Richard Hall
@richardlovesbirds.bsky.social
Theoretical ecologist based in Athens, GA. Into disease ecology and animal migration. Love birds and native gardening. he/him
Lab: https://halllab.ecology.uga.edu/
Wildlife from the backyard: https://www.instagram.com/richhallagram/
Lab: https://halllab.ecology.uga.edu/
Wildlife from the backyard: https://www.instagram.com/richhallagram/
Neotropical warbler season is over but I was charmed by the frenetic bathing of this Swamp Sparrow today, a less than annual visitor to my yard
November 1, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Neotropical warbler season is over but I was charmed by the frenetic bathing of this Swamp Sparrow today, a less than annual visitor to my yard
With all of the horrors 2025 has brought I haven't had much enthusiasm to engage with this platform, but warblers help make the world a little bit better, so thought I would share some warbler joy from a few days ago at my backyard birdbath in Athens GA. Migration is amazing!
October 23, 2025 at 12:58 AM
With all of the horrors 2025 has brought I haven't had much enthusiasm to engage with this platform, but warblers help make the world a little bit better, so thought I would share some warbler joy from a few days ago at my backyard birdbath in Athens GA. Migration is amazing!
For the past 3 days I've been hosting Georgia's 2nd ever Hooded Oriole in my yard - it showed up right after last weekend's storms from the west. Since then almost 80 people have showed up to admire it. Amidst all the turmoil & bad news it's been nice to share a slice of joy with Georgia birders!
February 19, 2025 at 1:44 AM
For the past 3 days I've been hosting Georgia's 2nd ever Hooded Oriole in my yard - it showed up right after last weekend's storms from the west. Since then almost 80 people have showed up to admire it. Amidst all the turmoil & bad news it's been nice to share a slice of joy with Georgia birders!
Some much needed bird therapy - the huge blackbird/ cowbird/ grackle/ starling roost in a bamboo patch in west Athens. The wheeling flocks were occasionally thrown into disarray by a marauding Cooper's Hawk.
February 6, 2025 at 1:35 AM
Some much needed bird therapy - the huge blackbird/ cowbird/ grackle/ starling roost in a bamboo patch in west Athens. The wheeling flocks were occasionally thrown into disarray by a marauding Cooper's Hawk.
Rare in winter this far north, a Lincoln's Sparrow is overwintering along the N Oconee River Greenway in Athens, highlighting the value of this urban corridor. The video includes comparison with lookalike Song Sparrow in foreground (note fine streaks, slender body & bill, & buffy malar of Lincoln's)
February 2, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Rare in winter this far north, a Lincoln's Sparrow is overwintering along the N Oconee River Greenway in Athens, highlighting the value of this urban corridor. The video includes comparison with lookalike Song Sparrow in foreground (note fine streaks, slender body & bill, & buffy malar of Lincoln's)
It's the year of the Great Northern Diver! It's always to joy to see these birds staging in Athens in late March on their northbound migration. Overnight rains can sometimes result in 50+ birds in breeding attire, giving their haunting yodelling calls.
January 30, 2025 at 2:29 PM
It's the year of the Great Northern Diver! It's always to joy to see these birds staging in Athens in late March on their northbound migration. Overnight rains can sometimes result in 50+ birds in breeding attire, giving their haunting yodelling calls.
Some local birding cheer - a female Rufous Hummingbird has showed up at a friend's feeder following the recent cold snap. As more Neotropical birds attempt to overwinter in temperate regions, cold snaps may well lead to more mid-winter displacements of migrants.
January 25, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Some local birding cheer - a female Rufous Hummingbird has showed up at a friend's feeder following the recent cold snap. As more Neotropical birds attempt to overwinter in temperate regions, cold snaps may well lead to more mid-winter displacements of migrants.
The frigid for Georgia 18F/-8C temperatures brought a sprinkling of ducks to Lake Herrick on the UGA campus, most notably a pair of American Wigeon. Supporting cast included 5 Redheads, 3 Hooded Mergansers and a Ruddy Duck.
January 22, 2025 at 10:35 PM
The frigid for Georgia 18F/-8C temperatures brought a sprinkling of ducks to Lake Herrick on the UGA campus, most notably a pair of American Wigeon. Supporting cast included 5 Redheads, 3 Hooded Mergansers and a Ruddy Duck.
They do - Baltimore Orioles are my favourite Christmas ornament!
December 25, 2024 at 3:46 AM
They do - Baltimore Orioles are my favourite Christmas ornament!
A mugshot of a Nelson's Sparrow sitting on the boat dock during a very high tide on the St Catherines Island Christmas Bird Count.
December 18, 2024 at 1:31 PM
A mugshot of a Nelson's Sparrow sitting on the boat dock during a very high tide on the St Catherines Island Christmas Bird Count.
Athens super-birder Patrick Maurice found an incredible first Clarke County record of Lapland Longspur today. Luckily I was able to re-find it this morning as my 250th bird species in Georgia's smallest county.
December 11, 2024 at 12:44 AM
Athens super-birder Patrick Maurice found an incredible first Clarke County record of Lapland Longspur today. Luckily I was able to re-find it this morning as my 250th bird species in Georgia's smallest county.
