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Ben Secker

@bensecker.bsky.social
136 followers 170 following 89 posts

PhD researcher @ Manchester Metropolitan University | Willow Tits | linktr.ee/bensecker

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Ben Secker @bensecker.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Two retrapped Willow Tits at one of our sites this morning, in all likelihood a newly formed pair. The female (right) is an adult from one of the nests we were monitoring last year on the site. She lost her partner midway though egg-laying, presumably predated, but managed to fledge all four… (1/2)
Two Willow Tits in the hand after ringing processing. Two Willow Tits in the hand showing the colour ring combinations: R: Blue over metal, L: Orange over Black, and R: Green over metal, L: Green over White.
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Ben Secker @bensecker.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
Sky News appears to be suffering from a strong irony deficiency… #climatecrisis
Sky news discuss the first successful 19hr test flight of a long haul flight whilst other headlines outline the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people in southern France.
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Ben Secker @bensecker.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
Just been for a walk and smoke just started engulfing Warrington, smells pretty bad too.
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Ben Secker @bensecker.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
Four juvenile Willow Tits colour ringed this morning at Wigan Flashes LNR, likely all part of the same brood. They should be dispersing soon, so fingers crossed for some follow up sightings, and maybe even nest finding next year… #UKBirding
Juvenile Willow Tit in the hand displaying colour ring combination of GMVB. Juvenile Willow Tit in the hand displaying colour ring combination of BMOV. Juvenile Willow Tit in the hand displaying colour ring combination of CMON. Juvenile Willow Tit in the hand displaying colour ring combination of GMLW.
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Ben Secker @bensecker.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
After the completion of the bulk of Willow Tit fieldwork for the season, nice to have a change of scene helping out with a friend and fellow PhD student’s project on Sand Martins. Gorgeous birds, also joined by a few friends… #UKBirding
Sand Martin adult posing for a picture after ringing.Highland cattle encroaching on our ringing station.
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Ben Secker @bensecker.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
Managed to spend a few hours this week watching a pair of our Willow Tits bringing a variety of food items to the nest. Mainly caterpillars, but also many spiders, aphids and craneflies. A balanced diet keeping the full brood healthy so far, and should be fledging in the next few days... #UKBirding
A Willow Tit perching with food items in the bill.A Willow Tit perching with multiple food items in its bill.A Willow Tit perching with many food items in its bill, including spiders and caterpillars.A crowded brood of Willow Tit chicks inside the cavity.
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Ben Secker @bensecker.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
UPDATE: Captured some footage of a male (presumably same pair) GSW checking out the cavity in a similar manner to the female in my previous post, then this a few days ago. Still going, just… #UKBirding #Ornithology
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Ben Secker @bensecker.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
A new nest found today at another site already destroyed (likely by woodpecker @richardkbroughton.bsky.social?). Thankfully early enough to re-excavate and build a new nest (3 & 4), although right by a main footpath with lots of dogs off the lead. Fingers crossed… #UKBirding
Destroyed Willow Tit nest cavity in a standing deadwood stump. Nesting material from a destroyed Willow Tit nest in a deadwood stump. Willow Tit nest cavity in a dead stump. Location of a Willow Tit nest site next to a major path.
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Ben Secker @bensecker.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Update: so far so good! #UKBirding
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Ben Secker @bensecker.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
Yes - this was a couple of weeks ago.
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Ben Secker @bensecker.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
Some ominous footage gathered a few days ago from one of the Willow Tit nests we are monitoring. GSW are the most common predator of WT nests in Britain, and having increased by ~400% since the late 60s, it's not a threat that's going away. Let's hope this one has amnesia... #UKBirding #Yikes
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Ben Secker @bensecker.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
Focal watches showed these birds spent the majority of their time within the perimeter of the solar park foraging, demonstrating that if managed favourably for biodiversity, solar parks can be a useful habitat for farmland birds during the breeding season. However, as this is only one of 3/4
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Ben Secker @bensecker.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
We describe clutch sizes, number of fledglings, nest success rates and causes of nest failure for five Corn Bunting nests at this site between 2019 and 2023, as well as 36 nests within an approximate 1-km radius from the solar park boundary. 2/4
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Ben Secker @bensecker.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
Not been to Wharncliffe for ages after moving away from home, but you’ve just reminded me of a glorious afternoon down in the woods with this singing male Wood Warbler in April 2024. Such a joyous, and sadly rapidly vanishing sound….
A spectrogram of a singing male Wood Warbler.
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Ben Secker @bensecker.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
New Willow Tit nest found this afternoon at one of our field sites. Two other preliminary excavations found before this final full attempt - adult seen carrying nest material. Four hours of getting scratched to oblivion worth it in the end! #UKBirding
A Willow Tit nest cavity well-disguised in a dead Silver Birch stump. A close up of a Willow Tit nest cavity entrance in a dead Silver Birch stump. Wood chips from a Willow Tit cavity excavation.
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Ben Secker @bensecker.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
The splendid song of a Willow Tit for your Friday afternoon! ☀️ #UKBirding
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Ben Secker @bensecker.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
One of three Willow Tit discovered during playback surveys this morning. Displaying Marsh Harrier and freshly arrived Black-necked Grebe not bad either… #UKBirding
Sunrise over a reedbed. A Willow Tit singing in a shrub. Marsh Harrier flying above a reedbed. A Black-necked Grebe resting on a water body.
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Ben Secker @bensecker.bsky.social · 10/01/2026
Mini twitch (of about 10 miles) to Scotman’s flash this afternoon for the Great Northern Diver. #UKBirding
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Ben Secker @bensecker.bsky.social · 29/12/2025
Back home for a few days over Christmas and managed to catch this Caspian Gull at RSPB Old Moor yesterday. Stayed for a while to attempt to read the ring but unfortunately too distant. #UKbirding
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Ben Secker @bensecker.bsky.social · 29/11/2025
Heard from a former colleague who first sent me the record on the website. This is forwarded from a local recorder:
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Ben Secker @bensecker.bsky.social · 15/05/2025
In more jovial news, I’ve already had chance to help out with fieldwork in the department, including a trip down to Rutland to see the lingering black tern, local celeb osprey pair, and hobby to name just a few! #ukbirding
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Ben Secker @bensecker.bsky.social · 15/05/2025
Life update klaxon: I’ve joined the Natural Sciences department at Manchester Met as a PhD researcher! Our team will be investigating the role of interspecific competition and community composition in the decline of the willow tit, focusing our efforts on post-industrial sites in the north west.
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Ben Secker @bensecker.bsky.social · 29/04/2025
Garden warbler singing for a prolonged period at Boylin’s this morning before work. #ukbirding #lowcarbonbirding
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Ben Secker @bensecker.bsky.social · 27/04/2025
Walk up the little don valley on Friday returned my first cuckoo of the year. Ring ouzel, redstart, and siskin the other highlights. #ukbirding
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Ben Secker @bensecker.bsky.social · 02/03/2025
Had a brilliant time out on the bike this morning, taking in the first signs of spring through the Dearne valley to RSPB Bolton ings, and back, via the trans pennine trail. First singing chiffchaff of the year and excellent views of Cetti’s the highlights. #ukbirding #lowcarbonbirding
View from the hide at RSPB Bolton ings.
Noble steed parked in the Bolton ings hide.
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Ben Secker @bensecker.bsky.social · 12/02/2025
Red-necked grebe at Sutton-on-sea after fieldwork today. #ukbirding
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Ben Secker @bensecker.bsky.social · 10/01/2025
🚨Bedroom/office mega alert🚨 #ukbirding
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