John Moore
@oldmutter.bsky.social
Nature-friendly farmer in the Welsh Marches, flute player, wild camper, rock climber, ecologist. Boomer (just!). Riding a Mutt Mongrel 250. PhD The ecology and re-introduction of the Chequered Skipper butterfly in England (2004). Still coviding.
Also see likely future response to Long Covid.
October 8, 2025 at 6:44 AM
Also see likely future response to Long Covid.
You do know we pay taxes for this, yes? That's why it's free at the point of delivery. It is not a government handout. It's socialised healthcare - we all pay in collectively, we access healthcare as needed. That's the theory anyway.
October 7, 2025 at 4:55 PM
You do know we pay taxes for this, yes? That's why it's free at the point of delivery. It is not a government handout. It's socialised healthcare - we all pay in collectively, we access healthcare as needed. That's the theory anyway.
Yeah, because we're absolutely all the fucking same, aren't we? So, if I was born 6 months later none of the current shit show would be my fault in any way.
September 18, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Yeah, because we're absolutely all the fucking same, aren't we? So, if I was born 6 months later none of the current shit show would be my fault in any way.
They are very chickeny - in texture at least. I needed a ladder and climbing for collection though.
August 31, 2025 at 7:01 PM
They are very chickeny - in texture at least. I needed a ladder and climbing for collection though.
Beards were obligatory for (male) ecologists back then.
August 31, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Beards were obligatory for (male) ecologists back then.
Yeah, never should have been released. Wrong sub-species, wrong site, unknown origin and genetics and unknown health status. Oh, and illegal and not part of any known re-introduction plan/strategy. I've had enough of this argument on FB though.
August 28, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Yeah, never should have been released. Wrong sub-species, wrong site, unknown origin and genetics and unknown health status. Oh, and illegal and not part of any known re-introduction plan/strategy. I've had enough of this argument on FB though.
A few years back in NE Lincs we found a few Swallowtail larvae on my Dad's garden carrots. He kept them through to pupation but all were parasitised. Almost certainly released gorganus. People often do inappropriate releases of their captive bred stock. See also Large Copper in Dudley.
August 25, 2025 at 10:43 AM
A few years back in NE Lincs we found a few Swallowtail larvae on my Dad's garden carrots. He kept them through to pupation but all were parasitised. Almost certainly released gorganus. People often do inappropriate releases of their captive bred stock. See also Large Copper in Dudley.
Someone has been releasing European Large Copper butterflies (ssp rutilus) on a Dudley reserve. Should we see this as appropriate assisted colonisation despite being unlawful and against current/past LC re-introduction policy which focused unsuccesfuly on the most similar ssp to our exticnt one.
August 23, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Someone has been releasing European Large Copper butterflies (ssp rutilus) on a Dudley reserve. Should we see this as appropriate assisted colonisation despite being unlawful and against current/past LC re-introduction policy which focused unsuccesfuly on the most similar ssp to our exticnt one.
I'm all for Stewardship funding and benefited from it myself for 20 years. But honestly, "forced to destroy" all that has been created/improved. What percentage of the farm are we talking about here? Will farmers do nothing unless they are paid for it?
August 17, 2025 at 4:39 PM
I'm all for Stewardship funding and benefited from it myself for 20 years. But honestly, "forced to destroy" all that has been created/improved. What percentage of the farm are we talking about here? Will farmers do nothing unless they are paid for it?
Ah, OK. I see your map now.
August 17, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Ah, OK. I see your map now.
Yes I can see that. It's the SW - NE line of CG fragments through central Dorset shown as present in 1980 I'm asking about.
August 17, 2025 at 8:59 AM
Yes I can see that. It's the SW - NE line of CG fragments through central Dorset shown as present in 1980 I'm asking about.
How so? It was already gone or it's still there?
August 17, 2025 at 8:53 AM
How so? It was already gone or it's still there?
That loss of CG in central Dorset since 1980 is an eye-opener in the era of concern and protection, and given we were talking about +/-95% loss by the mid 80s. Is it agricultural intensification or abandonment?
August 17, 2025 at 8:44 AM
That loss of CG in central Dorset since 1980 is an eye-opener in the era of concern and protection, and given we were talking about +/-95% loss by the mid 80s. Is it agricultural intensification or abandonment?
Too long ago for me to want to think about.
August 15, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Too long ago for me to want to think about.
Given the collective knicker-wetting over some released Large Copper in Dudley, you never know your "luck" these days.
August 10, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Given the collective knicker-wetting over some released Large Copper in Dudley, you never know your "luck" these days.
Skippers are definitely the best!
August 9, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Skippers are definitely the best!
Had my first Chicken of the Woods a few days ago. An actual fungal chicken living in a tree. Very tasty and so chickeny.
August 8, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Had my first Chicken of the Woods a few days ago. An actual fungal chicken living in a tree. Very tasty and so chickeny.
Years ago I spent a fair amount of time cutting sea buckthorn there whilst living just up the road.
August 3, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Years ago I spent a fair amount of time cutting sea buckthorn there whilst living just up the road.
On dale-side species-rich grassland?
July 31, 2025 at 7:36 PM
On dale-side species-rich grassland?