Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 08/10/2026Bar-tailed godwit tongue action 🪶 061
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 08/10/2026Ringed plover in two senses. A ringed ringed plover. 🪶 050
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 06/10/2026"I learned to see birds as company, and there was no going back." A personal narrative written for the Mindful Birding Network, re: bird-noticing, lockdown, and solo travels. www.themindfulbirdingnetwork.com/mbn-blog/nev...themindfulbirdingnetwork.comNever Lonely with Birds Around by Kate McFarland — The Mindful Birding NetworkGrey Heron © Kate McFarland 030
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 05/10/2026I guess everyone here knows I am more fascinated by Avian Intelligence than that other thing, but FYI my colleagues have a new podcast, and I thought the inaugural episode on "How Should We Talk To and About AI?" was actually a very interesting conversation. open.spotify.com/episode/3FhA...open.spotify.comHow Should We Talk To and About AI?COMPAS: Conversations on Morality, Politics, and Society · Episode 110
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 05/10/2026When you walk to the coast thinking you might photograph some shorebirds, but the sun is over the water, so you think, "Hmm, fuck it, that wheatear behind me would make a fine photo subject." 🪶 070
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 05/10/2026Turnstone tongue 👅 🦀🪶 0122
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 03/10/2026Do birds have privacy interests? Some ethicists have argued so - and they have a point. On the other hand, public data sharing has real benefits, from incentivizing citizen science to storytelling. My latest "birds and philosophy" column for Columbus Audubon. columbusaudubon.org/do-birds-hav...columbusaudubon.orgDo Birds Have a Right to Privacy? - Columbus AudubonBy Kate McFarland Do birds have a right to privacy? At first blush, it sounds like a joke – a comment we might make when feeling a bit voyeuristic after witnessing those few fleeting seconds of avian ... 010
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 03/10/2026Gull photobombing a preening cormorant 🪶 060
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 03/10/2026Young moorhen descending a fallen branch. 🪶 010
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 03/10/2026Once I get out of the habit of photographing birds (or any other subject requiring better equipment than an iPhone SE camera), it's easy to stay out of it. But I saw some #moorhens the other day and thus had take some photos for a friend who likes to receive photos of moorhens 🪶 040
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Yes, #OffensivePigeons should be a genre. 111
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Traveller Heron's first @bou.org.uk conference! Both heron and human thoroughly enjoyed the talks, lunch and workshop. #BOUasm26 031
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 29/09/2026When you’re a travelling heron, why not plan your travels around where the bird conferences are? Traveller is ready for #BOUasm26! 062
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 27/09/2026This is Traveller Ammonite logging in with an important PSA. I am not a shrimp. That's all. G'night! 000
Reposted by Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron)American Bird Conservancy @abcbirds.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Global Bird Rescue Week (September 21–28) is here! We’re highlighting one of the most significant threats birds face during migration: collisions with windows & buildings. 🪟 There are several ways to reduce collisions around your home. Learn more: abcbirds.info/4gTw2LV 02013
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 23/09/2026Where is Traveller off to now? 🤔 020
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 23/09/2026Traveller found a Heron-mobile! 2121
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 23/09/2026Traveller Heron reminds you: Choose respect, not egrets. 1286
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 22/09/2026My life in socks 🧦 030
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 22/09/2026It's yet another topic I find utterly fascinating... so I wrote about it for Rewilding Earth (in the article linked below). Specifically, I explore the idea that there are actual or potential forms of sensory pollution that are imperceptible to humans. 020
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 21/09/2026It's Global Bird Rescue week! Some ways to participate: • Report any window collision victims you find to the Global Bird Collision Mapper; • Make your windows bird-safe; • Help spread the world. www.globalbirdrescue.orgglobalbirdrescue.orgGlobal Bird RescueGlobal Bird Rescue is an annual global event where teams and individuals around the world go out and search for birds that have collided with buidlings. 032
