Kieron Huston
@khuston.bsky.social
Ecology / nature especially 🌿🐝 🐦⬛, wild, cultural & urban landscapes. Conservationist/ecologist working for Derbyshire Wildlife Trust / biodiversity net gain / planning / protected species / local sites. Occasional guide for Wildlife Travel.
Red-billed leiothrix. A native of China (Peking Robin) to the Himalayas that also finds NW Italy to their liking. A colourful bird with a liking for shrubby woodlands going on the last few days. They sing very loudly at dawn then intermittently through the day. Took a while to see one.
July 6, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Red-billed leiothrix. A native of China (Peking Robin) to the Himalayas that also finds NW Italy to their liking. A colourful bird with a liking for shrubby woodlands going on the last few days. They sing very loudly at dawn then intermittently through the day. Took a while to see one.
Spanish Festoon is the most striking of the 5 festoon species in Europe (inc. Caucasus) & can be found in North Africa, Iberian peninsula & southern France in spring. The caterpillars feed on various birthwort species. Birthworts are toxic so confer some protection to the caterpillars #butterflies
March 26, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Spanish Festoon is the most striking of the 5 festoon species in Europe (inc. Caucasus) & can be found in North Africa, Iberian peninsula & southern France in spring. The caterpillars feed on various birthwort species. Birthworts are toxic so confer some protection to the caterpillars #butterflies
Reposted by Kieron Huston
In light of current monopoly media, I'll just shamelessly promote my newsletter that is part journalism, part scicomm, part political education. In case you're looking for some ecologically-oriented independent writing. (Also free to read)
My latest Brief Ecology newsletter is up, discussing some recent updates and collecting some thoughts on current events 🌎🧪
open.substack.com/pub/benlockw...
open.substack.com/pub/benlockw...
Brief Ecology #7
The state of things
open.substack.com
February 26, 2025 at 4:41 PM
In light of current monopoly media, I'll just shamelessly promote my newsletter that is part journalism, part scicomm, part political education. In case you're looking for some ecologically-oriented independent writing. (Also free to read)
Reposted by Kieron Huston
Fascinating! I didn't know any of this history.
Fossils, Bison, & American Indians
How an 1870 expedition gave rise to the conservation movement
open.substack.com
January 18, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Fascinating! I didn't know any of this history.
Reposted by Kieron Huston
‘This shows the value of a weedy pond & providing access to it by placing branches over the surface’
@iand777.bsky.social
@iand777.bsky.social
🧵 1/2 The fishing Wren - who knew? I'm playing in slomo so it's easier to see what's going on.
In fact the Wren is catching amphipods (happy to be corrected on species).
This shows the value of a weedy pond & providing access to it by placing branches over the surface.
@bto-gbw.bsky.social
In fact the Wren is catching amphipods (happy to be corrected on species).
This shows the value of a weedy pond & providing access to it by placing branches over the surface.
@bto-gbw.bsky.social
February 13, 2025 at 6:57 AM
‘This shows the value of a weedy pond & providing access to it by placing branches over the surface’
@iand777.bsky.social
@iand777.bsky.social
Reposted by Kieron Huston
YES!
UK must rejoin EU customs union in order to boost Britain's economy and its ability to deal with the incoming Donald Trump presidency from a position of strength. Says Lib Dem leader Ed Davey. 👍
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
UK needs to rejoin EU customs union, says Lib Dem leader Ed Davey
Sir Ed will argue the move is needed to deal with the incoming Trump presidency in the US.
www.bbc.com
January 16, 2025 at 6:23 AM
YES!
Reposted by Kieron Huston
Sadly 2024 was one of the poorest breeding seasons for Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers since we started in 2015. Only 11 nests were found/monitored & on average only just over one young fledged per nest. This is probably not enough to sustain the population, www.woodpecker-network.org.uk/index.php/news
January 4, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Sadly 2024 was one of the poorest breeding seasons for Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers since we started in 2015. Only 11 nests were found/monitored & on average only just over one young fledged per nest. This is probably not enough to sustain the population, www.woodpecker-network.org.uk/index.php/news
Reposted by Kieron Huston
Jeff Bezos never wanted this cartoon to become public.
