Coen
@coenwesterduin.bsky.social
Humanoid (allegedly).
Ecologist with increasingly molecular inclinations @ Univ. of Oulu & Univ. of Eastern Finland.
Amateur photographer, painter, and squirrel-whisperer.
Occasionally updated blog on my research: ontheoriginofspecimens.blog
Ecologist with increasingly molecular inclinations @ Univ. of Oulu & Univ. of Eastern Finland.
Amateur photographer, painter, and squirrel-whisperer.
Occasionally updated blog on my research: ontheoriginofspecimens.blog
Had a lovely visit to Ranua Wildlife Park recently, collecting samples for recognizing Arctic foxes from environmental DNA. We aim to create a method for quick&easy field detection. Many thanks to the helpful staff!
Text from Ranua here: ranuaresort.com/en/news/news...
#Science @uniuef.bsky.social
Text from Ranua here: ranuaresort.com/en/news/news...
#Science @uniuef.bsky.social
December 23, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Had a lovely visit to Ranua Wildlife Park recently, collecting samples for recognizing Arctic foxes from environmental DNA. We aim to create a method for quick&easy field detection. Many thanks to the helpful staff!
Text from Ranua here: ranuaresort.com/en/news/news...
#Science @uniuef.bsky.social
Text from Ranua here: ranuaresort.com/en/news/news...
#Science @uniuef.bsky.social
Reposted by Coen
this field biologist does a great job highlighting the insidiousness of AI editing
these one-click AI edit buttons are incredibly appealing to many photographers, amateurs and professionals alike, and are framed as innocuous
this is worth sharing and educating people about
these one-click AI edit buttons are incredibly appealing to many photographers, amateurs and professionals alike, and are framed as innocuous
this is worth sharing and educating people about
December 15, 2025 at 2:21 AM
this field biologist does a great job highlighting the insidiousness of AI editing
these one-click AI edit buttons are incredibly appealing to many photographers, amateurs and professionals alike, and are framed as innocuous
this is worth sharing and educating people about
these one-click AI edit buttons are incredibly appealing to many photographers, amateurs and professionals alike, and are framed as innocuous
this is worth sharing and educating people about
Reposted by Coen
"Runctitiononal features"? "Medical fymblal"? "1 Tol Line storee"? This gets worse the longer you look at it. But it's got to be good, because it was published in Nature Scientific Reports last week: www.nature.com/articles/s41... h/t @asa.tsbalans.se
November 27, 2025 at 9:30 AM
"Runctitiononal features"? "Medical fymblal"? "1 Tol Line storee"? This gets worse the longer you look at it. But it's got to be good, because it was published in Nature Scientific Reports last week: www.nature.com/articles/s41... h/t @asa.tsbalans.se
Reposted by Coen
Extending Long-Term Avian Studies Alters Temporal and Climate-Driven Trend Conclusions | doi.org/10.1002/ece3... | Ecology and Evolution | #ornithology 🪶
Extending Long‐Term Avian Studies Alters Temporal and Climate‐Driven Trend Conclusions
Long-term population studies are essential for understanding the effects of climate change on biodiversity, yet predictions based on short-term data may be unreliable. Our findings reveal that initia...
doi.org
September 18, 2025 at 6:35 AM
Extending Long-Term Avian Studies Alters Temporal and Climate-Driven Trend Conclusions | doi.org/10.1002/ece3... | Ecology and Evolution | #ornithology 🪶
Reposted by Coen
Hömötiaiset munivat nykyään seitsemän ja talitiaiset kolme päivää aiemmin kuin viisikymmentä vuotta sitten.
"Tutkijoita kiinnostaa, millä keinoilla eläimet sopeutuvat nopeisiin ympäristönmuutoksiin", sanoo Emma Vatka, yksi uuden tutkimuksen tekijöistä.
"Tutkijoita kiinnostaa, millä keinoilla eläimet sopeutuvat nopeisiin ympäristönmuutoksiin", sanoo Emma Vatka, yksi uuden tutkimuksen tekijöistä.
Taantuva hömötiainen joustaa – aikaistanut pesintää jo viikolla
Oululaiset tutkijat ovat vuosikymmenien ajan säntillisesti seuranneet yksilöllisesti merkittyjen lintujen pesintöjä. Hömötiainen luokitellaan nopean taantumisen vuoksi nykyään erittäin uhanalaiseksi.
www.oulu.fi
September 11, 2025 at 6:12 AM
Hömötiaiset munivat nykyään seitsemän ja talitiaiset kolme päivää aiemmin kuin viisikymmentä vuotta sitten.
