Wouter Vansteelant
@wmgvs.bsky.social
Trying to understand the world from a bird's perspective 🐦 | Migration and movement ecologist at BirdEyes.org. | Guest researcher at ibed.uva.nl | Co-founder of batumiraptorcount.org
Full portfolio at www.wouter-vansteelant.com
Full portfolio at www.wouter-vansteelant.com
Reposted by Wouter Vansteelant
New funded PhD projects with @marius-somveille.bsky.social, myself and collaborators. Examining migratory connectivity for seabirds www.uea.ac.uk/course/phd-d... and and the dynamics of seasonal migration www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPK742/p...
#ornithology
@ueaceec.bsky.social @ueaenv.bsky.social
#ornithology
@ueaceec.bsky.social @ueaenv.bsky.social
Vorläufige Ergebnisse des 8. Internationalen Weißstorchzensus 2024
Der 8. Internationale Weißstorchzensus fand 2024 wieder als ein gemeinsames Projekt von NABU (BirdLife Germany) und BirdLife International statt. Der NABU koordiniert die länderübergreifenden Zählunge...
bergenhusen.nabu.de
November 12, 2025 at 11:53 AM
New funded PhD projects with @marius-somveille.bsky.social, myself and collaborators. Examining migratory connectivity for seabirds www.uea.ac.uk/course/phd-d... and and the dynamics of seasonal migration www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPK742/p...
#ornithology
@ueaceec.bsky.social @ueaenv.bsky.social
#ornithology
@ueaceec.bsky.social @ueaenv.bsky.social
Reposted by Wouter Vansteelant
Dispersal, maturation and recruitment in a long-lived, intercontinental migrant bird | www.sciencedirect.co... | Animal Behaviour | #ornithology 🪶
October 28, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Dispersal, maturation and recruitment in a long-lived, intercontinental migrant bird | www.sciencedirect.co... | Animal Behaviour | #ornithology 🪶
The meadows still have to flood, but the winter bird community at Blaugerzen is starting to form. The first Barnacle and White-fronted Geese are back, and mixed flocks of Lapwing, Starling and Golden Plover are on the fields again. They'll define the birding scene for next five months. #birding
October 21, 2025 at 3:47 PM
The meadows still have to flood, but the winter bird community at Blaugerzen is starting to form. The first Barnacle and White-fronted Geese are back, and mixed flocks of Lapwing, Starling and Golden Plover are on the fields again. They'll define the birding scene for next five months. #birding
Reposted by Wouter Vansteelant
1.5 MILLION RAPTORS! 🦅🤯
For the first time in BRC history, we have recorded a staggering 1.5 million raptors in a single autumn season — a true milestone after 17 years of counting!
Read more here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/brc17/2025/10/15-million-raptors
#ornithology #RaptorResearch
For the first time in BRC history, we have recorded a staggering 1.5 million raptors in a single autumn season — a true milestone after 17 years of counting!
Read more here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/brc17/2025/10/15-million-raptors
#ornithology #RaptorResearch
October 20, 2025 at 2:43 PM
1.5 MILLION RAPTORS! 🦅🤯
For the first time in BRC history, we have recorded a staggering 1.5 million raptors in a single autumn season — a true milestone after 17 years of counting!
Read more here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/brc17/2025/10/15-million-raptors
#ornithology #RaptorResearch
For the first time in BRC history, we have recorded a staggering 1.5 million raptors in a single autumn season — a true milestone after 17 years of counting!
