James Common

A few #ladybirds from a wander around #GosforthNatureReserve today. Particularly happy with the Eyed Ladybird, which brings my site total to 14 species 🐞

@WallsendWild26 I wonder if the hybrid is going to crop up soon... And good news about the second colony - one for the next book! 😆

Early Dog Violet and Common Dog Violet from today showing the different coloured rear spurs. Early Dog Violet is a very rare plant in North Tyneside so I was pleased to find another colony at the Rising Sun Country Park today making it two different grid squares on the patch.

Well, that's one off the botanical bucket list! Genuinely thrilled to see my first Tunbridge Filmy-fern (Hymenophyllum tunbrigense) today on a jaunt north with Matt. A little beauty! 🤩 #ferns

A bit of a woodland theme emerging in the #yarden this year, but it’s great to see some of the natives making an appearance. Particularly pleased with the oxlip and herb-paris 🤩

@juliet_turner6 This one! Bought for me as a gift so I don't have a name unfortunately. But pretty nifty 🐝

@CommonByNature How beautiful! What type of box is this?

Cuteness alert... 🐝 Last year, Red Mason Bees chose our observation box for the first time, so I’ve been eagerly waiting to see them emerge. This little male is the first to appear, and one of the earliest we’ve ever recorded in the garden! #bees

@pam_mcinnes Lovely!

@CommonByNature One of my favourites. These beauties were seen in Cumbria recently.

A successful trip today to hunt for Yellow Star-of-Bethlehem (Gagea lutea). Definitely one of our cheeriest spring #wildflowers... 😁

The teenie tiny flowers of Moschatel (Adoxa moschatellina) from today's wander in the Tyne valley. Always welcome! #wildflowers

Sticking with the yellow theme, these not so wild Wild Daffodils were also looking lovely today. Presumably introduced, though not far from their native site. #wildflowers

Looking for a copy of Urban Flora of Newcastle and North Tyneside but prefer not to use Amazon? 📖📷 Good news. The Natural History Society are stocking it too: nhsn.org.uk/product/urban-… And I hear it may be appearing in a few other places soon… #botany #newcastleupontyne

@poliauntie Thank you, Christine! 🙂

@CommonByNature Saw a single one today in Kirkcaldy, Fife. So pretty. Congratulation on the book. Well done

Plenty of Colt’s-foot (Tussilago farfara) popping up around Heaton today. Very common, but cheery and welcome nonetheless. #urbanflora 🌼

Nice to stumble across a huge (10 m) patch of Cut-leaved Dead-nettle (Lamium hybridum) today. A pretty rare plant in the North East, though definitely under-recorded. #urbanflora

Common Whitlowgrass in its natural habitat rather than as a pavement plant, on Rock Dunes Cornwall today. Erophila verna

Each spring I look forward to the appearance of this little patch of naturalised Siberian squill (Scilla siberica) in Armstrong Park. It’s back again for a new season! #urbanflora

It's launch day! 🎉🌿 Absolutely chuffed to share that Urban Flora of Newcastle and North Tyneside is now available on Amazon. If you're interested, you can grab a copy here 👉 amazon.co.uk/dp/1036970124 Mega thanks to @BSBIbotany and NHSN for making it happen. #botany

Resurfacing on here momentarily to share some news... The 'Urban Flora of Newcastle and North Tyneside' will be published on Monday 9 March 🌿 📖 Now, back into hibernation... #botany #urbanflora #newcastle

Lovely to spend an afternoon in the company of one of my all-time favourite wildflowers today in County Durham - Dark Red Helleborine (Epipactis atrorubens) #botany