Chris Sharpe
@sharpebirder.bsky.social
Conservation biologist: threatened birds, Redlists, bird vocalisations, RAPs & surveys, shorebirds. Working in 🇻🇪 & Latin America since 1988. Made in The North 🇬🇧.
Pinned
Here's something that may not be around for very much longer. Withdrawal of USDA funding has terminated my own work (por ahora...), and firing of staff and cuts directly affects these farming communities. They're cheering now, but will Trumpsters welcome the empty shelves and price increases?
"More than 252 Venezuelans deported to El Salvador under the Trump regime’s mass deportation policy suffered systematic and prolonged torture and abuse, including sexual assault, during their detention." www.hrw.org/report/2025/...
“You Have Arrived in Hell”
The 81-page report, “‘You Have Arrived in Hell’: Torture and Other Abuses Against Venezuelans in El Salvador’s Mega Prison,” provides a comprehensive account of the treatment of these people in El Sal...
www.hrw.org
November 13, 2025 at 11:16 AM
"More than 252 Venezuelans deported to El Salvador under the Trump regime’s mass deportation policy suffered systematic and prolonged torture and abuse, including sexual assault, during their detention." www.hrw.org/report/2025/...
Reposted by Chris Sharpe
Last week I had a couple of days in São Paulo before heading to Belem for COP30 and managed to donate old issues of @neobirdconserve.bsky.social magazines to Instituto Anchieta Grajaú and Ornitomulheres, the Brazilian Female Ornithologists Network. Glad these will not end up in the recycling bin!
November 10, 2025 at 11:23 PM
Last week I had a couple of days in São Paulo before heading to Belem for COP30 and managed to donate old issues of @neobirdconserve.bsky.social magazines to Instituto Anchieta Grajaú and Ornitomulheres, the Brazilian Female Ornithologists Network. Glad these will not end up in the recycling bin!
Reposted by Chris Sharpe
As reports tally up the 2025 fires, here's a long view back. I've updated and abridged Vestal Fire - now 40% as long, with half the new text completely rewritten, reorganized, and reconceptualized. The narrative still includes Russia. Should be published in spring, 2026.
October 16, 2025 at 2:24 PM
As reports tally up the 2025 fires, here's a long view back. I've updated and abridged Vestal Fire - now 40% as long, with half the new text completely rewritten, reorganized, and reconceptualized. The narrative still includes Russia. Should be published in spring, 2026.
Literally every assertion—I count eight—in Trump's latest anti-Venezuela rant is a lie. How concerned should we be that the leader of the most powerful country on Earth deals solely in disinformation and demagoguery? www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ-e...
Trump Vows to Stop Venezuelan Drugs 'By Land' After Sea Strikes
YouTube video by Times News
www.youtube.com
October 16, 2025 at 8:36 AM
Literally every assertion—I count eight—in Trump's latest anti-Venezuela rant is a lie. How concerned should we be that the leader of the most powerful country on Earth deals solely in disinformation and demagoguery? www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ-e...
Reposted by Chris Sharpe
This video of Chicagoans intervening to save a man from being abducted off the streets by ICE is making the rounds on Instagram.
Community action works.
Source: www.instagram.com/reel/DPZL2AL...
Community action works.
Source: www.instagram.com/reel/DPZL2AL...
October 5, 2025 at 5:24 PM
This video of Chicagoans intervening to save a man from being abducted off the streets by ICE is making the rounds on Instagram.
Community action works.
Source: www.instagram.com/reel/DPZL2AL...
Community action works.
Source: www.instagram.com/reel/DPZL2AL...
But, disregarding his political rants, Musk *has* materially eroded "freedom to carry out research without fear of discrimination, censorship, or other restrictions that would hinder their work". Surely @royalsociety.org is not unaware of this?
"I am increasingly concerned over threats to the values that allow science to flourish." Read the full statement from the President of the Royal Society Sir Adrian Smith: royalsociety.org/news/2025/10...
A statement from the President of the Royal Society | Royal Society
A statement from the President of the Royal Society regarding threats to the values that allow science to flourish.
royalsociety.org
October 2, 2025 at 6:16 AM
But, disregarding his political rants, Musk *has* materially eroded "freedom to carry out research without fear of discrimination, censorship, or other restrictions that would hinder their work". Surely @royalsociety.org is not unaware of this?
Venezuela is famous for having the largest proven oil reserves in the world, being home to the world's tallest waterfall and the ice-cream shop with most flavours, but this? I had no idea about the 'Worst in the World Insane Asylum'. The pretext for war seems to have shifted yet again.
September 20, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Venezuela is famous for having the largest proven oil reserves in the world, being home to the world's tallest waterfall and the ice-cream shop with most flavours, but this? I had no idea about the 'Worst in the World Insane Asylum'. The pretext for war seems to have shifted yet again.