Read more here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/brc17/2025/10/15-million-raptors
#ornithology #RaptorResearch
Reposted by Wouter Vansteelant
New visual story: Bird migration is one of nature’s greatest spectacles — and scientists are uncovering extraordinary insights into how new threats are reshaping these epic journeys. Follow the remarkable travels of three birds as they fly across the planet. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
October 16, 2025 at 8:17 AM
New visual story: Bird migration is one of nature’s greatest spectacles — and scientists are uncovering extraordinary insights into how new threats are reshaping these epic journeys. Follow the remarkable travels of three birds as they fly across the planet. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Reposted by Wouter Vansteelant
The structure of the annual migratory flight activity in a songbird | royalsocietypublishi... | Proceedings of the Royal Society B | #ornithology 🪶
October 16, 2025 at 5:33 AM
The structure of the annual migratory flight activity in a songbird | royalsocietypublishi... | Proceedings of the Royal Society B | #ornithology 🪶
Reposted by Wouter Vansteelant
EARLY VIEW in IBIS
Challenges in population monitoring: Bar-tailed Godwits (Limosa lapponica) on the East Atlantic Flyway defy assumed population structure | onlinelibrary.wiley....
Jesse R. Conklin, Roeland A. Bom, Åke Lindström, Pierrick Bocher, Theunis Piersma | #ornithology 🪶
Challenges in population monitoring: Bar-tailed Godwits (Limosa lapponica) on the East Atlantic Flyway defy assumed population structure | onlinelibrary.wiley....
Jesse R. Conklin, Roeland A. Bom, Åke Lindström, Pierrick Bocher, Theunis Piersma | #ornithology 🪶
October 14, 2025 at 5:00 AM
EARLY VIEW in IBIS
Challenges in population monitoring: Bar-tailed Godwits (Limosa lapponica) on the East Atlantic Flyway defy assumed population structure | onlinelibrary.wiley....
Jesse R. Conklin, Roeland A. Bom, Åke Lindström, Pierrick Bocher, Theunis Piersma | #ornithology 🪶
Challenges in population monitoring: Bar-tailed Godwits (Limosa lapponica) on the East Atlantic Flyway defy assumed population structure | onlinelibrary.wiley....
Jesse R. Conklin, Roeland A. Bom, Åke Lindström, Pierrick Bocher, Theunis Piersma | #ornithology 🪶
Over the past 2 weeks, no less than 10 Dutch GPS-#Spoonbills made the crossing from Iberia to Africa. They did so in classic Spoonbill fashion by starting the ocean-crossing near Cadiz, rather than taking the Strait of Gibraltar. 1/2 #ornithology
www.globalflywaynetwork.org/tracks/speci...
www.globalflywaynetwork.org/tracks/speci...
October 12, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Over the past 2 weeks, no less than 10 Dutch GPS-#Spoonbills made the crossing from Iberia to Africa. They did so in classic Spoonbill fashion by starting the ocean-crossing near Cadiz, rather than taking the Strait of Gibraltar. 1/2 #ornithology
www.globalflywaynetwork.org/tracks/speci...
www.globalflywaynetwork.org/tracks/speci...
Reposted by Wouter Vansteelant
GREAT DAY FOR EEL CONSERVATION
The Basque Country is the craddle of glass eel consumption
Today, the Basque Government has announced a ban on glass eel fishing due to eel's critical situation
Similar movements needed in Spanish @miteco.gob.es and EU @ec.europa.eu
www.eldiario.es/euskadi/gobi...
The Basque Country is the craddle of glass eel consumption
Today, the Basque Government has announced a ban on glass eel fishing due to eel's critical situation
Similar movements needed in Spanish @miteco.gob.es and EU @ec.europa.eu
www.eldiario.es/euskadi/gobi...
October 3, 2025 at 4:00 PM
GREAT DAY FOR EEL CONSERVATION
The Basque Country is the craddle of glass eel consumption
Today, the Basque Government has announced a ban on glass eel fishing due to eel's critical situation
Similar movements needed in Spanish @miteco.gob.es and EU @ec.europa.eu
www.eldiario.es/euskadi/gobi...
The Basque Country is the craddle of glass eel consumption
Today, the Basque Government has announced a ban on glass eel fishing due to eel's critical situation
Similar movements needed in Spanish @miteco.gob.es and EU @ec.europa.eu
www.eldiario.es/euskadi/gobi...
