The Wildlife Information Centre

Close-up of a brown toad with dark mottled markings sitting among green grass and dry pine needles, its golden eye visible as it faces slightly to the right.

Toad migration season has begun 🐸

If you see amphibians on the move, please record them — your sightings help protect breeding sites and migration routes.

#addHerper #Herpetology #Scotland #Toads #Biodiversity #Conservation

A deceased Puffin lies on its back on the ground. Wording above reads: Please report sightings of all dead birds. A graphic showing an exclamation mark in a triangle features.

⚠️ We've had reports of seabirds washing up. Please report ALL species of dead birds ⬇️

📍 In England, Wales & Scotland: www.gov.uk/guidance/...
📍 In Northern Ireland: www.daera-ni.gov.uk/...
📍 In Republic of Ireland: aviancheck.apps.serv...

#UKBirding #BirdingWales #BirdingScotland

Promotional graphic for a Botanical Society of Scotland lecture. The design features a soft sage-green background with the Society’s gold seal in the top corner. A large central image shows a pressed herbarium plant specimen mounted on archival paper with labels. Text reads: “Upcoming Lecture – Dr. Olwen Grace: Curating Herbaria in a Time of Biodiversity Crisis. Thursday 26 February | Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.”

🌿BSS Lecture

Dr.Olwen Grace at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, will explore how these collections are being used, and reimagined, in response to today’s biodiversity crisis.

📍RBGE, Edinburgh
📅Thurs 26 Feb
All welcome.

#BSS #Botany #Biodiversity @botsocscot.bsky.social

Portrait infographic titled “What makes a good wildlife record?” The design uses soft natural colours and simple icons. It lists five key elements: What (species or best guess), Where (grid reference or place name), When (date and time), Who (your name or recorder), and Evidence (photo, sound, or notes). Text at the bottom reads: “Every record helps build a clearer picture of wildlife.”

Portrait infographic titled “Wildlife recording.” The image is split into two panels. The left side shows a blurry bird photo with the heading “Not enough detail!” and bullet points: “Saw a bird,” “Somewhere in Scotland,” and “Recently.” The right side shows a clear photo of a Blue Tit with the heading “Great record!” and details: “Blue Tit,” “Edinburgh,” “20 Apr 2024, 10:30,” and “Photo included.” Text at the bottom reads: “Small details make records useful!”

Want to record wildlife? Remember to include the 4 W’s!🌿

What did you see?
Where was it?
When did you see it?
Who recorded it?

(And photos are always a bonus 📷)

Small details turn sightings into valuable data for conservation 🌍 💚

#WildlifeRecording #CitizenScience #Biodiversity #Nature

Event poster for Borders Organic Gardeners’ Potato Day. Text reads: “Potato Day. Springwood Park, Kelso. Sunday 1 March 2026, 11am–3pm.” The poster highlights a large selection of potato varieties including heritage and blight-resistant types, priced at 20p per tuber, plus a café, free parking, crafts, advice, plants and seeds, children’s activities and a green fair. Entry costs £2.

🥔 TWIC is heading to Potato Day 2026! 🌱

We’ll be at Borders Organic Gardeners’ Potato Day at Springwood Park, Kelso. Why not come and say hello at our stall?

🗓 Sun 1 March 2026 | 11am–3pm
📍 Kelso
💷 £2 entry

#PotatoDay #OrganicGardening #TWIC #Scotland #ScottishBorders

Common toad sitting among grass and dried vegetation, looking towards the camera during early spring migration.

Toad migration season is starting🐸

If you’re involved in a patrol or spot toads on the move, please record what you see. These records help build a picture of migration timing and key crossing points.

Find out more through LARG.

📸 Jackie Stewart

#Toads #ToadPatrol #Wildlife #Nature

A cluster of white snowdrop flowers with green stems growing closely together on a woodland floor.

Snowdrops are among the first plants to flower in late winter, marking the shift in seasons. 🌱

They’re already appearing across southern and central Scotland!

Seen any yet? Record your sightings via iRecord or the link in our bio.

📸 Karen Herbert

#Snowdrops #Scotland #Nature #iRecord #Wildlife

A person with a backpack stands in an open grassy landscape with hills and a lake in the background, arms outstretched. Overlaid text reads: “Share your climate story. Help research into climate emotions and mental health in Scotland through creative writing. No climate expertise or writing experience needed.

A split-layout poster showing a person standing in a grassy valley with hills behind them on the left, and text on the right. The text reads: “Explore climate change through story. Join a series of six free creative writing workshops focused on climate change. Thursdays, 6–8pm, January 22nd – February 26th 2026, in central Edinburgh.