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 20/09/2026"Whenever researchers decide which problem to focus on, what questions to ask, which instruments and experimental set-ups to use, what statistical methods to apply, and how to interpret the results, they are engaging in philosophical reasoning, even if unreflectively" www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...science.orgScience is based on assumptions. Philosophy can make sure they’re the right ones.When I was a postdoctoral researcher, I spent several years teaching at an interdisciplinary research institute in Vienna, Austria. There, my main course sought to train master’s students—mostly biolo... 010
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 20/09/2026"Would you happen to have any bottles of wine with a heron on the label?" "I don't believe we do ... that's a really niche question." 3121
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 19/09/2026First pass at typing up the general ideas for a book chapter of max 4500 words 🙌 Do I get a prize? 120
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 18/09/2026We all know about light and noise pollution, but are there forms of sensory pollution that affect other sensory modalities -- perhaps some that are inherently imperceptible to humans? This is the question behind my latest piece for #Rewilding Earth (@rewilding.org). rewilding.org/beyond-the-h...rewilding.orgBeyond the Human Umwelt: Silent and Invisible Sensory PollutionWe must not be deaf and blind to the importance of animal senses outside of hearing and vision and, correspondingly, sensory pollution beyond noise and light. 162
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 18/09/2026Also from Carson's speech (paraphrasing letters): "We have been troubled about the world and had almost lost faith in man. It helps to think about the long history of the earth ... And when we think in terms of millions of years, we are not so impatient that our own problems be solved tomorrow." 1/4 110
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 17/09/2026I've not yet ruled out retraining. But enrolling in a large online undergraduate course might not be best for self-image when one already has a PhD and MSc. Thanks for all the info on how my college research projects will differ from the research I did in high school. At least I have 130.28% (A) 🤷♀️ 210
Reposted by Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron)EveryHeron 𓅣 @everyheron.bsky.social · 17/09/2026Patience and Grace and Instant death The dichotomy of Heronkind 0212
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 16/09/2026...from this speech (delivered in Columbus?) "I am not afraid of being thought a sentimentalist when I stand here tonight and tell you that I believe natural beauty has a necessary place in the spiritual development of any individual or any society." awpc.cattcenter.iastate.edu/communicatio...awpc.cattcenter.iastate.eduExceeding Beauty of the Earth - April 21, 1954 - Archives of Women's Political Communication 030
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 16/09/2026Apparently it's #Plover Appreciation Day, so remember to thank a plover today. Here is a European golden plover and a common ringed plover, both of whom are much appreciated 🪶 050
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 16/09/2026"Don't ask me why I'm doing this; you wouldn't understand..." Took my Heron to see @marillion.com at York Barbican last night. 140
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 15/09/2026Traveller Heron eagerly awaits the show... 030
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 15/09/2026Dejlige mindeord fra BIEN Danmark. Lovely remembrances from the Danish partner of @basicincomeearth.bsky.social (på dansk). basisindkomst.dk/erik-christe...basisindkomst.dkErik Christensen (1945-2026) - mindeord - BIEN DanmarkErik Christensen; medstifter af og kendt som "the grand old man" i Borgerlønsbevægelsen, er død 11. september 2026, 81 år gammel. Dorte Kolding har skrevet mindeord. 000
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 14/09/2026Does anyone else ever recall specific birds whom you met, and think "I wonder how that bird is doing these days? I hope they're still alive and thriving."🪶 Sometimes I meet birds only briefly, yet something about them leaves a lasting impression - this particular heron, for one. 2180
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 14/09/2026I'm not sure if this will interest anyone in my Bluesky network, but at my day job, we run a series of webinars on research ethics, and I think they're good. The first of this academic year will be about posthumous attribution in both historical and modern contexts. cehv.osu.edu/events/care-...cehv.osu.eduCARE Panel: Co-Authorship and Posthumous AttributionAboutWhy do we care about attribution and authorship? And what does it mean to attribute authorship of a text, or intellectual credit in general, to an individual after their death? 010
