Colin Beale
@cmbeale.bsky.social
Ecologist, ornithologist & nature lover.
Professor of ecology & conservation at the University of York.
Author of 101 Curious Tales of East African Birds.
Chair of A Rocha UK.
Professor of ecology & conservation at the University of York.
Author of 101 Curious Tales of East African Birds.
Chair of A Rocha UK.
We used data on soil, climate, topography, fire, 🐘 & treecover to identify 5 clusters of ecologicaly similar savannahs. We found that the way the major ecological processes operate in these five can be quite different: e.g. only in hot moist savannahs did we detect a direct impact of fire on trees.
November 24, 2025 at 4:23 PM
We used data on soil, climate, topography, fire, 🐘 & treecover to identify 5 clusters of ecologicaly similar savannahs. We found that the way the major ecological processes operate in these five can be quite different: e.g. only in hot moist savannahs did we detect a direct impact of fire on trees.
New paper out documenting research in protected areas across the African Savannah. We identify the widespread hot, wet savannah sites as understudied with 38% of all parks having no papers associated with them & 5 parks accounting for ~50% of all papers 🧪 1/3
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
November 24, 2025 at 4:23 PM
New paper out documenting research in protected areas across the African Savannah. We identify the widespread hot, wet savannah sites as understudied with 38% of all parks having no papers associated with them & 5 parks accounting for ~50% of all papers 🧪 1/3
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
So, next up is this fabulous project with me and @funkyant.bsky.social on nomadic birds in East Africa. Fieldwork and fancy spatial statistics are on offer here, and who doesn't want birds like this fabulous, nonadic Temminck's Courser?! www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
November 6, 2025 at 3:20 PM
So, next up is this fabulous project with me and @funkyant.bsky.social on nomadic birds in East Africa. Fieldwork and fancy spatial statistics are on offer here, and who doesn't want birds like this fabulous, nonadic Temminck's Courser?! www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
This afternoons light reading included NERC science's "Forward look". www.ukri.org/publications... I'm loving the brazen audacity with which they claim as their achievements the Paris climate accord, etc. It makes my own occasional hyperbole look positively unambitious! 🧪
October 31, 2025 at 6:55 PM
This afternoons light reading included NERC science's "Forward look". www.ukri.org/publications... I'm loving the brazen audacity with which they claim as their achievements the Paris climate accord, etc. It makes my own occasional hyperbole look positively unambitious! 🧪
Over the next few weeks I'll be sharing some fun PhD opportunities. Today, if you're into hydrology, forests and wading 🪶 in Scotland this one might be for you! 🧪 www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
October 31, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Over the next few weeks I'll be sharing some fun PhD opportunities. Today, if you're into hydrology, forests and wading 🪶 in Scotland this one might be for you! 🧪 www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
I fear this bird visitor has had an unfortunate incident. She was sitting on our trellace looking dazed with a thread on her face & ruffled primaries this morning. Very cute, but wishing her well. Scarce locally, Goldcrests have already been turning up at the coast, so who knows where she's from?
September 4, 2025 at 9:11 AM
I fear this bird visitor has had an unfortunate incident. She was sitting on our trellace looking dazed with a thread on her face & ruffled primaries this morning. Very cute, but wishing her well. Scarce locally, Goldcrests have already been turning up at the coast, so who knows where she's from?
Some different #birdringing today, as I'm at @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social on the east coast. It's still early autumn here, but a fantastic variety of #birds ringed this morning, with 8 warbler species including a fantastic wood warbler, and fun birds like this Pied Flycatcher and a young Sparrowhawk.
August 22, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Some different #birdringing today, as I'm at @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social on the east coast. It's still early autumn here, but a fantastic variety of #birds ringed this morning, with 8 warbler species including a fantastic wood warbler, and fun birds like this Pied Flycatcher and a young Sparrowhawk.
