsky.social
A special online event 7 – 8:30pm on 4th December will take a journey thru Bumblebee Cons Trust projects in SE England: Buzzing in the East End; Kent Plan Bee; Short-haired Bumblebee project & Bee Connected; Moss Carder Project; & a peek at upcoming projects!
On zoom: us02web.zoom.us/j/8656875046...
Short-haired Bumblebee on White Dead-nettle
November 28, 2025 at 4:47 PM
kentfieldclub.bsky.social
Some #fungi from the recent Kent Field Club meeting at Kilndown Park, near Scotney in the High Weald National Landscape. Names & credits in alt text. English names from the excellent list on the @britmycolsoc.org.uk website - Umbilicate Hedgehog both descriptive and euphonious. #KentNature
Arrhenia rickenii (Moss Navel), photographed by Mario Tortelli. Gliophorus irrigatus (Honey Waxcap), photographed by Bob Harrop. Hygrocybe reidii (Honey Waxcap), photographed by David Newman. Hydnum umbilicatum (Umbilicate Hedgehog), photographed by Bob Harrop.
November 23, 2025 at 11:25 AM
kentfieldclub.bsky.social
Rounding off our conference - the wonderful @trevorthebotanist.bsky.social on urban flora - the subject of his latest book. #KentNature #urbanflora #urbanplants #botany @bsbibotany.bsky.social
Trevor Dines with a slide on the urban heat island effect, featuring Avocado a Passionflower.
October 25, 2025 at 2:58 PM
kentfieldclub.bsky.social
Now into our afternoon session at the Kent Wildlife Conference. Alan Frith & Karen Thorpe of Maidstone BC on urban Maidstone's stunning Mote Park; and Ben Morris of @beavertrust.bsky.social on Kent's wild beavers, both urban & rural. #KentNature #Maidstone #MotePark #beavers
Alan Frith and Karen Thorpe talking on Mote Park in Maidstone. The slide shows some of the habitats in this large, diverse, urban park. Ben Morris with a slide on challenges posed by Canterbury s town-centre beavers
October 25, 2025 at 2:11 PM
kentfieldclub.bsky.social
2nd session of the Kent Wildlife Conference, covering the coast and sea. Tony Child of Thanet Coast Project covered monitoring & management of the very urban Thanet seashore. Emma & Jon from Cement Fields spoke on an innovative project for people and marine wildlife. #KentNature #marine #intertidal
Tony Child of Thanet Coast Project shows a chart of incidents reported by volunteer coastal wardens. Jon and Emma from Cement Fields. The slide shows their environmentally-friendly copies of dumped tyres that form mini-rockpools in the intertidal.
October 25, 2025 at 11:39 AM
kentfieldclub.bsky.social
Brilliant first session at today's Kent Wildlife Conference, with @ianbeavis.bsky.social talking Tunbridge Wells' urban hymenoptera, Scarlett Weston of @bumblebeetrust.bsky.social on urban bumblebees, and EA's Josh Hammond on citizen science in water quality monitoring in Kent. #KentNature
Ian Beavis speaking to a packed room at the conference. Scarlett speaking about the Buzzing in the East End project. The slide is headed 'Community and Collaboration'. Josh Hammond speaking on river monitoring by citizen scientists. The slide shows a graph and is headed 'Building Environmental Trends'
October 25, 2025 at 10:52 AM
kentfieldclub.bsky.social
Some photos, courtesy of Alfie Gay, from a recent Kent Field Club meeting. 109 species of fungi recorded, including Cortinarius terpsichores, which has just 7 records on the NBN atlas. We are very lucky to have Cortinarius expert Mario Tortelli as a Field Club member! #KentNature #Fungi
Kent Field Club's members and fellow mycologists (plus dog) in autumn woodland on the field meeting. Cortinarius terpsichores. Expanded purple cap seen from above on the right. A less mature specimen seen from the side on the left of the image. Red caps of Russula rubra, seen from above. To the left, a detached cap is seen from beneath.
October 22, 2025 at 4:54 PM
kentfieldclub.bsky.social
Last chance to book for the Kent Wildlife Conference on 25 October. tinyurl.com/kentwildconf
Poster reading: Kent Wildlife Conference 2025 - Citizen Science and Urban Biodiversity Saturday 25th October, 10am to 4pm Darwin Conference Suite, Darwin College, University of Kent Ten Speakers Buffet lunch Refreshments All for just £22 per person or £15 for students For full details and to book, go to https://tinyurl.com/kentwildconf Organised by Kent Field Club - the Natural History Society of Kent and Kent & Medway Biological Records Centre
October 13, 2025 at 9:20 AM
kentfieldclub.bsky.social
Courtesy of @kentwildlife.bsky.social, we were able to visit the shingle spit & saltmarsh at Castle Foote on the N Kent coast today. Highlights included the scarce Small Cord-grass Spartina maritime, & four Glasswort species. #saltmarsh @bsbibotany.bsky.social
Spartan maritima - smaller and more slender than Spartina anglica. Portraits of four Glassworts. Left: Salicornia europaea. Top centre: Salicornia fragilis. Bottom centre: Salicornia dolichostachya. Right: Salicornia ramosissima.
