David Tan
@mangrovepitta.bsky.social
Ornithologist and biogeographer. Working on the global macroecology of bird-window collisions and on the genetics of faunal adaptation to mangroves. Obsessed with pittas. Previously at the University of New Mexico, now a postdoc at iDiv in Leipzig.
Look, I love me a good pair of curved forceps in my dissecting kit, but I think this might be a bit excessive.
November 25, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Look, I love me a good pair of curved forceps in my dissecting kit, but I think this might be a bit excessive.
Weather's too cold for most insects, so I guess my iNat uploads are going to consist exclusively of birds and moths for the next few months. Winter Moth (Operophtera so.)
November 25, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Weather's too cold for most insects, so I guess my iNat uploads are going to consist exclusively of birds and moths for the next few months. Winter Moth (Operophtera so.)
Wow this new hummingbird field guide is astonishingly technical.
November 23, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Wow this new hummingbird field guide is astonishingly technical.
Took a long extended walk through the biology and chemistry parts of the Oxford campus this morning. Lots of reflective glass facades but only counted one pigeon collision imprint.
November 21, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Took a long extended walk through the biology and chemistry parts of the Oxford campus this morning. Lots of reflective glass facades but only counted one pigeon collision imprint.
It's bloody cold today. Time to stare at some long-dead birds
November 21, 2025 at 1:05 PM
It's bloody cold today. Time to stare at some long-dead birds
Oh look, some local celebrities showed up to see theatre royalty Sir Stephen Fry perform in The Importance of Being Earnest tonight.
November 20, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Oh look, some local celebrities showed up to see theatre royalty Sir Stephen Fry perform in The Importance of Being Earnest tonight.
Not my favourite interpretation of A Midsummer Night's Dream. The director seems to have turned the play into a commentary on dictatorship and authoritarianism, portraying Theseus as a tyrant, a characterisation which I find to be quite unnecessary. But maybe I'm just old fashioned.
November 20, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Not my favourite interpretation of A Midsummer Night's Dream. The director seems to have turned the play into a commentary on dictatorship and authoritarianism, portraying Theseus as a tyrant, a characterisation which I find to be quite unnecessary. But maybe I'm just old fashioned.
I played Nick Bottom in my high school production of A Midsummer Night's Dream nearly 2 decades ago, and I finally get to see the play performed at Shakespeare's Globe in the Sam Wanamaker theatre.
November 19, 2025 at 7:31 PM
I played Nick Bottom in my high school production of A Midsummer Night's Dream nearly 2 decades ago, and I finally get to see the play performed at Shakespeare's Globe in the Sam Wanamaker theatre.
I'm not going to apologise for having nasi lemak for lunch again, this time considerably more tasty and considerably more expensive.
November 19, 2025 at 4:02 PM
I'm not going to apologise for having nasi lemak for lunch again, this time considerably more tasty and considerably more expensive.
With my favourite specimen at the NHM (sorry Archaeopteryx)
November 19, 2025 at 11:37 AM
With my favourite specimen at the NHM (sorry Archaeopteryx)
When slightly tipsy in London, have a cheeky Nando's I guess?
November 18, 2025 at 9:28 PM
When slightly tipsy in London, have a cheeky Nando's I guess?
What do you do when you're in London and miss the American southwest? You have a burrito made out of Yorkshire pudding and disappoint both cultures at the same time.
November 17, 2025 at 8:12 PM
What do you do when you're in London and miss the American southwest? You have a burrito made out of Yorkshire pudding and disappoint both cultures at the same time.
Finally visiting the TARDIS at Earl's Court.
November 17, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Finally visiting the TARDIS at Earl's Court.
There's also a jackdaw that somehow managed to sneak its way into the airport departure area, and there's 2 members of staff sporting binoculars and a speaker trying to... lure the bird to them by playing jackdaw calls? Incompetent and hilarious.
November 17, 2025 at 8:34 AM
There's also a jackdaw that somehow managed to sneak its way into the airport departure area, and there's 2 members of staff sporting binoculars and a speaker trying to... lure the bird to them by playing jackdaw calls? Incompetent and hilarious.
Sometimes you really have to marvel at the genius of German design, like the architects who designed this enormous glass facade wall at the Berlin airport with a glorious view of... Nothing.
November 17, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Sometimes you really have to marvel at the genius of German design, like the architects who designed this enormous glass facade wall at the Berlin airport with a glorious view of... Nothing.
It's incredible what you can find at German supermarkets these days.
November 12, 2025 at 7:05 PM
It's incredible what you can find at German supermarkets these days.
I'm right on the edge of their range, which means I mostly see Hooded/Carrion crow hybrids!
November 12, 2025 at 9:36 AM
I'm right on the edge of their range, which means I mostly see Hooded/Carrion crow hybrids!
A Cepaea sp. snail from Falsterbo, Sweden. Caught it trying to sneak into my day pack so it could be smuggled into Denmark.
November 9, 2025 at 5:17 PM
A Cepaea sp. snail from Falsterbo, Sweden. Caught it trying to sneak into my day pack so it could be smuggled into Denmark.
I'm just surprised no one's done this yet.
November 8, 2025 at 9:23 PM
I'm just surprised no one's done this yet.
Weekend antique flea market haul. Probably overpaid for these but I'm a massive sucker for vintage bird prints.
November 8, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Weekend antique flea market haul. Probably overpaid for these but I'm a massive sucker for vintage bird prints.
Found this bird at the foot of the Copenhagen University BioCenter, and startled more than a few members of staff when I walked by carrying a dead Wood Pigeon.
November 4, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Found this bird at the foot of the Copenhagen University BioCenter, and startled more than a few members of staff when I walked by carrying a dead Wood Pigeon.
I was hoping for a lifer Woodcock, but I guess this'll have to do. My first contribution to the Danish natural history collection.
November 4, 2025 at 9:38 AM
I was hoping for a lifer Woodcock, but I guess this'll have to do. My first contribution to the Danish natural history collection.
Probably one of the most boring transit card designs I've ever encountered.
November 3, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Probably one of the most boring transit card designs I've ever encountered.
@hannahoish.bsky.social has successfully peer pressured me into trying Swedish tube cheese. I ended up going with the shrimp flavour but you can also get it flavoured with skink as well.
November 2, 2025 at 1:17 PM
@hannahoish.bsky.social has successfully peer pressured me into trying Swedish tube cheese. I ended up going with the shrimp flavour but you can also get it flavoured with skink as well.