Mark Dennis
@markcdennis.bsky.social
A birder and writer living in Nova Scotia. You can find my books at the evil/convenient Amazon. I'm anti stupidity and lean left, not religious. Follow the science and watch Corner Gas.
After a quiet morning on Cape Sable Island, Nova Scotia, I'd just got in the house when a flock of seven Eastern Bluebirds arrived to eat the Serviceberries. Yard bird #219, and a long hoped for, if not expected, addition. Eastern Bluebird is rare in Shelburne County. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
November 18, 2025 at 9:03 PM
After a quiet morning on Cape Sable Island, Nova Scotia, I'd just got in the house when a flock of seven Eastern Bluebirds arrived to eat the Serviceberries. Yard bird #219, and a long hoped for, if not expected, addition. Eastern Bluebird is rare in Shelburne County. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
No Cattle Egrets in Nova Scotia for me last year, two on Cape Island this. I did my island circuit this afternoon and this one was running around a yard. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
November 15, 2025 at 9:18 PM
No Cattle Egrets in Nova Scotia for me last year, two on Cape Island this. I did my island circuit this afternoon and this one was running around a yard. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
November 15, 2025 at 9:15 PM
If Golden-crowned Kinglets were the size of geese, we'd be in deep doo-doo. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
November 14, 2025 at 6:37 PM
If Golden-crowned Kinglets were the size of geese, we'd be in deep doo-doo. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
The Bay of Fundy discovery centre in Truro, NS, is heaving with geese, mostly Canada but with one exception. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
November 14, 2025 at 6:36 PM
The Bay of Fundy discovery centre in Truro, NS, is heaving with geese, mostly Canada but with one exception. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
Fancying a short break, Sandra and I took in a Tropical Kingbird in Wolfville, the third for NS and the only one to stay more than a few hours, we saw the first. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
November 14, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Fancying a short break, Sandra and I took in a Tropical Kingbird in Wolfville, the third for NS and the only one to stay more than a few hours, we saw the first. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
Just a California Quail on a post along one of the best road names ever, Lonesome Polecat Road south of Reno NV. #Birdoftheday #standingonthings #Birds
November 10, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Just a California Quail on a post along one of the best road names ever, Lonesome Polecat Road south of Reno NV. #Birdoftheday #standingonthings #Birds
If you like being a bit miserable, but also happy at the same time, consider throwing 99c at my eBook 'Survivor'. Les Smith, a regular guy, does what's needed to make it through more or less what's happening now. Find it at Amazon under books - my name. #booksky #Novascotia #books #writingcommunity
November 10, 2025 at 3:17 PM
If you like being a bit miserable, but also happy at the same time, consider throwing 99c at my eBook 'Survivor'. Les Smith, a regular guy, does what's needed to make it through more or less what's happening now. Find it at Amazon under books - my name. #booksky #Novascotia #books #writingcommunity
Tis the time of loon migration and the hope that one might be a Pacific, spoiler alert, not so far. 7th November I did a 50 minute watch in marginal conditions and had 32 Red-throated go past my favourite spot. Taken with a Canon R7 and 200-800mm lens, it was way out. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
November 8, 2025 at 10:54 AM
Tis the time of loon migration and the hope that one might be a Pacific, spoiler alert, not so far. 7th November I did a 50 minute watch in marginal conditions and had 32 Red-throated go past my favourite spot. Taken with a Canon R7 and 200-800mm lens, it was way out. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
Not dissimilar to Red-flanked Bluetail, Eastern Bluebirds in Nova Scotia become very nomadic after breeding. In the south we get a few annually, some breed. This bird was one of six at Chebogue Point in Yarmouth County, the flock checked for Mountain!. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching.
November 5, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Not dissimilar to Red-flanked Bluetail, Eastern Bluebirds in Nova Scotia become very nomadic after breeding. In the south we get a few annually, some breed. This bird was one of six at Chebogue Point in Yarmouth County, the flock checked for Mountain!. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching.
At this time of year we always have to persuade eBird that we are seeing Western Palm Warblers. Three together on Cape Island, NS this morning plus a year bird Lark Sparrow, a late Eastern Phoebe and three cracking Lapland Longspurs. #Bird #Birding #Birdwatching
November 3, 2025 at 6:11 PM
At this time of year we always have to persuade eBird that we are seeing Western Palm Warblers. Three together on Cape Island, NS this morning plus a year bird Lark Sparrow, a late Eastern Phoebe and three cracking Lapland Longspurs. #Bird #Birding #Birdwatching
In recent years a November arrival of Blue-grey Gnatcatchers has happened in Nova Scotia. This one was in Moose Harbour, Queens County today and, as is typical, travelling in the company of Black-capped Chickadees. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
November 2, 2025 at 10:46 PM
In recent years a November arrival of Blue-grey Gnatcatchers has happened in Nova Scotia. This one was in Moose Harbour, Queens County today and, as is typical, travelling in the company of Black-capped Chickadees. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
Didn't get a Nova Scotia Cattle Egret last year at all. This afternoon a message came of one in yards not far from a spot I check daily - been here two weeks he said! NS species 269 for what has been a slow year. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching.
October 29, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Didn't get a Nova Scotia Cattle Egret last year at all. This afternoon a message came of one in yards not far from a spot I check daily - been here two weeks he said! NS species 269 for what has been a slow year. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching.
