Martin Elcoate
banner
melcoate.bsky.social
Martin Elcoate
@melcoate.bsky.social
Volunteer for The Green Runners; low carbon running & birding in Devon, mostly in squares.

Running in Squares - my blog for the OS

https://linktr.ee/MartinElcoate?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=0a99957a-af9c-4481-81d1-6ba562fb06ff
Pinned
Running in squares - I mostly keep my exploration local, whether running, walking or birding (many activities involve all three). Low carbon adventures from the front door.

#Running #Birding #LowCarbonAdventures #Local #ASingleMap #OrdnanceSurvey

getoutside.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/guides/runni...
Running in Squares (OS Map Squares!)
Martin set himself a challenge to run through the 400 1 km squares in a 1:25.000 OS map centered on his home in Topsham, Devon...
getoutside.ordnancesurvey.co.uk
Reposted by Martin Elcoate
The real BBC bias story, narrated by Anna Ford
November 19, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Reposted by Martin Elcoate
Let’s have a look at a crazy Twitter to newspaper pipeline story and debunk as we go! 🔎👍🏼

16th Nov the “Britain is Broken” account shared the following post claiming “Tesco are no longer celebrating Christmas”

With a picture of their “Evergreen” Trees

2.2Million views to date🙄

🧵1/26
November 18, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Reposted by Martin Elcoate
🌍 We took over Southwark station last week, urging city leaders to lead on climate as the C40 World Mayors’ Summit got underway.

We now need to keep up the pressure.

✍️ Write to Mayor Sadiq Khan to stop promoting pollution on London public transport: actionnetwork.org/letters/ba2d...
November 18, 2025 at 11:49 AM
2 Moors Way recce - I ran an unfamiliar section of the route today in glorious sunshine. I joined the path at Bennett’s Cross & ran down to Chagford, looping back via a route of my own making. 19km, 600m elevation.

I made 3 mistakes, which is exactly why I wanted to recce the path.

#Running #Devon
November 17, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Decent day’s #Birding & walking around the Exe Estuary.

Exmouth: 2 Black Redstarts, Cirl Bunting, Firecrest, Whimbrel, 21 GC Grebes

Local wood: Goshawk shot across a trail through the trees. Really close. Monster of a bird!! 😲

Dawlish Warren: 5 Velvet Scoters, my 1st for 3 years. 👍🏻

#DevonBirds
November 16, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Second walk around town of the day and great to find a Great White Egret on Bowling Green Marsh.

More #LowCarbonBirding

#DevonBirds #Birding
November 15, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Red-necked Grebe still on Bowling Green Marsh, Topsham, sticking to the same stretch of water.

#DevonBirds #Birding
November 15, 2025 at 10:56 AM
Hummingbird Hawkmoth flew through my garden this morning, pausing to feed on Ivy. Feels like a late record for this species.

#UKMoths #Moths #DevonMoths
November 15, 2025 at 9:14 AM
Haldon Hill reps - 3 1/3 times up & down the one mile long hill in the drizzle. Each rep faster than the previous one (not by design). Total elevation 500m.

Lots of birds around the feeders near the cafe but really quiet elsewhere along the trail.

#Running #Birding #Devon
November 14, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Red-necked Grebe on Bowling Green Marsh for its third day. Clearly not an early riser. It had a bit of a stretch to show of it’s amazing seaweed like feet.

#DevonBirds #Birding
November 14, 2025 at 8:44 AM
Reposted by Martin Elcoate
Who are The Green Runners?

Thanks to Sports England for featuring our Nottingham local meet up crew in this short film.

Our members share their individual pledges aligned to our four pillars and explain what it means to run green.

#HowWeSpeakOut #Running #ClimateChange

vimeo.com/1111780606/9...
Useful Projects - Sport England - Green Runners - V3 (Subtitles)
This is "Useful Projects - Sport England - Green Runners - V3 (Subtitles)" by Pictures for the People on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the…
vimeo.com
November 13, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Lunchtime run - out for a 10km run from home.

