Dr Anke Marsh
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ankemarsh.bsky.social
Dr Anke Marsh
@ankemarsh.bsky.social
4.5K followers 3.1K following 2.9K posts
Palaeoecology, natural history, science, flora, fauna, microfossils. Researcher, writer, editor, photographer she/her

Also @lnhs.bsky.social for London based natural history
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ankemarsh.bsky.social
Today’s BotD theme is outstretched. Here’s an Egyptian goose from today

#BirdOfTheDay #Birds #EastCoastKin
A photograph of an Egyptian goose flying. It is flying over water, heading towards the left. It has a brownish body. Its head has a touch of white, with brown rings around its eyes. Its beak is pink. The wings have white at the top, with black at the tops and back. The black has some green iridescence.
December 27, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Reposted by Dr Anke Marsh
birdguides.bsky.social
A new survey has revealed that conservation grazing by heritage Dartmoor ponies is delivering strong results, with several rare and vulnerable bird species now breeding on restored heathland:
Conservation grazing brings rare breeding birds back to Dartmoor
Grazing by Dartmoor ponies at Bellever Moor and Meadows reserve in Devon has helped revive rare heathland birds, with new breeding records of Tree Pipit, Whinchat, Eurasian Skylark and other Red- and Amber-listed species following habitat restoration.
bit.ly
December 27, 2025 at 7:16 AM
ankemarsh.bsky.social
Exponential greenwashing. Exponential AI-washing. We don’t need AI, it’s simply a money-making venture by tech bros. Meantime, we all pay cognitively and with our, and our planet’s, health.
December 27, 2025 at 12:16 PM
ankemarsh.bsky.social
So, yesterday we went to visit my mum in her nursing home. I gave her the scarf I crocheted and she really liked it :) Then the kiddo mentions some of the other things I had made (whale, octopus etc) and my mum says, ‘oh! I want one!’ I say, ‘ok, what do you want me to make for you? An octopus?’ 1/
December 26, 2025 at 11:08 PM
Reposted by Dr Anke Marsh
dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social
Lawnmowers: hugely overrated.
The lawn of the house I rented in 2018-2019, before the letting agent told me to mow it, then took money off my deposit anyway because I hadn't mowed it to the standard she'd hoped for.
December 26, 2025 at 6:13 PM
ankemarsh.bsky.social
Finally finished my mum’s scarf. It is being modelled by Demeter and Persephone

(The statuettes are pressies for my classics mad kid, from @pottedhistory.bsky.social - check out their website!)

#Crochet #HumanMade #Pottery
A photograph of two statuettes draped in a scarf. The smaller white statue is of Demeter, draped in a peplos, holding one hand up, the other across her stomach. The larger statue is of Persephone, her daughter. She is wearing a peplos and holds a duck in one hand and a pomegranate (?) in the other. A burgundy crocheted scarf is draped around the figures.
December 25, 2025 at 1:16 PM
ankemarsh.bsky.social
Whatever you celebrate, however you celebrate, have a lovely time! And hugs to anyone who may be struggling - you are not alone ❤️
A photograph of a robin standing on a wooden perch. He is looking into the distance, to the left. On his left is the text, which reads Happy holidays!! The photo is bordered by white snowflakes.
December 25, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Reposted by Dr Anke Marsh
rebeccarhelm.bsky.social
[11/n] This is about whether or not the government has the right to your data. When someone argues that sex is binary and that biology is simple, the argument isn't ACTUALLY about biology. It's about if the government has a right to look down your pants, or in your blood, or collect your DNA...
December 24, 2025 at 1:53 AM
ankemarsh.bsky.social
Managed to finish a few pressies and almost finished with my mum’s scarf :))
A photograph of some crocheted items. In the foreground are two bowls - one black, one grey. Then a reddish scarf is draped over the bowls with two little octopuses on top. One is teal the other grey. Both have big eyes and keychain attachments.
December 24, 2025 at 1:32 PM
ankemarsh.bsky.social
So… I just got an email today saying that the project I’ve been working on, my main source of income, has been shelved til at least February. Merry Christmas!

