iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Hiro, furthest away in pic1, and Cannon engaged in a parallel walk and then had a 3 minute fight. Cannon won easily and took the hinds that Hiro had managed to round up. Hiro then went up the hill to sulk, but we're sure he'll be back!

Stags Cannon in the foreground and Hiro behind parallel walk

Hiro and Cannon have locked antlers and are fighting

020

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Morgan tried to the same beach harem strategy yesterday, but Cannon ultimately chased him off.

010

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

This is Hiro, holding a harem on the beach. It is not a very long-lasting strategy as the hinds will always return onto the grass and for the time being this is Cannon's territory.

Stag, Hiro stands defending his hinds who are feeding on the seaweed on the beach.

010

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

It seems Cannon has a gentle side at times. Here he is grooming Calypso. She seems to be ignoring him.

Red deer stag Cannon grooms Calypso who is lying down

010

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Breeze25 was very happy to be reunited with his mother yesterday. Breeze had gone into Cannon's harem the previous afternoon and we think it was very likely that she was in oestrus overnight. Breeze25's behaviour seems to confirm this.

Red Deer hind Breeze is being groomed on her muzzle by her yearling male.

Breeze is being mounted by her yearling male

020

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Seaweed becomes an increasingly important part of the diet of the deer as we enter the colder months of the year. Here, Slate takes a moment to groom her 3 year old daughter, Luing. They are still very close as Slate hasn't had any further offspring since.

Red deer hind Slate grooming her 3 year old daughter Luing,on her neck on the beach at Kilmory

030

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

It was only when we were faecal sampling in August and I was waiting for Aioli to 'perform' that I realised how undershot her jaw is.

000

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Jah26 is the tiny spotty calf in this picture. She was born on August 19th. In the foreground, Chalcedony26 born in June is lying facing away showing how big most calves are now.

A group of hinds lying ruminating on the short vegetation. In amongst them is tiny Jah26 born on August 19th compared to Chalcedony26, lying facing away in the foreground

000

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

While we are looking forward to the rut we have had a few late calves over the past couple of weeks. This is Konik with her calf that was born in late August. Hopefully there will be no more as we want to concentrate on the boys!

Hind Konik with her spotty calf, born in late August

020

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

We are very much into our rut monitoring now. Cannon is looking very impressive in with the hinds behind the beach. He is an incoming rutter that we only see at this time of year.

Red Deer Stag called Cannon, standing with his hinds

Red Deer Stag Cannon lying in amongst his hinds who are out of shot

030

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

We though we had finished catching calves for this year, but this is Jah's day old calf, a 7.0kg female. Gotta keep vigilant 👀

A red deer calf all spotty being processed for science

040

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

This is Turritella26, a female calf caught a couple of days ago.

5hr old Red Deer calf lying in the grass about to be sexed, weighed and tagged for science

010

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Summing up what has been a wet and murky calving season. Heatwave? What heatwave!

020

Reposted by Rum Deer Research

Joel Pick @joelpick.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Think this is cool? @sarah-dobson.bsky.social is soon to finish her PhD and looking for a post-doc, so don't miss out on a chance to recruit her!

032

Reposted by Rum Deer Research

Joel Pick @joelpick.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

What kind of data do you need for this? If you have traits repeatedly measured across individuals, and ideally across spatial or temporal contexts (e.g. over years) then you can apply this approach. Finally, we show a nice worked example from the Rum Red Deer project @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social.

131

Reposted by Rum Deer Research

Joel Pick @joelpick.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

New preprint from the fantastic @sarah-dobson.bsky.social !! Worried about assuming causality when estimating selection? Confused about knowing whether selection is hard or soft? We have the solution for you!

1207

Reposted by Rum Deer Research

Edward Grey Institute @egioxford.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

This week's EGI seminar in @biology.ox.ac.uk will be given by Dr Kirsty MacPhie from @edinburgh-uni.bsky.social on the contrasting insights to be drawn from studies of phenology in @phenoweb.bsky.social and @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social. Usual time and place - details below with streaming info ⬇️

0137

Reposted by Rum Deer Research

Adam Hayward @adhayward.bsky.social · 19/12/2025

Class day at the @soaysheep.bsky.social and @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social joint annual project meeting- loads of great talks and a chance to catch up with some of the loveliest folks.

