Ian P 🇨🇦
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pandalus.bsky.social
Ian P 🇨🇦
@pandalus.bsky.social
Retired biologist (fish diseases, population studies) now living on Vancouver Island, birdwatcher, sourdough bread baker, sailor of Sage 17 'Pandalus', harbour tour boat skipper, and amateur radio enthusiast VA7POC
Rainy day here on #VancouverIsland but the paperbark maple in our backyard is fired up in it's autumnal colours
November 13, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Forgive the v poor pic - low light smartphone at a distance - but I do believe this 🪶 at the feeder is a female (or juvenile?) red-winged blackbird - first of the season if ID correct!
November 10, 2025 at 12:25 AM
My wonderful and very smart Sweetie ❤️ designed our backyard to have flowers all year - this Camellia sasanqua var is just coming into bloom which pleases our family of resident 🪶 Anna's hummingbird (Calypte anna)
November 9, 2025 at 10:57 PM
I have been listening to a pair of 🪶Bewick's wren (Thryomanes bewickii) complaining about my presence so close to the feeder (about 3 m) - finally one of them gets close enough for a smartphone pic
November 9, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Working in the backyard today (battles with fig tree...) and the male downy woodpecker 🪶comes to visit the suet feeder
November 9, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Next batch of #sourdough #bread country loaf turned out better - reduced working of the dough and less bulk fermentation
November 8, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Out on a hike in the hills behind Ladysmith BC in the sunshine listening to 🪶ravens, golden-crowned kinglets, and yellow-rumped warblers - too much rain to cross Tyee Creek though!
November 7, 2025 at 8:14 PM
News of the sunflower seed must be getting around: #BirdsOfTheDay at our place this morning included three California quail - here's a pair that came close
November 7, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Finally persuaded a fox sparrow to come within smartphone camera range - with food of course!
November 6, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Good morning from #VancouverIsland!
November 6, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Nothing quite like a feeder to generate #birdsatoddangles especially when it's nearly empty - bushtits obliging for #birdsoftheday
Plus a bonus message for all anti-democracy goons from a chestnut-backed chickadee...
October 30, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Diplomatic relations resumed with #Birds now that the seed embargo is lifted
First to show up are the chestnut-backed chickadees
October 29, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Meanwhile... (not a #bird)
Sweetie Indoors informs her rain-soaked Knight that the robotic vacuum has gone off line.
Gadzooks fair Sweetie, dost thou forget how to deploy the dustpan & broom?
I shall attend thy wishes for a network reset as soon as I have the composter installed safe within the keep
a man in armor is standing in front of a window
Alt: Knight in armor is standing in front of a window looking frustrated and hoping fair Sweetie is out of halberd range
media.tenor.com
October 28, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Recently rejoining battle in the castle keep, there is nary a 🪶 in sight. Have they forsaken me for pastures anew? It seems a knight that deserts his feeder duties is not worthy of allegiace. Was it #CupboardLove all along?
October 28, 2025 at 8:44 PM
And in today's episode of 🪶 #UpstairsDownstairs ...
A dark-eyed junco helping distribute sunflower seed to the spotted towhee waiting below
October 27, 2025 at 5:49 PM
🪶 No chance of an egret around here!
Have a dark-eyed junco instead, and a splash of autumn colour
Once it gets light I will try and get another bird photo by our feeder - fox sparrow in my sights!
October 27, 2025 at 2:50 PM
And in today's slightly damp collection of 🪶 we have a golden-crowned sparrow and a scolding Anna's hummingbird
October 26, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Not today's, but if we need #birds in the sun will these fine friendly fellows do?? They waddle over and say 'hi' every time we walk past
October 25, 2025 at 10:30 PM
And today's #BirdOfTheDay is a...
Hey! Wait a minute, that's not your food...
Oh well, at least the birds had their turn:
downy woodpecker, golden-crowned sparrow, song sparrow (I believe) and a spotted towhee. No sun today though in this temperate rain forest on #VancouverIsland
October 25, 2025 at 8:56 PM
@breadtopia.bsky.social
Had first go at your recent pain de campagne recipe (25% red fife, 5% rye 75% hydration) - very nice loaf, but I need to work a bit more on my dough tension: a bit of flop-bot!
October 24, 2025 at 10:17 PM
The chestnut-backed chickadee is my #BirdOfTheDay today - one of 20+ visiting our backyard on #VancouverIsland
October 24, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Just discovered #BirdOfTheDay - here's a favourite: red-breasted nuthatch #Birds enjoying sunflower seeds against a magnolia backdrop - go to love #VancouverIsland
October 23, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Vancouver Aquarium visits are always fun! The grandkids loved the colourful creatures, but were surprised to learn one of these is venomous, another poisonous and two of them delicious! Choose carefully!
October 23, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Pretty much done with diving these days (who knew neoprene shrinks?), but here's a pic from years ago, night diving with manta rays in Hawaii. Underwater lights bring in the krill & other inverts and the mantas soon learn lights at night = dinner time
September 29, 2025 at 3:41 AM
We like to feed the small birds over winter, and in turn the raptors. Female Cooper's hawk, posed for a full 5 minutes for photos a few years back. Not shy!
September 29, 2025 at 3:27 AM