Thanks to all who have helped out with the season, and here's hoping there are birds aplenty for all! Roll on the autumn... All birds captured under license from @btobirds.bsky.social - find out more about ringing here: www.bto.org/get-involved... 5/5
August 21, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Thanks to all who have helped out with the season, and here's hoping there are birds aplenty for all! Roll on the autumn... All birds captured under license from @btobirds.bsky.social - find out more about ringing here: www.bto.org/get-involved... 5/5
Although I won't miss arriving on campus at 5am, I'm already wondering what season we'll have next year: will there be good over winter survival & a high population to start with? Will we be back to the glory days of 2021?! Monitoring is addictive - & contributes valuable data to national schemes. 4
August 21, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Although I won't miss arriving on campus at 5am, I'm already wondering what season we'll have next year: will there be good over winter survival & a high population to start with? Will we be back to the glory days of 2021?! Monitoring is addictive - & contributes valuable data to national schemes. 4
have had their best years ever, including tits & blackbird. The number of reed warblers ringed is spectacular: we use only 21m of net in or adjacent to reeds, & we've caught ~90 individual reed warblers over the season! Rumour has it similar results may well be reported across UK.🤞3/5
August 21, 2025 at 2:22 PM
have had their best years ever, including tits & blackbird. The number of reed warblers ringed is spectacular: we use only 21m of net in or adjacent to reeds, & we've caught ~90 individual reed warblers over the season! Rumour has it similar results may well be reported across UK.🤞3/5
After several years of declining numbers we started the year with very few adults & the first few sessions were slow, but productivity has been spectacular. Measuring juveniles per adult gives us a useful index of success that simply can't be done without bird ringing, & several species... 2/5
August 21, 2025 at 2:22 PM
After several years of declining numbers we started the year with very few adults & the first few sessions were slow, but productivity has been spectacular. Measuring juveniles per adult gives us a useful index of success that simply can't be done without bird ringing, & several species... 2/5
Today marked the end of our @btobirds.bsky.social Constant Effort Site ringing for 2025. We've run a site on campus for 5 years now. I think I might be the first to have a preliminary analysis of the season ready & great news: it has been a cracking breeding season here! #birds #ornithology 1/5
August 21, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Today marked the end of our @btobirds.bsky.social Constant Effort Site ringing for 2025. We've run a site on campus for 5 years now. I think I might be the first to have a preliminary analysis of the season ready & great news: it has been a cracking breeding season here! #birds #ornithology 1/5
Benefits only occurred in areas where cover was below 30%, a threshold people have suggested before. Although there's a lot of work on connectivity, empirical evidence that it impacts occupancy is rarer. Great work Charles & thanks to coauthors @janehillyork.bsky.social @anthropocenebio.bsky.social
May 20, 2025 at 8:53 AM
Benefits only occurred in areas where cover was below 30%, a threshold people have suggested before. Although there's a lot of work on connectivity, empirical evidence that it impacts occupancy is rarer. Great work Charles & thanks to coauthors @janehillyork.bsky.social @anthropocenebio.bsky.social
Charles' work takes 800 species of 15 taxonomic groups with presence associated with UK woodland, and evaluates how important connectivity is above and beyond the simple impacts of area (landscapes with better conected woodland typically have more woodland in total too). He finds ~40% benefit. 2/
May 20, 2025 at 8:53 AM
Charles' work takes 800 species of 15 taxonomic groups with presence associated with UK woodland, and evaluates how important connectivity is above and beyond the simple impacts of area (landscapes with better conected woodland typically have more woodland in total too). He finds ~40% benefit. 2/
Great to see @charles-cunningham.bsky.social's paper out on the impacts of woodland connectivity on the presence of woodland species in the UK. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... Although ecologists talk about connectivity being important to maintain, the evidence that this is true is weak. 1/
May 20, 2025 at 8:53 AM
Great to see @charles-cunningham.bsky.social's paper out on the impacts of woodland connectivity on the presence of woodland species in the UK. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... Although ecologists talk about connectivity being important to maintain, the evidence that this is true is weak. 1/
Another Cardinal that I hope is high up the Vatican's list today is this fine Cardinal Woodpecker. He would stand up for the underrepresented of African woodlands and promote serious headbanging.
Alas, he is also unlikely to become Pope, as he is a #bird. 🌿
Alas, he is also unlikely to become Pope, as he is a #bird. 🌿
May 7, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Another Cardinal that I hope is high up the Vatican's list today is this fine Cardinal Woodpecker. He would stand up for the underrepresented of African woodlands and promote serious headbanging.
Alas, he is also unlikely to become Pope, as he is a #bird. 🌿
Alas, he is also unlikely to become Pope, as he is a #bird. 🌿
With the Vatican's conclave happening imminently, I would like to bring the attention of the world to this beautiful Cardinal Beetle that was working hard on its nomination in Nottingham at the weekend.
