Simon Gillings
Birder, artist, sound recordist, data scientist at BTO; One half of Alula Designs. Views my own
- Reposted by Simon GillingsWe are receiving increased reports of dead auks, including Puffins, particularly in North East Scotland. It's quick and easy to report any dead or sick birds you find through the 'Deceased bird' function on the home page of the BirdTrack app Photo: Puffin by Richard Selman / BTO #ukbirding
- Reposted by Simon Gillings[Not loaded yet]
- Reposted by Simon GillingsWant to learn what birds are singing? Join our Bird Sound ID in Early Spring training course ➡️ www.bto.org/training #Ornithology
- Reposted by Simon GillingsFree UK delivery on all Alula Designs clothing and mugs this weekend, from 9am Friday to midnight Sunday. Visit aluladesigns.co.uk/ for our latest designs #Birds #BirdArt #UKBirding
- Reposted by Simon Gillings1/ Spotted Flycatchers are in trouble, declining by 92% in the UK between 1967 and 2020. New work led by @cateden91.bsky.social & involving BTO has revealed the importance of rivers for the survival of this Red-listed migratory species. ⬇️ #Ornithology 📖 www.bto.org/Spotted-Flyc...
- Reposted by Simon Gillings⭐️An exciting opportunity for a fully funded PhD with BTO British Trust for Ornithology and Liverpool John Moores University, to study the population-level movement patterns of over-wintering #Curlew!⭐️ #ornithology #movementecology
- Reposted by Simon Gillings✂️ Yesterday I finally responded to @agakowalska.bsky.social’s challenge to make a collage from a single piece of packaging. I present to you a green (tea) woodpecker, made from a big Yorkshire Tea box. It was fun and I’ll be rooting through our recycling bin for more materials later on ♻️
- A four Aythya lunchbreak - as well as Tufted Duck and Pochard, drake Scaup and Ferruginous Duck at Milton Country Park. Top find by @jonheath.bsky.social #UKBirding
- Sorting through some old stuff and found this incomplete Egyptian Plover painting. Really need to get back to painting! #BirdArt
- A snowy but unsuccessful attempt to see the Black-winged Kite at Ludham (missed it by 15 mins!). Consolation in form of Bewick's Swans (a group of 6 over, then same or different 4), Water Pipit and 6 White-fronted Geese. #UKBirding
- For various reasons 2025 has been a challenging year and my lowest birding effort for years. Somehow still saw 200+ species and found a couple of local rarities. Hopefully more birding in 2026! Happy #UKBurding
- Red-necked Grebe, the best from a 10k walk around Flamborough today. Also hundreds of Guillemots already on the cliffs #UKBirding
- Also at Filey, one of two Purple Sandpipers feeding in the wrack #UKBirding
- Birders' Christmas 'robin' - the Eastern Black Redstart at Filey. It put on quite a show, actively feeding at the base of the cliffs and among the rocks #UKBirding
- Thanks to @lothianrecorder.bsky.social for picking out the White-winged Scoter at Ferny Ness. Extremely distant in low light and on the edge of ID range with my optics. Photo shows general view, not the WwS, probably #UKBirding
- Flat calm at Ferny Ness, Lothian today. 50+ Long-tailed Ducks, including the first I've ever heard displaying in the wild. 20 Slavonian and 1 Red-necked Grebe, 1 Black-throated and 4 Red-throated Diver. Unfortunately the Velvets were mostly too far out for me to find the White-winged. #UKBirding
- Reposted by Simon Gillings1/ Can you help us count Bewick's and Whooper Swans for the International Swan Census on 17-18 January 2026? 🦢 Visit the vacant site map to request a site at app.bto.org/gsmp/pub... #Ornithology @webs-gsmp.bsky.social
- Reposted by Simon GillingsLast call for UK priority shipping: the Alula Elves are closing the shop at midnight tonight to go birding, so get your final orders in now!
