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chilternbirder.bsky.social
Chilternbirder
@chilternbirder.bsky.social
Hanging on to my old social media name although the birding these days is largely very low carbon through my living room window.

Anarcho-dandyist folkie into environment and architecture among other things.
Vestitus bene vincit omnia

🧑‍💻 www.folkphotos.uk
Reposted by Chilternbirder
Jane Austen was born 250 years ago today ✨

Our new display, Dancing with Austen, explores how dance shaped her social world and drove the plots of her novels.

Now on display at the Weston Library.

#JaneAusten
December 16, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Reposted by Chilternbirder
Meet Cohort 10 of the National Youth Folk Ensemble!
You can find all of the Ensemble’s current favourite bits of music of the Meet the Ensemble page on the EFDSS website.
All of the photos are by Roswitha Chesher
bit.ly/4s0P3zw
Meet the Ensemble
Meet the National Youth Folk Ensemble 2025/26...
bit.ly
December 16, 2025 at 11:16 AM
Reposted by Chilternbirder
Big news! Water voles have been spotted in the River Thame catchment for the first time in decades.

Full story: tinyurl.com/45b8fb5h

Huge thank you to our volunteers, landowners,
@naturalengland.bsky.social , @bbowt.bsky.social for helping make this possible.
Water Voles spotted in the River Thame catchment for first time in decades
tinyurl.com
December 15, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Reposted by Chilternbirder
Historic Buildings & Places presents an online talk on Thursday 12th March 2026, 6–7pm, exploring the future of the former Merthyr Tydfil Synagogue — the only remaining purpose-built synagogue in Wales.

🎟 Tickets: Free for HB&P members / £4 non-members
🔗 Book here: hbap.org.uk/online-talk-...
December 16, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Reposted by Chilternbirder
So the President of the now disUnited States pardons those who stormed the White House after he whipped up a crowd yet wants $5billion for damage to his already shot to pieces reputation. Not a cent must be paid.
See him in court.
In the UK.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Trump sues BBC for defamation over Panorama speech edit
The US president has requested $5bn (£3.7bn) in damages, according to court documents filed in Florida.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 16, 2025 at 7:54 AM
Reposted by Chilternbirder
It could not be more clear that Russia poses an immediate threat to our democracy.

The govt must take this threat seriously, cracking down on dirty money in politics in the upcoming Elections Bill & conducting criminal investigations into Russian interference in our elections.
December 15, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Reposted by Chilternbirder
This increasingly nasty leader of the Conservatives doing a complete U turn on their attempts to pretend that they care about the environment. Now desperately trying to win the votes of those who want to cling on to outdated technology and keep burning fossils.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Kemi Badenoch: Tories to scrap petrol ban if they win next election
The Conservative Party leader says the policy is
www.bbc.co.uk
December 16, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Reposted by Chilternbirder
Sweden may have been politically neutral during the second world war, but Astrid Lindgren was an ardent anti-Nazi and a news junkie … The creation of Pippi Longstocking was her way of dealing with the darkness seeping into her life.
www.theguardian.com/film/2025/de...
‘The antithesis to Nazi ideology’: how Pippi Longstocking was born to stand up to Hitler
A new documentary explores how Astrid Lindgren’s beloved children’s books about the pigtailed free spirit were written in response to the darkest days of the second world war
www.theguardian.com
December 16, 2025 at 8:16 AM
Reposted by Chilternbirder
I haven't a clue how he's comfortable sitting like that. However, I do know he's very comfortable judging me 🐈‍⬛️
December 15, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Reposted by Chilternbirder
Now that's a story that should be told...
So, I get that the real-life USS Enterprise was a bigass warship who was great for morale and all but I wanna know why we aren’t naming everything in sight after the RMS Carpathia. And why isn’t there a gd movie??? (Thread about a heroic ship.)

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Car...
RMS Carpathia - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
December 16, 2025 at 2:21 AM
Reposted by Chilternbirder
As a rainforest forms naturally all around this boulder, so do the more sheltered, humid conditions allow a rich bed of mosses and other plants to recolonise.

Continual nature loss is not inevitable: the reverse is equally possible.
#Rewilding 🌍
December 16, 2025 at 6:32 AM
Reposted by Chilternbirder
As the dams dry out, feral goldfish are easier to snag. A timely reminder that pet fish should *never* be released. Pics by @terngirl.bsky.social
December 16, 2025 at 12:40 AM
Reposted by Chilternbirder
A better detecting story - no reward, donated to the museum... and the lovely warm glow of finding out about history!

#Archaeology 🏺 #Treasure #Detecting

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
'My metal detecting find in Rugby connects me to lives long ago'
A metal detectorist reflects on her discovery of a centuries-old scabbard chape.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 15, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Reposted by Chilternbirder
When Culverake got our debut album Unto the Sky on vinyl as well as CD, the LP order came with 3 spare covers (outer sleeves). So each of us in the band have one.

I got mine framed and now up on the wall next to my desk.

Major shout out to Framework in Sheffield City Centre for an excellent job.
December 15, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Reposted by Chilternbirder
It's ridiculous that the Government *still* haven't banned the sale of peat.

Peat bogs are still getting dug up and used for compost and in horticulture. Ministers say they'll ban it 'when time allows'.

Get on with it already! Sign the petition:

actnow.peatfreepartnership.org.uk/end-peat-sal...
Sign the petition to end peat sales!
No more delays: Let's get peat out of gardens once and for all. The time for uncertainty has ended.
actnow.peatfreepartnership.org.uk
December 15, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Reposted by Chilternbirder
I was interviewed about my research and my experience with the viral response to my DPhil viva! Video here 👇

youtu.be/v_46GqZDZCk?...
Dr. Juliet Turner - The Evolution of Cooperation and Division of Labour in Insects
YouTube video by Stated Casually
youtu.be
December 15, 2025 at 9:16 AM
Reposted by Chilternbirder
Thanks to everyone who came to see us at the Wesley Memorial Church in Oxford on Saturday. I think we're all agreed it's a very good venue for us - we'll see you there again next December.
Here's a photo from first time visitor Maria, who says she's coming every year from now on! More to follow.
December 15, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Reposted by Chilternbirder
Some people mistakenly think the new third runway is being built on a kind of urban limbo land, already blighted by the airport. Does this look urban or blighted to you?
#HeathrowExpansion
December 15, 2025 at 9:17 AM
Reposted by Chilternbirder
Reposted by Chilternbirder
Maurieseuma nontronense, another rare millipede found in South Wales.
December 15, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Reposted by Chilternbirder
this field biologist does a great job highlighting the insidiousness of AI editing

these one-click AI edit buttons are incredibly appealing to many photographers, amateurs and professionals alike, and are framed as innocuous

this is worth sharing and educating people about
December 15, 2025 at 2:21 AM
Reposted by Chilternbirder
Thats extremely threatening and escalatory language... Did #BorisJohnson actually say these words? Or is this the @dailymail.co.uk exaggerating again?

Labour MP Jo Cox was murdered on the street in 2016 because of shit like this.

Utterly irresponsible and heartless. 🤬
December 15, 2025 at 12:41 AM
Reposted by Chilternbirder
These poor STARVÈD babies suffering from the lack of second breakfast while mother viciously ignores them to play on her phone. A cruel, cruel mother indeed to need such reminding as her babies WASTE AWAY. 🤣
December 14, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Reposted by Chilternbirder
quinto decimo die Decembris, Minimus castaneas invenit. (On the 15th of December, Minimus finds chestnuts.) #latinadventcalendar
December 15, 2025 at 11:13 AM