Al
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valezina15.bsky.social
Al
@valezina15.bsky.social
80 followers 96 following 90 posts
Gardener, birder and insect enthusiast. Happiest outdoors!
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valezina15.bsky.social
Crisp and lovely on the Clifton patch today. Single parakeet by the Dormouse, LTT flock, Wrens and Robins everywhere, 2 Fieldfare, 2 Reed Bunting, 2 Stock Dove, Sparrowhawk and Song Thrush. @yorkbirding.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social
November 21, 2025 at 1:26 PM
valezina15.bsky.social
Productive walk round the Clifton patch today. Gold, Green & Bullfinches, 4 Goldcrests, 2 parakeets, large flock of Fieldfares over, Redwings in the hedges, PFGs heading south and 2 separate flocks of Whoopers, 11 high SE then 26 low over the ings. @yorkbirding.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social
November 16, 2025 at 1:07 PM
valezina15.bsky.social
Peak autumn vibes @ldvnnr.bsky.social today. Hedges full of chattering Fieldfares & Redwings, Pinkies calling overhead, Goldcrests, Goldfinches feeding on seedheads, Bullfinch x 5. Also Kestrel, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard x 2, Lapwings & Golden Plovers. @nybirdnews.bsky.social @yorkbirding.bsky.social
November 9, 2025 at 2:19 PM
valezina15.bsky.social
Today was a classic case of right place, wrong time. Started at Bempton, then headed to @flamboroughbird.bsky.social thus missing Pallid Swift, Pallas's Warbler, Firecrests and Snow Buntings 😭. Some consolation in YBW, Black Redstart and enjoyable conversations! @nybirdnews.bsky.social
November 8, 2025 at 9:25 PM
valezina15.bsky.social
1st trip to Bank Island @ldvnnr.bsky.social for ages. No sign of Jack Snipe but heard Kingfisher, saw 1 Grey & 6 Pied Wagtails, LTTs, Mipits, Goldfinches, 1st Fieldfares of the autumn and a few Redwings. Plenty of berries in the hedgerows for them!
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
@nybirdnews.bsky.social
October 24, 2025 at 1:41 PM
valezina15.bsky.social
Beautiful colours in Homestead Park, York this afternoon. The autumnal mood heightened by a flock of Pink-footed Geese calling as they passed overhead 🍂.
Sunny day in the local park. Bright blue sky, trees changing colour for autumn showing a range of greens, yellow and orange (the maple tree just off centre is particularly beautiful) and a pond in the middle covered with green pondweed.
October 12, 2025 at 1:29 PM
valezina15.bsky.social
Headed to Filey Brigg today in the hope the Needletail would turn up. No luck, so had to be content with Rock Pippits, feisty Stonechats and a handsome Wheatear!
Lines of dark rocks with waves breaking over them, reaching out into the grey North Sea at the very tip of the headland at Filey, North Yorkshire. Little breaks in the cloud cover allow glimpses of blue sky overhead.
October 11, 2025 at 5:01 PM
valezina15.bsky.social
September 29, 2025 at 11:36 AM
valezina15.bsky.social
Great trip to the coast today. Quality birds and good conversations at #RSPB Bempton. Pied Fly, smart Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Hobby, Kestrel, Sprawk, masses of Chiffchaffs, W.Warblers, Blackcaps and Whitethroats. Icing on the cake was a stunning male Redstart.
@nybirdnews.bsky.social
Blurry back of camera shot of a male Common Redstart.
September 14, 2025 at 3:00 PM
valezina15.bsky.social
Another great trip to @rspbblacktoftsands.bsky.social with nice weather this time! Cracking birds including juv. Curlew Sandpiper, Spotshank, Ruff, GWE, Marsh Harrier, Yellow Wagtail & loads of Snipe.
@nybirdnews.bsky.social @yorkbirding.bsky.social
View from bird hide at RSPB Blacktoft reserve, looking over mud and shallow pools backed by extensive reedbeds. Sky is blue and dotted with white clouds. Many wading birds are feeding on the mud, but too distant to make out in this photo!
August 31, 2025 at 2:53 PM
valezina15.bsky.social
Wonderful morning sea-watching @flamboroughbird.bsky.social . Many thanks to the experts who shared their knowledge and special shout out to #RSPB East Yorkshire group. Some great birds: Bonxie, Manx Shearwater, Wheatear, Whinchat & Stonechat, and singing seals!
@nybirdnews.bsky.social
Sunny day with blue sky and sea. View over the coastal grassland to the sea at Flamborough, with the Fog Station and sea-watching hut in the distance.
August 24, 2025 at 3:09 PM
valezina15.bsky.social
Insects the stars of today once the sun came out. Homestead Park full of butterflies and dragonflies. Speckled Wood, Large White, Meadow Brown, Holly Blue, Comma, Common Darter, Southern Hawker and this obliging specimen that I think is a Migrant Hawker.
Adult dragonfly hanging below a branch. It has a dark body with bright blue spots and blue eyes.
