Stephen Vickers @stephen8vickers.bsky.social · 07/09/2026@waterbirdcm.bsky.social @kanebrides.bsky.social @drkevinwood.bsky.social @bioss.bsky.social 000
Stephen Vickers @stephen8vickers.bsky.social · 07/09/2026Our GPS tracking work has found Iceland Whoopers Swans spend less than a third of their time in protected areas! Read all about it in our latest paper published fully open access today in Biological Conservation 🦢 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... 1157
Reposted by Stephen VickersBritish Ornithologists’ Union (BOU) @bou.org.uk · 10/08/2026Did you miss the deadline for submitting a poster or Bluesky abstract for #BOU2027? You still have a chance...we've extended the poster and Bluesky abstract submission deadline to 17 August Get that abstract in now! Avian disease ecology | 6-8 April 2027 bou.org.uk/event/avi... #ornithology 🪶 055
Reposted by Stephen VickersBritish Ornithologists’ Union (BOU) @bou.org.uk · 24/07/2026⏰ ABSTRACT DEADLINE APPROACHING #BOU2027 | 6-8 April 2027 | Nottingham, UK & Zoom & Bluesky Avian disease ecology: combining avian ecology and OneHealth to understand and mitigate disease Submit your talk, poster or Bluesky abstract now! Deadline: 31 July bou.org.uk/event/avi... #ornithology 0710
Reposted by Stephen VickersRSPB Science @rspbscience.bsky.social · 23/07/2026New research reveals a substantial decline in the number of European Storm-petrels caught by researchers over the course of a 27-year study Read on for a summary Full paper: doi.org/10.1080/0006... @one-cardiffuni.bsky.social @robthomasbirds.bsky.social @kirstyfranklin.bsky.social #seabird 🪶🧪 15834
Reposted by Stephen VickersKirsty Franklin @kirstyfranklin.bsky.social · 23/07/2026Delighted to see this paper finally out after a long time in the making. Huge thanks to everyone involved—and to all those long nights spent on the cliffs catching these incredible little birds. 🥳🎉 @stephen8vickers.bsky.social #seabirds #ornithology 1289
Stephen Vickers @stephen8vickers.bsky.social · 03/03/2026Sightings that come into the app have to be manually checked and added to the life history database by the project lead, they don’t automatically get added (to avoid errors slipping in). So, either the project lead just hasn’t got round to doing that yet or they didn’t believe that sighting 😅 120
Reposted by Stephen VickersBritish Ornithologists’ Union (BOU) @bou.org.uk · 18/02/2026🔊 KEYNOTE NOMINATIONS Who would you like to see deliver a keynote at #BOU2027 ? Avian disease ecology | 6 - 8 April 2027 | Nottingham, UK & Zoom & Bluesky Nominate via link ⬇️ bou.org.uk/event/avi... #ornithology 🪶 0128
Reposted by Stephen VickersKane Brides 🦆 @kanebrides.bsky.social · 06/11/2025Please keep an eye open for dead & dying Whooper Swans (and other waterbirds), see thread below on how to report for possible sampling & please also report to @birdtrack.bsky.social so we can start to build a comprehensive picture of the spread 👇🏻 21112
Stephen Vickers @stephen8vickers.bsky.social · 01/11/2025My apps that visualise trends in the BTO annual ringing and NRS reports have been updated to include the 2024 data, which was released yesterday. Change over time plots: stephenvickers.shinyapps.io/ringing_tota... Spatial trends maps (ringing only): stephenvickers.shinyapps.io/ringing_map/ 0153
Reposted by Stephen VickersKane Brides 🦆 @kanebrides.bsky.social · 15/08/2025Our Whooper Swan expedition has been a blur of hauling zodiacs over tundra, coaxing engines through salt spray & dancing with Iceland’s untamed waves. While our waterproofs are still drying, we’ve gathered the stories data & moments that made this trip 👇🦢 www.linkedin.com/pulse/icelan...linkedin.comIceland Whooper Swan expedition 2025This summer, we're back in Iceland for the next chapter of our research - here’s an update from across our three current main work areas.. 1202
Reposted by Stephen VickersAlice Risely @alice-risely.bsky.social · 11/06/2025🦠 SAVE THE DATE! 🦜 I'm excited to announce that the theme of the 2027 BOU conference is Avian Disease Ecology! 📍 Nottingham, UK 📅 6–8 April 2027 🔗 Full details: lnkd.in/gPvFFDJe Please share widely! #BOU2027 #Ornithology #WildlifeDisease #AvianDisease #EcoHealth 26139
Stephen Vickers @stephen8vickers.bsky.social · 02/03/2025The Whoopers are starting to move and will soon be back on their Icelandic breeding grounds! Since @waterbirdcm.bsky.social started ringing Whooper Swans in 2023, we've tagged >600 inds. and gathered >750 sightings. Please keep an eye out and continue to report any sightings to us as they leave! 0123
