Some Finnish butterflies last week, with Rose Toney ; Scarce Copper, Lesser Marbled Fritillary, Moorland Clouded Yellow and Arran Brown. These were just 25 miles south of the Arctic Circle - shows the affect of a semi-continental climate. European Butterflies Group BC Europe

Galium Carpet in the Portsoy garden - first time I've (knowingly) seen one 😃. Many thanks to Roy Leverton for confirming ID - and recounting circumstances of the one previous Banffshire record, at Tarlair. BC Scotland

Gorgeous scaly juvenile Med Gull at Portsoy this evening. 116 species / 146 points for #PWC24 Patchwork Challenge

Loving this camera trap position, at SRUC, Aberdeen. #Goshawk in for a bathe, a couple weeks ago. Presuming the mix of barred and streaked underparts make it a one-year-old bird. SRUC Study Katie August

A midnight scan of our relatively new pond by torchlight revealed this very welcome visitor - a huge toad! Absolutely delighted to see the pond becoming home to a range of #GardenBiodiversity #BuildAndTheyWillCome

Buff Footman in the garden trap this morning. New for here, but seems to be going from strength to strength after first appearing in NE Scotland just four years ago. BC Scotland

Shuttle-shaped Dart - another moth spreading rapidly in Scotland and reached NE Scotland last year (Inverbervie, VC91). This one came to the garden trap overnight (Portsoy, VC94) - a further 90 km NNW. BC Scotland

What a beautiful start to the weekend! A Southern Hawker has found our new pond and decided to lay her eggs - fingers crossed for pioneer offspring next year #GardenBiodiversity #WildlifeGardening #Aberdeenshire #PondsAreAmazing BDS Scotland British Dragonfly Society

Continuous overnight recording at this #Aberdeenshire site, using Open Acoustic Devices #Audiomoths and screened with BirdNET Analyzer. A Wood Sandpiper called for 15 mins just before midnight on a single night. The Green Sandpiper was briefer still, in the early hours.

Another wader on the Open Acoustic Devices #Audiomoth in #Aberdeenshire: #Greenshank. Recorded just the one night (sound up) but then a whole line-up awaited when the device was retrieved.

A mini-rush of new garden moths last night in #Portsoy. Nothing unexpected but Pine Carpet and Black Rustic were also new for hectad. Also Brown-spot Pinion, Canary-shouldered Thorn and Agonopterix nervosa (not pictured). BC Scotland

Med Gull at Portsoy this evening. Perhaps same bird as a month ago, and briefly last week. Now showing a hotchpotch of juvvie and 1st-winter plumage. Patchwork Challenge

I feed the pigeons, they sometimes feed the sparrowhawk too. It gives me a sense of enormous well-being ... Parklife

We're putting together a fab programme for the coming year, including training events and talks. So why not join as a member (free until March 2025) to connect with a network of folk interested in the amazing mammals of North East Scotland. Join today forms.gle/FunHE8EhebyceS…

The tiny little Convolvulus Hawkmoth seeds that we planted in the spring finally bore fruit last night.

6 Sooty Shearwaters across morning and early evening seawatches off Portsoy. New for patch and onto 121 for the year. Patchwork Challenge

New academic year = new group of SRUC Wildlife Conservation MSc students. Out last weekend, learning everything sealy from Claire and Sarah and everything reserve related and more, from Danny and Joe at Forvie NNR (big thanks). Plus clearing Trellis Coffee Shop out of buns 🧁.

Scorching day for some management with hard-working #Volunteers on the Yellow-rattle trial area at Scottish Wildlife Trust Red Moss of Netherley reserve. Mini-harvest complete and time for a cider reward #GrasslandManagement #Biodiversity

Big Convolvulus Hawkmoth action in the garden (#Aberdeenshire). Rose Toney and I watched 2 on Nicotiana yesterday evening, this was on #CameraTrap in early hours and one resting on a wall this morning. NONE in the moth trap! BC Scotland Migrant Lepidoptera BrowningTrailCameras

Three nights running now for Convolvulus Hawk-moths on the Nicotiana (Portsoy, VC94). At least two individuals but visits are periodic so perhaps several could have moved through. Migrant Lepidoptera BC Scotland