Chris Foster
@chrisfoster.bsky.social
The twit formerly known as hatbirder. Insects, birds, etc. Lecturer in ecology / entomology at University of Reading. See also @carabidaeuk.bsky.social.
Reposted by Chris Foster
If you're a National Trust member, it's that time of year again: Midnight tonight is the deadline. It's a shame people have to keep doing this to keep a toehold on historical truth in this country, but here we are. Voting link: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/who-we-are/a...
![[Scene is the entrance cabin to a NATIONAL TRUST PROPERTY AND GARDENS]
1
NATIONAL TRUST EMPLOYEE [inside cabin]:
Hello there
2
[A young family - two parents two kids - have arrived at the front desk].
DAD:
Hi - do you have an activity trail, for the kids?
3
NT EMPLOYEE:
Of course – you’re just in time for the Autumn Gammon Trail!
4
MUM:
That sounds fun, doesn’t it kids?
5
NT EMPLOYEE [handing an activity sheet and pencils to the kids]:
Every autumn, the Reform Trust gammons flock back to the National Trust for the AGM. Just follow the trail round the grounds, and see how many you can spot!
6
NT EMPLOYEE [hearing something in the gardens]:
Listen - that's their call
[Calls emanating from the landscape]:
tut-tut
woke-woke
7
NT EMPLOYEE [showing the family an apparently empty fenced enclosure with some bushes in]:
They are extremely sensitive and fragile...
But you can bring them out of hiding if you put a little sign down mentioning slavery.
8
KIDS [pointing]:
There they are!
[Some little red faced PEOPLE wearing Barbour jackets and gilets emerge cautiously from the bushes. They are creeping towards a TINY SIGN in the middle of the enclosure].
[Little people noises]:
woke-woke
tut-tut
woke-woke
9
[Close-up of the TINY SIGN - we can read that it says]:
Slavery had a bit to do with building this massive house.
[Noises from the little people again as they inspect the tiny sign]:
tut-tut
woke-woke
10
MUM [pointing]:
What's that one doing there?
NT EMPLOYEE:
Oh, that's so sweet…
11
[We see that one of the people is sat on a rock, with a little laptop open on a tree stump, and they are furiously typing away].
NT EMPLOYEE:
I think he's writing a column for the Daily Telegraph…
12
[We see close up to the little person’s screen, it is a word document reading]:
Are National Trust scones secretly WOKE?
[ends]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4m3we4apbjayclzcnhwe3pfp/bafkreib7lt736b6rmzinml5s7kxjdaapo2a36xp4d4lssypimx3taqicdm@jpeg)
October 31, 2025 at 9:02 AM
If you're a National Trust member, it's that time of year again: Midnight tonight is the deadline. It's a shame people have to keep doing this to keep a toehold on historical truth in this country, but here we are. Voting link: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/who-we-are/a...
Splashes of October colour on Greenham Common this morning while a Woodlark sang (listen below! 👇)
October 18, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Splashes of October colour on Greenham Common this morning while a Woodlark sang (listen below! 👇)
Ah, happy memory of a formative and necessary experience as a politician at any level - being slightly misquoted out of context by the press 😆
October 6, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Ah, happy memory of a formative and necessary experience as a politician at any level - being slightly misquoted out of context by the press 😆
I'm delighted to announce that I am....not the new Archbishop of Canterbury, despite 'rich hat priest follows mitre' being an anagram of my full name.
October 3, 2025 at 1:25 PM
I'm delighted to announce that I am....not the new Archbishop of Canterbury, despite 'rich hat priest follows mitre' being an anagram of my full name.
Reposted by Chris Foster
ACE Space Newbury
@acespacenewbury.bsky.social
· 8m
A busy October for #livemusic at ACE Space, Newbury
Fri 3 Oct - Unplugged Open Mic
Sat 4 Oct - Annie Keating Band
Sat 18 Oct - Mark Harrison Band
acespace.org.uk/events/
@acespacenewbury.bsky.social
· 8m
A busy October for #livemusic at ACE Space, Newbury
Fri 3 Oct - Unplugged Open Mic
Sat 4 Oct - Annie Keating Band
Sat 18 Oct - Mark Harrison Band
acespace.org.uk/events/
September 30, 2025 at 5:18 PM
ACE Space Newbury
@acespacenewbury.bsky.social
· 8m
A busy October for #livemusic at ACE Space, Newbury
Fri 3 Oct - Unplugged Open Mic
Sat 4 Oct - Annie Keating Band
Sat 18 Oct - Mark Harrison Band
acespace.org.uk/events/
@acespacenewbury.bsky.social
· 8m
A busy October for #livemusic at ACE Space, Newbury
Fri 3 Oct - Unplugged Open Mic
Sat 4 Oct - Annie Keating Band
Sat 18 Oct - Mark Harrison Band
acespace.org.uk/events/
Great Green Bush Cricket from a park in Potsdam earlier this month. Strikingly yellow legs on this individual
September 29, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Great Green Bush Cricket from a park in Potsdam earlier this month. Strikingly yellow legs on this individual
Reposted by Chris Foster
Exciting news that the Kennet Valley Wetland Reserve has finally been given the go-ahead. The ancient, but innovative, rural town of #Hungerford & its unique Town & Manor (that upholds commoners rights, keeps commons & open spaces for all) will be creating a new wildlife & community reserve 1/2
September 28, 2025 at 7:59 AM
Exciting news that the Kennet Valley Wetland Reserve has finally been given the go-ahead. The ancient, but innovative, rural town of #Hungerford & its unique Town & Manor (that upholds commoners rights, keeps commons & open spaces for all) will be creating a new wildlife & community reserve 1/2
Turns out, German trains are indeed actually worse than ours which is pretty impressive. At least we usually get announcements on the train.
September 18, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Turns out, German trains are indeed actually worse than ours which is pretty impressive. At least we usually get announcements on the train.
What's the earliest we should be worried about a general election happening, and what slightly more sensible (if any are left by then) other countries might take in political refugees?
September 8, 2025 at 2:44 PM
What's the earliest we should be worried about a general election happening, and what slightly more sensible (if any are left by then) other countries might take in political refugees?
Kevin and the rest of us are looking forward to welcoming you!
Very excited to announce that I will be joining the staff at @uniofreading.bsky.social in the new year.
Especially looking forward to working alongside Kevin the Ichthyostega and the team at the @colezoology.bsky.social as part of my new role.
Especially looking forward to working alongside Kevin the Ichthyostega and the team at the @colezoology.bsky.social as part of my new role.
September 8, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Kevin and the rest of us are looking forward to welcoming you!
Reposted by Chris Foster
I really like this paper, which models patterns and drivers of occupancy change across GB for 1252 insect species. Especially like Fig 5 which shows the most important negative and positive drivers for each grid square #conservationscience 🌍
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
September 4, 2025 at 7:28 AM
I really like this paper, which models patterns and drivers of occupancy change across GB for 1252 insect species. Especially like Fig 5 which shows the most important negative and positive drivers for each grid square #conservationscience 🌍
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Looking forward to seeing everyone at Ento25 this coming week @royentsoc.bsky.social. This memory popped up today, entomophagy at Ento15 in Dublin! As I recall the ants were quite piquant.
September 6, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Looking forward to seeing everyone at Ento25 this coming week @royentsoc.bsky.social. This memory popped up today, entomophagy at Ento15 in Dublin! As I recall the ants were quite piquant.
Imagine how miserable you'd have to be to spend your day getting angry about improving road safety, or finding it funny (and it goes without saying, never read comments on Facebook!)
August 20, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Imagine how miserable you'd have to be to spend your day getting angry about improving road safety, or finding it funny (and it goes without saying, never read comments on Facebook!)
Reposted by Chris Foster
📢 Deadline extended!
We're offering an extra week to join the entomological community at #Ento25 in #Glasgow.
Make the most of your trip and explore this vibrant city around the conference & discover the #ScottishHighlands.
Deadline: 25 Aug 🔽
buff.ly/FiCiHj8
@unistrathclyde.bsky.social
We're offering an extra week to join the entomological community at #Ento25 in #Glasgow.
Make the most of your trip and explore this vibrant city around the conference & discover the #ScottishHighlands.
Deadline: 25 Aug 🔽
buff.ly/FiCiHj8
@unistrathclyde.bsky.social
Ento25 - Royal Entomological Society
Join entomologists from around the world to present your work, meet new contacts, and build on your career. We are delighted to be holding Ento25 at the University of Strathclyde in the city centre…
www.royensoc.co.uk
August 18, 2025 at 2:30 PM
📢 Deadline extended!
We're offering an extra week to join the entomological community at #Ento25 in #Glasgow.
Make the most of your trip and explore this vibrant city around the conference & discover the #ScottishHighlands.
Deadline: 25 Aug 🔽
buff.ly/FiCiHj8
@unistrathclyde.bsky.social
We're offering an extra week to join the entomological community at #Ento25 in #Glasgow.
Make the most of your trip and explore this vibrant city around the conference & discover the #ScottishHighlands.
Deadline: 25 Aug 🔽
buff.ly/FiCiHj8
@unistrathclyde.bsky.social
I have no idea who or what Clean Bandit are, but the BirdNet classifier as run on the Chirpity software is 98% certain they are a Tawny Owl.
August 17, 2025 at 2:00 PM
I have no idea who or what Clean Bandit are, but the BirdNet classifier as run on the Chirpity software is 98% certain they are a Tawny Owl.
Reposted by Chris Foster
OK and permit us one none insect, because Bristly Millipedes are awesome!
August 16, 2025 at 5:22 PM
OK and permit us one none insect, because Bristly Millipedes are awesome!
Reposted by Chris Foster
And a handful more why not...
August 16, 2025 at 5:22 PM
And a handful more why not...
Reposted by Chris Foster
Insects from our 2nd year field course at Slapton Ley last week. Always a rewarding place to spend some time entomologising! IDs in alt text.
August 16, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Insects from our 2nd year field course at Slapton Ley last week. Always a rewarding place to spend some time entomologising! IDs in alt text.
Reposted by Chris Foster
Near the end of our undergraduate biodiversity fieldcourse in Devon. Lots of species and much fun had #universityofreading
August 10, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Near the end of our undergraduate biodiversity fieldcourse in Devon. Lots of species and much fun had #universityofreading
RSPB species ID needs some work
July 17, 2025 at 7:47 AM
RSPB species ID needs some work
Reposted by Chris Foster
There in lies the difficulty in assessing populations from observations, good thing we have long-term monitoring programs, real need to develop more for other taxa.
July 12, 2025 at 11:01 AM
There in lies the difficulty in assessing populations from observations, good thing we have long-term monitoring programs, real need to develop more for other taxa.
On this day in 2018, at least 50 Swifts over our garden, probably 70+. Happy if I see more than 20 now. Rapidly shifting baselines, though that was on the sort of thundery day where non-local birds pass through following ascending insects.
July 12, 2025 at 10:48 AM
On this day in 2018, at least 50 Swifts over our garden, probably 70+. Happy if I see more than 20 now. Rapidly shifting baselines, though that was on the sort of thundery day where non-local birds pass through following ascending insects.
Another summer of heat and drought anxiety and I'm extra glad of having planted plenty of shady hedge plants and fruit trees when we moved in 2022. They struggled that first summer but now help keep our garden cooler, greener and relatively insect rich. Pond rapidly evaporating is a worry though.
July 10, 2025 at 8:32 AM
Another summer of heat and drought anxiety and I'm extra glad of having planted plenty of shady hedge plants and fruit trees when we moved in 2022. They struggled that first summer but now help keep our garden cooler, greener and relatively insect rich. Pond rapidly evaporating is a worry though.
Based on my spring and summer so far I'm thinking about pitching a book in which I go on gentle days out looking for rare beetles, find none of them and learn nothing about myself whatsoever. It would at least be unflinchingly honest #naturewriting
July 8, 2025 at 11:37 AM
Based on my spring and summer so far I'm thinking about pitching a book in which I go on gentle days out looking for rare beetles, find none of them and learn nothing about myself whatsoever. It would at least be unflinchingly honest #naturewriting