Reposted by Stephen VickersFiona Greco @fionagreco.bsky.social · 18/02/2025First PhD paper out now, revealing co-circulation of high and low pathogenicity subtypes of avian influenza virus via antibody testing in a range of co-occuring seabird species. Huge thanks to all involved! www.nature.com/articles/s41...nature.comAsymptomatic infection and antibody prevalence to co-occurring avian influenza viruses vary substantially between sympatric seabird species following H5N1 outbreaks - Scientific ReportsScientific Reports - Asymptomatic infection and antibody prevalence to co-occurring avian influenza viruses vary substantially between sympatric seabird species following H5N1 outbreaks 0189
Reposted by Stephen VickersKane Brides 🦆 @kanebrides.bsky.social · 17/02/2025In Feb 23 we undertook a census of the UK naturalised Barnacle Goose population. The aim to produce an updated population estimate & report on winter distribution. Results have now been published in @britishbirds.bsky.social, with our thinking on future monitoring needs #Ornithology 1/7 ⬇️ 26126
Stephen Vickers @stephen8vickers.bsky.social · 17/02/2025If the app doesn't give you any life history (it's instant, not via email), it either hasn't been added by IBGRG to the data the app uses or the ring code entered is incorrect. You could instead email the sighting email irishbrentgoose@gmail.com, but it sounds like you aren't having much luck there 100
Stephen Vickers @stephen8vickers.bsky.social · 17/02/2025Apologies, I'm only responsible for developing and keeping the sightings app functional, I'm not part of IBGRG or responsible for keeping the data the app uses up to date. If you haven't already, I would try submitting the sighting through the app, as that should give you life history of the bird 110
Stephen Vickers @stephen8vickers.bsky.social · 14/01/2025A special thanks to my co-authors and funders. This work was completed as part of my PhD thesis at @biouea.bsky.social/@uniofeastanglia.bsky.social partnered with @audubon.org 10/10 040
Stephen Vickers @stephen8vickers.bsky.social · 14/01/2025We think this is because dispersal into new breeding areas is always passed to the next generation when born there – you only need to return to a known location. Conversely, a new non-breeding site isn’t automatically passed to the next generation. 9/10 130
Stephen Vickers @stephen8vickers.bsky.social · 14/01/2025Flocking was associated with significantly larger non-breeding range COA shift rates, particularly in mixed-age flocks. However, flocking had no significant effect on breeding range COA shifts. 8/10 130
Stephen Vickers @stephen8vickers.bsky.social · 14/01/2025The data goes into PGLS models weighted by uncertainty in COA shift rate. One model for each season for a binary flocking var. for 122 species. Another model for each season where we categorise flocks as either age-separated or mixed-age, for 81 species. 7/10 130
Stephen Vickers @stephen8vickers.bsky.social · 14/01/2025N.B.: We do still lack published accounts of typical migratory flocking behaviour for many species! This includes whether a species flocks, typical flock size, age composition, species composition, etc. 6/10 130
Stephen Vickers @stephen8vickers.bsky.social · 14/01/2025We collated information on migratory flocking behaviour of North American migratory birds, building upon the Beauchamp et al. 2011 dataset with species accounts from Birds of the World Online and age-cohort timing calculated from USGS banding data. 5/10 130
Stephen Vickers @stephen8vickers.bsky.social · 14/01/2025To test this, we used 50-years of North American BBS and CBC #citizenscience data to quantify annual centres of abundance (COA) for breeding and non-breeding ranges across the contiguous USA and southern Canada. We then summarised the magnitude of the shift in COAs. 4/10 130
Stephen Vickers @stephen8vickers.bsky.social · 14/01/2025We hypothesised in species that migrate solo, inter-generational change may need change in genetics of migration distance/direction. However, flocking migrants can benefit from social learning, which might act faster – but inter-generational learning can only happen in mixed-age flocks! 3/10 141
Stephen Vickers @stephen8vickers.bsky.social · 14/01/2025Species may need to shift their range to respond to environmental change, but for migrants this can be tricky as seasonal ranges that shift at different rates/directions can require a change to migratory distance/direction. 2/10 130
Stephen Vickers @stephen8vickers.bsky.social · 14/01/2025New paper published today in Movement Ecology! We show North American birds that migrate in flocks have greater long-term non-breeding range shifts, particularly if flocks are mixed-age. We link this to social learning in novel migration route development. rdcu.be/d57Mw 1/10 #ornithologyrdcu.beNorth American avian species that migrate in flocks show greater long-term non-breeding range shift rates 26520