Another slice of migratory bird joy - more video footage of migrants that stopped by my backyard pond in Athens, GA in fall 2024. Part 2 of 2. #birds #backyardbirds
December 5, 2024 at 9:10 AM
Another slice of migratory bird joy - more video footage of migrants that stopped by my backyard pond in Athens, GA in fall 2024. Part 2 of 2. #birds #backyardbirds
A little slice of migratory bird joy - a short montage of some of the migrants that stopped by my backyard pond in Athens, GA in fall 2024. Part 1 of 2. #birds #backyardbirds
December 5, 2024 at 9:09 AM
A little slice of migratory bird joy - a short montage of some of the migrants that stopped by my backyard pond in Athens, GA in fall 2024. Part 1 of 2. #birds #backyardbirds
She asked if she could use my photo of a Blackburnian Warbler from my yard as the inspiration for her painting! I love her interpretation, especially placing the bird in a coffee plant, a habitat this bird might overwinter in, benefiting coffee farmers by eating insect pests. Conservation win-win!
November 24, 2024 at 6:08 PM
She asked if she could use my photo of a Blackburnian Warbler from my yard as the inspiration for her painting! I love her interpretation, especially placing the bird in a coffee plant, a habitat this bird might overwinter in, benefiting coffee farmers by eating insect pests. Conservation win-win!
An extra cool personal connection- GA artist & ecologist Julia Weil was commissioned to create the label art of a Blackburnian Warbler. Julia conducted undergrad research in my lab. We first met when she visited my yard to see her lifer Nashville Warbler.
November 24, 2024 at 6:08 PM
An extra cool personal connection- GA artist & ecologist Julia Weil was commissioned to create the label art of a Blackburnian Warbler. Julia conducted undergrad research in my lab. We first met when she visited my yard to see her lifer Nashville Warbler.
Love birds & coffee? Want to support bird conservation, local businesses & artists? Birds Georgia, in partnership with Georgia-based coffee roaster Cafe Campesino, has launched a certified bird-friendly coffee that supports shade-grown coffee farmers & overwintering habitat for Neotropical migrants.
November 24, 2024 at 6:08 PM
Love birds & coffee? Want to support bird conservation, local businesses & artists? Birds Georgia, in partnership with Georgia-based coffee roaster Cafe Campesino, has launched a certified bird-friendly coffee that supports shade-grown coffee farmers & overwintering habitat for Neotropical migrants.
Just lovely views of a gorgeous Snow Bunting on Long Rock Beach, Cornwall, on Sunday plus a Brucey Bonus Bonaparte's Gull found just up the beach from us that we were able to relocate after patiently scanning through the Black-headed Gulls at the inlet. #cornwallbirds
November 19, 2024 at 9:35 AM
Just lovely views of a gorgeous Snow Bunting on Long Rock Beach, Cornwall, on Sunday plus a Brucey Bonus Bonaparte's Gull found just up the beach from us that we were able to relocate after patiently scanning through the Black-headed Gulls at the inlet. #cornwallbirds
Northern Gannet I photographed at Noss Head, Shetland this past summer. The dark iris likely indicates that the bird survived infection by highly pathogenic avian influenza that hammered breeding colonies here in 2022. Encouraging that it's still surviving 2 years later. #seabirds
November 16, 2024 at 6:31 AM
Northern Gannet I photographed at Noss Head, Shetland this past summer. The dark iris likely indicates that the bird survived infection by highly pathogenic avian influenza that hammered breeding colonies here in 2022. Encouraging that it's still surviving 2 years later. #seabirds
This past weekend we found 5 Black Redstarts in Lizard village, Cornwall, including this striking male fanning its rufous tail as it predated insects from the side of a building in hovering flight.
November 14, 2024 at 8:11 AM
This past weekend we found 5 Black Redstarts in Lizard village, Cornwall, including this striking male fanning its rufous tail as it predated insects from the side of a building in hovering flight.
Glorious weather in Cornwall this morning for a trip down to the Lizard peninsula, where 5 Cornish Choughs put on a show for us. These charismatic corvids were a symbol of Cornwall, but went locally extinct. Birds recolonized from Ireland and the Cornish population is growing once again.
November 10, 2024 at 8:30 PM
Glorious weather in Cornwall this morning for a trip down to the Lizard peninsula, where 5 Cornish Choughs put on a show for us. These charismatic corvids were a symbol of Cornwall, but went locally extinct. Birds recolonized from Ireland and the Cornish population is growing once again.
A wild morning in Swanvale (Falmouth) this morning with a minimum of 3 Yellow-browed Warblers and 5 Firecrests! A great birdy start to my visit to the Uni of Exeter Cornwall to learn all about insect migrations.
November 9, 2024 at 8:19 PM
A wild morning in Swanvale (Falmouth) this morning with a minimum of 3 Yellow-browed Warblers and 5 Firecrests! A great birdy start to my visit to the Uni of Exeter Cornwall to learn all about insect migrations.
Hello! First post trying out bsky. Will post lab research updates, cool ecology research and plenty of bird pictures, because frankly we could all benefit from some bird joy in these dark times. Below is a Yellow-throated Vireo at my pond bathing in the splashes of a Brown Thrasher.
November 7, 2024 at 5:14 PM
Hello! First post trying out bsky. Will post lab research updates, cool ecology research and plenty of bird pictures, because frankly we could all benefit from some bird joy in these dark times. Below is a Yellow-throated Vireo at my pond bathing in the splashes of a Brown Thrasher.