Rob Thomas
@robthomasbirds.bsky.social
2.9K followers 2.3K following 870 posts
Bird-watcher and conservationist in and from Wales, until July 2025 (20+ years) teaching and researching at Cardiff University. Co-director of Eco-explore Community Interest Company, trustee of Initiative for Nature Conservation Cymru and Craig y Rhondda
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Reposted by Rob Thomas
aquilabirding2.bsky.social
WHITE-THROATED NEEDLETAIL ‼️ Tophill low, Yorkshire.
📷 photo credit to follow.
Reposted by Rob Thomas
llantwit.bsky.social
“Uni defends new Kazakhstan campus amid human rights concerns” - BBC News

“The UCU, said it was not opposed to the venture in principle, but that it had serious concerns regarding staff workload and the speed with which it had been set up.”

www.bbc.com/news/article...
Cardiff University defends Kazakhstan campus amid concerns
Hundreds of students have started lectures at the new campus, which is 3,712 miles from Cardiff.
www.bbc.com
robthomasbirds.bsky.social
Ah, looking forward to this!
robthomasbirds.bsky.social
Ah no -that’s really bad
Reposted by Rob Thomas
asharpephotography.bsky.social
The birds panicking as these 5 kite surfers came in way too close. They couldn't settle as they'd immediately panic again. As a results the godwits, all the spoonbills and half the avocets now left the lagoon @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @footprintecology.bsky.social
Reposted by Rob Thomas
adambienkov.bsky.social
BBC accused of 'extraordinary' anti-Green bias after party say the Laura Kuenssberg Show scrapped a promised interview with @zackpolanski.bsky.social on Sunday.

Green sources say the show also refused to interview Polanski after he was elected as leader last month

bylinetimes.com/2025/10/06/b...
Reposted by Rob Thomas
theseabirdgroup.bsky.social
We have vacancies available on our committee! 🕊️👨‍👨‍👧👩‍👩‍👦

We are recruiting for 5 roles:

Secretary 👩‍🏫
Assistant Journal Editor 📉
Social Media Lead 🤳
Assistant Newsletter/ Social Media Support 🤝
Website Officer 🧑‍💻

Feel free to DM for details & email [email protected] to apply (deadline 31 Oct) 📥
Reposted by Rob Thomas
donnachadhmc.bsky.social
Please help combat BBC news blackout of Green Party!
@zackpolanski.bsky.social was the only party leader not interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg during their party conference.
So please RT his cracking conference speech..
Reposted by Rob Thomas
newseye.bsky.social
NEW: Extraordinary scenes in Amsterdam this afternoon (Sunday, Oct 5).

An estimated 250,000 bring the city to a standstill; people all wearing red to show solidarity with Palestine 🇵🇸

(🎥 Ahmed Zantac)
Reposted by Rob Thomas
jonathanslaght.com
super cool study found human artifacts in Bearded vulture nests, incl. "weaponry like a crossbow bolt and wooden lance, decorated sheep leather, and parts of a slingshot....a shoe made from twigs and grass is ~675-years-old." link to paper: doi.org/10.1002/ecy..... www.popsci.com/environment/... 🧪🌍🦉
Multi-generational vulture nests hold 700 years of human artifacts
Crossbow bolts, sandals, slingshots, and more.
www.popsci.com
Reposted by Rob Thomas
colpizen.bsky.social
BIRDERS of Palestine
birdersofpalestine.com

Today I recieved my postcards of palestinian birds, photos taken by Mandy & Lara Sirdah aka @sirdahtwins on instagram, #Palestinianwatchbirders

A reminder to find ways to support Palestinians as much as you can in the face of genocide and displacement.
Photographs of Palestinian birds including the famous sunbird, male and female. 
(from left to right from top to bottom: 
Female Palestine sunbird
Male Palestine sunbird
Western yellow wagtail
Stone chat
White-throated kingfishers) Western yellow wagtail on milk thistle Brown female of Palestine sunbird
Reposted by Rob Thomas
naomiaklein.bsky.social
Israel has just arrested Greta Thunberg and many others.

