Jon Sullivan<p>Perhaps the biggest highlight of today's run up through the Ōtautahi Port Hills was just how many more korimako (NZ bellbirds) there are about now compared with when I started doing this survey.</p><p>I just checked and on my July 2017 run, I made 54 korimako observations. Today, on the same route, I made 249(!). That's just the mapped points. Some of today's observations were of about 50 birds singing at once.</p><p>Check out the two maps to see the big difference.</p><p>Huge credit here goes to the City Council Port Hills rangers and the volunteers of the Summit Road Society. Both groups have been helping the native forest to regenerate and have been controlling the pest mammals that eat the birds. It's working!</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/UrbanEcology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>UrbanEcology</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/EcologicalMonitoring" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EcologicalMonitoring</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/birds" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>birds</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/nz" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>nz</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/Christchurch" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Christchurch</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/map" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>map</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/ChristchurchCityCouncil" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ChristchurchCityCouncil</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/SummitRoadSociety" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>SummitRoadSociety</span></a></p>
eupolicy.social is one of the many independent Mastodon servers you can use to participate in the fediverse.
This Mastodon server is a friendly and respectful discussion space for people working in areas related to EU policy. When you request to create an account, please tell us something about you.
Administered by:
Server stats:
201active users
eupolicy.social: About · Profiles directory · Privacy policy
Mastodon: About · Get the app · Keyboard shortcuts · View source code · v4.4.1
#EcologicalMonitoring
0 posts · 0 participants · 0 posts today
Jon Sullivan<p>Today I did my monthly biodiversity run up into the Port Hills of Ōtautahi-Christchurch city, NZ. That takes my out of the Cashmere suburbs through the planted native forest and grasslands of Victoria Park and up into the old growth and naturally regenerated native forest of Sugarloaf peak.</p><p>I've been doing this route monthly since 2016, mapping and counting out birds and butterflies and assorted plants and fungi.</p><p>Here are some of today's highlights.</p><p>I had a close encounter with a kererū, perched about 1 metre from me (always a treat): <a href="https://inaturalist.nz/observations/297848998" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">inaturalist.nz/observations/29</span><span class="invisible">7848998</span></a></p><p>A kahukura (red admiral) was feeding from exotic Viburnum flowers: <a href="https://inaturalist.nz/observations/297849009" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">inaturalist.nz/observations/29</span><span class="invisible">7849009</span></a></p><p>Some scarlet pouch fungi were lighting up the forest floor on Sugarloaf: <a href="https://inaturalist.nz/observations/297848989" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">inaturalist.nz/observations/29</span><span class="invisible">7848989</span></a></p><p>The one taramea (Aciphylla subfabellata speargrass) that I know of is still up by the Summit Road and looking healthy: <a href="https://inaturalist.nz/observations/297848991" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">inaturalist.nz/observations/29</span><span class="invisible">7848991</span></a></p><p><a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/nature" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>nature</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/WildCounts" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WildCounts</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/UrbanEcology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>UrbanEcology</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/EcologicalMonitoring" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EcologicalMonitoring</span></a></p>
Jon Sullivan<p>Here are my bird results for this year's NZ <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/GardenBirdSurvey" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>GardenBirdSurvey</span></a>. This is the maximum number of each bird species I saw or heard at one time during the hour.</p><p>60 silvereyes (approximately, seen and calling, at our sugar water feeds and in our flowering Eucalyptus tree)<br>20 house sparrows (approximately, seen and calling)<br>5 korimako (NZ bellbird)<br>4 blackbirds<br>2 piwakawaka (calling nearby)<br>2 black-backed gulls (flying by)<br>1 dunnock (heard calling)<br>1 starling</p><p>A song thrush started singing a minute after I finished, so it doesn't get in this year. No kererū this time, unfortunately, although there was one perched in our garden yesterday.</p><p>The Garden Bird Survey doesn't take photos so I'm about to load those onto <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/iNaturalist" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>iNaturalist</span></a>. Here are four of them.</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/birds" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>birds</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/nz" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>nz</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/UrbanEcology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>UrbanEcology</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/EcologicalMonitoring" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EcologicalMonitoring</span></a></p>
Jon Sullivan<p>I'm heading out into our garden, with my woolly hat on, to do my 1-hour bird count for this year's NZ <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/GardenBirdSurvey" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>GardenBirdSurvey</span></a>.</p><p>The last day for the 2025 survey is today.</p><p><a href="https://gardenbirdsurvey.nz/" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="">gardenbirdsurvey.nz/</span><span class="invisible"></span></a></p><p><a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/birds" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>birds</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/nz" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>nz</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/EcologicalMonitoring" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EcologicalMonitoring</span></a></p>
Jon Sullivan<p>If you’re going to count some garden birds in Aotearoa-New Zealand this year, this week is the time to do it. Each winter the NZ Garden Bird Survey gives us a snapshot of how our birds are doing. The more people join in, the more we learn about our feathered friends.</p><p><a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/565412/annual-new-zealand-garden-bird-survey-begins" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">rnz.co.nz/news/national/565412</span><span class="invisible">/annual-new-zealand-garden-bird-survey-begins</span></a></p><p><a href="https://gardenbirdsurvey.nz/take-part/" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="">gardenbirdsurvey.nz/take-part/</span><span class="invisible"></span></a></p><p><a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/NZ" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NZ</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/Birds" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Birds</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/NZGardenBirdSurvey" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NZGardenBirdSurvey</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/EcologicalMonitoring" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EcologicalMonitoring</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/CitizenScience" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CitizenScience</span></a></p>