He killed it, and as a result, pulitzer prize editorial cartoonist Ann Telnaes quit.
Make sure everyone sees this cartoon.
He killed it, and as a result, pulitzer prize editorial cartoonist Ann Telnaes quit.
Make sure everyone sees this cartoon.
January 4, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Jeff Bezos never wanted this cartoon to become public.
He killed it, and as a result, pulitzer prize editorial cartoonist Ann Telnaes quit.
Make sure everyone sees this cartoon.
He killed it, and as a result, pulitzer prize editorial cartoonist Ann Telnaes quit.
Make sure everyone sees this cartoon.
Reposted by Kieron Huston
Pretty horrifying. If you fitted a more appropriate curve, extrapolation would be very worrying.
🚨 The first preliminary analysis from the Japan Meteorological Agency highlights 2024 as the warmest year on record globally (since at least 1891 in this data).
Additional climate rankings will be released on 1/10/2025 for other datasets.
Graph and methods by ds.data.jma.go.jp/tcc/tcc/prod... 🧪⚒️🌊
Additional climate rankings will be released on 1/10/2025 for other datasets.
Graph and methods by ds.data.jma.go.jp/tcc/tcc/prod... 🧪⚒️🌊
December 31, 2024 at 6:51 AM
Pretty horrifying. If you fitted a more appropriate curve, extrapolation would be very worrying.
Reposted by Kieron Huston
The last time carbon dioxide concentrations in Earth’s atmosphere were as high as now was 14 million years ago. Our planet is in for big changes.
www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/27...
www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/27...
66 million-year history of carbon dioxide shows climate is highly sensitive to greenhouse gases
Cardiff experts help map changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide in deep time
www.cardiff.ac.uk
December 16, 2024 at 8:30 PM
The last time carbon dioxide concentrations in Earth’s atmosphere were as high as now was 14 million years ago. Our planet is in for big changes.
www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/27...
www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/27...
Many SSSIs I've visited in the past 5 yrs have declined or been damaged. There is scope for recovery, but you can't start that process unless the sites are visited at least every 5 yrs. Spending time understanding sites & building relationships with landowners needs more & better resources.
Our system to monitor and protect rare and biodiverse habitats doesn't seem to be working...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
English wildlife ‘could be disappearing in the dark’ due to lack of scrutiny
Conservationists issue warning as figures show three-quarters of SSSI sites have had no recent assessments
www.theguardian.com
December 28, 2024 at 1:35 PM
Many SSSIs I've visited in the past 5 yrs have declined or been damaged. There is scope for recovery, but you can't start that process unless the sites are visited at least every 5 yrs. Spending time understanding sites & building relationships with landowners needs more & better resources.
View from Battersea's glass elevator at 109m showing the extent of green landscaping. Some looks quite minimal &/or ornamental (similar landscaping can be seen at ground level). Be interesting to know the plants used & species benefiting especially inverts & birds #urbanecology #ecology #insects, 🌍
December 28, 2024 at 10:17 AM
View from Battersea's glass elevator at 109m showing the extent of green landscaping. Some looks quite minimal &/or ornamental (similar landscaping can be seen at ground level). Be interesting to know the plants used & species benefiting especially inverts & birds #urbanecology #ecology #insects, 🌍
Reposted by Kieron Huston
🚨 OUT NOW 🚨
📚 The @ipbes.bsky.social #NexusAssessment Summary for Policymakers is now available!
➡️ Explore the most comprehensive assessment ever of the interconnections between biodiversity, water, food, health & climate.
🌏 Options for a just & sustainable future!
www.ipbes.net/node/85582
📚 The @ipbes.bsky.social #NexusAssessment Summary for Policymakers is now available!
➡️ Explore the most comprehensive assessment ever of the interconnections between biodiversity, water, food, health & climate.
