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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Interesting to spot this colour ringed Curlew at Alturlie Point in September. Not sure if it’s one of the local Beauly Firth study birds or perhaps one from further afield. Any info would be appreciated 🙏 #ringing #birds #waders

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Been having some interesting stuff over the garden the past few days! The first few redwings are slowly being detected but no crazy numbers just yet. The most interesting detection has been four or five skylarks that have been flying over! Wonder where they’re off to 🤔 #birds

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Quiet moth trap last night with only 6/4. Some nice autumnal species turning up though such as Spruce Carpet and the lovely Green-brindled Crescent. Also nice to get an interesting form of Acleris variegana! #teammoth #MothsMatter

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Great to catch up with the returning Viking gull in Ullapool recently. An intriguing hybrid between a glaucous and a herring gull! They can be very varied but this individual is told by the slightly greyish outer primaries. Cool bird! #birds #birding #seabird

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Great to see two hedgehogs on the camera the other night! Very often get single individuals but seeing two feeding together was a special treat! #garden #wildlife #hedgehog

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Very cool to spot this young Pomarine Skua the other day which is my last regularly occurring skua needed for the UK this year! Very bulky bird with a thick bill, heavy set body and obvious developing “spoons” on the tail. Almost makes it look very long tailed from afar! #bird #birding #seabird

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Always a treat to come across a Small Copper. Don’t see many but when I do I always have to stop and look especially with a fresh individual such as this one!Such smart butterflies and very tiny too! @savebutterflies.bsky.social #butterflies #lepidoptera

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Red Kites are well known for many things but most notably their obvious forked tail. This individual however was lacking that almost completely with just a few tatty feathers clinging on! No clue how it managed to get itself in such a mess 😂 #raptors #birding #birds

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Decent night in the moth trap last night with 18/13 and one NFG! Setaceous Hebrew Character! ✅ Other highlights included Rhomboid Tortirx, Ear Moth sp. and an ever stunning Black Rustic #MothsMatter #Teammoth

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Sometimes come across some interesting oddities when out and about including this young rook with a curved lower mandible at the chip shop in Ullapool! Didn’t seem to be struggling at all and seemed in good health from what I could see. Amazing how resilient birds are #bird

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Always love seeing Sooty Shearwaters especially up close. Such sleek and elegant birds. I always find it amazing how they fly with such little energy expenditure! You could say they’re shearing the water 😂 #birding #seabirds #birds

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Amazing last trip on the Stornoway ferry for the year! Sabine’s gull lifer ✅ and Pomarine Skua year tick ✅ bring my year list to 205! 🎉 Other highlights included plenty of Sooty and Manx Shearwaters, White-tailed Eagle, Little Gull and great views of Gannets #seabirds #bird

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Lifered this stunning Buff-breasted Sandpiper in Tain today! Such a lovely little bird. Its cream and buff colouration was top notch 👌 Tricky to get good footage of due to the howling wind but think I managed some half decent shots. #birds #birding #BirdsSeenIn2026

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Great to get this Baird’s Sandpiper yesterday at Lossiemouth Estuary! My 300th world bird!!! 🎉🎉🎉 it stood out among the dunlins with its slender build and obviously shorter bill. Almost stint like in behaviour and size! #birding #birds #BirdsSeenIn2026

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

The pinkies are beginning to come back in large flocks now! Had a consistent stream of multiple skeins over recently. Interesting how they seem to start off at night and then you start seeing them in the day. #migration #birds #birding

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Interesting to find this plucked woodpigeon the other day in the Caledonian pine woods. Very likely predated by a Goshawk which are increasing in numbers in the area! Also found plucked woodcock in the area in the past #birds #tracking #birding #woodland

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Always like to get a little creative on occasion with my photography so here are some of my attempts of brilliance from a recent visit to the woods! #photography #naturephotography #woodland #autumn #scotland

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

I often feel I don’t give fungi as much credit as they deserve while out and about. Their sedentary nature makes them slightly less exciting as some other woodland inhabitants but they are no less beautiful and fascinating in my eyes! #fungi #woodland #autumn

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

It’s inevitable that many people overlook Meadow Pipits. Small, brown and common are words often used to describe them but I always love a freshly moulted bird in Autumn. The warm buff hues and contrasting markings are always a delight! #birds #birding #BirdsSeenIn2026

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

First Pink-footed Geese of the winter over the house yesterday evening! Had a total of four flocks over the night which is interesting considering I hadn’t heard any at all the past few days. Amazing how they synchronise their movements! #birds #migration #birding

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Amazing to get within meters of this group of newly arrived Turnstone today. Their latin name Arenaria interpres translates to “messenger of the sand” which is fitting I think for a bird that scuttles about a great deal! #shorebirds #birding #birds #photography

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Plenty of shorebirds at Alturlie today! All showing well for the camera. Nice to find a passage Black-tailed Godwit which I rarely get on patch. One of my favourite waders! #shorebirds #waders #birds #birding #photography

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

The colder and quieter nights are drawing in as winter approaches. Only 38/14 in my latest trap but NFG Autumnal Rustic more than made up for the lack of numbers! Other good species were Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing and Acleris variegana #MothsMatter #teammoth

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Been having plenty of hedgehog activity in the garden recently! They seem to be rather fond of the pond. Maybe there’s more slugs as the soil around the water is wetter? Or they’re just having a drink! #hedgehog #nature #garden

