Steven Oliver
@steven-oliver.bsky.social
Recovering public health academic (retired)
Now mainly: natural world | history | prison education | research ethics
Now mainly: natural world | history | prison education | research ethics
Apparently this lichen @northcavewet.bsky.social was wearing 'sunscreen' today. Xanthoria parietina, produces a chemical (parietin) that along with giving it a yellow colouration provides it with UV protection (perhaps a bit optimistic in Yorkshire ... in December 😆) Elsewhere: goldcrests.
December 8, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Apparently this lichen @northcavewet.bsky.social was wearing 'sunscreen' today. Xanthoria parietina, produces a chemical (parietin) that along with giving it a yellow colouration provides it with UV protection (perhaps a bit optimistic in Yorkshire ... in December 😆) Elsewhere: goldcrests.
A year on Bluesky in emojis - I’m happy with that! 😀
December 3, 2025 at 6:37 AM
A year on Bluesky in emojis - I’m happy with that! 😀
Very few invertebrates to see today in the 🌧️ @northcavewet.bsky.social. So this Common Wasp was a welcome splash of colour. Elsewhere: murmurating starlings.
December 1, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Very few invertebrates to see today in the 🌧️ @northcavewet.bsky.social. So this Common Wasp was a welcome splash of colour. Elsewhere: murmurating starlings.
A glimpse into dragonfly lifecycle today @northcavewet.bsky.social 🐉Scars on willow bark, sites where Willow Emerald Damselfly eggs were laid and overwintered. Larvae then hatched and dropped into the water below. Elsewhere: Bittern & Bullfinches @yorkswildlife.bsky.social
December 1, 2025 at 5:17 PM
A glimpse into dragonfly lifecycle today @northcavewet.bsky.social 🐉Scars on willow bark, sites where Willow Emerald Damselfly eggs were laid and overwintered. Larvae then hatched and dropped into the water below. Elsewhere: Bittern & Bullfinches @yorkswildlife.bsky.social
and in other news….
November 27, 2025 at 7:59 AM
and in other news….
That’s this year’s presents sorted (postage might be a bit steep though)
November 26, 2025 at 12:55 PM
That’s this year’s presents sorted (postage might be a bit steep though)
Lamium album, the White Dead-Nettle, one of the few plants still in flower @northcavewet.bsky.social. Elsewhere: mixed flocks of mood-raising goldfinches, siskins, blue- great- and long tailed tits worked their way down west path.
November 24, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Lamium album, the White Dead-Nettle, one of the few plants still in flower @northcavewet.bsky.social. Elsewhere: mixed flocks of mood-raising goldfinches, siskins, blue- great- and long tailed tits worked their way down west path.
‘…the UK’s biggest prostate cancer screening trial in a generation gets underway’ Great that scientific evaluation of the outcomes of early detection is continuing - also helpful to know when your generation’s time is passed 😂 Helping start the last one does feel an age away!
November 21, 2025 at 9:41 AM
‘…the UK’s biggest prostate cancer screening trial in a generation gets underway’ Great that scientific evaluation of the outcomes of early detection is continuing - also helpful to know when your generation’s time is passed 😂 Helping start the last one does feel an age away!
www.campop.geog.cam.ac.uk/blog/
Looks interesting, suggests …’societies that coped best with epidemics were those with a diverse and interdependent institutional framework’ with a powerful but ‘temperate’ state, an adaptable market, and a strong civil society.
Looks interesting, suggests …’societies that coped best with epidemics were those with a diverse and interdependent institutional framework’ with a powerful but ‘temperate’ state, an adaptable market, and a strong civil society.
November 20, 2025 at 8:32 AM
www.campop.geog.cam.ac.uk/blog/
Looks interesting, suggests …’societies that coped best with epidemics were those with a diverse and interdependent institutional framework’ with a powerful but ‘temperate’ state, an adaptable market, and a strong civil society.
Looks interesting, suggests …’societies that coped best with epidemics were those with a diverse and interdependent institutional framework’ with a powerful but ‘temperate’ state, an adaptable market, and a strong civil society.