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 12/09/2026Today is #WorldSoundwalkDay "As you move slowly through a place, pay attention to the sounds around you ... The goal is simply to slow down, become present, and experience your surroundings through listening." www.quietparks.org/urban-sound-...quietparks.orgUrban Sound Walk Project — Quiet Parks International 010
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 12/09/2026Very saddened to hear of the passing Danish #BasicIncome advocate and scholar Erik Christensen. Christensen's ecological argument for a basic income as a pillar in a steady state economy is as relevant today as ever. 1/2 www.basisindkomst.dk/bien/pdf/EC_...basisindkomst.dk 120
Reposted by Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron)Ariel Brunner @arielbrunner.bsky.social · 11/09/2026Stunning, accessible and informative report here: sowb.birdlife.orgsowb.birdlife.orgState of the World’s Birds | BirdLifeBirdLife International’s report on the state of the world's birds — trends, pressures, and conservation responses. 01310
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 11/09/2026As the new academic year ramps up, I'm reminded how much I love administrative work. I like the interactivity and feeling responsible and valued. It gives my life meaning in the sense that I know that if I died, people would be inconvenienced. But an administrative career is a double-edged sword 1/3 100
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 10/09/2026Candid shot of Traveller and Kate out for dinner in Santiago de Compostela 🇪🇸 🍽️ 050
Reposted by Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron)International Wader Study Group @waderstudy.bsky.social · 09/09/2026Everyone is welcome at our conferences, especially Traveller Heron 😂 021
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 09/09/2026Traveller Heron had a wonderful and informative time at the @waderstudy.bsky.social IWSG 2026 conference. Traveller says everyone was welcoming and no one told them "We don't want *that* kind of wader here." A few remarks from Traveller's human, who also joined (again) as an outsider... 1/6 140
Reposted by Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron)EveryHeron 𓅣 @everyheron.bsky.social · 20/01/2026A Green Heron patiently fishing with a spider 🕷️ lure... youtu.be/C1IqJJ9pO3M?... Nine species of Heron have been observed using bait fishing with twigs, leaves, bread - the Green and Black Crowned seem to be the stars. The skill is typically local, learned from observation of your elders.youtu.beGreen Heron Uses Spider as Fishing Bait 🕷️YouTube video by Two Lane Travels 1205
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 05/09/2026"notheron is the state of being between being with Heron. The longer it lasts the greater the Heron appreciation when it is resolved. Conversely, too much Heron can lead to addiction." Wisdom from @everyheron.bsky.social 010
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 05/09/2026Traveller and their human sometimes go to bird conferences for fun. They like all the PPTs with cute pictures of birds and being around other humans who like birds. Traveller gets positive attention, and Traveller's human lets them be an icebreaker, since she doesn't know shit about networking. 1/6 130
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 05/09/2026Traveller Heron leads the way to the conference dinner on the first night of the annual conference of @waderstudy.bsky.social. Santiago de Compostela 🇪🇸 140
Reposted by Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron)yukongertie.bsky.social @yukongertie.bsky.social · 02/09/2026Elie gives us a glimpse of something even more profound: how birds might be thinking when communicating amongst themselves – and evidence that they are thinking and interpreting meaning instead of thoughtlessly reacting to auditory stimuli. 021
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 02/09/2026"... Elie has taken steps toward understanding how #birds themselves mentally represent their own calls – and that, in my view, is much more fascinating than being able to 'talk to' the birds." New essay from me on meaning, reference, and avian communication. columbusaudubon.org/do-birds-kno...columbusaudubon.orgDo Birds Know What They’re Saying? - Columbus Audubon(featured image photo credit: PotMart186, Wikimedia, CC BY-SA) By Kate McFarlane When neuroscientist Julie Elie won the 2026 Coller-Dolittle Prize for her work on semantic cognition in Zebra Finches, ... 082
Kate McFarland (and Traveller Heron) @carfreebirdnoticer.bsky.social · 01/09/2026"... Halving the illuminated window area among buildings decreased collision counts by nearly 11 times. It didn't require any costly changes to buildings. It only asked building owners to turn out unnecessary lights." Now there's a bright idea💡 www.darkskyconsulting.com/blog/for-the...darkskyconsulting.comDo "Lights Out" Initiatives Really Save Migrating Birds? What Science SaysDiscover how urban light pollution impacts migratory birds and learn how seasonal "Lights Out" programs reduce fatal building collisions according to scientific research. 178