Reposted by Wouter Vansteelant
170.000 RAPTORS IN ONE DAY!
After yesterday’s heavy rain and a quiet morning, today the sky exploded with Steppe Buzzards and large eagles! Continuing from 10 am until almost the end of the count.
At some point, we counted over 14.000 raptors in less than 20 minutes. THAT'S BATUMI!
#ornithology
After yesterday’s heavy rain and a quiet morning, today the sky exploded with Steppe Buzzards and large eagles! Continuing from 10 am until almost the end of the count.
At some point, we counted over 14.000 raptors in less than 20 minutes. THAT'S BATUMI!
#ornithology
October 1, 2025 at 6:17 PM
170.000 RAPTORS IN ONE DAY!
After yesterday’s heavy rain and a quiet morning, today the sky exploded with Steppe Buzzards and large eagles! Continuing from 10 am until almost the end of the count.
At some point, we counted over 14.000 raptors in less than 20 minutes. THAT'S BATUMI!
#ornithology
After yesterday’s heavy rain and a quiet morning, today the sky exploded with Steppe Buzzards and large eagles! Continuing from 10 am until almost the end of the count.
At some point, we counted over 14.000 raptors in less than 20 minutes. THAT'S BATUMI!
#ornithology
After a super intense week with a back-to-back Spoonbill and Wader Study conference, its time to shift to lower gear for a bit. Starting the day with a slow stroll through the fog at Griene Dyk. Hoping for a Yellow-browed Warbler among the plentiful Gold- and Firecrests. #birding
September 30, 2025 at 7:36 AM
After a super intense week with a back-to-back Spoonbill and Wader Study conference, its time to shift to lower gear for a bit. Starting the day with a slow stroll through the fog at Griene Dyk. Hoping for a Yellow-browed Warbler among the plentiful Gold- and Firecrests. #birding
Reposted by Wouter Vansteelant
After the thrill of reaching the million, we went straight to the peak of diversity. The challenge of counting high numbers of birds slowly shifted into identifying the (relatively) fewer but more difficult ones: the large eagle species!
But they also brought a special guest along...👇
1/2
But they also brought a special guest along...👇
1/2
September 29, 2025 at 3:17 PM
After the thrill of reaching the million, we went straight to the peak of diversity. The challenge of counting high numbers of birds slowly shifted into identifying the (relatively) fewer but more difficult ones: the large eagle species!
But they also brought a special guest along...👇
1/2
But they also brought a special guest along...👇
1/2
Reposted by Wouter Vansteelant
Thank you to all of today's speakers for a really interesting array of talks! So much great research, and more on the way tomorrow! #IWSG2025 #waders #shorebirds #ornithology
September 27, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Thank you to all of today's speakers for a really interesting array of talks! So much great research, and more on the way tomorrow! #IWSG2025 #waders #shorebirds #ornithology
What an honour to open the 50th @waderstudy.bsky.social conference with a plenary on Spoonbill migration culture on the beautiful stage of DOT in Groningen. The Spoonbill-inspired concerto 'Solanum' by Tjibbe Stelwagen and Caspar Kootstra made for a perfect tandem wt the arts. #ornithology
September 27, 2025 at 8:22 AM
What an honour to open the 50th @waderstudy.bsky.social conference with a plenary on Spoonbill migration culture on the beautiful stage of DOT in Groningen. The Spoonbill-inspired concerto 'Solanum' by Tjibbe Stelwagen and Caspar Kootstra made for a perfect tandem wt the arts. #ornithology
Reposted by Wouter Vansteelant
We're got a variety of great talks at our conference today, with topics including...
