Joe Bishop
@jpbishop.bsky.social
Lover of music and the natural world, and follower of bad sports teams. Ecologist by profession. Oxfordshire, England.
12 days into parenthood. It's been both a joy and also extremely challenging. But the joy always outweighs the challenges.
November 27, 2025 at 10:33 AM
12 days into parenthood. It's been both a joy and also extremely challenging. But the joy always outweighs the challenges.
Saw a sad demonstration of the potential for avian flu spread this morning at Farmoor Reservoir whilst watching this ringed plover opportunistically showing interest in scavenging a dead gull. Still, cool behaviour though. #UKBirding
November 8, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Saw a sad demonstration of the potential for avian flu spread this morning at Farmoor Reservoir whilst watching this ringed plover opportunistically showing interest in scavenging a dead gull. Still, cool behaviour though. #UKBirding
You know it's desperation time in your fantasy football season when you were forced to take a punt on the backup Jets QB on waivers in the hope he might start (overpaying in the process), and then had to sweat out his injury status (he's now out).
October 26, 2025 at 8:07 AM
You know it's desperation time in your fantasy football season when you were forced to take a punt on the backup Jets QB on waivers in the hope he might start (overpaying in the process), and then had to sweat out his injury status (he's now out).
I have never eaten a crisp which tastes more like the flavour it is supposed to, than this. Sensational excitement for a Friday night.
October 17, 2025 at 6:41 PM
I have never eaten a crisp which tastes more like the flavour it is supposed to, than this. Sensational excitement for a Friday night.
Basically my life, tbh.
September 20, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Basically my life, tbh.
Maybe I just stay here instead. At the Sandford Park Alehouse and this beer is a beauty. Old Spot from the Uley Brewery.
September 20, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Maybe I just stay here instead. At the Sandford Park Alehouse and this beer is a beauty. Old Spot from the Uley Brewery.
Didn't post about it on here directly afterwards, but for those who are yet to experience it, End Of The Road festival continues to be the most beautiful place in the world to be a music fan. Never, ever a disappointment.
September 20, 2025 at 10:29 AM
Didn't post about it on here directly afterwards, but for those who are yet to experience it, End Of The Road festival continues to be the most beautiful place in the world to be a music fan. Never, ever a disappointment.
I may be on my own here, but I like this sort of thing being reported on local bird news. Rare stuff is nice of course, but finding enjoyment and interest in day-to-day wildlife happenings is nice too. #ukbirding
September 19, 2025 at 5:44 PM
I may be on my own here, but I like this sort of thing being reported on local bird news. Rare stuff is nice of course, but finding enjoyment and interest in day-to-day wildlife happenings is nice too. #ukbirding
Male noble false widow spider Steatoda nobilis in the bathroom this morning (I think...). Any entomologists able to confirm? The size was about right (around 10mm). Colours haven't come out well in the photo, but had a dark body with fairly distinctive abdominal markings and reddish brown legs.
September 19, 2025 at 7:03 AM
Male noble false widow spider Steatoda nobilis in the bathroom this morning (I think...). Any entomologists able to confirm? The size was about right (around 10mm). Colours haven't come out well in the photo, but had a dark body with fairly distinctive abdominal markings and reddish brown legs.
Aw, bless the roundabout brigade with their little red tins of paint, frothing at the mouth about the pride flags they're painting over.
August 22, 2025 at 7:08 AM
Aw, bless the roundabout brigade with their little red tins of paint, frothing at the mouth about the pride flags they're painting over.
This is a lovely thing.
August 8, 2025 at 8:50 AM
This is a lovely thing.
Watching Jannik Sinner earlier I was trying to work out who he reminds me of when he moves around the court. It's this guy. Absolutely rapid.
July 11, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Watching Jannik Sinner earlier I was trying to work out who he reminds me of when he moves around the court. It's this guy. Absolutely rapid.
Off to Wimbledon today. 🍓
The weather for about 90 straight days prior to today: 🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞
The weather today:
The weather for about 90 straight days prior to today: 🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞
The weather today:
July 2, 2025 at 7:56 AM
Off to Wimbledon today. 🍓
The weather for about 90 straight days prior to today: 🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞
The weather today:
The weather for about 90 straight days prior to today: 🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞
The weather today:
One of several pied wagtail in the late evening light at Farmoor Reservoir in West Oxfordshire last week.
June 22, 2025 at 3:13 PM
One of several pied wagtail in the late evening light at Farmoor Reservoir in West Oxfordshire last week.
Feel like it's been a good year for cuckoos. This one was on my (fairly ordinary habitat-wise) BBS square nr Haddenham, Bucks on the floodplain of the River Thame, and was involved in a territorial struggle with another male.
June 22, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Feel like it's been a good year for cuckoos. This one was on my (fairly ordinary habitat-wise) BBS square nr Haddenham, Bucks on the floodplain of the River Thame, and was involved in a territorial struggle with another male.
At Queen's today and the concentration of straw hats is higher than anywhere else on the planet.
June 17, 2025 at 12:10 PM
At Queen's today and the concentration of straw hats is higher than anywhere else on the planet.
Cricket on a summer's evening. The absolute best.
June 13, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Cricket on a summer's evening. The absolute best.
Oh and here's a little clip of some vocalisations. Never get bored of them, even if they do always sound a bit pissed off!
June 8, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Oh and here's a little clip of some vocalisations. Never get bored of them, even if they do always sound a bit pissed off!
Checked some of my bad photos which seem to show a hint of remnant yellow gape at the base of the bill. Seems to have got the hang of foraging on its own- so far at least!
June 8, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Checked some of my bad photos which seem to show a hint of remnant yellow gape at the base of the bill. Seems to have got the hang of foraging on its own- so far at least!
Fwiw, I've also now had two years in a row of recording marsh tits after a few blank years. Also recorded a third individual in a hedgerow around 150m outside the woodland (presumably a juvenile on its maiden dispersal journey from the woodland it fledged from?).
June 8, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Fwiw, I've also now had two years in a row of recording marsh tits after a few blank years. Also recorded a third individual in a hedgerow around 150m outside the woodland (presumably a juvenile on its maiden dispersal journey from the woodland it fledged from?).
Another year of surveying my lovely BBS square in the Chilterns complete after doing my late spring visit this morning. Great to hear firecrest this morning. New to the square in 2025 and recorded on both visits. Felt like it was only a matter of time before they arrived! #UKBirding
June 8, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Another year of surveying my lovely BBS square in the Chilterns complete after doing my late spring visit this morning. Great to hear firecrest this morning. New to the square in 2025 and recorded on both visits. Felt like it was only a matter of time before they arrived! #UKBirding
Saw this absolutely majestic hazel tree yesterday. Never seen one of this age before. At Emberton Country Park, Milton Keynes.
June 7, 2025 at 9:17 AM
Saw this absolutely majestic hazel tree yesterday. Never seen one of this age before. At Emberton Country Park, Milton Keynes.
Going through some of the very few wildlife photos I've taken this year (need to get my camera out more!). A song thrush, trying to find some worms in the very dry soil at the Knepp Rewilding Estate in Sussex a few weeks ago.
June 3, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Going through some of the very few wildlife photos I've taken this year (need to get my camera out more!). A song thrush, trying to find some worms in the very dry soil at the Knepp Rewilding Estate in Sussex a few weeks ago.