Nick Littlewood
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blackdogbirder.bsky.social
Nick Littlewood
@blackdogbirder.bsky.social
430 followers 390 following 250 posts
Bugs, bogs and birds.

Wildlife Conservation Management lecturer at SRUC, Aberdeen.

Senior Editor: Insect Conservation and Diversity.
Posts Replies Media Videos
blackdogbirder.bsky.social
An especially eye-catching 𝘒𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘡𝘒𝘡𝘢𝘴 Herring Gull - dark upperparts and restricted black in primaries - at Portsoy this afternoon.

#PatchBirding #BirdingScotland
Adult argentatus-type Herring Gull, side-on, sat on the sea. Adult argentatus-type Herring Gull, hanging in flight, leg dangling, over the sea. Adult argentatus-type Herring Gull flying away to right, showing upperside (head hidden behind wing) Adult argentatus-type Herring Gull flying right over the sea, showing underside of near wing.
January 28, 2026 at 9:21 PM
blackdogbirder.bsky.social
BirdNET has been a huge leap forward in #bioacoustics. Analysis from the WABAD collaboration, shows high precision (proportion of predictions that are correct) though modest recall (proportion of calls detected). Predictive power is highest in Europe, N. America and Oceania.

doi.org/10.1016/j.ec...
An Audiomoth acoustic recorder in green plastic outer casing strapped to the lichen-coated tree trunk in bright sunny conditions. Further trees in background.
January 11, 2026 at 10:32 PM
blackdogbirder.bsky.social
The relatively less server weather compared to elsewhere continues to produce some bonus waders here at Portsoy. Three each of Woodcock and Snipe today and two small flocks (22 + 42) of Golden Plover (which was new for patch last week).

@patchbirding.bsky.social #PWC2026
A Woodcock in flight, heading right and slightly away, with wings lowered showing upperside of right wing. Out-of-focus background of grassy field with patchy snow and a couple of fence posts. Two Golden Plover, in grassy field, both facing left though one at a slight angle towards camera. Some small snow patches in field. A grainy pic of a Snipe in a rough grassy field with small snow patches. Bird is angled away though looing to left. Lower part of body and the legs are concealed among the grass.
January 10, 2026 at 4:44 PM
blackdogbirder.bsky.social
Busy in the garden. Brambling was useful @patchbirding.bsky.social Portsoy-year-list species (only see them here when snow pushes the odd one into garden). Yellowhammer was new for garden (though is common close by).

#PWC2026 #birdingScotland
A brambling on snow-covered ground with out-of-focis female Chaffinch behind. A Tree Sparrow on snow-covered ground with out-of-focus female Chaffinch behind. Two Siskins, one on each side of a hanging feeder stocked with sunflower seeds. Female on left, male on right. Snow is falling. A Yellowhammer stood upright facing towards camera, on snow-covered ground.
January 8, 2026 at 6:33 PM
blackdogbirder.bsky.social
A couple more for the @patchbirding.bsky.social year list this lunchtime at Portsoy. Treecreeper was just my second here on patch.

#BirdingScotland
A Treecreeper on a green-lichen-covered tree trunk. A male Bullfinch, on the brown seadheads of a dock plant.
January 7, 2026 at 7:31 PM
blackdogbirder.bsky.social
A Mediterranean Gull made up for the dark and sleety conditions on today's lunchtime walk at Portsoy.

@patchbirding.bsky.social #BirdingScotland
A very distant and grainy photo of an adult Medierranean Gull on the sea, with a Black-headed Gull to the side.
January 6, 2026 at 7:51 PM
blackdogbirder.bsky.social
Yep - lots of snow inland but still clear here on the coast (just windy and sleety so far).
January 2, 2026 at 6:19 PM
blackdogbirder.bsky.social
Patch βœ”οΈ

Over two years since moving to Portsoy without a Golden Plover and then a thousand come along at once. Murmurating at dusk.

@patchbirding.bsky.social
A distant Golden Plover flock in flight against the sky with two telegraph poles and a line of Gorse bushes in foreground. A distant Golden Plover flock in flight againt the sky.
January 2, 2026 at 5:04 PM
blackdogbirder.bsky.social
New Years Day on patch at Portsoy. Wind, rain, hail, sleet and snow thwarted any expectations of getting the year list off to a flying start. Just 30 species, including Purple Sandpiper - low single figures winter here, but not always easy to find.

