David Elston
@1davidelston.bsky.social
I will use BlueSky to share discoveries of and observations about higher plants, mostly in and around Aberdeen, Scotland
An extraordinary density of oak seedlings at Dinnet Oakwood in North Aberdeenshire today, a natural consequence of the high density of acorns produced last autumn. It will be interesting to see how many survive to become saplings.
September 11, 2026 at 4:37 PM
An extraordinary density of oak seedlings at Dinnet Oakwood in North Aberdeenshire today, a natural consequence of the high density of acorns produced last autumn. It will be interesting to see how many survive to become saplings.
I'm liking this for floating bur-reed, though in a bit of a weird place: a pond surrounded by arable farmland near New Deer. Had to walk about 1 km round a huge potato field to get to it. Took flushing a quail on the way as a good omen. 4th record for North Aberdeenshire.
September 8, 2026 at 10:04 PM
I'm liking this for floating bur-reed, though in a bit of a weird place: a pond surrounded by arable farmland near New Deer. Had to walk about 1 km round a huge potato field to get to it. Took flushing a quail on the way as a good omen. 4th record for North Aberdeenshire.
Hare's-tail cottongrass looking like it's going to have a late flowering on Cloichedubh Hill, Clashindarroch Forest, North Aberdeenshire yesterday. I went there on a failed mission to refind alpine clubmoss. Suspect lost due to reduction of the deer population to prevent damage to young conifers.
September 6, 2026 at 8:40 PM
Hare's-tail cottongrass looking like it's going to have a late flowering on Cloichedubh Hill, Clashindarroch Forest, North Aberdeenshire yesterday. I went there on a failed mission to refind alpine clubmoss. Suspect lost due to reduction of the deer population to prevent damage to young conifers.
Fool's-water-cress has only been recorded in Kincardineshire once before, in 1996, so finding it at St Fittick's Park in Aberdeen was quite a surprise. Plenty of other species were introduced there as part of a wetland creation scheme, so I'm thinking most likely of similar origin.
September 4, 2026 at 5:33 PM
Fool's-water-cress has only been recorded in Kincardineshire once before, in 1996, so finding it at St Fittick's Park in Aberdeen was quite a surprise. Plenty of other species were introduced there as part of a wetland creation scheme, so I'm thinking most likely of similar origin.
Back home after 3 days of filling gaps in records from 8 tetrads in North Aberdeenshire north of Huntly. New sites for alpine bistort, lesser tussock-sedge and moschatel (surprisingly late in the season). Also three-nerved sandwort with a pleasingly symmetrical leaf arrangement.
September 3, 2026 at 7:37 AM
Back home after 3 days of filling gaps in records from 8 tetrads in North Aberdeenshire north of Huntly. New sites for alpine bistort, lesser tussock-sedge and moschatel (surprisingly late in the season). Also three-nerved sandwort with a pleasingly symmetrical leaf arrangement.
Mountain bog-sedge, Carex rariflora, has had a good flowering season in the saddle mire below Cac Carn Beag (Lochnagar).
August 26, 2026 at 9:09 PM
Mountain bog-sedge, Carex rariflora, has had a good flowering season in the saddle mire below Cac Carn Beag (Lochnagar).
Spring sandwort and thrift are both having a second flowering period amongst the serpentine rocks of Green Hill of Strathdon, South Aberdeenshire.
August 16, 2026 at 9:59 PM
Spring sandwort and thrift are both having a second flowering period amongst the serpentine rocks of Green Hill of Strathdon, South Aberdeenshire.
After several hours recording in the intensively farmed and botanically impoverished landscape north of Ellon, imagine my delight at finding some fragments of relic heathland, providing evidence of how things were before the era of agricultural improvement.
August 14, 2026 at 11:25 PM
After several hours recording in the intensively farmed and botanically impoverished landscape north of Ellon, imagine my delight at finding some fragments of relic heathland, providing evidence of how things were before the era of agricultural improvement.
Most of my encounters with cornflower round Aberdeen involve plants derived from 'wildflower seed mixes'. But I think the few plants amongst a preponderance of fat hen and common orache at Newton Dee may be derived from dormant seed brought to the surface during construction of a new bakery.
August 12, 2026 at 2:31 PM
Most of my encounters with cornflower round Aberdeen involve plants derived from 'wildflower seed mixes'. But I think the few plants amongst a preponderance of fat hen and common orache at Newton Dee may be derived from dormant seed brought to the surface during construction of a new bakery.
