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Sophie Mowles

@sophiemowles.bsky.social

80 followers 130 following 38 posts

Co-director of Merops – organising field courses for universities in the south of France. Field Ecology🌳 Behavioual Ecology 🦗 Animal acoustics 🦇 Photography 📷 Environmentally conscious 💚 Vegan (sometimes difficult in rural France) 🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍⚧️

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Sophie Mowles @sophiemowles.bsky.social · Feb 5

Hello world!
I’m Sophie Mowles, a former academic from the UK. I now live in the south of France and run a company organising field courses for university groups.
I’m passionate about inclusivity and believe that everyone should be able to benefit from a great field course experience.

Sophie standing in the shallows at the edge of a river, looking up into the camera. I'm holding a long-handled kick-sampling net in my right hand. In front of me is a white tray that I am collecting invertebrates into to help students find study organisms.

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Reposted by Sophie Mowles

Merops Field Centre @meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social · 18h

Here at Merops, both Fabrizio and Sophie are keen photographers and are also happy to help those wanting to improve heir skills. We both use Canon EOS, so if any staff or students bring a compatible Canon body and want to trial a macro or telephoto lens in the field, then we can help!

Fabrizio holding a telephoto lens up to the sky, where numerous Griffon Vultures are soaring.

A Griffon Vulture against a pale blue sky.

Sophie lying on a short grass bank, holding a camera with a long macro lens to her eye, focussing on a small insect in the grasses.

A Southern Festoon butterfly shot with a macro lens, giving sharp focus to the subject, with a blurry background.

Reposted by Sophie Mowles

Merops Field Centre @meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social · 1d

More #macro from Merops! We’ve done some #moth trapping, and while the moths are warming up prior to release, they remain still enough for some close-up #photography. Here are some of their portraits. L: 𝘔𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘱𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘢 𝘣𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘢, Double-spot Brocade and R: 𝘖𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘶𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢, Rosy-striped Knot-Horn

Reposted by Sophie Mowles

Merops Field Centre @meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social · 2d

On our field courses, we often tend to share photographs of the larger animals around, however, some of the smaller organisms are just as stunning. With #macro-photography we can really see the details of the invertebrates present here in the autumn. #macro #photography #entomology #arachnid #insect

A Rosemary Beetle, staring head-on into the camera.

A close-up of a bee, showing its fuzzy covering.

A Common European Harvestman looking straight into the camera lens. Its claw-like chelicerae are visible in front of it.

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Reposted by Sophie Mowles

Merops Field Centre @meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social · 5d

It’s autumn and some great #mushrooms are appearing in the woodlands here. We’ve found several clusters of Sulphur Tuft (𝘏𝘺𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘮𝘢 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘦), which happens to fluoresce under UV light. Cue a nocturnal trip into the woods with a UV torch to see its amazing green glow. #mycology #fungi #mushroom

A cluster of orange mushrooms sprouting on the forest floor. The ground is covered in dried autumnal leaves.

A cluster of mushrooms at night under UV light. They are glowing with a greenish hue. The rest of the surroundings are dark, with a faint purple glow from the nearby UV light.

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Reposted by Sophie Mowles

Merops Field Centre @meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social · 21d

We’d like to say a big thank you to our visitors from @sheffielduni.bsky.social. We had a great time hosting you all this week, and were impressed by everybody’s enthusiasm and dedication to their field projects. We wish you the best of luck with the rest of your studies! @luketdunning.bsky.social

A group of 23 people standing with their backs to a forested valley. They are a mixture of students and staff, many wearing binoculars. There is also a spotting scope at the right hand side of the image.

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Reposted by Sophie Mowles

Merops Field Centre @meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social · 22d

While here with us, students from @sheffielduni.bsky.social learned various survey skills, including #moth trapping. After identifying their findings in the morning, they were back out in the meadows and woods gathering data for their independent ecology projects. @luketdunning.bsky.social

A group of students listening to a member of staff talking about moth trapping.

A group of students sat in a meadow collecting data. There are trees behind them, plus a classical French country house.

A female Western Saddle Bush-cricket among the grasses. She is green and is well-camouflaged.

Reposted by Sophie Mowles

Merops Field Centre @meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social · 23d

With staff and students from @sheffielduni.bsky.social, we explored the Causse Méjean, an upland area famous for its rugged habitats, surrounded by deep gorges frequented by #vultures. We were lucky enough to spot Bearded Vultures, plus shrikes and some great #lepidoptera. @luketdunning.bsky.social

A group of ecology students stood in a rugged upland area of short grasses. They have binoculars and telescopes and are having something pointed out to them by a member of staff.

A Chalk Burnet moth sat on a dried grass stem. It is black with red spots surrounded by yellow borders.

A Bearded Vulture in flight against a cliff.

Staff and students at a lookout point. A member of staff is taking photos with a telephoto lens. In the background there are rising limestone crags.