@patchbirding.bsky.social
Two Purple Sandpipers and two Turnstones on seaweed-covered rocks.
January 1, 2026 at 5:48 PM
blackdogbirder.bsky.social
Many thanks. This one was a chance encounter but I must try sweep netting some likely spots for them.
December 31, 2025 at 6:04 PM
blackdogbirder.bsky.social
Finishing the year with a new ladybird for Red Moss of Netherley: 𝘊𝘰𝘀𝘀π˜ͺπ˜₯𝘢𝘭𝘒 𝘳𝘢𝘧𝘒 - Red Marsh Ladybird. Seems to be widespread but few Aberdeenshire records. This one was tucked away between the clasp and body of an Audiomoth case.

@ukladybirds.bsky.social
An adult 𝘊𝘰𝘀𝘀π˜ͺπ˜₯𝘢𝘭𝘒 𝘳𝘢𝘧𝘒 (Red Marsh Ladybird) on a dead plant stem.
December 31, 2025 at 5:10 PM
blackdogbirder.bsky.social
Quick recce in an Aberdeen cemetery in prep for fieldwork with students in the new year.
This is best place I know for 2-spot Ladybirds, with hundreds massing in one small section. A Harlequin was still a novel sight for me here (and here's hoping they remain novel).

@ukladybirds.bsky.social
A group of 20 or so 2-spot Ladybirds together on a gravestone. A head-on pic of a Harlequin Ladybird on a gravestone. This one has red background with black spots.
December 18, 2025 at 7:45 PM
blackdogbirder.bsky.social
How do we tackle the substantial and growing threat to sensitive habitats from Sitka Spruce? Useful commentary on key issues...
mikeshewring.bsky.social Mike Shewring @mikeshewring.bsky.social Β· Dec 18
Who should pay when commercial forestry creates conservation problems? New analysis shows 200,000-971,000 ha of UK peatland at risk from conifer invasion. Based on our @iucn-uk-peat.bsky.social poster. #peatlands

Link - tinyurl.com/yc3b2s9h

Feedback/ comments welcomeβ€”not my usual writing style!
The Silent Invasion
How Non-Native Conifers Are Threatening Britain’s Peatlands
open.substack.com
December 18, 2025 at 7:29 PM
blackdogbirder.bsky.social
Chance meeting with @kattyponder.bsky.social reminded me to check two culverts in Aberdeen that usually have low single figures of #HibernatingHeralds. First was a blank (though a Peacock was present). Second culvert more than compensated, with a record 12 Heralds.

#TeamMoth
An adult Herald moth, in torchlight, clinging to a concrete ceiling. An adult Herald moth, in torchlight, with large spider adjacent, both settled on concrete wall with lines of brown staining. Adult Peacock butterfly in torchlight, hibernating (so just underside of wings visible) settled hanging from concrete ceiling.
December 15, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Reposted by Nick Littlewood
rocb-ento.bsky.social
Interested in moth trapping?

Wondering which trap to use? Or if different bulbs collect different species?

Using 100k samples from @gardenmothscheme.bsky.social our new paper looks at these questions and more! With with Bill Kunin and @katatrepsis.bsky.social

#mothsmatter #teammoth
Effect of bulb type on moth trap catch and composition in UK gardens
We analyse 10 years of records Garden Moth Scheme (GMS) to estimate the effect of bulb and trap type on the number of moths caught by moth traps. We find that brighter, higher wattage bulbs collect ...
resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
December 13, 2025 at 12:52 PM
blackdogbirder.bsky.social
Huge congratulations to @bats-n-bugs.bsky.social: PhD viva passed with ZERO corrections - an amazing (and well deserved) achievement. πŸΎπŸŽ‰

Thesis covered bats and insects on farmland. Read a moth chapter here - doi.org/10.1016/j.ag.... More to follow.