As I ran I looked for birds along Ludwell Valley and saw 3 Green Sandpipers, 2 Grey Wagtails and a Dipper.

Love seeing these birds in such an incongruous place.

#DevonBirds #Birding #Running
November 13, 2025 at 3:35 PM
The Red-necked Grebe was still on Bowling Green Marsh this morning.

Not great conditions to get an image but better than yesterday (plus I had my scope with me).

No problem identifying it today 👍🏻

#DevonBirds #Birding
November 13, 2025 at 1:40 PM
1/2 I popped into the Bowling Green Marsh this morning for a quick scan thru’ the ducks. I noticed a distant grebe hugging the far reeds. Trouble is, I only had bins.

After a lot of squinting, I was fairly sure it was a Red-necked Grebe but couldn’t be 💯%. Damn!

#DevonBirds #Birding
November 12, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Spotted Redshank on Bowling Green Marsh this morning (along with another Spot Red, Ruff and lots of other waders).

#DevonBirds #Birding
November 10, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Thought I’d have a nose around Dawlish Warren for a couple of hours this afternoon. No stripey warblers sadly but plenty of Goldcrests & Chiffs to keep my hopes up.

Best of the birds: Dartford Warbler, Barnacle Goose (my 1st this year), 12 Common Scoter & a great Great Northern Diver.
November 10, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Reposted by Martin Elcoate
We stand with @badvertising.bsky.social and want to see an end to high carbon polluting advertising.

We campaign against #SportsWashing and love this campaign to put an end to high carbon polluting advertising on the TfL sites.

#HowWeSpeakOut

actionnetwork.org/letters/time...
November 10, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Reposted by Martin Elcoate
This autumn, 8 of the UK’s leading climate change experts will brief an invite-only audience of politicians & leaders.

Check to see if your MP has responded to the invitation. If they’ve not responded then this website makes it easy to give them a nudge.

#HowWeSpeakOut

www.nebriefing.org
National Emergency Briefing on climate & nature
An unfiltered assessment of the latest threats to UK food supply, health and national security from eight leading experts to an invitation-only audience - also covering positive solutions. Westminster...
www.nebriefing.org
November 10, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Reposted by Martin Elcoate
In 2013, my wife and I travelled 9,000 miles from south-west England to Kyoto in Japan - by train. With three young children in tow. This is the story ... (free on Patreon)
The long way round: a 9,000-mile family train ride to Japan | Adharanand Finn
Get more from Adharanand Finn on Patreon
www.patreon.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:06 PM
Reposted by Martin Elcoate
Great to see our badges out in the wild.
Salt Settlers Six - a simple game of how many 4.5km laps around the Otter Estuary can you run in 6 hours?

12 laps / 52km for me.

Beautiful day for a run, even if it was a bit of a grind towards the end.

Thanks to the other runners for their company & Climb South West for a top event.

#Running
November 9, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Mistle Thrush over the garden today was my first here since 11 January. 2025 has been a v poor year for Mistle Thrushes around Topsham.
November 9, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Recovery walk around Topsham this morning. Surprised to find a Garganey on Bowling Green Marsh. Also 2 Spotted Redshanks and a Ruff.

#DevonBirds #Birding
November 9, 2025 at 10:21 AM
Salt Settlers Six - a simple game of how many 4.5km laps around the Otter Estuary can you run in 6 hours?

12 laps / 52km for me.

Beautiful day for a run, even if it was a bit of a grind towards the end.

Thanks to the other runners for their company & Climb South West for a top event.

#Running
November 8, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Hey. 35 years ago I saw the Pixies at Exeter Great Hall. Next year I finally get to see them again, this time in Cornwall at the Eden Project. It’s going to be Gigantic!
November 8, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Breakfast birding - A Brambling called from overhead as I had my breakfast outside today. My first from home since 2020!
November 7, 2025 at 6:45 PM