"Tutkijoita kiinnostaa, millä keinoilla eläimet sopeutuvat nopeisiin ympäristönmuutoksiin", sanoo Emma Vatka, yksi uuden tutkimuksen tekijöistä.
"Tutkijoita kiinnostaa, millä keinoilla eläimet sopeutuvat nopeisiin ympäristönmuutoksiin", sanoo Emma Vatka, yksi uuden tutkimuksen tekijöistä.
Since taking up birdwatching a bit more seriously last year, I am happy to have started recognizing so many more species in my surroundings.
The counter for this year: 123 species, of which 10% are species I had not (consciously) seen before. One of last weekend's additions: a common scoter. #birds
The counter for this year: 123 species, of which 10% are species I had not (consciously) seen before. One of last weekend's additions: a common scoter. #birds
August 27, 2025 at 6:33 AM
Since taking up birdwatching a bit more seriously last year, I am happy to have started recognizing so many more species in my surroundings.
The counter for this year: 123 species, of which 10% are species I had not (consciously) seen before. One of last weekend's additions: a common scoter. #birds
The counter for this year: 123 species, of which 10% are species I had not (consciously) seen before. One of last weekend's additions: a common scoter. #birds
yle.fi/a/74-20179216
"Israel is waging a war whose goals are difficult to understand from the outside"
Blatant wilful ignorance from minister Valtonen. Members of the Israeli government have openly spoken of their plans of ethnic cleansing. The Israeli army's actions speak for themselves.
"Israel is waging a war whose goals are difficult to understand from the outside"
Blatant wilful ignorance from minister Valtonen. Members of the Israeli government have openly spoken of their plans of ethnic cleansing. The Israeli army's actions speak for themselves.
Tavio: Finns Party does not support Palestine recognition or medical care for Gaza children
Finland's development minister says his party will not back recognising Palestinian statehood or bringing children from Gaza to Finland for treatment, regardless of proposals by the prime minister's p...
yle.fi
August 27, 2025 at 5:59 AM
yle.fi/a/74-20179216
"Israel is waging a war whose goals are difficult to understand from the outside"
Blatant wilful ignorance from minister Valtonen. Members of the Israeli government have openly spoken of their plans of ethnic cleansing. The Israeli army's actions speak for themselves.
"Israel is waging a war whose goals are difficult to understand from the outside"
Blatant wilful ignorance from minister Valtonen. Members of the Israeli government have openly spoken of their plans of ethnic cleansing. The Israeli army's actions speak for themselves.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
'An aid worker reported that children are telling their parents that they want to die and go to heaven, because “at least heaven has food”.'
I'm not much of a believer in an afterlife. [1/5]
'An aid worker reported that children are telling their parents that they want to die and go to heaven, because “at least heaven has food”.'
I'm not much of a believer in an afterlife. [1/5]
Protesting over Gaza’s starvation feels like screaming into a void – but we mustn’t stop | Nesrine Malik
Political platitudes and a few trucks of aid won’t save the children dying now. But they show leaders can’t ignore public opinion for ever, says Guardian columnist Nesrine Malik
www.theguardian.com
July 28, 2025 at 9:46 AM
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
'An aid worker reported that children are telling their parents that they want to die and go to heaven, because “at least heaven has food”.'
I'm not much of a believer in an afterlife. [1/5]
'An aid worker reported that children are telling their parents that they want to die and go to heaven, because “at least heaven has food”.'
I'm not much of a believer in an afterlife. [1/5]
Reposted by Coen
THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED.
While floods, heatwaves, and climate and nature crises hit the rest of us, Bezos parties in Venice and Musk turns a year older and a few million richer.
This isn’t a glitch.
But people are pushing back & so should you 👉 act.gp/4ejxnsz
#TaxTheSuperRich
While floods, heatwaves, and climate and nature crises hit the rest of us, Bezos parties in Venice and Musk turns a year older and a few million richer.
This isn’t a glitch.
But people are pushing back & so should you 👉 act.gp/4ejxnsz
#TaxTheSuperRich
July 8, 2025 at 9:34 AM
THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED.
While floods, heatwaves, and climate and nature crises hit the rest of us, Bezos parties in Venice and Musk turns a year older and a few million richer.
This isn’t a glitch.
But people are pushing back & so should you 👉 act.gp/4ejxnsz
#TaxTheSuperRich
While floods, heatwaves, and climate and nature crises hit the rest of us, Bezos parties in Venice and Musk turns a year older and a few million richer.
This isn’t a glitch.
But people are pushing back & so should you 👉 act.gp/4ejxnsz
#TaxTheSuperRich
Aaah.
It's one of my favourite times of the year.
It's baby grebe and parent taxi time.
Useful for predator avoidance? Yes. Absolutely adorable? Also yes.
