Nick Littlewood
@blackdogbirder.bsky.social
Bugs, bogs and birds.
Wildlife Conservation Management lecturer at SRUC, Aberdeen.
Senior Editor: Insect Conservation and Diversity.
Wildlife Conservation Management lecturer at SRUC, Aberdeen.
Senior Editor: Insect Conservation and Diversity.
New #mammal conservation #PhD: "Understanding and Addressing Rural Hedgehog Population Declines".
@srucnews.bsky.social EastBio CASE project in partnership with (and co-supervised by) @ptes-org.bsky.social.
Details: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Act fast - applications close 15 December.
🦔🦔🦔
@srucnews.bsky.social EastBio CASE project in partnership with (and co-supervised by) @ptes-org.bsky.social.
Details: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Act fast - applications close 15 December.
🦔🦔🦔
November 21, 2025 at 7:00 PM
New #mammal conservation #PhD: "Understanding and Addressing Rural Hedgehog Population Declines".
@srucnews.bsky.social EastBio CASE project in partnership with (and co-supervised by) @ptes-org.bsky.social.
Details: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Act fast - applications close 15 December.
🦔🦔🦔
@srucnews.bsky.social EastBio CASE project in partnership with (and co-supervised by) @ptes-org.bsky.social.
Details: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Act fast - applications close 15 December.
🦔🦔🦔
This is a fantastic site for ladybird variety - we've also had 11-spot on previous visits. Red Squirrels are ever reliable here too.
November 20, 2025 at 9:09 PM
This is a fantastic site for ladybird variety - we've also had 11-spot on previous visits. Red Squirrels are ever reliable here too.
A highlight of the annual teaching calendar is the ladybird survey in Sleephillock Cemetery, Montrose. Orange Ladybirds dominated this week, as usual, but variety came from single figures of 2-spot, 7-spot, 10-spot, Cream-spot and Harlequin.
@ukladybirds.bsky.social
@srucnews.bsky.social
@ukladybirds.bsky.social
@srucnews.bsky.social
November 20, 2025 at 9:09 PM
A highlight of the annual teaching calendar is the ladybird survey in Sleephillock Cemetery, Montrose. Orange Ladybirds dominated this week, as usual, but variety came from single figures of 2-spot, 7-spot, 10-spot, Cream-spot and Harlequin.
@ukladybirds.bsky.social
@srucnews.bsky.social
@ukladybirds.bsky.social
@srucnews.bsky.social
BBRC giveths and BBRC takeths away.
Latest @britishbirdsbbrc.bsky.social report includes acceptance of the 2013 Cruden Bay Subalpine Warbler as a Western.
Meanwhile, alas, the Black-throated Thrush two months earlier in @hughad.bsky.social's garden is now classed as a hybrid.
#BirdingScotland
Latest @britishbirdsbbrc.bsky.social report includes acceptance of the 2013 Cruden Bay Subalpine Warbler as a Western.
Meanwhile, alas, the Black-throated Thrush two months earlier in @hughad.bsky.social's garden is now classed as a hybrid.
#BirdingScotland
November 19, 2025 at 7:23 PM
BBRC giveths and BBRC takeths away.
Latest @britishbirdsbbrc.bsky.social report includes acceptance of the 2013 Cruden Bay Subalpine Warbler as a Western.
Meanwhile, alas, the Black-throated Thrush two months earlier in @hughad.bsky.social's garden is now classed as a hybrid.
#BirdingScotland
Latest @britishbirdsbbrc.bsky.social report includes acceptance of the 2013 Cruden Bay Subalpine Warbler as a Western.
Meanwhile, alas, the Black-throated Thrush two months earlier in @hughad.bsky.social's garden is now classed as a hybrid.
#BirdingScotland
Cessation of grouse moor management and climate change scenarios are both predicted to drive declines in Red Grouse, Curlew and Golden Plover. Our paper in @jappliedecology.bsky.social, led by Tom Mason, combines these factors in modelling future population trends.
#conservationscience🌎
#conservationscience🌎
November 10, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Cessation of grouse moor management and climate change scenarios are both predicted to drive declines in Red Grouse, Curlew and Golden Plover. Our paper in @jappliedecology.bsky.social, led by Tom Mason, combines these factors in modelling future population trends.
#conservationscience🌎
#conservationscience🌎
A Black-throated Diver was highlight of today's @webs-gsmp.bsky.social count at Portsoy.
#birdingscotland
#birdingscotland
November 9, 2025 at 5:58 PM
A Black-throated Diver was highlight of today's @webs-gsmp.bsky.social count at Portsoy.
