John Martin

Now mainly random bird, bug and plant ramblings from Shropshire.

[John Martin @pilning]

Good start to our visit to Portland with brief appearance by Portland's first Pallid Harrier, 2cy male, in the Crown Estate Fields this morning! #ukbirding @PortlandBirdObs

[John Martin @pilning]

@keelebirder Hope it's better from now on and you can reschedule everything.

[John Martin @pilning]

@keelebirder Brilliant - never an easy bird and getting a recording always tricky as well. Would love to see another in Britain, it's been a very long time!

[Chris van Swaay @chrisvanswaay]

Mean densities of Small tortoiseshell (A urticae, kleine vos) on Dutch Butterfly Monitoring transects and flexcounts in April 2025 up to now. Once a widespread species, now almost only found in the W and N of the country.

[John Martin @pilning]

@Severnsidebirds @upstarts1979 @orioleboy66 I have only just seen this as I am a rare visitor to Twitter nowadays - love Shropshire but I miss the old place and all the local birders too. It seems to be getting better and better - have a great spring!

[John Martin @pilning]

@NiallMachin1 I am, will look for you when next on the laptop

[John Martin @pilning]

@andymus1 Ditto, have been posting here too but with decreasing enthusiasm 👍

[John Martin @pilning]

@NiallMachin1 @WiWildlife As others have said, (Eastern) Spot-billed vibes albeit a bit washed out. Any more pics?

[John Martin @pilning]

Venus Pool with @spastreetbrewer doing some scrub clearing by Fen Hide. Cattle, 6 Little and 2 Great White egrets, 2 Egyptian Goose, Canlag, 3 Goosander, 43 Snipe, 195 Lapwing, 25 Redwing, 1 Fieldfare, 2 Chiffchaff, 3 Yellowhammer etc #ukbirding #ukwildlife #shropshirebirding

[John Martin @pilning]

Garden moths in Shrewsbury better last night 18/11 including 2 Juniper Carpet and a Spruce Carpet, Sprawler etc but no migrants. Male Dytiscus marginalis a bonus now in the garden pond. #ukmoths #mothsmatter @BC_WestMids

[John Martin @pilning]

Venus Pool this 4 GWE (inc strictly audition), 1 Cattle, 8 Little, 8 Egyptian Goose, 355 Greylag, 443 Canada, 1 Canlag, 16 Teal, 2 Gadwall, 6 GCGrebe, 2+ W Rail, 2 singing Cetti's, m Blackcap on Mistletoe, 1 Chiffchaff, 33 Redwing, 1 Yellowhammer etc #ukbirding #ukwildlife

[John Martin @pilning]

A few pics from a week in Suffolk - Purple Sand defying gravity on the sluice at Minsmere and distant Water Pipit there on Wednesday pm (gull roost had 2 Yellow-legged Gull but no cachinnans seen, surprisingly). #ukbirding

[John Martin @pilning]

Garden moths in Shrewsbury last night included 2 Sprawler (nfy), 2 Figure-of-Eight and Grey Shoulder-knot, the last nfg. Also a lone Silver Y to keep migrant hopes alive. #mothmatter #ukmoths @BC_WestMids

[John Martin @pilning]

At Minsmere yesterday a Gem found near the visitor centre. An actual migrant moth. #mothsmatter

[John Martin @pilning]

Yellow-horned Poppy, Glaucium flavum, still flowering on the beach at Minsmere yesterday for #wildflowerhour

[John Martin @pilning]

@georgecmcgavin Always one of those very nice to find plants although fairly widespread https://t.co/i0IDPBqi8P

[John Martin @pilning]

@joshual951 Well done Josh, keep up the good work, really making a difference on lots of sites there👍

[John Martin @pilning]

VP WeBS Cattle Egret new for patch yr and WeBS, 11 Littles (biggest roost of yr), 4 GWE, 76 Cormorant (most sinensis), 61 Teal. 2 Wigeon, 21 Shoveler, 25 Mallard, 6 Tufted (+8CF), Goosander (CF), 70 Lapwing, 40 Snipe, W Rail, Cetti's etc

[John Martin @pilning]

@saloplarus @ShropshireWX @DaveThroup @RobDaviesEA @csmaff @jonokimber No ParkRun there today for obvious reasons. Frequently get Kingfisher there but not on the bins😅 Great pic!

[John Martin @pilning]

Venus Pool to 0955 Crossbill to W calling (patch yearly), 2610 Woodpigeon, 325 Starling, 160 Jackdaw, 29 Skylark, 9 Redwing, 4 Redpoll SW, Swallow to S. Pool had just 2 GWE, 3 Littles, 33 Teal, 12 Shoveler, 5 Gadwall etc. Seed eater numbers not large but nice light.