Lovely to see a small group of young Lapwing - Vanellus vanellus in one of our pastures.
Whitmuir Estate
@whitmuir1.bsky.social
Small environmentally friendly estate in the Ale Water Valley - Scottish Borders.
Trail camera set up to record the Roe Deer twins drinking at this small man made farm puddle also recorded Buzzard taking a bath.
Visit to my @pomscheme.bsky.social square I did a #FITcount on some late Bramble flowers. Good variety of Butterflies recorded. We do not record spiders and Caterpillars as not pollinators, what about🐉! This Southern Hawker is maybe not pollinating it landed in #FITcount area. @ukceh.bsky.social
At last! Time to do my 3rd @pomscheme.bsky.social visit of the year to my #kmsquare for an insect survey. Not a lot of flowers on my transect at the moment. Luckily there are some insects in the wood at the end. @ukceh.bsky.social
Spent the night high up in the Southern Uplands looking for Northern Dart - Xestia alpicola. Generator had a stuck carburetor float which meant we were left with 2 small actinic traps. Managed to find 2 worn NDs of this scarce upland moth + hundreds True-lover's-knot. #Moths #NorthernDart
Visit to my @pomscheme.bsky.social #1kmsquare for June survey. Warm but pleasant. Most insects seem to prefer the shade today. However the female Clegs have no trouble with the weather, wearing shorts maybe not my best choice today. Getting buzzed by big noisy things too. @ukceh.bsky.social
Spotting lots of #Butterflies during FIT counts on my @pomscheme.bsky.social square today. Mostly beside and not in FIT count area. Good to see them but always hope they do not make it to the pan traps..... @ukceh.bsky.social
Forecast predicted a good day for @pomscheme.bsky.social visit to my square. Wind stronger and cooler than predicted. Brown Hare showing interest. At least one Hoverfly about. Spider reading text about exlusion. Glyphipterix simpliciella doing great job keeping averages up. @ukceh.bsky.social
This leveret has been living in one of our open farm sheds for the last month. Managed to get a few pictures first thing this morning.
Roe Deer - Capreolus capreolus buck and Robin - Erithacus rubecula meet for breakfast on a cold morning.
During this cold spell I keep seeing Snipe - Gallinago gallinago coming out of one of our damp ditches on the farm. They are happy to pose for the Camera. Amazing feather markings.
Yesterday I saw some Common bird’s nest fungus - Crucibulum laeve. It was raining hard at the time, I was hoping to see the periodoles being launched, turns out they are shy and do not do it when you are watching. #Fungi
Even arboreal #Badgers have night shifts that do no always go to plan. #trailcamera #boar
Our #grassland has come alive with #fungi in the last week. Fly Agaric and Panther Cap on Rockrose, Hygrocybe spadicea - Date Waxcap, Entoloma nigroviolaceum - Dark Purple Pinkgill and Entoloma porphyrophaeum - Lilac Pinkgill are just some of them. @naturescot.bsky.social
Not sure about the shepherd but the sheep have been warned this morning.
We moved this Pine Marten feeder higher up the Pine tree out of reach of the #Badgers. Forgot we have Arboreal Badgers at Whitmuir.
There is a colour ring project on our farm for our Nuthatch - Sitta europaea families. 41 youngsters received a ring this year. The resident adults are being targeted now. This male (FC) got a (white) colour ring. If you see him or any others report to www.bto.org thanks @wildborders.bsky.social
Last night's Badger survey on the farm. 4 people in different spots counted all the Badgers they could see at the same time. Result was 31, on just a fraction of the land. With dry weather sending the earthworms deeper it is no wonder they go for Pine Marten food up a tree. @wildborders.bsky.social
#PineMarten - Martes martes out looking for breakfast and a wee (or two).
A Jay - Garrulus glandarius sunbathing in front of Pine Marten tree.
Fourth and final 2025 visit to my @pomscheme.bsky.social square on arable land. Still not much in the way of flowers about. Several butterflies in the pantraps. Harvestmen helping with form filling. @ukceh.bsky.social
Third 2025 visit to my @pomscheme.bsky.social square on arable land. Bit lacking in flowering plants on the stubble. Lot of Speckled Wood about. Not often you get to record a Harvestman on a pollinator survey @meganshersby.bsky.social @ukceh.bsky.social
One of the local #Bats getting close and personal with one of the #PineMarten cameras @batconservation.bsky.social
Second @pomscheme.bsky.social km square visit of the year. Calm conditions and decent temperature. Pan trap activity has been a bit slow at the start. @ukceh.bsky.social
Decent day for my 1st 2025 @pomscheme.bsky.social 1 kmsq survey. There is a lot of yellow competition with the pantraps today! On the FIT counts there were small pollen munching aliens about on the Daisies and Cocksfoot Moth on both Dandelion and Hawthorn. @ukceh.bsky.social
