DPhil. Student

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Adele Powell

Adele Powell

Details

Name: Adele Powell
Position: DPhil. Student
Email: adele.powell@zoo.ox.ac.uk

Autobiography

In 2005, I graduated from the University of Wales, Bangor with a BSc Hons Zoology. I then undertook a gap year, which began with a voluntary placement working for the Bardsey Bird and Field Observatory. My time on the island sparked my passion for ornithology, and ultimately shaped the course of my gap year. I became a keen bird ringer (trainee) and worked as Volunteer Assistant Warden at Holme Bird Observatory, and later as Assistant Shore Bird Warden at Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve. In 2006/2007, I went on to study an MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation at the University of Exeter. Continuing with the bird-theme, my MSc thesis explored the winter diet and habitat requirements of the Kirtland's Warbler, using stable isotope analysis, and was supervised by Dr. Stuart Bearhop.

Research Activities

I am now undertaking a DPhil studying the migration and winter ecology of Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola, under the guidance of Dr. Andrew Gosler and Dr. Andrew Hoodless (Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust). The aims of this study are to (1) gain a better understanding of Woodcock movements between breeding and wintering grounds within Europe, (2) examine the separation of migrants from distinct breeding areas in NW Europe across Britain and Ireland in winter and their distribution relative to resident birds, and (3) determine whether residency confers any fitness or survival advantage over migrants. The first two aims will be addressed by stable isotope analysis of feather samples and analysis of hunting bag records, the third by recording body condition and radio-tracking birds to determine habitat use and monitor survival.

Selected Recent Papers

Watch this space!