Jon Sullivan
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joncounts.mastodon.nz.ap.brid.gy
Jon Sullivan
@joncounts.mastodon.nz.ap.brid.gy
84 followers 19 following 710 posts
Kia ora! I'm a #nature nut, addict of #iNaturalist NZ — Mātaki Taiao, and an #ecologist at #LincolnUniversity in #Aotearoa-#NewZealand.

I spend an inordinate […]

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joncounts.mastodon.nz.ap.brid.gy
One of the sites at Travis Wetland where we set up our invertebrate sampling yesterday was in the new southern woods.

I helped with a planting day for this back in 2014, when it was still a wet field. Now, it feels like a real forest, with a canopy well above my […]

[Original post on mastodon.nz]
A photo I took in September 2014 of a community planting day at Travis Wetland. There are lots of people with spades digging holes and planting baby trees. My full-res photo is on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/mollivan_jon/15374259456/ A photo of the same site yesterday (24 November 2025), which now feels like a real forest. The canopy is 4–5 metres above my head and there is a lot of wild undergrowth happening. My full-resolution version of this is on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/mollivan_jon/54945075549/
November 24, 2025 at 11:54 PM
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I spent yesterday at Travis Wetland, Ōruapaeroa, which is a large wetland restoration site in eastern Ōtautahi-Christchurch, NZ. One of my MSc students, Tommy, is embarking on an invertebrate survey of the wetland, and we spent the day setting up Malaise traps […]

[Original post on mastodon.nz]
A photo of Tommy (left) and Max (right) digging in one of a series of pitfall traps to sample ground dwelling invertebrates. Tommy is doing his Lincoln University Masters research this summer repeating a 1995–1996 invertebrate survey of Travis Wetland, to see how the invertebrate community has changed. My full-res photo is on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/mollivan_jon/54943934477/ Tommy (left) is doing his Lincoln University Masters research this summer repeating a 1995–1996 invertebrate survey of Travis Wetland, to see how the invertebrate community has changed. Here Tommy and Max are putting in one of a series of Malaise traps to sample flying invertebrates. Malaise traps look like open sided tents. Insects fly in, hit the middle barrier mesh, then fly up to get caught in a cup at the top. My full-res photo is on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/mollivan_jon/54945126160 A photo of Tommy, smiling, as he wades through the wetland towards one of our sampling sites, where we set up a variety of invertebrate traps. My full-res photo is on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/mollivan_jon/54943934457/ A photo of Lincoln University summer scholar Max going the extra muddy mile helping set up an invertebrate monitoring project at Travis Wetland. The mud is up to his waste, and he's smiling. My full-res photo is on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/mollivan_jon/54945126155/
November 24, 2025 at 11:01 PM
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I hear riroriro (NZ grey warblers) singing about Christchurch city (they're *loud* for such tiny birds), but it's rare that I'm lucky enough to see one close up. Today was one of those days.

This juvenile riroriro briefly perched in the hedge outside our home […]

[Original post on mastodon.nz]
A photo of a little grey bird with a pale breast perched on a branch.
November 23, 2025 at 8:18 AM
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Aotearoa is the land of the long white cloud, and, for part of yesterday afternoon, the skies over Ōtautahi really took that and ran with it.

Here are a couple of photos I took when I was out for a run. The sky was dressed in white stripes.

#nz #clouds #weather #christchurch #Ōtautahi
A photo of the sky above suburban houses and gardens. The blue sky is streaked with long white clouds. My full-res photo is at https://www.flickr.com/photos/mollivan_jon/54940892285/ Another photo of the sky above suburban houses and gardens. The blue sky is streaked with long white clouds. My full-res photo is at https://www.flickr.com/photos/mollivan_jon/54940576721/
November 23, 2025 at 12:33 AM
joncounts.mastodon.nz.ap.brid.gy
Here's another family of baby birds from my travels this week. It's a female Pāpango / NZ scaup with seven ducklings (scauplings?).

I saw them on the Ōpāwaho / Heathcote River on bike ride home from work yesterday.

