Hugh Hanmer
hughhanmer.bsky.social
Hugh Hanmer
@hughhanmer.bsky.social

Ecologist, Ornithologist, Birdwatcher, Bird ringer. Researcher at BTO. Views my own.

Environmental science 69%
Geography 17%

Reposted by Hugh J. Hanmer

Lovely to finally make an effort to ring the local House Sparrow population in our garden. 19 of the 30+ flock now have some bling! Whether we ever catch them again remains to be seen! 😜 All ringing under licence and supervised by @hughhanmer.bsky.social #SuffolkBirds

Off to @nhm-london.bsky.social for @britornitholclub.bsky.social next weekend to talk Blackbirds and Usutu virus on behalf of @btobirds.bsky.social and the Vector-Borne RADAR project www.vb-radar.com
We'll be at @nhm-london.bsky.social Avian Odyssey on 20 September where Senior Research Ecologist Hugh Hanmer will be talking about the spread of the Usutu virus in Blackbirds in the UK.

Join us & leaders in wildlife & bird research. Find out more: www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/... #Ornithology

Reposted by Hugh J. Hanmer

We'll be at @nhm-london.bsky.social Avian Odyssey on 20 September where Senior Research Ecologist Hugh Hanmer will be talking about the spread of the Usutu virus in Blackbirds in the UK.

Join us & leaders in wildlife & bird research. Find out more: www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/... #Ornithology
🦠 SAVE THE DATE! 🦜

I'm excited to announce that the theme of the 2027 BOU conference is Avian Disease Ecology!

📍 Nottingham, UK
📅 6–8 April 2027

🔗 Full details: lnkd.in/gPvFFDJe

Please share widely!

#BOU2027 #Ornithology #WildlifeDisease #AvianDisease #EcoHealth
🚨New paper alert!🚨
We show that hummingbird beaks have changed in shape & size since around WWII, driven by the rise of commercialized feeders! 🧵
📄 Paper: dx.doi.org/10.1111/gcb....
#ornithology #evolution #GlobalChangeBiology
Supplemental Feeding as a Driver of Population Expansion and Morphological Change in Anna's Hummingbirds
Bird beaks are highly adaptable, with the potential to undergo rapid morphological shifts in response to environmental change such as climatic variation or food availability. Anna's Hummingbirds (Cal...
dx.doi.org

Reposted by Hugh J. Hanmer

Checking out our meadow today, was surprised to find this single Snakes-head Fritillary! Girls had to pose with it (Wish pre and Freya post bog dog bath!) #GardenDogs #BorderCollies @hughhanmer.bsky.social

Reposted by Hugh J. Hanmer

Up early for @btobirds.bsky.social #BirdRinging this morning. Wish did a fab job supervising @avutarta.bsky.social extracting one of two Reed Buntings caught and colour ringed. All birds caught and ringed under licence, and properly supervised by @hughhanmer.bsky.social

Did my 1st Woodlark visits for @btobirds.bsky.social Heathland Birds Survey this am. As expected nothing on one square but happily 2 males (1 definitely paired) merrily singing away on the main suitable habitat patch in the other square! Even attempted a dodgy phone photo of the pair. #UKbirding

First garden Bumblebee of the year with @welshlassy.bsky.social on our Crocuses this lunchtime! Buff-tailed Bumblebee queen? @bumblebeetrust.bsky.social @bto-gbw.bsky.social

Reposted by Hugh J. Hanmer

Afternoon dog walk today to check out @hughhanmer.bsky.social's Woodlark square for the @btobirds.bsky.social #HeathlandBirdsSurvey... Didn't expect much but a courting pair, plus flock of four means we'll be back for a proper survey soon!

Reposted by Hugh J. Hanmer

Job alert! We’ve got a great opportunity for a full time, permanent Senior Programme Lead to oversee the Bird Atlas 2027–31. For the full job description and to apply visit ➡️ www.bto.org/jobs #Ornithology

Why didn't that occur to us at the time we wrote the paper! 🤣
a cartoon owl standing on a tree branch with a yellow beak
ALT: a cartoon owl standing on a tree branch with a yellow beak
media.tenor.com
Did you know that Tawny Owls are less vocal on cloudy nights and when it is raining, but more active on nights when the moon is fuller? 🌕 🌧️ This was discovered from data collected for the BTO Tawny Owl Calling Survey. #Winterwatch #Ornithology #Birds

Also seems to be more Nuthatches about this winter at the site which may reflect the availability of natural food.

