Steve Preddy
@stevepreddy.bsky.social
Pastry-loving, nature-bothering, dragonfly-record-vetting, travel-addicted, R3-riding, Supreme Court case-winning lefty social media echo chamber inhabitant. 🏳️🌈
A Purple Sandpiper this afternoon at Peterstone Pill with a Dunlin flock then flew southwest (also the female Scaup still). #gwentbirds
November 16, 2025 at 7:43 PM
A Purple Sandpiper this afternoon at Peterstone Pill with a Dunlin flock then flew southwest (also the female Scaup still). #gwentbirds
Hi @churchartnature.bsky.social feel free to DM me here, I’m not using X any more.
November 11, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Hi @churchartnature.bsky.social feel free to DM me here, I’m not using X any more.
Reposted by Steve Preddy
Breaking News!
Code UFB!!!
The three-year running mean for the global surface temperature anomaly now exceeds 1.50°C over the pre-industrial baseline, as of November 8, 2025.
Are you there, COP 30? It's me, the Paris Agreement.
Code UFB!!!
The three-year running mean for the global surface temperature anomaly now exceeds 1.50°C over the pre-industrial baseline, as of November 8, 2025.
Are you there, COP 30? It's me, the Paris Agreement.
November 10, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Breaking News!
Code UFB!!!
The three-year running mean for the global surface temperature anomaly now exceeds 1.50°C over the pre-industrial baseline, as of November 8, 2025.
Are you there, COP 30? It's me, the Paris Agreement.
Code UFB!!!
The three-year running mean for the global surface temperature anomaly now exceeds 1.50°C over the pre-industrial baseline, as of November 8, 2025.
Are you there, COP 30? It's me, the Paris Agreement.
Reposted by Steve Preddy
Desperately seeking three French hens and a partridge in a pear tree to join these two Oriental Turtle Doves. Yes, it was back to the drawing board overnight and a retrospective ID on one of the 'turtle' doves we'd already retrospectively identified yesterday. A thread...
November 2, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Desperately seeking three French hens and a partridge in a pear tree to join these two Oriental Turtle Doves. Yes, it was back to the drawing board overnight and a retrospective ID on one of the 'turtle' doves we'd already retrospectively identified yesterday. A thread...
I thought it worth copying (with a few small edits) my short thread here from 2021 from the platform which shall not be named, on why there are perfectly valid grammar-based reasons for supporting Graeme’s view on this. 1/8
You can always send them to my blog here and my campaign analternativenaturalhistoryofsussex.blogspot.com/2021/08/why-...
Why English names of species should ALWAYS be capitalised
So this has been a pet hate of mine for years. And after a rant on Twitter recently, I thought it was best to put all my thoughts down on th...
analternativenaturalhistoryofsussex.blogspot.com
October 31, 2025 at 5:49 PM
I thought it worth copying (with a few small edits) my short thread here from 2021 from the platform which shall not be named, on why there are perfectly valid grammar-based reasons for supporting Graeme’s view on this. 1/8
Reposted by Steve Preddy
If you're a National Trust member, it's that time of year again: Midnight tonight is the deadline. It's a shame people have to keep doing this to keep a toehold on historical truth in this country, but here we are. Voting link: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/who-we-are/a...
![[Scene is the entrance cabin to a NATIONAL TRUST PROPERTY AND GARDENS]
1
NATIONAL TRUST EMPLOYEE [inside cabin]:
Hello there
2
[A young family - two parents two kids - have arrived at the front desk].
DAD:
Hi - do you have an activity trail, for the kids?
3
NT EMPLOYEE:
Of course – you’re just in time for the Autumn Gammon Trail!
4
MUM:
That sounds fun, doesn’t it kids?
5
NT EMPLOYEE [handing an activity sheet and pencils to the kids]:
Every autumn, the Reform Trust gammons flock back to the National Trust for the AGM. Just follow the trail round the grounds, and see how many you can spot!
6
NT EMPLOYEE [hearing something in the gardens]:
Listen - that's their call
[Calls emanating from the landscape]:
tut-tut
woke-woke
7
NT EMPLOYEE [showing the family an apparently empty fenced enclosure with some bushes in]:
They are extremely sensitive and fragile...
But you can bring them out of hiding if you put a little sign down mentioning slavery.
8
KIDS [pointing]:
There they are!
[Some little red faced PEOPLE wearing Barbour jackets and gilets emerge cautiously from the bushes. They are creeping towards a TINY SIGN in the middle of the enclosure].
[Little people noises]:
woke-woke
tut-tut
woke-woke
9
[Close-up of the TINY SIGN - we can read that it says]:
Slavery had a bit to do with building this massive house.
[Noises from the little people again as they inspect the tiny sign]:
tut-tut
woke-woke
10
MUM [pointing]:
What's that one doing there?
NT EMPLOYEE:
Oh, that's so sweet…
11
[We see that one of the people is sat on a rock, with a little laptop open on a tree stump, and they are furiously typing away].