In South Aberdeenshire, field pennycress records come in at a rate of under one per year. So it was nice to find a good population of them in a field of neeps when cycling along a minor road south of Garlogie today.
August 12, 2026 at 2:16 PM
In South Aberdeenshire, field pennycress records come in at a rate of under one per year. So it was nice to find a good population of them in a field of neeps when cycling along a minor road south of Garlogie today.
Made my first trip to Loch Builg today, cycling from near Crathie. Surprised to see wild strawberry on the shore, with a tiny creeping lady's-tresses nearby. Also I'm liking the sedge on the right for slender sedge Carex lasiocarpa at Lochan Feurach, a first for Banffshire if the referee agrees...
August 2, 2026 at 10:13 PM
Made my first trip to Loch Builg today, cycling from near Crathie. Surprised to see wild strawberry on the shore, with a tiny creeping lady's-tresses nearby. Also I'm liking the sedge on the right for slender sedge Carex lasiocarpa at Lochan Feurach, a first for Banffshire if the referee agrees...
One benefit of low water levels is that water courses with impenetrable bankside vegetation become navigable on foot. Taking advantage of this yesterday I explored a different section of the River North Esk, extending downstream the known ranges of mountain melick and sanicle.
August 1, 2026 at 8:17 AM
One benefit of low water levels is that water courses with impenetrable bankside vegetation become navigable on foot. Taking advantage of this yesterday I explored a different section of the River North Esk, extending downstream the known ranges of mountain melick and sanicle.
I do like finding brambles with 7 leaflets, all the more satisfying as they can be hard to find amongst more normal leaves with 5 leaflets. This plant with strong, broad-based prickles on the stem angles is Rubus fissus. Near Strachan, Kincardineshire, yesterday.
July 28, 2026 at 12:15 PM
I do like finding brambles with 7 leaflets, all the more satisfying as they can be hard to find amongst more normal leaves with 5 leaflets. This plant with strong, broad-based prickles on the stem angles is Rubus fissus. Near Strachan, Kincardineshire, yesterday.
Stoneworts seem to be in short supply in north east Scotland, and when found are often infertile. So delighted to find this specimen which I think is smooth stonewort (Nitella flexilis s s.) in a drainage channel amongst sand dunes near Cairnbulg. First BSBI record for North Aberdeenshire.
July 25, 2026 at 10:45 PM
Stoneworts seem to be in short supply in north east Scotland, and when found are often infertile. So delighted to find this specimen which I think is smooth stonewort (Nitella flexilis s s.) in a drainage channel amongst sand dunes near Cairnbulg. First BSBI record for North Aberdeenshire.
Only once before have I had a good view of a live mole. This one started off on the golf course at Newburgh, Aberdeenshire, then headed at a fair lick through long rough to a sandy area. Not fazed by the golfers, nor by me getting ahead and waiting for it to pass by. Too hot to be down a hole?
July 19, 2026 at 4:17 PM
Only once before have I had a good view of a live mole. This one started off on the golf course at Newburgh, Aberdeenshire, then headed at a fair lick through long rough to a sandy area. Not fazed by the golfers, nor by me getting ahead and waiting for it to pass by. Too hot to be down a hole?
The BSBI DDb has two 10-figure grid refs for bird's-nest orchid at Easter Balmoral dated 2013. At both spots yesterday I found 1 flowering spike plus 2 from last year but none elsewhere. Precision ecological continuity, begging the question why they not widespread in similar birch woodland nearby?
July 17, 2026 at 7:59 PM
The BSBI DDb has two 10-figure grid refs for bird's-nest orchid at Easter Balmoral dated 2013. At both spots yesterday I found 1 flowering spike plus 2 from last year but none elsewhere. Precision ecological continuity, begging the question why they not widespread in similar birch woodland nearby?
'Twas a day of massed ranks at Crathie today: a veritable forest of creeping ladies-tresses in Balmoral castle grounds, at least 1000 spikes in all; a blaze of colour provided by stems of wavy hair-grass; and a huge patch of twinflower, with signs of attempted genetic enhancement by translocation.
July 16, 2026 at 8:23 PM
'Twas a day of massed ranks at Crathie today: a veritable forest of creeping ladies-tresses in Balmoral castle grounds, at least 1000 spikes in all; a blaze of colour provided by stems of wavy hair-grass; and a huge patch of twinflower, with signs of attempted genetic enhancement by translocation.
