Stephen Barlow
@steb77.bsky.social
Naturalist, environmentalist, climate activist, nature photographer, very woke and proud of it.
Grok tried to falsely claim the BEIC wasn't capitalist, but mercantile. However, most historians disagree, and even Google's AI says it was capitalist. This is another example of circular logic, using a modern definition of capitalism, to falsely explain its ideological, and historic roots.
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November 2, 2025 at 2:31 AM
Grok tried to falsely claim the BEIC wasn't capitalist, but mercantile. However, most historians disagree, and even Google's AI says it was capitalist. This is another example of circular logic, using a modern definition of capitalism, to falsely explain its ideological, and historic roots.
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I think you are in denial. Posts on Bluesky are seen by very few people. I was still getting over 1/2 million views on a single post in August. What is the good of preaching to the converted, people who already agree with you?
October 8, 2025 at 3:27 PM
I think you are in denial. Posts on Bluesky are seen by very few people. I was still getting over 1/2 million views on a single post in August. What is the good of preaching to the converted, people who already agree with you?
From Whixall Moss yesterday. It was very quiet with not much around. A 16 shot focus stack of a Brimstone butterfly, a crop from it to show the detail, a Sparrowhawk on a post, and a record shot of a lone Swallow very high up.
September 29, 2025 at 6:41 PM
From Whixall Moss yesterday. It was very quiet with not much around. A 16 shot focus stack of a Brimstone butterfly, a crop from it to show the detail, a Sparrowhawk on a post, and a record shot of a lone Swallow very high up.
This is part of other very strange behaviour. Up until just a few weeks ago, I was getting a huge amount of views and likes on my threads. But all of a sudden, even after they have been up over half an hour, I get no interactions at all.
Here's screengrab, of a random thread I wrote last month.
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Here's screengrab, of a random thread I wrote last month.
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September 27, 2025 at 11:49 PM
This is part of other very strange behaviour. Up until just a few weeks ago, I was getting a huge amount of views and likes on my threads. But all of a sudden, even after they have been up over half an hour, I get no interactions at all.
Here's screengrab, of a random thread I wrote last month.
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Here's screengrab, of a random thread I wrote last month.
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A Barn Owl from this evening. Only a record shot.
September 19, 2025 at 9:51 PM
A Barn Owl from this evening. Only a record shot.
Red Admiral and Peacock, Fenns Moss NNR, this afternoon.
July 16, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Red Admiral and Peacock, Fenns Moss NNR, this afternoon.
This gives an idea of the size of the cabinet, showing it before the stone was placed in the cabinet. Also, a close-up of the caption.
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June 28, 2025 at 7:08 PM
This gives an idea of the size of the cabinet, showing it before the stone was placed in the cabinet. Also, a close-up of the caption.
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I dropped in at Shrewsbury Museum today, to see if they'd placed the Whixall Stone, in the cabinet made for it, where my sunset photograph is the backdrop - they had. Previously, the stone had been in another exhibition.
the-past.com/feature/foun...
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June 28, 2025 at 7:08 PM
I dropped in at Shrewsbury Museum today, to see if they'd placed the Whixall Stone, in the cabinet made for it, where my sunset photograph is the backdrop - they had. Previously, the stone had been in another exhibition.
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Chilling with Darwin today
June 28, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Chilling with Darwin today
Another experimental Silver-studded Blue Butterfly photo, from Prees Heath Common Reserve @savebutterflies.bsky.social
This one is a 10 shot focus stack, handheld, natural light.
This one is a 10 shot focus stack, handheld, natural light.
June 19, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Another experimental Silver-studded Blue Butterfly photo, from Prees Heath Common Reserve @savebutterflies.bsky.social
This one is a 10 shot focus stack, handheld, natural light.
This one is a 10 shot focus stack, handheld, natural light.
Some experimental wide-angle macro photographs of Silver-studded Blue Butterflies on Prees Heath Common Reserve @savebutterflies.bsky.social this evening.
Experimenting with fill-in flash set up, and the just generally scoping out how to do it.
Experimenting with fill-in flash set up, and the just generally scoping out how to do it.
June 10, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Some experimental wide-angle macro photographs of Silver-studded Blue Butterflies on Prees Heath Common Reserve @savebutterflies.bsky.social this evening.
Experimenting with fill-in flash set up, and the just generally scoping out how to do it.
Experimenting with fill-in flash set up, and the just generally scoping out how to do it.
I think I forgot to post these here the other day. One of 2 families of Stonechats and their fledglings, on Prees Heath Common reserve.
June 6, 2025 at 11:22 AM
I think I forgot to post these here the other day. One of 2 families of Stonechats and their fledglings, on Prees Heath Common reserve.
A pair of Silver-studded Blue butterflies, on Prees Heath Common reserve @savebutterflies.bsky.social
June 2, 2025 at 8:01 PM
A pair of Silver-studded Blue butterflies, on Prees Heath Common reserve @savebutterflies.bsky.social
My first Silver-studded Blue Butterflies of the year on @savebutterflies.bsky.social's Prees Heath Common reserve this morning. It was a bit blustery so a challenge getting the photos.