@srucnews.bsky.social @kirstyjpark.bsky.social
Six people stood inside for group photo. The successful student with suction sampler in dwarf shrub vegetation. Person cutting a caterpillar cake The successful student, standing in the dark in a field with a sweep net
December 12, 2025 at 10:54 PM
blackdogbirder.bsky.social
One week remaining. Applications need to include two references, so don't leave it too late to apply for this @srucnews.bsky.social CASE partnership with @ptes-org.bsky.social.

Details: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
blackdogbirder.bsky.social Nick Littlewood @blackdogbirder.bsky.social Β· Dec 1
Two weeks left to apply for #PhD on declines in rural #Hedgehogs.
πŸ¦”
This is a @srucnews.bsky.social EastBio CASE project in partnership with (and co-supervised by) @ptes-org.bsky.social.
πŸ¦”
Details: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
πŸ¦”
Applications close 15 December
πŸ¦”
πŸ“· Silviu Petrovan
A Hedgehog on a stoney/mossy ground against a stone wall.
December 8, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Reposted by Nick Littlewood
srucnews.bsky.social
Huge congratulations to our SRUC winners at the Crichton 25th Anniversary Awards! πŸŽ‰

Lucy Thornton – SRUC Staff Member of the Year
Plus a big shout-out to our finalists: Gemma Higgins and Ely Blyth.

Your hard work and passion make us proud.
Read more πŸ‘‰ www.sruc.ac.uk/all-news/cel...
December 5, 2025 at 5:00 PM
blackdogbirder.bsky.social
Two weeks left to apply for #PhD on declines in rural #Hedgehogs.
πŸ¦”
This is a @srucnews.bsky.social EastBio CASE project in partnership with (and co-supervised by) @ptes-org.bsky.social.
πŸ¦”
Details: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
πŸ¦”
Applications close 15 December
πŸ¦”
πŸ“· Silviu Petrovan
A Hedgehog on a stoney/mossy ground against a stone wall.
December 1, 2025 at 6:11 PM
blackdogbirder.bsky.social
Med Gulls never lose their appeal - this 1st-winter in last of the light at Portsoy was highlight of an otherwise quiet weekend, birdwise.

@patchbirding.bsky.social #patchbirding
a 1st-winter Mediterranean Gull flying left against a grey sky.
November 30, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Reposted by Nick Littlewood
rspbscience.bsky.social
New paper πŸͺΆ

Proximity to woodlands may be reducing the effectiveness of conservation interventions for farmland waders

Read on for a summary

Or find the full paper here:
doi.org/10.1111/1365...

@kirstyjpark.bsky.social
@naturescot.bsky.social
@stir.ac.uk

πŸ“·Ben Andrew
An ariel view shows the stark boundary between farmland and woodland.
November 27, 2025 at 2:45 PM
blackdogbirder.bsky.social
#bioacoustics
November 26, 2025 at 10:04 AM
blackdogbirder.bsky.social
New #mammal conservation #PhD: "Understanding and Addressing Rural Hedgehog Population Declines".

@srucnews.bsky.social EastBio CASE project in partnership with (and co-supervised by) @ptes-org.bsky.social.

Details: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

Act fast - applications close 15 December.
πŸ¦”πŸ¦”πŸ¦”
November 21, 2025 at 7:00 PM
blackdogbirder.bsky.social
This is a fantastic site for ladybird variety - we've also had 11-spot on previous visits. Red Squirrels are ever reliable here too.
A Harlequin Ladybird on a gravestone A 2-spot Ladybird on a gravestone A 10-spot Ladybird next to an Orange Ladybird, on a gravestone A Red Squirrel upright on the ground facing towards the camera.
November 20, 2025 at 9:09 PM
blackdogbirder.bsky.social
A highlight of the annual teaching calendar is the ladybird survey in Sleephillock Cemetery, Montrose. Orange Ladybirds dominated this week, as usual, but variety came from single figures of 2-spot, 7-spot, 10-spot, Cream-spot and Harlequin.

@ukladybirds.bsky.social
@srucnews.bsky.social
Seven Orange Ladybirds clustered on a gravestone A Cream-spot Ladybird on a gravestone. A 7-spot Ladybird on a gravestone. Students looking for ladybirds on a gravestone.
November 20, 2025 at 9:09 PM