Toots for sciencebase@mastodon.social account

Written by David Bradley on 2025-01-26 at 16:31

Photos of some of the Goldcrests at Paxton Pits Nature Reserve

[#]UKBirding #PaxtonPits

Regulus regulus

Years ago, I wrote a theme tune for the bird, called Regulus Clockwork

https://soundcloud.com/sciencebase/regulus-clockwork

=> View attached media | View attached media | View attached media

=> More informations about this toot | View the thread

Written by David Bradley on 2025-01-08 at 16:58

Birds are not simply "descended from" therapod dinosaurs, they are by definition dinosaurs, in the same way that humans are not simply descended from apes, we are apes.

=> More informations about this toot | View the thread

Written by David Bradley on 2025-01-08 at 16:57

A few long-distance close-ups of dinosaurs

=> View attached media | View attached media | View attached media | View attached media

=> More informations about this toot | View the thread

Written by David Bradley on 2025-01-08 at 16:41

I made the mistake of watching some "videos" on LinkedIn, they were mostly painful, with over-excitable twits enthusing about something generally considered boring or waffling inanely about Zuck or Umsk...I won't do that again in a hurry. I've been on LinkedIn since almost launch day and am yet to see any benefit whatsoever.

At least with Insta reels I pick up some guitar lick ideas...

=> More informations about this toot | View the thread

Written by David Bradley on 2024-11-06 at 15:17

It's cathartic writing a song when a parent dies, so that's what I've done. Again

https://davebradley.bandcamp.com/track/hand-me-down-parade

Inevitably, it's a song about life and death and legacy and the sea. There's a vague musical nod in the fade to one of my Dad's favourites, Rafferty's "Baker Street"

Reckon this is the most mature song I've written. Lyrics in the alt text

Half the profits to Cullercoats RNLI

=> View attached media

=> More informations about this toot | View the thread

Written by David Bradley on 2024-10-28 at 14:27

Keeping myself distracted after my Dad's death with the stuff I'd usually be doing as well as all the arrangements for him.

My Dad used to occasionally sketch the moths he spotted in the garden, although he'd call the big ones "loggers", being a Geordie, like...

Some loggers from my garden seen this last week or so. Clockwise from top-left: Dark Sword-grass, The Satellite, Feathered Thorn, Rusty Dot Pearl, The Mallow, Green-brindled Crescent, The Delicate, Spruce Carpet, Merveille du Jour.

=> View attached media

=> More informations about this toot | View the thread

Written by David Bradley on 2024-10-28 at 10:28

I say traded in...the company turned it down. So, I've ended up forking out more than I intended for the replacement lens, dammit...anyone want to buy a Sigma 150-600 OS Contemporary?

=> More informations about this toot | View the thread

Written by David Bradley on 2024-10-21 at 12:58

Finally traded in my big zoom lens for something much lighter and with better optics, and suited more to a mirrorless camera...

So here's the first snapshot with the new kit, waning gibbous moon, handheld, 1/640s, f/7.1, ISO 800 at full extent 500mm, 2/3 frame

=> View attached media

=> More informations about this toot | View the thread

Written by David Bradley on 2024-10-14 at 11:41

I once saw a graphic that showed a year's worth of full moons, each was named correctly in sequence...

Full Moon, Full Moon, Full Moon, Full Moon, Full Moon etc

=> More informations about this toot | View the thread

Written by David Bradley on 2024-10-01 at 09:48

Just comparing some zoom lenses and saw an article from one of the big photo magazines...in it the author had this to say:

"While 150-600mm lenses do make it possible to achieve a shot of a distant bird, for example, I believe that better pictures could be taken by improving your bushcraft skills and getting closer to your subject with a shorter focal length zoom."

So, when I'm sat in a hide and there are birds on the other side of the lake, I just need to swim across quietly, do I?

