What a thrill to see these beauties #GardenBiodiversity

Hopefully another good year for Hummers - enjoying some sunny spells between today’s cloudy weather #GardenBiodiversity #MorayFirthCoast #HummingbirdHawkmoth #TeamMoth @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

This female Palmate Newt checking out the moth trap last night completes the amphibian set found in North East Scotland. The pond really is doing some heavy lifting this year #GardenBiodiversity

A red letter day indeed - in addition to this beautiful moth, we had our first dragonfly exuvia in the pond this morning. A Southern Hawker had been egg-laying near the new pond a couple of years ago. We thought it was a strange spot for laying, but she obviously knew what she was doing.

New #mammal conservation #PhD: "Understanding and Addressing Rural Hedgehog Population Declines". @srucnews.bsky.social EastBio CASE project in partnership with (and co-supervised by) @ptes-org.bsky.social. Details: www.findaphd.com/phds/project... Act fast - applications close 15 December. 🦔🦔🦔

Delighted my YouTube channel has >1/4 million views and >5k subscribers. Keen to find new audiences especially students and practitioners. Also keen for new subjects either in UK or online interviewing someone in the field. Ideas welcome! youtube.com/@bill_suther...

Wild bees drive increased weight and seed set in apples. Increased Honeybee visitation has -ve affect on fruit weight. Another reminder (as if needed) of importance of prioritising 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙙 bee conservation. @jappliedecology.bsky.social #pollinator besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Unhappy demise for a Feral Pigeon in the garden yesterday, but lovely to see this Sparrowhawk at close proximity. #GardenBiodiversity

It's been 187 years in the making but finally, as of this evening, Charles Darwin, Alfred Russel Wallace, Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth II and I have all signed the Book of Obligations of Fellows of the Royal Entomological Society. #Ento25 @royentsoc.bsky.social

@nesmammals.bsky.social Happy National Pine Marten Day! If you’re wondering what Pine Marten get up to in September, look out for a new blog coming out later this month - the first in a series of blogs highlighting what local mammals are up to throughout each calendar month .

Hummingbird Hawkmoths (2) still frequenting Red Valerian in the garden yesterday. Floris has stormed into town, so I hope they're sitting it out somewhere sheltered. Portsoy (VC94, Banffshire) #teammoth

#GardenBiodiversity ❤️

A blizzard of Grayling today (c. 150 individuals) along a stretch of the Moray Firth coast. Similar number of Common Blue. Fantastic day 🦋 @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bchighland.bsky.social

The pond is very busy today in the scorching heat. Fourth Odonata for our 15 month-old pond. #LargeRedDamselfly #GardenBiodiversity @britishdragonflies.bsky.social

Creating a bog garden at one end of the pond and carefully shepherding dozens of little froglets to one side while we create new habitat for them. Hands-down the best prescription for low mood. #GardenBiodiversity #Wellbeing

First Common Blue of the year, one of 9 species seen today on a walk that was awash with Red Admirals, Ringlets and Meadow Browns.

Beautiful visitor to the garden this morning #TeamMoth #HummingbirdHawkmoth #GardenBiodiversity

Early start to the season for #SmallBlue at Portknockie, Moray, though was a delight to see them today @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bchighland.bsky.social #SpeciesOnTheEdge

Running towards biodiversity destruction www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Amazing to have seen this on our doorstep ❤️

Mammal Society’s Spring Conference kicking off this evening at Bangor University with a panel discussion on the significant challenges in #MammalConservation

New paper in Insect Conservation and Diversity, arguing that Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) in England may be harmful for invertebrates. Some constructive recommendations made for invert-friendly BNG improvements. resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

Finally www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Join us our next online seminar, presented by Claire Stainfield of @srucnews.bsky.social, on Wednesday 26th February at 7.00 pm. Claire will discuss how #drones and #SocialMedia contribute to her PhD research on the Ythan estuary #seals. Booking 👉 tinyurl.com/a8ryxyan #mammals 📸 Claire Stainfield

Really great talk from Charlotte this evening for our local mammal group #SmallMammals #CameraTraps #StudentSpotlight

Finally, after snow, ice, rain and wind, a chance to retrieve some cameras. And, once again, the #smallmammal box proves irresistible to a Weasel #NESMammalChallenge.