- Reposted by Simon GillingsYou'll grouse if you're not swift about it. Last orders for Alula Designs for standard UK delivery (16th December), first class (19th) and priority (21st). aluladesigns.co.uk/ #ByBirdersForBirders
- Reposted by Simon GillingsThe new update to the BirdTrack app introduces several features aimed at helping us collect accurate bird data and alert you to those slip of the finger data entry errors #ukbirding
- Reposted by Simon GillingsBTO's Acoustics Pipeline has identified Bush-crickets in ‘bat’ data collected for the Landscape-scale Species Monitoring of Agri-environment Schemes Project & assessed the effects of agri-environment management on these species➡️ www.bto.org/Bush-cricket... #bioacoustics @naturalengland.bsky.social
- Hard to believe that 30 years ago today I started work at @btobirds.bsky.social. In that time I've been fortunate to work on some amazing projects with great colleagues and awesome volunteers. Hopefully more of the same with atlases and acoustics on the horizon
- Nice to see some water on the Ouse Washes yesterday, and plenty of Whooper Swans. But sadly 2 dead juv Whoopers likely avian flu victims. Reported via #BirdTrack and Defra website #UKBirding
- Reposted by Simon Gillings[Not loaded yet]
- After missing a flock of Brent Geese over the patch this morning I was very pleased to pick up 2 adult winter Little Gulls over Ditton Meadows - a mega patch tick! Super views of a displaying Kingfisher too #LowCarbonBirding
- One minute of Wigeon whistles #Birds soundcloud.com/user-9092529...
- Today I collected an audio recorder I left in the Fens with the aim of getting some nice Wigeon recordings. Incredibly it also picked up this Richard's Pipit flying through on the morning of 6th November! xeno-canto.org/1053297 #UKBirding
- Breezy walk at Coveney Byall Fen. Whooper Swans, Cranes and an obliging Stonechat
- I'm considering getting a camera for birding (record shots/video, not looking for pro quality). Thinking bridge rather than dslr/mirrorless owing to lens costs. Anyone using Nikon P1100 or Sony RX10 for this purpose? Pros/cons? Am I missing anything obvious? Any advice appreciated ta #BirdingGear
- Reposted by Simon Gillings🪶 Free UK shipping is happening all weekend at aluladesigns.co.uk 📦 Stock up on our bird-inspired designs while the post flies free 🐦 Offer ends Sunday at midnight – don’t miss it!
- New @aluladesigns.bsky.social mug so I can relive seawatching season #UKBirding
- Amidst a big nocturnal passage of thrushes last night, this Ring Ouzel passed over my Cambridge garden. Detected using the BTO Acoustic Pipeline's nocmig classifier xeno-canto.org/1047905 @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #UKBirding 🔉
- Reposted by Simon Gillings🐦⬛Ever been in awe of the huge journeys some birds undertake each year? That’s what inspired us. Celebrate #WorldMigratoryBirdDay with clothing that captures the magic of migration and wear what moves you. 🪶 For bird lovers. For nature lovers. For you. 🛒aluladesigns.co.uk #Birding #BirdArt #WMBD2025
- Went to see the stunning Turkestan Shrike today with @sconebirding.bsky.social, seeing it catch beetles, tipulids and even a hawker dragonfly. Also lots of singing Dartford Warblers, a Woodlark and 24 Crossbills. But no joy with the Zitting Cisticolas so couldn't pull off a two-tick day #UKBirding
- Reposted by Simon Gillings✨🐦⬛FREE POSTAGE THIS WEEKEND!🐦⬛✨ This weekend only, we’re offering FREE UK delivery on all orders. Autumn migration is in full swing. Whether you’re spotting Redwings or searching for that rare vagrant, get everything you need delivered free. 🛒[aluladesigns.co.uk] #UKBirding #SiberianThrush #BirdArt
- Reposted by Simon Gillings[This post could not be retrieved]
- Reposted by Simon GillingsWe are seeking an ornithologist/modeller for a 2-year POST-DOC in Turin. Using archaeological remains, we will reconstruct past avian communities to understand the impacts of climate change and human pressure on birds through time. For details see cutt.ly/irN76QDZ PLEASE RT. #ornithology #AviArch
- I'm glad these are small! Devil's Coach-horse Beetle @flamboroughbird.bsky.social. A good couple of days' birding with a wide range of species.
- My recent seawatching-inspired artwork for @aluladesigns.bsky.social, a Fea's type Pterodroma petrel #SuperSeabirdSunday #BirdArt
- Great day birding Fen Drayton and surroundings with @scottmayson.bsky.social, catching up with the already present Curlew Sandpipers, Little Stint and Black Tern, plus good views of small and large fish eaters #UKBirding
- An unexpected but very pleasant detour on route to work today to see this elegant Lesser Yellowlegs at Isleham Washes. Unfortunately it was flushed by a Sparrowhawk and flew off NE. Hopefully it will come back #UKBirding
- Reposted by Simon GillingsBirding meets style with our seabird-inspired designs — shearwaters shearing, petrels gliding. T-shirts or hoodies, these pieces have you covered for every seawatching adventure. Explore at aluladesigns.co.uk and take flight.