Reposted by Chris Sharpe
Some validation for my recent efforts in uploading some old images of unidentified species to @inaturalist.bsky.social – turns out I photographed an undescribed poison-dart frog in the Western Amazon 18 years ago 🌎 🧪🐸🪶 #ornithology #herpetology 🧵1/21
September 5, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Some validation for my recent efforts in uploading some old images of unidentified species to @inaturalist.bsky.social – turns out I photographed an undescribed poison-dart frog in the Western Amazon 18 years ago 🌎 🧪🐸🪶 #ornithology #herpetology 🧵1/21
Colossal Biosciences have succeeded, "through radical new technologies" in replicating the phenotype of Golden-crowned Manakin Lepidothrix vilasboasi even before it is extinct!
doi.org/10.2173/bow....
doi.org/10.2173/bow....
September 3, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Colossal Biosciences have succeeded, "through radical new technologies" in replicating the phenotype of Golden-crowned Manakin Lepidothrix vilasboasi even before it is extinct!
doi.org/10.2173/bow....
doi.org/10.2173/bow....
Venezuela, from 1970s to 2000s the birders' gateway country to South America, with its pioneering modern field guide and excellent national infrastructure, is now an outlier, with huge avitourism potential, very few visitors and no growth. doi.org/10.1002/pan3... #ornithology
Human development, societal stability and bird capital predict global tourist eBirding activity
Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
doi.org
September 3, 2025 at 7:05 AM
Venezuela, from 1970s to 2000s the birders' gateway country to South America, with its pioneering modern field guide and excellent national infrastructure, is now an outlier, with huge avitourism potential, very few visitors and no growth. doi.org/10.1002/pan3... #ornithology
It really shouldn't require "a backlash" to remind people that a neo-Nazi music festival is not a good idea, even in Yarmouth.
September 3, 2025 at 5:55 AM
It really shouldn't require "a backlash" to remind people that a neo-Nazi music festival is not a good idea, even in Yarmouth.
RFK parroting environmental disinformation prepared by Hugo Chávez's 'communicational hegemony' propagandist, Michael 'Shill' Shellenberger, who now works for the Trump regime... www.youtube.com/watch?v=hanK...
Health Sec. RFK Jr.: Wind Farms Are 'Wiping Out The Whale Population' And Hurting Fisheries
YouTube video by Forbes Breaking News
www.youtube.com
August 27, 2025 at 10:12 AM
RFK parroting environmental disinformation prepared by Hugo Chávez's 'communicational hegemony' propagandist, Michael 'Shill' Shellenberger, who now works for the Trump regime... www.youtube.com/watch?v=hanK...
Handy summary of the original paper analysing one of the factors in the ongoing collapse: "the historical intensification of heat extremes has caused a 25–38% reduction in the level of abundance of tropical birds, which has accumulated from 1950 to 2020." theconversation.com/70-years-of-...
70 years of data show extreme heat is already wiping out tropical bird populations
A study using more than 90,000 scientific observations shows Earth is getting too hot for many tropical birds.
theconversation.com
August 12, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Handy summary of the original paper analysing one of the factors in the ongoing collapse: "the historical intensification of heat extremes has caused a 25–38% reduction in the level of abundance of tropical birds, which has accumulated from 1950 to 2020." theconversation.com/70-years-of-...
Anyone still not able to join the dots...?
August 11, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Anyone still not able to join the dots...?
Norfolk is set to warm back up to Caracas temperatures again next week. The Chinese can cook up some pretty convincing hoaxes.
August 9, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Norfolk is set to warm back up to Caracas temperatures again next week. The Chinese can cook up some pretty convincing hoaxes.
These binoculars have been wonderful companions on many a field trip and tour, but although I've really pampered them the time has come to test that famous Swarovski warranty.
August 9, 2025 at 2:51 PM
These binoculars have been wonderful companions on many a field trip and tour, but although I've really pampered them the time has come to test that famous Swarovski warranty.
An excellent up-to-date review of the profound impacts of illegal government-promoted gold mining in the Venezuelan Guayana, one of the world's most severe and least acknowledged environmental crises. www.crisisgroup.org/latin-americ...
A Curse of Gold: Mining and Violence in Venezuela’s South | International Crisis Group
Illegal gold mining is doing growing damage to southern Venezuela, its delicate ecosystem and its people. Curbing this harm is up to the government in Caracas. Foreign capitals should use whatever mea...
www.crisisgroup.org
July 29, 2025 at 6:07 PM
An excellent up-to-date review of the profound impacts of illegal government-promoted gold mining in the Venezuelan Guayana, one of the world's most severe and least acknowledged environmental crises. www.crisisgroup.org/latin-americ...
Reposted by Chris Sharpe
🪶🌎🧪 Bird Banding Lab threatened by budget cuts: The lab falls under the U. S. Geological Survey’s Ecosystem Mission Area, the agency’s major ecology program, which under President Trump’s 2026 proposed budget would see funding cut to $29 million, from $293 million. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/08/s...
