CEDaR recently received six records of strandings following Storm Chandra, these included records of the curled octopus (𝘌𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘤𝘪𝘳𝘳𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘢). 🐙

With Valentine’s Day approaching , let us introduce you to @lovedataweek.bsky.social ! 💝 A celebration of all things data, this year’s theme asks “Where’s the Data?”🌱 When you submit sightings, they travel a long way to help protect NI’s wildlife! #LoveData26 #citizenscience #Conservation

CEDaR's Surveillance Officer worked with colleagues at the NIEA on their Habitat Regulations Reporting. It reviews the conservation status of 32 species & 50 habitats across NI. Read the overview report: www.daera-ni.gov.uk/sites/defaul...

Happy National Hedgehog Day 2026 🦔 If you are lucky enough to see a hedgehog, be sure to record your sighting and upload it to our NI Mammal Recording Project, available on our website or via the iRecord app! 📲 We accept camera trap footage! 📸

#WhatExactlyIs Have you ever walked along the beach & noticed a piece of seaweed that looks like a small pouch? Well, its not actually seaweed at all! 👛

Database update ❕ Our terrestrial & freshwater data team have recently surpassed 3 million records uploaded to our Recorder6 database! 🌱 Thank you to everyone who has submitted records to us and helped us achieve this milestone, here’s to the next 3 million! 🎉

Strong easterly winds & heavy rain have arrived in Northern Ireland as #StormChandra passes over. 60-70mph winds are expected, possibly up to 75mph by the coasts and 50mm of rainfall is also predicted in many areas, this has already caused some flooding & disruption.

Our outreach volunteer role is now open - see the link for more details! volunteer.nationalmuseumsni.org/volunteers/o... @volunteernow.bsky.social #citizenscience #NationalMuseumsNI #biologicalrecording

Its red squirrel appreciation day! 🎉

Species of the month: Common Starling! 🔎 Identifiable by their glossy plumage with purple and green sheen. In winter they have white spots on their feathers and darker bills. They also have short tails, pointed wings and pink legs. Length: 19-23cm, Wingspan: 37-42cm.

Join us on the 13th of February at 2pm outside Ballycultra Tearoom at Ulster Folk Museum, Cultra to learn about local wildlife and how to record it! See link for tickets: www.ulsterfolkmuseum.org/whats-on/wil...

CEDaR has a bespoke recording platform: CEDaR Online Recording 💻 If mobile recording is more your thing, there're a number of apps that also filter into our database 📲 Whichever you choose, please only submit your sighting to 1 platform. This reduces duplication!

Presenting CEDaR's Year-End Record Count for 2025! Almost 14,000 records were submitted to CEDaR Online Recording in 2025, a big increase from just over 11,000 in 2024. Thank you to our recorders for all of your great work throughout the year!

Happy holidays from everyone at CEDaR! Thank you for all the records that you submitted in 2025, see you in the new year!

Tired of singing the same Christmas carols every year? Jazz up your songbook with some whale song 🐋

Species of the month: the Grey and Common Seals! Only 2 seal species are found in the seas around NI, we couldn’t pick a favourite – can you?

Storm Bram is set to bring strong winds and heavy rainfall to Northern Ireland. Southerly and then southwesterly winds with speeds of up to 70mph are expected, in coastal areas and on higher ground these winds could be even stronger 💨

Launched in July 2025, CEDaR’s Northern Ireland Mammal Recording Project marks 25 years since the end of our first bespoke recording project, the NI Mammal Recording Scheme (1995-2000).

Rain or shine (or hail!) earthworms are active, and so are we! ❄️ Our Earthworm Sampling and Study Days gave intermediate level participants, returning from April’s course, an opportunity to find and identify yet more earthworms (and invasive New Zealand flatworms).

On Saturday we officially marked our 30th anniversary with our Conference & Publication Launch. Thank you to every one of you who has supported our work and submitted records over the past 30 years. Read more about the event here: www.nationalmuseumsni.org/news/cedar-m...

Something new is coming 🌱

Recently, CEDaR ran a cetacean identification training course with the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group at Portrush. Thank you to everyone who attended! Be sure to record your marine species sightings using CEDaR online recording: www2.habitas.org.uk/records/marine

Our earthworms have been getting some attention over on BBC News NI. Read more about our earthworm sampling day at the article: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... Don't forget to record your earthworm sightings at CEDaR Online Recording, or iRecord.📲

Gorgeous new pages for Ireland too! - check out the new Irish County, Project and Event pages at bsbi.org/in-your-area.... And it's now so easy to find all @bsbibotany.bsky.social's fantastic botanical resources! 🌿🌾🌼🪷☘️ @npwsireland.bsky.social @cedar-ni.bsky.social @cieem.bsky.social

Ahead of our conference this Saturday we want to highlight the organisations who have worked with us to make the event happen. Thank you! 😊

Species of the month: red squirrel! 🟠Red squirrels are identifiable from their red/brown coat, bushy tail and tufts on their ears, they are smaller than grey squirrels at about 18-24cm in length 🍴They eat mostly seeds and nuts (especially pine) but also bark and fungi

This week is your last chance to book tickets for our conference on 22nd November! Learn about the role that biological records play in research in session 5🔬 Book your tickets at: nationalmuseumsni.digitickets.co.uk/event-ticket...

