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hmcclaff.bsky.social
TMBtrain
@hmcclaff.bsky.social
1.1K followers 930 following 1.3K posts
Hiker, nature lover, sunny days. Photos my own unless reposts. I don't do AI. No DMs plz.

Physiology research full time and MSc student in Wildlife Biology and Conservation in spare time.

Groups:
sccan.scot/easterbreichwood/
avnatureaction.wordpress.com
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hmcclaff.bsky.social
A ray of sunshine for An Sgurr on Eigg this afternoon. #Scotland
The sun breaks through thick clouds to send a ray of sunshine onto An Sgurr on the island of Eigg. The sea in the foreground is lit with another ray of sunlight.
November 13, 2025 at 9:00 PM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
Halloween🕷🎃
A spider clings upside down from the stalk of a plant with its web in the background
October 31, 2025 at 6:00 PM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
#BeeFriday Would you like to see an Icelandic bumblebee? Sure you do! Here's a pic of the only one I saw in September last year. I was beginning to question what was doing the pollinating until I saw it! What tough little creatures they are 😊🐝 #Fridaybee #invertebrate
One of the white-tailed bumblebees. The bee sits on a dandelion, side on to the camera facing right, wings folded over its back. It has a yellow collar, a white/grey band at the back of the thorax, a yellow band on its abdomen and a white tail.
October 10, 2025 at 6:54 PM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
#thicktrunktuesday this tree guards the entrance to a bridge over the railway at Culloden Wood.
A large tree with a forked trunk stands at the entrance to a footbridge which is only visible to the viewer as 2 curved walls. To cross the bridge the tree must be stepped around. There is a large boulder at it's base. The tree is mostly in shade while the background is in full sunshine.
October 7, 2025 at 5:50 AM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
I'd love to know what's going on here! What's making these patterns? Anyone know? #bugsky #wychelm #invertebrate
A green leaf of a wych elm tree has been nibbled in a pattern with a hole in-between each vein of the leaf. More nibbling of leaves inbetween the veins. It appears whatever is responsible will eventually be able to remove part of the leaf.
September 28, 2025 at 7:47 PM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
My sunflower finally got there! It was the only one to have grown from the several that I planted. The photo on the left is from Wednesday, and on the right photo taken on Friday. #SundayYellow #sunflower
A close up photo of a sunflower that has not yet opened. The petals are folded in overlapping each other. Photo of the opened sunflower with longer yellow petals on one side and shorter petals on the other.
September 28, 2025 at 6:55 AM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
On the buddleia in the kirkyard not so very long ago, a fresh little common carder bumblebee caught my eye 🐝
#Citywildlife #Fridaybee #bumblebees
A little ginger yellow common carder bumblebee forages on top of pink/purlple coloured buddleia flowers. The bee is shown side on to the camera with wings stretched out behind and antenna bent in front. the background is out of focus greenery
September 26, 2025 at 12:23 PM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
#insectthursday wasps - so nice when they mind their own business!
A wasp flies towards some ragwort yellow flowers. It is captured in flight, side on to the camera with antennae and legs visible and with wings in a blur of motion.
September 25, 2025 at 10:07 AM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
thanks 😊, they've had such a good year this year compared to last year. I did see what I think is a stock dove in the kirkyard last week. Perhaps you'll know if it is...
A grey bird sitting on the grass. It has a brownish patch on the front.
September 23, 2025 at 7:20 PM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
I was catching the butterflies while they're still around!
A red admiral butterfly feeding on a pink petalled flower. The photo is bright taken in full sunshine. There are several blooms in the photo. The butterfly has its head upright and the proboscis is extended into the flower. A small tortoiseshell butterfly sits with its wings open on a deep pink bloom. It faces towards the left of the photo and there are several blooms out of focus in the background.
September 23, 2025 at 7:14 PM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
#thicktrunkTuesday #recycling #kirkyard #Edinburgh
Two large trees grow out of an open topped stone tomb in a kirkyard. The entrance to the tomb is open revealing the trunk inside. The upper branches are in leaf and are catching the afternoon sunshine. Blue sky is visible between the leaves.
September 23, 2025 at 3:08 PM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
A painted lady butterfly for #insectThursday
An orange and black patterned painted lady butterfly sits on top of purple buddleia blooms. Its proboscis is visible curled underneath ready to feed. The photo was taken on a bright day with some blue sky above. There are green leaves of the plant surrounding the butterfly and blooms.