- Checking my backlog of passive nocmig recordings made whilst away from home. A nice Quail over my Cambridge garden 23:26, 21st August 2025 @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #bioacoustics
- Short video of one of the Great Shearwaters from Friday at Bloody Foreland #DonegalBirding #UKBirding
- Seawatch at Bloody Foreland, Donegal this am surpassed expectations. Self-found Fea's type petrel (0858 south), 3 Cory’s, 17 Great (📷), 18 Sooty, 800+ Manx. Also 2 adult Sab's Gulls, 3 Pom Skuas (1 with spoons), 3 Arctics, 13 Bonxies. (0630–1300) #IrishBirding #UKBirding
- Found a nice juvenile Curlew Sandpiper at Dunfanaghy, Donegal today. #IrishBirding
- Don't know which of Slartibartfast's colleagues made the Northern Ireland coast, but they made a fine job of it
- This looks like the same individual with the damaged crown that was at Snettisham 11–12 August #UKBirding
- Relaxed first visit of the autumn, yesterday, to @spurnbirdobs.bsky.social 14 species of Wader, inc White-rumped Sandpiper (images) Whimbrel & Little Stint. Little Owl, Marsh Harrier, Med Gulls, Lt & Sandwich Tern, Black Redstart, Whinchat & Common Redstart. All in, a great day! #Birds #Birding🦉🪶
- In Co. Antrim for family holiday. A quick 20min seawatch at Garron Point produced c.190 Manx Shearwaters, probably more than my annual total on the British East coast! #UKBirding
- A nice #nocmig Bittern over my Cambridge garden at 0041 last night. 5 calls, spaced 15-19s apart. #UKBirding @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social
- A tide of Knot. RSPB Snettisham #UKBirding
- Great views of White-rumped Sandpiper this morning, roosting with Sanderling, Ringed Plovers and Dunlin at RSPB Snettisham #UKBirding
- Superb evening high tide at Snettisham. Good views of adult White-rumped Sandpiper amongst Dunlin and Sanderling. Weird highlight, seeing this Muntjac heading out across the mud, discovering some of the 'puddles' are deeper than they look! #UKBirding
- Reposted by Simon Gillings[Not loaded yet]
- Great views of male Ring-necked Duck at Fen Drayton today. A top find by Richard Bradbury, and a bike tick for me #LowCarbonBirding
- After spending the evening watching large flocks of Knots at Snettisham it's a nice surprise to find this flock that migrated over Cambridge at 1am last night. Audio processed with the BTO Acoustic Pipeline's #nocmig classifier. #UKBirding #bioacoustics soundcloud.com/user-9092529...
- Interested in views on this tern from Snettisham yesterday evening. Aged as 2nd-calendar year (adult-like upperparts, tertials, coverts). To me the all-dark bill and legs look short, suggesting Arctic. Not sure relevance of strong carpal bar? #UKBirding
- Reposted by Simon Gillings[Not loaded yet]
- Following a trio of Curlews over our Cambridge garden at 9pm I was hoping for a few waders overnight once the rain cleared The best was this noisy flock of Common Sandpipers over at c0330. soundcloud.com/user-9092529... #UKBirding #bioacoustics
- One of two Little Stints on the pits at Snettisham this morning. Also a stunning, but less obliging, summer-plumage Curlew Sandpiper. With @sconebirding.bsky.social #UKBirding
- In recent months I've been working with BTO colleagues on Nightjar acoustics with the aim of making it easier to infer behaviour and breeding status from passive recordings. Check it out ⬇️ #bioacoustics
- 29 mins door to bird, I think my fastest 🚲sprint to Dernford yet, to see the characterful Spotted Sandpiper #LowCarbonBirding
- Today a 4am start and 40k 🚲 ride hoping to catch up with the Ouse Fen Collared Pratincole. It wasn't to be, but hearing a Hoopoe was a definite bonus! Almost as rare for me, seeing a live Badger family was another highlight #LowCarbonBirding
- Reposted by Simon Gillings[Not loaded yet]
- Reposted by Simon GillingsHonouring the albatross this #WorldAlbatrossDay! Discover our bird-inspired apparel & gifts – from women’s fit tops to mugs & tees, including our Black-browed Albatross design. Browse now at aluladesigns.co.uk #BirdArt #AlbatrossDay #AlulaDesigns
- A short snippet of Nightjar churring and social calls and wing-claps from Thetford Forest. soundcloud.com/user-9092529...