Note that the parents may conceal the young, but the clearly raised wings in the silhouette are a good indicator of carried offspring.
#birds
It's one of my favourite times of the year.
It's baby grebe and parent taxi time.
Useful for predator avoidance? Yes. Absolutely adorable? Also yes.
Note that the parents may conceal the young, but the clearly raised wings in the silhouette are a good indicator of carried offspring.
#birds
June 28, 2025 at 7:34 AM
Aaah.
It's one of my favourite times of the year.
It's baby grebe and parent taxi time.
Useful for predator avoidance? Yes. Absolutely adorable? Also yes.
Note that the parents may conceal the young, but the clearly raised wings in the silhouette are a good indicator of carried offspring.
#birds
It's one of my favourite times of the year.
It's baby grebe and parent taxi time.
Useful for predator avoidance? Yes. Absolutely adorable? Also yes.
Note that the parents may conceal the young, but the clearly raised wings in the silhouette are a good indicator of carried offspring.
#birds
Close-ups of many birds, and corvids especially, never cease to remind me that:
-They're wonderful.
-Birds really are dinosaurs.
-If they were bigger or we were smaller, they'd almost certainly eat us. (A notion further reinforced by their frequently murderous-seeming looks during ringing!)
-They're wonderful.
-Birds really are dinosaurs.
-If they were bigger or we were smaller, they'd almost certainly eat us. (A notion further reinforced by their frequently murderous-seeming looks during ringing!)
A brood of two Ravens ringed in a Shetland quarry yesterday. Hatched a month or so ago, each now weigh over a kilogram. @ljohnbirding1.bsky.social #birdingScotland
May 3, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Close-ups of many birds, and corvids especially, never cease to remind me that:
-They're wonderful.
-Birds really are dinosaurs.
-If they were bigger or we were smaller, they'd almost certainly eat us. (A notion further reinforced by their frequently murderous-seeming looks during ringing!)
-They're wonderful.
-Birds really are dinosaurs.
-If they were bigger or we were smaller, they'd almost certainly eat us. (A notion further reinforced by their frequently murderous-seeming looks during ringing!)
Whenever you're close enough to a crested tit (Lophophanes cristatus) to see their bright red irises, you know it's a good day. ♥️ This particular beauty has some rings around its legs, meaning it has been breeding locally before - best of luck this year! (Cresties are Red-Listed in FI.) #birds
May 3, 2025 at 8:05 AM
Whenever you're close enough to a crested tit (Lophophanes cristatus) to see their bright red irises, you know it's a good day. ♥️ This particular beauty has some rings around its legs, meaning it has been breeding locally before - best of luck this year! (Cresties are Red-Listed in FI.) #birds
I often wonder about the backgrounds of the #birds in our study area, or the futures of those dispersing - but it's impossible to study these things in an open population in continuous Finnish forests.
As often is the case in biology, islands can provide a solution - as in this house sparrow study:
As often is the case in biology, islands can provide a solution - as in this house sparrow study:
We found, i.e., that house sparrows that dispersed to another island had more offspring in general and more dispersing offspring than non-dispersing sparrows! 🐦🪺🐣
Continuing the series of great house sparrow papers by PhD Dilan Saatoglu:
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Continuing the series of great house sparrow papers by PhD Dilan Saatoglu:
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Metapopulation‐level analyses reveal positive fitness consequences of immigration in a small bird
This study shows the differential fitness consequences of immigrants and residents, the fitness of their offspring based on parental background and the annual and lifetime contributions of immigrants...
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
May 3, 2025 at 7:51 AM
I often wonder about the backgrounds of the #birds in our study area, or the futures of those dispersing - but it's impossible to study these things in an open population in continuous Finnish forests.
As often is the case in biology, islands can provide a solution - as in this house sparrow study:
As often is the case in biology, islands can provide a solution - as in this house sparrow study:
Turns out krakens start life as adorable and mesmerizingly beautiful little things. Who knew? Wonderful footage of a wonderful creature. ❤️🦑
Live colossal squid captured on video in wild for first time ever!
www.theguardian.com/environment/... 🦑🧪
www.theguardian.com/environment/... 🦑🧪
Live colossal squid captured on video in wild for first time ever
A young Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni, the heaviest invertebrate on earth, was filmed in the Atlantic Ocean
www.theguardian.com
April 17, 2025 at 4:16 AM
Turns out krakens start life as adorable and mesmerizingly beautiful little things. Who knew? Wonderful footage of a wonderful creature. ❤️🦑
I see crestie, I repost crestie.
