Great fun working with undergraduates from the University of Nottingham in the woodlands. We were of course helped by our ecology #cats, Oscar and Gonzo. They make great field assistants, but are often distracted by exciting dead trees...

Day 2 with our guests from the @uniofnottingham.bsky.social. After kicking off with an introduction to #moth trapping (and ID!), they’ve been out sampling the meadow habitat. Highlights were a longhorn beetle (𝘟𝘺𝘭𝘰𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘣𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘪) and a Light Crimson Underwing moth (𝘊𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘢). #insect

We’ve had a great first day with staff and students from the @uniofnottingham.bsky.social. After touring the local habitats, students were taught plant and invertebrate survey techniques in the meadows. Highlights included seeing different crab #spider species eating their prey. #arachnid #fieldwork

Amazing numbers of butterflies on the Causse the other day. Here's the slightly less glamorous "making of" clip!

Fabulous flora out here at the moment. Early June is just fantastic!

Oh #orchid of orchids! Oh, be still my beating heart. A rare day off and we ventured out in search of one of the most elusive orchids in France, the Lady’s Slipper Orchid. On a steep trail in a beech forest of the Grands Causses, we found them - and I've not stopped smiling since! #botany #orchids

This male Green Woodpecker's cleaning routine had us in absolute stiches. We watched it as part of our "camera trap movie night" and we all found his "makeover" quite striking. From a beautiful Green Woodpecker to a muddy mess. Still, he seemed to be enjoying himself!

After our first ever combined field course, we’d like to say a huge thank you to all of the staff and MSc students from @aru-biology.bsky.social and the University of Lincoln. It was an excellent experience hosting you all, and we thank you for your collaboration and enthusiasm.

A seriously good day on the Causse Méjean. Vultures, orchids, Przewalski's Horses - and glorious sunshine. Even managed to get some of the local upland birds for a couple of keen birders - Rock Sparrow and Tawny Pipit - plus Red-backed Shrikes, and a singing Common Quail (somewhere). Great stuff!

A really good day in the Camargue with our combined groups. We even saw some young Coypu with their mother. All had an excellent time, with the academics from Lincoln and ARU happily birding together. A really nice collaborative experience. @g-iossa.bsky.social

Fantastic weather out here for kick-sampling. Everyone was very keen to get in the river!

Really enthusiastic moth trapping by our mixed Lincoln and ARU MSc group. Great fun, plus a brown Lime Hawkmoth too.

An excellent first day with our first ever joint group, we welcomed both staff and MSc students from ARU and the University of Lincoln. Looking forward to some interesting discussions as our conference-style week progresses. @aru-biology.bsky.social @g-iossa.bsky.social @hannah-wht-eco.bsky.social

The first time we've hosted a group of PhD students, and what a fantastic experience. So many diverse disciplines, and so many interesting conversations. We had a fantastic time too!

On our final day with doctoral students from the @treesdla.bsky.social program, we headed a former coal mine to learn about the geology, the historically important industry, and also bout its legacy including pollution and landscape change caused by the extractions. @drsdodsworth.bsky.social

With doctoral students from the @treesdla.bsky.social program, we headed to the Camargue to learn about the threats to marine ecosystems. We watched the flamingos and other birds in the salt marshes, before heading to the sandy shore to discuss ocean acidification. @drsdodsworth.bsky.social

Up close (but not too close!) and personal with the Przewalski's Horses on the Causse Méjean. What a fantastic experience to share! Batchelor groups fighting, a suckling foal with its mother and other facsinating social behaviours.

