Robert Phillips
@merlinsleeps.bsky.social
Lover of wild places and wildlife. Often seen at Thorley Wash Nature Reserve (volunteer warden). Barn owl monitoring in the local area. Regular visitor to the Canadian Rockies.
Thorley Advent post day 24. Final post in the series is a compilation of the previous posts, celebrating Thorley Wash Nature Reserve. Merry Christmas.
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December 24, 2024 at 9:10 AM
Thorley Advent post day 24. Final post in the series is a compilation of the previous posts, celebrating Thorley Wash Nature Reserve. Merry Christmas.
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Thorley Advent post day 23. Water voles again, showing the size difference between the adult and young voles. This was a few years ago in early July, so the young vole is likely to be from the first, or possibly second, brood of the year.
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December 23, 2024 at 12:33 PM
Thorley Advent post day 23. Water voles again, showing the size difference between the adult and young voles. This was a few years ago in early July, so the young vole is likely to be from the first, or possibly second, brood of the year.
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Thorley Advent post day 22. Water Buffalo. Part of the management of Thorley Wash includes conservation grazing. For the last two summers, we have brought water buffalo onto the reserve. Here they are in August early in their residency, with plenty still to do!
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December 22, 2024 at 1:53 PM
Thorley Advent post day 22. Water Buffalo. Part of the management of Thorley Wash includes conservation grazing. For the last two summers, we have brought water buffalo onto the reserve. Here they are in August early in their residency, with plenty still to do!
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Thorley Wash Advent post day 21. Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, so a picture with some sunshine from the Spring. A carder bee on a dandelion.
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December 21, 2024 at 12:36 PM
Thorley Wash Advent post day 21. Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, so a picture with some sunshine from the Spring. A carder bee on a dandelion.
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Thorley Wash Advent post day 20. Some of the smaller inhabitants of the reserve: Brassica Shield Bugs in May.
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December 20, 2024 at 2:49 PM
Thorley Wash Advent post day 20. Some of the smaller inhabitants of the reserve: Brassica Shield Bugs in May.
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Thorley Wash Advent post day 19. Little Egrets are regular visitors to the reserve and are most often seen flying up when disturbed from the watercourses. This was taken in March.
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December 19, 2024 at 2:21 PM
Thorley Wash Advent post day 19. Little Egrets are regular visitors to the reserve and are most often seen flying up when disturbed from the watercourses. This was taken in March.
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Thorley Wash Advent post day 18. A September picture, when dragonflies, both hawkers like this and chasers, are particularly numerous at Thorley.
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December 18, 2024 at 1:47 PM
Thorley Wash Advent post day 18. A September picture, when dragonflies, both hawkers like this and chasers, are particularly numerous at Thorley.
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Thorley Wash Advent post day 17. Southern Marsh Orchid, both Southern Marsh Orchid and Early Marsh Orchid are found at Thorley Wash, generally well hidden among the sedge, rush and other vegetation.
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December 17, 2024 at 12:09 PM
Thorley Wash Advent post day 17. Southern Marsh Orchid, both Southern Marsh Orchid and Early Marsh Orchid are found at Thorley Wash, generally well hidden among the sedge, rush and other vegetation.
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Thorley Wash Advent post day 16. Time for another water vole. This is a young vole, probably only a few weeks old. They first venture out of the nest from around 25 days and are noticeably smaller than adults. Next week there will be a video of young and adult together.
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December 16, 2024 at 12:00 PM
Thorley Wash Advent post day 16. Time for another water vole. This is a young vole, probably only a few weeks old. They first venture out of the nest from around 25 days and are noticeably smaller than adults. Next week there will be a video of young and adult together.
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Thorley Wash Advent post 15. More often heard than seen, Water Rails regularly appear all year round on the trail cam footage from the reserve.
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December 15, 2024 at 10:16 AM
Thorley Wash Advent post 15. More often heard than seen, Water Rails regularly appear all year round on the trail cam footage from the reserve.
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Thorley Wash Advent post day 14. We had a male Banded Demoiselle on day 4, this is a female taken on the same day in July this year.
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December 14, 2024 at 12:28 PM
Thorley Wash Advent post day 14. We had a male Banded Demoiselle on day 4, this is a female taken on the same day in July this year.
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Thorley Wash Advent post day 13. Barn owls can often be seen hunting over the reserve in the early morning and evening. This is a favourite clip from a few years ago, particularly for the moment the owl spotted me.
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December 13, 2024 at 12:11 PM
Thorley Wash Advent post day 13. Barn owls can often be seen hunting over the reserve in the early morning and evening. This is a favourite clip from a few years ago, particularly for the moment the owl spotted me.
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Thorley Advent post day 12. The spring and summer months at Thorley Wash reveal a wide range of flowering plants that thrive in the wet grassland habitat. This is a spike of Purple Loosestrife in August, with approaching bee.
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December 12, 2024 at 12:52 PM
Thorley Advent post day 12. The spring and summer months at Thorley Wash reveal a wide range of flowering plants that thrive in the wet grassland habitat. This is a spike of Purple Loosestrife in August, with approaching bee.
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Thorley Wash advent post day 11. One swan a-swimming. The eastern side of the reserve is bounded by the River Stort navigation, home to a variety of waterbirds throughout the year.
