A Gem in the garden trap overnight - first one I've seen in Scotland 👍. Portsoy (VC94 - Banffshire) @migrantmothuk.bsky.social #teammoth

We're approaching two years in Portsoy and low-hanging fruits still fall from the #patchtick tree. Today's Treecreeper was among a roving tit flock. It tried its luck on a telegraph pole and then moved on to gorse stems. @patchbirding.bsky.social

Raking cut vegetation and spreading Yellow-rattle seed on the approach path at @scotwildlife.bsky.social Red Moss of Netherley. The Yellow-rattle has had a great year and Badger digging of Pignut tubers provides ground disturbance to further aid germination. Ecosystem processes in action!

"Freshers week" outings. New MSc students chatted seal research and reserve management while returning undergrads pulled up trees from a bog! Thanks to Danny and Joe from @naturescot.bsky.social, Lucy from @scotwildlife.bsky.social and Claire from @srucnews.bsky.social for all your help.

Last day of #Ento25, with insect ID keys, amazing (and undescribed) wasp galls, bog invert research (what's not to like?) and learning that aphids on our garden Buddleja might be a newly arrived species in the UK. Big thanks to @royentsoc.bsky.social team for a fab bug-filled event. 🦟🪲🪳🐝🐞🦋🐜🦗

Some stuff I learned today at #Ento25: 1. Honeybee threats to native pollinators were already known about 89 years ago in the US. 2. There is a louse fly on Nightjars, recently newly recorded in the UK. 3. Ladybirds rock (okay, I already knew that!). @royentsoc.bsky.social @alanknox.bsky.social

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

Brilliant to be at #Ento25. First time in 20 yrs! Kicking off with Voltech Novotny drawing parallels between density dependent drivers on insect abundance and wealth inequality. And proposing an ecologically inspired solution. Political leaders should study entomology. 🐛🐜🐝🐞 @royentsoc.bsky.social

Not had the trap out much in recent nights but two more New-for-Garden moths appeared in late August; 𝘈𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘢 (two different individuals) and a Tawny-speckled Pug. Portsoy (VC94 - Banffshire) #teammoth

This #patchtick Ruff was highlight of a very blustery WeBS survey at Portsoy. @patchbirding.bsky.social

A #patchtick Little Grebe on Loch Soy (basically, a park pond) on a very dark and damp evening in Portsoy, Aberdeenshire. @patchbirding.bsky.social #birdingscotland

Typical Saturday evening here in Portsoy. Gang of Scandinavian marauders led through the streets by local pipe band before setting fire to stuff down by the harbour.

The 200th macro moth for the NJ56 hectad is ... (drumroll) ... Small Wainscot. It shared the garden trap with a fresh (presume 2nd generation) Poplar Hawkmoth. And this morning, the garden's first Painted Lady has set up territory on a patch of bare ground. Portsoy (VC94 - Banffshire) #Teammoth

The summer surge of New-for-Garden moths has slowed and 𝘈𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘴 𝘷𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘢 on Sunday night was the first addition since mid month. Garden list is on 230-something as we approach two years of living here. Portsoy (VC94 - Banffshire) #Teammoth

Exploring along the Moray coast this weekend, with @trailerbythesea.bsky.social. A nice adult Little Gull flew past, just west of Lossiemouth. #BirdingScotland

First birders' trip in 12 years to the Southern Trench (9 nm off Macduff, Aberdeenshire), this week. Highlights of c5 Sooty Shearwaters, including one coming to fish scraps at point-blank range, and a fly-by from a fine adult Pom Skua. #BirdingScotland

Lots of events, both online and in the field, coming up over the next few months. Take a look! #Mammals #MammalID #BiologicalRecording #Conservation

A second and a half of Quail, over our Portsoy, Aberdeenshire garden in the early hours of 11 August. Recorded on @openacousticdevices.info #Audiomoth #BirdingScotland #NocMig #Bioacoustics

Specled Woods live in the wooded embankment across the road. However, this pioneer was the first that we've seen in the garden - and it sure looks like it suffered for its journey. Portsoy, Banffshire @savebutterflies.bsky.social #butterfly

And still they come... Third morning in a row with two New-for-Garden moths. Todays offerings were Engrailed and 𝘔𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘢 𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢. The Engrailed was also new for hectad and an unusual (for NE Scotland) presumed second generation record. Portsoy (VC94, Banffshire) #TeamMoth

Two more New-for-Garden moths; Anomalous (a female) and White-spotted Pug (also new for hectad). Two Hummingbird Hawkmoths still around the garden too. Still time, hopefully, to squeeze in some more NFGs before the end of year 2 of recording here. Portsoy (VC94, Banffshire) #TeamMoth

Heath Rustic and 𝘋𝘪𝘰𝘳𝘺𝘤𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘢 𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 were both NFG after a quieter start to August. Enjoyed a #patchtick fly-over Green Sandpiper while emptying trap. Heath Rustic was New For Hectad, as was a Plain Clay in the Heath Trap set along the shore again. Portsoy (VC94, Banffshire) #TeamMoth

Left the Heath trap down along the shore last night with distinct highlight this morning of Galium Carpet. Also my first local Anomalous and 𝘓𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴. Bottlenose Dolphins cruised by as I processed the catch. All rather lovely... Portsoy (VC94 - Banffshire) #teammoth

It's great to see documentation of this rare insect re-establishment programme in Scotland. Just published in Insect Conservation and Diversity and available #OpenAccess. doi.org/10.1111/icad... @respublications.bsky.social #ConservationScience

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

The rain brought a larger catch this morning. Three New-for-Garden moths included a New-for-Hectad Dotted Carpet. This was joined by two new tortricoids: 𝘗𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘺𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘻𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘸𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘢 and 𝘌𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘢 𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢. Portsoy (VC94 - Banffshire) #teammoth

Long-term experiments in Scotland’s Flow Country show enhanced forest-to-bog restoration boosts early peatland recovery - vital for climate & biodiversity 🧪🌏 @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social 🔗

The @srucnews.bsky.social Marketing & Student Recruitment got together in Aberdeen this week. Three of our amazing Wildlife Conservation students led them in cetacean surveying (some porpoises logged) and a mobile-phone wildlife photography contest. All topped off with cake - what's not to like?