Wonderful to film these Harbour Porpoise (known here in Shetland as 'Neesicks') in glass-calm conditions off the east coast this week before #StormEowyn arrived. It's not very often you get to see their subtle 'puffy' blows as they surface. #MarineLife #MarineMammals #CetaceansUK

Beautiful day for seal spotting for the #NESMammalChallenge. Cold temps, but blue skies, along the Moray Firth Coast.

Great opportunity to hear about work looking at invasive non-native Greater White-toothed Shrew in Northeast England #Mammals #Shrews #CameraTraps

Based in Northern Ireland? Looking to boost your botanical skills? We have 2 great workshops for you this weekend. Saturday - beginner botanists: how to ID trees & twigs in winter bsbi.org/events/45235 Sunday - improver botanists: how to ID plants from their winter rosettes bsbi.org/events/inter...

Our January #NESMammalChallenge continues apace. Thanks to Hollie Cowie for a fantastic pic of a fence-climbing Stoat. Still some easy species to record - let us know what you find in the region.

With the current cold spell, had been expecting these beautiful visitors to the garden. A big #Finch aggregate this morning, including this lovely #Brambling #GardenBiodiversity.

In Europe lynx are not dangerous at all to humans. For perspective we did however have over 30,000 dog attacks in UK 2024. It is time for a legal, community and science led reintroduction of lynx.

An interesting PhD opportunity with 4yrs funding at Edinburgh University. Research results likely to directly influence Govt policy in Scotland on rodenticides, lead ammunition & avian flu. Closing date for applications Mon 6 Jan 2025. #RaptorResearch raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/01/02/f...

Animals raised for slaughter outweigh wildlife on Earth by 15 to 1… Meat & dairy ~14.5% global greenhouse gas emissions, their transport only a small part & beef/lamb/cheese the worst culprits: interactive.carbonbrief.org/what-is-the-...

We're offering a PhD place on Rewilding! This PhD will study the wilder grazing at Purbeck Heaths ‘Super National Nature Reserve’, which is shifting towards the restoration of natural processes to create a more dynamic, complex landscape www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

Going through #cameratrap videos and a nice surprise to end the year 😍

Mood be like this #Peacock chrysalis from earlier this year - bring on the spring! #HappySolstice!

First of a series of free #peatland webinars hosted by the IUCN Peatland Programme and the Environment Agency looking at the importance of the water environment within the peatland sector is running online on 30th January 2025 (10.00 - 12.00 GMT). Booking bit.ly/3Dn91Q4

⏰New Research ⏰ We quantified the direct impact of diversionary feeding on capercaillie productivity. We show an increase in the proportion of hen with a brood in DF sites (37% -> 85%) and, as a result, a 131% increase in chicks per hen. Read more here: www.researchgate.net/publication/... 1/7

NE Scotland is vitally important for Mountain Hares - it's why we chose it as our logo! After a wild weekend, the weather looks quieter this week ahead - ideal for some surveying! Choose casual transects or dedicated square surveys: mammal.org.uk/current-rese... #mammals @btobirds.bsky.social

🔊 #PhD alert 🔊 Four-year funded PhD on insect ecology and sustainable agriculture. Supervised by Rob Graham, Louise Ross and myself. Join our friendly, dynamic and fun PhD cohort at SRUC's Aberdeen campus. www.findaphd.com/phds/project... Deadline 17 January. @srucnews.bsky.social #PhDSky

Sound up for a mystery #mammal noise (slowed to one tenth of normal speed) captured using an Audiomoth bioacoustic recorder, to liven up your Tuesday evening. Any guesses??? @openacousticdevices.info #addMam

If #WildFlowerHour has inspired you to want to learn more about our wonderful wildflowers, why not consider taking a short plant ID course in 2025? bsbi.org/training-cou... We also have Training Grants to help you pay for courses: bsbi.org/grants @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @naturelark.bsky.social

Despite the mild weather, a very modest catch over the weekend. Two nights, two moths - the ever lovely Angle Shades and a Winter Moth, the latter #NFG and a new hectad for VC94. #TeamMoth #NotAWogan

Let’s go! #teammoth

Latest update on this exciting PhD research, which uses innovative methods to monitor the Ythan estuary's Grey Seals. aberdeenmarinemammalproject.blogspot.com/2024/11/wint... #marinelife #marinemammals @ttptnortheast.bsky.social