Amy Roberts

An independent UK bookshop is inviting customers to vandalise Harry Potter books to raise money for trans healthcare.

The Bookish Type, a trans-owned bookstore in Leeds, is offering visitors the chance to deface copies of Harry Potter for just 25p.

All proceeds from the initiative will go towards supporting gender-affirming healthcare costs.

(Me: best fundraising stunt ever)

What an absolute fu©king joke Thames Water are, seriously the CEO needs a wake up call and jailed.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c04kd3gl1gpo

I have always said when the public doesn't have a choice, then you can't allow a private monopoly. I even said this back in the mid-1990s when I studied an Economics AS level.
All water companies should be converted to public ownership and proper investment should be given. Also no salaries should be higher than any standard civil services job.

#Water #UKreset

So I screamed & ran away, before got these photos of the Giant Wood Wasp (Uracerus gigas) that landed next to me on my massive fir tree stump that I am slowly cutting up from its removal for solar panels (had core rot so needed felling).
This is larger than an Asian hornet. It actually isn't a wasp at all, it's a harmless (to humans) mimic and actually a sawfly.
What looks like a massive stinger is actually an ovipositor that has saw like teeth used to bore into the wood #insect #entomology

SpaceX starship 13 was a success and was amazing human engineering.
However, I want to see a night sky without being blinded by continuous Skylink satellites flaring and burning up. I want to see the stars and not have nocturnal insects and life altered by the junk we put up in near space.
We do risk changing biological systems in the future. Just because folk don't see it doesn't mean that pollination and other processes don't go on while you sleep in the dark.
Just my views

Can't wait for this wind farm to come fully on stream. First cables connected.

Even though I am off grid myself, I do hope we are taking steps as a country to become energy independent away from oil and global markets.
Also would love to shut Trump, Farage and Badenoch up. Renewable mix and battery storage is the green future (present) that saves the planet and it's biodiversity.

https://interestingengineering.com/energy/worlds-largest-offshore-wind-farm-cable

Houston we have a problem!!!
So I was overnight driving down to #emfcamp from Scotland and the old EV decided to "computer says, No!" car is on its way to garage (luckily this battery swap is under warranty, the previous wasn't, was warned might happen ~10% chance on the remap).
So I have already coached it from Glasgow to Brechin this morning and am now hiking back out to the Cairngorm ranch.
Have a great EMF everyone, sad won't be bumping into you all and adding to the sticker collection.

Just passed 7000 kWh generated from my wind turbine in 15 months (since my purchase of the offgrid property in rural Scotland, nr edge of Angus Cairngorms).
Adding that to 1560 kWh of solar since mid-Feb. Totals 8560 kWh renewables.
Also 542 kWh back up diesel during my ownership (zero kWh since March thanks to solar)
Totals 9102 kWh generated off grid in 15 months.

#offgrid #personalenergystats

I witnessed a murder this morning, it was sad but also one of the most exciting wildlife experiences I have ever seen, as it was the first time I had ever seen a Pine Martin. Sadly the food web played out on my driveway this morning as a Pine Martin took chase of a senior Rabbit and caught it. I was absolutely shocked as I would never have thought a Pine Martin would be in the local area (Angus, Scotland)

#WildScotland #FoodChain #ScottishWildlife

Finished the 20m dual lined hedge 🎉
Mostly Hawthorn in the front row closest to the wire fence. Then a mix of Blackthorn, Crab Apple, Spindle, Field Maple, Dog Rose, Wild Cherry and a few Beech and English Oak that will be specimen trees above the hedge row.

Still have a few trees left which I will add in over the next week or two

Japan launches a wooden box into space as a “strange but brilliant solution” to an increasingly serious problem, orbital debris...

Wooden satellites like LignoSat are designed to burn up into water vapor and a small amount of carbon dioxide instead of long-lived metallic haze.

#space #satellites #spacedebris #orbitaldebris

https://www.ecoticias.com/en/japan-launches-a-wooden-box-into-space-as-a-strange-but-brilliant-solution-to-an-increasingly-serious-problem-orbital-debris-and-proposes-an-idea-that-seems-like-science-fiction-b/29244/

From Good Law Project:
The High Court has rejected a challenge from anti-trans activists to the NHS puberty blockers trial.
In a case spearheaded by the controversial Bayswater Support Group & funded by an organisation with links to the far right, activists argued that the trial poses a risk to young people and that the medicine should be tested on adults – even though puberty blockers are a standard treatment for young trans people across the world.
#trans #transhealthcare

The UK needs to make a stance against this US administration.