Reposted by Stephen VickersKirsty Franklin @kirstyfranklin.bsky.social · 14/12/2024New paper! If you use time-lapse cameras, this one's for you! Proud of this collaboration with UEA Computing Sciences' Marcus Jenkins & Michal Mackiewicz to improve object detection for time-lapse imagery using temporal features. 📷🖥️⏲️ Open Access in Sensors: mdpi.com/3088004 14316
Reposted by Stephen VickersThomas Ray Haaland @trhaaland.bsky.social · 03/12/2024📣PhD position open in our group!📣 Come work on a super fascinating system: partial #migration in European shags. #Fieldwork, theoretical #modelling and #QuantitativeGenetics are all possible depending on interests. Please spread to good candidates of any nationality! www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...jobbnorge.noPhD Candidate in Evolutionary Ecology (271754) | NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyJob title: PhD Candidate in Evolutionary Ecology (271754), Employer: NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Deadline: Monday, January 27, 2025 01420
Reposted by Stephen VickersKane Brides 🦆 @kanebrides.bsky.social · 23/11/2024The latest movement maps of our @waterbirdcm.bsky.social naturalised Barnacle Goose ringing programme. Here's the annual movements from the 14 UK breeding colonies we've marked birds at. Thanks to everyone who contributes sightings! Map thanks to @stephen8vickers.bsky.social #Monitoring 35516
Reposted by Stephen VickersKane Brides 🦆 @kanebrides.bsky.social · 16/11/2024First GPS tracking evidence of Icelandic Whooper Swans wintering in the Netherlands 🇳🇱! Whilst we know that small numbers of Icelandic birds winter in the 🇳🇱, this is the first we've tracked. Great insight into their journey to 🇳🇱 via 🇬🇧 & how long they stay there 👌🏻 @stephen8vickers.bsky.social 09713
Stephen Vickers @stephen8vickers.bsky.social · 18/10/2024The BTO Ringing and NRS report 2023 data has now been added to my visualisation apps: Explore graphs of numbers ringed etc. and NRS records over time: stephenvickers.shinyapps.io/ringing_tota... Explore a map of numbers ringed, etc. by region: stephenvickers.shinyapps.io/ringing_map/ 030
Stephen Vickers @stephen8vickers.bsky.social · 25/09/2024A special thank you to my co-authors, The Royal Veterinary College, VEEPH, the FluMap Consortium, and all our funders. 8/8 010
Stephen Vickers @stephen8vickers.bsky.social · 25/09/2024This method is quick, doesn't rely on costly widespread surveillance in wild birds (only in poultry), and can help focus where wild-bird surveillance efforts may be best targeted. 7/8 110
Stephen Vickers @stephen8vickers.bsky.social · 25/09/2024Between periods 1 (Oct ’21-Feb’22) and 3 (Aug ’22-Jan ‘23) we also found expansion of species groups associated with outbreaks. Landbirds and seabirds became more strongly associated with outbreaks, reflecting expansion in wild species impacted by HPAI. 6/8 100
Stephen Vickers @stephen8vickers.bsky.social · 25/09/2024Narrower species groups show our method picks up associations in groups we already thought were important, like wildfowl (ducks, geese, etc.), amongst some change across periods, like non-native gamebirds post-release. Unfortunately, not many seabird species could be tested. 5/8 100
Stephen Vickers @stephen8vickers.bsky.social · 25/09/2024But focussing on single-species is risky because patterns may match by chance when testing so many, so we look at consistency across groups of species. Period 2 is ~spring/summer ’22 (not many poultry outbreaks), 1 & 3 are the autumn/winters either side (lots of outbreaks). 4/8 100
Stephen Vickers @stephen8vickers.bsky.social · 25/09/2024This gives us lots of species- and period-specific associations with HPAI outbreaks, most of which were positive (only positives shown here) 3/8 100
Stephen Vickers @stephen8vickers.bsky.social · 25/09/2024Using #eBird generated abundance distributions for 152 wild bird species, we can look at maps of each species’ abundance, together with farm density, poultry numbers, and where the outbreaks were, to find species abundance patterns that best match poultry outbreaks. 2/8 110
Stephen Vickers @stephen8vickers.bsky.social · 25/09/2024Our manuscript looking at how #CitizenScience data can help us understand associations between 🦆 wild bird abundance and 🦠 HPAI outbreaks in🐔poultry across Great Britain is now out #OpenAccess in Proceedings of the Royal Society B royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/... 1/8 #ornithology 🐦royalsocietypublishing.orgUtilizing citizen science data to rapidly assess changing associations between wild birds and avian influenza outbreaks in poultry | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological SciencesHigh pathogenicity avian influenza virus (HPAIV) is a rapidly evolving virus causing significant economic and environmental harm. Wild birds are a key viral reservoir and an important source of viral ... 1135