I briefly stopped to get better photos and the […]

[Original post on mastodon.nz]
The first in a sequence of photos I took of a female scaup (a small brown diving duck) with her seven smaller mottled brown ducklings, all swimming on the river. The second of my photos of a female scaup (a small brown diving duck) with her smaller mottled brown ducklings, all swimming on the river. Now there are six ducklings, as one has dived underwater. The third of my photos of a female scaup (a small brown diving duck) with her smaller mottled brown ducklings, all swimming on the river. Now there are only four ducklings, as the other three have dived underwater. The fourth of my photos of a female scaup (a small brown diving duck) with her smaller mottled brown ducklings, all swimming on the river. Now there are only three ducklings, as the other four have dived underwater. The mother stayed on the water watching me. I let them be after this.
November 22, 2025 at 9:55 AM
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Here are some baby birds I've seen this week, all in and around Ōtautahi-Christchurch city, NZ.

There's baby Canada geese along Sparks Road (the first time I've seen baby geese in this area of the city): https://inaturalist.nz/observations/327341545

There's […]

[Original post on mastodon.nz]
A photo of young yellow goslings of Canada geese, next to two adult birds. A photo of three tiny little baby birds with long legs dashing across a road. These are ring-necked pheasants and a car saw them and stopped to wait for them to cross (following their mother). Two grey-brown adult ducks with red eyes, on a pond, with a group of young grey-brown ducklings. These are NZ grey teal. A photo of two tiny speckled baby birds running across a gravel path. These are California quails.
November 20, 2025 at 10:17 PM
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Ōtautahi put on a fine norwester light show this evening. Here are some panoramas I just stitched together from my sunset photos.

If you want to get lost in the full-resolution versions, go to Flickr:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mollivan_jon/54931804109/ […]

[Original post on mastodon.nz]
A photo of a roof of yellow clouds as the sunset begins. My full-resolution photo is on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/mollivan_jon/54930688507/ A photo of the last sliver of orange cloud about the horizon at the end of the sunset. My full-resolution photo is on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/mollivan_jon/54931793954/ A panorama photo of an orange sunset from our house. My full-resolution photo is on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/mollivan_jon/54931804109/ A photo of an orange bank of cloud in the sunset. The cloud at the bottom looks like it's dripping out of the cloud bank. My full-resolution photo is on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/mollivan_jon/54930688692/
November 18, 2025 at 9:59 AM
joncounts.mastodon.nz.ap.brid.gy
A public service announcement from the Canterbury A&P Show: "Horns can hurt hands."

#canterburyapshow #christchurch #Ōtautahi #nz #FarmAnimals #sign
A photo of a printed sign attached to a fence which reads "I have horns. Horns can hurt hands. Please keep hands away from the fence". Out of view behind the fence was a mother cow, with long horns, with her calf. My full-res photo is on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/mollivan_jon/54924870469/
November 15, 2025 at 6:20 AM
joncounts.mastodon.nz.ap.brid.gy
And here's more of the Canterbury A&P Show fun today. The duck herding as a definite highlight. 🦆 😀

#canterburyapshow #christchurch #Ōtautahi #nz #FarmAnimals #animals #ducks
A photo of one of the teams competing to put horse shoes on horses at the Canterbury A&P Show. Their skill and the care they took was impressive to watch. My full-res photo is on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/mollivan_jon/54924621166/ A photo of one of the Valais Blacknose sheep on display at the Canterbury A&P Show. They're claimed to be the cutest sheep breed in the world, which could well be true. They've got a black woolly face and a fluffy white woolly coat. My full-res photo is on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/mollivan_jon/54924871099/ A photo of a sheep dog (no, duck dog) herding a group of white Peking ducks across a lawn while onlookers watch. My full-res photo is on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/mollivan_jon/54923751012/ A photo of a sheep dog (no, duck dog) herding a group of white Peking ducks across a lawn while onlookers watch. The dog herded the ducks up a ramp then watched as one-by-one they scooted down a slide. My full-res photo is on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/mollivan_jon/54924870374/
November 15, 2025 at 6:18 AM
joncounts.mastodon.nz.ap.brid.gy
Here are some of the animals I photographed at the Canterbury A&P Show today.

