Phenoweb project

Phenoweb project

@phenoweb.bsky.social

The www.phenoweb.org project examines the effects of climate on phenology and trophic interactions across woodland food webs. The study encompasses 44 field sites across Scotland and has been run since 2014 by researchers at Edinburgh University

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Phenoweb project
@phenoweb.bsky.social

For both projects we’re love to hear from applicants with strong analytical skills and a passion for ecological research. Fieldwork and bird ringing experience is a bonus. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to contact the supervisors first.

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Phenoweb project
@phenoweb.bsky.social

The second project examines whether blue tits that are mismatched with the timing of their main prey switch to an alternative and the consequences of this for breeding success. This project will involve deploying nestbox cameras and combing this with AI to better understand blue tit nestlings diet🐣🐛

Phenoweb project
@phenoweb.bsky.social

Predicting population responses to a changing climate is a key ecological challenge that requires reliable predictive models, which are tested on multiple systems. This PhD will involve building, testing, and refining population models applied to blue tit populations in Scotland and across the UK.

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Phenoweb project
@phenoweb.bsky.social

Moving onto invertebrates🐛 - Peak caterpillar abundance: 29 May - Beetles, spiders & St Mark's flies all peaked earlier in the season - Beetles made up 50% of branch-beating observations - Biggest haul: 13 caterpillars from one branch at Birnam!

Phenoweb project
@phenoweb.bsky.social

And finally trees🌳 - Mean first budburst: 22 Apr fitting in almost exactly with the longterm trend across the transect - Earliest full leaf: a Sycamore in Munlochy on 3 Apr - Latest full leaf: a Willow in Dalnaspidal on 12 Jun

Phenoweb project
@phenoweb.bsky.social

Starting with blue tits🪺 - 223 nest boxes occupied (70%) - Mean lay date: 28 Apr, 3 days earlier than our historical 12 year average - Avg clutch: 8-9 eggs - 1,220 chicks ringed of which 1,038 fledged - 56% of adults were first-year birds, up from just 17% in 2025

Phenoweb project
@phenoweb.bsky.social

As the good weather continues, nest boxes are filling up quickly here in Scotland, with around 70% occupancy across the transect. Many nests are now at the incubation stage, and today (5th May) we recorded the first chicks of 2026 to hatch!

Phenoweb project
@phenoweb.bsky.social

Spring is gaining momentum across Scotland. 🌱 Cumulative budburst across the transect has now passed 40%, driven by a surge of activity at our northern sites in recent days. While the North is waking up, the South continues to lead the way in terms of first leaf emergence. #Phenology #Spring2026

Phenoweb project
@phenoweb.bsky.social

The first egg for the 13th year of data collection along the Phenoweb Transect was laid on 12th April 2026! Looking like we’re in for a fairly ‘average‘ year up here in Scotland, with nest building and budburst progressing slightly slower than in 2025, especially in the North of the transect🪺🌳

Phenoweb project
@phenoweb.bsky.social

The first egg for the 13th year of data collection along the Phenoweb Transect was laid on 12th April 2026! Looking like we’re in for a fairly ‘average‘ year up here in Scotland, with nest building and budburst progressing slightly slower than in 2025, especially in the North of the transect🪺🌳

Phenoweb project
@phenoweb.bsky.social

The first week of the 2026 field season is underway, and Storm Dave has provided a chilly – but atmospheric – start. ❄️🏔 63 blue tit nests initiated, so far, with 4 lined. Looking like a later start for us compared to elsewhere in the UK/Western Europe. #phenology

Phenoweb project
@phenoweb.bsky.social

Ahead of this year’s field season, we’ve been busy installing SOPRANO devices at several of our sites. These devices automatically monitor biodiversity and climate, continuously recording birds and bats and sending real-time species identifications back to Edinburgh!🔈🐦‍⬛🦇

Phenoweb project
@phenoweb.bsky.social

Although we're still collecting this year's data, 2025 is shaping up to be a record-early year for first leaf emergence among many of our studied tree species — including oaks! 🌳 #phenology 🍃

Phenoweb project
@phenoweb.bsky.social

Happy Easter weekend to all who celebrate! While you're out hunting for chocolate eggs, our team is busy monitoring the breeding progress of our blue tits. 🪺 As of today, we have eggs in 73 nests, with several females already incubating. In contrast, on this day last year, only 2 nests had eggs!

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Common Tern Project
@commonternproject.bsky.social

They're back! The first three terns arrived yesterday morning. The very first one was 18-year old Calimero. He was followed by 7-year old Severina and 13-year old Fabrice. All arived between 10:29 and 10:54. ♥️ #phenology #seabirds

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PiedFly.Net
@piedflynet.bsky.social

First Blue tit egg at East Dartmoor was April 4 2025. There are 3 earlier lay dates since mid-1950s, all in 2019. Probably about 1 in 8 pairs have started laying - much the same pattern as in 2019. Suggests we can expect first Pied Flycatcher eggs 2 weeks from now. #phenology

Phenoweb project@phenoweb.bsky.social

And we're off! Our first blue tit egg was laid on 3 April 2025 - making this, by some margin, the earliest start to a season in the 12 years of our project! 🪺 #phenology #ukbirding #ornithology 🪶

Phenoweb project reposted

Jamie C. Weir
@jamiecweir.bsky.social

It's an incredible honour to be awarded the John C. Marsden medal from the @linneansociety.bsky.social for my PhD research on phenology, moths... and some very hungry caterpillars 🌳🐛 Thanks to all my friends and mentors at @edinburgh-uni.bsky.social, but especially @allyphillimore.bsky.social!

The Linnean Society of London@linneansociety.bsky.social

We’re thrilled to announce the recipients of our 2025 Medals and Awards. We’ll be spotlighting each of our amazing awardees from across science, conservation and the arts over the coming days. www.linnean.org/news... Please like, share and join us in congratulating them all!

Phenoweb project
@phenoweb.bsky.social

And we're off! Our first blue tit egg was laid on 3 April 2025 - making this, by some margin, the earliest start to a season in the 12 years of our project! 🪺 #phenology #ukbirding #ornithology 🪶

Phenoweb project reposted

Edward Grey Institute
@egioxford.bsky.social

The first eggs have been laid in this, the 79th year of data collection in the Wytham Tit Project! First Blue Tit egg laid 2 April, first Great Tit 3 April. Looks like an early spring, with first oak leaves out, though the observed first egg dates fit the long-term pattern well wythamtits.com#intro

Phenoweb project
@phenoweb.bsky.social

Looks like being a very early spring for us. We already have over 60 blue tit nests and didn’t reach similar numbers ‘til around April 10th last year. This sycamore is already in leaf, and last year it didn’t reach a similar stage for another three weeks. When will we get our first eggs?

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