Cranbrook Iron

@BirgitteUna @northumbriana Dad used to work there. There was a shop. It contained multitudes and the Christmas hamper was a thing of beauty. Um Bongo, already!

@northumbriana They were class. As were Heinz Toast Toppers!

Can anyone top the 1980s tea I had earlier? Sausage and beans on toast followed by strawberry Angel Delight and a glass of Robinson’s orange squash. 💪🏻

@themarshtit I’ve done a return stalk!

@steverutt Colin the coot approves.

The badgers are the best examples.

@themarshtit Hoping they come back next year. I had to shut their front door this spring while work was done up there and they sat on the fruit cage and squeaked plaintively at me! They’ll appear on my insta, @let_there_be_weeds with the rest of my wildlife infestations.

@themarshtit Definitely! I have mandarin ducks nesting in my loft most years. Not that it’s a competition. (It’s SO a competition).

@themarshtit Wrens nesting in the cement mixer!

@themarshtit Also Colin the slow worm. Lived under the sink.

@themarshtit We used to have a family of workshop shrews. They’re very partial to Dreamies cat treats. The big one was called Stu. Always hoped to see a shrew ‘caravan’ but never did!

#leaving #byebye #pasturesnew #allchange #fabrication #metalart #gardenart #plasmacutting

@igorpianist Thank you. Easily as good and necessary as the robin switching to his winter song.

@Hanworth_barn Poplar Hawkmoth

Can anyone identify this? #MothNight

@Raphaelite_Girl Nope that’ll be that @jeni_cairns that will. Or it might be Blloomnsharp who copies us both!

@LevParikian Robin doing his winter song. Started about two weeks ago.

Tell me, please, your autumn markers. When does it begin?

@sciencebase @AlPavey Would that be Marden Bridge middle school that I also went to? From about 76-80. Basically the Pleistocene era.

@AlPavey Ah, Marden, Kent, not where I went to school in the North East...hahah

Wasn’t expecting this to land next to me at work in Marden this morning!!!

@iancbeavis @BritishMoths Possibly, and competing with a huge moon? I usually do very well for all Hawks, loads of Prominents (actually I fibbed there was one Swallow Prom too) and Lobsters. Been quite a disappointing year.

@CranbrookIron @BritishMoths That's strange - seems as if it should have been a good night. Wind to blame perhaps?

Looks like a dark crimson underwing? Deceased in mixed woodland in Kent so possibly a bit lost. #britishmoths #moths @iancbeavis @BritishMoths #crimsonunderwing

@iancbeavis @BritishMoths Well so much for setting the trap. Two Black Arches and a Rosy Footman. And nothing else!

@CranbrookIron @BritishMoths That sounds very promising for a resident. Not that many migrants - especially the really scarce ones - make it this far inland.

@iancbeavis @BritishMoths Oh good! It was on a path in woods on the Scotney estate. I’ll set my MV trap tonight. Thanks for the ident confirmation.

@CranbrookIron @BritishMoths Yes, that's right. A very good find. Said to be no longer breeding in the Weald & only appearing as a migrant. But could well be hanging on unnoticed.

@Louisa_Crispin @andrewdmalone @MarcHeathym007 @PTES Yes it’s a bit of a rubbish take-off!

@CranbrookIron @andrewdmalone @MarcHeathym007 @PTES He seems to be struggling a bit (& I'd probably run a mile if he came too close 😂)

Stag Beetle preparing for lift off Whitstable ⁦@MarcHeathym007⁩ ⁦@PTES⁩

@KHWCP @iancbeavis Looks like a nail gall but no idea which one. Very odd!

On 3rd June we found this oak leaf floating in a pool at Scotney Castle. The 'eggs' laid on the underside are in a linear pattern and have 'antennae' protruding through the top of the leaf. Can anyone help identify please? @iancbeavis