Rhiannon Bull, PhD researcher at @uofglasgow.bsky.social, invites creative writing on climate change to support research into climate emotions & mental health in Scotland.✍️

✔Up to 1,000 words
✔Adults living in Scotland
🔗www.climatestories.co.uk

✨ Want support? Join 6 creative writing workshops!

We are hiring Seasonal Field Ecologists for the 2026 survey season!

For more information and an application pack, please go to www.daviddoddsassociates.com/seasonal-fie...

Close-up of beech mast in winter, showing brown, spiky seed husks hanging from a branch against a blue sky.

Beech twig in winter with several long, pointed brown buds along the branch, set against a softly blurred woodland background.

Winter trees: Beech🍂

Beech trees stand out with long, pointed buds and spiky beech masts on branches or the ground.

Recording trees through the winter helps build a clearer picture of our local landscapes!🌱

📸 N Harmsworth

#Wildlife #Trees #Woodland #Nature

Wide view of a wetland landscape with shallow water, reeds and grasses in the foreground, and rolling hills and clouds reflected in the water.

World Wetlands Day🌍

Recording what you see in wetlands - from waterfowl and amphibians to wetland plants or mammal signs - helps build a picture of the wildlife they support across the year.🐸

Every record counts📝

📸 Michael Scott

#Wetlands #Wildlife #Nature #Recording

Close-up of green moss growing across damp ground, with grasses and sky softly blurred in the background.

Why do winter records matter?❄️🌿

Wildlife doesn’t disappear in winter! Winter records help to reveal changes in behaviour, distribution and timing, and they’re just as valuable as spring and summer sightings.

Help us by submitting your records!

📸R Wilson

#Wildlife #Winter #Nature #Moss

A poster titled 'Do you enjoy visiting woodlands to relax or get outdoor activity? It features a QR code.

Enjoy visiting woods in Scotland's central belt?
Please take this short survey & pin your favourite wood on the interactive map. Jiayi (a PhD researcher) is following up on research conducted 20 years ago, re how people use and feel about urban and community woods. Useful stuff. 👉 buff.ly/KzQCTQW,

Bracket fungi growing in layered clusters along a fallen tree trunk in a woodland, surrounded by moss and leaf litter.

What wildlife have you noticed this winter?🔎🌱

Even during quieter months, there's much to see if you slow down - from fungi on trees to tracks and everyday species.🌳

Share your recent sightings with us today!

📸R Wilson

#Wildlife #Fungi #Woodland #Nature

Hi! Mites are a very specialised group and are often hard to confirm from photos alone. We’d suggest contacting the Acari Recording Scheme, who are best placed to help with mite IDs: www.brc.ac.uk/scheme/acari...

Hope that helps — even notes on behaviour and habitat can be useful.

Close-up of an alder branch showing buds, elongated catkins, and small woody cones, with a softly blurred natural background.

Winter is a great time to look closely at broadleaved tree twigs🌳
Buds are surprisingly varied — from alder’s club-shaped buds to and elder’s pineapple-like naked buds.

Check out our Winter Tree webinar to learn more! (link in bio)

📸 Natalie Harmsworth

#WinterTrees #TreeID #Nature #Woodland

Close-up of a kestrel perched on a bare branch, facing sideways.

It starts today! 🐦

The @rspb.bsky.social Big Garden Birdwatch is underway.

One hour watching your garden or local green space can make a big difference for our birds. 🌍🐦‍⬛

📸 Dean Bricknell

#Birds #BirdWatching #Nature #WildlifeRecording

A red squirrel sitting in some green grass.

It’s Red Squirrel Appreciation Day 2026!

You can help protect Scotland’s reds by reporting both red and grey squirrel sightings to @scotsquirrels.bsky.social.

Every record helps inform conservation efforts across the country.

📸 Rebekah Wilson

#RedSquirrel #Scotland #Widlife #Conservation

Vacancies Join the Knowsley family with the right career for you.

Hi all, the Red Squirrel Recovery Network have two Job roles coming up. Both have a closing date of 25th January 2026

Details below:

Red Squirrel Ranger at Knowsley Safari
www.knowsleysafariexperience.co.uk/vacancies

Red Squirrel Entry Level Officer
www.lancswt.org.uk/jobs/entry-l...

Close-up of hazel tree branches in winter with long, pale yellow catkins hanging down, made up of many small tightly packed flowers.

Close-up of a hazel twig in winter showing rounded buds, one with small bright red female flowers emerging as fine thread-like filaments.