#birdingscotland
#birdingscotland
Scare Umber was another NFG (and new for hectad) in the garden trap this morning among an unseasonal 6 moths of 5 species. Others were another Rush Veneer, a female 𝘌𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘢 (most likely November Moth), 2 Spruce Carpets and a 𝘉. 𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢.
Portsoy (VC94, Banffshire)
#teammoth
Portsoy (VC94, Banffshire)
#teammoth
November 8, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Scare Umber was another NFG (and new for hectad) in the garden trap this morning among an unseasonal 6 moths of 5 species. Others were another Rush Veneer, a female 𝘌𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘢 (most likely November Moth), 2 Spruce Carpets and a 𝘉. 𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢.
Portsoy (VC94, Banffshire)
#teammoth
Portsoy (VC94, Banffshire)
#teammoth
PhD-themed cake for Rob McHenry's viva celebration last week in Thurso.
Both were adorned with (tasty) Fox scat - very apt with the viva including much discussion of caprophagy (eating 💩) linked to predators' use of tracks in #peatlands.
@theflowcountry.bsky.social
Both were adorned with (tasty) Fox scat - very apt with the viva including much discussion of caprophagy (eating 💩) linked to predators' use of tracks in #peatlands.
@theflowcountry.bsky.social
November 5, 2025 at 8:16 PM
PhD-themed cake for Rob McHenry's viva celebration last week in Thurso.
Both were adorned with (tasty) Fox scat - very apt with the viva including much discussion of caprophagy (eating 💩) linked to predators' use of tracks in #peatlands.
@theflowcountry.bsky.social
Both were adorned with (tasty) Fox scat - very apt with the viva including much discussion of caprophagy (eating 💩) linked to predators' use of tracks in #peatlands.
@theflowcountry.bsky.social
First time setting garden trap in several weeks - 4/4 was good going for here in November. Highlight were migrants, Dark Swordgrass (NFG) and Rush Veneer, December Moth was NFY and Angle Shades joined the party too.
Portsoy (VC94, Banffshire)
#teammoth
@migrantmothuk.bsky.social
Portsoy (VC94, Banffshire)
#teammoth
@migrantmothuk.bsky.social
November 4, 2025 at 9:44 AM
First time setting garden trap in several weeks - 4/4 was good going for here in November. Highlight were migrants, Dark Swordgrass (NFG) and Rush Veneer, December Moth was NFY and Angle Shades joined the party too.
Portsoy (VC94, Banffshire)
#teammoth
@migrantmothuk.bsky.social
Portsoy (VC94, Banffshire)
#teammoth
@migrantmothuk.bsky.social
Nathusius' Pipistrelle becomes #mammal species 2️⃣6️⃣ for Red Moss of Netherly, NE Scotland.
Recorded on @openacousticdevices.info #Audiomoth during September's influx. Just a handful of detections, but this quasi-constant frequency burst looks convincing.
@scotwildlife.bsky.social
#bioacoustics
Recorded on @openacousticdevices.info #Audiomoth during September's influx. Just a handful of detections, but this quasi-constant frequency burst looks convincing.
@scotwildlife.bsky.social
#bioacoustics
November 2, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Nathusius' Pipistrelle becomes #mammal species 2️⃣6️⃣ for Red Moss of Netherly, NE Scotland.
Recorded on @openacousticdevices.info #Audiomoth during September's influx. Just a handful of detections, but this quasi-constant frequency burst looks convincing.
@scotwildlife.bsky.social
#bioacoustics
Recorded on @openacousticdevices.info #Audiomoth during September's influx. Just a handful of detections, but this quasi-constant frequency burst looks convincing.
@scotwildlife.bsky.social
#bioacoustics
Another brilliant Flow Country Research Conference.
Big 🏆 for Roxane and team at UHI Thurso.
Great to see @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social's PhD crammed into 30 mins. Loved the Icelandic word for Meadow Pipit and check out those German bog restoration lagoons.
@theflowcountry.bsky.social
Big 🏆 for Roxane and team at UHI Thurso.
Great to see @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social's PhD crammed into 30 mins. Loved the Icelandic word for Meadow Pipit and check out those German bog restoration lagoons.
@theflowcountry.bsky.social
October 31, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Another brilliant Flow Country Research Conference.
Big 🏆 for Roxane and team at UHI Thurso.
Great to see @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social's PhD crammed into 30 mins. Loved the Icelandic word for Meadow Pipit and check out those German bog restoration lagoons.
@theflowcountry.bsky.social
Big 🏆 for Roxane and team at UHI Thurso.
