The diversity in plumage and behaviors of #ruffs is stunning and probably an underused asset for their #conservation @simonvandepitte.bsky.social #IWSG2025 #shorebirds #ornithology

L’ouverture de la chasse en Baie de Somme - Nos Viventia NOS VIVENTIA documente la chasse des oiseaux d'eau en baie de Somme, révélant des massacres cruels et illégaux, et porte plainte pour actes de cruauté.

The #hunting season in #France on #waterfowl opened again on the 2nd of August. It is absolutely outrageous and stupid. Waterfowl have already very #difficult times in the #changing #world. The argument of cultural traditions is stupid, everything changes, even traditions.

see: shorturl.at/8rJx8

5/5 In addition, a huge effort is made to protect the #critically #endangered southern #dunlin. With expertise of Vroni Rohr-Bender and others, 26 chicks got an advantage be growing up in our aviary, before they got released back in the meadows, hopefully successfully #boosting the #population.

4/5 Most time of the field season was spent searching for nests and to ringing the #chick and #adult ruffs. We found 65 nests in total which is an excellent result. Adult birds also got a radio or #GPStag to investigate #habitat use and behaviour. Aren't the chicks cute?

3/5 Independent males have striking colours and are #aggressive. #Satellite males are mostly white coloured and have more #sneaky behavior. Female-looking faeders are extremely rare.

Here an independent male is pecking a satellite to show its dominance.

More:
simonvandepitte.com/i-am-sexy-an...

2/5: Fieldseason started in early May when the #ruffs arrived in the coastal meadows of the #BothnianBay. Male ruffs are known for their fascinating #lekking #behavior! A true spectacle! The existence of the different male morphs is unique.

1/5 - What.an.increadible.fieldseason! Together with @koivulakari.bsky.social , @jelenasubotic.bsky.social , @chorlnev.bsky.social , @vmpakanen.bsky.social, Kristzi Kupan, Vroni Rohr-Bender and others we managed to find plenty of ruff nests (65!) and headstarted a bunch of Southern Dunlins (26!).

Meet the #Tuit-Tuit or #Reunion #Cuckooshrike, a #critically #endangered bird, the #rarest bird I saw so far. . I was happy to observe one bird during my stay last year. The bird was #colour-ringed. Read more in my blog about this bird and #endemism

visit: simonvandepitte.com/blog

They are #fascinating, very very fascinating!
Very nice and #interesting paper about how the striking male morphs emerge in #ruff populations. By - among others - @chorlnev.bsky.social and his group from mpiforbi.bsky.social
... #genetics started to reveal their #magic!

One last image from the #ruffs before heading to some pictures from a more tropical location...

From left to right: A #satellite male, three #independent males and one female...

In case you are #wandering what is going on, read the story about these #waders on
simonvandepitte.com/i-am-sexy-an...

Who says #nature #documentaries need classical music?
In July I also worked on a project related to the #behavioural #ecology of #ruffs. Their #courtship #behaviour is memorizing. My new blog on my website tries to tries to convey this feeling.

More: simonvandepitte.com/i-am-sexy-an...

Do not underestimate the #powerof the #pony from Ursula von der Leyen! #Coexistence with #wolves is #inevitable, bridging gaps between #stakeholders needed . Hopefully this is not the start of more downgrades...

Exactly, head starting alone is "a" solution, not "the" solution. Habitats are deteriorated and I also think a better cooperation between farmers-nature organizations-policy makers is needed in order to hold the decline of waders living en anthropogenic meadows...

Thanks for sharing Graham!

simon vandepitte - SOS Baltic dunlin The dunlin is a shorebird species with an extensive distribution in the northern hemisphere. Several subspecies are known, and this blog highlights a particular one: the southern dunlin, or in fancy s...

Hi! I am a biologist, graduated in '23 at Ghent University. I am passionated about #ecology, #conservation and #birds, especially #waders. I am also a #photographer. On my website you can find a blog too. For example about the highly endangered #dunlin from the #Bothnian Bay near #Oulu. Enjoy!