This Western Kingbird dropped into one of my Cape Island spots this evening. We get a couple annually in Nova Scotia but we also have lean years. The first on the island since 2019. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
October 28, 2025 at 9:45 PM
This Western Kingbird dropped into one of my Cape Island spots this evening. We get a couple annually in Nova Scotia but we also have lean years. The first on the island since 2019. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
For the first time, I tried a dish of Bramble Jelly (jam) instead of pushing half oranges onto branches. The Baltimore Orioles seem to prefer it but spend more time fighting than eating, I have three at the moment. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
October 20, 2025 at 1:23 PM
For the first time, I tried a dish of Bramble Jelly (jam) instead of pushing half oranges onto branches. The Baltimore Orioles seem to prefer it but spend more time fighting than eating, I have three at the moment. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
We get 1-2 American Avocets annually in Nova Scotia and they usually stay a day or two. This one is currently at the Bay of Fundy bore watchpoint in Truro, where you can watch the tide turn and a bore flow upstream, sometimes its impressive. #birds #Birding #Birdwatching #NovaScotia
October 18, 2025 at 2:15 PM
We get 1-2 American Avocets annually in Nova Scotia and they usually stay a day or two. This one is currently at the Bay of Fundy bore watchpoint in Truro, where you can watch the tide turn and a bore flow upstream, sometimes its impressive. #birds #Birding #Birdwatching #NovaScotia
On 7th October, Nova Scotia got its first Sharp-tailed Sandpiper. I think six people saw it before it flushed and vanished. 16th October one of the original finders re-found it, a few saw it before it flushed. I was there at dawn today, it came back. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching #Novascotia
October 17, 2025 at 7:52 PM
On 7th October, Nova Scotia got its first Sharp-tailed Sandpiper. I think six people saw it before it flushed and vanished. 16th October one of the original finders re-found it, a few saw it before it flushed. I was there at dawn today, it came back. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching #Novascotia
As it is my latest novel, I guess I should tell people about it a bit more often, but I don't like to push. If you want to know more, I did something in Alt-txt which tells you a bit about Salt Breeze and my writing journey. #writingcommunity #Books #NovaScotia
October 14, 2025 at 5:21 PM
As it is my latest novel, I guess I should tell people about it a bit more often, but I don't like to push. If you want to know more, I did something in Alt-txt which tells you a bit about Salt Breeze and my writing journey. #writingcommunity #Books #NovaScotia
In southern Nova Scotia we have the luxury of having Roseate Terns with us in summer. One year, I got to go to the local Island colony to try to photograph flying banded birds. This one carries a plastic band from Brazil, quite the annual journey. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching #Seabirds
October 14, 2025 at 1:11 PM
In southern Nova Scotia we have the luxury of having Roseate Terns with us in summer. One year, I got to go to the local Island colony to try to photograph flying banded birds. This one carries a plastic band from Brazil, quite the annual journey. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching #Seabirds
Godwits on Cape Island at this time of year all need a good looking at. Four Hudsonian today, one day one of them will have white wing linings I'm sure. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching #Shorebirds
October 13, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Godwits on Cape Island at this time of year all need a good looking at. Four Hudsonian today, one day one of them will have white wing linings I'm sure. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching #Shorebirds
This one was a bit confusing at first. A hybrid White-rumped x Dunlin from Cape Sable Island NS. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching #shorebirds
October 12, 2025 at 9:22 PM
This one was a bit confusing at first. A hybrid White-rumped x Dunlin from Cape Sable Island NS. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching #shorebirds
Hard to think what attracts our regular fall American Goldies to the rotting kelp piles. Cape Island NS. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
October 12, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Hard to think what attracts our regular fall American Goldies to the rotting kelp piles. Cape Island NS. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
It's a month since I last told people about the books I write. There's a birder mystery series, various stand alone novels and we do our own travelogues. The image is from our Australia trip from 2018. Digital copies are 2.99CAD. Everything I do is available from Amazon. #Books #Birdingtravel
October 12, 2025 at 9:11 PM
It's a month since I last told people about the books I write. There's a birder mystery series, various stand alone novels and we do our own travelogues. The image is from our Australia trip from 2018. Digital copies are 2.99CAD. Everything I do is available from Amazon. #Books #Birdingtravel
Yellow-rumps are around southern Nova Scotia in numbers, Blackpolls have all but gone through, now is the time of the Orange-crowned Warblers. Some will last into January before pushing off either south or daisywards. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
October 12, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Yellow-rumps are around southern Nova Scotia in numbers, Blackpolls have all but gone through, now is the time of the Orange-crowned Warblers. Some will last into January before pushing off either south or daisywards. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
It's the eBird Global Big Day today, unfortunately for me it always coincides with the first weekend of duck killing in southern Nova Scotia making it less of a joy for me to be out. This yard and year White-crowned Sparrow is some compensation. #birds #birding #birdwatching
October 11, 2025 at 3:27 PM
It's the eBird Global Big Day today, unfortunately for me it always coincides with the first weekend of duck killing in southern Nova Scotia making it less of a joy for me to be out. This yard and year White-crowned Sparrow is some compensation. #birds #birding #birdwatching