Day 3 with @treesdla.bsky.social and we witnessed some great workshops here. An anthropology exercise based on the Chauvet cave paintings, morning moth trapping, and a river invertebrate survey. All designed by the doctoral students themselves. @ellileadbeater.bsky.social @drsdodsworth.bsky.social

Day 2 with the @ucl.ac.uk @treesdla.bsky.social doctoral student group, and we explored the volcanic geology of the north Ardèche. We got up close and personal with the basaltic columns at Jaujac, before viewing the extinct volcanic cup that the flow emerged from. @ellileadbeater.bsky.social

Yesterday we kicked off our field course with the @ucl.ac.uk @treesdla.bsky.social doctoral student group. We spent a fascinating day in the Ardèche looking at paleo-ecology and studying fossils at the museum at Balazuc, including a session on scientific drawing… @ellileadbeater.bsky.social

We’d like to say a huge thank you to staff and students from the KU Leuven for a fantastic field course. Thanks for being so enthusiastic and interested in everything here. We wish you all the best for the rest of your studies. @aquaecoevocon-kul.bsky.social

Our final day with KU Leuven featured a drone demonstration by Fabrizio, plus a hike through the forest to nearby garrigue habitats where we looked at the native flora. Highlights included Field Gladiolus, more species of orchid, and a Striped Hawkmoth. @aquaecoevocon-kul.bsky.social

Students from KU Leuven designed and carried out some fascinating group projects. We’ve had bat acoustic behaviour, the response of birds to UV coloration on model beetles, ant foraging behaviour, plus personality in damselfly larvae and Cricket-bat Orb Weaver spiders @aquaecoevocon-kul.bsky.social

Day 3 with KU Leuven was a trip to the Causse Méjean, an upland area well-known for its orchids and birds of prey, including four species of vulture. Highlights were a close flyover by a Short-toed Snake Eagle, and spotting the endemic 𝘖𝘱𝘩𝘳𝘺𝘴 𝘢𝘺𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘪 #orchid. @aquaecoevocon-kul.bsky.social

Day 2 with KU Leuven was spent exploring the #Camargue. We first headed into the wetlands to observe flamingo behaviour, where we also encountered Eurasian Spoonbills and the European Pond Terrapin. Later we explored the dunes and life on the Mediterranean shore. @aquaecoevocon-kul.bsky.social

KU Leuven are here! We recently welcomed MSc students from KU Leuven, who got off to a running start with their projects, along with tours of our local habitats. Highlights were insects, frogs, a fascinating slime mould, and seeing the 𝘗𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘥𝘰𝘢𝘤𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘢 in full bloom. @aquaecoevocon-kul.bsky.social

We found #orchid species no 10 on a sunny walk today: a Long-lipped Serapias (𝘚𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘢𝘴 𝘷𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘢), a species of “tongue-orchid”. The odd tube-shaped flowers encourage insects to take shelter in them, which then carry pollen away onto other blooms. #orchids #botany #photography #macro_photography

Orchid species number 9 for the year is this lovely Lady Orchid (𝘖𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘢), or the “Orchis pourpe” in French. We're lucky enough to have a cluster growing nearby. It does have a deep purple tip, but looking at the individual flowers, each resembles a lady wearing a bonnet and flowing skirts.

The next orchids found this year are species of 𝘖𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘴. These are currently flowering in the more shady woodland spots, so are a bit hard to photograph in the low light. Happily some sun spots fell on these ones... #orchid #macro_photography #botany

Lots of very nice orchids around now. Really looking forward to our first groups of the season arriving so they can see them, plus many more local specialities.

As the season progresses, the 𝘖𝘱𝘩𝘳𝘺𝘴 tend to get more colourful. #Orchid species no. 6 was this lovely False Spider Orchid (𝘖𝘱𝘩𝘳𝘺𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘴) with pink sepals with green central veins... #Botany #Orchids #Macro_photography

Orchid species no. 5 found this year was the Small Spider Orchid (𝘖𝘱𝘩𝘳𝘺𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘰𝘭𝘢). The markings apparently resemble a spider, and the flowers are quite small but with long upper sepals. This one had a lovely large spike developing just next to a footpath.

Orchid no. 4 is the “Early Spider Orchid” (𝘖𝘱𝘩𝘳𝘺𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘨𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘴). This beautiful specimen was found while picnicking, amid gusting mistral wind. Thanks to Fabrizio for holding the parcel shelf of the car as a wind break while I lay on the ground photographing this beautiful plant!