#canterburyapshow #christchurch #Ōtautahi #nz #FarmAnimals #animals
A photo of a baby horse and its mother. My full-res photo is on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/mollivan_jon/54924927160/ A photo of an aptly named African four-horned sheep, seen in the rare breeds area of the Canterbury A&P Show. My full-res photo is on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/mollivan_jon/54924870319/in/dateposted-public/ A photo of piglets suckling from their mother. My full-res photo is on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/mollivan_jon/54924925970/ A mother sheep with her lamb. The lamb has a blue scarf tied around its neck. This was in the petting section of the Canterbury A&P Show. My full-res photo is on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/mollivan_jon/54924871414/
November 15, 2025 at 6:10 AM
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We went to the Canterbury A&P Show today, where the best of country is on display in Christchurch City. It was fantastic fun, as always. And, after being warm and sunny, there was thunder and lightning at a *lot* of hail.

We ended up taking shelter in a tent […]

[Original post on mastodon.nz]
A photo of a small snow man on a table, except that I made it with hail. It's got chop sticks for arms and a small sauce container as a hat. My full-res photo is on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/mollivan_jon/54924819848/
November 15, 2025 at 6:04 AM
joncounts.mastodon.nz.ap.brid.gy
@Satori That reminds me of this photo that our daughter took recently of our pet rabbit Firecracker and her best buddy Gimli Pig. They're both old pets now. Firecracker's sister has passed away, as has Gimli's brother, so it's pretty neat how they hang out together.
A photo inside our house of a white and black pet rabbit sitting on a small colourful wooden house above a hay-filled tray where a tan and white and orange furred guinea pig is peaking out.
November 9, 2025 at 4:54 AM
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All the many sheep in my feed are a good thing. Thank you #dydddefaidodon!

In Aotearoa-NZ we're pretty obsessed with sheep. Here are four of my photos from around NZ celebrating our appreciation of sheep.

#defaidodonday #sheep #nz
A photo of a white sculpture of a merino sheep, from Omarama. Someone had put an orange traffic cone on its head. The sheep now stands on a rock next to a petrol station at the entrance to the town. A photo of a giant sheep sculpture on the top of a building along Durham Street South in central Ōtautahi-Christchurch city. The building it's on is currently Dominion Flooring. There's a black-backed gull resting on the top of the sheep. A photo of the famous corrugated iron building shaped like a sheep in the North Island town of Tirau. Below the chin of the sheep is the door to the building. A mural with two sheep and green rolling hills, at the back of a carpark along Bath Street in central Ōtautahi-Christchurch city.
November 7, 2025 at 11:47 PM
joncounts.mastodon.nz.ap.brid.gy
OK. Four more moths. These are the four species that were new to our garden this spring.

I've been consistently putting out the moth light four nights every season since July 2021 and I'm still finding new species.

Blackheaded Leafroller, *Ctenopseustis […]

[Original post on mastodon.nz]
A photo of a small pale brown moth with darker brown blotches. I've identified this as the Blackheaded Leafroller, Ctenopseustis obliquana. For my full-res photo and observation details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324798689 A photo of a small moth with triangular wings that it splays out above its body in an odd post. The wings have an elegant brown and cream pattern. This is the NZ Golden-brown Fern Moth, Musotima nitidalis For my full-res photo and observation details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324611764 A photo of a small yellow moth with a brown head. I've identified this as the NZ endemic moth Tingena melinella. For my full-res photo and observation details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324798772 A brown moth with a pale horizontal line across it, making it look like a leaf. This is the Golden-brown Fern, Moth Musotima nitidalis. For my full-res photo and observation details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324611764
November 6, 2025 at 8:34 AM
joncounts.mastodon.nz.ap.brid.gy
Wait, I've got more moths! (Yes, it's your lucky day.)

(Species names are in the alt-text)

#moths #mothodon #nz #christchurch
A photo of an elegant bright green moth with complicated wavy patterning. This is the NZ Emerald Pug Moth, Pasiphila muscosata For my full-res photo and full observation details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324845399 A photo of a pale brown moth with fine wavy brown patterning. This is the NZ Kanuka Looper moth, Poecilasthena schistaria For my full-res photo and full observation details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324798722
November 6, 2025 at 8:25 AM
joncounts.mastodon.nz.ap.brid.gy
More moths? Yes, more moths!

