Dave Watson

Been working in the backyard all afternoon, clearing out beneath the chook shed and spreading the goodness in our orchards. We have 20-odd igeons, that breed in the chook shed. They were nervously milling about, so I stopped shovelling to find out why. Moments later, a big ol Peregrine streaks by…

Yes yes and yes. More specifically, the core flock is an old European breed (Archangel), but a series of travelling homing pigeons now call Rancho del Watson home. Designer mongrels.

It’s almost as though universities have been taken over by a class of soulless executives who loot their public institutions for perks and salaries

Illustration of the head and upper neck of a cassowary (Casuarus bennetti) showing detailed features. The bird has a prominent, dark casque on top of its head, a long sharp beak, and a reddish-brown eye. Its neck feathers are dark with vibrant blue skin patches and red lobes along the side. Fine hair-like feathers cover the head, emphasizing the bird’s distinctive texture and coloration, set against a plain light background.

🦤 Transactions of the Zoological Society of London
[London]: Published for the Zoological Society of London by Academic Press

[Source]

Settle down.

Looked to be a young female. Heavy set, broad tail, but the plumage lacked that crisp contrast of an adult. Over the course of the afternoon, she made three passes at the flock. Last time a Peregrine Falcon stooped by, we lost three birds. Fine by me. Gotta pay your taxes.

Been working in the backyard all afternoon, clearing out beneath the chook shed and spreading the goodness in our orchards. We have 20-odd igeons, that breed in the chook shed. They were nervously milling about, so I stopped shovelling to find out why. Moments later, a big ol Peregrine streaks by…

A small, colorful bird with a green back, orange chest band, pale blue cheek patch, black face, and a thick yellow bill, perched on a branch with claws gripping; blurred green background.

The wonderful female Red-headed Barbet. There's a pair at La Minga Ecolodge #Colombia that is very cooperative and I love spending time with them. Such beautiful birds.

#birds #nature

AI must not be allowed to exploit Indigenous culture The federal government is being asked to make a decision that will shape the future of First Nations stories, art, music and journalism in Australia.Right now, the Productivity Commission is consideri...

Today is International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. This year’s theme focuses on AI.

And right now, the government is considering letting AI companies use copyrighted Australian work — including First Peoples’ stories, art and language — without our consent.

nit.com.au/07-08-2025/1...

Photograph of a very small passerine bird on a branch, it's head in profile, with its beak open. It is brown, cream, and black, with red eyes.

Brown Thornbill.
#birds

News you can use.

Thanks Youtube!

Large black plastic stock trough full of water with a float valve. Rafters and sisalation in the background

Detail of buttress plug in the side of said trough, surrounded by clear silicon. Trough sits atop a big galvanised metal tray installed by past Dave on the off chance the trough ever leaked.

Well, this is exciting*. The 1000 litre trough in the roof cavity that we use for gravity-fed water changes for the aquarium has a leak. Seems the plug has loosened. Got lotsa tools, but I don’t have the requisite bung wrench. Bodged it up with silicon. Still leaking.

*not actually exciting at all

Do birds tune their songs to their hearing?

Is there tight coevolution between avian vocal signals and hearing-or do signallers and perceivers evolve more loosely?

It turns out perfect tuning is not required...

Preprint: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

#bioacoustics
#prattle 💬
#ornithology 🪶

Morning all.

So we have this database for wildlife disease surveillance, and we made a data standard, and an R and Python package to help you clean your data, and two years in we just still cannot get first adopters, so here’s my new bit: I will personally Venmo you $20 of my personal money to share a dataset

Look at this adorable budgie feeding his girlfriend 💚💚💚

Any folks with South African plant experience able to help? I saved these from a Leucodendron cultivar, they look nothing like google says they should. Not flat. Can't open them to see if there is a seed inside. Anyone have germination tips or hints?

“We critique the predominance in ecology of scientifically empty statistical procedures that lack scientific clarity and value”

Gorgeous Scarlet Robin came and sat on the rear vision mirror... so close!

Kept flying at his reflections in the car windows....

Was that a movement inside the car??

Side view...such a handsome fellow!

Then we got back to the car to find this handsome chap chastising his reflections!

Correct.

View through a large tank full of Amazonian fish to an open room and then out to a bushland setting with a dam and a large gum tree. Some fish look a lot like piranhas.

Evening all.

Have a good one.

From quantum leaps to wild soundscapes: National Science Week puts Queensland scientists in the spotlight Celebrate National Science Week by getting to know 7 of Queensland’s brightest, boundary-pushing scientists.

A little feature on DETSI's Down to Earth blog in the lead up to National Science Week and our Tech Meets Nature showcase :D #bioacoustics www.detsi.qld.gov.au/our-departme...

Yes, there will be. Just email
The birdlife team and they can send you a link once available

The Australasian Evolution Society comes home to the Goddard Building, UQ, St Lucia, Brisbane- where it started 25 years ago (I was a founder and on the first conference organising committee). 1st to 3rd of October 2025

Sheer serendipity took me to an ancient yew growing from the ruins of a medieval castle in Scotland, like a hidden, uncelebrated, northern Angkor Wat.

Unexpected discoveries like this are life's gold strikes.

“We critique the predominance in ecology of scientifically empty statistical procedures that lack scientific clarity and value”

A large grey goose with a yellow beak, swims in a dam with four black and white striped goslings.

Within an hour of getting off the nest, these cape barren goslings were already getting some important goose lessons.

Once (still?) considered one of the rarest geese in the world, Milawul, with its fox-free status, is now a population stronghold for the species.

Wake up, babe, a new fossil fish faceplant just dropped. 🐟🧪