Roger Butterfield
@rogerbutterfield.bsky.social
Retired ecologist and tutor, now focusing on biological recording. Sheffield, UK.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/roger/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/roger/
Reposted by Roger Butterfield
‘Birdwatching is close to rapture’: Margaret Atwood on why she has given C$1m to avian research
‘Birdwatching is close to rapture’: Margaret Atwood on why she has given C$1m to avian research
Award-winning novelist celebrates late partner’s love of birds with gift to establish the Graeme Gibson chair in avian biology
www.theguardian.com
September 26, 2026 at 2:50 AM
‘Birdwatching is close to rapture’: Margaret Atwood on why she has given C$1m to avian research
Reposted by Roger Butterfield
1777: Mrs Snooke's tortoise devours kidney-beans & cucumbers in a most voracious manner: swallows it's food almost whole.
September 11, 2026 at 6:00 AM
1777: Mrs Snooke's tortoise devours kidney-beans & cucumbers in a most voracious manner: swallows it's food almost whole.
A juvenile Common Lizard (Zootoca vivipara). Photographed this afternoon near Bretton Clough in Derbyshire.
August 10, 2026 at 5:36 PM
A juvenile Common Lizard (Zootoca vivipara). Photographed this afternoon near Bretton Clough in Derbyshire.
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.
July 22, 2026 at 11:39 PM
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.
Asian Small-clawed Otters (Aonyx cinereus) basking in the morning sun at Edinburgh Zoo.
July 21, 2026 at 7:39 AM
Asian Small-clawed Otters (Aonyx cinereus) basking in the morning sun at Edinburgh Zoo.
As a child, I was a bit of an "I-SPY" fanatic. Some of these little books helped lay the foundations for my current interest in biological recording.
July 16, 2026 at 8:52 AM
As a child, I was a bit of an "I-SPY" fanatic. Some of these little books helped lay the foundations for my current interest in biological recording.
Old Wheel Dam in the Loxley Valley is alive with dragonflies at the moment. Species seen there yesterday include Brown Hawker, Emperor, Broad-bodied Chaser and Black-tailed Skimmer. All sightings added to #iRecord
#DragonflyWeek
#DragonflyWeek
July 10, 2026 at 9:27 AM
Old Wheel Dam in the Loxley Valley is alive with dragonflies at the moment. Species seen there yesterday include Brown Hawker, Emperor, Broad-bodied Chaser and Black-tailed Skimmer. All sightings added to #iRecord
#DragonflyWeek
#DragonflyWeek
Reposted by Roger Butterfield
🔍 Species Spotlight: Southern Hawker
A large, striking dragonfly with bright green markings and blue spots (males). Flying from July to October, they're often curious and may even hover close to investigate you!
📸 Seen one? Share your photos and record it on iRecord.
#DragonflyWeek
A large, striking dragonfly with bright green markings and blue spots (males). Flying from July to October, they're often curious and may even hover close to investigate you!
📸 Seen one? Share your photos and record it on iRecord.
#DragonflyWeek
July 10, 2026 at 7:01 AM
🔍 Species Spotlight: Southern Hawker
A large, striking dragonfly with bright green markings and blue spots (males). Flying from July to October, they're often curious and may even hover close to investigate you!
📸 Seen one? Share your photos and record it on iRecord.
#DragonflyWeek
A large, striking dragonfly with bright green markings and blue spots (males). Flying from July to October, they're often curious and may even hover close to investigate you!
📸 Seen one? Share your photos and record it on iRecord.
#DragonflyWeek
On Wednesday I was surprised to find a few patches of Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) flowering in the goose-grazed grassland around Orgreave (Waverley) Lakes. It's a species that I haven't knowingly seen before, so I hope my identification is correct.
July 3, 2026 at 7:41 AM
On Wednesday I was surprised to find a few patches of Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) flowering in the goose-grazed grassland around Orgreave (Waverley) Lakes. It's a species that I haven't knowingly seen before, so I hope my identification is correct.
Reposted by Roger Butterfield
Over 50m either side of the cycle path/footpath near the bypass at Monk's Wall have been strimmed, destroying approx 20 Lizard orchid spikes.
I have reported this to DDC and will see what happens.