021

Reposted by Rum Deer Research

ZSL @zslofficial.bsky.social · 10/12/2025

The Frink Award, ZSL’s lifetime achievement award goes to Professor Josephine Pemberton, @edinburgh-uni.bsky.social, for contributions to behavioural ecology, evolutionary genetics, and long-term field research that have transformed our understanding of wild animal populations 🏆

1192

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

Beautiful day for our last vegetation sampling round of 2025, although cold on the fingertips as we have had a light frost overnight

Small 10x10cm quadrat on the vegetation, with the vegetation cage behind

030

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

... the flashes are painted brown to be less intrusive for the mum when she comes back to the calf. It soon washes off, or is licked off to reveal the vibrant colours beneath

000

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

We are also going through all the flashes we have in stock. These sit behind the tag at the back of the ears of the deers.

Little rectangles of coloured material that goes behind the tag in the ears of the deers, called flashed

010

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

With fieldwork mostly finished for the year we are getting ready for calving 2026 by making some new darvic collars for female calves

Darvic collars being made. Strips of darvic are made round in hot water before adding buckles abd painting on the pattern

A strip of blue darvic is made round in a pan of hot water using a jar as a template

010

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

Currently we are faecal sampling and I like to get close to the animals. Bauple, however, doesn't care to follow the rules and we are still waiting for her to perform.

Hind Bauple is very tame, looking at the camera from 2 metres.

040

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

And finally... Coypu19, on the left earlier seen in the year still in velvet was in the study area during the rut. His father is Longbeys is on the right. Their antlers are very similar in shape.

Stag Coypu19 looking at the camera, his antlers still covered in protective velvet. Picture taken in during summer 2025.

Stag Longbeys standing looking at the camera. Hinds Murre, feeding, and Pipit lying are in the background.

070

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

2 of 2. Eddy 16 and Lalo are evenly matched and after two minutes agree to disagree, moving cautiously away from one another.

Stags Eddy16 and Lalo fight, antlers locked, their heads twisted hard to the left as they try to gain better purchase against one another

Stags Eddy16 and Lalo have parted and are cautiously moving away from one another. Eddy16 looks like he could fight more, Lalo is panting and looks exhausted.

040

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

1 of 2. Eddy16, left and Lalo right (in both pictures) fight. Eddy16 seems to have the upper hand as he pushes Lalo back, one tip of an antler tine so very close to Lalo's eye.

Two stags fight, their antlers locked. Eddy16 is on the left extending his body in full power. Lalo on the right is being pushed backwards, and only has one back leg on the ground

Eddy16 and Lalo continue fighting, antlers locked. The tip of one of Eddy16's antler tines is so close to Lalo's eye. It shows how easily eye injuries occur.

030

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

This is a young incoming stag that we have not seen before, so he has been named Herbert and we estimate him to be about 5 years old. He has been very enthusiastic around the hinds.

Stag Herbert stands looking intently left to his hinds that are out of shot. It is raining.

060

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

Hodges, another incoming rutter, did very well early on in the rut. The nicks in his ears show where he has been injured in previous battles, and are also great for identification.

Extreme close up of stag Hodges, showing the natural slits of the top sides of his ears that help us identify him.

Extreme close up of stag Hodges as he looks intently to the right, keeping watch on everything that is happening.

050

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

Here is another set of brothers, Gorgonzola19, left and Gorgonzola20. These boys, along with their brother from 2022, are all that remain of our once illustrious Cheese family.

Stag Gorgonzola19 stands looking at the camera.

Stag Gorgonzola 20 stands looking at the camera

050

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

Scottie has been coming back to the study area to rut for 5 years now. As an incoming rutter, we don't know where he lives for the rest of the year. He is very distinctive with his wide antlers and pale eyes. Saba is ruminating behind him.

