Sorry to sound like an eeyore but recently I've been struggling to derive much pleasure from local birding, as I feel like I'm witnessing extinction/biodiversity collapse in real time. Thread 1/6

Yesterday I had the joy of celebrating my PhD journey with a viva examined by the brilliant @NYCuratrix and Dave Hodgson, a journey supported by a wonderful team of supervisors Camille, Jaime A. Chaves & Prof. Russell and incredible friends (cake below!) - thanks to all!!

Easy to get distracted by the leafcutter bees harvesting snippets of the hedge in @jonnie_fisk's garden! #WildlifeWednesday

42 secs of one of the most iconic UK wildlife moments. A still flightless, ~20 day-old Guillemot chick, accompanied by its dad, leaving the patch of rock where it was born, making its way to the edge of the cliff, and jumping into the sea without hesitation.

This crow snowboarding on the roof of a building using a jar lid x.com/minouye271/sta…

Stunning first ever trip to RSPB Ham Wall this morning! Still bustling with warblers, beautiful scenery, marsh harriers overhead 😍

Think it’s fair to say it’s not possible to have better views of Pine Marten! We were joined by a family of three (presumably a mother and two kits) for dinner on our decking this eve. 🔊 SOUND UP FOR MUSTELID ASMR 🔊

This is not a drill… WE HAVE A FIRST FLEDGE AT THE NORFOLK BEE-EATERS!!! 🚨🤩

There’s an explosion of interest about #sewage in our rivers and seas, and concerns about what this means for people swimming in our rivers and seas. We’ve been working on this and the threat that antibiotic resistant bacteria #AMR poses to human health. A 🧵of key results:

Site first for me at Portbury Wharf this morning where this bittern looked close to starting a joust with the regulars! BristolBirding Portbury Wharf NR

A warm, still morning at Portbury Wharf with buckets of blackcap and chiff moving through. Willow warbler, pintail on the North Pool, five snipe, and plenty of mipits over.

Multi-strain dynamics of RNA viruses from ecological, evolutionary, & immunological perspectives New review paper in NatureEcoEvo by Dr Dennis Makau @IPaploski Rowland Raymond Kao Sam Lycett Andrea Wilson Meggan Craft. UMN College Veterinary Medicine @UMN_swine_group UMN College of Veterinary Medicine Research rdcu.be/cV7sr

.@ElliePursey #Edar6: Meta-analysis of available E. coli genomes using a mash-approach reveals host and geographical patterns. —> eg wild birds might be underestimated sentinels of highly resistant bacteria read more: medrxiv.org/content/10.110…

Beautiful sunrise at Portbury Wharf this morning. Hardly any flocks over but 51 species seen including a patch tick with yellowhammer! BristolBirding

Incredible to see this stunning long-eared owl up close and to learn how they can be aged under UV light - pigments in newer feathers flourencing pink!

In January 2022, more than 6500 Cape cormorants died due to HPAI on Bird Island, Walvis Bay. Phylogenetics indicate clade 2.3.4.4b, and highly similar to H5N1 in chickens in Lesotho in May 2021 and poultry and wild birds in Botswana in June 2021 👉 doi.org/10.1080/222217…

🚨 New paper out The highest risk period for HPAI incursion into Australia is when the migratory birds arrive in the spring. Here @MarsKlaassen and I report the results of our surveillance of migratory birds from Sept-Dec 2022. No HPAI detected. 👉doi.org/10.1101/2023.0…

Happy to be sharing our paper on the importance of sample storage methods for accurate 🩸 parasite detection! TLDR: it matters! Wiley Ecology & Evolution doi.org/10.1002/ece3.9… Something we should consider more when samples come from different sources or if planning long-term projects 🧐

👩‍🔬 This International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we’re celebrating our inspirational female scientists! 🎉 Hear about how they’re leading the way in the fields of animal and plant health in our latest blog: 👇 aphascience.blog.gov.uk/2023/02/11/wom… #WomenInScience #APHAscience #STEM

Coral-billed Ground-Cuckoo!!! Outrageous views of this secretive species at Khao Yai this morning