Iain H Leach
@IainHLeach
Birding and wildlife photography - birds, mammals, butterflies, dragonflies, moths, orchids.....
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Black and White Warbler Mniotilta varia, Simcoe, Ontario. May 2026.
Blackburnian Warbler Setophaga fusca, Simcoe Ontario, May 2026. Nice to see these birds again.
Baltimore Oriole, Simcoe May 2026. Nice to see these back with at least 6 pairs here.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Simcoe, Ontario May 2026
Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Ontario Canada. Lots of these waders heading north to breed.
UKBMS results out today!
Results from fifty years of butterfly monitoring! The UKBMS data reveals declines in 33 species over the last fifty years.
Check out the full story below
And the full 2025 statistics can be found here:
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The total of 205 Small Mottled Willow (S. exigua), recorded by M. Scott on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly on 8/4 appears to be the highest ever total taken on one night in the UK. I believe the previous record was 165, taken at Portland Bird Obs, Dorset on 11/2/04 @trapsite 1/2
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Still waiting, 19 months on, for Natural England's review of Hen Harrier Brood Meddling trial.
New blog ⬇️
A few recent moths from the garden traps, VC73.
A good night moth trapping in Cumbria with three moth trappers and 15 traps. Highlights included 12 Acleris lipsiana between the traps, 3 Barred Tooth-striped and a Blossom Underwing among a big catch of commoner moths.
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Bit of an enigma - Acleris lipsiana at what was thought to be England's best location for the species. Ecstatic with the first, 'comfortably numb' by the last at dawn. I can confirm it is now. (Thanks to Iain Leach for support on the night and the image)
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Government to consider licensing & other restrictions for ALL gamebird shooting & releases in England.
New blog ⬇️
Loophole closed in grouse shooting licences via Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026.
Good news ⚖️👏
Game-shooting industry's response to the recent conviction of Perthshire gamekeeper Russell Mason.
New blog ⬇️
Good news!
High Court throws out Moorland Association's legal challenge against new burning regulations in England.
New blog ⬇️
Seven sacks of dead Pheasants dumped by side of road in S Lanarkshire.
Dodgy ethics aside, no need to worry about the mandatory biosecurity measures that everyone, including gamebird shoot managers, are supposed to comply with, eh? #AvianFlu#
New blog ⬇️
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147 Hen Harriers confirmed 'missing' or illegally killed in UK since 2018 - most of them on or close to grouse moors.
Data extracted from reports by Natural England, RSPB, HSE, various Police forces, National Wildlife Crime Unit.
New blog ⬇️
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The RSPB reports six of its satellite-tagged Hen Harriers disappeared on or close to grouse moors in England in 2025 & another was illegally poisoned.
New blog ⬇️
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RSPB asks for evidence of burning on peatlands across the UK.
Can you help? Find out how ⬇️
Gamekeeper Thomas Munday convicted after brutally clubbing a trapped Buzzard to death on a Pheasant shoot at Hovingham, North Yorkshire.
Press release and video in blog ⬇️
‼️WARNING - the video content is highly disturbing.
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