Tayside Wildlife Recorders' Forum

10/10/2026

As today is UK Fungus Day there are 20 'favourite fungi' to find for beginners. All you need to do is take some photos and save your records on iNaturalist. The species are fairly easy to find. Eighteen species listed are common but two are very rare or under-recorded. Click on the link to find out more!

Find-a-Fungus is back for 2026!  Track down our 20 favourite fungi, take some photos, and save your records on iNaturalist.

10/10/2026

This is the eighth annual Great Scottish Squirrel Survey and sightings of both red and grey squirrels between 5 – 11 October provide a snapshot of the situation on the ground.

Last year over a thousand people sent in their records - in just one week. You can add your sightings via this link -

09/10/2026

Next year's Mammal Society conference will take place in York (2-3 April 2027) - click on the link to find out more.

Home / Events / Annual Conference 2027 Mammal Society Annual Conference 2027 2-3 April • YorkSave the date for a long weekend of inspiring talks, hands-on workshops, networking, and outdoor adventures. Join us in York for the Mammal Society Annual Conference 2027 for a long weekend of inspiring ta...

08/10/2026

A really fascinating article from the Guardian discussing the actual origins of bats in the world and why they are now in trouble population-wise in so many countries.

Biggest study of its kind provides insights into bats’ evolution – a potential gamechanger for research into human virus and cancer treatment

07/10/2026

This Saturday (10th October)
9.30am to 4.30pm
Blairgowrie
Free event
Please pre-book

There is a great programme of talks and ID sessions in Blairgowrie this coming Saturday - everyone welcome. Come and find out what is in the moth trap up at the Hill Kirk (9.30am), then enjoy short talks about swifts, bats, moths, amphibians and slow worms, as well as find out more about FIT Counts and Waxcap Watch.

In the afternoon (bring your own snack lunch, refreshments available all day), there will be an introduction to lichens, then we will head back up to the Hill Kirk for a lichen identification session and to talk to the morning speakers on their subject if we want to find out more.

Please book a free place as soon as possible, but if the page closes, just email Catherine via [email protected] as we can accept bookings right up until Friday lunch time.

"Join us for an informative day featuring guest speakers and practical demonstrations at Hill Kirk, Blairgowrie "

07/10/2026

We may have said “flora and fauna” for decades, but there is now a global movement to recognise "funga" as a distinct kingdom of life (and no, that's not a typo).

In July, the word ‘funga’ was added to the Cambridge Dictionary for the first time with a definition of “Funga: all the fungi (= organisms that usually grow on and get their food from decaying material or other living things) that grow in a particular area or at a particular period in time.”

Under the 3F Proposal (Flora, Fauna, Funga) this will hopefully reverse the fact that fungi are largely invisible in education, policy debate and conservation frameworks. Catherine Early's article in the Ecologist can be read via the link and confirms that the fungi experts want data on fungi to be urgently incorporated into global conservation plans.

A global movement to recognise fungi is gaining momentum ahead of UN biodiversity talks at COP17.

06/10/2026

Wow, did anyone see this magnificent sight last weekend?

05/10/2026

Photography Competition
Free to enter
Open to all

To celebrate our fungal world, how about capturing your favourite fungus on camera? ​Everyone is invited to take part - there are four categories for entry:

**Up to 11 years of age
**12 to 17 years of age
**18 years of age and over - Non-professional
**18 years of age and over - Professional

For the purposes of the competition, a 'Professional photographer' is classified as someone who earns money from photography whether full time or part time.

Open for entries now - deadline 20th October 5pm. Winners and runners-up will be announced mid-November 2026. Click on the link for more information.

Fungi play vitally important roles in the natural environment and in our lives. Fungi are with us throughout history in folklore and mythology, playing important roles in ecosystems, and are used in biotechnology to benefit modern society.  Everyone is invited to take part, and snap a picture of th...

05/10/2026

Cuckoo Bean is continuing to migrate south 🌎 Will his next move see him progressing into the lush jungles of Democratic Republic of Congo?

Get Birding Podcast

04/10/2026

Wednesday, 21st October
Online Conference
1:30 pm - 4.30pm
Froglife Online Research Conference 2026

This free event will include:
** Citizen Science engagement by Froglife projects
** The Cornwall Adder Project
** Evaluating success of a mitigation translocation of slow worms, Anguis fragilis.
** Travelling toadlets
** Predator induced tadpole behaviour
** 10 years of species recording using Dragon Finder

Please book as soon as possible via the link -

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