If anyone has any editorial needs, please get in touch! Thanks #Editing #Proofreading #AcademicEditing
December 24, 2025 at 12:01 PM
ankemarsh.bsky.social
I was sitting outside and I noticed some fluttering in the rose bush. It was this wee goldcrest 😍 Only had my phone on me but I did manage a sideways pic for today’s BoTD theme :))

#BirdOfTheDay #LondonBirds
A photograph of a goldcrest in a rose bush. It is perched sideways on one thin branch, surrounded by other branches, some leaves and a few rosehips. It’s a yellowish-green bird, very tiny, with some black and yellow accents on its wings. It has large black eyes with tan circles. And on top of its head is a yellow stripe bordered in black. A very pretty little bird.
December 24, 2025 at 12:26 AM
ankemarsh.bsky.social
Grounded birds is the BotD theme. Here is a male chaffinch. I’m not sure who was more surprised when I stumbled across him on the path 🤣

#BirdOfTheDay #Birds
A photograph of a male chaffinch on a path. People complain about not having colourful birds in the UK. Yeah we do and this is one of them. This guy has a russet brown face, a steel blue stripe that runs from the top of his head down the wings. More russet brown on his back. His wings have white, black, grey and some greenish hues. Oh, and a light brown, round belly. He was walking ahead of me on the path, head turned a bit towards me when he heard me.
December 22, 2025 at 11:09 PM
ankemarsh.bsky.social
Living in the edge here - crocheting with the cat on my lap 😳

#Cats #Crochet
A photograph of my black and white cat. She is sitting on my lap, eyeing the bits of yarn dangling in front of her as I crochet. They are so tempting!
December 22, 2025 at 1:34 AM
ankemarsh.bsky.social
I’m a bit late but here are some of my faves from earlier this day for the BotD them of ‘about the kids’ - racing tufteds, a young Robin, Spikey, the little grebe and a floof ball of Egyptian goslings

#BirdOfTheDay #FestiveDailyRobin #Birds #HolidayRobin #EastCoastKin
A photograph of two juvenile tufted ducks racing across the lake. The lake is a dark green. The two brown ducks are paddling madly across, water droplets everywhere and with a couple of decent sized wakes behind them. A photograph of a very round young Robin. It is perched on a branch, facing to the right. He still hasn’t got his orange bib yet, and is adorned with mottled brown feathers. His legs are orange and look a bit too long for him! A photograph of a juvenile little grebe on the lake. Spikey was the sole survivor of three chicks born this year. In fact, this was the first recorded batch of little grebe chicks on this lake and so they caused a whole lot of excitement. The parents went on to have three more batches of chicks (busy busy) and poor little spikey was kicked off the lake. I hope he is ok. He is a round ball of floof, mainly shades of brown with a white, poofy butt and a white stripe going down his neck. His beak is very orange. A photograph of four Egyptian goslings cuddling on the lake side. These guys are so unbelievably cute, I just can’t. They are white balls of fluff with brown markings. Their beaks and eyes are a grey-green. Three are facing to the right, one is looking straight at the camera, head cocked a bit. I died of cuteness when I took this photo, and my ghost is writing this alt text.
December 22, 2025 at 1:29 AM
Reposted by Dr Anke Marsh
helenbennett.bsky.social
The pretty dried seed heads in the meadow were glistening in the sunshine yesterday. 📷 🌿

Happy winter solstice everyone! ✨🕊️

#Photography #ArtAdventCalendar #Nature #Stunday #EastCoastKin
A photograph of a dried winter umbel seed head that is covered in dew and cobwebs making it sparkle in the low sunlight. The image focuses on one large seed head that looks like a "starry" burst or explosion as the individual seed structures radiate from a central point. The background is buff coloured with a 'bokeh' appearance.
December 21, 2025 at 4:44 PM
ankemarsh.bsky.social
Happy Solstice to all

The shortest day has come and gone and tomorrow, we begin anew

#Solstice #Scape #ArtAdventCalendar #Photography
A photograph of water running into a weir. The weir is rectangular, with a steep straight slope down. The water is rushing from the lake, which has been fed by rains and brooks who have become mini rivers. The water streams down the side, like strands of hair, glistening gold in the winter sun. Below, the water pounds the surface and bubbles up - she cannot be contained by mere concrete. She will rush down, filling more brooks, who will burst their banks to create new wetlands, even if only ephemeral in nature. As ephemeral as today was.
December 21, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Reposted by Dr Anke Marsh
drnwillburger.bsky.social
Happy Winter Solstice everyone!

The days are getting longer from today 🌞

#Winter #WinterSolstice
Black‑and‑white cartoon of two vampires in long black cloaks standing together, looking worriedly at a wall calendar showing “Dec 22.” One says “Shit,” and below them the caption reads “NIGHTS ARE GETTING SHORTER.”
December 21, 2025 at 10:31 AM
Reposted by Dr Anke Marsh
theduncanmackay.bsky.social
Upon my sickle
I catch the sun
And by my power
I cast it on
Across the sky
The light to bring
To rouse the gods
To send the spring

#WinterSolstice #Solstice #Midwinter #PlaymobilInfestation
Playmobil Getafix the Druid holding his sickle into the sun in a snowy mountain landscape.
December 21, 2025 at 8:10 AM
ankemarsh.bsky.social
Wetlands

