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Whitmuir Estate

@whitmuir1.bsky.social
180 followers 275 following 83 posts

Small environmentally friendly estate in the Ale Water Valley - Scottish Borders.

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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Lovely to see a small group of young Lapwing - Vanellus vanellus in one of our pastures.
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Trail camera set up to record the Roe Deer twins drinking at this small man made farm puddle also recorded Buzzard taking a bath.
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
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
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
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
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
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
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
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
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
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
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
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
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
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.
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
Some fresh Canadian fluffballs have appeared on one of our farm ponds. #FarmPonds
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 11/01/2026
Roe Deer - Capreolus capreolus buck and Robin - Erithacus rubecula meet for breakfast on a cold morning.
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
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.
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 28/11/2025
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
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 24/10/2025
Even arboreal #Badgers have night shifts that do no always go to plan. #trailcamera #boar
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 10/10/2025
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
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 08/10/2025
Not sure about the shepherd but the sheep have been warned this morning.
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 26/09/2025
We moved this Pine Marten feeder higher up the Pine tree out of reach of the #Badgers. Forgot we have Arboreal Badgers at Whitmuir.
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 23/09/2025
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
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 17/09/2025
Brown Hare relaxing in a field full of cattle.
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 27/08/2025
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
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 26/08/2025
#PineMarten - Martes martes out looking for breakfast and a wee (or two).
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 26/08/2025
A Jay - Garrulus glandarius sunbathing in front of Pine Marten tree.
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 24/08/2025
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
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 30/07/2025
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
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 13/07/2025
Badger - Meles meles up a tree. #ArborealBadgers
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 13/07/2025
Lapwing - Vanellus vanellus chick growing up fast.
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 13/07/2025
One of the local #Bats getting close and personal with one of the #PineMarten cameras @batconservation.bsky.social
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 23/06/2025
Light Arches - Apamea lithoxylaea spotted on a fence post today. #teammoth
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 19/06/2025
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
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 16/05/2025
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
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 26/04/2025
Orange-tip - Anthocharis cardamines sitting waiting for a female to come past our farm hedge. @savebutterflies.bsky.social
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 19/04/2025
Brown Hare - Lepus europaeus sitting beside our farm track checking on who is all passing. @mammalsociety.bsky.social
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 17/04/2025
Good to see one of our #PineMarten out in the sunshine. Winter coat colour very clear.
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 17/04/2025
Another Jay - Garrulus glandarius at another trail camera taking selfies.
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 16/04/2025
Jay - Garrulus glandarius posing in front of a camera put up to track Pine Martens. In fact the Jay loves making selfies a bit too much.
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 14/04/2025
Hoverflies are out in numbers doing their thing. Good time to do a @pomscheme.bsky.social #FITcount see ukpoms.org.uk/fit-counts
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 13/04/2025
Someone has built a home on an island in one of our ponds. A possible Canada Goose - Branta canadensis, we do have some hybrids with Greylag Geese in the area. Will be a surprise to see what hatches. Sometimes the Otters raid the nest.
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 11/04/2025
Small Tortoiseshell - Aglais urticae enjoying the Common Dandelion Taraxacum officinale feast on the farm. @savebutterflies.bsky.social
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 10/04/2025
It's time having Common gorse - Ulex europaeus on farmland is seen as a positive and not penalised in farm payment rules. It makes no sense to incentivise land managers to legally burn this habitat when covered in wildlife.
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 08/04/2025
This is The Herald - Scoliopteryx libatrix which spent the winter in our cold Bothy toilet. I brought it out in the lovely weather so it could wake up in the warmth of the Sun. #teammoth
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 27/03/2025
Time to plan your holiday to our valley!
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
Sallow catkins are an important food source for butterflies after hibernation. @savebutterflies.bsky.social
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
Glorious day to be planting 100 Purging Buckthorn- Rhamnus cathartica. Getting ready for Brimstone butterflies to keep heading North in the future. Skylarks singing overhead. @savebutterflies.bsky.social
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
Salix gracilistyla 'Melanostachys' - with its striking black catkins coming into flower beside one of our farm ponds.
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 22/02/2025
Just entered the results for our @gwct.org.uk 2025 #BigFarmlandBirdCount. After 12 years counting we have lots of data from our farm. Not always sure what to make of it, but good fun.
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
Wet and stormy, but a bit milder, great day to prune our 7 pleached Limes before the birds get too excited.
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 17/02/2025
Nice to see thirtythree Oystercatcher - Haematopus ostralegus out for a feed.
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 17/02/2025
Fezzy inspecting the pleached Lime trees as the snow is slowly falling this cold morning.
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 03/02/2025
Picked up a #trailcamera after 5 days which had been left on some bird seed. 22078 Pictures of mostly Badgers and finches, including Bramblings and some Wood Mice for good measure. Twentytwo K is a lot to go through.....
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Whitmuir Estate @whitmuir1.bsky.social · 02/02/2025
Shepherd's warning? Sheep seem relaxed.
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