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Robin S Mehlhausen-Franks

@rsmehlhausenfranks.bsky.social

110 followers 170 following 31 posts

PhD Researcher of bird flocks at the Royal Holloway University of London 🐦 Trustee of @caehafan.bsky.social Fan of ethology, conservation, and ornithology. Aspiring sci-fi author. Cymro 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿. Nerd. (He/Him)

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Robin S Mehlhausen-Franks @rsmehlhausenfranks.bsky.social · Aug 6

Very excited to announce my first paper!
With @sjportugal.bsky.social, published in @ecol-evol.bsky.social 🧪🌍

We studied how flocks of homing pigeons change their flight in response to different ground cover, with some surprising results...

doi.org/10.1002/ece3...

#movementecology #ornithology

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Reposted by Robin S Mehlhausen-Franks

Ruth Dunn @ruthedunn.bsky.social · Aug 6

"Commuting in crosswinds and foraging in fast winds: the foraging ecology of a flying fish specialist" 💨🐦🐟

New @iomarinescience.bsky.social research out now in @royalsocietypublishing.org: doi.org/10.1098/rspb...

📸 @robinfreeman.bsky.social

🧪🌍🪶

Composite image of the Proceedings B journal title, the manuscript title and the author list, alongside an image of a red-footed booby flying amongst palm trees. Some text reads: "Winds shape the behavioural decisions of red-footed boobies, impacting their foraging commutes and feeding behaviour".

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Robin S Mehlhausen-Franks @rsmehlhausenfranks.bsky.social · Aug 6

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Robin S Mehlhausen-Franks @rsmehlhausenfranks.bsky.social · Jun 14

Attending the @royalholloway.bsky.social open day today to give a talk - Couldn't have asked for better weather for it

Reposted by Robin S Mehlhausen-Franks

Cae Hafan Wildlife Trust @caehafan.bsky.social · Jun 4

Among the planned developments for one of Cae Hafan's two fields has always been the establishment of a small but species-rich pond.

Last month, the digging, lining, and filling was completed!

Here's to the amphibs 🐸, inverts 🪲, and even hedgehogs 🦔this is designed to encourage to visit!

A half-full and lined pond, in a field surrounded by saplings, with a water hose being used to fill it up.

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Robin S Mehlhausen-Franks @rsmehlhausenfranks.bsky.social · May 28

So I've managed to go from BSc all the way up to the last year of my #PhD 🧪 without ever having submitted an article for review...

The time has finally come and it's one of the scariest things I've ever done!

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Reposted by Robin S Mehlhausen-Franks

Cae Hafan Wildlife Trust @caehafan.bsky.social · May 19

Butterflies are happening at Cae Hafan! 🦋 A top priority for the reserve is establishing healthy and varied bee 🐝 & butterfly populations. This week:

Small tortoiseshells moulting (pic 1),

Ringlets pupating (2),

& Cinnabars emerging (3)!

Black caterpillars of the small tortoiseshell butterfly feeding on stinging nettle leaves.

Pupae and caterpillars of the ringlet butterfly on mixed grass and vegetation.

An emerged cinnabar butterfly in a hatching case, ready for release once its wings have fully stiffened.

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Robin S Mehlhausen-Franks @rsmehlhausenfranks.bsky.social · May 16

Since 2023 I've been involved in a budding #conservation site in Wales.

This year @caehafan.bsky.social was granted charity status! It's now stepping into social media.

Early days, but been a lot of development - Taking two fields from farmland to educational and ecologically valuable sites. 🌱🌍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🦋🦤

Cae Hafan Wildlife Trust @caehafan.bsky.social · May 16

Welcome to Cae Hafan Wildlife Trust!

We are a stunning 15-acre #wildlife sanctuary & nature reserve in the iconic Teifi Valley in West Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Follow and join us on this exciting journey for step by step updates & videos from our wildlife cameras along the famous river bank! 🦦 #conservation 🌍

Robin S Mehlhausen-Franks @rsmehlhausenfranks.bsky.social · May 12

You got this. When things are out of your control there is no 'should'. Being motivated is good but there's no reason for shame - it's finished when it's finished.
PhDs are just bastards.

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Robin S Mehlhausen-Franks @rsmehlhausenfranks.bsky.social · Apr 30

Crazy that this is the last year James McEvoy is opening the @rhulbiology.bsky.social postgraduate symposium.

Glad I was here to see it!

Reposted by Robin S Mehlhausen-Franks

ASAB @asab.org · Apr 26

I know you’re all sad #ASABSpring2025 is over, but you can put the #ASABWinter2025 dates in your diary: Dec 15-16 in Edinburgh 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Theme is “How sensory information affects behaviour”

Jo madden in front of a slide reading “ASAB Winter Conference 2025
How sensory information affects behaviour
15 - 16* December 2025; Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh
Keynote speakers
* Amanda Melin (University of Calgary, Canada) - Candy Rowe & John Skelhorn (Newcastle University, UK)
Tinbergen Lecture
Toshitaka Suzuki (University of Tokyo, Japan)
Organisers
Laura Kelley & Jolyon Troscianko (University of Exeter, UK)
Innes Cuthill (University of Bristol, UK)”

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Reposted by Robin S Mehlhausen-Franks

