Sarah Dalrymple
@sarahdalgulls.bsky.social
Seabirder and gull fan in north-east England, my posts here are entirely my own
also active at @sarahdalgulls@ecoevo.social on mastodon
https://sarahdal.github.io/
also active at @sarahdalgulls@ecoevo.social on mastodon
https://sarahdal.github.io/
Reposted by Sarah Dalrymple
"slaves of the boffins" is just the most late 70s/early 80s educational content way to describe this. I can imagine it being said by a very dry Open University lecturer
January 3, 2026 at 4:40 PM
"slaves of the boffins" is just the most late 70s/early 80s educational content way to describe this. I can imagine it being said by a very dry Open University lecturer
Reposted by Sarah Dalrymple
3/4 On really cold nights, wrens are triggered into communal roosting to conserve body heat. You'll notice that I placed a temperature probe in this nest box and the differential in ext/int temperature was remarkable.
As soon as milder weather arrives the birds revert to roosting singly or in pairs.
As soon as milder weather arrives the birds revert to roosting singly or in pairs.
October 3, 2025 at 11:23 AM
3/4 On really cold nights, wrens are triggered into communal roosting to conserve body heat. You'll notice that I placed a temperature probe in this nest box and the differential in ext/int temperature was remarkable.
As soon as milder weather arrives the birds revert to roosting singly or in pairs.
As soon as milder weather arrives the birds revert to roosting singly or in pairs.
terrifying - I'm normally quite cool around cows and don't hike with a dog, but this is awful
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Peebles woman crushed by cows near Newtonmore feared for her life
Mary-Jane Parker, from Peebles, suffered 10 broken ribs and multiple other injuries in the Highlands.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 3, 2026 at 3:32 PM
terrifying - I'm normally quite cool around cows and don't hike with a dog, but this is awful
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Sarah Dalrymple
I was recently interviewed about the potential impact of ring-necked parakeets in the UK. Currently, there's no strong evidence of negative impact. We need detailed field studies to understand the behavioural ecology of this species, in order to inform policy.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
LinkedIn
This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn
lnkd.in
January 2, 2026 at 1:57 PM
I was recently interviewed about the potential impact of ring-necked parakeets in the UK. Currently, there's no strong evidence of negative impact. We need detailed field studies to understand the behavioural ecology of this species, in order to inform policy.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Reposted by Sarah Dalrymple
Not much in the way birding being done here today on Westray. Lots of snow fell overnight. Snow-laden skies. Strong winds. Drifting snow. Some roads not passable cos no gritting at all done here. Our hill road now turning to sheet ice. Looks very atmospheric tho! #Westray #OrkneyIsles #Orkney
January 3, 2026 at 1:56 PM
Not much in the way birding being done here today on Westray. Lots of snow fell overnight. Snow-laden skies. Strong winds. Drifting snow. Some roads not passable cos no gritting at all done here. Our hill road now turning to sheet ice. Looks very atmospheric tho! #Westray #OrkneyIsles #Orkney
Reposted by Sarah Dalrymple
If you’re still on X because you think it’s “where the conversation is”, it isn’t.
Ofcom’s Online Nation Report 2025 shows X is no longer a mainstream platform in the UK. Fewer people use it, engagement is tiny, and harm is concentrated.
🔗 tinyurl.com/OfcomON
🧵Here's what the data says ...
Ofcom’s Online Nation Report 2025 shows X is no longer a mainstream platform in the UK. Fewer people use it, engagement is tiny, and harm is concentrated.
🔗 tinyurl.com/OfcomON
🧵Here's what the data says ...
January 3, 2026 at 12:23 PM
If you’re still on X because you think it’s “where the conversation is”, it isn’t.
Ofcom’s Online Nation Report 2025 shows X is no longer a mainstream platform in the UK. Fewer people use it, engagement is tiny, and harm is concentrated.
🔗 tinyurl.com/OfcomON
🧵Here's what the data says ...
Ofcom’s Online Nation Report 2025 shows X is no longer a mainstream platform in the UK. Fewer people use it, engagement is tiny, and harm is concentrated.
🔗 tinyurl.com/OfcomON
🧵Here's what the data says ...
Reposted by Sarah Dalrymple
Everything going well.
January 3, 2026 at 10:58 AM
Everything going well.
