Mistle Thrush beginning to move into the city. One of six seen at Morningside Cemetery last Wed. #CemeteryWildlifeWatch @birdinglothian.bsky.social @scottishbirding.bsky.social @rspbscotland.bsky.social @edinburghnats.bsky.social
@birdinglothian.bsky.social
#Birdinglothian
Yesterday Whoopers flying past Whitesands quarry,
Numerous Yellowhammer and Greenfinch seen.
4 lovely Purple sandpipers at Seafield today.
A welcome slide for the Scottish Botanists' Conference 2025 at RBGE - Whorled Solomon's-seal (Polygonum verticillatum) as the background, with its elegant drooping pale green inflorescence standing out from a haze of yellow-greens. Photo by Gus Routledge
The Scottish Botanists' Conference is here!
230 botanists are about to descend on @thebotanics.bsky.social to celebrate Scotland's incredible flora, and all I can think about is whether I've ordered enough biscuits...
@sarahwatts.bsky.social @naturescot.bsky.social
Four more of the Glossy Ibis at Seafield Pond - I did say it was obliging. Not my first for Lothian but delighted to see it as my first for East Lothian @birdinglothian.bsky.social @edinburghnats.bsky.social #Lothian #Birds
418 Orange Ladybirds (Halyzia sedecimguttata) beginning to gather on three gravestones under Horse Chestnut, in Morningside Cemetery, Edinburgh yesterday. @coleopsoc.bsky.social @edinburghnats.bsky.social #CemeteryWildlifeWatch #cemeteries #ladybirds
One of my favourites, Parrot Waxcap, Gliophorus psittacinus, seen at Morningside Cemetery, #Edinburgh yesterday. Sadly I rushed at the photography but I don't really care! #CemeteryWildlifeWatch @edinburghnats.bsky.social @britmycolsoc.org.uk
The wonderful @yukihaba.bsky.social and I went beneath London to help solve the riddle of the Underground Mosquito...
Debunking rather than spelunking ;)
@marakat.bsky.social @petrathepostdoc.bsky.social
One of my favourites, Striate Earthstar (Geastrum striatum). Seen better days but still one of nature's best. #fungi #nature @scotwildlife.bsky.social @edinburghnats.bsky.social @britmycolsoc.org.uk
Review of "Urban Plants" by Trevor Dines, the latest addition to Bloomsbury's British Wildlife Collection.
What did I think of the book? Find out here: jeffollerton.co.uk/2025/10/16/b... #ecology #biodiversity #botany #wildlife #plants #NatureWriting
#Beetle artwork. Despite having been attacked by Ash Dieback, the reason for the tree being felled, it was clearly home to many critters. @scotwildlife.bsky.social @edinburghnats.bsky.social
2 Water Rails showing well today in a rather dried-up Marl Loch, Aberlady.
@birdinglothian.bsky.social
Despite having flu, felt the need for some fresh air yesterday. A 2 hr walk was tiring but fruitful with my East Lothian dragonfly season ending with more pics of male Migrant Hawker @britishdragonflies.bsky.social @edinburghnats.bsky.social #Dragonflies #Lothian
Burgundydrop Bonnet, Mycena haematopusa, bit past it's best, but still gorgeous. Bawsinch last week #fungi @scotwildlife.bsky.social @edinburghnats.bsky.social
I wondered if this tiny feather might be from Long-tailed Tit, but don't see it on Featherbase under Aegithalos caudatus. Seen yesterday at Bawsinch NR Any ideas? @birdinglothian.bsky.social @rspbscotland.bsky.social @scotwildlife.bsky.social @scottishbirding.bsky.social @edinburghnats.bsky.social
Striated Earthstar, Geastrum striatum, past its best but nice to see. Also tiny Sessile Earthstar, Geastrum fimbriatum, I haven't seen its 'egg' before. #fungi @scotwildlife.bsky.social @edinburghnats.bsky.social
Caught the spoonbill again on bothe old and new scrapes yesterday morning in Musselburgh. Glad I did as I gather it's gone to Bo'ness now. @birdinglothian.bsky.social
Red-breasted Flycatcher showing very well at Barns Ness. @birdinglothian.bsky.social #birdinglothian #birding
@birdinglothian.bsky.social
#Birdinglothian
Spoonbill on old scrapes then new,Musselburgh.
Whooper also with Marsh sandpiper.
A dozen or more Little gulls at mouth of esk,and pair of pintail new scrapes.
Book your #ScotBotanistsConf place now! Its going to be a fantastic day @thebotanics.bsky.social, with brilliant talks on restoring montane woodland, Tufted Saxifrage, urban flora and much much more!
@sarahwatts.bsky.social @plantlifeuk.bsky.social @botsocscot.bsky.social @naturescot.bsky.social
Behind the scenes from our day of filming. Here I’m crouched down in one of the grassland areas looking at an orchid, with camera operator Gavin and producer Charlotte.
Back in June, we hosted a team from #GardenersWorld to share how we’ve been improving the grounds of the National Museums Collection Centre for biodiversity. 🎬 🐞🪰🌿🌼
Catch it here:
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...
#NMCCbiodiversity
Long staying Marsh Sandpiper and one if two Spotted Redshank at Musselburgh this afternoon. @birdinglothian.bsky.social @edinburghnats.bsky.social
Devil's Tooth, Hydnellum peckii, no blood red droplets (guttules) as too old; counted four of these. Dell Wood, Nethy Bridge 23/09/2025. #fungi @cairngormsnews.bsky.social @edinburghnats.bsky.social
@birdinglothian.bsky.social
#Birdinglothian
2 Redstart adjacent to cycleway south of quarry barnsness, hiding mostly.
1 Short eared owl high in off sea Skateraw then chased by corvids.
Didn't see yellow browed warbler. Peregrine Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, and Buzzard
all around cement works Dunbar.
Saw first ever sighting of an Ivy Mining Bee at the car park at Thorntonloch. This species was first described in 1993 and was first recorded in Britain in Dorset in 2001. Sorry no photo. @georgehogg.bsky.social @edinburghnats.bsky.social
Yellow-browed Warbler in the sunshine at Torness Visitor Centre this morning
@birdinglothian.bsky.social
First dragonfly outing in East Lothian this afternoon for over 5 weeks produced 5 Migrant Hawkers but no pics of them. Only decent snap was this Small White @edinburghnats.bsky.social #Butterflies #Lothian
Finally got snaps for the year this afternoon of Migrant Hawkers in East Lothian. Two pics of 1 of 4 males. Better still, but not sharp, one of a female in tandem with a male confirming on-going breeding in the county @britishdragonflies.bsky.social @edinburghnats.bsky.social #Dragonflies #Lothian
Green Cellar-slug, Limacus maculatus
Green Cellar-slug, Limacus maculatus. Same photo as previous, but lightened to show number feeding on the bird food.
Garden Snail, Cornu aspersum
Section of stone wall
Trying out my new UV torch in the back garden. After a bit of rain, 100s of slugs were out, feasting on the leftover ground birdfood. Second photo lightened to show how many at one birdfood spot. Torch on them only a second so minimum disturbance. @twic.bsky.social @edinburghnats.bsky.social
