Simon Evans
@sevans.bsky.social
Evolutionary ecologist at Exeter Uni. Loves Dartmoor, Sweden, XC skiing, fell running, sunsets, knitwear, teaching & cream teas.
And again today. That’s the third time in succession at the same site.
November 21, 2025 at 8:49 AM
And again today. That’s the third time in succession at the same site.
It takes an exceptionally gifted bird to maintain such a pleasing clutch arrangement.
"Nesthetics" would be a great topic for a coffee table book.
"Nesthetics" would be a great topic for a coffee table book.
November 18, 2025 at 12:17 PM
It takes an exceptionally gifted bird to maintain such a pleasing clutch arrangement.
"Nesthetics" would be a great topic for a coffee table book.
"Nesthetics" would be a great topic for a coffee table book.
Apparently, behavioural ecologists are just now turning their attention to individual heterogeneity.
Opening sentence of an abstract published 6 weeks ago. But not open access. Like a restricted-access rubbish dump, I suppose. direct.mit.edu/posc/article...
Opening sentence of an abstract published 6 weeks ago. But not open access. Like a restricted-access rubbish dump, I suppose. direct.mit.edu/posc/article...
October 30, 2025 at 12:06 PM
Apparently, behavioural ecologists are just now turning their attention to individual heterogeneity.
Opening sentence of an abstract published 6 weeks ago. But not open access. Like a restricted-access rubbish dump, I suppose. direct.mit.edu/posc/article...
Opening sentence of an abstract published 6 weeks ago. But not open access. Like a restricted-access rubbish dump, I suppose. direct.mit.edu/posc/article...
Annual citation counts for an article published in 1991. Are fluctuations attributable to random noise or is there cyclical variation, and would this suggest 'collective remembrance' of the article's insights (unique, but broadly forgotten/ignored/misunderstood) via citation borrowing?
October 29, 2025 at 9:17 AM
Annual citation counts for an article published in 1991. Are fluctuations attributable to random noise or is there cyclical variation, and would this suggest 'collective remembrance' of the article's insights (unique, but broadly forgotten/ignored/misunderstood) via citation borrowing?
A special treat to myself. Papers from a 1954 Symposium, including transcripts of the Q&A sessions. And a post-print annotation in Lack's chapter.
October 20, 2025 at 2:23 PM
A special treat to myself. Papers from a 1954 Symposium, including transcripts of the Q&A sessions. And a post-print annotation in Lack's chapter.
A flock of siskins drinking at the ford on our way to school.
October 14, 2025 at 7:44 AM
A flock of siskins drinking at the ford on our way to school.
Came out of my back door at 6am and nearly bumped into a stag. Having given us both a bit of space, he was beautifully silhouetted against the light from a street lamp, but you’ll have to take my word for it.
September 25, 2025 at 5:11 AM
Came out of my back door at 6am and nearly bumped into a stag. Having given us both a bit of space, he was beautifully silhouetted against the light from a street lamp, but you’ll have to take my word for it.
Empty yet also full. Must be Schrödinger’s flat.
August 7, 2025 at 5:27 AM
Empty yet also full. Must be Schrödinger’s flat.
Is it really true that nurseries can’t exclude unvaccinated children? This makes it seem that “parental choice” is legally protected. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
July 19, 2025 at 6:59 AM
Is it really true that nurseries can’t exclude unvaccinated children? This makes it seem that “parental choice” is legally protected. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Still enjoying watching the kestrel chicks from our back door. But yesterday I found myself surrounded by a newly fledged family of goldcrests.
June 27, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Still enjoying watching the kestrel chicks from our back door. But yesterday I found myself surrounded by a newly fledged family of goldcrests.
I know it’s not National Geographic quality but I think the kestrel chicks raised ~20m from our back door are preparing to fledge. And I am *very* excited.
June 25, 2025 at 1:37 PM
I know it’s not National Geographic quality but I think the kestrel chicks raised ~20m from our back door are preparing to fledge. And I am *very* excited.
I don’t think anything is quite as wonderful as your first bike.
May 29, 2025 at 1:29 PM
I don’t think anything is quite as wonderful as your first bike.
Plenty of other local animals filling the void of the departed great tit brood. To scale, these sika deer are probably closer to my desk than the chicks were.
May 23, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Plenty of other local animals filling the void of the departed great tit brood. To scale, these sika deer are probably closer to my desk than the chicks were.
It’s very quickly learnt to ignore our comings and goings. Perfect timing, because it’s replacing the hole in my heart that yesterday’s great tit brood fledging event created.
May 23, 2025 at 11:20 AM
It’s very quickly learnt to ignore our comings and goings. Perfect timing, because it’s replacing the hole in my heart that yesterday’s great tit brood fledging event created.
They’ve gone! In a crowded box, Mummy struggled to get out. And the first off her offspring quickly followed. Within ten minutes, they’d all departed.
May 22, 2025 at 7:53 PM
They’ve gone! In a crowded box, Mummy struggled to get out. And the first off her offspring quickly followed. Within ten minutes, they’d all departed.
Planned to paint the new garden gate this morning, but a robin excitedly popped out of the wall behind it, so I’ve had to postpone.
May 22, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Planned to paint the new garden gate this morning, but a robin excitedly popped out of the wall behind it, so I’ve had to postpone.
Surely they are going to depart soon?
May 22, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Surely they are going to depart soon?
Today MUST be the day: everyone looking very restless, lots of flapping and hopping up onto the entrance hole.
May 22, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Today MUST be the day: everyone looking very restless, lots of flapping and hopping up onto the entrance hole.
It wasn’t: they’re still here. And so loud that I can hear them clearly through the double glazed window
May 21, 2025 at 9:31 AM
It wasn’t: they’re still here. And so loud that I can hear them clearly through the double glazed window
9:30pm and the female is sitting there wide awake, while all her chicks are fast asleep. Perhaps this will be their last night in the nest?
May 18, 2025 at 8:39 PM
9:30pm and the female is sitting there wide awake, while all her chicks are fast asleep. Perhaps this will be their last night in the nest?
I’ve been too busy on the Vlieland nestbox project to check in on my home nestbox, but they are still there! Now racing home from The Netherlands in the hope I get there before they fledge.
May 18, 2025 at 8:31 AM
I’ve been too busy on the Vlieland nestbox project to check in on my home nestbox, but they are still there! Now racing home from The Netherlands in the hope I get there before they fledge.
Pleasingly on-brand colour scheme for this little chap
May 18, 2025 at 8:27 AM
Pleasingly on-brand colour scheme for this little chap
I’m treating great tits to a very special experience.
Since they’re outside the remit of my research project, blue tits must travel economy class.
Since they’re outside the remit of my research project, blue tits must travel economy class.
May 17, 2025 at 7:31 AM
I’m treating great tits to a very special experience.
Since they’re outside the remit of my research project, blue tits must travel economy class.
Since they’re outside the remit of my research project, blue tits must travel economy class.
Something that fascinated me throughout the incubation period is that the female continued to bring nest lining material. And she’s still adding to the nest now, even with chicks to feed.
May 4, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Something that fascinated me throughout the incubation period is that the female continued to bring nest lining material. And she’s still adding to the nest now, even with chicks to feed.