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Peter Shanks

@botheredbybees.bsky.social
586 followers 987 following 631 posts

Born: 318ppm Data officer on the Australian Antarctic icebreaker, RSV Nuyina. In the past: morse code operator, clown, programmer, and teacher. When not staring at a screen: mandolin player, photographer, potter All photos taken by me: public domain.

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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 18/09/2025
The ever musical Grey Shrikethrush (Colluricincla harmonica) #birdsinmybackyard
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 22/08/2025
First plover chicks for the season #birdsinmybackyard
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 17/08/2025
One of my favorite winter visitors, the hoary-headed grebe (Poliocephalus poliocephalus)
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 17/08/2025
Another white-faced heron (Egretta novaehollandiae)
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 17/08/2025
white-faced heron (Egretta novaehollandiae) looking cold
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 16/08/2025
A couple of galahs (Eolophus roseicapilla albiceps) beating a hasty retreat
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 16/08/2025
A black swan (Cygnus atratus) stepping out
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 16/08/2025
A tidy looking hoary-headed grebe (Poliocephalus poliocephalus)
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 16/08/2025
A black-headed honeyeater (Melithreptus affinis), endemic to Tasmania. Despite its name, the black-headed honeyeater eats predominantly insects.
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 16/08/2025
Today's Tassie superb fairywren pic (Malurus cyaneus)
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 13/08/2025
A great egret (Ardea alba)
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 13/08/2025
A New Holland honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae)
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 13/08/2025
A Tassie superb fairywren (Malurus cyaneus) just starting to come into its spring plumage
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
galah /ɡəˈlɑː/ (Eolophus roseicapilla), a local clown
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
The compact version of a white-faced heron (Egretta novaehollandiae)
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
A Tasmanian native-hen (Tribonyx mortierii) giving me it's ”what are you looking at?" look.
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
A black swan (Cygnus atratus) having breakfast
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
A beady eyed Tasmanian superb fairywren
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
Cuter than a rubber Duckie: the hoary-headed grebe (Poliocephalus poliocephalus)
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
Big name for a little bird: Malurus cyaneus cyaneus
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 11/08/2025
A Tasmanian rosella (Platycercus caledonicus) that dropped by to eat the grass seeds hidden under the fruit netting we haven't quite gotten around to packing up. Laziness has its own rewards :)
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 11/08/2025
The colder the weather, the rounder the Tasmanian superb fairywren gets
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 11/08/2025
The New Holland honeyeater (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae) is a honeyeater species found throughout southern Australia. It was among the first birds to be scientifically described in Australia
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 11/08/2025
A chilly morning, just right for basking. The superb fairy wren ageed
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 09/08/2025
Another view of the pied oystercatcher (Haematopus longirostris), departing. Like so many of my bird photos. They almost outnumber the blurry ones
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 09/08/2025
A pied oystercatcher (Haematopus longirostris) doing an aerial survey for unsuspecting molluscs.
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 09/08/2025
Some days it's hard to get up... great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo),
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 09/08/2025
Another mudflat dweller, the great egret (Ardea alba). Those pristine white feathers must take a lot of maintenance in this environment.
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 09/08/2025
A turbo chook (Tribonyx mortierii). I don't know much Latin, but my imagination has fused this bird's death stare with the 'mortierii' part of its scientific name
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 09/08/2025
A masked lapwing (Vanellus miles), doing its thing over the local mudflats
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 09/08/2025
The little pied cormorant, little shag or kawaupaka (Microcarbo melanoleucos)
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 09/08/2025
The grey shrikethrush (Colluricincla harmonica), formerly commonly known as grey thrush, is one of the best-loved and most distinctive songbirds of Australasia
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 09/08/2025
The forest raven (Corvus tasmanicus, also commonly known as the Tasmanian raven). This one's having a good old singalong. Making up for a lack of musical talent with an over abundance of enthusiasm
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 09/08/2025
The silvereye or wax-eye (Zosterops lateralis) is a very small omnivorous passerine bird of the south-west pacific. They like to eat all the grapes off my vines too.
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 09/08/2025
A grey fantail (Rhipidura albiscapa), staying still for a brief moment. Just long enough for a quick photo
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 09/08/2025
black swan (Cygnus atratus). A New Zealand subspecies was apparently hunted to extinction by Māori
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 09/08/2025
A couple of little wattlebirds (Anthochaera chrysoptera), engaging in a bit of airial shenanigans
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 09/08/2025
A little posse of hoary-headed grebes (Poliocephalus poliocephalus). Thes breed in southern parts of Australia and Tasmania and winter throughout the island.
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 09/08/2025
The kelp gull (Larus dominicanus), also known by its Māori name: karoro
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 09/08/2025
A white-faced heron (Egretta novaehollandiae) reflecting on life, the universe, and everything
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 09/08/2025
The chestnut teal (Anas castanea) is a dabbling duck found in Australia. Looks like it might make a tasty snack, but luckily it's protected under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974.
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 07/08/2025
'Bag of words' is my new go-to term for LLMs. open.substack.com/pub/experime...
open.substack.com
Bag of words, have mercy on us
OR: Claude will you go to prom with me?
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Reposted by Peter Shanks
Ecological Society of Australia @ecolsocaus.bsky.social · 09/04/2025
Think of Australia's precious biodiversity when casting your vote in the federal election, we will be. Urgent reform of the EPBC Act to legislate for an absolute net gain in biodiversity is paramount. Read the full election message: tinyurl.com/35zakxyn #auspol #federalelection
The Ecological Society of Australia (ESA) champions strong science for a thriving planet and people. We are committed to working alongside our nation’s institutions and leaders to address the challenges before us.

In response to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s announcement that Australia is heading to the election polls on 3 May 2025, the ESA calls on our nation’s leaders and those seeking election to act on critical key issues to help restore Australia’s irreplaceable nature and secure the immense social, cultural and economic values it affords us.

We also call on ESA members – and all Australians – to ensure your voices are heard and let our political leaders know they must take immediate, bold action to stop the rapid decline of Australia’s most unique and precious asset – our biodiversity.
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 06/04/2025
Before, during, and after shots of this weekend's #pottery firing
Pottery in a kiln before starting the firingPottery in a kiln during the firingPottery in a kiln after the firing
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 05/04/2025
Another firing in my tiny pottery kiln. I'm keen to crack it open again tomorrow to see how it turned out.
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Reposted by Peter Shanks
Climatologist49 @climatologist49.bsky.social · 05/04/2025
Heard Island and McDonald Islands have seen a dramatic warming since 1940. The penguins there have enough to deal with even without the 10% tariffs just imposed on them.
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 19/03/2025
A black cormorant #birdsinmybackyard
black cormorant
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 19/03/2025
A curious little pied cormorant (Microcarbo melanoleucos) #birdsinmybackyard
little pied cormorant (Microcarbo melanoleucos)
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 19/03/2025
Last white-faced heron (Egretta novaehollandiae) pic for today #birdsinmybackyard
white-faced heron (Egretta novaehollandiae)
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Peter Shanks @botheredbybees.bsky.social · 19/03/2025
More white-faced heron action (Egretta novaehollandiae) #birdsinmybackyard
white-faced heron (Egretta novaehollandiae)
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