What kind of organism has the gall to make these unusual growths? Quite a few as it turns out! Plant galls are created by insects, mites, bacteria and fungi 🐝 A gall is any growth on a plant caused by an external organism 🌳 They can be created for food or shelter!

We would love for you to join us at our conference on Saturday 22nd November! Session 4 will look at connecting nature and people🌳 Book your tickets at: nationalmuseumsni.digitickets.co.uk/event-ticket...

Something wicked this way comes... Species of the month: New Zealand flatworm! 📐Traits - Flattened body that is pointed at both ends and covered in a sticky mucus. Colour can vary with a pale yellow margin. They have a speckled underside. Can be 20cm long and 1cm wide.

Session 3 of our conference will focus on wellbeing and nature 🏖 Book tickets to celebrate 30 years of connecting nature and people with us: nationalmuseumsni.digitickets.co.uk/event-ticket... #natureconnectedness #wellbeing #nature #VisitAND

Some snaps from our fungi workshop on Saturday 🍄 #discovernorthernireland #exploreomaghsperrins #woodland #fungi #recording

Don't forget to buy tickets for our conference! Find out more about how DNA is shaping recording with National Museums NI and the NI Moth Records Committee! 🦋🧬 Book tickets at: nationalmuseumsni.digitickets.co.uk/event-ticket...

Did you know CEDaR is part of National Museums NI? We had a great time at our staff conference, learning about all the amazing work that happens across our 4 museums! Lovely to see a natural element in the collection of squares for the @ulsteramericanfolkpark.org 50th anniversary quilt!

There has been a confirmed report of an Asian Hornet in Belfast ❕ Be vigilant & report suspect insects, (ideally with a photo), to DAERA: 📲via the Asian Hornet Watch app: www.brc.ac.uk/app/asian-ho... 💻or via our invasive species online recording form: www2.habitas.org.uk/records/ISI

Celebrate our 30th anniversary with us and hear from Conservation Detection Dogs NI and the Biological Recording Company🐾 Book tickets at: nationalmuseumsni.digitickets.co.uk/event-ticket...

You've probably noticed a few more berries, fruits, nuts and seeds from our trees this year – the mast year! 🍎 Let us know what you've found by recording with us!

At the end of September, our Data Support Officer Clare joined staff and students @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social Elms Village, for their bioblitz. Luckily there's still plenty to see and record in the rain!

Discover nature @ulstermuseum.org through our website www.habitas.org.uk 🌱🌼🐌 Learn more about Northern Ireland's biodiversity and get recording! 📲🖥️

You're invited to our conference on the 22nd November, marking our 30th anniversary!🎉 We're excited to celebrate with all of the recorders who've been with us along the way. Book a ticket 🎟 : nationalmuseumsni.digitickets.co.uk/event-ticket...

Storm Amy is fast approaching, with an Amber warning for wind now in place for parts of Northern Ireland. If you find yourself on the coast in the aftermath of Storm Amy, you might find species, normally found deep below the waves, washed up on the shore.

Join us on the 10th of October at 2pm outside Ballycultra Tearoom at @ufm_cultra to learn about local wildlife and how to record it! 🎟️Book tickets: nationalmuseumsni.digitickets.co.uk/event-ticket... #biologicalrecording #northernireland #belfast #museum #familydayout

Back by popular demand: 3-day earthworm training course! With @earthwormuk.bsky.social from Nov 18-20th in the Belfast Hills & @ulsterfolkmuseum.org 🔬 All levels of id experience welcome, come along if you missed the last one! 🎟️Book tickets: nationalmuseumsni.digitickets.co.uk/event-ticket...

There’s still time to sign up to our fungi id workshop next month!

Species of the month: Irish hare ⛰️A subspecies of the mountain hare that is endemic to Ireland, not to be mistaken with the invasive brown hare! 🌙 They have brown fur and a white underbelly, larger than rabbits at 52-62cm with black-tipped ears. They are generally nocturnal.

Recently we met with the amazing @Conservation Detection Dogs NI at the @Ulster Folk Museum. We got to see how these conservation heroes use their noses to sniff out species, often tricky for humans. From birds,🦇,rare plants and sensitive species these dogs are making a paws-itive impact.

There’s still time to sign up to our fungi id workshop next month!

Last month we joined Power Plants and @tcvnational.bsky.social NI to deliver Root Camp 🌱 We met 11 amazing young people and got them started with recording 📲 and FIT counting 🌼🐝🕣

Join us on the 5th of September at 2pm outside Ballycultra Tearoom at @ulsterfolkmuseum.org to learn about local wildlife and how to record it! Get tickets: www.ulsterfolkmuseum.org/whats-on/wil... #biologicalrecording #NorthernIreland #belfast #museum

We are Hiring! ❗️ We are looking for a full-time Data Validation Officer 🐌🌼🐞 For more information and to apply, please visit: ce0568li.webitrent.com/ce0568li_web... Closing Date: 14th of September, 2025 #natureconservation #conservationjobs #wearehiring #NIJobs #jobsearch