Gotta help spread those handsome little creatures as far and wide as possible, hoping they find a happy habitat in your feed. 🐦 Just excellent #birds
Gotta help spread those handsome little creatures as far and wide as possible, hoping they find a happy habitat in your feed. 🐦 Just excellent #birds
Happiness is a Crested tit by the feeder!
It's a sign of the decent forest.
#birds #forests #conservation
It's a sign of the decent forest.
#birds #forests #conservation
January 10, 2025 at 12:49 PM
I see crestie, I repost crestie.
Gotta help spread those handsome little creatures as far and wide as possible, hoping they find a happy habitat in your feed. 🐦 Just excellent #birds
Gotta help spread those handsome little creatures as far and wide as possible, hoping they find a happy habitat in your feed. 🐦 Just excellent #birds
While I'm currently busy finalizing my study (and PhD!) on fine-scale niche differences in small songbirds in northern Finland, which includes the Red-Listed willow tit and crested tit, this study from my colleagues provides an excellent companion piece, looking at large-scale patterns instead. 🐣🦋🐦
🎉 Amazing start to 2025! My article is now published in Ecology Letters! 🥳 It’s part of the special issue "The Critical Role of Very Long-Term Studies in Ecology and Evolution" released on the very last day of 2024 📅✨ After a long wait since JUNE, it feels awesome to finally see it out there!🌟(1/6)
January 9, 2025 at 11:22 AM
While I'm currently busy finalizing my study (and PhD!) on fine-scale niche differences in small songbirds in northern Finland, which includes the Red-Listed willow tit and crested tit, this study from my colleagues provides an excellent companion piece, looking at large-scale patterns instead. 🐣🦋🐦
Reposted by Coen
Our paper “Does the seed fall far from the tree? Weak fine-scale genetic structure in a continuous Scots pine population” is now out in @peercomjournal.bsky.social!
A thread follows.
peercommunityjournal.org/articles/10....
A thread follows.
peercommunityjournal.org/articles/10....
Does the seed fall far from the tree? Weak fine-scale genetic structure in a continuous Scots pine population
peercommunityjournal.org
April 15, 2024 at 12:30 PM
Our paper “Does the seed fall far from the tree? Weak fine-scale genetic structure in a continuous Scots pine population” is now out in @peercomjournal.bsky.social!
A thread follows.
peercommunityjournal.org/articles/10....
A thread follows.
peercommunityjournal.org/articles/10....
New weather report just in: slightly spiky, so possibly light precipitation. 🌧️🤔 While not quite as informative as electronic devices with the same purpose, this model weather station is undeniably more adorable than most—plus, it runs fully on biofuel (hazelnuts). Thanks for the update Ellie! 🌰🐿️
April 10, 2024 at 8:57 AM
New weather report just in: slightly spiky, so possibly light precipitation. 🌧️🤔 While not quite as informative as electronic devices with the same purpose, this model weather station is undeniably more adorable than most—plus, it runs fully on biofuel (hazelnuts). Thanks for the update Ellie! 🌰🐿️
Reposted by Coen
Welcome to #BOU2024, Urban Birds, the BOU’s annual conference, which is happening in person, on X/Twitter @Ibis_journal, and for first time ever, we are excited to feature some of the conference here on Bluesky
#ornithology
#ornithology
April 9, 2024 at 7:15 PM
Welcome to #BOU2024, Urban Birds, the BOU’s annual conference, which is happening in person, on X/Twitter @Ibis_journal, and for first time ever, we are excited to feature some of the conference here on Bluesky
#ornithology
#ornithology
Reposted by Coen
A renewed glance at the Palearctic golden eagle: Genetic variation in space and time | doi.org/10.1002/ece3... | Ecology and Evolution | #ornithology
March 13, 2024 at 8:00 AM
A renewed glance at the Palearctic golden eagle: Genetic variation in space and time | doi.org/10.1002/ece3... | Ecology and Evolution | #ornithology
A willow tit (Poecile montanus) singing its lovely, simple pure song.
Unfortunately, willow tits are declining across much of their range, with forestry seen as the main culprit (the birds need soft rotting stumps to excavate their nest cavities, which are rarely left in managed forests). #birds
Unfortunately, willow tits are declining across much of their range, with forestry seen as the main culprit (the birds need soft rotting stumps to excavate their nest cavities, which are rarely left in managed forests). #birds
November 2, 2023 at 3:40 PM
A willow tit (Poecile montanus) singing its lovely, simple pure song.
Unfortunately, willow tits are declining across much of their range, with forestry seen as the main culprit (the birds need soft rotting stumps to excavate their nest cavities, which are rarely left in managed forests). #birds
Unfortunately, willow tits are declining across much of their range, with forestry seen as the main culprit (the birds need soft rotting stumps to excavate their nest cavities, which are rarely left in managed forests). #birds