🌏 Options for a just & sustainable future!
www.ipbes.net/node/85582
December 17, 2024 at 8:08 PM
🚨 OUT NOW 🚨
📚 The @ipbes.bsky.social #NexusAssessment Summary for Policymakers is now available!
➡️ Explore the most comprehensive assessment ever of the interconnections between biodiversity, water, food, health & climate.
🌏 Options for a just & sustainable future!
www.ipbes.net/node/85582
📚 The @ipbes.bsky.social #NexusAssessment Summary for Policymakers is now available!
➡️ Explore the most comprehensive assessment ever of the interconnections between biodiversity, water, food, health & climate.
🌏 Options for a just & sustainable future!
www.ipbes.net/node/85582
Reposted by Kieron Huston
It's @joshlukedavis.bsky.social's annual round-up of species described by @nhm-london.bsky.social scientists! This year, I contributed two dinosaurs to the list, including the most complete found in the UK for over a century, lead by @valdosaurus.bsky.social www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/new...
DiCaprio’s snake and Sauron’s piranha: Natural History Museum describes 190 new species in 2024
Over the last 12 months our scientists have been describing a dizzying array of new species.
www.nhm.ac.uk
December 20, 2024 at 9:34 AM
It's @joshlukedavis.bsky.social's annual round-up of species described by @nhm-london.bsky.social scientists! This year, I contributed two dinosaurs to the list, including the most complete found in the UK for over a century, lead by @valdosaurus.bsky.social www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/new...
Reposted by Kieron Huston
Day 20 of the 2024 #dragonfly #AdventCalendar. White-faced Darter is small and rare but spectacular. It's a bog specialist and mainly lives in Scotland. This one from Whixall Moss, its only site in Wales, a couple of years ago. #DragonflyAdventCalendar #invertebrates #ukwildlife
December 20, 2024 at 9:10 AM
Day 20 of the 2024 #dragonfly #AdventCalendar. White-faced Darter is small and rare but spectacular. It's a bog specialist and mainly lives in Scotland. This one from Whixall Moss, its only site in Wales, a couple of years ago. #DragonflyAdventCalendar #invertebrates #ukwildlife
Reposted by Kieron Huston
Wisdom's still alive, she's back at her breeding grounds! This season she'll turn at least 74 years old. 🎉🎊💃
November 28, 2024 at 5:49 AM
Wisdom's still alive, she's back at her breeding grounds! This season she'll turn at least 74 years old. 🎉🎊💃
Reposted by Kieron Huston
This new study suggests that high-quality old grassland may be particularly good at supporting pollinators because diverse food sources provided by such grassland provide additional health benefits.
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
| Pornon et al. @funecology.bsky.social
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
| Pornon et al. @funecology.bsky.social
Species‐rich old grasslands have beneficial effects on the health and gut microbiome of bumblebees
Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 25, 2024 at 2:16 PM
Reposted by Kieron Huston
Finally! After a few years of trying to find the right spot & time things right. I've photographed adult California tiger salamanders (Ambystoma californiense) underwater as they return to vernal ponds to breed. I believe mine are the 1st UW images of wild CA tiger sals. 🦎🌎🐸
November 25, 2024 at 8:01 PM
Finally! After a few years of trying to find the right spot & time things right. I've photographed adult California tiger salamanders (Ambystoma californiense) underwater as they return to vernal ponds to breed. I believe mine are the 1st UW images of wild CA tiger sals. 🦎🌎🐸
Reposted by Kieron Huston
Join us next spring for a relaxed birding break
Visit Estonia w/ @birdingdad.bsky.social in search of sea duck & owls, travel to Lesvos w/ @beardybirder.bsky.social as north-bound migrants mingle with Aegean specialities, or join Laurie cruising the Danube Delta
Pack your bins & let's go birding
Visit Estonia w/ @birdingdad.bsky.social in search of sea duck & owls, travel to Lesvos w/ @beardybirder.bsky.social as north-bound migrants mingle with Aegean specialities, or join Laurie cruising the Danube Delta
Pack your bins & let's go birding
November 25, 2024 at 8:56 PM
Join us next spring for a relaxed birding break
Visit Estonia w/ @birdingdad.bsky.social in search of sea duck & owls, travel to Lesvos w/ @beardybirder.bsky.social as north-bound migrants mingle with Aegean specialities, or join Laurie cruising the Danube Delta
Pack your bins & let's go birding
Visit Estonia w/ @birdingdad.bsky.social in search of sea duck & owls, travel to Lesvos w/ @beardybirder.bsky.social as north-bound migrants mingle with Aegean specialities, or join Laurie cruising the Danube Delta
Pack your bins & let's go birding
Reposted by Kieron Huston
This new study suggests that high-quality old grassland may be particularly good at supporting pollinators because diverse food sources provided by such grassland provide additional health benefits.