Probably although it was a new adult so we've no idea of its history. Based on these two different but more typical individuals caught later in the session, I'd still say the upper bird had a shorter than average bill in contrast! Should really have measured them... 🪶

Big difference in bill lengths on these #Nuthatch ringed this morning for the @btobirds.bsky.social winter #BirdRinging project. Both males but the longer billed bird was 2+ years old with other a 1st winter. ringed under license @welshlassy.bsky.social @greg-conway.bsky.social @avutarta.bsky.social

Reposted by Hugh J. Hanmer

New year, new job? 🤔 We’ve got some great vacancies at BTO, come & join our friendly team & help us secure the future for birds. 🐦 See job vacancies. ➡️ www.bto.org/jobs #Ornithology #UKBirding #Norfolkbirding

For the Director of Finance & Governance role, visit: bit.ly/BTODirectorFi...

Reposted by Hugh J. Hanmer

Frosty day out with @hughhanmer.bsky.social visiting @wwtworldwide.bsky.social #Caerlaverock. Nice to get the year list off to a good start (it won't last!), highlight being self finding a couple of Snipe on the ground in front of a hide. #UKBirding

Same thing for a few more hours!

First bird of the day a Wren. Best bird(s) of the day, on a non-birding @welshlassy.bsky.social family day, were several pairs of Goldeneye on a rather urban Strathclyde Country Park Loch in the snow!

Reposted by Hugh J. Hanmer

Job alerts! 📢 We’re looking for a BirdTrack Organiser and a Birds in Greenspaces Engagement Officer to join our team. 🐦 Find out more and apply ➡️ www.bto.org/jobs

#Ornithology #UKbirding

Reposted by Hugh J. Hanmer

Over the summer, our BTO research team were out ringing and GPS tagging nocturnal #Nightjars to better understand the challenges that they may face on migration to their non-breeding grounds in Africa. 🌍 #UKbirding #Ornithology

A late winter afternoon trip to the supermarket is always brightened up by seeing and hearing the Pied Wagtails gathering on the roof before dark and then coming out in the dark to them roosting in the trees just outside the entrance. #UrbanBirds #UKBirding #Birds @welshlassy.bsky.social

Come join the team!
Job vacancy! 📢 Join BTO as Farmland Research Manager➡️ www.bto.org.uk/jobs

This role sits in the Terrestrial #Ecology Team and manages farmland-focused field survey, review and analytical projects.

📝Closing date: 5 January 2025.

#ConservationJobs #ConservationCareers #Ornithology

Reposted by Hugh J. Hanmer

Job vacancy! 📢 Join BTO as Farmland Research Manager➡️ www.bto.org.uk/jobs

This role sits in the Terrestrial #Ecology Team and manages farmland-focused field survey, review and analytical projects.

📝Closing date: 5 January 2025.

#ConservationJobs #ConservationCareers #Ornithology

Not the best of photos but a concerning sign of the times bumping into a small flock of Ring-necked Parakeet on my morning dog walk today in our Suffolk town. I've heard them occasionally around here before but never actually seen them until this last week... #UKBirding #Parakeets #InvasiveSpecies
PhD Opportunity!! Come work with us (University of Exeter, RSPB & BTO) Diagnosing population decline in insectivorous birds. Inkd.in/eG58dQxs
Contact me for more details (s.bearhop@exeter.ac.uk). Please Share
@britishbirds.bsky.social @ibisjournal.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social

Might as well start actually using this... Anyway, caught my first Brambling of the year this morning - winter must finally be coming! Ringed under @btobirds.bsky.social licence. #Ornithology #birdringing

Reposted by Hugh J. Hanmer

BOU @bou.org.uk · Feb 23
❓Did you know... ❓

...at #BOU2024 Urban birds we're talking about...

At the bird table - disease spread and supplementary feeding
Hugh Hanmer

bou.org.uk/event/urb...

#ornithology