People
Dr Matt Wood
Senior Lecturer and Group Leader
I’m a binocular-wearing field biologist with a fondness for islands. I feel very fortunate to work in such spectacular outdoor laboratories. I specialise in the analysis of threats to seabird populations, using new conservation technology to develop innovative approaches to seabird research and monitoring. The study of seabirds in wild places is fascinating, but it’s becoming increasingly important to understand how and why many of their populations are changing in such a rapidly changing world. That drive underpins my teaching in ecology, marine biology, and biostatistics. Recent publications: https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/view/creators/2585.html Associate Editor, Ibis (International Journal of Avian Science) Management of seven long-term seabird population studies on Skomer Island Member, UK Seabird Monitoring Programme Advisory Group
Dr Katie Bickerton
Postdoctoral Research Fellow. Statistical ecologist,
ProcBe project
I am a quantitative ecologist and conservation biologist, interested in the population dynamics of threatened species. My research primarily concerns the restoration of island ecosystems with a focus on seabirds, reptiles and reintroductions. Islands have huge potential for restoration due to their natural boundaries, with many being the last refuge for threatened species that have been lost elsewhere. Understanding the variation in small populations can be challenging, especially in elusive species which are difficult to monitor, however these species are often at highest risk of extinction, therefore understanding them in our rapidly changing world is vital for their continued existence. My main focus is applied ecological research that informs conservation management decisions, especially the planning of species monitoring that is efficient and effective. I find species that are difficult to monitor fascinating and encourage the development of analytical methods for “small data” as well as the use of non-invasive monitoring techniques.
Dr Jenny Grigg
Visiting Postdoctoral Researcher
Drivers of reproductive skipping in seabirds
Sally Kunzig
MSc by Research: Age structure of UK populations of Atlantic Puffins
I'm using images of Puffins to identify how many grooves are on their beak, and so get an estimate for the age of each individual, whether it's pre-breeding or potentially breeding. This is being used to understand if there are differences in the age-structure of different colonies around the UK, and if this changes with different colonies rates of population change. This research has taken me all around the UK, from Lundy to St Kilda to Skomer to Shetland, but even with analysing over 2000 images of Puffins, I can't wait to get back to seeing them on the cliffs again!
Ellie Knight-Rolfe
MSc by Research: Understanding the long-term population decline in black-legged kittiwakes
Through use of long-term monitoring methods, I aim to identify key factors in population decline in kittiwakes on Skomer Island. The project will be utilising 36 years’ of field data monitoring the breeding efforts of the kittiwakes on the island. This breeding success data will be compared to potential factors such as sun exposure, weather events and competition for resources.
Laura Hutt
MSc by Research: microplastic ingestion in Manx shearwaters
Plastics are useful products, but break down into tiny fragments that may be damaging if ingested. This MSc project focusses how much microplastic is found in fledgling Manx shearwaters on Skomer Island in West Wales
Freya Blockley
MSc by Research: Movement ecology of kittiwakes in the Celtic & Irish Seas
I'm using images of Puffins to identify how many grooves are on their beak, and so get an estimate for the age of each individual, whether it's pre-breeding or potentially breeding. This is being used to understand if there are differences in the age-structure of different colonies around the UK, and if this changes with different colonies rates of population change. This research has taken me all around the UK, from Lundy to St Kilda to Skomer to Shetland, but even with analysing over 2000 images of Puffins, I can't wait to get back to seeing them on the cliffs again!
Izzy Burns
MSc by Research: Kittiwake behavioural responses to extreme weather events
I’ve been fascinated by marine vertebrates for many years and became hooked on seabirds when I first conducted Skomer Island’s seabird counts in 2021, happily returning every year since. I am also passionate about increasing people’s knowledge and access to nature, working as an Engagement Ranger for Exmoor National Park alongside my master’s degree. My project focusses on Black-legged Kittiwakes and their nest microclimate. Investigating how the temperatures of nests vary across a colony, what causes these differences and how this relates to parent behaviour and breeding success.
Siti Sarah Baylosis
Research Assistant and BSc (Hons) Ecology and Environmental Science graduate
This project explores the use of habitat modelling and deep learning to understand the nesting preferences of large gull colonies in the Forest of Bowland, located in NW England. I am particularly interested in how GIS paired with Deep Learning can be used to monitor wildlife, especially as AI continues to evolve and becomes a more prominent tool. This is a topic that I recently investigated in my undergraduate dissertation project, and I am excited to develop these skills further as well as apply them to meaningful research.