Matt Eade

Hopefully not a description species then with those numbers…? Great stuff as always 👍

This Water Shrew was found dead this morning, apparently succumbing to carrying a blade of grass across a trail as it was firmly gripping such when I moved it… poor lad! #UKMammals

Azure Hawkers are still roaming the remote boggy moorlands, this male today, not too far away from Glen Affric! @dragonflydamselfly.bsky.social #UKDragonflies

Plain Clay

Antler

A Plain Clay was the highlight from last night’s trap, this being classed as Nationally Scarce B. Lots of the attractive Antler Moths too. Beauly, Scotland! #UKMoths

Scotch Argus are now out in good numbers, this individual near Garve this morning. #UKButterflies

Had a bit of time yesterday afternoon to visit Tarbat Ness for a seawatch. Not much happening, but a close Bonxie, Puffins & Arctic Terns were nice and around the walls were some robust Frog Orchids. #BirdingScotland

Two Lempke’s Gold Spot were this morning’s highlight from Beauly, amongst a huge catch in our MV! #UKMoths #TeamMoth @emilyrichens.bsky.social

Small Red-eyed 👍

Sponsored 👍💪… best of luck Orkney

Azure Hawker

Azure Hawker

Golden Eagle

Golden Eagle

More boggy wanderings in Caithness delivers once again during a fine raptor survey, with a female Azure Hawker and a beauty of a Golden Eagle. A fair few White-tailed Eagles about too. @dragonflydamselfly.bsky.social #UKdragonflies #BirdingScotland

Common Hawker

Golden-ringed Dragonfly

More excellent Odonata action at work today in Caithness. @dragonflydamselfly.bsky.social #UKDragonflies

Great to see you too, Steve.

Never thought I’d get a Northern Emerald in the hand! This in addition to some excellent Odonata alongside Loch Maree today. @dragonflydamselfly.bsky.social #UKDragonflies

Amazing!!

Coralroot Orchid

Lesser Twayblade

Small White Orchid

Lesser Butterfly Orchid

In addition, a variety of scarce orchids and butterflies included a Northern Brown Argus, a few Dark Green Fritillaries and Common Blues, while Crested Tits were very vocal all over. #UKOrchids

male White-faced Darter

male Common Hawker

female Northern Damselfly

male Northern Damselfly

16 years to the day I first visited the Cairngorms and today with @emilyrichens.bsky.social proved just as successful, with a host of excellent Odonata encountered. The one not captured was Northern Emerald which showed brilliantly in flight, all within a space of a few hours! #UKDragonflies

Same situation off Tarbat Ness y’day!

Some lovely photographic opportunities out on the moorland today, with my first Large Heath of the year and one of many Common Sandpiper territories. #UKButterflies

Arctic Skua

Brown Hare

Garden Tiger

female Drinker

Tarbat Ness: Other than an uber-elusive (and dark) Lesser Whitethroat in the plantation, all activity was out to sea with two Arctic Skuas, a Bonxie, Puffins and a dozen Manx Shearwaters. Plenty of Heath Fragrant Orchids also about. Also the contents from this morning's moth trap! #BirdingScotland

Brilliant, still yet to see Titania’s! Stunning!

Saxon

Small Angle Shades

This Saxon moth (locally distributed in Central & Northern Scotland) was the highlight from yesterday’s catch, which also included Small Angle Shades and some other nice bits. #UKMoths #Moths

A pristine male Azure Hawker at a private site north of Lairg today, among typical bog moorland favoured by this species. You can tell it was a hot day by how blue it is!! @dragonflydamselfly.bsky.social
@emilyrichens.bsky.social
#dragonflies

It’s strange for a southerner to see people rushing to set eyes on an Avocet, but apparently this pair is the first record for Lanarkshire!! Nice to be a few minutes up the road when news broke today! #BirdingScotland

No reason why it should be the same, and by the looks of it, it’s a different bird anyways. Peninsular is on fire this year!!

Brussel’s Lace

Beautiful Golden-Y

Poplar Hawk Moth

Slowly but surely more diversity in our moth trap, with last night’s h’lights being 3 Brussel’s Lace (locally distributed in Scotland), a Beautiful Golden-Y and our first Spectacle. #TeamMoth #UKMoths

Merlins

Hen Harrier

Goshawk and Red Kite

Osprey

Raptor surveys amongst the moors of the north rarely get better than today's. Finding a Merlin nest was unexpected, sky-dancing Hen Harriers, a brute of a Goshawk up against a Red Kite and two Ospreys at head height made for a memorable day! #BirdingScotland

Only my second and third orchid species of the year, but two of my favourites: Coralroot & Lesser Twayblade #ukorchids

Finally our first hawk moths of the year up this way, with Poplar and Elephant in this morning’s trap. A Sallow Kitten also a nice catch! #Moths
@emilyrichens.bsky.social

Wood Warbler

Wood Warbler

Whinchat

Strathfarrar

A bike ride up the beautiful Strathfarrar this morning was alive with wildlife. Spotted Flycatchers everywhere, a Wood Warbler, Redstart, four Whinchats and lots of Tree Pipits, in addition to Chimney Sweeper moths, Pearl-bordered Fritillaries and a Golden-ringed Dragonfly! #BirdingScotland

Pearl-bordered