Great to see @rob-hughes-birder.bsky.social's PhD crammed into 30 mins. Loved the Icelandic word for Meadow Pipit and check out those German bog restoration lagoons.
@theflowcountry.bsky.social
Little Auks were limited to a couple of millisecond blurs of probables but a late Arctic Tern was interesting and a Bonxie powered through.
#BirdingScotland
@patchbirding.bsky.social
#BirdingScotland
@patchbirding.bsky.social
October 26, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Little Auks were limited to a couple of millisecond blurs of probables but a late Arctic Tern was interesting and a Bonxie powered through.
#BirdingScotland
@patchbirding.bsky.social
#BirdingScotland
@patchbirding.bsky.social
Seawatching in a northerly at Portsoy is hampered by lack of elevated shelter. I've been cowering next to a shipping container just above sea level, so would've missed flocks of albatrosses if they stayed low.
@patchbirding.bsky.social
@patchbirding.bsky.social
October 26, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Seawatching in a northerly at Portsoy is hampered by lack of elevated shelter. I've been cowering next to a shipping container just above sea level, so would've missed flocks of albatrosses if they stayed low.
@patchbirding.bsky.social
@patchbirding.bsky.social
Work committments prevented a visit to the Rattray Head Eastern Nightingale until today. Fantastic bird - a real shower and very strange looking, reminding at times of a babbler. Think I'd have been bamboozled had I found it.
My first NE Scotland nightingale of any flavour.
#BirdingScotland
My first NE Scotland nightingale of any flavour.
#BirdingScotland
October 22, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Work committments prevented a visit to the Rattray Head Eastern Nightingale until today. Fantastic bird - a real shower and very strange looking, reminding at times of a babbler. Think I'd have been bamboozled had I found it.
My first NE Scotland nightingale of any flavour.
#BirdingScotland
My first NE Scotland nightingale of any flavour.
#BirdingScotland
An "atmospheric" day for year-2 @srucnews.bsky.social Wildlife & Conservation Management students to collect moorland plant data at @hutton.ac.uk Glensaugh.
Ended with obligatory human chain to measure the giant Sitka Spruce in Drumtochty Glen - and it's still a 6-student circumference.
Ended with obligatory human chain to measure the giant Sitka Spruce in Drumtochty Glen - and it's still a 6-student circumference.
October 21, 2025 at 6:11 PM
An "atmospheric" day for year-2 @srucnews.bsky.social Wildlife & Conservation Management students to collect moorland plant data at @hutton.ac.uk Glensaugh.
Ended with obligatory human chain to measure the giant Sitka Spruce in Drumtochty Glen - and it's still a 6-student circumference.
Ended with obligatory human chain to measure the giant Sitka Spruce in Drumtochty Glen - and it's still a 6-student circumference.
Two westbound Velvet Scoters off Portsoy this morning. Just seen one other since moving here two years ago. Now on 123 for the year - one off last year's total.
@patchbirding.bsky.social #BirdingScotland
@patchbirding.bsky.social #BirdingScotland
October 19, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Two westbound Velvet Scoters off Portsoy this morning. Just seen one other since moving here two years ago. Now on 123 for the year - one off last year's total.
@patchbirding.bsky.social #BirdingScotland
@patchbirding.bsky.social #BirdingScotland
Five species from a #smallmammal #cameratrap at Portsoy, Aberdeenshire - a mouse, two voles and two shrew species - including Water Shrew 😀
#mammal #trailcamera @nesmammals.bsky.social
#mammal #trailcamera @nesmammals.bsky.social
October 18, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Five species from a #smallmammal #cameratrap at Portsoy, Aberdeenshire - a mouse, two voles and two shrew species - including Water Shrew 😀
#mammal #trailcamera @nesmammals.bsky.social
#mammal #trailcamera @nesmammals.bsky.social
And there was a bonus Spoonbill (distantly) in a channel off Kinneil Nature Reserve.
#birdingscotland
#birdingscotland
October 15, 2025 at 5:42 PM
And there was a bonus Spoonbill (distantly) in a channel off Kinneil Nature Reserve.
#birdingscotland
#birdingscotland
Fantastic Study Weekend with @srucnews.bsky.social Wildlife & Conservation Management MSc students. We visited sites from West Lothian through to the Trossachs, discussing site management and playing with ecology/wildlife monitoring toys!
#thermalimaging #drone #peatprobe
#thermalimaging #drone #peatprobe
October 15, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Fantastic Study Weekend with @srucnews.bsky.social Wildlife & Conservation Management MSc students. We visited sites from West Lothian through to the Trossachs, discussing site management and playing with ecology/wildlife monitoring toys!