Sadly, I fear his chances are limited, because he is a beetle. 🌿
Sadly, I fear his chances are limited, because he is a beetle. 🌿
May 6, 2025 at 11:42 AM
With the Vatican's conclave happening imminently, I would like to bring the attention of the world to this beautiful Cardinal Beetle that was working hard on its nomination in Nottingham at the weekend.
Sadly, I fear his chances are limited, because he is a beetle. 🌿
Sadly, I fear his chances are limited, because he is a beetle. 🌿
It is apparently World Curlew day, so here's a fine individual from our last coastal trip on Lindisfarne. Not quite the longest beak / body ratio of any #bird but not far off!
April 21, 2025 at 8:17 AM
It is apparently World Curlew day, so here's a fine individual from our last coastal trip on Lindisfarne. Not quite the longest beak / body ratio of any #bird but not far off!
Are you an African student applying on enrolled on an MSc course in on of the eligible institutes in Africa & wanting to do fieldwork with #birds of prey? This funding could be for you! Apply here: raptorresearchfoundation.org/grants-award... by 30th June
April 9, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Are you an African student applying on enrolled on an MSc course in on of the eligible institutes in Africa & wanting to do fieldwork with #birds of prey? This funding could be for you! Apply here: raptorresearchfoundation.org/grants-award... by 30th June
EDP suggests the Government is expecting this. There seems to be a presumption that at least sometimes NE will opt to abandon SSSIs. This worries me: the only backstop is that the EDP is only approved if the Sec of State evaluates a net biodiversity improvement. I can't see this being sufficient. ..
March 14, 2025 at 3:15 PM
EDP suggests the Government is expecting this. There seems to be a presumption that at least sometimes NE will opt to abandon SSSIs. This worries me: the only backstop is that the EDP is only approved if the Sec of State evaluates a net biodiversity improvement. I can't see this being sufficient. ..
However, the Bill also seems to imply that protected sites such as SSSIs could in theory be abandoned by NE, in favour of improvements elsewhere. This seems to be extremely undesirable & I can't really imagine when NE would choose this - though the fact it is here and NE can be challenged on the ...
March 14, 2025 at 3:15 PM
However, the Bill also seems to imply that protected sites such as SSSIs could in theory be abandoned by NE, in favour of improvements elsewhere. This seems to be extremely undesirable & I can't really imagine when NE would choose this - though the fact it is here and NE can be challenged on the ...
(3) Developers working in these areas then do not need to undertake Environmental Impact Assessments, but must pay an Environmental Improvement Levy, to enable NE to implement the EDP. My reading suggests this levy operates in addition to existing Biodiversity Net Gain payments, but if there is...
March 14, 2025 at 3:15 PM
(3) Developers working in these areas then do not need to undertake Environmental Impact Assessments, but must pay an Environmental Improvement Levy, to enable NE to implement the EDP. My reading suggests this levy operates in addition to existing Biodiversity Net Gain payments, but if there is...
(2) Natural England will pick from these maps the areas where they want to develop an "Environmental Delivery Plan". EDPs will highlight the impact of development of a particular type on protected species & sites, & identify locations and costs to enable nature improvement to compensate for this. ..
March 14, 2025 at 3:15 PM
(2) Natural England will pick from these maps the areas where they want to develop an "Environmental Delivery Plan". EDPs will highlight the impact of development of a particular type on protected species & sites, & identify locations and costs to enable nature improvement to compensate for this. ..
(1) Planing agencies will draw up regional "Spatial Development Stratigies" that highlight areas designated for biodiversity, housing, industry, farming etc. These are subject to local consultation, but no statutory involvement of anyone with biodiversity expertise to be involved. ...
March 14, 2025 at 3:15 PM
(1) Planing agencies will draw up regional "Spatial Development Stratigies" that highlight areas designated for biodiversity, housing, industry, farming etc. These are subject to local consultation, but no statutory involvement of anyone with biodiversity expertise to be involved. ...
The aim of the bill is to simplify development. We're a country that can't build a railway line from London to Manchester (let alone futher North!), so there's an issue to solve, but development often has biodivrsity costs. As I understand it, the key processes will be:.
March 14, 2025 at 3:15 PM
The aim of the bill is to simplify development. We're a country that can't build a railway line from London to Manchester (let alone futher North!), so there's an issue to solve, but development often has biodivrsity costs. As I understand it, the key processes will be:.