Trump’s Budget Would Clip Bird Banding. Hunters Are Not Happy.
www.nytimes.com
July 8, 2025 at 8:20 PM
🪶🌎🧪 Bird Banding Lab threatened by budget cuts: The lab falls under the U. S. Geological Survey’s Ecosystem Mission Area, the agency’s major ecology program, which under President Trump’s 2026 proposed budget would see funding cut to $29 million, from $293 million. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/08/s...
A prophetic piece published before the 4 July Edwards Plateau flash floods. www.texasobserver.org/trump-texas-...
Trump’s DOGE Cuts Are a Texas-Sized Disaster
Reckless agency layoffs and the dismantling of federal relief programs could leave the Lone Star State in peril.
www.texasobserver.org
July 6, 2025 at 12:11 PM
A prophetic piece published before the 4 July Edwards Plateau flash floods. www.texasobserver.org/trump-texas-...
If true, the direct impacts of defunding NOAA's National Weather Service are being felt sooner than expected. @nws.noaa.gov www.nytimes.com/2025/07/05/u...
As Floods Hit, Key Roles Were Vacant at Weather Service Offices in Texas
www.nytimes.com
July 6, 2025 at 7:41 AM
If true, the direct impacts of defunding NOAA's National Weather Service are being felt sooner than expected. @nws.noaa.gov www.nytimes.com/2025/07/05/u...
Reposted by Chris Sharpe
🧵 THREAD: Why the Cato Institute’s new paper on “misinformation panic” is dangerously wrong, and why it completely misunderstands the real crisis we face.
www.cato.org/policy-analy...
www.cato.org/policy-analy...
The Misleading Panic over Misinformation
People can’t agree on how to define misinformation and its related terms, making regulation nearly impossible. Instead, free expression serves as a better tool for discovering truth.
www.cato.org
June 27, 2025 at 6:50 AM
🧵 THREAD: Why the Cato Institute’s new paper on “misinformation panic” is dangerously wrong, and why it completely misunderstands the real crisis we face.
www.cato.org/policy-analy...
www.cato.org/policy-analy...
Reposted by Chris Sharpe
Look who's going to be at our AGM to be held at @globalbirdfair.bsky.social on the 12th of July. @themarshtit.bsky.social will talk about conservation in Bolivia after the formal part of the meeting. All welcome. Have you got something better to do?
July 2, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Look who's going to be at our AGM to be held at @globalbirdfair.bsky.social on the 12th of July. @themarshtit.bsky.social will talk about conservation in Bolivia after the formal part of the meeting. All welcome. Have you got something better to do?
I use @biodivlibrary.bsky.social all the time, an invaluable resource that, for example, archives past issues of Bull BOC back to 1893. Hard to see cash-strapped researchers adequately offsetting the termination of Smithsonian Institite's long-term hosting role, but donate here... #ornithology
BHL's "New Future" is hopeful, but uncertain.
We need your help:
🌱 Spread the word, far and wide
💚 Share the love #ILoveBHL
🤝 Donate to BHL: library.si.edu/donate/bhl-d...
💡 Contact us with your ideas and support: blog.biodiversitylibrary.org/2025/04/new-...
We need your help:
🌱 Spread the word, far and wide
💚 Share the love #ILoveBHL
🤝 Donate to BHL: library.si.edu/donate/bhl-d...
💡 Contact us with your ideas and support: blog.biodiversitylibrary.org/2025/04/new-...
A New Future for the Biodiversity Heritage Library
The Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) is the world’s largest open access digital library for biodiversity literature and archives. A global consortium of over 660 contributors, BHL has made more …
blog.biodiversitylibrary.org
July 3, 2025 at 5:29 AM
I use @biodivlibrary.bsky.social all the time, an invaluable resource that, for example, archives past issues of Bull BOC back to 1893. Hard to see cash-strapped researchers adequately offsetting the termination of Smithsonian Institite's long-term hosting role, but donate here... #ornithology
"Te tengo la celda lista..." m.youtube.com/watch?v=77qQ...
SHOCK MOMENT: Trump Says Mayorkas Might Be Arrested And Charged For Work During Biden Administration
YouTube video by Forbes Breaking News
m.youtube.com
July 2, 2025 at 2:33 PM
"Te tengo la celda lista..." m.youtube.com/watch?v=77qQ...
A heart-stoppingly faithful rendition of Eurasian Curlew extended song by this little fellow this morning, a potential first for our garden. Curlew do breed in Breckland, which is presumably where this Starling learned the prank.
July 2, 2025 at 10:00 AM
A heart-stoppingly faithful rendition of Eurasian Curlew extended song by this little fellow this morning, a potential first for our garden. Curlew do breed in Breckland, which is presumably where this Starling learned the prank.