Frans Mäyrä
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fransmayra.bsky.social
Frans Mäyrä
@fransmayra.bsky.social
A professor, Tampere University, Finland. Nature photographer. Fan of fantasy, science fiction, new media and old ideas.

www.unet.fi
www.fransmayra.fi (personal blog)
Tampere University is having the Academic Board elections again - please do not forget to vote, if you are working here. Many excellent candidates supporting university democracy and autonomy:
November 3, 2025 at 2:48 PM
If you have stuff in Academia.edu, it might be good to reconsider?
September 20, 2025 at 7:35 AM
Fafnir – Nordic Journal of Science Fiction and Fantasy Research invites authors to submit papers for issue 1/2026. Research into any and all aspects of science fiction, fantasy, and other speculative genres is welcome from a range of disciplines.
DL 31 Dec 2025: fafnir.journal.fi/about/submis...
September 15, 2025 at 11:47 AM
I started in Tampere University as a comparative literature student in Fall 1985. Decades later, I opened this week the latest iteration of the Introduction to Game Studies course, with c. 50 students enrolled. Show goes on, students just keep getting younger.
August 30, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Tampereen yliopiston hallitukseen haetaan neljää hyvää ja osaavaa ihmistä. Konsistori päätti tällä kertaa lisätä hallituksen valintakriteereihin kohdan, missä painotetaan erityisesti "yliopiston arvojen, yliopistodemokratian ja yliopiston strategian merkityksen ymmärtämistä".
June 19, 2025 at 11:12 AM
A few nature photos of this morning: the Goldeneyes were having their courtship rituals, the Little Grebe was waiting for a partner to come; the ice was melting in the sunshine. #naturephotography #birds #Spring #Finland #Tampere
March 21, 2025 at 11:19 AM
Bird photos of today: the long-tailed tits, visiting our garden feeder briefly this afternoon. Heard the metallic voices and got some photos, in snowfall. #naturephotography #birds
March 17, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Talvehtivat ja muuttavat lajit esiintyvät nyt rinnan. Kostea kevät on pitkä, varsinaisen kesään saapumista saa kuitenkin odottaa vielä pitkään.
March 16, 2025 at 11:19 AM
The adult female bearded reedling is generally paler, with a more brownish head and no black moustaches or undertail coverts (of the male), but sometimes with black streaks/spots to the crown or back. (Panurus biarmicus biarmicus, female, a banded bird. Helsinki, 25.2.2025.)
February 26, 2025 at 10:34 AM
"Bearded reedlings are strongly sexually dimorphic and form life-long pairs. They are highly productive and can breed several times in a season. They mainly feed on small invertebrates in summer and plant seeds in winter." (Panurus biarmicus biarmicus, nominate race, male. Helsinki, 25.2.2025.)
February 26, 2025 at 10:34 AM
Faces of my winter birds.
#naturephotography #Finland
February 15, 2025 at 5:43 PM
I have again updated my photography account in Flickr, with some new pictures of a Northern Goshawk, Grey-headed Woodpecker, Long-tailed tits, and others.
www.flickr.com/photos/frans...
February 15, 2025 at 6:23 AM
Free download of Elina Koskinen's PhD dissertation on memorable Pokémon Go player experiences (public defence tomorrow): trepo.tuni.fi/handle/10024...
January 30, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Taking part in cultivating digital humaniora, in Umeå University's Humlab today.
January 28, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Photo of a small, protected old forest in Finland - a safe pocket for multiple species, surrounded by clear cut areas from all sides.
January 25, 2025 at 7:03 AM
Nature photography is also a large part of what I do on my free time. Pictured: Dendrocopos leucotos - the White-backed Woodpecker, photographed today.
January 24, 2025 at 8:56 PM
My book "Introduction to Game Studies - Games in Culture" has been translated into Japanese by Nobushige Kobayashi, and the publisher has already created the web page for it - looking forward to seeing it in print!
www.newgamesorder.jp/games/mayra
February 7, 2024 at 6:41 AM
It is the Autumn Vacation week - I have been hiking and taking photographs of some hazel grouses. #naturephotography #birdphotography #autumn #Finland
October 20, 2023 at 4:28 AM
Daily bird photo - a Bohemian Waxwing. These have now arrived to Tampere, busily eating all rowan berries.

#naturephotography #birdphotography
October 7, 2023 at 7:07 AM