#BlueSkyArtShow #OpenHouse #Photography #ClassicMono #LandscapePhotography #Scape
A black and white landscape photo. In the foreground is some water - the little brook in the local reserve burst its little banks and spread out. There is a tree in the background, usually on dry land, now partly submerged. A branch protrudes from the main trunk, out over the water. Behind the tree are some smaller trees and pendulant sedge. The photo is dark, in shadow, giving a sense of eeriness.
December 21, 2025 at 2:12 AM
Reposted by Dr Anke Marsh
thegardenjungle.bsky.social
Today from @alan678.bsky.social the #BirdOfTheDay theme is #QuietMoments so here is a Wood Duck for you #birds #thegardenjungle #wildlifephotography #birdwatching #shropshire #UKwildlife #birdphotography #canon #photography
December 20, 2025 at 2:13 PM
ankemarsh.bsky.social
Peekaboo! I see you!

#SquirrelSaturday #Mammals #EastCoastKin
A photograph of a grey squirrel in a tree. The little squirrel is peeking through a fork in a tree, staring straight into the camera. Only is head, part of his chest and one paw, which is placed on the trunk, is visible, making him look really small.
December 20, 2025 at 11:35 AM
ankemarsh.bsky.social
A little robin contemplating life, or his next meal, for today’s BotD theme of quiet moments

#BirdOfTheDay #Birds #Borbs #DailyFestiveRobin #HolidayRobin
A photograph of a robin perched on a twig. The robin, with his grey brown body, orange chest and face and very round belly, sits on a twig that is angled towards the camera. He is looking off to the left, as if thinking deep thoughts about where to find his next worm. Behind him is a jumble of branchings, blurring out into the background.
December 20, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Reposted by Dr Anke Marsh
vannabartlett.bsky.social
A walk in the woods at Felbrigg with @jeremybartlett.bsky.social brought a longed for insect - Boreus hyemalis aka Snow Flea. Managed to spot a male then found a female and another male in a second patch of moss. Happy days!
A small, strange looking insect with long legs facing right on a brown leaf on the ground. The animal's head has big eyes and long beak like mouthparts. The body is dark brown and shiny. The vestigial wings are modified into strange curved spines. This one is a male. A small, strange looking insect with long legs facing right on a brown leaf on the ground. The animal's head has big eyes and long beak like mouthparts. The body is dark brown and shiny. The vestigial wings are modified into strange curved spines. It has quite long thin antennae. This one is a male. Looking down on a female Snow Flea half hidden in bright green moss. Her body is dark brown and shiny, the tip of the abdomen is extended into a long thin ovipositor. She is wingless. A female Snow Flea in a glass specimen pot facing left but slightly head on. The head is extended downwards into a beak-like structure. The top of her body is shiny dark brown but the flanks are pale whitish. Her orangey coloured ovipositor has a dark tip and is held curved slightly upwards.
December 19, 2025 at 6:18 PM
ankemarsh.bsky.social
Birds with long legs and necks is the BotD theme, along with the alt of birds on feeder. Here’s a grey heron checking out a mallard’s nest and a great tit and blue tit enjoying a birdfeeder

#BirdOfTheDay #Birds #Photography #LondonBirds
A photograph of a grey heron in some reeds. In the background are some branches from a tree. The heron is in the centre, facing left, amongst new growth reeds, which are still short and very green. The heron is stretching her head, looking very intently at a nest to the left. The back end of a drake is barely visible as it wanders off frame. There was a throuple of mallards - two drakes and one female. They had their nest in the reeds and a clutch of eggs or just hatched ducklings. The heron managed to eat all of them. It’s nature but still hard to watch. A photograph of two small birds on a feeder. The feeder is hanging on a hook, emerging into the frame at the top. The feeder has a green top and caging, inside of which is a large piece of suet. Two tits are hanging on to the cage, enjoying the suet. The great tit is on the left, upright with his feet grasping the cage. He has a black head, black chest with a black stripe running down his yellow belly, and white face patches. The blue tit has a blue head, black eye stripe and white cheeks. Her belly is yellow and her wings are shades of blue and green with some grey highlights. She is dangling on the bottom of the cage.
December 19, 2025 at 11:37 PM
ankemarsh.bsky.social
The rook has landed

(There is more than one in the shot 😀)

#FlyDay #ClassicMono #BlackAndWhite #Corvids #Photography #Birds #EastCoastKin
A black and white photo of a room landing on a branch on top of a tree. The conifer spreads out along the bottom half of the photo and the rook is on the centre. It is silhouetted against the grey sky, wings up, head down. There are at least two other rooks, and possibly three, in the conifer. One can be seen, poking out of the tree above left of the main rook.
December 19, 2025 at 6:26 PM