Trump at NATO we will grant Ukraine Patriot missile licence.
Today Trump says no licences

Trump's words are worthless, just like he will never support article 5 of NATO

Two Russian missiles "get lost" striking Poland. Poland don't invoke article 4 and 5 as they can't guarantee US support.

The UK needs to state to Trump give Ukraine the licence or we will strip Trump of all his golf courses and use of UK airstrips

Ukraine ✊

The Haar fog on the East coast of Scotland is stunning this morning

Solar farms in England, Wales and Scotland generated 14.1GW of low-carbon electricity at lunchtime on Monday, surpassing the previous high of 14GW in July last year.

And that record was toppled a day later when power generation from the sun’s energy climbed to another new high of 14.4GW on Tuesday afternoon.

#solar #solarPV

Britain breaks solar energy record twice as UK’s biggest solar farm gets approval
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/apr/08/britain-breaks-solar-energy-record-twice-uk-biggest-solar-farm-springwell-approval

A RARELY seen ladybird has been discovered for the first time in Glasgow while a new bee species has also been spotted.

#scotland #biodiversity #SpeciesExpansion #newrecord

https://www.thenational.scot/news/25908555.rare-ladybird-new-bee-species-discovered-maryhill/

First Peacock butterfly (Aglais io) that I have seen this year in Angus region. Was basking in the sun on this spectacular day today. I frightened a rabbit on my approach to get the photo.

#butterfly #lepidoptera

My friend Neil is hiking the entire length 185.2 miles (298 km) of the River Thames path for the Oxfordshire Animal Sanctuary in one week.

He is currently near Goring and Streatley on the Oxfordshire / Berkshire border having completed the earlier stages of the walk during one of the hottest weekends.

If you would like to sponsor him please do so here, https://www.justgiving.com/page/thames-path-oas?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=WA

#sponsorship #hiking #ThamesPath

And this is why I will never purchase a kindle or any ebook reader that locks you into a device type or file format.

"Amazon rewards loyal Kindle devotees by closing the book on old e-readers" and then need to buy a new device to gain access to books again.
https://www.theregister.com/2026/04/08/amazon_kindle_support_discontinued/

Not sure if the same peacock butterfly as the other side of the house, but the first one did fly off. Basking on an old bag of compost.
Also saw a small tortoiseshell but it flew off prior to getting phone out to photograph.

#butterfly #lepidoptera

Whoop, the first row of the 20m front hedge is complete 🎉 Also the second row is at 13m, so another 7m to go, but need to celebrate the first row completion 🎉
So far I have planted 185 Hawthorn, 30 Field Maple, 20 Wild Cherry, 10 Spindle, 20 Crab Apple, 3 Beech, 1 Blackthorn, 1 Dog Rose and 1 English Oak.
Still have a load of trees left to finish off the 7m and fill in the odd initial gaps/damaged trees.

#hedgerow #HedgePlanting #hedge

Yesterday, I was at Stirling University for Butterfly Conservation, Scottish Spring meeting. Was lovely to catch-up with fellow butterfly enthusiasts and listen to some great updates. Meeting was videoed so should be up on YouTube soon.

#Butterfly #Butterflies #ButterflyConservation

Got back out today and got back on the hedge planting. So nearly finished, only 8 trees to plant for the first 7m hedge planted up as a two row hedge. Tree guards likely off by Winter as are good whips. Then in maybe 3-5 years I will be able the lay the hedge properly.

RE: @soller@floss.social

This 👇 there was a recent hire that was part of a content team with in the job description they wanted vibe coding so that Operations could bypass the Product and Tech team agile priority ordered backlog

Energy giant Drax pulls out of UK climate plan. So no carbon capture (which is dubious outside a lab at best). Ever since 2014 Drax has promised eventually it would be green and that it's fuel is truly sustainable (it isn't according to investigative reporting). So now not likely to reduce carbon output. The government needs to take charge and finally get this company to act properly Tory's failed and now Labour is too.

https://www.politico.eu/article/energy-giant-drax-pulls-out-of-uk-climate-plan/

Starlings on the bird table and Gold Finches have arrived, bad photos as super zoomed mobile phone pics through the window from the sofa. Yes, I have tied my bird feeder to the table with a spare coxial phone cable as I was sick of string fails.

