Robin of the Day:

A bar-tailed godwit from my last visit to Bald Hill Beach. Looking a bit tatty after its massive journey from Siberia.

CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY. If you’d like to gift a copy of Who Wants Normal? to someone who needs it this Christmas (but can’t afford it), I’m giving away my last author copy I just found. I’ll sign and dedicate it. RT and I’ll pick an account at random. Ends Wednesday 3rd December 8pm. U.K. only.

Today for #Sarahs60 I'm moving to sharing some things I've done. Specifically my Blog heritagefortransformation.wordpress.com/thoughts-spa... Its a bit dormant, quite eclectic, but heritage focused. Posts aren't properly cited, which I sometimes regret, but they do have links. So, 6 blog posts

It’s important that we normalise “fleeing the laptop to eat baked goods and stare in terror at a wall” as a key part of the scientific process

Heads up folks, there's a wee bit of rain on the way

I’ve added an Excess Deaths Comparison page to my analysis on that topic. Here I’m comparing the UK, Sweden, Australia and New Zealand, to June 2025. My method projects "Expected Deaths" using a linear regression on the weekly deaths (4-week average) from a baseline of 2015-2019 deaths. 🧵

The results for Australia are a bit depressing tbh. After a start similar to NZ in 2020-21, the impact in late-2021-22 was more than twice as severe as in NZ. NZ skipped 2 big waves by keeping their quarantine going until Feb-April 2022. 🧵

Today's new #garden post - bits and bobs from November. jury.co.nz/2025/11/30/b... Starting with a new community garden in church grounds.

I was really thrilled to get to work on The WIRED Guide to Digital Opsec for Teens with @aumasson.jp. I think we did a good job but also apologies in advance to the teens that we tried to make jokes and generally Be Chill. Also no paywall to make it easier to share! www.wired.com/story/digita...

This is a powerful read if you want to know how to talk to a person with LC about how they are doing, in a truly genuine way.

So many stories I have read this morning are full of death, anger, meanness and misogyny This story is full of hope and community Truly an island of calm amidst the chaos

My cousin lives in this community and told me this outrageous story last night. I hope it will be widely shared.

The most maddening thing about this is that restoring inanga spawning habitat is really easy. Like, the easiest, fastest results I've seen in any project. We've got to stop monitoring towards extinction and actually start spending money on fixing the problems! www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

I've read it and it would make a fantastic gift for the tamariki in your life. It's a rollicking read. Set in New Zealand and based strongly in Māori mythology. A perfect alternative to the boy wizard.

You may be shopping today or avoiding shopping today- whatever you're doing may I recommend looking and listening for the birds all around you? A never-fails joy in any season. #BlackFriday #birds #birding #nature

This latest piece from @zoestodd.bsky.social once again articulates all the things that have been swirling in inarticulacy for me lately. Please give it a read! zoestodd.com/2025/11/26/h...

I feel you, ancient Mongolian ceramic hedgehog. I feel you.

Nothing to see here just Sam 'bed leg' Uffindell lying his god damned arse off again. I didn't know young people who are pushed onto the dole spend 18 years on it. Fucking lying piece of abusive lying shit.

NZ has had two major reforms of subnational government so far: 1876 and 1989 As the guy who literally wrote a book on the demise of that first system, *and* as someone who generally supports more unitary authorities, my considered opinion is that this proposal is completely insane

Look at all of those babies. They were sitting right outside the door.

No clear benefit? For a tug that has performed recent rescues? And with an ageing Interislander fleet clinging to grim life until replacements come along in a few years? On a notoriously turbulent body of water? Oh, well then. What could go wrong!

yes, hello, I would like to place an order for everyone’s funniest stories of holiday food-related family grudges / drama / chaotic incidents / lore I feel like we need this

I have loved Jimmy's music for years. Lots to dance to and some truely beautiful tracks to cry to (especially Many Rivers to Cross).

White-nationalist homestead communities gather the most antisocial people with the most corrosive beliefs—and, somehow, it all goes wrong. Henry Luzzatto writes on past and present miserable experiments in far-right communal living.

Important science🧵from my beloved home country.

Fossil fuel companies were given confidential drafts of legislation during their (successful) two-year campaign to weaken oil and gas regulation and overturn the offshore exploration ban - new reporting from me via the OIA www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

Every word of this, thanks Birmo! @birmo.bsky.social aliensideboob.substack.com/p/who-deserv...