NT EMPLOYEE:
I think he's writing a column for the Daily Telegraph…
12
[We see close up to the little person’s screen, it is a word document reading]:
Are National Trust scones secretly WOKE?
[ends]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4m3we4apbjayclzcnhwe3pfp/bafkreib7lt736b6rmzinml5s7kxjdaapo2a36xp4d4lssypimx3taqicdm@jpeg)
October 31, 2025 at 9:02 AM
If you're a National Trust member, it's that time of year again: Midnight tonight is the deadline. It's a shame people have to keep doing this to keep a toehold on historical truth in this country, but here we are. Voting link: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/who-we-are/a...
Reposted by Steve Preddy
I will take no further questions
October 1, 2025 at 6:57 AM
I will take no further questions
Monmouthshire dragonfly newsletter number 12 is now available, with news on Willow Emeralds, Scarce Chaser, Lesser Emperors, Red-veined Darters, Common Hawker and Hairy Dragonfly. DM me if you’re not on the mailing list but would like to be. #gwentdragonflies
cc @britishdragonflies.bsky.social
cc @britishdragonflies.bsky.social
September 30, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Monmouthshire dragonfly newsletter number 12 is now available, with news on Willow Emeralds, Scarce Chaser, Lesser Emperors, Red-veined Darters, Common Hawker and Hairy Dragonfly. DM me if you’re not on the mailing list but would like to be. #gwentdragonflies
cc @britishdragonflies.bsky.social
cc @britishdragonflies.bsky.social
Six juv Sabine’s Gulls and 2 Grey Phals off the end of Jackstone’s pier, Aberavon currently.
w3w.co/escape.unrea...
w3w.co/escape.unrea...
///escape.unrealistic.silly
This is the what3words address for a 3 metre square location near Port Talbot, Neath Port Talbot.
w3w.co
September 19, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Six juv Sabine’s Gulls and 2 Grey Phals off the end of Jackstone’s pier, Aberavon currently.
w3w.co/escape.unrea...
w3w.co/escape.unrea...
Reposted by Steve Preddy
Zitting cisticola
Walberswick, Suffolk, 23/08/2025
I thought I was having a good day with an image of one of the juveniles from the 1st recorded breeding of Zitting cisticola in the UK. On review I found four juveniles and the adult female🤯
@suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social #suffolkbirding #ukbirding
Walberswick, Suffolk, 23/08/2025
I thought I was having a good day with an image of one of the juveniles from the 1st recorded breeding of Zitting cisticola in the UK. On review I found four juveniles and the adult female🤯
@suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social #suffolkbirding #ukbirding
August 23, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Zitting cisticola
Walberswick, Suffolk, 23/08/2025
I thought I was having a good day with an image of one of the juveniles from the 1st recorded breeding of Zitting cisticola in the UK. On review I found four juveniles and the adult female🤯
@suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social #suffolkbirding #ukbirding
Walberswick, Suffolk, 23/08/2025
I thought I was having a good day with an image of one of the juveniles from the 1st recorded breeding of Zitting cisticola in the UK. On review I found four juveniles and the adult female🤯
@suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social #suffolkbirding #ukbirding
Glos B-w Kite showing on & off this am, up to c1km N & c500m S of Splatt Bridge. Unlikely to be visible from Slimbridge hides when perched though gets quite high when flying so may be visible from estuary tower / summer walkway, but for now, Frampton’s the better bet. Cc @glosterbirder.bsky.social
August 21, 2025 at 6:55 AM
Glos B-w Kite showing on & off this am, up to c1km N & c500m S of Splatt Bridge. Unlikely to be visible from Slimbridge hides when perched though gets quite high when flying so may be visible from estuary tower / summer walkway, but for now, Frampton’s the better bet. Cc @glosterbirder.bsky.social
A Lesser Emperor at Wentwood reservoir this evening along the west shore. #gwentdragonflies
July 11, 2025 at 5:21 PM
A Lesser Emperor at Wentwood reservoir this evening along the west shore. #gwentdragonflies
A male Scarce Chaser was seen and photographed on Tuesday just southwest of Magor Marsh: a first record for the county. #gwentdragonflies
May 23, 2025 at 9:21 AM
A male Scarce Chaser was seen and photographed on Tuesday just southwest of Magor Marsh: a first record for the county. #gwentdragonflies
The highlight of a day of dragonflying on the Gwent Levels today was a copulating pair of Variable Damselfly on Pont-y-cw-cw reen near West Usk lighthouse, a new site for this species.
w3w.co/scrubbing.ru...
#gwentdragonflies
w3w.co/scrubbing.ru...
#gwentdragonflies
///scrubbing.rules.joins
This is the what3words address for a 3 metre square location near Nash, Newport.
w3w.co
May 9, 2025 at 5:59 PM
The highlight of a day of dragonflying on the Gwent Levels today was a copulating pair of Variable Damselfly on Pont-y-cw-cw reen near West Usk lighthouse, a new site for this species.
w3w.co/scrubbing.ru...
#gwentdragonflies
w3w.co/scrubbing.ru...