Statement from the Global Sumud Flotilla:

“People of conscience have been abducted. The flotilla broke no laws. What is illegal is Israel’s genocide, Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza, and Israel’s use of starvation as a weapon.”
1/3
naomiaklein.bsky.social
Close to 65k watching the livefeed from the Global Sumud Flotilla off the coast of Gaza.

Israel seems to be intercepting right now.

All eyes needed.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEN2...
24/7 LIVESTREAM OF GLOBAL SUMUD FLOTILLA
YouTube video by Global Sumud Flotilla
www.youtube.com
Reposted by Rob Thomas
catherinegalway.bsky.social
Statement from Catherine Connolly following reports of Irish citizens among those abducted by Israeli forces this evening.
“Israel’s illegal seizure of boats participating in the Global Sumud Flotillas mission to bring humanitarian aid to the starving people of Gaza is another brazen breach of international law.

“It has been reported that Irish citizens are amongst those abducted by Israeli forces. The Department of Foreign Affairs must immediately demand the release of all those taken illegally by the Israeli military. 

“There have been enough words. The Irish government and other governments must take action to face down Israel’s genocidal campaign and to protect all those on the flotilla. 

“All those abducted must be released and the flotilla must be given safe passage to complete its humanitarian mission to ensure the people of Gaza receive the food and other humanitarian aid they so desperately need.”
robthomasbirds.bsky.social
So sad to hear that Jane Goodall has passed away - a life well lived in promoting the understanding and conservation of our fellow inhabitants of our one wild and precious planet.
robthomasbirds.bsky.social
Hey Siri! Show me what a fascist looks like.
brendannyhan.bsky.social
An unprecedented violation of our civic and Constitutional traditions. Calling every military leader in the world back to the U.S. to hear a wildly inappropriate partisan campaign speech followed by a fascist call to use the military against Americans.
robthomasbirds.bsky.social
Storm petrels showing well in Edinburgh this afternoon. Please park sensibly outside Topping’s bookshop. Will be searched for by Dawn, who works in the non-fiction section.
Reposted by Rob Thomas
telescoper.bsky.social
A meme for the modern university...
Meme showing a worker labelled "academic staff" digging a hole in the ground while 10 others look labelled with management titles such as "Director of Human Resources" look on. The caption underneath reads "The only way we can cut costs is to reduce the number of academic staff..."
Reposted by Rob Thomas
btobirds.bsky.social
1/ New study! #Seabirds are among the most threatened groups of birds globally, and a new study looked at how emerging technologies can be optimally harnessed in seabird monitoring. ➡️ www.bto.org/new-tech-seabird-monitoring #Ornithology
Guillemots together on the top of a rock face. Wording above reads: New Study. Opportunities and challenges for new technologies in seabird population monitoring. www.bto.org/new-tech-seabird-monitoring
Reposted by Rob Thomas
sjurdur.bsky.social
Very interesting presentation by @bardseyben.bsky.social on lightpollution in the Faroes and some brand new and exciting GPS tracking data of stormpetrels at this year's researchers night #seabirds 🌍🧪
Ben Porter presenting in the "kings hall" auditorium in Tórshavn Ben Porter presenting in the "kings hall" auditorium in Tórshavn Ben Porter presenting his stormpetrel GPS tracks in the "kings hall" auditorium in Tórshavn
Reposted by Rob Thomas
cameratrapsue.bsky.social
Raven flight path trails from Sky Cam this afternoon.

The camera triggers on them well but I also have it set to record when it hears sound so it gets them before they come into frame. Sky Cam is doing a great job though I'd like to upgrade it to higher resolution.
A day photo of the sky, there is some blue sky in top right corner and clouds in bottom third of photo and along the left side. A few tree tops are on the left side of the frame. A raven passes by the camera going from right to left, it rises up quite high on the left side of the frame. A day photo looking at the sky, the clouds are in the bottom third of the frame and along the left side. There are some tree tops on the left side of the frame and some whispy clouds dotted around. A raven almost completes a circle on the right side of the photo. The photo shows its flight path.
Reposted by Rob Thomas
iand777.bsky.social
This Buzzard was poisoned by a large dose of second generation rodenticide.
I discovered it in a Dorset Bluebell wood this April.
Please find some time today to complete the consultation.
These poisons are such a clear and present danger to our wildlife.