Jen Colbourne 🇨🇦🏳️‍🌈 @raccoonologist.bsky.social · Apr 25

We had SUCH a great time and the food was extraordinary, great choice for the social! #ASABSpring2025

Jen posing with Indian food, friends and drinks

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Reposted by Robin S Mehlhausen-Franks

Elisa Fernández Fueyo @elisaffueyo.bsky.social · Apr 25

Such a honour to be awarded #ASABSpring2025 student plenary talk, esp after seeing the amazing work everyone presented. I really enjoyed the opportunity to share my research in detail & the interesting questions I got! Don’t hesitate to reach out if you want to chat more about baboon communication✨🐒

ASAB 2025 @asab-spring-2025.bsky.social · Apr 25

What an incredible talk on baboon gesturing and intentionality from our student plenary speaker Elisa Fernandez Fueyo 🐒

#ASABSpring2025

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Reposted by Robin S Mehlhausen-Franks

ASAB @asab.org · Apr 24

Summary of today’s #ASABSpring2025 talks:
🪲🐘🐦🦐🦍🐠👯‍♀️🪳🐝🦌💻🦍🐝🐦🐄🐟🐸🐗🐦‍⬛

Great job all! 👏🏻🙌👏🏻🙌👏🏻🙌👏🏻🙌

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Robin S Mehlhausen-Franks @rsmehlhausenfranks.bsky.social · Apr 25

Had to head off a bit early to catch a train from Liverpool, but had a great time at #ASABSpring2025!

As always thanks to all the organisers, and to ASAB for funding my attendance.

Shout-out to all who dropped by my poster to hear my inane ramblings about pigeons 🐦🕊🐦

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Reposted by Robin S Mehlhausen-Franks

ASAB @asab.org · Apr 25

Our first ever student plenary, and it was excellent! Great work by @elisaffueyo.bsky.social #ASABSpring2025

Elisa Fernandez Fueyo in front of a slide with a seated baboon which reads “What can baboons tell us about the evolution of language?
A quantitative approach to intentionality and flexibility in animal communication
Elisa Fernandez Fueyo*, Sarah Papworth, Elise Huchard, Guy Cowlishaw, and Alecia J Carter”

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Robin S Mehlhausen-Franks @rsmehlhausenfranks.bsky.social · Apr 25

Nothing quite like watching a presentation by the guy that did half of the science your entire PhD is founded on. Appreciate it, @ceabcsic.bsky.social

#ASABSpring2025

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Robin S Mehlhausen-Franks @rsmehlhausenfranks.bsky.social · Apr 24

NEVER MIND.

Highlight of #ASABSpring2025
was clearly coming back to the hotel to drop my stuff off and receiving a very curious visitor. 🐦

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Reposted by Robin S Mehlhausen-Franks

Dr Sophia Daoudi-Simison @sophiadaoudi.bsky.social · Apr 24

Great talk by Babette Fourie! Non-kin will associate given the opportunity to do so - interesting to see if this is still the case outside a foraging context @sociableweaver.bsky.social #ASABSpring2025

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Robin S Mehlhausen-Franks @rsmehlhausenfranks.bsky.social · Apr 24

@labellejoel.bsky.social Why you hiding from us huh?

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Reposted by Robin S Mehlhausen-Franks

ASAB @asab.org · Apr 24

Did you know that ASAB has it own conference feed for the #ASABSpring2025 hashtag?

Check it out and pin! bsky.app/profile/did:...

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Robin S Mehlhausen-Franks @rsmehlhausenfranks.bsky.social · Apr 6

Animating your data can be really insightful!

After a few minutes flying with the rogue pigeon 39 (called him Dandy, he loved chilling in Windsor), no.46 returned to the flightpath of the flock, despite lagging behind the others.

#ornithology #animalbehavior #animalmovement #biologging #datavis

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Reposted by Robin S Mehlhausen-Franks

BOU @bou.org.uk · Apr 3

1/🧵 #BOU2025 #CitizenScience #WildlifeHealth #OneHealth #Ornithology 🌏🧪

Hi, I’m Becki Lawson, a wildlife vet at @zslofficial.bsky.social, and today I will be exploring disease surveillance in wild birds in light of the overall health of people, animals, and the ecosystem – in short: One Health.

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Reposted by Robin S Mehlhausen-Franks

Danni Thompson @scottishseabird.bsky.social · Apr 3

1/7 Variation between individuals is important as it determines how adaptable to change a population might be. Even generalist spp are often comprised of specialist individuals, but specialisation is often only studied across single traits which is limiting.
#BOU2025 #ornithology #seabirds #ecology

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Robin S Mehlhausen-Franks @rsmehlhausenfranks.bsky.social · Apr 3

Had an amazing time at #BOU2025! One of the best conferences I've been to, and not just because I got to see goslings every time I walked to the building...

Robin S Mehlhausen-Franks @rsmehlhausenfranks.bsky.social · Apr 2

6/6 #BOU2025
We present the first evidence of a direct correlation between leadership and flap frequency in homing pigeon flocks, with it being stronger than any other effect that we modelled.
This suggests that being a leader in a complex flock is energetically advantageous over being a follower.

Several homing pigeons sitting on perches inside a loft.

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