September 28, 2025 at 7:46 PM
kentfieldclub.bsky.social
A great morning on today's field meeting at Grain Coastal Park. Dwarf Eelgrass was a highlight of the intertidal. Sea-slaters Ligia oceanica & the shell of a Sea-potato (the sea urchin Echinocardium cordatum) were among other records. #KentNature #marinelife #intertidal #seagrass
Three people on a muddy shoreline. The middle person is bending over to examine something near his feet. Fine green stems and leaves of Dwarf Eelgrass. A woodlouse-like Sea-slater amongst pebbles and seashells. The white, heart-shaped shell of a sea urchin, held in a hand.
September 14, 2025 at 5:42 PM
kentfieldclub.bsky.social
Last weekend's field meeting was at No Man's Orchard (chartham-pc.gov.uk/no-mans-orch...), a community orchard near Canterbury. Lots of Common Darter dragonflies, and other insects including a Vernal Shieldbug. Plus excellent apple cake, courtesy of one of the orchard volunteer managers! #kentnature
A view of an orchard, surrounded by woodland. A dragonfly with an orange abdomen, sitting on a log. A brownish shieldbug, seen in semi-side view, with its head upper right. The pronotum has a narrow white margin.
September 9, 2025 at 8:59 AM
kentfieldclub.bsky.social
You mustn't miss this year's Kent Wildlife Conference! Speakers include @trevorthebotanist.bsky.social, @ianbeavis.bsky.social, Scarlett from @bumblebeetrust.bsky.social, Ben from @beavertrust.bsky.social and many more! For full details & to book now, go to tinyurl.com/kentwildconf.
#kentnature
A poster reading "Kent Wildlife Conference 2025 - Citizen Science and Urban Biodiversity. Saturday 25th October, 10am to 4pm. Darwin Conference Suite, Darwin College, University of Kent Ten speakers, Buffet lunch, Refreshments All for just £22 per person or £15 for students For full details and to book, go to https://tinyurl.com/kentwildconf Organised by Kent Field Club - the Natural History Society of Kent and Kent & Medway Biological Records Centre
September 7, 2025 at 1:25 PM
kentfieldclub.bsky.social
Our field meeting yesterday was at Temple Marsh, an old, former landfill on the bank of the River Medway at Strood. It is surrounded by housing and industry, but turned up some uncommon species, inc. Marsh-mallow, Strawberry Clover & Red Bartsia Bee. #Medway #Strood #Urbannature #bees #KentNature
A view along the tidal River Medway at Strood. The river to the left, the grassy sea-wall front and centre, scrub to the right. Close to the centre is a small group of Kent Field Club members examining specimens. In the background is the new Temple Woods housing development. Marsh-marlow, with broad, grey-green leaves and a single pink flower, against a background of grassy vegetation. Pink flowering and fruiting heads of Strawberry Clover, seen from above amongst short, grassy vegetation. A small bee seen from one side as it sits in the white plastic lid of a glass specimen tube. It has a large mass of pale yellow pollen on its hind leg.
August 24, 2025 at 4:24 PM
kentfieldclub.bsky.social
Yesterday's field meeting was on the edge of urban Ashford, looking at land set aside to mitigate/compensate for loss of habitat to development. Much ruderal vegetation - some presumably planted (like Corn Marigold), some not. More in alt text. #KentNature
Field Club members investigating a ponds, presumably created to intercept run-off and reduce flood-risk. Several dragonfly and damselfly species were recorded. Bright yellow flowers of Corn Marigold stand out. This suggests use of a wildflower seed-mix at some point in the area's establishment. Hen-bit Dead-nettle, in the foreground with pink flowers, is not altogether common. Here, it is probably self-sown and taking advantage of the bare ground. The blue-flowered Apple-of-Peru, a member of the Nightshade Family which turns up as a contaminant in bird seed - as does the Amaranth, barely visible as green-on-green to the right.
August 18, 2025 at 12:40 PM
kentfieldclub.bsky.social
Our Mote Park #Bioblitz in #Maidstone is over. Now there are specimens to ID and records to enter on iRecord. A few last pics - Box Bug, 18-spot Ladybird & female Banded Demoiselle Damselfly.

#KentNature
A large, brown bug with long antennae and pointed 'shoulders to the pronotum. A metallic green damselfy with dark wings, against a background of grass. A medium-sized ladybird with creamy-white spots on an orange background.
August 9, 2025 at 5:01 PM
kentfieldclub.bsky.social
Over 230 species so far on our Mote Park #BioBlitz ...

#KentNature
Info at the Mote Park Learning Centre Willow Emerald Damselfly on oak leaves. A view of grassland and scrub - the wilder side of the park.
August 9, 2025 at 11:52 AM
kentfieldclub.bsky.social
Darkness falling at the start of our #BioBlitz at Maidstone's Mote Park. Noctule & Tawny Owl amongst the species recorded so far ...