Jon Sullivan<p>Check out what I saw on my afternoon run through Cashmere, Christchurch, NZ.</p><p>This was on one of my fortnightly ecological survey runs through the city, 12 km, which I started in 2008. Today is the first time I have seen a tūī on this route!</p><p>Yeah!</p><p><a href="https://inaturalist.nz/observations/289447711" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">inaturalist.nz/observations/28</span><span class="invisible">9447711</span></a></p><p><a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/birds" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>birds</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/tui" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>tui</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/nz" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>nz</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/EcologicalMonitoring" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EcologicalMonitoring</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/wildcounts" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>wildcounts</span></a></p>
Jon Sullivan<p>Since June 2021 I've had an <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/AudioMoth" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>AudioMoth</span></a> constantly recording bird song in our garden from 2 hours before sunrise to 2 hours after sunset. Over the past months I've been using <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/BirdNet" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BirdNet</span></a> to identify all the bird species.</p><p>Today I've managed to spit out my first graphs. I'm excited to finally see results so wanted to share them. There's all sorts of things happening.</p><p>Next I'll be comparing these automated patterns with all the counts I make manually.</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/birds" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>birds</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/EcologicalMonitoring" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EcologicalMonitoring</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/nz" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>nz</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/garden" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>garden</span></a></p>
Jon Sullivan<p>Here's part of my home office desk yesterday.</p><p>In the centre of the tangle is my iPad working as a third screen for my laptop. On it are the wildcounts I make through the day, in 20 minute intervals, of whenever I hear or see bellirds, fantails, grey warblers, kereru, and other pre-human native NZ birds, plus butterflies and calling cicadas. I've done this whenever next to an open window, since 2012.</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/EcologicalMonitoring" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EcologicalMonitoring</span></a> is easy!</p><p>Also, my desk is a tangled mess. 😄 </p><p><a href="https://flic.kr/p/2qtSBdc" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="">flic.kr/p/2qtSBdc</span><span class="invisible"></span></a></p>
Jon Sullivan<p>Each month I run 12 km up from the edge of the housing in Cashmere in Ōtautahi-Christchurch city, through Victoria Park, and around the tracks in the old native forest on the back of Sugarloaf. Along the way I map and count a bunch of species (eg all birds) and take photopoints. </p><p>Today was my **100th survey** of this route.</p><p>Here's the upper Harry Ell track in July 2017, 2018, 2021, and 2024, showing the gradual recovery after the February 2017 fire.</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/EcologicalMonitoring" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EcologicalMonitoring</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/wildcounts" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>wildcounts</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/nz" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>nz</span></a></p>
Jon Sullivan<p><span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://mastodon.nz/@BobLefridge" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@<span>BobLefridge</span></a></span> <span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://cloudisland.nz/@airshipper" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@<span>airshipper</span></a></span> Thanks again for your suggestions. My new microphone cable now has two layers of heat shrink tubing on it. That has stiffened it up considerably.</p><p>Let's see how much longer it lasts, as I run about the city making my audio notes about nature. I'm heading out to try it now.</p><p>(If this doesn't help, I'll look into heavy-duty hand-made cables.)</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/wildcounts" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>wildcounts</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/EcologicalMonitoring" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EcologicalMonitoring</span></a></p>
Jon Sullivan<p>It's time for a proper <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/introduction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>introduction</span></a>. Kia ora.</p><p>I'm an <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/ecology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ecology</span></a> lecturer at <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/LincolnUniversityNZ" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>LincolnUniversityNZ</span></a> and live in Ōtautahi-Christchurch. I'm interested in <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/EcologicalMonitoring" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>EcologicalMonitoring</span></a>, <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/BiologicalInvasions" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BiologicalInvasions</span></a> (esp. <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/weeds" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>weeds</span></a>), and NZ <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/NaturalHistory" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>NaturalHistory</span></a> (so much still to discover!). I'm site admin for <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/iNaturalistNZ" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>iNaturalistNZ</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/M%C4%81takiTaiao" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MātakiTaiao</span></a>, the NZ node of <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/iNaturalist" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>iNaturalist</span></a>.</p><p>I'm <span class="h-card" translate="no"><a href="https://mastodon.nz/@joncounts" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">@<span>joncounts</span></a></span> because I count a lot of nature (~17,000 species counts each month). See <a href="https://wildcounts.org" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="">wildcounts.org</span><span class="invisible"></span></a>.</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/AotearoaNZ" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>AotearoaNZ</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/nature" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>nature</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/plants" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>plants</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/insects" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>insects</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.nz/tags/birds" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>birds</span></a></p>
TrendingLive feeds
Mastodon is the best way to keep up with what's happening.
Follow anyone across the fediverse and see it all in chronological order. No algorithms, ads, or clickbait in sight.
Create accountLoginDrag & drop to upload