September 18, 2025 at 11:59 AM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
I took this today in my garden - there's going to be no pollinators left by the time it opens! I thought mine was the only one still left to open 😂
Looking at the head of a sunflower plant. The flower has not yet appeared and is still covered with green sepals. Out of focus in the background is a trellis with roses
September 17, 2025 at 11:12 AM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
The buddleia is still feeding the butterflies in the kirkyard 🦋😊 #citywildlife #kirkyard #Edinburgh #redadmiral #summersend
In the foreground a red admiral butterfly feeds on purple buddleia in the kirkyard. Sightly out of focus in the background is the round stone wall of the church and a stone building. There is some grass and a blue sky with clouds. The photo was taken on a sunshiny day.
September 17, 2025 at 8:52 AM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
#thicktrunktuesday a big beech tree 🌳
A large beech tree in full leaf with many branches. The trunk is in shadow and the tree sits in a clearing.
September 16, 2025 at 7:32 AM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
#BeeFriday 🐝 The bees knees 😄
We've got to Friday again! A common carder bumblebee a little faded now and with ragged wings #FridayBee
A small brown bumblebee sits on top of a little group of pink flowers. It's back leg is bent so you can see it's knee. The wings are held out behind and the ends are a little ragged.
September 12, 2025 at 5:57 AM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
Strike a pose! #insectthursday
My garden gets a bit wild as I can't bring myself to cut back the encroaching brambles when they're in flower (lots of bee visitors). Then of course the fruits come after and I get the treat of watching the red admiral butterflies feed 😃
A red admiral is feeding from a ripe bramble. The proboscis is visible being plunged into the fruit. The wings are closed showing the underwing pattern as it sits head pointed to the sky with antennae up.
September 11, 2025 at 5:32 AM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
Today a ride-on mower took out the flowers in the Kirkyard 😔. Most of my recent photos were from there. I took these photos just seconds before it got mowed. Just look at these beautiful creatures that were using this space. The ragwort got shredded. No longer a little green space full of life 😩
Small copper butterfly with wings closed sitting on a ragwort flower. Fresh white tailed bumblebee on ragwort flower A faded common carder bumblebee on a ragwort flower. Cut grass in the kirkyard. No flowers.
September 8, 2025 at 7:02 PM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
The muted colours of a painted lady butterfly in a b/w photo. Feeding on budleia before it's long migration. Another capture from the kirkyard in Edinburgh 🦋 #endofsummer #wildlifeinthecity
A black and white photo of a painted Lady feeding on budleia. It's wings are closed revealing the detailed patterns on the underside of its wing. It faces to the left and it's eye and antenna can be seen.
September 8, 2025 at 5:57 AM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
#seedheads #wildflowerhour thistle floof
The fluffy seed heads of a thistle
September 7, 2025 at 7:40 PM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
#SundayYellow a small copper butterfly on ragwort. This week in the Kirkyard in Edinburgh. What a year for butterflies this year has been! #wildlifeinthecity
A small orange butterfly sits on top of yellow ragwort. The butterfly is side on to the camera looking to the right with its eye and antenna visible. The ragwort has several flower heads.
September 7, 2025 at 8:24 AM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
#BeeFriday 🐝 Feeling the end of summer approaching but there's still bees about! A little common carder bumblebee feeding on budleia #Fridaybee
A small ginger common carder bumblebee forages on the top of pink budleia blooms. Blue sky and clouds are behind the bee. It is side on to the camera with wings stretched out behind and antennae in front.
September 5, 2025 at 6:15 AM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
#insectthursday a bit of wasp appreciation today 🙂
A photo of a wasp facing the camera so that it's face and antenna are visible. It's wings are stretched out behind as it gets ready to launch off of a flowerbud. The background is the green and yellow of out of focus ragwort.
September 4, 2025 at 8:01 AM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
#thicktrunktuesday it was a warm day 🌳
A large tree with a dominant trunk and an offshoot trunk in full leaf. Blue sky shows through its leaves and the sun lights up the scene. Green grass and foilage behind the tree are very lush in full summer mode.
September 2, 2025 at 5:46 AM
hmcclaff.bsky.social
#macroMonday the fascinating little face of a red admiral butterfly
Close up photo showing the cute little face of a red admiral butterfly. It sits on a wooden fence body facing downwards, wings in the closed position.
September 1, 2025 at 6:40 AM