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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 12/11/2025

Our 21 day recce to Guyana is complete & boy what a country with sooo many wildlife highlights. Walk away Guianan Cock-of-the-Rocks, 10+ Giant River Otter encounters, 2 Goliath Bird-eating Spiders, some incredible Giant Amazonian Water Lily blooming inc pollinating chafers to name but 4 highlights

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 07/10/2025

Just when I thought it was all over a quick swing by Ormsary on the Argyll coast produced this absolutely stunning drake Surf Scoter close inshore with Eider & Goosander. You just never know. #UkBirding

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 06/10/2025

A magic week on Islay comes to an end in the morning. The Buff-breasted Sand reappeared today and gave brilliant views. The monumental arrival of Barnacle Geese continues and an Otter performed in front of the lounge window this evening. This place is just magic #UkBirding #BirdMigration

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 04/10/2025

More great days on Islay. The Glossy Ibis that I stumbled across at the same site as the last two, 3wks ago appears to be a different bird. Storm Amy put on a show, Gannets leaving Loch Gruinart with Barnacles arriving en masse today, Leach’s Petrel, Grey Phal & Pec Sand all rounded off a good day

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 01/10/2025

A great first day on Islay finding Buff-breasted Sand and as we watched a Pec circled over calling, clearly fresh in. Add in a plethora of raptors Barnacles, Arctic Tern & Long-t ducks, some weird Agarics, Chough, Otter, Bottlenose Dolphins & you have a good haul. It’s good to be back here

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 25/05/2025

Fab day on Royal Deeside with our Deeside Nature festival discovering a pair of Nuthatch feeding young (rarity here) then what we believe is Silky Gallows Spider hanging its Wood Ant prey at Mar Lodge, Lesser Twayblades in full bloom, WT eagle and some fab views rounded off a superb day.

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 24/05/2025

Yesterday was the first day of our Deeside Nature Festival and it proved to be awesome! Events included a Black grouse safari, bumblebee talk, moth and wild sound evening, guided woodland walk, birding for beginners and more. Loads more happening over the next three days too #DeesideNatureFestival

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

Thrift & Large Red-belted Clearwings in Aberdeenshire (VC92) this last few days, the former a couple of weeks early on the wing and great to see. #TeamMoth #MothsMatter

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

No sooner than I’d read the @britishwildlife.bsky.social article on Pot Beetles than I stumble across these beauties; Four-spotted Pot Beetle larvae (Clytra quadripunctata) in a Scottish Wood Ant nest down the glen. Thanks for article Brit wildlife & an insight into their fascinating life histories

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 08/05/2025

Cracker of a day around home in Crathie, Cairngorms with Hen Harrier over the garden (garden tick) plus Gos (Osprey and Peregrine yesterday), daytime Tawny, Pearl Bordered Frits & Narrow Bordered Bee Hawks & first Red Mason Bee for Deeside I believe. Now listening to Woodcock roading #SpringBliss

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 04/05/2025

Calling all European #Odanata experts. I found this Coenagrion yesterday in a mountain spring pool which looks remarkably similar to hastulatum however it’s in Armenia and miles from the known range. Eyes are green based, spear head mark plus separates side stripe. Comments welcome 🙏

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 02/05/2025

This tour has been producing sooo many great birds and mammals. Yesterday we visited the stunning Noravank monastery in Armenia and enjoyed both Eastern & Western Rock Nuthatches feeding on ants in front us, at one point being side by side! Bears and Wolves have been stealing the show tho…

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 29/04/2025

Of all the things I was hoping to find today in Georgia today, a Bateleur was not one of them! This juv drifted in from Azerbaijan and over David Gareja before returning that way. First for Azerbaijan and 3rd for Georgia!

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 29/04/2025

With snow clearing over the Caucasus we were treated to a lovely bit of raptor migration with Eastern Imperial, Steppe and Booted Eagles past together with Honey & Steppe Buzzards, Black Kites & a local Lammergeier. A good opportunity to test your raptor silhouettes #Raptors #WildDiscoverytour

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 29/04/2025

Stumbled across this stunning #orchid, the range restricted Steveniella satyriodes growing under Beech in the foothills of the Caucasus alongside Toothwort. Dingy skippers were out in force alongside Wood Whites - a very pleasant lunch stop on our tour.