👥️ Population development
💧 Resource use
☀️ Responses to environmental change
🪱 Foraging ecology and diet
#IWSG2025 #waders #shorebirds #Ornithology
👥️ Population development
💧 Resource use
☀️ Responses to environmental change
🪱 Foraging ecology and diet
#IWSG2025 #waders #shorebirds #Ornithology
September 27, 2025 at 7:28 AM
We're got a variety of great talks at our conference today, with topics including...
👥️ Population development
💧 Resource use
☀️ Responses to environmental change
🪱 Foraging ecology and diet
#IWSG2025 #waders #shorebirds #Ornithology
👥️ Population development
💧 Resource use
☀️ Responses to environmental change
🪱 Foraging ecology and diet
#IWSG2025 #waders #shorebirds #Ornithology
Reposted by Wouter Vansteelant
A vagrant juvenile Sanderling turned up in Israel—likely after a single non-stop flight from the Dutch Wadden Sea. Here’s thread explaining why that’s remarkable and interesting. @wadertales.bsky.social @globalflyway.bsky.social #Birds #Migration
September 25, 2025 at 9:47 AM
A vagrant juvenile Sanderling turned up in Israel—likely after a single non-stop flight from the Dutch Wadden Sea. Here’s thread explaining why that’s remarkable and interesting. @wadertales.bsky.social @globalflyway.bsky.social #Birds #Migration
A dramatic end for an ambitious Spoonbill. Yday morning LAYLA crashed into the ocean just offshore Madeira, 56h after departing from the Wadden Sea. She rested barely 7h even though she found nice Spoonbill hotspots on the way. Poor choices... #ornithology
www.globalflywaynetwork.org/tracks/speci...
www.globalflywaynetwork.org/tracks/speci...
September 25, 2025 at 8:02 AM
A dramatic end for an ambitious Spoonbill. Yday morning LAYLA crashed into the ocean just offshore Madeira, 56h after departing from the Wadden Sea. She rested barely 7h even though she found nice Spoonbill hotspots on the way. Poor choices... #ornithology
www.globalflywaynetwork.org/tracks/speci...
www.globalflywaynetwork.org/tracks/speci...
Reposted by Wouter Vansteelant
A true Bluesky — filled with raptors!
After days of rain, we were greeted by a bright, blue, cloudless sky this morning! The result? Thousands of birds and a high species diversity.
With the main message: the eagles are coming!
Stay tuned for more! For daily totals: www.batumiraptorcount.org/data
After days of rain, we were greeted by a bright, blue, cloudless sky this morning! The result? Thousands of birds and a high species diversity.
With the main message: the eagles are coming!
Stay tuned for more! For daily totals: www.batumiraptorcount.org/data
September 22, 2025 at 6:35 PM
A true Bluesky — filled with raptors!
After days of rain, we were greeted by a bright, blue, cloudless sky this morning! The result? Thousands of birds and a high species diversity.
With the main message: the eagles are coming!
Stay tuned for more! For daily totals: www.batumiraptorcount.org/data
After days of rain, we were greeted by a bright, blue, cloudless sky this morning! The result? Thousands of birds and a high species diversity.
With the main message: the eagles are coming!
Stay tuned for more! For daily totals: www.batumiraptorcount.org/data
The www.BirdEyes.org team is thrilled to announce a new paper by Mohamed Henriques showing how Spoonbills change space use over the course of their summer stay in the eastern Dutch Wadden Sea. After breeding, many adults converge in the Lutjewad area. #ornithology
www.birdeyes.org/lutjewad-amo...
www.birdeyes.org/lutjewad-amo...
September 22, 2025 at 9:51 AM
The www.BirdEyes.org team is thrilled to announce a new paper by Mohamed Henriques showing how Spoonbills change space use over the course of their summer stay in the eastern Dutch Wadden Sea. After breeding, many adults converge in the Lutjewad area. #ornithology
www.birdeyes.org/lutjewad-amo...
www.birdeyes.org/lutjewad-amo...
Yday >1900 #Spoonbills left 🇳🇱 via the watch-site at Cadzand!
