Two waterbird PhDs starting Oct 2026 - one is rooted in ecological data science asks how and why waterbirds use landscapes the way they do (tinyurl.com/3wx3huht) the other rooted in sociology seeks to understand the social licence of bird hunting (tinyurl.com/4u2r34wc) - please share widely π¦π¦
27.01.2026 15:52
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Great few days at #BES2025. Lovely to be back in Edinburgh and catch up with so many people, and nice to get the chance to share some results from #DucklingWatch
18.12.2025 17:39
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Naturalists for Palestine
Naturalists for Palestine is a call from individuals and organisations in the UK nature sector to stand for an end to the genocide in Gaza, and to the suffering and oppression of the people of Palesti...
We are all implicated in this UK-backed genocide & ecocide, against our wishes.
We must all stand up for the better world we wish to enjoy and share.
#N4P #Naturalists4Palestine
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04.10.2025 09:08
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Map of DucklingWatch 2025 records
Young mallard duckling
A huge thanks to everyone involved in #DucklingWatch this year - we received over 950 brood records from across Britain.
See our end of season report at www.essex.ac.uk/research-projects/ducklingwatch for more info.
DucklingWatch will return in 2026 - stay tuned!
03.10.2025 11:32
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Wow! I thought this was a photo until I zoomed in
09.09.2025 09:31
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Me standing with my poster
Had a great few days at #BESMove2025 - lots of interesting talks and nice to get a chance to share some of my tagging results π¦
04.09.2025 16:35
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Very excited to be in Kristianstad for a week of ducks #PEDS7 πΈπͺπ¦
18.08.2025 16:53
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No problem! Hope you have a good time at EOU
18.08.2025 07:54
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mallards are persistent re-nesters so itβs possible there may be more late broods this year if there are more hens that have had multiple failed broods and are on their 2nd/3rd etc breeding attempts
17.08.2025 22:17
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Mallards have a long breeding season so there will usually be a few broods around in late summer (broods in autumn & winter arenβt unheard of!) but itβs likely the v dry & hot weather has meant high duckling mortality this season
17.08.2025 22:16
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Out last week - our #evidence review and assessment for @jncc.bsky.social of the #data and methods for assessing #sustainability of wild waterbird #harvest from recreational #hunting in the United Kingdom #wildlife #people led by @jomadden.bsky.social with Matt Ellis & myself #ecology #policy
11.08.2025 09:54
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Six pencil drawings of female mallards
Some sketches I did of a few of the mallards I have ringed/tagged for a department art exhibition last week
#SciArt #BirdArt
20.07.2025 12:03
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REAL HOPE. REAL CHANGE.
An average of 27 children have been killed in Gaza every day since October 7, 2023.
An entire classroom of children murdered, every day, for 646 days.
Source: UNICEF
Green Party
Promoted by Chris Williams on behalf of The Green Party, both at PO Box 78066, London SE16 9GQ
Since 7 October 2023 an average of 27 children have been killed in Gaza by Israel every single day.
A whole classroom of children wiped out everyday by a genocidal regime, even while queuing for food and water.
And still the UK government sells them weapons. Shame on them.
14.07.2025 14:06
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PJ topped off a long hot day - she is the mother to three teens - at least this year #Essexducks @universityofessex.bsky.social #campus
19.06.2025 22:13
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JI with her new set of rings in September
JI on her nest
The remains of JIβs nest after hatching - some eggs successfully hatched while others appeared to have been predated
JI feeding in the mud with her brood
Nice story from one of our campus mallards. I ringed JI last Sept and she began nesting in a plant pot on campus in early May. The clutch hatched at the end of May but there was no sign of her brood - until yesterday when I saw JI on the Colne (1km from campus) with 3 ducklings
08.06.2025 19:53
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DucklingWatch Home Screen with number of members, observations, locations and measurements
Map showing distribution of brood sightings
Duckling scratching its head
Big thanks to everyone whoβs participated to #DucklingWatch for helping us reach 500 records! Please keep sharing and submitting your sightings at citsci.org/projects/ducklingwatch π¦
#birdingUKπͺΆ #citizenscience
20.05.2025 17:34
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A female Shoveler, the focus of attention for five drakes at a wetland in Northumberland this week. She appeared to be paired with one, so thatβs a βprobable breedingβ record.
DUCKS: by this time of spring most ducks will have settled at potential breeding sites. So all records of scarce & rare breeding ducks, including Shoveler, Wigeon, Garganey, Pintail, Pochard and Red-breasted Merganser, should be submitted, with breeding evidence, to the relevant county recorder
17.05.2025 12:34
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Mallard duckling feeding
Young mallard duckling walks along pond shore under the watchful eye of its mother
Duckling season is finally picking up, with new broods appearing every day. Please keep submitting your brood sightings to #DucklingWatch!
Submit at citsci.org/projects/ducklingwatch
#birds #birdingUK #ducklings #mallard
09.05.2025 14:50
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Thanks!
09.05.2025 13:14
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Thanks that would be great!
09.05.2025 08:30
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Woods where we located the nest
BJ, a female mallard I tagged in April
Where do mallards nest? Some nest in woods, including our tagged hen βBJβ whose nest we found today, predated but still gives us data on nesting outcomes & habitat π¦πͺΊ Thanks to @ecoevoenviro.bsky.social & Mia for their help! A successful afternoon topped off by a red-footed falcon at Abberton
08.05.2025 20:01
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Newly hatched mallard ducklings amongst vegetation with their mother
We have campus ducklings! 11 in the brood, probably just a day old. Donβt forget to tell us about the ducklings you see at citsci.org/projects/ducklingwatch
#DucklingWatch #birdinguk
25.04.2025 13:38
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I canβt say I know much about neoteny in ducks but I think in that case it would have a male type bill unlike this one
25.04.2025 11:12
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An understandable conclusion!
25.04.2025 11:07
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βThe genocide we are witnessing today, is something that I recognize from my own experience as a Holocaust survivorβ¦ What is happening today in Gaza is an extreme form of repeat genocide, a holocaust in our own time, in front of our eyes.β β Stephen Kapos
24.04.2025 13:11
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If you see any ducklings this spring please get involved in our UK project DucklingWatch! citsci.org/projects/ducklingwatch π¦
24.04.2025 13:10
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screenshot of open letter page 1 - full google doc available via link in post
screenshot of open letter page 2 - full google doc available via link in post
tinyurl.com/UoATransphobia
βοΈπ³οΈββ§οΈπ³οΈβπ
im sure many of you are aware of hostility towards #trans staff & students in my department
myself & other ECRs have published a desperate call for action on #transphobia from departmental and university management
please read, share and SIGN IN SOLIDARITY β€οΈ
23.04.2025 14:59
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Thanks! Took it with my big lens last week
23.04.2025 17:35
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