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 26/04/2025

First full day in the Caucasus on our Georgia & Armenia tour & a clean sweep of all target species plus some bonuses. Great numbers of Güldenstädt’s Redstarts, but Great Rosefinch are proving challenging for all this year so fab to get 3 today.

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 23/04/2025

Latreille’s Latin, a great moth with a fab name and one I saw for the first time recently thanks to @davegrundy.bsky.social whilst guiding our Andalucia tour. The camouflage against this Cistus is just superb esp the fake lichen bits! Fingers crossed one appears in my UK trap in future #MothsMatter

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 19/04/2025

Back home after 3 weeks & 3 tours of southern Spain and boy have they been successful. Multiple Iberian Lynx sightings, just under 200 species of bird, awesome reptiles & amphibs and the most phenomenal floral displays you could imagine. Really can’t wait to run a tour there again next year!

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 06/04/2025

Nice to find 6 Cornifrons ulceratalis on a short walk yesterday afternoon on the hills above Punta del Acebuche south of Algerciras. This African migrant out numbered Rush Veneer and Painted Lady! #MigrantLepidoptera #TeamMoth #MothsMatter

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 01/04/2025

Spot the… One of my fave pics from yesterday on our tour. Can you spot the beautifully camouflaged creature and what is it?? #camouflage

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 29/03/2025

Axia margarita, probably one of the best looking moths in Spain and great to stumble across two in the Sierra du Andujar this week #MothsMatter #TeamMoth

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 23/03/2025

Just an handful of the 124 Yellow Horneds in the MV this morning amongst a total of 269 moths of 16 species. Pine Beauty always good to see alongside Rannoch Sprawler & the Diamond-backed moth so an eclectic mix & great March catch #TeamMoth #MothsMatter

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 23/03/2025

Wasn't expecting a migrant in the trap this morning but this appears to be a dark Diamond-backed Moth (Plutella xylostella). Crathie, Cairngorms #MigrantLepidoptera #MigrantMoths @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 23/03/2025

The moths keep coming here in Crathie, Cairngorms with a trio of Sword Grass & a Red Sword Grass in to sugar. Crathie is quite possibly the best place in the UK for the former and I strongly suspect there is a significant link between Sword Grass and Juniper. #Teammoth #MothsMatter

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

First night back home & despite the low temps I popped the moth trap out: 3 Rannoch Sprawlers the highlight of 37 moths, 9 sp most of which came in when temps were between -1.0 & -3.7oC which is pretty insane & testament to their tenacity. Crathie, Cairngorms #TeamMoth @savebutterflies.bsky.social

A Rannoch Sprawler resting on a Birch trunk

A Yellow Horned moth looking at the camera

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 15/03/2025

A fascinating track showing the route a White-bellied Storm-petrel took which included all the NZ subs and around Macquarie. Despite travelling thru this region many times I’ve never seen this species in the subantarctic!

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

Another day and another tagged seabird… this time a Brown Skua at Saunders Island, Falkland. Ring ABU and with a geolocator (?). Anyone know anything about it? Also great to see it with a recently fledged chick. Survivors of the HPAI wave across the isles. @scottishseabird.bsky.social? #Seabirds

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 13/02/2025

Some days in the office are better than others. These two encounters within 15mins of each other in the Gerlache Strait yesterday with 3 inquisitive Humpbacks followed by 2 female and a calf B2 Orcas that came in to check the bow out whilst others bubble washed at the stern! Absolutely sublime

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 02/02/2025

A lovely show of Aurora Australis last night from a rather rolly ship but great to enjoy from the back deck as we steamed north from the Auckland Islands #Aurora

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 24/01/2025

Another one for the Ross Sea science & tagging network. A Weddell Seal on Franklin Island today bearing tag 4640. Who, I wonder, would be interested to know this? @drmichellelarue.bsky.social @scar-antarctic.bsky.social

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 23/01/2025

Lots of incredible Type C Orca action over the last few days in McMurdo Sound. Thanks to Cathy Finch of the pic of me & guests in the zodiac as some of the 30+ strong group cruised by us. Lots of processing to do with many photo ID shots to submit to Happy Whale. #Orca #Cetaceans #CitizenScience

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

Let’s see if the Bluesky mindhive can help track this beauty down… we found a satellite tagged Emperor Penguin today on the fast ice in McMurdo Sound, Ross Sea. Anyone know who might have tagged it? #Seabirds #Penguins @theseabirdgroup.bsky.social @scar-antarctic.bsky.social

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 15/12/2024

Anyone looking for a long weekend in the Cairngorms next May packed full of wildlife then come up to Deeside for our Nature Festival. Follow Wild Discovey for more updates

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 13/12/2024

Great report highlighting the shortfalls & failed promises with regard to provisioning for nature in a quest to deliver more & more housing. Wouldn’t it be nice if the government & associated bodies would recognise how essential functional ecosystems are for human wellbeing & ultimately survival!?