#KentNature #Maidstone
Dark trees against a darkening blue sky. Standing and fallen dead wood shows paler.
August 8, 2025 at 9:49 PM
kentfieldclub.bsky.social
A wet day for our field meeting last Saturday, but several members braved the weather. Amongst the species recorded was this Horseshoe Ladybird Clitostethus arcuatus, found and photographed by @sejarnold.bsky.social. #beetles #coleoptera #ladybirds #microladybird
A tiny, oval beetle on a leaf. The beetle has brown elytra with a darker, horseshoe-shaped mark at the centre.
July 21, 2025 at 10:39 AM
kentfieldclub.bsky.social
Grant Hazlehurst and @kentgrasshoppers.bsky.social from Kent Field Club joined the North Kent Woods & Downs NNR BioBlitz (as seen on ITV News!) on Thursday. The star find was by Grant - several Maidstone Mining Bees (Andrena polita) at a brand new site near Luddesdown ... (1/2)
A medium-sized bee, with brown hair on the face, thorax, legs and the tip of the abdomen. Standing on bare soil. This photo from Trosley Country Park in 2021, copyright Grant Hazlehurst.
July 19, 2025 at 11:41 AM
kentfieldclub.bsky.social
A very hot field meeting yesterday at Lee's Pit in Upper Halling, a site not normally open to visitors. Scarce or threatened spp. inc. Dingy Skippers (out in force), Scarab Shieldbug, Rufous Grasshopper, Five-Banded Weevil Wasp and Basil Thyme. #KentNature #KentBotany
A view of an old chalk quarry. In the foreground is very short, open grassland. Further back is scrub and trees. On the right, the whiteface of a chalk cliff can be seen. A group of people can just be made out, sitting in a small patch of shade. Dingy Skipper. A patterned, brown butterfly patching on a Dogwood stem. Basil Thyme. Uprigjt stems bear small leaves and blue-purple, two-lipped flowers. In the background is a partially vegetated, white chalk cliff-face.
July 12, 2025 at 11:17 AM
kentfieldclub.bsky.social
Booking now open for this year's Kent Wildlife Conference, Sat 25 Oct! Speakers including @trevorthebotanist.bsky.social, @ianbeavis.bsky.social, Ben Morris of @beavertrust.bsky.social, Scarlett Weston of @bumblebeetrust.bsky.social.

For full details and booking: tinyurl.run/RAlnG9. Please share!
A speaker in a lecture room. Projected on a screen beside the speaker is a slide showing images relating to an invertebrate survey.
June 18, 2025 at 3:38 PM
kentfieldclub.bsky.social
Great field meeting at Borden Nature Reserve near #Sittingbourne today. @spg73.bsky.social has mentioned some species we recorded. Others included the Common Green Colonel soldier-fly, and, just as we were about to leave, Fiery Clearwing moth & eggs! #Kentnature #TeamMoth #KentMoths
Two members of Kent Field Club crouched down to examine plants in grassy vegetation surrounded by scrub. Common Green Colonel Oplodontha viridula. A fly with a bronze sheen to its head and thorax, and an abdomen which is bright green with a broad, central black mark. A small black oval on a red stem. A very close-up view of an egg of the Fiery Clearwing moth on Curled Dock.
June 14, 2025 at 4:13 PM
kentfieldclub.bsky.social
We've been at #BedgeburyPinetum today, helping with their Centenary #Bioblitz. Interesting chats with visitors & some interesting records - including Palmate Newt, Long-horned Bee, & those shown (names in alt text). #KentNature #HighWeald #bees #wildflowers #moths
Andrena humilis, Cat's-ear Mining Bee. Pale Sedge Carex pallescens. Common Heath moth.
May 29, 2025 at 5:40 PM
kentfieldclub.bsky.social
Despite the dull weather, a great field meeting today at Tunbridge Wells Common, led by @ianbeavis.bsky.social. An urban site with acid grassland, healthy areas, woodland and water. #KentNature #acidgrassland #urbannature#urbannature #urbanwildlife
A view of the common near the cricket pitch. Heath Bedstraw with white flowers in the foreground. A sandstone rock exposure in the background. A Victorian pond on the edge of the common. Houses and cars behind the pond indicate the urban nature of the site. Alabonia geofrella, a small moth with pale, wedge-shaped markings, and electric-blue lines on its orangey-brown wings. It is sitting on the tip of a leaf.
May 24, 2025 at 3:17 PM
kentfieldclub.bsky.social
On Saturday, we met at Monkton Nature Reserve monkton-reserve.org. Despite the very hot, dry weather, there were 100s of Man Orchids starting to flower, and insect records included Hazel Leaf-roller Beetle (on Alder!), Slender Groundhopper & more. #Thanet #brownfield #insects
A group of people on a path through low, grassy vegetation, with a white chalk cliff in the background. A group of three flowering stems of Man Orchid, amongst very short, open vegetation. An Alder leaf which has been almost severed about halfway along its length. The apical half has been rolled into a slender, dangling cone. A pale brown, slender orthopteran is barely visible against a piece of wood.
May 13, 2025 at 9:55 AM