"Poverty is not evidence, the presumption of innocence must apply to everyone" Smashing column by @kristin8x.antipovertycentre.org & @maiyazize.bsky.social #ThePoint thepoint.com.au/opinions/251...

The World Health Network (WHN) is gathering stories to raise awareness about Long COVID. We want to hear from those with lived experience — patients, caregivers, clinicians, and advocates — so we can share your stories and help others understand the impact of Long COVID.

Glenariff Forest Park, Northern Ireland, earlier this afternoon.

Some beautiful writing here about loss and living through modern times. Have a read.

Orwell overlooking the Lomonds of Fife. The stone in the foreground was re-erected in 1972. #StandingStoneSunday More pics & info of this dramatic burial site on @megalithic.bsky.social here www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?...

A #SilentSunday at Scorhill. #Photography #StandingStoneSunday #Landscape #Dartmoor

"My NHS colleagues & I weren’t willing to let the bodies pile high in their thousands. Boris no longer mentions them at all." My piece on the responses to the UK Covid-UK Inquiry report that try to airbrush the dead away. Sincere thanks, @theobserveruk.bsky.social. observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

If you've spent any time in the Wairarapa, you might like to take a stroll through our brand new story map, by David Famularo. From The Kal-Q-Lated Risk who were the region's biggest pop success, to Ladyhawke - enjoy the visit! www.audioculture.co.nz/articles/wai...

subscribe to me in end times tbh taliamarshall.substack.com/p/carnival

🇳🇿New Zealand COVID weekly update: 16 Nov 2025 10 Nov to 16 Nov 2025: 🔹Reported cases: 157 (-13.2%) 🔹Reported Deaths: 2 (-50.0%) 🔹Total deaths: 5,477 (+2) 28 Oct to 3 Nov 2025: 🔹Hospitalisations: 32 (+39.1%) #COVID19NZ Source: tewhatuora.govt.nz/for-health-p...

I had a meeting & interview at the Auckland Museum y’day & viewed the galleries & exhibits, inc ‘Mana: Protest in print’, an exhibition spotlighting Māori & Pacific voices across Aotearoa New Zealand’s most defining years in activism. For info: www.aucklandmuseum.com/culture #WIPCE2025

I visited Auckland Art Gallery in the few hours before my flight home. There are a diverse range of exhibitions & works, including Brett Graham’s ‘Wastelands’, 2024 (www.aucklandartgallery.com/whats-on/exh...), which debuted at the 60th Venice Biennial. It’s a powerful & meaningful installation!

SA Weekly Respiratory Update: 15 Nov to 21 Nov 2025 Reported cases: 🔹COVID: 161 (+24.8%) 🔹Flu: 727 (+42.8%) 🔹RSV: 93 (-19.8%) 🔹Pertussis: 79 (-15.9%) Reported deaths in 2025: 🔸COVID: 78 (+10) 🔸Flu: 61 🔸RSV: 12 🔸Pertussis: 5 Source: sahealth.sa.gov.au/wps/wcm/conn...

AUSTRALIA Weekly COVID Update — 21 November 2025 SA up (+24.8%) NSW up (+6.3%) WA down (-9.3%) Avg 17/day in hospital QLD down (-2.0%) 29 in hospital (+38%) VIC next update: 28 Nov TAS next update: 12 Dec ACT paused reporting for 2025 Aged-care update delayed today

The dashboard version of the Perth wastewater concentration chart reveals an interesting momentum shift. From the point where BA.3.2.* was first detected in late July, the level of cases rose sharply. 1/

Today, it's exactly one hundred years since the opening ceremony of the New Zealand & South Seas International Exhibition in Dunedin. To celebrate, I'm sharing some images from an original copy of the ceremony's official souvenir programme. My Collection.

My Felt shop is well stocked pre Christmas, with more to come. Check it out 🙂 felt.co.nz/shop/cathshe...

How Vaccines Work 🧬🧫🧪🔬💉🥽

Right beloveds we had so little uptake of this that I’ve extended the deadline indefinitely — if you’re someone who loves sales and marketing and wants to work for my small but mighty disabled-majority social enterprise, please apply!

Very cute video of a regent parrot chick being put back in their hollow tree nest - the little scoot down the mouth of the hole kills me every time

I’ll be in NZ for the better part of the next fortnight—Wellington, Auckland, and a quick jaunt to Hamilton on Te Huia—and of course I’ll be resuming my very official Pie Inspector role. What bakeries in those three cities can I simply not afford to miss? Who’s doing the finest stuff right now?