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

One of the most stunning birds on the planet and a target on next springs @wilddiscovery.bsky.social Moray Firth & Cairngorms tour (amongst many other superb northern species). #Birding #Seabirds #PiebaldLoonacy

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 07/12/2024

Black-headed Woodpecker; a stunning, gregarious and approachable species that roves around the dry, open woodlands of Thailand in small groups. #Woodpeckers #Birding

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 07/12/2024

Thai birding isn’t just exotic, it’s exciting when you encounter eastern palearctic species that you can only hope and dream of finding in the UK in autumn, not to mention informative when you get to analyse tricky species pairs. #UKBirding #Birding

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 29/11/2024

A must-do tour for anyone who loves the Northern Isles and a magical mix of wildlife and history

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Reposted by Dan Brown

Brendan Godley @brendangodley.bsky.social · 27/11/2024

Winter strandings of juvenile hardshell #turtles in UK have started! This one still alive! on a beach near Blackpool. Less than 30cm long. Keep an eye out. Contact numbers can be found here: www.ukturtles.online/Graphics%20a... 🐢🌍🧪🦑 #seaturtles #marineturtles

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 29/11/2024

As always I’m remain profoundly in awe of bird migration #BirdMigration

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 29/11/2024

This is a fairly humbling post. Wisdom, at 74yo, is the world’s oldest known wild bird and still returning to breed on midway atoll. Id love to know how old some Wandering Albatross live…

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 28/11/2024

After a few days of exciting wildlife watching in Thailand this is the rarest thing I’ve seen… a Walkman! Owned by a teen in Bangkok and probably one of the last remaining examples of its kind on the planet. It’s been 25yrs since i last saw one and this will likely be my final encounter.

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 25/11/2024

Today we visited the superb Sai Yok national park in Thailand where we found the worlds smallest mammal (by length) the Bumblebee Bat (only 29-33mm long!!) as well as the massive Great Roundleaf Bat & a stunning as yet unID’d roundleaf bat (feel free to ID for me!). #Bats #Chiroptera

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

I’m very happy to be able to introduce our fab wildlife watching company on here. Give it a follow and keep your eyes peeled for lots of exciting updates.

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 17/11/2024

Great to see #SuperSeabirdSunday is up and running on BlueSky. Nice one @steelyseabirder.bsky.social 👍 This Brown Booby enjoyed hanging out on the ship and even left the ship to sit on my zodiac for a while. They are just too good! #Seabirds

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 16/11/2024

A few #Cetaceans from Indonesia recently including Pygmy Blue Whale off Lembata, Frasers Dolphins and False Killer Whales in the Flores Sea. It’s an amazingly rich area for marine megafauna with such huge potential for discovering more.

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 15/11/2024

One of the funkiest moths I’ve ever seen, most likely Melittia doddi, a clearwing-relative with profusely scaled hindlegs that are held at rest along the leading edge of the forewing presumably to help break up its outline. This was in Cairns Botanic Garden, Queensland. #Moths #TeamMoth #Lepidoptera

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 13/11/2024

Bar-tailed Godwits, such brilliant birds. Loved watching small flocks feeding along the waterfront in Cairns recently, unperturbed by hundreds of people and knowing they’d just travelled 000s km to be there #Migration #BirdMigration #Waders #Birding #OM1

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 12/11/2024

This is THE coolest Clubmoss I’ve ever seen. It appears to be a species of giant Huperzia but which one I have no idea. It was growing at sea level on a massive boulder in Etna Bay, West Papua, a place where fewer than 50 tourists have ever travelled too. #Clubmoss #Botany #lycopod #Expedition

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Dan Brown @danbrownnature.bsky.social · 10/11/2024

A good article featuring a great project with some very valid points made on the shift that’s occurring in wildlife observation and wildlife photography.

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