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Reposted by Sophie Mowles

Merops Field Centre @meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social · 27d

Yesterday we took our visitors from @sheffielduni.bsky.social to explore the Camargue wetlands. We observed the differences between the freshwater areas to the north and the brackish areas to the south. Highlights of our day were Western Swamp Hens and Moorish Geckos. @luketdunning.bsky.social

A group of students looking through binoculars at a pond.

A Moorish Gecko on an overhead wooden beam.

A Western Swamp Hen investigating some dried reeds while foraging.

Greater Flamingos on a pond. In the background some people are observing them.

Reposted by Sophie Mowles

Merops Field Centre @meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social · 28d

Day two with @sheffielduni.bsky.social, and we’ve been exploring field techniques. Kick sampling, GPS use, plus plant and terrestrial invertebrate surveys. Highlights were more mantises, Saddle-backed Bush Crickets, plus spotting crayfish in the river. @luketdunning.bsky.social

A group of staff and students looking into a white sampling tray next to a river.

A female Western Saddle Bush-cricket on the edge of a sweep net.

Students holding up a sweep net and looking at a bush cricket.

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Reposted by Sophie Mowles

Merops Field Centre @meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social · 29d

A great first afternoon with our visitors from the University of Sheffield. We explored the local habitats, seeing some fantastic autum wildlife including the Mediterranean Conehead Mantis. Other highlights were large Orthoptera, butterflies, and Colchicum autumn Crocuses. @luketdunning.bsky.social

A Mediterranean Conehead Mantis sitting on a dried plant stem

A member of staff showing a mantis to a group of excited students

Three people close to the ground, taking photos of invertebrates with their phones

A Colchicum autumn crocus. The flower is pale purple with yellow stamens.

Sophie Mowles @sophiemowles.bsky.social · Sep 4

Absolutely. A really important paper here. Fieldwork 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 be safe and inclusive for everyone.

DrZP @zarahpattison.bsky.social · Sep 4

🏞️𝐅𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡?
Our new study looked at fieldwork policies and risk assessments from 90 UK universities offering environmental science courses.
The results are eye-opening:
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Improving university policies and risk assessment to support inclusive fieldwork in environmental sciences

Among 90 UK higher education institutions, there was patchy mention of protected and other identity-related characteristics in fieldwork policy and risk assessments, and very limited consideration of....

besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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Sophie Mowles @sophiemowles.bsky.social · Sep 2

Guessing the grant wasn't about donkeys then?

Sophie Mowles @sophiemowles.bsky.social · Sep 1

Nice to see our company logo sitting on the wires just outside the house!

Merops Field Centre @meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social · Sep 1

In autumn, many migratory birds that have bred here in France prepare to undertake their journey back to Africa, and it's a great time to spot them as they aggregate. Among them is the European Bee-eater (𝘔𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘴 𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳), known for its diet of hymenopterans, which this individual is fuelling up on.

A European Bee-eater sat on an electrical cable. It has its head raised up and is holding a paper wasp in its bill.

Sophie Mowles @sophiemowles.bsky.social · Aug 28

Going back over some camera trap data from earlier this summer and finding I completely sympathise with this Wild Boar. Who wouldn't want a swim in the river when it's still 29 degrees after 8pm!

A Wild Boar swimming in the shallows at the edge of a river. The image is a still from a camera trap, which shows that the temperature is 29 degrees Celsius at 8:06 pm. The river looks cool and refreshing.

Sophie Mowles @sophiemowles.bsky.social · Aug 26

I've always wanted to see these spiders! Such a happy day spent in the Cévennes mountains. Plus Wasp Spiders, loads of amazing upland Orthoptera, and to top it off, a family of European Rollers! The Cévennes never cease to amaze.

Merops Field Centre @meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social · Aug 26

It’s late summer, and the Cévennes mountains continue to amaze. In the heather, male Ladybird Spiders (𝘌𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘬𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪) wander in search of the much larger, velvety-black females. With the males prospecting, this is the best time of year to catch a glimpse of this elusive species. #arachnid #spider

A male Ladybird Spider walking through short grass and heather. Its abdomen is bright red with black spots, resembling a ladybird.

A male Ladybird Spider sitting in dried grass. Its abdomen is bright red with black spots, resembling a ladybird.

A male Ladybird Spider walking across a stone and pine needles.

A male Ladybird Spider walking through dried grass.

Reposted by Sophie Mowles

Merops Field Centre @meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social · Aug 5

With summer well underway, we explored some cooler habitats in the Cévennes mountains. At a fantastic peat bog we found lots of Round-leaved Sundew, plus Marsh Gentians, which are the larval food plant of Alcon Large Blue butterflies. Other highlights were Wasp Spiders amongst the shrubs.

Round-leaved Sundew plans growing among Sphagnum moss and low grasses. They have round green leaves covered in sticky red filaments for catching invertebrates.

A Marsh Gentian flower. It is deep purple and tubular, facing upwards out of the Sphagnum moss.

An Alcon Large Blue butterfly feeding on heather flowers. Its wings are partially open, showing the spotted underside and greyish-blue upper side.

