On our hike this morning, a shadow pattern fell over me. I shouted to Husband (≈100 m ahead), “LOOK UP!!”

I've been pondering this and find that I actually hard-disagree. I think requiring by-elections for floor crossers will do little but cost us more in unnecessary elections, and consolidate power for the parties, who may not necessary care about the issues of individuals. thetyee.ca/News/2026/06...

Here's to all the environmental practitioners out there protecting, restoring, and enhancing our natural world. #WorldEnvironmentDay is celebrated annually on 5 June as the UN's primary campaign to drive global awareness and inspire urgent public action for environmental protection.

Now if only you could purchase a new vehicle that doesn't require navigating the menus on an obnoxious and distracting 6" touchscreen just to adjust the temperature in the cabin. Some (most?) things just need to stay analog.

In a similar vein, I've drawn up plans for three possible expansions of my patio into my neighbour's back yard. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

I have pushed a new release of my Cozenage Scheme interpreter. Now supports import modifiers (only, except, rename, and prefix) plus various bug fixes. Grab the newest 0.18.2 release from GitHub, and write some Scheme code! Or just help me daylight bugs. #scheme #lisp github.com/DarrenKirby/...

Managed to catch a really horrible bug, (of the flu variety) but at least I saw a beautiful Bombus centralis foraging in buffalo beans on our bird (and bee) tour of Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park.

Pato tepalcate (Oxyura jamaicensis) Macho y hembra Bosque de San Juan de Aragón, CDMX #aves

Let’s start #WorldBeeDay with the most important meme about the disparity between bee conservation efforts. Nearly all bee conservation efforts represent honeybees, a managed agricultural product easy to identify. Fortunately, bumblebees are getting some conservation love nowadays.

#WorldBeeDay 🐝

Birding buddies were out in force today #AlbertaWildlife

I had to stand in a larch grove at 1400M for an hour and 15 minutes to see them, but finally got my lifer Williamson's Sapsuckers! Beautiful birds. After 5 minutes of shooting the male, the female flew in. Venner Meadows, high above Okanagan Falls. 🪶🌿

Another beautiful day in the south Okanagan.

Plenty of photogenic and charismatic marmots on the Penticton waterfront. I guess the tourists are feeding them as they are stupidly tame, and the city has erected some signs.

Asking for my life list, which is becoming increasingly difficult to add to...

Anyone know of a reliable Vaux's Swift roost/colony in the British Columbia interior? Or a reliable spot on the BC coast for Black Scoter in winter?

This TV was guarding the Vaseaux Lake viewing tower/blind. It decided to let me pass. 🪶 BTW, upon reviewing my pics today, I forgot to tally a Kestrel spotted at Haines Lease, and a shot I took of a soaring BoP turned out to be a Bald eagle. So: adjusted count: 92 species for Global Big Day!

Final tally for #GlobalBigDay: 90 species over 16 checklists. Notable absences: Steller's Jay, it's only BC's official bird! Bald Eagle. Goldeneye, Barrow's or Common. House Wren. I put in about 14.5 hours. If you want to see the where and what, I made a trip report: ebird.org/tripreport/5...

Non-avian #GlobalBigDay sightings include a moose cow, a hare, and a big black bear that scurried into the woods before I could grab a picture.

“Telling the bees”—Local artist-educator encourages citizen science to save native bees thelasource.com/social/2026/...

I'm at 87 species on the day for #GlobalBigDay. Two of the species I saw were this Cooper's hawk, and the Brewer's blackbird that it's eating. 🪶 Taking a bit of a rest, then heading back out to see if I can crack 100!

Global Big Day seems to have not reached the zeitgeist on Bluesky. Anyone planning on heading out tomorrow? I'm considering if I have the energy for a full day across many different habitats, or whether it will be a perfunctory effort at a single spot generally good for ~35-40 species.

This Chipping Sparrow is my 10,000th observation uploaded to iNat. Those 10k observations are of 1,334 different species of living organisms. My most observed sp. is Mallard (221). The most observed sp. (not a bird) is Vancouver Bumble Bee (67). Most observed mammal sp. is Red Squirrel (37).

I’ll be doing two talks at Vancouver Libraries this month. Hope to see you! Wed May 6, 2026: 10: 00 am-11:30 am, Kerrisdale Branch Tuesday, May 12, 2026: 2 pm- 3:30 pm, Dunbar Branch Find out how can be a citizen scientist hero that helps make BC a healthy place for bees, butterflies and birds.

I actually did know this, but only because of a flubbed line by Stephen Fry on QI, which has gone on into the annals of comedy legend...

This sign (and the junction it indicates) flanks a very productive marsh/bog. There was a Mourning Dove on the gravel shoulder which would take short flights of about 5 feet or so until it landed again. I got the sense, much like a Killdeer would, that it was directing me away from a clutch of eggs.

A pair of Osprey at Douglas Lake Ranch. If there are dust spots in the photo, I apologize. My laptop screen is so dirty currently I am unable to detect them... 🪶

Beautiful spot where the Incomappleau River empties into Beaton Arm of Arrow Lake. This is a few days back, but I drove this crazy road into Hadow FS rec site. Beautiful spot, and had it to myself other 3 ppl who came in by boat to chat for a bit.

45 seconds of Zen - Ione Falls, near Nakusp. This is the last waterfall I have, until I see another one, promise...

I sat in the hottub at the Revelstoke Aquatic Centre for all of 10 minutes and now I've had a brutal chlorine headache for over an hour.

Lost Lake at Monashee Pass. As twilight moved in the air was full of ghostly Varied Thrush calls from every direction.

Nice morning for a boat ride. Galena Bay.

45 seconds of Zen - Winnifred Falls. From April 30.

45 seconds of Zen: Kettle River Canyon, yesterday.

Could the Carney-stans please explain how he's anything but Harper with a better resume please? This is a disastrous idea.

BlueBert and Fernie are good to go. If you see this rig rolling through your town this summer, stop by and say hi!

Two days until I leave this place, and the Lewis' Woodpecker has not shown up yet. 😥

So someone made this. And in a time when no one seems to be fighting back against these awful, racist, useless referendum(b) questions, this gave me a glimmer of hope. #ableg #abpoli #cdnpoli #referendumb #Alberta

I may have to quit all social media. After years of effort, I've finally had a post liked by a sitting Canadian senator.

LMAO. Multiple, repeated failures of the "Americans use critical thinking and reading skills challenge" in this thread...

No, I don't 'celebrate' Earth Day. When it comes to Earth Day, I'm one of those everyday is Christmas kinda people.

Made my 15,000th iNat identification this morning.

The male Western bluebird came close to the house to check the temperature. I assume this is the male as it got in a fight with its reflection in the window. It did not appear to hurt itself, but it's clearly stressing itself out. Wish there was something I could do. 🪶

No, I don't 'celebrate' 420. When it comes to 420, I'm one of those everyday is Christmas kinda people.

A photo that makes clear how Red crossbills (Loxia curvirostra) get their name. Crossbills are finches, taxonomically, but instead of conical beaks, they have this specialized adaptation for extracting conifer seeds from cones. 🪶

Am I the only one that reads these as YELLOW SNOW ADVISORY then gets Frank Zappa stuck in their head?

Western bluebird couple have occupied one of the bird houses in the yard! It's a rather small house, so only one of them can actually fit in it at a time 😂

This is an absolutely amazing and moving antimated short about Norm MacDonald talking about Sam Kinison. Just spectacular: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMOY...