Martin Collinson
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docmartin2mc.bsky.social
Martin Collinson
@docmartin2mc.bsky.social
Britain's Top Vicarious Birder.
Aberdeen Wildife DNA lab. Aniridia research.
Likes birds, stamps, ghosts, art, and wasps.
Leeds United #lufc because I was bad in a previous life.
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/aberdeendnalab
Reposted by Martin Collinson
Both the Red-spotted and White-spotted races of Bluethroat try to breed in the UK occasionally but breeding has only been confirmed on five occasions, in 1968, 85, 95, 2016 (Red-spotted) and 1996 (White-spotted). There were single possible breeding records of both in 2023 #ukbirding #ornithology
November 6, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Reposted by Martin Collinson
Another species returning to breed in 2023 was Temminck's Stint; a pair laid a clutch of four eggs in Highland, although the nest was later flooded out. This tiny wader bred regularly in the 1970s, 80s and 90s, but this was the first confirmed breeding since 1997 #ornithology #BirdingScotland
November 6, 2025 at 10:43 AM
In @elife.bsky.social: Sox9 prevents retinal degeneration and is required for limbal stem cell differentiation in the adult mouse eye doi.org/10.7554/eLif...
Sox9 prevents retinal degeneration and is required for limbal stem cell differentiation in the adult mouse eye
The Sox9 gene is necessary for maintaining vision in the mouse adult eye, acting as an essential factor for retinal and corneal function.
doi.org
November 6, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Reposted by Martin Collinson
Coming through! Important ptarmigan stuff to do!
#birds 🌿
November 2, 2025 at 8:23 PM
It's happening #fieldsofthenephilim
October 30, 2025 at 6:31 PM
8 year anniversary of my best ever but sadly ignored tweet
October 28, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Reposted by Martin Collinson
At a fancy-pants conference where everyone's a professor and let me tell you the timetable is not holding up well.
October 27, 2025 at 11:13 AM
There really is a Half Man Half Biscuit song for every occasion.

spotify.link/XyMqMeeQCXb
October 20, 2025 at 5:54 PM
The sound of October.
October 17, 2025 at 11:08 AM
I can never tell if Eiders are really interested in what I say, or whether they're just being sarcastic.
October 16, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Behold, a Lindisfarne Helleborine in all its October glory.
October 15, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Blimey you don't bump into these every day
October 13, 2025 at 4:28 PM
So many treats offshore today, including a Merlin chasing incoming passerine over the sea, juv Sabine's Gull, Little Gull, Whooper Swans and Barnacle Geese, and patch-rarest of all, 3 Shelducks going south.
October 5, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Thank you to everyone who continues to contribute to our fundraiser. Recent greatest hits from samples sent in by ringers and birders for ID include an Atlas Flycatcher in Spain, and a Ménétries's Warbler in Poland!

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/...
Genetic Identification of Birds - The Aberdeen Wildlife DNA Lab
Help Martin Collinson raise money to support University of Aberdeen Development Trust SCIO
www.justgiving.com
October 5, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Top birds for yesterday were Treecreeper and (honorary bird) Minke Whale - both less than annual in Newtonhill despite no lack of trees or sea.
September 29, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Is it just me or is beer getting sillier?
September 28, 2025 at 7:50 AM
Reposted by Martin Collinson
September 25, 2025 at 10:19 AM
Reposted by Martin Collinson
10,000 have joined us as paid-up members!

Some people have experienced issues due to such high traffic!

It is a safe and secure platform so please keep trying: www.yourparty-membership.uk
September 18, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Reposted by Martin Collinson
48 years ago, on the 18th of September 1977, space probe Voyager I took the first long distance photograph of earth and the moon together from 7.25 million miles (11.66 million kilometres) away. #otd #history #space 🗃️
September 18, 2025 at 6:33 AM
My first Pinkies of the autumn flying south out at sea. Still quite a few Little Gulls in this corner of the North Sea too.
September 17, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Reposted by Martin Collinson
The @nhmdk.bsky.social is offering a #PhD position in collections-based taxonomic or similar research, ideally focused on 'dark taxa' occurring in Denmark. The call is a broad one. Get in touch with a relevant curator if you're interested! 🧪🐝🪰💐🪱
candidate.hr-manager.net/ApplicationI...
PhD fellowship in collection-based Natural History Research
Natural History Museum Denmark Faculty of SCIENCE University of Copenhagen   Natural History Museum Denmark invites applicants for a PhD fellowship in coll
candidate.hr-manager.net
September 15, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Persistent SW winds have churned up the sea off Newtonhill and I've been getting flocks of feeding Common and Arctic Terns with Little Gulls - 60 LG yesterday and 25 today. Not massive numbers but prob more than I've had on the patches in last 20+ years.
September 7, 2025 at 5:42 PM
The sea looked very quiet this afternoon, and indeed there weren't many burbs around, but 2 Sabine's Gulls were among them. Top Gullage.
September 3, 2025 at 6:43 PM
September 2, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Ménétries's Warbler in Poland this spring. DNA work by @tessaroo.bsky.social
September 1, 2025 at 12:28 PM