A Asp Spider. It is sitting in the middle of its web, which has a zigzag pattern woven into it. The spider has a black and yellow striped abdomen.

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Sophie Mowles @sophiemowles.bsky.social · Jul 31

Planning a trip to the UK and thought it might be possible to go to #ASABWinter2025 and #BES2025 - but they overlap by two days! Anyone going to both, or have suggestions (i.e. skip day 2 of ASAB), or run madly between both like the Vicar of Dibley trying to go to all the Christmas lunches..?

Reposted by Sophie Mowles

Merops Field Centre @meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social · Jul 24

We’re looking back at our fantastic spring field season, and would like to say a huge thank you to all involved: staff and students from all of our visiting universities, and especially to Chris and Alison at the Château du Fraissinet. Thanks to everyone for making these field courses so special.

A composite panel showing seven group photos of staff and students on field courses throughout he spring.

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Sophie Mowles @sophiemowles.bsky.social · Jul 21

So happy to see this Roe Deer mother and fawn on the camera traps. Oh - that little jump!

Merops Field Centre @meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social · Jul 21

During our spring field courses, we had some excellent luck with camera trap sightings. This beautiful Roe Deer doe and her fawn were recorded by our visitors from @stir.ac.uk and we couldn’t be happier to get a glimpse of this little family @bb-phd.bsky.social @zarahpattison.bsky.social

Reposted by Sophie Mowles

Merops Field Centre @meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social · Jun 30

We spent a fantastic week hosting @stir.ac.uk for their Mediterranean field course. We’d like to say thank you to all involved, especially the students for their engagement and enthusiasm with their projects. Good luck with the rest of your studies! @bb-phd.bsky.social @zarahpattison.bsky.social

A group of twelve people smiling at the camera. They are viewed slightly from above and there is an old Mediterranean building in the background with an open courtyard.

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Sophie Mowles @sophiemowles.bsky.social · Jun 29

Running ecology field courses - except there are cats. Last autumn we were dismayed to find two 10-day old kittens abandoned in a dustbin. They are now 9 months old, doing really well and have graduated to becoming fully integrated members of team Merops! @meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social
#EcologyCats

A cat peeking out of the top of a moth trap it is sat in.

Students in the field identifying insects. They have a beating tray at their feet. A cat is stood in the middle of it.

An educator giving a talk about GIS with students watching. Two cats are also at the front of the classroom.

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Reposted by Sophie Mowles

Merops Field Centre @meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social · Jun 27

One student project from @stir.ac.uk involved assessing the behaviour of Pumpkinseed Sunfish in response to intrusion. Larger and smaller “males” approached the nest and the students monitored the nest-owner's response using our underwater cameras. @bb-phd.bsky.social @zarahpattison.bsky.social

Three students stood on a river bank, looking into the water. One is wading in.

A student in shallow water at the edge of a river, deploying a weighted camera next to a Pumpkinseed Sunfish nest.

A Pumpkinseed Sunfish nest viewed from above. There is an underwater camera aimed at it, and a fake Pumpkinseed Sunfish stimulus made of a printed and laminated cutout is being presented to it.

A male Pumpkinseed Sunfish inspecting a printed and laminated cutout of a Pumpkinseed Sunfish.

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Reposted by Sophie Mowles

Merops Field Centre @meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social · Jun 27

With the warm weather, there were many butterflies on the wing and students from @stir.ac.uk designed projects to survey their habitat preferences. Shady and sunlit meadows, plus an avenue of lavender in flower. They saw a real variety of species. @bb-phd.bsky.social @zarahpattison.bsky.social

Staff and students standing a long a river, holding a tape measure used to measure out a transect line.

Students surveying butterflies along a transect line following a row of lavender.

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Reposted by Sophie Mowles

Merops Field Centre @meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social · Jun 24

We took staff and students from @stir.ac.uk to the Causse Méjean to experience this unique site. We had an impressive vulture fly-by as well as seeing a Booted Eagle carrying a lizard. On to the Przewalski Horse breeding area, where we had great views. @bb-phd.bsky.social @zarahpattison.bsky.social

A Booted Eagle carrying a Western Green Lizard.

Students and staff examining flowers in a short meadow.

Staff and students looking through telescopes and binoculars on a viewing platform. There is a cliff rising in the background.

A male Przewalski's Horse with some grass in its mouth.

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Reposted by Sophie Mowles

Merops Field Centre @meropsfieldcentre.bsky.social · Jun 23

We spent day 2 with @stir.ac.uk exploring the Camargue. We were lucky to see 7 species of heron including Squacco Herons and even Little Bitterns in the reedbeds. Further south, we saw the famous flamingos and had great views of a European Pond Terrapin @bb-phd.bsky.social @zarahpattison.bsky.social

A student looking through a telescope in a reedbed.

A Squacco Heron on a fallen tree in a pond.

A student taking photos of Greater Flamingos with their mobile phone.

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