=> More informations about this toot | View the thread

Written by David Bradley on 2024-09-27 at 14:20

Well past 200 entries now, hopefully this is now a fairly comprehensive resource for the moth curious

=> More informations about this toot | View the thread

Written by David Bradley on 2024-09-24 at 11:52

Did you or someone you know recently lose an SD card in Norfolk, UK 3700 photos from an Iceland trip? Steve G has the card, I can put you in touch - DM rather than commenting if you think it's yours

No EXIF, no geo, no people. Great ideas, but Steve G covered everything including sharing with orgs other well-known photographers, etc. We just need to find that one connection to get the card back to its owner!

[#]lostandfound #norfolk #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotos #birdphotography

=> More informations about this toot | View the thread

Written by David Bradley on 2024-09-24 at 08:58

Always welcome in the garden, the first Black Rustic of the year in wet, but 13C, Cambs. Amazing colours and markings on this ostensibly black moth, it looks like it's wearing a wonderfully gothic cloak.

Also recorded new for the year Blair's Shoulder-knot and Lunar Underwing.

For any technical mothing terms and jargon, consult my glossary

https://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/mothing-glossary.html

=> View attached media

=> More informations about this toot | View the thread

Written by David Bradley on 2024-09-23 at 17:03

I added pheromone abbreviations...I could count each as an entry and get to well over 200...but thought better of it and they with an exception are sub-entries

=> More informations about this toot | View the thread

Written by David Bradley on 2024-09-23 at 16:21

It'd be nice to get to 200 entries for my mothing glossary. It's currently at 183 with explanations and definitions of costa and kidney marks, SHCs and SSDs, palps and proboscis, Heath, Robinson, and Skinner, and lots more

https://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/mothing-glossary.html

Any more ideas for entries?

=> View attached media

=> More informations about this toot | View the thread

Written by David Bradley on 2024-09-10 at 12:20

Latest album - 11 originals from the last 2y, various collaborations. 5 bonus tracks, remixes of songs from years back #GenreFluid #music

Have a listen...this is what I do when I'm not mothing or science-writing or gigging

https://davebradley.bandcamp.com/album/genre-fluid

=> More informations about this toot | View the thread

Written by David Bradley on 2024-09-07 at 13:16

This has to be one of the most beautiful bird-poop moths. Evolved to avoid predation by resembling avian guano splatted on a leaf or rock

Clouded Magpie, Abraxas sylvata

New for my Cambridgeshire garden and rather late in the year given the nominal May-July (perhaps early August)flight period for the adults. #

[#]teamMoth #mothsMatter

=> View attached media

=> More informations about this toot | View the thread

Written by David Bradley on 2024-09-04 at 11:53

NB If you downloaded, please grab it again, I've tweaked the mix today and it sounds about 0.0476 times better now, hahaha

This started out as a kind of accidental Meat Loaf pastiche, but ended up sounding a bit more like what we might call The Runaway Stones with Elton rocking on piano

Fake it till you make it

You’ve been living on the wrong side of town,

Where the whispers and the shadows meet,

They say the law’s been asking around,

But you’re faster on your feet...

https://davebradley.bandcamp.com/track/fake-it-till-you-make-it

=> View attached media

=> More informations about this toot | View the thread

Written by David Bradley on 2024-08-24 at 09:59

Did a spot of mothing on our recent trip to Blakeney on the North Norfolk coast. Took a 15W Heath trap, did quite well. Recorded 82 species five of which I'd not seen before, and two I'd not seen at home in Cambridgeshire.

Full species list on my blog and data now with the Norfolk County Moth Recorder, Jim Wheeler.

https://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/blakeney-birding-mothing-and-sealing.html

=> View attached media

=> More informations about this toot | View the thread

Written by David Bradley on 2024-08-22 at 14:33

Recent trip to Norfolk involved a bit of birding, some mothing (six species new for me), lots of walking, a bit of sunbathing, some swimming in the sea, a few ales, and a couple of boat trips to see seals

=> View attached media

=> More informations about this toot | View the thread

=> This profile with reblog | Go to sciencebase@mastodon.social account