Last but def not least of Orkney botanising. Had seen Scottish Primrose, Primula scotica, on a visit in 1994, so was delighted to refind it same place, Yesnaby. Growing alongside was Grass of Parnassus, Parnassia palustris, also a delight to refind. @bsbiscotland.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

More Orkney botany. Masses of Scots Lovage at Burwick, gone to seed but still lovely to see. I have only ever seen a random plant on the East Lothian coast. @bsbiscotland.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Orkney botanising. Oyster Plant, Mertensia maritima, doing very well at Bur Wick, South Ronaldsay, 11/08/2026. @bsbiscotland.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Bonxie at Bay of Ireland, West Mainland, also Common Tern with massive Sandeel at Churchill Barriers. Painted Ladies have arrived this far north too. @orkneycom.bsky.social @btoscotland.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social #BirdingScotland

A quick recce of Churchill's Barriers for possible snorkelling sites, stopped on the way at the Italian Chapel. Right place at the right time. Rainbow disappeared as quickly is it appeared.

Holiday starts here.

Alan's #BirdOfTheDay today is #Borb. Have to confess to having to google 'borb'!! I've got two, the second one is a rear view Borb #ForJanet

First time I've seen one of these, Pied Rabbit Moth, Ypsolopha sequella, a fairly new arrival in Scotland I believe. Love its very apt common name! Caught in moth trap at Granton Castle Walled Garden, 01/08/2026

I’m so saddened to read this Stephen. Wish I could send healing vibes so I’ll just send photos instead that I hope will take your mind off this horrible disease. Self-seeded Rowan against pink sunset in our garden.

Spider prey item in Tree Sparrow's bill. AI suggests Larinioides cornutus, but Britian's Spiders, a field guide, says difficult to take to species. So do I record as Larinioides sp? @britishspiders.bsky.social - hope you can help. At @rspbscotland.bsky.social Loch Leven reserve.

For a good number of years I've searched for Wild Carrot with its red central floret. Last year I succeeded, and again yesterday, at @rspbscotland.bsky.social Loch Leven. Tiny, bright red, exquisite, this is the best ever, I love it. @bsbiscotland.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Alan's theme today for #BirdOfTheDay is #YourChoice, bird capture/s you’ve been itching to post. Breeding birds at small loch betwn Nethy Bridge & Rothiemurchus @cairngormsnews.bsky.social. Hoping, praying it wasn't in the path of the fire. Wishing the fire had never happened, so much destruction😢

Swallow, Hirundo rustica, at @rspbscotland.bsky.social Loch Leven today with some bird/nature/photography friends. Was chuffed to get the sheen on its head and wing. #BirdingScotland @scottishbirding.bsky.social @btoscotland.bsky.social

AlanH set today's #BirdOfTheDay Alt theme #Memories: bird captures you have reason to remember .. first time seeing the bird? [No AI]. First visit to & first ever sighting of an Arctic Skua aka Scootie Allan, Orkney, July 1994. Reason for this - going to Orkney again in two weeks' time. Happy days.

Purple Hairstreak, Neozephyrus quercus, in an Edinburgh cemetery I visit regularly for #CemeteryWildlifeWatch and never thought to look for it in the Oaks here. Two individual females seen. @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Weeping Widow, Lacrymaria lacrymabunda, at Bawsinch, Edinburgh, yesterday. Rather an old specimen and dry so it wasn't 'weeping'. There was a fresh one but I didn't pick it so it could drop its spores in situ. @scotwildlife.bsky.social #fungi

The #BirdofTheDay theme today, as set by Allan H, is #ScreenFiller, a capture where the bird takes up a large part of the image. The Alt is #Migratory, birds you see only in certain seasons. Cormorant, Linlithgow Loch - ScreenFiller Osprey - Migratory

Difficult to count they were bobbing about so much, never all up at the same time. There were nine Tuftie chicks in total with mum. Duddingston Loch yesterday. @scotwildlife.bsky.social @birdinglothian.bsky.social

Quite a few flies affected with the fungal pathogen Entomophthora muscae. Also Episyrphus balteatus, a Spider's tasty meal. Seen yesterday at Gifford Woods out with ELFE (Edinburgh & Lothians Fungus Enthusiasts), foraying not foraging.

Apologies for delay, 2 photos of the Anthracoidea sp possibly subinclusa. I've sent samples off to a mycology pal but I won't hear from him until September time. I am actually going to be Staying at Cruden Bay for a few nights early October and am thinking of popping down to the Ythan area.

Butterflies on my mind and a moth. Bawsinch & Duddingston Loch. @scotwildlife.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Alan H has looked *up and down* for Rob and can't find him so his spur of the moment theme for #BirdOfTheDay is #UpAndDown birds looking up or down. Alt is #FunnyFaces any bird with a funny face. Garden Jackdaw looking up & down two days ago and Goldcrest Nov20 for a funny face, more like grumpy!

Almost too late, not quite though, for @robcrank68.bsky.social's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #BathTime. And this is #ForJanet too.

Try as I might, I couldn't get a decent pic of the 10 #Swifts screaming & hawking over the garden. At times so low I could hear the wind through their wings. Fab! Only shot I got, very blurry, plus a pic of two in focus to show they are Swifts! @bto-gbw.bsky.social @birdinglothian.bsky.social

Let's see if I can load this video now, wasn't working this morning. Fox in garden, eating apple, at 0450, 14C.

Garden stuff y'day in the at-long-last-summer sunshine. Painted Lady on door step, which appears to be my first garden butterfly photographed this yr😢; Carpet Beetle sp on self-seeded Feverfew; 'bandit' Long-tailed Tit losing it's bandit face! @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bto-gbw.bsky.social

Volucella pellucens, a wee video in slo-mo. Taken at Prestongrange Mining Museum in mid-June. #hoverflies

Alan H today picked #Cutie and Alt #TheWaitingGame for today's #BirdOfTheDay. For cutie - mum Eider Duck with her chicks and for the Alt - a Razorbill, just waiting. #IsleOfMay

Didn't think much of this Harvestman's camouflage, sitting bang slap in the middle of a large Nettle leaf! Rilaena triangularis (at least I think it's that!) at Bawsinch nature reserve last Friday @scotwildlife.bsky.social @vannabartlett.bsky.social can you confirm?

A fave wild flower, Wood Vetch (Ervilia sylvatica). Ancient woodland indicator. Better recording since 60s shows losses across much of its range & local declines. I've seen it in two @scotwildlife.bsky.social reserves. There are other locations in Lothians. @bsbiscotland.bsky.social