The first moth is Chloroclystis inductata and it's an unusual colour morph of it. For all the variation in this one species from our garden so far, see […]

[Original post on mastodon.nz]
A photo of a pale green moth with blotch brown markings. This species, Chloroclystis inductata, is unusually variable in its colour markings. For my full-res photo and details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324845524 A photo of a pinkish brown moth with a backward curved abdomen and splayed out wings. It's an odd pose for a moth. This is the Australian Wattle Gall Moth, Gauna aegusalis. For my full-res photo and details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324798785 A photo of a triangular moth with a long snout. It's wings are an elegant pattern of swirling creams and browns. For my full-res photo and details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324845508 A photo of a large triangular moth with a complicated pattern of dark and pale browns. This is the NZ Barred Pink Carpet moth, Xanthorhoe semifissata For my full-res photo and details, see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324845460
November 6, 2025 at 8:20 AM
joncounts.mastodon.nz.ap.brid.gy
Moths? You want moths? I've got moths!

This week I finished uploaded to #inaturalist my four nights of moth lighting at our house, which I do once a season. I got 65 moth species this Spring, including four new species for our garden.

Here are some of the […]

[Original post on mastodon.nz]
A photo of a pale green and black speckled moth. This is the NZ endemic moth Izatha huttonii. For my full-res photo and observation details see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324682172 A photo of a large tan brown moth with geometric triangular wing shape. This is the NZ endemic Tarata Looper moth, Xyridacma ustaria For my full-res photo and observation details see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324611949 A photo of an elegant green moth with zig-zag patterns of paler green and white. This is the Dotted Green Carpet moth, Asaphodes beata, a NZ endemic. For my full-res photo and observation details see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324611981 A photo of a triangular shaped blotch pink moth (above) and a white moth with black zig-zag shapes (below). The top moth is the NZ endemic Common Forest Looper moth, Pseudocoremia suavis. The lichen moth below it is the NZ endemic Izatha katadiktya. For my full-res photo and observation details see https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324611809
November 6, 2025 at 8:12 AM
joncounts.mastodon.nz.ap.brid.gy
It's now Baby Bird Time in Ōtautahi-Christchurch city, New Zealand.

Here are four of my observations from today of the next generation of the city's birds. I wish them all luck.

Baby mallards/greylards: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/325003722

Baby […]

[Original post on mastodon.nz]
A photo of a group of young ducklings resting in the grass next to their mother. The mother duck has an eye open watching me. Full details of my observation are at https://inaturalist.nz/observations/325003722 A photo of a recently fledged European blackbird, which is brown, taking a bath in the bird bath in our garden. Full details of my observation are at https://inaturalist.nz/observations/325003536 A photo of a young Australian spur-winged plover walking across a lawn. It is small and grey and fluffy with long legs. Its two parents were nearby watching. Full details of my observation are at https://inaturalist.nz/observations/325003537 A photo of four young paradise shelduck ducklines, which are blotchy white and grey, resting next to their mother, who is a chestnut brown duck with a white head. Full details of my observation are at https://inaturalist.nz/observations/325003539
November 5, 2025 at 9:37 AM
joncounts.mastodon.nz.ap.brid.gy
And, here's two harakeke pollinators from today's survey, the natural one (korimako) and the new one (European starling).

Korimako on a harakeke in a garden along Hackthorne Road: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324289269

Starling on a harakeke in […]

[Original post on mastodon.nz]
A photo of a korimako (NZ bellbird) feeding from flowers of harakeke (NZ flax). Harakeke makes a tall inflorescence with many upturned red flowers that are visited by flower-loving birds. Korimako are olive-green coloured birds. Full details of my observation are at https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324289269 A photo of a European starling feeding from flowers of harakeke (NZ flax). Harakeke makes a tall inflorescence with many upturned red flowers that are visited by flower-loving birds. Starlings are glossy iridescent black speckled birds. Full details of my observation are at https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324289259
November 1, 2025 at 9:19 AM
joncounts.mastodon.nz.ap.brid.gy
Here are some birds from my run survey today through southwestern Ōtautahi-Chirstchurch, NZ.

A kererū perched in a tree up Dyers Pass Road: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324289256

A juvenile riroriro (NZ grey warbler) in a patch of planted native trees at […]

[Original post on mastodon.nz]
A photo of a kererū (NZ woodpigeon) perched up in a tree. It's a big bird with a white breast and blue-green back and head. The head is tiny compared with the big body. Details and my bigger photo are at https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324289256 A photo of a tiny grey bird perched on a branch in a tree. This is a riroriro - NZ grey warbler, one of NZ's two smallest birds. Details and my bigger photo are at https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324289262 A photo of a brown duck on water. The water is a colourful smear of reflections. Details and my bigger photo are at https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324287847 A photo of a California quail perched on a pile of dead branches. This quail is a grey speckled bird with a small black dongle sticking out from the top of its head. Details and my bigger photo are at https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324289258
November 1, 2025 at 9:11 AM
joncounts.mastodon.nz.ap.brid.gy
I found this handsome longhorn beetle on the outside of our house last night. My daughter likened it to a 1970s station wagon from the movies, complete with wooden trim.