I assume it’s recent 🌧️🌧️🌧️ which has triggered vivipary on teasels @northcavewet.bsky.social - water levels are definitely rising. Elsewhere: great spotted woodpecker, marsh harrier, siskins
November 17, 2025 at 12:53 PM
I assume it’s recent 🌧️🌧️🌧️ which has triggered vivipary on teasels @northcavewet.bsky.social - water levels are definitely rising. Elsewhere: great spotted woodpecker, marsh harrier, siskins
It’s the season to blend our single (-celled) bodies into the communal slime while we reproduce. If that’s not weird enough, let’s look like Dog Sick too! 🤣 Didymium spongiosum (Dog Sick Slime Mould) doing its amazing stuff @northcavewet.bsky.social. Elsewhere: Bittern @yorkswildlife.bsky.social
November 10, 2025 at 4:37 PM
It’s the season to blend our single (-celled) bodies into the communal slime while we reproduce. If that’s not weird enough, let’s look like Dog Sick too! 🤣 Didymium spongiosum (Dog Sick Slime Mould) doing its amazing stuff @northcavewet.bsky.social. Elsewhere: Bittern @yorkswildlife.bsky.social
Male migrant hawker, amongst the last of the class of 2025 @northcavewet.bsky.social today. Elsewhere: redwings, stonechat. @yorkswildlife.bsky.social
November 10, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Male migrant hawker, amongst the last of the class of 2025 @northcavewet.bsky.social today. Elsewhere: redwings, stonechat. @yorkswildlife.bsky.social
Excellent session @openuniversity.bsky.social Arts & Humanities day, assessing primary sources for a 22nd Century history of ‘the fall of the House of Windsor’ (don’t worry - other futures are available 😂)
November 8, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Excellent session @openuniversity.bsky.social Arts & Humanities day, assessing primary sources for a 22nd Century history of ‘the fall of the House of Windsor’ (don’t worry - other futures are available 😂)
❤️ Royal Soc Portrait Painters Drawing Prize exhibition @uniofhull.bsky.social - delivering excellent headspace!
November 7, 2025 at 11:17 AM
❤️ Royal Soc Portrait Painters Drawing Prize exhibition @uniofhull.bsky.social - delivering excellent headspace!
Common darters still hanging out on the fences @northcavewet.bsky.social today. Elsewhere: Bittern and Whooper Swans.
November 3, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Common darters still hanging out on the fences @northcavewet.bsky.social today. Elsewhere: Bittern and Whooper Swans.
A male Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta) @northcavewet.bsky.social today. Elsewhere: treecreeper, bullfinch, curlew, whooper swans
October 27, 2025 at 3:29 PM
A male Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta) @northcavewet.bsky.social today. Elsewhere: treecreeper, bullfinch, curlew, whooper swans
Autumn light + reeds @northcavewet.bsky.social today 🙂
October 27, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Autumn light + reeds @northcavewet.bsky.social today 🙂
Time to celebrate my favourite study-buddies @uoylibrary.bsky.social 🌿🌱🌴🌵😍
October 15, 2025 at 10:32 AM
Time to celebrate my favourite study-buddies @uoylibrary.bsky.social 🌿🌱🌴🌵😍
Fri 12 Nov 1999 in the Guardian (in case you wonder where this time wormhole has sprung from) Déjà vu all over again.
October 14, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Fri 12 Nov 1999 in the Guardian (in case you wonder where this time wormhole has sprung from) Déjà vu all over again.
Someone got the autumn colour memo 😀 - Orange Peel Fungus (Aleuria aurantia) appearing on the maize field @northcavewet.bsky.social today.
October 13, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Someone got the autumn colour memo 😀 - Orange Peel Fungus (Aleuria aurantia) appearing on the maize field @northcavewet.bsky.social today.
Sharing a slow but fruitful wander round a damp @northcavewet.bsky.social today. Elsewhere: Bittern, Whooper Swan, Sparrowhawk
October 13, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Sharing a slow but fruitful wander round a damp @northcavewet.bsky.social today. Elsewhere: Bittern, Whooper Swan, Sparrowhawk
Still quite a few Migrant Hawker dragonflies in the air @northcavewet.bsky.social today. Elsewhere: distant kingfisher
October 6, 2025 at 10:05 AM
Still quite a few Migrant Hawker dragonflies in the air @northcavewet.bsky.social today. Elsewhere: distant kingfisher
It's that time of year to pack up and move on 👋
September 24, 2025 at 8:23 PM
It's that time of year to pack up and move on 👋
A couple of adult shieldbugs @northcavewet.bsky.social today, Dolycoris baccarum - the Hairy Shieldbug & Elasmostethus interstinctus - the Birch Shieldbug
September 22, 2025 at 4:31 PM
A couple of adult shieldbugs @northcavewet.bsky.social today, Dolycoris baccarum - the Hairy Shieldbug & Elasmostethus interstinctus - the Birch Shieldbug
Crane flies were abundant in the long grass @northcavewet.bsky.social today. Came across a couple that had not looked where they were going!
Not strong on spider ID, guessing this was a male & female of same species - or is someone trying for a free lunch? @britishspiders.bsky.social
Not strong on spider ID, guessing this was a male & female of same species - or is someone trying for a free lunch? @britishspiders.bsky.social
September 22, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Crane flies were abundant in the long grass @northcavewet.bsky.social today. Came across a couple that had not looked where they were going!
Not strong on spider ID, guessing this was a male & female of same species - or is someone trying for a free lunch? @britishspiders.bsky.social
Not strong on spider ID, guessing this was a male & female of same species - or is someone trying for a free lunch? @britishspiders.bsky.social