EBwS President. ID Panel member and author Birds of Essex. Essex Lepidoptera ID Panel - fascinated by anything that flies, crawls, hops, runs, wiggles, swims….https://bsky.app/profile/simonwood42.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/simonwood42.bsky.social/post/3mucl6gjwhs2bMaldon, Essex to Mundon Sluice this am - Osprey flew west, a Wheatear (difficult to see locally these days) and c40 Yellow Wag still hanging about. Also single Green and Common Sandpiper and largest numbers of Common Blue I’ve seen locally for years. And Firebugs apparently feeding on (Sea) Beet???30 Aug 2026 14:13 +0000at://did:plc:cs7xvygrpmawfppybjonm5ue/app.bsky.feed.post/3mucl6gjwhs2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/simonwood42.bsky.social/post/3mttcrvrkp22hHeybridge GP, Maldon, Essex - August 2026 highlights so far - Little Stint on 7th to 9th and juvenile Little Gull today. Supporting cast including Ruff, LRP, Whinchat #essexbirding #birds #birding #ukbirding24 Aug 2026 12:32 +0000at://did:plc:cs7xvygrpmawfppybjonm5ue/app.bsky.feed.post/3mttcrvrkp22hhttps://bsky.app/profile/simonwood42.bsky.social/post/3mjd27h35y22iAbberton today with Carla produced distant views of the Bonaparte’s Gull early pm. Later, at Layer Breton causeway, the Bonaparte’s dropped in, in front of us, before quickly heading off high west. Also 2 Arctic Tern & 20+ Yellow Wagtail @essexbirdnews.bsky.social #birds #essexbirds #ukbirds12 Apr 2026 19:04 +0000at://did:plc:cs7xvygrpmawfppybjonm5ue/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjd27h35y22ihttps://bsky.app/profile/simonwood42.bsky.social/post/3mgnruoucbc2hGreat to find this 2CY Little Gull today at Heybridge Pit, Maldon - arrived in classic weather conditions- clearing fog and a very light SE breeze #birds #essexbirds #ukbirds #Maldon09 Mar 2026 21:19 +0000at://did:plc:cs7xvygrpmawfppybjonm5ue/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgnruoucbc2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/simonwood42.bsky.social/post/3mgkt4p3nh226This Common Lizard was found sunning itself out on saltmarsh at Mundon Essex on 2nd March. To reach where it was (an area submerged at high tide) it had to move perhaps 2m across sticky mud and vegetation - not something I’d immediately think a lizard would do in the UK. @arc-trust.bsky.social08 Mar 2026 17:03 +0000at://did:plc:cs7xvygrpmawfppybjonm5ue/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgkt4p3nh226https://bsky.app/profile/simonwood42.bsky.social/post/3mgksp4t6wc26A quiet week on the #Maldon patch with a Goosander at Chigborough on Monday the best I could manage…smartly coloured Common Buzzard over Heybridge Pit on 2nd and a single Corn Bunting, Southey Creek the same day. Butterflies & other insects appeared on the warmer days #birds #essexbirds08 Mar 2026 16:56 +0000at://did:plc:cs7xvygrpmawfppybjonm5ue/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgksp4t6wc26https://bsky.app/profile/simonwood42.bsky.social/post/3mgks6eq23c26Last #IronworksMeadow Maldon, work party until autumn today under misty, leaden skies but blossom everywhere and a few flowers emerging and much bird song. Plenty done thanks to c20 volunteers - mere clearance, bramble & blackthorn removal, litter picking, construction of sow-thistle enclosure etc.08 Mar 2026 16:46 +0000at://did:plc:cs7xvygrpmawfppybjonm5ue/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgks6eq23c26https://bsky.app/profile/simonwood42.bsky.social/post/3mfzkcfkyis2wIncredible show of Red Dead Nettle at Hazeleigh Wood on 24th February had Buff-tailed Bumblebee, Honeybee and at least one Hairy-footed Flower Bee feeding on it. Several rosettes of Lizard orchid on the Heybridge sea wall. #bee @bsbibotany.bsky.social01 Mar 2026 20:10 +0000at://did:plc:cs7xvygrpmawfppybjonm5ue/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfzkcfkyis2whttps://bsky.app/profile/simonwood42.bsky.social/post/3mfzk237ikc2wMoths! The home trap in my Heybridge garden produced 11 species on 24th whilst some 1,500+ moths in the Hazeleigh Wood traps (mostly Small Quaker) on 25th represented 27 species. Brimstone butterfly seen on 25th in Maldon #moths #ukmoths #butterflies @savebutterflies.bsky.social01 Mar 2026 20:06 +0000at://did:plc:cs7xvygrpmawfppybjonm5ue/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfzk237ikc2whttps://bsky.app/profile/simonwood42.bsky.social/post/3mfzjmkzkwk2wStill Black Brant and Light-bellied Brent on the Maldon patch, off Heybridge Pit this week. A male Goldeneye dropped as well as couple of Red-breasted Mergies with three Mediterranean Gull by the end of the week. #essexbirding #birding #ukbirds @britishnatureguide.bsky.social01 Mar 2026 19:58 +0000at://did:plc:cs7xvygrpmawfppybjonm5ue/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfzjmkzkwk2whttps://bsky.app/profile/simonwood42.bsky.social/post/3mfht34b3jk2yHeybridge GP, Maldon over the last week has been more of the same: Black Brant on three visits with the Pale-bellied Brent twice, a Goosander on 19th, 18 Pintail on 20th, and up to 20 Barwit. Moth trap - 6 species last night. #essexbirding #birds #birding #nature @britishnatureguide.bsky.social22 Feb 2026 18:59 +0000at://did:plc:cs7xvygrpmawfppybjonm5ue/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfht34b3jk2y