I hope for the worlds sake, that a TACO occurs tonight. At least I potentially might never know if I am asleep when the Earth splits in half after a modern nuke is used.
Some spines are required on the other side of the pond. Remove Trump he is evil and insane. The fact that the VP is in Hungary supporting Putin's puppet Orban, just shows how bad the US gov is & 25th Amendment unlikely, as Mike has shut down Congress again!!

"Every key indicator flashing red" warns UN's 2025 climate report

The WMO's 2025 climate report confirms the hottest eleven years on record, record ocean heat content, accelerating sea-level rise, and greenhouse gas concentrations at their highest in 800,000 years.

https://oceanographicmagazine.com/news/every-key-indicator-flashing-red-warns-uns-2025-climate-report/

RE: @UndisScot@mastodon.scot

Really must visit this and the local area.

Letter countering a pro-growth lobbyist

“Ecologists & conservationists would be surprised by his claim that the UK doesn’t & never will build enough to drive nature loss”

“Development poses a severe threat to biodiversity [&] regulations are insufficient & poorly enforced

As one of the most nature-depleted nations globally, we need a huge amount more spent on conservation & the profits reported by many developers suggest they could spare some change to help”

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/mar/13/we-must-protect-our-natural-habitats-before-they-disappear

Wow, F1 electrical power units are a mess this Chinese GP with 4 (Pia, Nor, Bor, Alb) not starting due to Power Unit issues and Stroll early retirement as well. Safety car restart happening now. This is why Formula E is the future

I got an EV and moved to Scotland to go offgrid, just for this particular scenario that is unfolding. TBH thought I had a couple of years before Trump got to this point as really believed he would start a war so never left office and would draw the UK in.

(Well the Zombie Apocalypse was also a scenario, although still haven't unpacked my cricket bat, at least have vinyl collection to hand, hattip Shaun of the Dead, let's all head to The Winchester 🧟)

New Scottish Dark Sky Observatory plans get the green light.

It is the latest step in the mission to replace the old observatory which has taken more than four-and-a-half years.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyg9xg215no

So my solar PV has not even been on for a month yet yesterday it passed over 100kWh production. Given the amount of wind and full battery I am surprised by this as the solar switches off when not needed. We have only had a couple of sunny days the rest have been overcast. Nr Cairngorms, Angus, Scotland

@thenorfolkcoast@ecoevo.social love the video, thanks for posting, but think you have the species in the alt text incorrect, is this not a Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)?

So the US president Trump seems to have TACO'ed to another two weeks (standard MO).
I share the sentiments of commentators Keith Edwards, Brian Tyler Cohen and also MeidasMedia, where are the spines of the elected officials, with 25 amendments to remove Trump and save civilization from him.
It is noted that the US white house is likely providing the Pakistan team with draft tweets (as say president not PM) & outputs in a theatre play to try and give Trump some sort of saving face off ramp.

UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme guidance & recording forms. Get ready for survey season! Its just less than a month to go until the start of UKBMS Transect surveys. Brush up on the survey method with our resources here

https://ukbms.org/guidance-recording-forms

Dom Chinea from The Repair Shop / Make It At Market fame has a new TV show on U & Yesterday called Dom Chinea's Cornish Workshop

https://u.co.uk/shows/dom-chineas-cornish-workshop/watch-online

The call for proposals for PIDfest 2026 has opened. but be quick as closes March 22nd. The theme this year is "Keeping Knowledge Connected"

PIDfest is an International summit of talks, activities, and workshops focussing on how persistent identifiers can deliver world-class research infrastructure.

PIDfest 2026 is on 27-29 October in Leiden, the Netherlands. https://www.pidfest.org/

Sadly I have no spare funding, as struggling to find the OA fee to publish my SR protocol at the moment.

The recent images NASA have released from the Artemis II mission are just stunning. A solar eclipse and seeing Earth and the Dark side of the Moon

#Artemis2 #Artemis #DarkSideOfTheMoon #NASA

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasa2explore/