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

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

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...

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!