#gwentdragonflies
Botany peeps: it’s way too early for Fairy Flax (Linum catharticum) to be flowering, isn’t it? If so, I’ve got some head scratching to do over a plant that I’ve found by the River Usk in Newport this afternoon.
April 12, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Botany peeps: it’s way too early for Fairy Flax (Linum catharticum) to be flowering, isn’t it? If so, I’ve got some head scratching to do over a plant that I’ve found by the River Usk in Newport this afternoon.
The first Monmouthshire dragonfly newsletter of the year is now in your inbox if you’re on the mailing list. If you’re not, and would like to be, please get in touch.
March 6, 2025 at 7:54 PM
The first Monmouthshire dragonfly newsletter of the year is now in your inbox if you’re on the mailing list. If you’re not, and would like to be, please get in touch.
Green Hellebores (Helleborus viridis) in flower in woodland near Lower Kilcott in the Cotswolds in South Gloucestershire yesterday.
February 23, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Green Hellebores (Helleborus viridis) in flower in woodland near Lower Kilcott in the Cotswolds in South Gloucestershire yesterday.
Reposted by Steve Preddy
"U.S. democracy will likely break down during the second Trump administration, in the sense that it will cease to meet standard criteria for liberal democracy: full adult suffrage, free and fair elections, and broad protection of civil liberties"
www.foreignaffairs.com/united-state...
www.foreignaffairs.com/united-state...
The Path to American Authoritarianism
What comes after democratic breakdown.
www.foreignaffairs.com
February 12, 2025 at 8:32 PM
"U.S. democracy will likely break down during the second Trump administration, in the sense that it will cease to meet standard criteria for liberal democracy: full adult suffrage, free and fair elections, and broad protection of civil liberties"
www.foreignaffairs.com/united-state...
www.foreignaffairs.com/united-state...
There’s an opportunity to bring about a ban on lead shot in the next few weeks. You can support a ban by emailing Steve Reed, the environment secretary, at the page below.
Please also share here and on other social media. Thanks.
act.wwt.org.uk/page/160992/...
Please also share here and on other social media. Thanks.
act.wwt.org.uk/page/160992/...
Help make lead history
Lead has been poisoning our wildlife and communities for decades – but now we have a chance to turn things around.
With a crucial review into lead ammunition finally at an end, will you join me in c...
act.wwt.org.uk
January 7, 2025 at 7:30 PM
There’s an opportunity to bring about a ban on lead shot in the next few weeks. You can support a ban by emailing Steve Reed, the environment secretary, at the page below.
Please also share here and on other social media. Thanks.
act.wwt.org.uk/page/160992/...
Please also share here and on other social media. Thanks.
act.wwt.org.uk/page/160992/...
Reposted by Steve Preddy
The latest Monmouthshire dragonfly recording newsletter is now available, including updates on various species including… small red damselflies.
If you’re not on the mailing list but would like to be, drop me a message.
#gwentdragonflies
If you’re not on the mailing list but would like to be, drop me a message.
#gwentdragonflies
November 19, 2024 at 9:09 PM
The latest Monmouthshire dragonfly recording newsletter is now available, including updates on various species including… small red damselflies.
If you’re not on the mailing list but would like to be, drop me a message.
#gwentdragonflies
If you’re not on the mailing list but would like to be, drop me a message.
#gwentdragonflies
The latest Monmouthshire dragonfly recording newsletter is now available, including updates on various species including… small red damselflies.
If you’re not on the mailing list but would like to be, drop me a message.
#gwentdragonflies
If you’re not on the mailing list but would like to be, drop me a message.
#gwentdragonflies
November 19, 2024 at 9:09 PM
The latest Monmouthshire dragonfly recording newsletter is now available, including updates on various species including… small red damselflies.
If you’re not on the mailing list but would like to be, drop me a message.
#gwentdragonflies
If you’re not on the mailing list but would like to be, drop me a message.
#gwentdragonflies
November 15, 2024 at 1:14 PM
For a thing I’m doing for the British Dragonfly Society, does anyone have photos of Common Hawker (Aeshna juncea) taken in any of the following counties: Dorset, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Berkshire, Sussex, Orkney and Dunbartonshire. Thanks in advance.
October 12, 2024 at 11:55 AM
For a thing I’m doing for the British Dragonfly Society, does anyone have photos of Common Hawker (Aeshna juncea) taken in any of the following counties: Dorset, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Berkshire, Sussex, Orkney and Dunbartonshire. Thanks in advance.
I’m watching a male Southern Hawker & a male Common Hawker in territorial squabbles over a pond at Cleddon Bog. This is the only known site in the eastern half of Monmouthshire/Gwent for Common Hawker. Thanks to Barbara Heys for re-finding after an 8-year gap #gwentdragonflies
September 13, 2024 at 12:52 PM
I’m watching a male Southern Hawker & a male Common Hawker in territorial squabbles over a pond at Cleddon Bog. This is the only known site in the eastern half of Monmouthshire/Gwent for Common Hawker. Thanks to Barbara Heys for re-finding after an 8-year gap #gwentdragonflies