🌿Winter Tree Spotlight: Hazel

Flowering in mid-winter, hazel has long yellow male catkins and tiny female flowers with bright red styles emerging from buds. An important native tree for woodland wildlife.

📸 Natalie Harmsworth

#Winter #Trees #Hazel #Nature #Woodland #Wildlife

Are you planning to undertake a project in 2026 which involves collecting plant-related data?
Would you like <£1,000 towards your costs?
Apply for a #BSBIPlantStudyGrant!
Here's how:
bsbi.org/learn/grants...
Read how a #BSBIGrant helped Katherine research ancient meadows:
bsbi.org/blog/2026/01...

Last chance to book!

Introduction to Camera Trapping webinar – Thu 22 Jan 2026. Learn camera trap basics, types & how to choose the right kit with Dr Sammy Mason (@mammalweb.bsky.social). £12.50.

Ideal for beginners and ecology professionals. 🌍 🧪

Book now: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1723620849...

Night Heron © Frank Gibbons Night Heron (small mostly grey heron with relatively long yellow legs, long pointed bill and black cap) in a tree #RareBirdsUK

SBRC Online Conference
24-26th February 19:00-21:15

Taking place over three consecutive evenings, the conference is open to all & free to attend. Attendees can look forward to three talks each night from an exciting line-up of speakers at the cutting edge of rare birds & their identification.

Promotional graphic for The Wildlife Information Centre (TWIC). On the left is a close-up photograph of a comma butterfly resting on a green leaf. On the right, text explains that TWIC provides free wildlife data for non-commercial use by students, recorders, and the public. Bullet points highlight free wildlife data, improving wildlife recording skills, and a standard turnaround time of 10 working days, with a green button labelled “Submit a non-commercial request.”

Looking for wildlife data for non-commercial use?🌿

We support students, recorders, and the public with research, coursework, and wildlife recording. 🌷

👉 Find out more and submit a request via our website (link in bio).

#EcologicalData #Wildlife #Nature #Recording #Data

Close-up of two dark green holly leaves showing pale yellow leaf mines caused by holly leaf miner fly larvae, with small brown exit holes visible.

🌿 Species spotlight: Holly Leaf Miner

Look for the distinctive leaf mines on Holly – visible year-round and a great winter find! If you spot mined leaves, snap a photo and submit your sighting to iRecord.

📸 N Harmsworth
#WildlifeRecording #CitizenScience #HollyLeafMiner

Join @botsocscot.bsky.social for their upcoming lecture.🌿

Requiem for the Weeds - a fascinating look at the overlooked world of urban weeds with Dr. Helen Kopnina. Discover why these plants matter in our cities! 🌱

Find out more via their website!

#Botany #UrbanNature #PlantScience #Scotland

The Wildlife Information Centre(TWIC) director, Michael Scott, presents Mark Cubitt with TWIC's Bob Saville Award at TWIC Conference 2025.

🎉 Big congratulations to Mark Cubitt, winner of the 2025 Bob Saville Award! 🏆🌿

Check out our latest news to see how his incredible work is making waves in wildlife conservation.

📲 Read more on our website (link in bio)

📸 Rebecca Cheape

#WildlifeConservation #Nature #Wildlife #Conservation

Not long left to apply for a BRISC/GNHS bursary 🌱

Open to anyone in Scotland, these bursaries help you develop skills, gain experience, and contribute to biological recording.

📅 Deadline: 31 January 2026

📸 Michael Scott

#Courses #Wildlife #Recording #Nature #Scotland

It’s National Bird Day! 🐦‍⬛

Join @rspb.bsky.social's Big Garden Birdwatch from 23-25th January. Just spend 1 hour counting the birds in your garden or local area.

A small action can make a big difference to conservation efforts! 🕊️

📸 Rebekah Wilson

#Birds #NationalBirdDay #Conservation #Nature

Small brown bird standing in long grass beside a building, viewed side-on, with subtle wing markings and a pale underside.

Large pale mushroom growing from the woodland floor among pine needles, moss, and fallen leaves, viewed close to ground level.

Tiny white mushroom growing from a fallen brown leaf resting on bright green moss on the woodland floor.

Red ladybird with black spots resting on a dark seed head, surrounded by green grasses and wildflowers.

Happy New Year! 🎉

A new year means new opportunities to get outside, explore, and record the wildlife around us.🌱

Here’s to a year of discovery and recording in 2026!

Submit your sightings via iRecord or our website!

📸 Rebekah Wilson

#NewYear #Wildlife #Nature #Scotland #iRecord