June 1, 2025 at 10:55 AM
My first Silver-studded Blue Butterflies of the year on @savebutterflies.bsky.social's Prees Heath Common reserve this morning. It was a bit blustery so a challenge getting the photos.
I've been finding quite a few Hairy Dragonflies at Marbury Big Big Mere in south west Cheshire. Also a Broad-bodied Chaser, and male Beautiful Demoiselle (there was a female, but one of the Hairy Dragonflies caught it and ate it).
May 14, 2025 at 1:22 PM
I've been finding quite a few Hairy Dragonflies at Marbury Big Big Mere in south west Cheshire. Also a Broad-bodied Chaser, and male Beautiful Demoiselle (there was a female, but one of the Hairy Dragonflies caught it and ate it).
Common Clubtail dragonfly (Gomphus vulgatissimus), emerging, on the River Severn in Shrewsbury. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social
May 6, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Common Clubtail dragonfly (Gomphus vulgatissimus), emerging, on the River Severn in Shrewsbury. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social
An emerging White-faced Darter dragonfly, on Whixall Moss NNR. This is at the stage, where they have pulled themselves mostly out of the nymphal case, but not completely. There's a damselfly emergence in the background. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social @royentsoc.bsky.social
May 4, 2025 at 12:47 PM
An emerging White-faced Darter dragonfly, on Whixall Moss NNR. This is at the stage, where they have pulled themselves mostly out of the nymphal case, but not completely. There's a damselfly emergence in the background. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social @royentsoc.bsky.social
A Cuckoo, getting beaten up by a Meadow Pipit, on Whixall Moss NNR today. Huge crops at distance. Just had to grab the camera, point and shoot. No time to change the settings
May 2, 2025 at 8:14 PM
A Cuckoo, getting beaten up by a Meadow Pipit, on Whixall Moss NNR today. Huge crops at distance. Just had to grab the camera, point and shoot. No time to change the settings
Sterrhopterix fusca, larva, on Whixall Moss NNR. Quite a rare moth, but not on the Moss. Natural light, handheld (I didn't have a flash with me). @gmtord.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social
westmidlandsmoths.co.uk/micros.php?b... pic.x.com/WNG1vATBne
westmidlandsmoths.co.uk/micros.php?b... pic.x.com/WNG1vATBne
May 2, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Sterrhopterix fusca, larva, on Whixall Moss NNR. Quite a rare moth, but not on the Moss. Natural light, handheld (I didn't have a flash with me). @gmtord.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social
westmidlandsmoths.co.uk/micros.php?b... pic.x.com/WNG1vATBne
westmidlandsmoths.co.uk/micros.php?b... pic.x.com/WNG1vATBne
First White-faced Darter dragonflies (Leucorrhinia dubia), today, 24 April, from Fenns and Whixall Moss NNR. The emerging one was from the Whixall side, and the teneral male, on the Fenns, Welsh side. bsky.app/profile/brit...
April 24, 2025 at 10:37 PM
First White-faced Darter dragonflies (Leucorrhinia dubia), today, 24 April, from Fenns and Whixall Moss NNR. The emerging one was from the Whixall side, and the teneral male, on the Fenns, Welsh side. bsky.app/profile/brit...
Another Raft Spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) focus stack, from Whixall Moss. This is a 56 shot focus stack, handheld, with natural light. I've added a crop from the image to show the detail.
April 17, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Another Raft Spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) focus stack, from Whixall Moss. This is a 56 shot focus stack, handheld, with natural light. I've added a crop from the image to show the detail.
Also on Whixall Moss today. Round-leaved Sundew emerging. Bog Rosemary in flower. And a Large Red Damselfly.
April 13, 2025 at 1:06 AM
Also on Whixall Moss today. Round-leaved Sundew emerging. Bog Rosemary in flower. And a Large Red Damselfly.
My first Raft Spider photo of the year. This is a 19 shot, natural light focus stack. On Whixall Moss.
April 13, 2025 at 1:03 AM
My first Raft Spider photo of the year. This is a 19 shot, natural light focus stack. On Whixall Moss.
Yesterday, I got my earliest ever Large Red Damselfly on Whixall Moss, by almost a week. Plus my first Green Hairstreak butterfly, quite a lot of Green Tiger beetles, plus Emperor Moths.
April 6, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Yesterday, I got my earliest ever Large Red Damselfly on Whixall Moss, by almost a week. Plus my first Green Hairstreak butterfly, quite a lot of Green Tiger beetles, plus Emperor Moths.
I was trying to capture some Great-crested Grebes displaying. However, all they were doing, was preening.
March 26, 2025 at 2:21 PM
I was trying to capture some Great-crested Grebes displaying. However, all they were doing, was preening.