A between-the-legs manoeuvre for this Water Rail chick in Aberdeenshire. #cameratrap #trailcamera #BirdingScotland

Three New-For-Garden macros in last three trap nights; Juniper Pug, Northern Spinach and Founced Rustic. The pug was New for Hactad too. Next benchmark is taking the hactad list for NJ56 through the 200 macro moth species total - six to go. Portsoy (VC94 - Banffshire) #teammoth

Fieldwork envy - apart from the midges...

New-For-Garden moths are coming thick and fast in our second year of recording here. This morning's addition was a nice fresh Barred Red. No conifers (larvel foodplant) in immediate vicinity but plenty within a few hundred metres. Portsoy (VC94 - Banffshire) #teammoth

Pretty Pinion was New-For-Garden in the trap this morning (and also new for hectad). A nice northern specialist, Eyebright-feeder, that I am more used to seeing in upland grasslands. NFYs included Ingrailed Clay and White-line Dart. Portsoy (VC94 - Banffshire) #teammoth

Patch-birding waking up after summer doledrums. In recent days, Crossbill and Raven over garden, Whimbrel and juv Wheatear along shore, first Common Terns of year and, today, waders included 9 Common Sandpipers. Best of all was a 1-minute visit of a #patchtick Sanderling. @patchbirding.bsky.social

Micro Monday in the garden trap - 𝘈𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 and 𝘈𝘳𝘨𝘺𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘢 𝘨𝘰𝘦𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢, both New for Garden. The rain these last couple nights has nicely upped the catches. Portsoy (VC94 - Banffshire). #teammoth

A couple of New-For-Garden macro moths this weekend; Gothic and Common Footman. Portsoy - (VC94, Banffshire) #teammoth

Northern Brown Argus egg on the Easter Ross coast yesterday - they're tiny but still gotta be one the easiest #butterfly eggs to find. Useful for confirming presence when adults are lying low. @bchighland.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Work puntuated by garden safaris with @trailerbythesea.bsky.social today. Headline was our first garden Common Darter. Brief Dark Green Fritillary and Hummingbird Hawkmoth visits were further highlights and the Lavender hosted at least 8 Rosemary Beetles. Portsoy (VC94). #odonata #entomology

Sound up for juvenile Long-eared Owl "begging call" in Aberdeenshire a few nights ago - detected using @openacousticdevices.info #Audiomoth and recordings scanned with @chirpity-nocmig.bsky.social (as a portol into BirdNET Analyzer). #BirdingScotland #bioacoustics

Two really nice New-for-Garden macros this morning - Northern Rustic and Confused. There's lots of lovely rocky coast within a few hundred metres, where they are probably common. 𝘌𝘶𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘮𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘢 was also NFG, another likely wanderer from the coast. Portsoy (VC94 - Banffshire). #teammoth

Ever so slightly quieter night at Mar last night despite the warmth, with 183:19. But some really lovely moths, including TLK(68), Scotch Annulet(12), Dark Tussock(5), Scarce Silver Y(4), Grey Scalloped Bar(1), my first Gothic, and my first Northern Arches which I'm chuffed about! #teammoth

Gorgeous evening yesterday in Aberdeenshire started with a family of fledged Nuthatches (new colonist here - just a handful of breeding records since first in 2020). Then a golden sunset and listening through to midnight for things making noises in and around the woods. #BirdingScotland

Four New-for-Garden moths among increasing catches in recent days - all very much expected species. Purple Clay, Green Pug, Pademis heparana and Timothy Tortrix. The macros are also new for hectad. Portsoy (VC94, Banffshire) #teammoth

Tuesday was the 200-year anniversary of James Charles Dale catching the UK's first recorded Bordered Brown Lacewing. We marked the day by finding six in a small area by Stonehaven War Memorial. Bottlenose Dolphins joined the celebration by splashing around offshore. #entomology #insectconservation

Triple-spotted Clay overnight in Portsoy was not only New For Garden but also new for VC94 (Banffshire). It is mainly a western species in Scotland, but spreading east. Here, alongside a Double Square-spot. Gold Swift was also NFG. #teammoth

Far the most exciting of three New-for-Garden moths over the weekend - Portsoy (VC94). @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

Our first garden pond Blue-tailed Damselfly surprised us by appearing in the torchlight last night, while checking on the tadpoles. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social #odonata #gardenwildlife #entomology

Green Sandpiper calling for a few seconds on evening of 18 June in Aberdeenshire. Officially marks the start of autumn. Recorded on @openacousticdevices.info #Audiomoth. Recordings screened using @chirpity-nocmig.bsky.social. #bioacoustics #BirdingScotland

On 1 July 1825, James Charles Dale found the first Bordered Brown Lacewing to be recorded in the UK. On 1 July 2025, join the world's only Bordered Brown Lacewing project officer, to mark this 200-year anniversary. Daytime field event and evening webinar - details 👇 #entomology #speciesontheedge