Ben C. Sheldon
H-index:
103
Of course the tables are turned sometimes - this classic paper on Greater Noctules feeding on migrating birds:
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11493689/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11493689/
Bat predation on nocturnally migrating birds - PubMed
Bat predation on birds is a very rare phenomenon in nature. Most documented reports of bird-eating bats refer to tropical bats that occasionally capture resting birds. Millions of small birds concentr...
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Fabulous tale! A great face to watch in that video for the tremendous range of expressions conveyed by those eyebrows..
Pushing the limits of record shots, but good to see this Black-necked Grebe that had appeared at Farmoor this morning still there at sunset today - one of those only just annual species I thought I'd missed locally this year. Interesting to see it sticking close to the gull roost - natal memories?
Reposted by: Ben C. Sheldon
I was honoured to be invited to give a talk on AviList, the new unified global checklist of birds, at the Delta Birding Festival 2+ weeks ago, and the organizers just sent me a link to a YouTube video of my talk: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QO5x... #birds #ornithology #taxonomy
AviList: a unified global bird checklist - Per Alström
YouTube video by Delta Birding Festival
www.youtube.com
Relieved that the Bluethroat at Otmoor - effectively the first in the county since the others were unobservable - has hung on since first being found on 30 Sept. Always distant but feeding actively along the reed edge of the scrapes
Last three pages of @peralstrom.bsky.social article about birding and ornithological discovery in China in the 1980s - excellent stuff! (includes first Western Sandpiper found very far inland 🤯)
Had the pleasure of seeing Great Grey Owls with @peralstrom.bsky.social this summer (pic: @tmbirding.bsky.social) - and heard some superb tales of birding & ornithological discovery in China in the 1980s. He's written this splendid article about this - screenshots as I don't have link. Pp 1-3 here
Leaving Shetland after 8 super days birding Fair Isle & Shetland with @tombedford.bsky.social. A superb mix of rarities, scarcities, common migrants, seabirds & spectacular scenery based at the brilliant @fairislebirdobs.bsky.social - thanks to all. eBird trip report ⬇️
ebird.org/tripreport/4...
ebird.org/tripreport/4...
Reposted by: Ben C. Sheldon
Introducing BIRDBASE, which aims to be the world's most comprehensive avian trait ecology database. Article links to open access paper, & data in Excel spreadsheet. phys.org/news/2025-09... #science #environment #ecology #eco #biology #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #openaccess #datascience
BIRDBASE dataset tracks ecological traits for 11,589 species of birds
Çağan Şekercioğlu was an ambitious, but perhaps naive graduate student when, 26 years ago, he embarked on a simple data-compilation project that would soon evolve into a massive career-defining achiev...
phys.org
I think could make case for all of wing contrasting with blue/grey of mantle
If I remember correctly the first British record (Oct 1954, Isle of May) was an adult male with the full adult plumage. Haven’t found an online pic
Very interesting! How do you interpret the photos labelled as adult male from Oct which show birds with uniform dark slaty blue except for brilliant white super:
macaulaylibrary.org/asset/498199...
macaulaylibrary.org/asset/56129241
macaulaylibrary.org/asset/498199...
macaulaylibrary.org/asset/56129241
ML498199971 - Siberian Thrush - Macaulay Library
Macaulay Library ML498199971; © 浙江 重要鸟讯汇整; Zhejiang, China
macaulaylibrary.org
HI Max - don't know much about ageing them, so interested to hear any views. Some of the better photos here (rather grainy as light poor due to incoming storm, will surely be better ones from some of the other people there with better gear) ebird.org/checklist/S2...
eBird Checklist - 3 Oct 2025 - Asta - 9 species
Submitted by Ben Sheldon.
ebird.org
A bit of relief to get flight off Fair Isle this morning ahead of impending arrival of Storm Amy, otherwise we'd have been stranded till Monday! A great first visit, capped off by @tombedford.bsky.social and I finding an Olive-backed Pipit (first seen yesterday evening, not confirmed till today)
Handy stop near Tingwall Airport on way off Fair Isle - after a bit of a wait the superb first winter male Siberian Thrush showed quite nicely
Reposted by: Ben C. Sheldon
🚨 Master’s project!
Curious how birds find their way? 🧭🐦
Analyze decades of ringing data to study abnormal migratory routes and uncover what these deviations can reveal about the mechanisms guiding birds on their journeys. Drop me an email for details! #ornithology
www.vogelwarte.ch/de/wir/mitar...
Curious how birds find their way? 🧭🐦
Analyze decades of ringing data to study abnormal migratory routes and uncover what these deviations can reveal about the mechanisms guiding birds on their journeys. Drop me an email for details! #ornithology
www.vogelwarte.ch/de/wir/mitar...
Reposted by: Ben C. Sheldon, Garry Peterson
🎉We have announced a new professorship at the University of Gothenburg 🇸🇪 to celebrate our Crown Princess’s 50th birthday!
🌿Broad focus on biodiversity — from microbes to modelling
📢A fantastic opportunity for researchers working across scales and disciplines!
🔗 web103.reachmee.com/ext/I005/103...
🌿Broad focus on biodiversity — from microbes to modelling
📢A fantastic opportunity for researchers working across scales and disciplines!
🔗 web103.reachmee.com/ext/I005/103...
The Crown Princess Victoria Professorship in Biodiversity
Professorship in Biodiversity.
The University of Gothenburg hereby announces a unique and prestigious position – the
web103.reachmee.com
Reposted by: Ben C. Sheldon
Job Alert! Assistant Prof of Fish Ecology at
@wfcbucdavis.bsky.social, with a focus on freshwater and anadromous coldwater fishes. This is a wonderful and supportive place to work. Please share with your fishy friends! recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF07351
@wfcbucdavis.bsky.social, with a focus on freshwater and anadromous coldwater fishes. This is a wonderful and supportive place to work. Please share with your fishy friends! recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF07351
Assistant Professor of Fish Ecology
University of California, Davis is hiring. Apply now!
recruit.ucdavis.edu
Fair Isle Day 8: an unexpected extra day with flights off cancelled. Much better views of presumably one of yesterday’s Richard’s Pipits, a handful of Pink-footed Geese and nice views of the lingering Hawfinch munching rosehips at Barkle as well as several Yellow-browed Warblers
Had to walk to the other end of the island to see ‘em! But yes, good sign, though I’m on the 9.30 flight tomorrow so will probably miss the big one
Reposted by: Ben C. Sheldon
Quick turnaround for a blog post about today's Bluethroat event in Oxfordshire, written from Flamborough #ukbirding
tmbirding.blogspot.com/2025/10/last...
tmbirding.blogspot.com/2025/10/last...
Last days in Oxford
1w male Bluethroat, Otmoor Up until today I was pretty certain that my last few days as a permanent resident of Oxfordshire would end with a...
tmbirding.blogspot.com
Fair isle Day 7: After a morning when seawatching was the only option, and weather caused some flight uncertainty, things cleared up from mid afternoon and delivered some new Yellow-browed Warblers and 2 Richard’s Pipits including this bird in the Skadan crops
Rough weather with near gale southerlies and rain in Fair Isle this morning. Seawatching the order of the day with a couple of Sooty Shearwaters the highlight.
6 YBWs, Barred W & Rosefinch island-wide today but probably all lingering birds from several days ago