Among them were 4 GPS-birds that departed from the Delta, including LUNA who met PLUK in flight over Ostend (🇧🇪).
Meanwhile, TAAS and HIDDE jointly flew from Balgzand to the Delta. #ornithology
www.globalflywaynetwork.org/tracks/speci...
Among them were 4 GPS-birds that departed from the Delta, including LUNA who met PLUK in flight over Ostend (🇧🇪).
Meanwhile, TAAS and HIDDE jointly flew from Balgzand to the Delta. #ornithology
www.globalflywaynetwork.org/tracks/speci...
September 20, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Yday >1900 #Spoonbills left 🇳🇱 via the watch-site at Cadzand!
Among them were 4 GPS-birds that departed from the Delta, including LUNA who met PLUK in flight over Ostend (🇧🇪).
Meanwhile, TAAS and HIDDE jointly flew from Balgzand to the Delta. #ornithology
www.globalflywaynetwork.org/tracks/speci...
Among them were 4 GPS-birds that departed from the Delta, including LUNA who met PLUK in flight over Ostend (🇧🇪).
Meanwhile, TAAS and HIDDE jointly flew from Balgzand to the Delta. #ornithology
www.globalflywaynetwork.org/tracks/speci...
Astounding for the @batumiraptorcount.org crew to reach the 1 million milestone so early in the season. 😳 Congrats to all volunteers and flyway trainees, expertly led by the first ever all-women coordinating team: Eva Drukker, Elien Hoekstra and Mitra Daneshvar. Celebrations are in order! 🤩
September 17, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Astounding for the @batumiraptorcount.org crew to reach the 1 million milestone so early in the season. 😳 Congrats to all volunteers and flyway trainees, expertly led by the first ever all-women coordinating team: Eva Drukker, Elien Hoekstra and Mitra Daneshvar. Celebrations are in order! 🤩
Reposted by Wouter Vansteelant
This achievement was only possible thanks to our amazing and hard-working team – counters, trainees, coordinators – and our wonderful host families for their endless hospitality.
Check out our daily counts and news flashes here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/data
2/2
Check out our daily counts and news flashes here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/data
2/2
September 17, 2025 at 3:18 PM
This achievement was only possible thanks to our amazing and hard-working team – counters, trainees, coordinators – and our wonderful host families for their endless hospitality.
Check out our daily counts and news flashes here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/data
2/2
Check out our daily counts and news flashes here: www.batumiraptorcount.org/data
2/2
A Goshawk managed to catch a Snipe at Blaugerzen the other day. Then got the attention of one, two, three Marsh Harriers. In the squabble, a juvenile harrier was eventually able to claim the prey for itself. #birding
September 16, 2025 at 11:02 AM
A Goshawk managed to catch a Snipe at Blaugerzen the other day. Then got the attention of one, two, three Marsh Harriers. In the squabble, a juvenile harrier was eventually able to claim the prey for itself. #birding
Reposted by Wouter Vansteelant
Had a privilege and pleasure to teach terra pkg (created by @roberthijmans.bsky.social et al.) and spatial sampling with R together with Alexandre Wadoux at the #EOSummerSchool2025 at WICC. You can follow the terra tutorial from here: differ.blog/p/processing...
📹: youtu.be/q9sQkg7BeAc?...
📹: youtu.be/q9sQkg7BeAc?...
Processing large rasters using terra package for R: combining tiling and time-series modeling
Processing large rasters using terra package for R: combining tiling and time-series modeling
differ.blog
September 15, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Had a privilege and pleasure to teach terra pkg (created by @roberthijmans.bsky.social et al.) and spatial sampling with R together with Alexandre Wadoux at the #EOSummerSchool2025 at WICC. You can follow the terra tutorial from here: differ.blog/p/processing...
📹: youtu.be/q9sQkg7BeAc?...
📹: youtu.be/q9sQkg7BeAc?...