It's an endemic NZ species commonly called a lemon tree borer, although its larvae bore into […]

[Original post on mastodon.nz]
A close-up photo of the head of a beetle. It's brown with lots of small yellow hairs, especially around the eyes. The compound eyes are curved like a "C" around the antennae. My higher resolution photos and other observation details are at https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324028205 A photo of a brown beetle with lots of small yellow hairs. It's a long, thin beetle with long antennae (as is characteristic of the family of longhorn beetles). My higher resolution photos and other observation details are at https://inaturalist.nz/observations/324028205
October 30, 2025 at 7:14 PM
joncounts.mastodon.nz.ap.brid.gy
The American ragwort aphid is now up in the Christchurch Port Hills where it's feeding on native senecio plants. 😔

The species arrived in the city in autumn of 2019 and has been spreading since then. I found it last week on the top of Sugarloaf, which is the […]

[Original post on mastodon.nz]
A photo (taken through a hand-held magnifying glass) of some green flower buds, of a NZ native herb Senecio glomeratus, and a cluster of all-black aphids feeding on it. These are the American ragwort aphid, Senecio lugentis. More details of this observation and a higher resolution photo are at https://inaturalist.nz/observations/322653324
October 23, 2025 at 10:51 PM
joncounts.mastodon.nz.ap.brid.gy
Oops! Apparently someone at Radio New Zealand has never seen a magpie in NZ before.

In their story today about a NZ fossil discovery of a possible bowerbird, which they took from The Conversation, someone has chosen to add photos of a tauhou/silvereye, tūī […]

[Original post on mastodon.nz]
A photo of a European magpie, which is a mid-sized black-and-white bird. This is a screenshot from an article on the Radio New Zealand webpage surrounded by text talking about the Australian magpie, which is an unrelated and quite different looking bird.
October 23, 2025 at 8:51 AM
joncounts.mastodon.nz.ap.brid.gy
Here are four visitors to our house this week. It's the first time I've seen this wee native moth species, Crypsitricha mesotypa.

I just checked and I'm now up to 101 species, mostly insects, that I've found and photographed inside our house […]

[Original post on mastodon.nz]
A photo of a native NZ porina moth sitting on the side of a black bag zip, in our house. The moth is big and brown and fluffy and its wings have elegant rounded botchy patterns. Details and my full-res photo are at https://inaturalist.nz/observations/322499452 A photo of a small native NZ moth, about 4 mm long, sitting on a pale green wall in our house. The moth has green and pale brown patterning on its wings. It doesn't have a common name. Its scientific name is Crypsitricha mesotypa. Details and my full-res photos are at https://inaturalist.nz/observations/322464433 A close up of the head and thorax of a large NZ swamp crane fly. It's brown with grey markings and has a long narrow "face" with mouthparts. The whole body, including legs, is about 10 cm across. It flew into our house this week. Details and my full-res photos are at https://inaturalist.nz/observations/322466731 I only got this one photo of a NZ brown evening moth. It's a large brown moth, sitting here on a wall in our house about to fly. When it's wings are out, it's about 14 cm across. Details and my full-res photo are at https://inaturalist.nz/observations/321693626
October 23, 2025 at 5:42 AM
joncounts.mastodon.nz.ap.brid.gy
And, behind my laptop on my office desk, I have two vials of ethanol containing pellets of beetle bits that were barfed up by magpies on our deck, one from 2023 and one from 2025. One day I'll find the time to look under a microscope (or do some sequencing) to […]

[Original post on mastodon.nz]
A photo of two brown plastic vials containing liquid (95% ethanol) and dark objects, which were beetle filled pellets coughed up by Australian magpies on our deck (in two separate years). I scooped them up hoping one day to have a closer look at what the birds were eating.
October 22, 2025 at 9:12 AM