August 3, 2025 at 9:44 PM
valezina15.bsky.social
Still time to do the #BigButterflyCount when the weather brightens up.
It's been a good year for Gatekeepers around York, and for Red Underwings!
@savebutterflies.bsky.social
@bcyorkshire.bsky.social
Red Underwing resting on a wooden shed in full sunlight. A large grey-brown moth with red and black under wings just peaking out. Wings with slightly scalloped edges.
August 1, 2025 at 8:46 AM
valezina15.bsky.social
Got a bit wet down at #RSPBBlacktoft today! Some good birds before the heavens opened, Bittern, Spoonbill, Green Sandpipers, Wood Sandpiper, Bearded Tits, Sparrowhawk, Barn Owl, several Marsh Harriers. Lovely reserve. @yorkbirding.bsky.social @northyorksbirds.bsky.social @rspbengland.bsky.social
Dark skies over reedbeds at RSPB Blacktoft just before the thunderstorm started.
July 20, 2025 at 7:48 PM
valezina15.bsky.social
Took advantage of fine weather this morning to do my 1st @savebutterflies.bsky.social #BigButterflyCount
Got a good representative sample of species for my garden; Large White, Gatekeeper, Peacock, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood & Holly Blue. Just a shame the Purple Hairstreaks didn't show up 😉🦋
Red Admiral butterfly feeding on purple Buddleia flower, against a background of Ivy leaves and brambles.
July 18, 2025 at 1:10 PM
valezina15.bsky.social
Here's some holes in my Fuchsia, and the bee capping its nest tubes.
Fuchsia leaves with neat semicircular holes. Leafcutter bee capping bamboo tubes in an insect hotel with the leaf pieces.
July 5, 2025 at 7:17 PM
valezina15.bsky.social
15 butterfly species @ldvnnr.bsky.social Bank Island yesterday, including 1st Small Copper of the year, Painted Lady and Gatekeeper. Marsh Harrier and Red Kite best of the birds. @bcyorkshire.bsky.social @yorkbirding.bsky.social
Small Copper, a small orange and dark brown butterfly, resting with wings open. Painted Lady butterfly feeding on a purple thistle flower with wings closed, showing beautiful patterns on the underside.
July 5, 2025 at 8:48 AM
valezina15.bsky.social
Saw this Scarce Swallowtail at Castello Aragonese near Naples a few years ago. Happy #WorldSwallowtailDay
@sbbtrust.bsky.social
June 8, 2025 at 8:05 AM
valezina15.bsky.social
A resident of my messy micro-pond enjoying the drizzle this morning. @themessyecologist.bsky.social
@weepondproject.bsky.social
A brown frog with copper-coloured eyes poking it's head out of weed-covered water in a tiny pond made from a black plastic container.
June 7, 2025 at 9:49 AM
valezina15.bsky.social
Trip away from York down to #RSBPBlacktoft produced the goods today.
Bittern x 2
Hobby
Barn Owl
Lots of Marsh Harriers
Avocets
Bearded Tits x 5
Spoonbill x 5 (1 feeding, 4 flyover)
Plus some nice insects and great conversations!
@northyorksbirds.bsky.social
@yorkbirding.bsky.social
Large pool, looking grey under overcast sky, with large white bird (Spoonbill) in middle distance. Green foliage and white flowers in the foreground.
May 24, 2025 at 8:18 PM
valezina15.bsky.social
Enjoyable short trip to @ldvnnr.bsky.social. 3 Cuckoos (2 seen), 3 Hobbies and loads of warblers - Cetti's, Willow, Sedge, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Whitethroat and 3 showy Garden Warblers. Lovely moth, Small Yellow Underwing at Bank Island garden. @northyorksbirds.bsky.social @yorkbirding.bsky.social
May 11, 2025 at 7:13 PM
valezina15.bsky.social
At last!! 5 Swifts over the garden in York 🤩. And in Homestead Park, a Mistle Thrush with 3 fledglings and a bonus Broad-bodied Chaser. @yorkbirding.bsky.social
May 10, 2025 at 3:42 PM
valezina15.bsky.social
April 4, 2025 at 3:04 PM
valezina15.bsky.social
Cold wind but still glorious at Bempton and @flamboroughbird.bsky.social today. Great to see seabirds back on the cliffs & basking seals. Chuffed to find this Black Redstart in gully between lighthouse and fog station! @nybirdnews.bsky.social @yorkbirding.bsky.social
March 28, 2025 at 3:35 PM
valezina15.bsky.social
Glorious day @ldvnnr.bsky.social yesterday. 6 Buzzards circling together at Skipwith, Chiffchaffs, many Brimstone butterflies & frogs. 3 Red Kites at Bank Island, with 2 Kestrels, 4 Buzzards, LTTs and ducks looking beautiful in the sunshine, especially Shelduck & Pintail. @yorkbirding.bsky.social
March 9, 2025 at 9:52 AM