Masses of By-the-wind sailors washing up on the west coast of #Islay today.

Some lovely fresh Peacocks and some tatty old DG Fritillaries on UKBMS Live Data Oa, #Islay transect today. Also, a whopping 119 Marsh Fritillary larval webs. @BC_SWScotland BC Scotland

Something to wear for all the nettle growers out there. @TCorncrake Cornabus Farm Corncrake Network Corncrake/Traonach LIFE

A fairly fresh and whopping Flapper Skate washed up on Corran Sands, Jura. About 6ft long and 5ft across. The Shark Trust

It's been around for a few days but only just got the chance to go and have a look at the Lesser Grey Shrike, it's a proper show off, hunting and hovering up and down a single track road.

Chough roost watching with a bonus sunset this evening, I think this is Inishtrahull Bird Observatory ?, the furthest west bit of Ireland we can see from The Oa on #Islay

Great to team up with farmer, Stuart and RSPB Scotland warden, davidwood, to discuss grazing management, chough conservation and sustainable fluke control at Islay QMS Monitor Farm Winter Meeting on The Oa! Good turnout on a dreich day! ☔️ The Moredun Foundation SEFARI Gateway

Efforts to save Scotland’s critically endangered population of chough must step up, as studies predict the bird may become extinct in Scotland within decades, according to a new NatureScot report ➡️ orlo.uk/weREd 📸 Image credit David Whitaker

BTO are working together with RSPB Scotland and Islay's Gaelic College to deliver a winter bird life festival. events.rspb.org.uk/islaybirdlifef… 🧵👇

We'll be there delivering workshops on Ducks, Geese, and Waders (even Gulls!) both indoors and from the College overlooking the shores of Loch Indaal. To find out more and book your place: bto.org/about-bto/nati…

We're out on #Islay with RSPB Scotland at the Islay Winter Birdlife Festival. We had a topper of a day today leading some workshops on waders, water birds, and gulls.

Quick march along the big strand to record a reported common dolphin carcass for SMASS and found 2 flapper skate cases in tideline on the way back for The Shark Trust great egg case hunt. #Islay

An abundance of Dew Moth caterpillars and some impressive Yellow Meadow Ant mounds in a remote bay today on The Oa, #Islay

🪲PREPARE TO BE DUNG-FOUNDED! The first-ever Dung Beetle Conference, co-sponsored by First Milk and Yeo Valley, is taking place on 11-12 June 2024 at Yeo Valley's Holt Farm in #Somerset. Scuttle along to find out more...🔎 eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-dung-bee… #dungbeetles #dungbeetle

We had a great afternoon in the sunshine with David Wood from RSPB Scotland searching for dung beetles in the cow pats, just like the Choughs do! We even saw them flying to and from their nests. Islay is one of the only places in Scotland you find them. #STEM ES Sciences Team

Great to see such enthusiasm for poking about in cow pats! We saw 5 sp. of Aphodius, clown beetles, rove beetles, and this beautiful G.stercorarius.

Really looking forward to this. Book for 1 or 2 days. Find out more here eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-dung-bee… #DungBeetle #DungBeetleConf

Thanks for the plug davidwood great to hear our @FECPAKG2 system is being put to good use on Islay helping protect Choughs - RSPB #DungBeetleConf

A HUGE thank you to everyone involved in the 2-day #DungBeetle conference. What a fantastic event! The idea was inspired by Sarah Beynon, Richard Wall & Darren Mann, who held the first UK Dung Beetle Conferences in the mid-2000s. We hope we did them proud!🧵#DungBeetleConf 1/4

Lots of bird movements today across Islay. At Kinnabus late this afternoon lots of passerines were hunkered in the scrub, the highlights being a female Bullfinch, 2 Goldcrest, and this Yellow-browed warbler found by davidwood