Stag Scottie is looking straight at the camera showing off his wide antlers and pale eyes. Hind Saba is ruminating unconcernedly behind him.

041

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

It can get confusing when brothers are both rutting, but at least Eddy15, left, and Eddy16 were in different parts of the study area!

Stag Eddy15 standing, yearling Bolly24 is in the corner of the picture

Stag Eddy16 lies in the marram grass, hind Karuka is standing grooming herself behind him.

030

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

We were amazed when 15 year old Sitar10 returned. He was blinded in his right eye a good few years ago in a fight. After this was taken, he must have fought as part of his broken right antler was found!

15 year old stag Sitar10, who is blind in his right eye

040

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

Sepal09 on the left, our favourite hummel, unfortunately didn't return this rut, so must have died last winter. His son Reggae19 has been in with a group of hinds just recently. We hope he will do well in coming years.

A stag called Sepal09, stands sniffing the air. He is a hummel - a stag with no antlers

A stag called Reggae19, stands proudly. He has a full set of antlers

030

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

For a number of reasons we have not been posting this rut, but now we're back. Here is Tokay13 looking like he means business. He was in the Glen early on in the season.

Tokay13 stag running towards a hind that is out of shot, looking very excited.

051

Reposted by Rum Deer Research

Adam Hasik @hasikadam.bsky.social · 02/10/2025

New paper alert! In my second first-author paper from my work on the Isle of Rum Red Deer Project @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social we show, for only the second time in a wild population, that parasites mediate inbreeding depression. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

nature.com

Parasite-mediated inbreeding depression in wild red deer

Heredity - Parasite-mediated inbreeding depression in wild red deer

0105

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

Hodges has two oestrus hinds today, Baru and Squilla #mammals #deer #science #evobio

A Red Deer stag we call Hodges roaring and 2 hinds in oestrus we call Baru and Squilla

020

Reposted by Rum Deer Research

Delphine De Moor @delphinedemoor.bsky.social · 29/08/2025

Hannah Lemon gave a very clear and interesting talk about social inheritance of social relationships from mothers to their daughters and sons (to a lesser extent) in the Rum red deer @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social. @behaviour2025.bsky.social @asab.org

Hannah Lemon presenting a slide showing networks of mothers and their offspring, where offspring inherited some of the social partners of the mother

0235

Reposted by Rum Deer Research

Adam Hasik @hasikadam.bsky.social · 19/08/2025

Thrilled to share my first first-author paper from my work with the Isle of Rum Red Deer Project! @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social We found that host density acts to increase parasitism through two mechanisms: increased exposure and increased susceptibility. www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

cambridge.org

Population density drives increased parasitism via greater exposure and reduced resource availability in wild red deer | Parasitology | Cambridge Core

Population density drives increased parasitism via greater exposure and reduced resource availability in wild red deer

0174

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

Peridot19 is also back. His father is Wisdom11 (now dead), the stag with the most offspring by far in our group of study animals.

080

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

Coypu19, left and his father Longbeys in 2018, the year he was conceived.

Longbeys, Coypu19's dad in the year he was conceived

010

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

Coypu19 is back in the study area for the rut and he is looking very impressive for a 6 year old.

Stag Coypu19 with big antlers ready for the rut

010

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 05/08/2025

Due to storm damage and blocked tracks we will have to walk 5 miles to the study site to check on infrastructure there and see how the deer coped with Storm Floris!

020

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 20/04/2025

At this time of year, it is very difficult to spot deer. How many can you make out in this picture?

A picture of brown deer on a brown hillside in our study area.

141

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

A beautiful, but chilly morning here in the study area, although Askival just has to create a cloud all of it's own.

Hallival and Askival creating their own clouds in an otherwise perfect blue sky

070

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

After 48hrs of wet and stormy weather, we have ventured out in a mere gale to find the Glen flooded.

020

Rum Deer Research @rumdeerresearch.bsky.social · 16/02/2025

Uhura watching me go by. She is now part of a family whose names are influenced by Star Trek characters.

Uhura, an 8 year year old red deer hind grazing

050