Reposted by Sarah Dalrymple
This is a thread of major media outlets falsely anthropomorphising the "Grok" chatbot program and in doing so, actively and directly removing responsibility and accountability from individual people working at X who created a child pornography generator (Elon Musk, Nikita Bier etc)
#1: Reuters
#1: Reuters
January 2, 2026 at 8:02 PM
This is a thread of major media outlets falsely anthropomorphising the "Grok" chatbot program and in doing so, actively and directly removing responsibility and accountability from individual people working at X who created a child pornography generator (Elon Musk, Nikita Bier etc)
#1: Reuters
#1: Reuters
Reposted by Sarah Dalrymple
FFS the chatbot did not post about lapses in safeguards, it is not a person or sentient being and journalists somehow implying it is a chatbots fault rather then the utter lack of regulation in AI combined with the world richest nazi needs to wake up
January 2, 2026 at 7:39 PM
FFS the chatbot did not post about lapses in safeguards, it is not a person or sentient being and journalists somehow implying it is a chatbots fault rather then the utter lack of regulation in AI combined with the world richest nazi needs to wake up
Reposted by Sarah Dalrymple
It is not a natural river - highly managed - partly to prevent flooding downstream
www.waterofleith.org.uk/management/
www.waterofleith.org.uk/management/
River Management & Projects » The Water of Leith Conservation Trust
Learn about some of the conservation and energy projects that are planned or have been recently completed along the Water of Leith.
www.waterofleith.org.uk
January 2, 2026 at 7:20 PM
It is not a natural river - highly managed - partly to prevent flooding downstream
www.waterofleith.org.uk/management/
www.waterofleith.org.uk/management/
Walked the Water of Leith path on New Years Day, from Leith to Balerno, about 21km. A bit samey (A river! behind some trees!) but a really lovely long, non-strenuous walk, through some of the best of Edinburgh. Very much enjoyed this!
waterofleith.org.uk/walkway/
#Edinburgh #Leith #Hiking
waterofleith.org.uk/walkway/
#Edinburgh #Leith #Hiking
January 2, 2026 at 7:06 PM
Walked the Water of Leith path on New Years Day, from Leith to Balerno, about 21km. A bit samey (A river! behind some trees!) but a really lovely long, non-strenuous walk, through some of the best of Edinburgh. Very much enjoyed this!
waterofleith.org.uk/walkway/
#Edinburgh #Leith #Hiking
waterofleith.org.uk/walkway/
#Edinburgh #Leith #Hiking
Reposted by Sarah Dalrymple
File under, we never quite know what's coming next.
One of my favourite embassy reports. The UK ambassador in East Berlin reporting in after the fall of the Wall...
One of my favourite embassy reports. The UK ambassador in East Berlin reporting in after the fall of the Wall...
January 2, 2026 at 9:36 AM
File under, we never quite know what's coming next.
One of my favourite embassy reports. The UK ambassador in East Berlin reporting in after the fall of the Wall...
One of my favourite embassy reports. The UK ambassador in East Berlin reporting in after the fall of the Wall...
Reposted by Sarah Dalrymple
Can you help us fill the remaining vacant sites for the International Swan Census on 17-18 January? 🦢 Find and request a site at app.bto.org/gsmp/public/... Thank you! #UKBirding
1/ Can you help us count Bewick's and Whooper Swans for the International Swan Census on 17-18 January 2026? 🦢
Visit the vacant site map to request a site at app.bto.org/gsmp/pub...
#Ornithology @webs-gsmp.bsky.social
Visit the vacant site map to request a site at app.bto.org/gsmp/pub...
#Ornithology @webs-gsmp.bsky.social
January 2, 2026 at 2:58 PM
Can you help us fill the remaining vacant sites for the International Swan Census on 17-18 January? 🦢 Find and request a site at app.bto.org/gsmp/public/... Thank you! #UKBirding
Scottish Snow Gate Cameras www.snowgatecameras.co.uk
Snow Gate Cameras – Please check the times on the individual feeds to make sure current, if not current please refresh the page. IMAGES ARE NOT RETAINED. Updated: 20/11/25
www.snowgatecameras.co.uk
January 2, 2026 at 4:29 PM
Scottish Snow Gate Cameras www.snowgatecameras.co.uk
Reposted by Sarah Dalrymple
Reposted by Sarah Dalrymple
Es ist wieder soweit! It's time to take down and responsibly dispose of your xmas tree. Please consider the Christmas tree cannon
January 2, 2026 at 12:42 PM
Es ist wieder soweit! It's time to take down and responsibly dispose of your xmas tree. Please consider the Christmas tree cannon
Reposted by Sarah Dalrymple
Reminder that Reform UK featured a notorious antivaxxer as a keynote speaker at their recent conference. The UK is not immune from this weaponized idiocy.