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
| Pornon et al. @funecology.bsky.social
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
| Pornon et al. @funecology.bsky.social
Species‐rich old grasslands have beneficial effects on the health and gut microbiome of bumblebees
Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 25, 2024 at 8:20 AM
This new study suggests that high-quality old grassland may be particularly good at supporting pollinators because diverse food sources provided by such grassland provide additional health benefits.
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
| Pornon et al. @funecology.bsky.social
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
| Pornon et al. @funecology.bsky.social
Reposted by Kieron Huston
This is a flower fly, or hover fly. You can easily see two little barbell shaped nubbins protruding from its sides where the thorax meets the abdomen. Those are halteres, organs that evolved from hindwings. The fly uses them to sense orientation and direction while flying.
Guango Lodge, Ecuador
Guango Lodge, Ecuador
November 25, 2024 at 3:03 AM
This is a flower fly, or hover fly. You can easily see two little barbell shaped nubbins protruding from its sides where the thorax meets the abdomen. Those are halteres, organs that evolved from hindwings. The fly uses them to sense orientation and direction while flying.
Guango Lodge, Ecuador
Guango Lodge, Ecuador
Reposted by Kieron Huston
A Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus phantasticus) from a nighttime hike east-central Madagascar. We saw a handful of these lizards and I'm surprised we did, given their complete commitment to dead leaf mimicry. No doubt we walked by dozens more. #herps #NaturePhotography 🌿
November 21, 2024 at 2:24 PM
A Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus phantasticus) from a nighttime hike east-central Madagascar. We saw a handful of these lizards and I'm surprised we did, given their complete commitment to dead leaf mimicry. No doubt we walked by dozens more. #herps #NaturePhotography 🌿
Reposted by Kieron Huston
📰Published📰 More Species in Small Patches vs. Large Patches: Insights from Modeling
https://buff.ly/3YRptz4
🧪🌍
https://buff.ly/3YRptz4
🧪🌍
More Species in Small Patches vs. Large Patches: Insights from Modeling
Leonardo A. Saravia, Ulises Balza, Fernando Momo This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Biodiversity around the world is declining due to…
buff.ly
November 20, 2024 at 6:04 PM
📰Published📰 More Species in Small Patches vs. Large Patches: Insights from Modeling
https://buff.ly/3YRptz4
🧪🌍
https://buff.ly/3YRptz4
🧪🌍
Reposted by Kieron Huston
A new study shows that #butterflies, #bumblebees & #hoverflies can be equally effective #pollinators. Read about it here:
jeffollerton.co.uk/2024/09/13/b...
jeffollerton.co.uk/2024/09/13/b...
Butterflies, bumblebees and hoverflies can be equally effective pollinators of some plants says a new study
Just after I arrived in Northampton in 1995, I set about looking for suitable local sites for conducting pollination ecology field work for myself and students. The campus on which we were situated…
jeffollerton.co.uk
November 16, 2024 at 11:34 AM
A new study shows that #butterflies, #bumblebees & #hoverflies can be equally effective #pollinators. Read about it here:
jeffollerton.co.uk/2024/09/13/b...
jeffollerton.co.uk/2024/09/13/b...