Phil Saunders

I think so. Certainly the species frequently seen amongst ant nests.

Close up of a chunky grey Pogonognathellus longicornis springtail resting on a yellow and white rockface.

Collembola are just amazing; we stumbled across this fantastically chunky Pogonognathellus longicornis at Keat's Quarry on Purbeck y'day, coming in at an absolutely massive (for a Springtail anyway) 6mm in length!

Close up of a white Ant Woodlouse resting on the underside of a brown and black stone, with a small orange centipede immediately below it.

Close up of a brightly coloured red and blue-black Paederus littoralis Rove Beetle resting on the underside of a brown and black stone.

Close up of a red and black Polistichus connexus beetle resting on the underside of a brown, green, and black stone.

Close up of a black Trachyzelotes pedestris spider, showing off its reddish legs, whilst sat on a substrate of bare earth and roots, with scattered grass stems.

Turning stones @ a fogbound Durlston CP y'day produced a wealth of interesting invertebrates, including the nationally Vulnerable beetle Polistichus connexus, Littoral Whiplash Rove Beetle, the scarce calcareous grassland spider Trachyzelotes pedestris, and several wonderfully white Ant Woodlice.

Yep, it sure beats schlepping to Brownsea or hiking out to Shipstal Point!

To say that the Poole Park Forster's Tern is showy is a bit of an understatement... By far and away my best views of this returning American vagrant over the last few years @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

It's a lovely site - slightly ashamed to say it was my first visit!

Sadly no sight or sound of any Bittern leaving Swineham GPs this evening, but a flock of 23 Sand Martin (my 1st of the year) were welcome, with at least 27 Cattle & 46 Little Egret counted coming into roost & a Barn Owl watched quartering the pits at dusk @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

A dismembered Woodcock wing rests on disturbed golden-brown sand.

A Razorbill corpse rests on disturbed golden-brown sand.

Stormblown casualties on the Lincs coast tideline y'day morning: Woodcock & Razorbill at Saltfleetby.

Shorelark are like hens teeth in Dorset, so the (eventually) showy pair at Saltfleetby in Lincs were much appreciated y'day morning, during a pitstop on my way back south. Throw in an equally showy Lapland Bunting (another rare Dorset sp) amongst stunning scenery & it was all rather lovely.

‘I love midges because I know what their hearts look like’: is the passion for taxonomy in danger of dying out? Insect taxonomist Art Borkent has described and named more than 300 species of midges but fears his field of science is dying out, despite millions of insects, fungi and other organisms waiting to be ...

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Ross’s Gull in Newlyn Harbour

I couldn’t resist another look at this rare gull today (Sun 1st March). Present for its 9th day. I’m sure it has developed more pink in its body plumage? Or maybe it’s just the grey background. Either way, it’s a real stunner and certainly created national interest.

A spot of work up north nicely coincided with the lingering White-billed Diver in Blyth Harbour today - my 1st Bananabill in nearly two decades! Good to see this fabulous bird actively diving & in apparent good health, despite its overgrown upper mandible.

Eastbourne: Many thanks to Harvey for turning up this zinger of a Wheatear at Sovereign Harbour today. What a treat and my first EVER in February. Spring is offically here!

An intricately marked Pale Pinion moth rests at a jaunty angle on the pale wooden inner wall of a moth trap.

Pale Pinion was the NFY highlight amongst a modest 13/6 in the Upton garden trap this morning, with neither numbers or diversity really increasing despite the warming weather #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

Hey Mick. Yep, digivid from the west end of the Common.

A dirt track runs out to the horizon under a bright blue sky, flanked by wire and post fencing and green agricultural fields, with a row of cottages and a small chapel visible in the distance.

A sniff of spring at a beautiful St Aldhelm's Head this morning, with a smattering of Mipits, wagtails, & thrushes on the move, & most of the local breeders bqck in full song. At least 5 Peacock butterflies were also enjoying the sunshine @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

I finally caught up with the local flock of Glossy Ibis again on Wareham Common this afternoon, having last seen the 10 of them when they 1st turned up back in the autumn, with some today certainly living up to their name in the glorious spring sunshine @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

An intricately patterned brown, black, and off-white coloured Oak Beauty moth rests just off the vertical on the pale inner wooden wall of a moth trap.

A brace of ever-lovely Oak Beauty were NFY amongst the small haul in the Upton garden trap this morning - absolutely stunning creatures #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

Cheers Cliff! It was basically running around my feet at one point...

The sunshine has just encouraged my 1st Brimstone of the year to flutter past my Upton office window - spring is on its way! @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

An Early Grey moth rests vertically on a grey-green egg box

Two Common Quakers rest adjacent to one another on the pale wooden floor of a moth trap

A Hebrew Character rests horizontally on the pale wooden outer wall of a moth trap

A Grey Shoulder-knot rests vertically on a grey-green egg box

There've been few opportunities to run the Upton garden trap so far this yr, so the 21/8 recorded this morning during its 2nd outing produced several NFY spp, incl'g a lovely Grey Shoulder-knot, Early Grey, Common Quaker, & Hebrew Character, plus Ypsolopha ustella #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

Ross's Gulls are the perfect Larid & one of the best birds in the world (as far as I'm concerned anyway), so it was great to take in the rose-tinted 1st winter currently residing in & around Newlyn Harbour this morning, with an Iceland Gull on the Hayle this afternoon the best of the supporting cast

It sure did!

No sign of RB Gull from Lelant Station 1245 to 1410hrs (but pale-eyed Common Gull present) @birdguides.bsky.social

Now showing well on roof of Lidl @birdguides.bsky.social

Ross's Gull showing well in southern end of Newlyn Harbour at 1045hrs @birdguides.bsky.social

Saturday night

Saturday

Monday

Monday

We should see the 1st arrivals in the west tonight, however it's later in the period that looks most promising. There should be a direct airstream from N. Africa from Mon, with Tues & particularly Weds looking promising at this stage, when high concentrations of Saharan dust are possible. #teammoth

An excessively furry, grey, black, and rufous-coloured Fox Moth caterpillar rests horizontally on a grey garden fence, with dead grass stems and green leaves forming a blurred backdrop.

This fabulously furry Fox Moth caterpillar was making the most of the sunshine on my Upton garden fence earlier today #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

A grassy track on St Aldhelm's Head stretches into the distance on the left of the image, bordered by a wire and post fence, with a yellow and green rough grassland field to the right of the fence, and with a low, dark green, copse visible on the horizon.

Singles of Red Kite & Isle of Wight-tailed Eagle, plus 75 Linnet, were the only notables during a morning wander around St Aldhelm's Head this morning @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social

I think it's still there? Definitely worth a look if you enjoy a subdued colour palette! :)