A hearty congrats to RFK Jr., as the U.S. is poised to lose its measles elimination status after 25 years, with the most cases since the early 1990s.
Congrats to RFK Jr., As the U.S. Is Poised to Lose Its Measles Elimination Status After 25 Years
After a quarter century where measles was considered eliminated in the U.S., 2025's continuous outbreaks have us back at ground zero.
www.jezebel.com
January 2, 2026 at 9:18 AM
Reminder that Reform UK featured a notorious antivaxxer as a keynote speaker at their recent conference. The UK is not immune from this weaponized idiocy.
Reposted by Sarah Dalrymple
Reposted by Sarah Dalrymple
Happy New Year - and SURPRISE! 🥳
Our brand new homepage is now LIVE at www.northeastheritagelibrary.co.uk
More modern, simple and visually engaging. A brand new, more user friendly menu. Most of all, a big focus on what matters.
Our brand new homepage is now LIVE at www.northeastheritagelibrary.co.uk
More modern, simple and visually engaging. A brand new, more user friendly menu. Most of all, a big focus on what matters.
January 1, 2026 at 10:41 AM
Happy New Year - and SURPRISE! 🥳
Our brand new homepage is now LIVE at www.northeastheritagelibrary.co.uk
More modern, simple and visually engaging. A brand new, more user friendly menu. Most of all, a big focus on what matters.
Our brand new homepage is now LIVE at www.northeastheritagelibrary.co.uk
More modern, simple and visually engaging. A brand new, more user friendly menu. Most of all, a big focus on what matters.
Reposted by Sarah Dalrymple
You'd think the British government (and everyone else still using X for 'reach') would not want to be known to be frequenting a platform that carries and actually generates child porn. And yet they keep posting there.
January 2, 2026 at 7:05 AM
You'd think the British government (and everyone else still using X for 'reach') would not want to be known to be frequenting a platform that carries and actually generates child porn. And yet they keep posting there.
Again, why do almost every organisation and politician still have accounts on X
what’s happening with grok and nudity spam requests should be a global wake up call about AI image gen and instead very few media outlets have even covered it yet
January 2, 2026 at 8:49 AM
Again, why do almost every organisation and politician still have accounts on X
Reposted by Sarah Dalrymple
It’s exactly seven years since Greggs announced it would start selling vegan sausage rolls the following day, so it must be time to celebrate this exchange from the old place
January 2, 2026 at 8:11 AM
It’s exactly seven years since Greggs announced it would start selling vegan sausage rolls the following day, so it must be time to celebrate this exchange from the old place
Reposted by Sarah Dalrymple
Smartphone cameras are ruining terrible photography. All four of these shots are presented without filter, all taken while walking the dog in moonlight. We do not have street lighting. It’s like a night scene in a movie which they shot during the day.
January 1, 2026 at 9:26 PM
Smartphone cameras are ruining terrible photography. All four of these shots are presented without filter, all taken while walking the dog in moonlight. We do not have street lighting. It’s like a night scene in a movie which they shot during the day.
Reposted by Sarah Dalrymple
Went out, left the radio on for the dog.
“And next on BBC Radio 3, Sir Simon Rattle conducts the B&Q Symphony Orchestra as they play Benjamin Britten’s Doorbell Symphony in B minor, with extra doorbells”
“And next on BBC Radio 3, Sir Simon Rattle conducts the B&Q Symphony Orchestra as they play Benjamin Britten’s Doorbell Symphony in B minor, with extra doorbells”
January 1, 2026 at 4:34 PM
Went out, left the radio on for the dog.
“And next on BBC Radio 3, Sir Simon Rattle conducts the B&Q Symphony Orchestra as they play Benjamin Britten’s Doorbell Symphony in B minor, with extra doorbells”
“And next on BBC Radio 3, Sir Simon Rattle conducts the B&Q Symphony Orchestra as they play Benjamin Britten’s Doorbell Symphony in B minor, with extra doorbells”