We found very little consistent clustering of age in space. In contrast, habitat features were strongly spatially structured, and reproductive output showed modest spatial patterning. Spatial age patterns also shift from year to year 5/n

RESULTS! Older inds are more likely to occupy higher-density territories, & older males (not females) more often occupy sites popular in the longterm. There is little to no link between age and oak abundance or edge distance. Overall, only weak covariation between age and territory quality 4/n

We propose four routes to spatial age structure: (1) annual shifts in population age distribution; (2a) older birds gaining higher quality territories; (2b) better territories increasing survival/tenure; (3) edges attracting younger immigrants 1/n

New paper out, the last one from my PhD 🎓! Age shapes behaviour, survival, and reproduction. By using longterm great tit data, we ask whether age covaries with territory quality, and if territories show spatial age structure over time: tinyurl.com/ya2xp3zc

Cracking end to my 6 days on Scilly, with a hoopoe on the garrison & a smattering of great shears, 2 sooties, 3 puffin and a bonxie from the Scillonian. 105 species total! Full trip report here: ebird.org/tripreport/4...
#ScillyBirds

What a day - lapand bunting in the morning, buff-bellied pipit and flyover whitefronts on St Agnes, and a bluethroat at Porth Hellick in the evening. Where else but Scilly
#ScillyBirds

Choose your fighter. Great white egret and grey heron at Porth Hellick yesterday afternoon.
#ScillyBirds

Slightly weird snipe at Peninnis today. Roosting in relatively open/dry patches. Didn’t flush as warily as other comm snipes, didn't call and less zigzagging flight. Sadly no diagnostic features for any vagrant species were seen. Probably just tired!
#ScillyBirds

Very glad that becoming a teacher allows for an October halfterm trip to Scilly. Arrived yday, so far adding 8 spp to my Scilly list. Highlights have been RB shrike, little bunting, 3 redpoll over and ofc the Eyebrowed Thrush. Bring on the next 5 days!
#ScillyBirds

My happy place: shorebird-watching on Tresco as the tide pushes them inland in the morning sun. This year made even better by a colour-ringed sanderling, originally ringed as a juv in Pontevedra, Spain Oct 2020, and seen again in Syddanmark, Denmark Jul 2022
#ScillyBirds #Birds #BirdRinging

Great to catch the shore lark before leaving Scilly - a really scarce bird on the islands with this being the first since 2009 and one of only 13 in total
#ScillyBirds

Great tramp around Bryher w/ Will @iwtscilly.bsky.social, inc catching up with the woodchat shrike found earlier. Also learnt lots more about Scilly's flora, including seeing the amazing dwarf pansy - found only in Scilly and essentially only within this approx 100m2 plot!
#ScillyBirds

V tough conditions for birding yday with high winds/rain, but in true Scilly fashion the weather flipped completely overnight. Kicked off w a self-found wryneck and a smattering of rouzels. Failed to catch up with the purple heron on St Marys, but it was a lovely day to walk around the island.

Very considerate of my sister to get married in July so our family holiday to Scilly has been brought forward to a much more birding-friendly April! Blustery/wet crossing on the Scillonian brought 100+ Manxies, as well as guillemots and razorbills. Looking forward to a week of birding!

Such a nice bird to catch up with locally, but not quite in the confines of my Brill village patch!

Feeling particularly springlike this morning, with the first chiffchaff of the year ringed in the garden. Accompanied by some other faves including 3 new goldcrest and a dunnock in breeding condition

Wotton has been my short-term local patch since moving back to Brill in Nov. Highlights have included RC pochard, a merlin having a go at a ~30000 strong starling murmuration, Caspian gull in evening roost, at least 4 GWE, and this morning my first oystercatcher of the spring. Great site!

Long LONG overdue departure from Twitter and migration to Bluesky. What better to first post than some highlights from my trip to Scilly in Oct ‘24
#ScillyBirds #BirdRinging