Happy oyster day, here's one I cleaned earlier this year!

@observethedate.bsky.social · 16h ago

Today is Wednesday 5 August 2026 It is Play Day 🛝 also 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso Independence Day 🦪 Oyster Day 🩲 Underwear Day 🥴 Work Like a Dog Day 💻 Blogger Day ✝️ St Oswald of Northumbria French Republican Calendar: ALMOND Roman Festival: Nonae, Salus temple anniversary Continues...

A wee evening litter pick with Edinburgh Trash Club at Henderson Gardens last night. About a dozen folk out and we then had a nice blether and cocktail at Bittersweet afterwards.

A morning of Balsam bashing on the Murrayburn at Heriot Watt university with @wolct.bsky.social This area is a hotspot of invasive species which then seed down into the Water of Leith.

An enjoyable lengthy wade from Stockbridge colonies past St Bernard's Well to Dean Bridge hunting Balsam and litter picking. Always great fun volunteering with @wolct.bsky.social even in the drizzle.

Wasn't able to join old university friends for a few beers in Canterbury so after seeing the King's Theatre I made do with a quick visit to Cloisters. Good beer, no screens, no music just a cracking pub.

Very enjoyable visit to the King's Theatre today. Loved to see the improvements behind the scenes but with so much original features being kept.

Quite a tricky wade this morning on the Balerno stretch of the Water of Leith with @wolct.bsky.social Didn't spot any Balsam & the litter haul wasn't too bad possibly due to the school holidays.

Very enjoyable visit to Lost Shore resort for a beginners surfing lesson. Great place but not the easiest to get to on public transport. And yes, I did manage to stand up on the board!

Enjoyable wading session with @wolct.bsky.social on the Newhaven Road/West Bowling Green Street section of the river. Some Himalayan Balsam plants pulled up and litter collected 💪

I'm hoping not all of the Rockrose has been lost so that this beautiful wee butterfly can still breed on the crags. I always enjoy my sessions there cutting gorse or looking for eggs. 🤞 it's not as bad as feared.

Very enjoyable visit to @leiththeatre.bsky.social today. Great to hear from the lead architect about the challenges and opportunities for the future of the building.

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/77...

Petition: Ban on sale of disposable BBQs

We want the Government to introduce a nationwide ban on the sale of single-use disposable barbecues. Disposable BBQs are increasingly linked to preventable wildfires, which poses a serious risk to pu...

petition.parliament.uk

The Past and other Places@pastandotherplaces.bsky.social · 2w ago

Disposable barbecues should be banned. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Lovely morning for a wade with @wolct.bsky.social along the city bypass to Baberton Loan section of the Water of Leith. Found a large Himalayan Balsam hotspot near the weir which took some time to deal with but was very satisfying 🙂

A second day of oyster stringing in the cold room at Heriot Watt university. These oysters will be deployed in the Dornoch Firth next week for a research project trying to identify optimal conditions for oyster restoration.

Spent yesterday at Heriot Watt university cleaning and stringing oysters to be deployed in the Dornoch Firth. Will be fascinated to see the results from the six sites being monitored.

A breezy sunny afternoon for a Bordered Brown Lacewing walkover with Holyrood Park Ranger Service. No Lacewings found today but a nice walk nevertheless.

Nice morning spent with Holyrood Park Ranger Service looking for Maiden Pink at sites in the south side of the park. We didn't see as many plants as we'd hoped for but they are gorgeous little flowers.

Sunny Monday morning session with @wolct.bsky.social pulling up Himalayan Balsam on the Bell's Meadow slope. Lots of plants pulled, broken and left to dry out & die on tree branches.

Beautiful sunny morning for a walk and talk about grains at Lauriston Farm. Looking at the history of wheat bed, I was surprised at how tall some of the varieties grow.

Very much enjoyed our @filmhouseedinburgh.bsky.social Projection Room tour yesterday. David was very knowledgeable and it was fascinating to hear about the work that goes on in the background. Do go if you get the chance.

Enjoyable day yesterday cleaning oysters for DEEP (Dornoch Environmental Enhancement Project) at Heriot Watt university. First time cleaning inside in a cool room which was lovely on such a warm day.

Digging up Giant Hogweed plants and clearing litter on the Murrayburn near Riccarton Garden Centre was the task with @wolct.bsky.social this morning. Hard work but good fun as ever.

No-one else turned up for the men's shed ride yesterday morning so I thought I'd do some litter picking and Balsam bashing on Chancelot path & @wwctrustscot.bsky.social NCN route 75. Nice to get the odd thank you from passing folk.

A couple of Gannets on the Bass Rock taken on my phone whilst on @seabirdcentre.bsky.social 3 Island trip #SuperSeabirdSunday

Blustery conditions for a Northern Brown Argus egg count in Holyrood Park with the Ranger Service. Managed to find 3 wee white eggs on the Rockrose.

A breezy day yesterday for visiting Queensferry(s) but thankfully it wasn't too bad as we walked over the Forth Road Bridge.

Very enjoyable swift walk with Jack from @rspbscotland.bsky.social last night. Great to see swifts entering & exiting nests plus a bonus Peregrine Falcon!

It was a humid muggy morning for counting Adder's Tongue fern plants in Hunter's Bog with Holyrood Park Ranger Service. Lots of Ringlets flying around but I loved seeing this White Plume Moth.

Managed to avoid the rain this morning whilst out surveying Spring Sandwort with the Holyrood Park Ranger Service. It was great to see some plants still flowering, they are gorgeous.

Beautiful sunny morning wading downstream of the Bell's meadow stretch of the Water of Leith. Dug up 6 Giant Hogweed plants & pulled up a few Himalayan Balsam plants. Always fun volunteering with @wolct.bsky.social