Sam Thompson

Biol/Geog tutor @FieldStudiesC | MSc BioSci @RoyalHolloway | @UniExeCornwall | Posts about wildlife, often birds. I also like frisbees | He/him | 🦑🏳️‍🌈

[Sam Thompson @sthomp98]

Personal highlight of camera trapping so far 🐿

[Sam Thompson @sthomp98]

My new favourite thing is photographing moths head on. They just take on a whole new character.

[Sam Thompson @sthomp98]

Latest addition to the work list: Osprey over Nutscale Reservoir, flew NE towards Porlock at 1pm today.
@BirdGuides @somersetbirds

[Nettlecombe Court @FSCNettlecombe]

Nice day (once the fog cleared!) up on Exmoor today with @unisouthampton undergrads sampling freshwater inverts. On top of which we also managed to see plenty of Red Deer, a Dipper and even an Osprey! 🦌🐦‍⬛🦅

#exmoor #ecology #biology #fieldwork #outdooreducation

[Sam Thompson @sthomp98]

Phwoar! Short-eared Owl just now out the coach window on the way back from Braunton Burrows with a school group! New addition to the work list for me :) It was patrolling round this field just north of Bittadon, North Devon (51.1741191, -4.0960574) @BirdGuides

[Sam Thompson @sthomp98]

In 2022 I went to RSPB Greylake to see a patch of grass which I was told had a Baikal Teal behind it. Yesterday I relived that experience, but blissfully without any pesky grass in the way. Cool duck!
@Natures_Voice @somersetbirds

[Matthew Broadbent @12broadbentm]

THREE humpback off Pendennis Point in Falmouth this evening, the first expertly found by @LukeStoppard and photographed by @BenHancockSmit1 breaching here. 350+ people, largely students at the point within 90 mins of it being found 🤯

[Sam Thompson @sthomp98]

Cirl Buntings still at Stolford Beach early this afternoon. Group of 3 spending their time between the marsh and the bushes by the footpath. Another (I’m told) flew off towards end of Whitewick Lane. @BirdGuides @somersetbirds

[Sam Thompson @sthomp98]

@sjportugal1979

[Sam Thompson @sthomp98]

Surprised to find a washed up whale carcass at Porlock Weir today! Looks like it met its fate a while ago. Anyone able to confirm the species? @SomersetWT @NHM_strandings #CSIP

[Toby @phelpstoby1]

So this happened tonight!
Magnolia Warbler at St Govan's Head. A totally surreal experience but simply incredible!!
What an amazing bird😮😮 @PembsBirds

[Sam Thompson @sthomp98]

Great day out in Wiltshire this week with @sjportugal1979 to lifer Stone Curlew and Great Bustard, bringing me to 250 UK species. Unexpectedly lifered Small Blue in the process!

[Sam Thompson @sthomp98]

Very excited to have finally caught my first Elephant Hawkmoth in the trap last night! Other showstoppers included a Lilac Beauty, Green Silver-lines and the hypnotic iridescence of a Burnished Brass 😍

[Sam Thompson @sthomp98]

You know it’s been a good walk when the most common butterflies are Green Hairstreaks. Common Heaths and Tree Pipits about too at Dead Woman’s Ditch last week.

[Sam Thompson @sthomp98]

Had a nice birthday surprise courtesy of the Exmoor wilderness yesterday in the form of this Heath Fritillary!

[Steve Portugal @sjportugal1979]

Ever wondered about Siamese Fighting Fish? I have. Too much, perhaps. You can read more about them in my Quick Guide, published today in @CurrentBiology! https://t.co/TM2W2SwZ9t #betta

[Sam Thompson @sthomp98]

Nice trip to @RSPBHamWall this morning to see the Great Reed Warbler. Vocal and showing well enough, but intermittently. Also, first Hobby and Garden Warbler of the year.

Some non-bird highlights too, incl. a grass snake and loads of ‘cool shiny beetles’ (Agelastica alni?).

[Will Scott @WillboneScott]

When I picked up a Raven chasing something high above my head, I never expected it to be a Quail! It managed to escape and continued high north inland, having presumably just crossed the Mediterranean.

[Sam Thompson @sthomp98]

It’s been a good week for ‘birding on the job’ this week, with a Pied Flycacther on site at @FSCNettlecombe and 3 Whinchats along one of our fieldwork sites near Nutscale Reservoir. @somersetbirds

[Sam Thompson @sthomp98]

Nice stroll around Dunkery Beacon this morning - thought I’d make the most of the weather. Highlights were singing Cuckoo, pair of Redstarts and a Whinchat. @somersetbirds

[Sam Thompson @sthomp98]

Spent today at Sandbanks with Exeter City Ultimate for beach nats 🥏 followed by a fly-by visit to see my first Black-crowned Night Heron at Iford Bridge. Great day all round!