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December 11, 2024 at 11:47 AM
Thorley Wash advent post day 11. One swan a-swimming. The eastern side of the reserve is bounded by the River Stort navigation, home to a variety of waterbirds throughout the year.
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Thorley Wash advent post day 10. A bright picture for a gloomy day - a peacock butterfly, which can be seen on the reserve throughout spring and summer. This was in late April, so it will have overwintered prior to mating and egg-laying on the nearby stinging nettles
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December 10, 2024 at 9:40 AM
Thorley Wash advent post day 10. A bright picture for a gloomy day - a peacock butterfly, which can be seen on the reserve throughout spring and summer. This was in late April, so it will have overwintered prior to mating and egg-laying on the nearby stinging nettles
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Thorley Wash advent post day 9. The calm after the storm. Thorley Wash this morning - the Reserve at the end of the rainbow!
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December 9, 2024 at 2:00 PM
Thorley Wash advent post day 9. The calm after the storm. Thorley Wash this morning - the Reserve at the end of the rainbow!
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Thorley Wash advent post day 8. As promised, more of the Thorley water voles. This is part of some video I took a couple of years ago, demonstrating the typical 45 degree angle on the sedge leaf, often left by feeding voles.
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December 8, 2024 at 11:11 AM
Thorley Wash advent post day 8. As promised, more of the Thorley water voles. This is part of some video I took a couple of years ago, demonstrating the typical 45 degree angle on the sedge leaf, often left by feeding voles.
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Thorley Advent post day 7. For a wild and windy day, a picture of the sun rising over Thorley Wash on a calmer late winter/ early spring morning.
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December 7, 2024 at 10:47 AM
Thorley Advent post day 7. For a wild and windy day, a picture of the sun rising over Thorley Wash on a calmer late winter/ early spring morning.
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Thorley Advent post day 6. Bird on a wire.
Kestrels are regular visitors and can often be seen perched on cables or hovering over the reserve.
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Kestrels are regular visitors and can often be seen perched on cables or hovering over the reserve.
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December 6, 2024 at 11:41 AM
Thorley Advent post day 6. Bird on a wire.
Kestrels are regular visitors and can often be seen perched on cables or hovering over the reserve.
#Thorleyadventpost2024_6
Kestrels are regular visitors and can often be seen perched on cables or hovering over the reserve.
#Thorleyadventpost2024_6
Thorley Advent post day 5. Common lizards basking in the sun, with accompanying flies. August at Thorley Wash.
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December 5, 2024 at 7:25 AM
Thorley Advent post day 5. Common lizards basking in the sun, with accompanying flies. August at Thorley Wash.
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Thorley Advent post day 4. A male banded demoiselle on a sedge leaf in July. Damselflies (and dragonflies) are seen across the reserve throughout the spring and summer months; banded demoiselles were particularly prolific this year.
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December 4, 2024 at 11:41 AM
Thorley Advent post day 4. A male banded demoiselle on a sedge leaf in July. Damselflies (and dragonflies) are seen across the reserve throughout the spring and summer months; banded demoiselles were particularly prolific this year.
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Thorley Advent post day 3. Ragged robin was one of the named species on the SSSI citation in 1986. It is still thriving and a lovely sight in the Spring. This is a picture from early April
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December 3, 2024 at 8:22 AM
Thorley Advent post day 3. Ragged robin was one of the named species on the SSSI citation in 1986. It is still thriving and a lovely sight in the Spring. This is a picture from early April
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Day 2 of the Thorley Advent post. Thorley Wash 'a reserve filled with birdsong' . Here is a male blackcap singing from a willow in May, with some shaky camera work.
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December 2, 2024 at 8:56 AM
Day 2 of the Thorley Advent post. Thorley Wash 'a reserve filled with birdsong' . Here is a male blackcap singing from a willow in May, with some shaky camera work.
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@hmwt.bsky.social
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Day 1 of this year's Thorley Advent post is, of course, a water vole. Reintroduced at Thorley Wash in 2015, the water voles have established well and spread along the surrounding waterways. This is a young vole, there may be more in future posts.
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December 1, 2024 at 8:35 AM
Day 1 of this year's Thorley Advent post is, of course, a water vole. Reintroduced at Thorley Wash in 2015, the water voles have established well and spread along the surrounding waterways. This is a young vole, there may be more in future posts.
#thorleyadventpost2024_1 @hmwt.bsky.social
#thorleyadventpost2024_1 @hmwt.bsky.social
Water buffalo at Thorley Wash in July this year.
Preparing for the Thorley Advent post (me not the water buffalo), which I used to do on another platform, but will be on Bluesky this year. Will feature pictures from Thorley Wash. Starting tomorrow (of course).
Preparing for the Thorley Advent post (me not the water buffalo), which I used to do on another platform, but will be on Bluesky this year. Will feature pictures from Thorley Wash. Starting tomorrow (of course).
November 30, 2024 at 11:52 AM
Water buffalo at Thorley Wash in July this year.
Preparing for the Thorley Advent post (me not the water buffalo), which I used to do on another platform, but will be on Bluesky this year. Will feature pictures from Thorley Wash. Starting tomorrow (of course).
Preparing for the Thorley Advent post (me not the water buffalo), which I used to do on another platform, but will be on Bluesky this year. Will feature pictures from Thorley Wash. Starting tomorrow (of course).