Orchid species no. 3 for the year was the “March Ophrys” (𝘖𝘱𝘩𝘳𝘺𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘻𝘶𝘰𝘭𝘢), considered by some as a subspecies of the False Spider Orchid, although by others as a full species in its own right: 𝘖𝘱𝘩𝘳𝘺𝘴 𝘰𝘤𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴, the “Western Bee Orchid”. 𝘖𝘱𝘩𝘳𝘺𝘴 orchids are beautiful, but very confusing!

Found this fantastic V-Signed Jumping Spider today. He wasn't happy about the clocks going forward either. #spider #arachnology #arachnid #macro_photography

Both species of Orange tip visiting the Crepis flowers at the moment - along with Bath Whites and Western Dappled Whites. Makes for some technical butterfly spotting. Really happy to see these spring butterflies on the wing.

Bath Whites and Western Dappled Whites on the wing this weekend along with both species of Orange Tips found here in the south of France. Makes for some complex “mottly green underwing” identifications! Really love the broken spot on the Bath White’s wings. #Lepidoptera #Butterfly #Entomology

Orchid number 2 of the year was lurking just around the corner on a grassy verge. Initially identified as part of the Early Spider Orchid complex (𝘖𝘱𝘩𝘳𝘺𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘨𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘴), it has now been elevated to full species – the Marseille Orchid, 𝘖𝘱𝘩𝘳𝘺𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴. #nature #photography #botany #orchid #flora

I thought I’d set myself a little challenge and really try to capture nice images of the region’s orchids as they appear throughout the season. Number 1 is the Giant Orchid, 𝘏𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘮 𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘶𝘮. #nature #photography #botany #orchid #flora

We have a couple of Montpellier snakes living in the dry stone wall. This is our closest neighbour looking out of their porch... #herpetology #reptile #snake

Attending a fascinating webinar on nocturnal migration, hosted by the fantastic @wildlifeacoustics.com team. Lots of interesting facts – including that 80% of birds migrate at night! Thanks for organising such a great event. Excited about nocturnal recordings – and not just for bats! #nocmigwebinar

Lovely clear Buzzard calling yesterday. Grabbed my phone. Yep, I thought it was a Buzzard, Merlin thought it was a Buzzard. Fabrizio listened back to my recording and said “Nice Buzzard”. I saw the bird. It was a Jay. Brilliant mimicry though! Thought you'd approve @wascherclaudia.bsky.social

A very sunny day (finally!) the other day. Lots of butterflies and Orthoptera. Even saw two Montpellier snakes. I really love the spring out here.

During our recce to Jaujac, I was admiring the river when Fabrizio suddenly shouted “There’s one!”, and lo and behold – a Wallcreeper on the basalt columns! Obviously we had no telephoto lens with us, but I managed to get a through-the-bins photo. Marvelous luck - and the beer actually got opened!!

A really great recce this weekend. We'd been there before, but not for a few years, so wanted to check it out for coach access etc. A great day out - and a birdy surprise for us too!

Last week, Fabrizio bought me this bottle of beer. The running joke/game is that we can only drink the contents once we’ve seen the animal (i.e. after buying the beer – even if we’ve seen this species before)… Off out to the Ardèche Gorge, where we’ve seen Wallcreepers in previous years...

The Ardèche Gorge is a fantastic spot for winter wildlife. The steep south-facing cliffs can trap enough heat for us to see the first Wall Lizards and Egyptian Grasshoppers of the year. They are also favoured spots for the resident Blue Rock Thrushes (here pictured a female).

Some nice early bats about around us. Spectrograms are a bit fuzzy with echoes as we wanted to see what was flying between some old buildings - but the species did not disappoint!

Just had a fantastic online training session with @wildlifeacoustics.com Thanks for the informative course! It’s made me go back and re-look at one of my own Eurasian Beaver recordings from a few years ago. Broadband chomping sounds, plus vocalisations with harmonics. Sound on for (cute!) beavers.

A happy new year to all from us at Merops! What a brisk winter we’ve had in the south of France. But now, the signs of spring are approaching, and we’re already looking forward to seeing all of our visitors on their field courses this coming spring. We can’t wait to see you all soon!