There's an area of floodplain woodland by the River Dee in Aberdeen that I've been visiting regularly for over 30 years. Yet my latest visit yielded two additions: wood dock in damp woodland soil, and creeping yellow-cress on a shingle bank. Just goes to show, you've never seen it all!
July 15, 2026 at 11:04 PM
There's an area of floodplain woodland by the River Dee in Aberdeen that I've been visiting regularly for over 30 years. Yet my latest visit yielded two additions: wood dock in damp woodland soil, and creeping yellow-cress on a shingle bank. Just goes to show, you've never seen it all!
Spent the weekend trying to track down and see for myself species reported recently by others. Success rate 4/9 bolstered by some unexpected discoveries on route. 3 of the refinds were sedges: prickly sedge; greater pond-sedge; and curved sedge courtesy of @jo-the-botanist.bsky.social.
July 12, 2026 at 8:59 PM
Spent the weekend trying to track down and see for myself species reported recently by others. Success rate 4/9 bolstered by some unexpected discoveries on route. 3 of the refinds were sedges: prickly sedge; greater pond-sedge; and curved sedge courtesy of @jo-the-botanist.bsky.social.
Recording two Kincardineshire edge tetrads (all mostly in South Aberdeenshire) took me to some unexpected lycopods on the Hill of Fare (fir and interrupted clubmosses, both hectad 2nds) and a huge population of annual knawel (likely 10,000s along 300 m of farm tracks and in adjacent bare ground).
July 11, 2026 at 8:29 AM
Recording two Kincardineshire edge tetrads (all mostly in South Aberdeenshire) took me to some unexpected lycopods on the Hill of Fare (fir and interrupted clubmosses, both hectad 2nds) and a huge population of annual knawel (likely 10,000s along 300 m of farm tracks and in adjacent bare ground).
Seen during a walk along Aberdeen promenade yesterday: floral displays much greater now the Council mows less frequently; large individuals of lesser meadow-rue, popular with the bees; crested hair-grass in full flower; dandelions laid out to dry by a collector of Chinese or similar heritage.
June 25, 2026 at 7:57 AM
Seen during a walk along Aberdeen promenade yesterday: floral displays much greater now the Council mows less frequently; large individuals of lesser meadow-rue, popular with the bees; crested hair-grass in full flower; dandelions laid out to dry by a collector of Chinese or similar heritage.
At Cabrach today near the western edge of VC93 North Aberdeenshire. One site for shady horsetail seems lost (much marsh horsetail there now). Still present at another site, by the Allt Deveron though. Most unexpected find of the day was downy oat-grass, 1st record from the VC93 part of hectad NJ32.
June 23, 2026 at 10:54 PM
At Cabrach today near the western edge of VC93 North Aberdeenshire. One site for shady horsetail seems lost (much marsh horsetail there now). Still present at another site, by the Allt Deveron though. Most unexpected find of the day was downy oat-grass, 1st record from the VC93 part of hectad NJ32.
Tried to refind twayblade along a disused railway line north-west of Inverurie. I wasn't expecting to succeed and didn't. But neither was I expecting to find hairy sedge or crosswort, and did. Both are rare away from the coast in North Aberdeenshire and may be accidental introductions.
June 21, 2026 at 10:14 PM
Tried to refind twayblade along a disused railway line north-west of Inverurie. I wasn't expecting to succeed and didn't. But neither was I expecting to find hairy sedge or crosswort, and did. Both are rare away from the coast in North Aberdeenshire and may be accidental introductions.
Heath fragrant-orchid and alpine bistort, two of the more attractive plants recorded in the grassland above the Den of Pitlurg, Huntly, yesterday
June 18, 2026 at 11:16 PM
Heath fragrant-orchid and alpine bistort, two of the more attractive plants recorded in the grassland above the Den of Pitlurg, Huntly, yesterday
I was hoping our ascent of Morrone, near Braemar, might yield a dandelion or two. And just look at this beauty growing in the limestone grassland: erect outer bracts; long, inrolled ligules; looks just like Taraxacum obliquum. But all BSBI DDb records for that are coastal. Interesting!
June 15, 2026 at 8:32 PM
I was hoping our ascent of Morrone, near Braemar, might yield a dandelion or two. And just look at this beauty growing in the limestone grassland: erect outer bracts; long, inrolled ligules; looks just like Taraxacum obliquum. But all BSBI DDb records for that are coastal. Interesting!