Ecology field trip proves great hit with students - the social media roundup

15 May 2023

Our first-year zoology and wildlife conservation students have visited Devon (and Cornwall) for a week learning ecology skills.

The students spent the week at the Field Studies Council's Slapton Ley centre as well as in the surrounding countryside – and also made a trip to Cornwall’s Eden Project.
From shrews to caddis fly larvae and bats to click beetles, the week was filled with a wealth of species.

Catch up with some of the highlights with our social media roundup.

Entomologist on tour! @simonsegar in his civvies, let loose for the 1st year zoology field course to @FSCSlaptonLey, great week ahead! @jcasperd @HarperAdamsUni pic.twitter.com/X9Oca1dyL2

— Dr Ben Clunie (@benclunie) May 5, 2023

And we’re off! The legendary Andy Cherrill introduces the woodland ecology activity @FSCSlaptonLey with @benclunie @simonsegar #IntroToEcol23 @dr_andy_wilcox @DrJohnReade pic.twitter.com/w4cE6LSS7E

— Julia Casperd (@jcasperd) May 5, 2023

Pitfalls, beating and quadrats. Ecological classics in a wet and ancient woodland with @benclunie and @jcasperd #IntroToEcol23 pic.twitter.com/WbWc2q75rs

— Simon Segar (@simonsegar) May 6, 2023

Great evenings work by ?@HarperAdamsUni? students ?@FSCSlaptonLey?
11 bat species: noctule, soprano, nathusius & common pipistrelle, daubenton, western barbestelle, lesser horseshoe, whiskered bat, brown long eared, grey long eared & common serotine. ?#IntroToEcol23 pic.twitter.com/kewaZn8jaW

— Julia Casperd (@jcasperd) May 6, 2023

A real education across disciplines this evening - geography, geology, marine biology, ornithology, ecology, chemistry, physics and so much more - with a great locally experienced guide and capped off with the most picturesque Devon riverscape. Thank you @singingpaddles https://t.co/B9XsY72y0p

— Dr Ben Clunie (@benclunie) May 6, 2023

All fun and no play ….@HarperAdamsUni team building with @benclunie and Paul O’Hagan at Bowcombe Creek after a full day grappling with Spearman Rank and hypothesis Testing. #IntroToEcol23 pic.twitter.com/dJSVa1Coqe

— Julia Casperd (@jcasperd) May 6, 2023

Forgot photos! pic.twitter.com/jjzivqZs68

— Simon Segar (@simonsegar) May 6, 2023

First time seeing an oil beetle! And such a big one, too!#entomology #insects #IntrotoEcol23 pic.twitter.com/g1dGV4yLqe

— Josh Boe (@entomolojosh) May 7, 2023

First UK sighting of a glowworm for me!#entomology #insects #IntrotoEcol23 pic.twitter.com/8MGShbBoQJ

— Josh Boe (@entomolojosh) May 7, 2023

Great excitement @benclunie @simonsegars with water stickman, caddisfly, true damsel flies, dragon fly nymphs, water scorpion. #IntroToEcol23 pic.twitter.com/q4x2Xhi3hS

— Julia Casperd (@jcasperd) May 7, 2023

Hairy Dragonfly found by Huw, Harper Adams Uni, at Slapton Ley this morning @BDSdragonflies @FSCSlaptonLey pic.twitter.com/AxFmB3KojK

— Hopes Nose (@HopesNose) May 7, 2023

Another ‘mooment’! Minor distraction from bat surveying. I feel there’s a study in here somewhere @DrElliephants our behaviour exactly mirrored theirs!! ????#IntroToEcol23 @DrJohnReade @simonsegar @benclunie pic.twitter.com/WFn7jGpezF

— Julia Casperd (@jcasperd) May 8, 2023

Second night of ?@HarperAdamsUni? students’ bat survey down on the Ley ?@FSCSlaptonLey? recorded a further two species of bat: Bechsteins and Whiskered Myotis ??@DevonWildlife? ?@NaturalEngland? #IntroToEcol23 pic.twitter.com/kd7RM7Wo0C

— Julia Casperd (@jcasperd) May 8, 2023

Common shrew (Sorex araneus) with a death wish. For some reason heading to the road instead of back into the vegetation. Not bothered by my presence at all. Just like the fox ?? the other night which sauntered past within 2m of me @FSCSlaptonLey @PinemartensUK @Mammal_Society pic.twitter.com/Zhw5qVlfQU

— Julia Casperd (@jcasperd) May 9, 2023

Kernow bys vyken

— Dr Joe Roberts (@Dr_Joe_Roberts) May 10, 2023

Thankyou @EdenProject for insight into the differences between tropical and temperate #rainforest ; contextualising succession & an overview of #biodiversity #biodiversityhotspots and the effect of the geology (granite) of the area on plant growth. @HarperAdamsUni #IntroToEcol23 pic.twitter.com/lCxauafU3A

— Julia Casperd (@jcasperd) May 9, 2023

A splash of colour @EdenProject #plants #botany pic.twitter.com/9BMMCVieaG

— Julia Casperd (@jcasperd) May 9, 2023

Important discussions of ‘plant blindness’ and the importance of soil biota and ground flora @EdenProject with @HarperAdamsUni pic.twitter.com/Ur3h9JLYqN

— Julia Casperd (@jcasperd) May 9, 2023 

In the thick of student mini-projects on #IntroToEcol23 at @FSCSlaptonLey - spent the morning supervising a group looking at Freshwater depth and flow rate effects on invertebrates. Spot the caddis! @jcasperd @simonsegar @HarperAdamsUni pic.twitter.com/6lnGKwKD1T

— Dr Ben Clunie (@benclunie) May 10, 2023

Magical. Nature once again as abstract artist.

— John Reade (@DrJohnReade) May 10, 2023

16 animal groups, didn’t get them all to species level. And 12 seaweed types we found. Brilliant despite one particular error. pic.twitter.com/7cANImgdTt

— Eesa Rafiq (@RafiqEesa) May 10, 2023

A mossy, fungi filled valley in the ancient woods @FSCSlaptonLey - getting my artsy photography on. Not bad with just a phone! pic.twitter.com/2vC4EdVtor

— Dr Ben Clunie (@benclunie) May 10, 2023

Correction: cormorants seen on closer inspection are actually shags! @IUCN red listed bird which is nice considering @FSCSlaptonLey was hard hit by #avianflu last year. #bird #ornithology @elliep405 @HuwWill08 @dr_andy_wilcox

— Julia Casperd (@jcasperd) May 11, 2023

Thank you for having us @FSCSlaptonLey we have had a fantastic week of #fieldwork & #outdoorlearning with our @HarperAdamsUni #Zoology #WildlifeConservation and #ELM students @benclunie @simonsegar #ecology #student #university #UCAS pic.twitter.com/wh1t0lnKvu

— Julia Casperd (@jcasperd) May 12, 2023