Lizard orchids are Protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981.
I have reported this to DDC and will see what happens.
Lizard orchids are Protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981.
June 11, 2026 at 4:33 PM
Over 50m either side of the cycle path/footpath near the bypass at Monk's Wall have been strimmed, destroying approx 20 Lizard orchid spikes.
I have reported this to DDC and will see what happens.
Lizard orchids are Protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981.
I have reported this to DDC and will see what happens.
Lizard orchids are Protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981.
Bee Orchids at RSPB Hayle Estuary.
June 8, 2026 at 12:53 PM
Bee Orchids at RSPB Hayle Estuary.
Larvae of the Mullein Moth (Cucullia verbasci). Photographed at Newlyn, Cornwall.
June 7, 2026 at 8:27 PM
Larvae of the Mullein Moth (Cucullia verbasci). Photographed at Newlyn, Cornwall.
We spent a happy half hour watching this vixen and her cubs yesterday. #FoxOfTheDay
June 4, 2026 at 9:48 AM
We spent a happy half hour watching this vixen and her cubs yesterday. #FoxOfTheDay
Another Bee Orchid in urban #Sheffield.
May 27, 2026 at 2:00 PM
Another Bee Orchid in urban #Sheffield.
Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera) flowering on the roadside in urban Sheffield.
May 24, 2026 at 11:19 AM
Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera) flowering on the roadside in urban Sheffield.
Reposted by Roger Butterfield
Other work by the Ladybird artists.
‘Wren’
Artist: CF Tunnicliffe
‘Wren’
Artist: CF Tunnicliffe
May 20, 2026 at 7:43 PM
Other work by the Ladybird artists.
‘Wren’
Artist: CF Tunnicliffe
‘Wren’
Artist: CF Tunnicliffe
Travel South Yorkshire seems to have given up on providing up-to-date information at bus stops.
May 17, 2026 at 10:51 AM
Travel South Yorkshire seems to have given up on providing up-to-date information at bus stops.
I've just finished listening to the latest installment of The Murderbot Diaries by @marthawells.com. Excellent stuff!
May 13, 2026 at 4:45 PM
I've just finished listening to the latest installment of The Murderbot Diaries by @marthawells.com. Excellent stuff!
Reposted by Roger Butterfield
As the nation (quite rightly) celebrates the 100th birthday of Sir David Attenborough, we are commemorating the 200th birthday of Henry Clifton Sorby with two special events this weekend.
Henry Clifton Sorby | Sorby Natural History Society, Sheffield
www.sorby.org.uk
May 8, 2026 at 9:26 AM
As the nation (quite rightly) celebrates the 100th birthday of Sir David Attenborough, we are commemorating the 200th birthday of Henry Clifton Sorby with two special events this weekend.
Reposted by Roger Butterfield
1777: A pair of swifts appear at last: they usually come in pairs. Cucumbers abound.
May 3, 2026 at 6:00 AM
1777: A pair of swifts appear at last: they usually come in pairs. Cucumbers abound.
There seems to have been an influx of Painted Lady butterflies. This afternoon we had several sightings of them around Stannington, South Yorkshire.
May 2, 2026 at 5:09 PM
There seems to have been an influx of Painted Lady butterflies. This afternoon we had several sightings of them around Stannington, South Yorkshire.
Loads of Dock Bugs around at the moment. Earlier today I counted about 40 of them on Fern Road, Walkley Bank.
May 2, 2026 at 1:36 PM
Loads of Dock Bugs around at the moment. Earlier today I counted about 40 of them on Fern Road, Walkley Bank.
Dewberry (Rubus caesius) growing along the Chesterfield Canal at Shireoaks. Thanks to @pshughes.bsky.social for pointing it out during yesterday's @sorbynathissoc.bsky.social field-meeting.
April 30, 2026 at 8:31 AM
Dewberry (Rubus caesius) growing along the Chesterfield Canal at Shireoaks. Thanks to @pshughes.bsky.social for pointing it out during yesterday's @sorbynathissoc.bsky.social field-meeting.
I saw my first two Swifts of the year yesterday evening.
1777: No swift seen yet.
April 30, 2026 at 8:19 AM
I saw my first two Swifts of the year yesterday evening.