Chris Duffield

We're hiring a Research Technician to join our project on fish welfare & sustainability in the Amazon ornamental fish trade. Fieldwork in Brazil & lab, physiology & behaviour, contribute to conservation, sustainability & livelihoods in the Amazon. Apply here: www.jobs.gla.ac.uk/job/technici...

Interesting difference between younger and older people.

Non-paywall link to the article (that doesn't trigger my antivirus): archive.is/ytfem

The 15 bird species recorded:
Great Tit, Blue Tit, Robin, Nuthatch, Blackbird, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Chaffinch, Carrion Crow, Stock Dove, Jay, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Coal Tit, Mallard, Long-tailed Tit.
Notable no-shows: Treecreeper, Wren, Dunnock, Bullfinch, Raven, Buzzard.

Eurasian Jay

Notebook page showing a list of bird species and counts seen during a birdwatching hour. Bird species are recorded using BTO species codes.

RSPB #BigGardenBirdwatch done for another year!

Wet and mild weather wasn't promising and the hour got off to a slow start, but once a Jay had made an appearance, the Great Spotted Woodpeckers (male & female) and a family of Long-tailed Tits provided plenty entertainment.

@rspb.bsky.social #BGBW

When two years of academic work vanished with a single click After turning off ChatGPT’s ‘data consent’ option, Marcel Bucher lost the work behind grant applications, teaching materials and publication drafts. Here’s what happened next.

Amazing sob story: "ChatGPT deleted all the work I hadn't done"

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Group photo of participants in the Leverhulme EDS conference at SCENE on Loch Lomond, October 2025

The Leverhulme DTP in Ecological Data Science is currently recruiting the next cohort of PhD candidates for enrolment in October 2026, with an application deadline of 6th March.

Read about the programme and available projects here:
ecological-data-science.github.io

@uofgecodatasci.bsky.social

Cheers - I love Italian food so will probably try them soon. Merry Christmas to you too!

Where is this and do they have good vegan food?

Pat Monaghan introduces Barbara Helm

Barbara Helm explains a slide depicting the incredible annual migratory journey of Bar-tailed Godwits breeding in Alaska and wintering in New Zealand

The usual Christmas party shenanigans included Barbara Helm joining the School band (on viola) for Shostakovich's waltz from the movie "The First Echelon"

Barbara Helm and Chris Duffield

What a wonderful treat, Barbara Helm visiting SBOHVM to deliver this year's Christmas lecture, telling us how research she and colleagues began here at (then) IBAHCM continues in current work at the Swiss Ornithological Institute.

@barbarahelm.bsky.social @sbohvm.gla.ac.uk @vogelwarte.bsky.social

I didn't think anyone still remembered Tocotronic! 😀

Autumnal view north across the Clyde Valley from Gleniffer Braes.

A group of people on the shore of Loch Lomond with autumnal trees in the background

We have held a lovely two-day conference & induction event at @sceneuog.bsky.social on beautiful Loch Lomond to welcome the new cohort of @leverhulme.ac.uk scholars to the @uofgecodatasci.bsky.social DTP. Lots of PhD info, research discussions, and campfire with guitar!
@sbohvm.gla.ac.uk

Google Scholar Is Doomed Academia built entire careers on a free Google service with zero guarantees. What could go wrong?

Since search is dead, how soon do you think Google Scholar is headed for the Google Graveyard? I'm betting it's soon, and academia is NOT prepared

If you have expertise in AI/statistical/data analytics research methods and an interest in environmental urban research, the NERC GALLANT project might be the place for you! Now recruiting for a Research Associate - closing date 15 September.
www.jobs.gla.ac.uk/job/research...

We will never get gender equality and pay equity in academia until this issue of under acknowledged and under recognised service and pastoral support is addressed.

Let's hope none of the C-level people from Tennent's were there...

Interesting new addition to the spatial ecology toolset...

I think most people at my university would kill for an office that large! Very nice; zen vibes.

I, too, was wondering why I was getting up at 05:40 for such an early start... and I live in Glasgow (technically, although on the fringe). I can only assume it was to mimic the Scandinavian work day which starts at 8 and ends at 4.

Woman wearing a T-shirt depicting Chris Packham and George Monbiot with the text "Packham & Monbiot - a natural alliance"

Does this mean I need to update my "natural alliance" T-shirt?

Fatalities in Scottish Grand National 'carnage' include last year's winner Last year’s winner Macdermott was one of two fatalities in the Coral Scottish Grand National at Ayr on Saturday

Scottish Grand National:

23 starters.
8 finishers.
2 horse fatalities.

How long can horse racing retain its social licence to operate while these sort of results happen in the highest profile races. Preventable risks on race day that are not being minimised. Risk management is a welfare priority.

Precocious Strathclyde bluebell will not wait for May; suspects beech trees will spring early this year.

Female mallard with three ducklings

Any day now, ducklings will begin to appear, and we need your help to monitor them. We are asking for records of mallard broods anywhere in the UK this year to help us understand how many ducklings make it to adulthood. Submit your sightings here: citsci.org/projects/ducklingwatch
Please share!

The subtle switch that happens when a dual national lands in an EU airport and stops being a British passport person to instead become a burgundy passport person...

It's lovely to see the European flag flying next to il Tricolore all over Rome. 🇪🇺 🇮🇹

Group photo of Leverhulme Ecological Data Science PIs and doctoral candidates, October 2024

Applications are now open for the October 2025 intake of the Leverhulme DTP in Ecological Data Science. Five fully funded PhDs and a "Masters plus PhD" option for eligible students. Apply by 07 March. Read about this year's projects here: ecological-data-science.github.io

Guest speaker Håvard Rue talking about Variational Bayes at @uofglasgow.bsky.social School of Maths & Stats today.

YouTube video by Chris Duffield Christine Duffield - Wolf's Moon

A song about nature and a winter full moon... Seeking an instinctual, wild solitude in the dark nights of the season.

This made me a bit nostalgic for the days of rummaging around in Oracle databases. Sharing for any DBAs and SQL nerds out there:

He's making a database,
He's sorting it twice,
SELECT * FROM contacts WHERE behaviour = "nice"
SQL Clause is coming to town

Christmas party scene in the Hunterian Zoology Museum with lots of people and a buffet table

The Christmas party hosts Pat and Neil dressed in traditional Indian garb which was worn for a recent wedding in India

Community brass band "Brass, Aye?" dressed in gold and sparkles, playing funky tunes in the Museum

Scene from the Hunterian Zoology Museum with people dancing to the brass band

Another sensational @uofgsbohvm.bsky.social Christmas party with fun, food and dancing! Our hosts Pat and Neil looked spectacular in their Indian wedding attire.

Please add me!