#thermalimaging #drone #peatprobe
#thermalimaging #drone #peatprobe
Into first week of our third year in Portsoy and still some "easy" patch ticks to be had; Barnacle Geese, yeserday, among post-Amy movement into Moray Firth. Also 10 Whoopers and an A𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘺𝘢 (that would've been #patchtick if ID nailed).
@patchbirding.bsky.social
#BirdingScotland
@patchbirding.bsky.social
#BirdingScotland
October 6, 2025 at 5:39 AM
Into first week of our third year in Portsoy and still some "easy" patch ticks to be had; Barnacle Geese, yeserday, among post-Amy movement into Moray Firth. Also 10 Whoopers and an A𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘺𝘢 (that would've been #patchtick if ID nailed).
@patchbirding.bsky.social
#BirdingScotland
@patchbirding.bsky.social
#BirdingScotland
Difficult viewing in Storm Amy (amber-warning wind) for a late afternoon look at Links Bay, Portsoy. Highlight was adult Med Gull at dusk. Singles of Wheatear and Common Tern both probably wished they'd had a bit more haste about migrating.
@patchbirding.bsky.social
#BirdingScotland
@patchbirding.bsky.social
#BirdingScotland
October 4, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Difficult viewing in Storm Amy (amber-warning wind) for a late afternoon look at Links Bay, Portsoy. Highlight was adult Med Gull at dusk. Singles of Wheatear and Common Tern both probably wished they'd had a bit more haste about migrating.
@patchbirding.bsky.social
#BirdingScotland
@patchbirding.bsky.social
#BirdingScotland
Took Wildlife Conservation & Management 1st years to Loch of Strathbeg today. They excelled by finding a juv Glossy Ibis. Four Great White Egrets was also a popular sight.
Greenshank, Goshawk and Barnacle Geese as supporting acts.
@srucnews.bsky.social
#birdingScotland
Greenshank, Goshawk and Barnacle Geese as supporting acts.
@srucnews.bsky.social
#birdingScotland
September 29, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Took Wildlife Conservation & Management 1st years to Loch of Strathbeg today. They excelled by finding a juv Glossy Ibis. Four Great White Egrets was also a popular sight.
Greenshank, Goshawk and Barnacle Geese as supporting acts.
@srucnews.bsky.social
#birdingScotland
Greenshank, Goshawk and Barnacle Geese as supporting acts.
@srucnews.bsky.social
#birdingScotland
A Scarce Bordered Straw in the garden trap this morning. Genuinely scarce this far north and appears to be new for the VC.
Portsoy (VC94, Banffshire)
#teammoth
@migrantmothuk.bsky.social
Portsoy (VC94, Banffshire)
#teammoth
@migrantmothuk.bsky.social
September 28, 2025 at 10:56 AM
A Scarce Bordered Straw in the garden trap this morning. Genuinely scarce this far north and appears to be new for the VC.
Portsoy (VC94, Banffshire)
#teammoth
@migrantmothuk.bsky.social
Portsoy (VC94, Banffshire)
#teammoth
@migrantmothuk.bsky.social
🍾 Big congratulations to @bats-n-bugs.bsky.social for her first PhD paper, in 𝘈𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘌𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘴 & 𝘌𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, about moths on mixed and arable farms.
Shows some moth benefits from woodland features in farmed landscape, but mixed picture. See: doi.org/10.1016/j.ag...
@srucnews.bsky.social
Shows some moth benefits from woodland features in farmed landscape, but mixed picture. See: doi.org/10.1016/j.ag...
@srucnews.bsky.social
September 24, 2025 at 12:20 PM
🍾 Big congratulations to @bats-n-bugs.bsky.social for her first PhD paper, in 𝘈𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘌𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘴 & 𝘌𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, about moths on mixed and arable farms.
Shows some moth benefits from woodland features in farmed landscape, but mixed picture. See: doi.org/10.1016/j.ag...
@srucnews.bsky.social
Shows some moth benefits from woodland features in farmed landscape, but mixed picture. See: doi.org/10.1016/j.ag...
@srucnews.bsky.social
A Gem in the garden trap overnight - first one I've seen in Scotland 👍.
Portsoy (VC94 - Banffshire)
@migrantmothuk.bsky.social
#teammoth
Portsoy (VC94 - Banffshire)
@migrantmothuk.bsky.social
#teammoth
September 20, 2025 at 9:01 AM
A Gem in the garden trap overnight - first one I've seen in Scotland 👍.
Portsoy (VC94 - Banffshire)
@migrantmothuk.bsky.social
#teammoth
Portsoy (VC94 - Banffshire)
@migrantmothuk.bsky.social
#teammoth