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

There can be some amazing rock formations around the coast of Scotland and I often end up admiring them when I’m out and about! Mad to think these have been carved by the sea over millennia #geography #nature #sea

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Some cool rock-pool finds from recently! Crazy some of the colour and diversity you can get especially on a really low tide when alot more is exposed. Other species found included brittle stars, large shrimp and other nudibranch species #morayoceancommunity #rockpools #sealife

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Amazing to find this elephant hawk moth caterpillar today! Wasn’t pleased with me at all. Tried to pull off its best snake impression by inflating its head and twitching about but didn’t fool me 😂 #teammoth #mothsmatter #lepidoptera

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Slipper limpets are an invasive species that has been brought to the UK by ships from the Americas. They can quickly multiply and crowd out native species so it is important we try to control them. They are unfortunately spreading in the Highlands #morayoceancommunity

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Nice trip on the ferry to Stornoway yesterday. Not many notable species apart from the LTS but always nice to see Manx and Sooty shearwaters and some Storm Petrels #birds #seabirds #birding

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Great to find this Long-tailed Skua on the ferry to Stornoway yesterday! A little tricky to ID but the slim build, long rear, short neck and long and thin wings are all telling features. Also had a comparison with an Arctic which helped! #seabirds #birding #UKBirding

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Plenty of life in the pond at the moment! Can’t tell you what much of it is I’m afraid past little wiggly things but pretty certain the water beetle is Hydroporus planus. Plenty of them zipping about #pondlife @wwtworldwide.bsky.social

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Quiet trap last night with 92/18. Ridiculous numbers of wasps. Almost rivalled the number of moths 😂 Interesting species included 1 NFY being Mouse Moth and 2 NFG being Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing and Dotted Rustic! #teammoth #lepidoptera

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Four-spotted Chasers are some of the easiest dragonflies to photograph due to the fact they often come to you! One individual kept landing right next to me allowing some good closeups. #dragonflies #photography

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Been an abundance of butterflies on the buddleja recently! Trying to make the most of the time I still have left to watch them before the ever approaching winter. No Commas yet this year hopefully I’ll get at least one 🤞 #butterflies #lepidoptera

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

The name Fulmar comes from the Old Norse word fúlmár which translates to foul gull. This name refers to the foul smelling stomach oil they regurgitate at predators if they feel threatened. Always love a good meaning behind a name! #birds #seabirds #birding

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Seen a few young wheatears moving through on their migration down to Africa recently! Always incredibly smart birds in any plumage #birds #birding #BirdingScotland #UKBirding

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Interesting to record a decent sized group of sandwich terns over my urban garden! I assume they have now started their migration south but I had always thought they follow the coast 🤔 always more to learn! #nocmig #birds #BirdingScotland

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Nice to see this late flowering Heath-spotted Orchid recently. Looks stunning in amongst all the Heather in full flower! Likely the last I will see this year unfortunately but look forward to seeing more next year! #orchids #botany

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Amazing to see my first ever Risso’s Dolphins recently! Spotted a large group of around 15 animals and numerous young in the rough sea. Seemed to just be resting on the surface #dolphins #wdc @klondyker.bsky.social

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Nice to get some shots of great skua while visiting the north coast! They can be very charismatic and noisy birds which makes them quite entertaining to watch! Also good to see quite a few juveniles about with their darker heads #birds #birding #scotland

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Interesting to find this Bibio pomonae fly in the garden today. Typically an upland and moorland species so not sure why it is in my urban patch. Have also had a few moths normally found on moors recently. A mystery 🤔 #insects #bugs #flies

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Always good to get good views of kites! They always move so effortlessly. This one surprised me very close to the car so didn’t have long to get my camera settings ready 😂 #birds #birding #raptors

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Amazing to see this Four-banded Beegrabber in the garden today! As the name suggests, female flies ambush bumblebees from flowers mid-air, injecting their eggs into the bee’s abdomen. Their larvae then feed on its internal organs until it succumbs. A bit grim, but very cool! #flies #bees

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Had a drive around the hills today and spotted a very large group of raptors including buzzard, red kite and a single immature white-tailed eagle! Always crazy how they dwarf the others #birds #birding #eagle

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Colder and therefore quieter night for the moths with 135/32. Still some good species though including Centre-barred Sallow Copper Underwing agg. (NFY) Phoenix And my first ever female Orange Swift! Not as colourful as the males but love the silver tones! #teammoth

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Sometimes tricky to fit a great day into just one post! So here’s some of my favourite shots from yesterday’s trip on the Stornoway ferry #birds #birding #dolphin

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Always amazing to see whales… but to see at least 45 minkes and 3 humpbacks on the Stornoway Ferry was particularly special! Couldn’t go a few minutes without another minke popping up 😂 #whalewatching #WDC #whales

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Amazing crossing to Stornoway and back today! Got 4 year ticks which brings my year list to 201!!! 🎉 🎉🎉 ✅ Sooty Shearwater ✅ Great Skua ✅ Storm Petrel ✅ Little Gull #birds #birding #BirdsSeenIn2026

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Another new fly for the garden feeding on the wild carrot. Myathropa florea, also known as the Batman Hoverfly! not sure what gives it its name but certainly made me chuckle 😂 #insects #Nature #flies

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Josh’s Wildlife @joshswildlife.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Crazy to see these buzzards cartwheeling toward the ground 🤯 never seen anything like it. Pretty rare to see apparently so was very lucky to see it and manage to film it! #birds #birding #birdsofprey

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