iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 04/10/2026

Dipper. Britain's only aquatic songbird. I see these birds quite often, but then I've learned where to look and how to spot the characteristic dipping movement. They're found in Scotland, Wales and northern or south western parts of England, typically on […] [Original post on mastodon.org.uk]

A small, round brown bird with a white bib stands on a rock in the middle of a fast flowing stream. They're surrounded by water droplets and there's some green vegetation in the background.

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 01/10/2026

@kim_harding I had to get my bike on a TPE with that stupid arrangement last week, I was so pissed off, esp as I have back issues. My bike is long and heavy, plus I had two panniers. My partner was in a similar situation, so we held everyone else up while we tried to get them situated. His […]

mastodon.org.uk

Original post on mastodon.org.uk

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 27/09/2026

Day 4 - 60km. Somehow I was actually feeling less tired by this point, which was good because I realised we'd need to keep quite a brisk pace if we were to make the train home. The end of the route was an unassuming sign outside a Roman fort in South Shields […] [Original post on mastodon.org.uk]

A collection of bridges in Newcastle, including the Tyne bridge. There are some dragon boats in the river - I didn't stop to find out why.

I'm not actually in the water, I'm on a floating platform waiting for a ferry to South Shields.

Here's the ferry! It's only a ten minute ride, so it's fairly small but there are plenty of seats and room for cycles.

The ferry is an official part of the National Cycle Network, hence the blue sticker directing people onto the boat. We saw a lot of these stickers over the four days (Sustrans budget doesn't seem to stretch to proper signs most of the time).

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 27/09/2026

Day 3 - 35km. A "rest" day with a short ride and a gentle walk around Vindolanda. This ride featured the steepest climb of the trip, which I was dreading but then forgot where it was, so completed it thinking it was just another hill. Then, just as I started […] [Original post on mastodon.org.uk]

Vindolanda with yet more rolling hills in the background.

Vindolanda again, focused on the remains of some raised floors that would have been used to store grains.

A Sustrans millennium way marker, showing the highest point of the route, at the top of a rolling hill.

A sign in the centre of Hexham showing distances to other parts of Britain.

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 27/09/2026

Day 2 - 70km. Another damp start from Bowness on Solway. Warnings of a lorry having shed its load en route, so potentially busy roads and diversions ahead. We left the coast for rolling hills begin and, after passing through Carlisle, see Hadrian's wall for […] [Original post on mastodon.org.uk]

Green rolling hills, with scattered trees and bright cloudy skies

Carlisle castle with my bike outside. There are some English flags flying, but that's probably okay.

A rickety wooden fence with a sign saying "Ye Olde Fragile Fence Please Toucheth Not".

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 27/09/2026

Day 1 - 85km. Whitehaven was full of friendly & welcoming people. The day started rainy, but brightened later. Some busy roads early on, but otherwise lots of lovely cycle paths & sea views. Morning coffee was accompanied by swallows flying low overhead & […] [Original post on mastodon.org.uk]

A Northern train heading towards Whitehaven, along single track next to the sea. The cycle way is alongside.

A very pretty sign for Hadrian's cycle way and the coastal footpath. The sea is visible in the background.

A cup of coffee sat on a bench. In the background is grass, the sea and some blue skies.

A field with some sheep and horses. There are some hoses in the background and also, the sea.

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 27/09/2026

Day 0 - 15km. Due to engineering works, we started at St Bee's and cycled a short, yet very hilly, distance to our hotel - hoping wake up fresh for our first full day of cycling. It didn't start well, as we nearly missed the stop and had to quickly grab the […] [Original post on mastodon.org.uk]

Two cycles on a Northern train. This was by far the best accomodation of any of the five trains we took on the journey.

St Bee's train station with the level crossing in the background.

Dramatic cliffs, looking out to sea. I was hoping for some fulmars or kittiwakes, but none were present.

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 27/09/2026

My partner and I recently returned from cycling the Hadrian's C2C cycle route, having cycled 260km with 2,000m of ascent in 4 and a bit days. I'd never done a multi day cycle trip before, so obviously the first one I thought I'd try was a four day journey […] [Original post on mastodon.org.uk]

A woman sits on a wooden bench looking out to sea. There are two cycles leaning up against the bench.

A black and white photo of the sea and sky. The waves are gentle and even.

A black and white photo of Hadrian's wall, with rolling hills in the background. There's a leafy tree on the right.

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 12/09/2026

Bird migration is changing. What does this reveal about our planet? – visualised | Birds | The Guardian. This is a really beautiful and fascinating article about bird migration, following several different species around the globe. #birds #nature […]

mastodon.org.uk

Original post on mastodon.org.uk

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 31/08/2026

@NanoBookReview it really does! It's hanging upside down, which makes the legs look more interesting, but I really like the way they're curling at the ends.

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 31/08/2026

Spider (cellar spider/daddy longlegs). This is the same spider taken with my phone and my "proper" camera. It's worth remembering that cameras are just tools that allow you to create different images with different effects, and are not necessarily better or […] [Original post on mastodon.org.uk]

A long legged spider hanging from a thread. There's an apple orchard in the background and some yellow flowers.

A long legged spider hanging upside down from a thread. Details of the spider are visible, particularly the strong lines of the legs. The background is a fairly smooth green, which helps to emphasize the lines and shapes.

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 30/08/2026

Mandarin duck. It's that time of year when many birds moult. This means smaller birds hide away in the bushes, ducks, geese and swans lose the ability to fly, and I take great joy in pointing out that this is in fact a male mandarin. This male bird is in […] [Original post on mastodon.org.uk]

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 21/08/2026

European robin. I foolishly used to think robins were boring and while I do enjoy going out to watch the more "exciting" bird species, I've found that I also really enjoy watching the more common species. I think I've failed in my attempt to photograph a […] [Original post on mastodon.org.uk]

A robin perches on a post, probably wondering if I have any food.

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 14/08/2026

Out of curiosity, does anyone how long should it take a mechanical keyboard to dry out in this weather, after tipping a glass of water all over it? Keyboard could be a Filco ten keyless, for example.

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 04/08/2026

@pwaring I remember you were having to go through Cyber Essentials Plus earlier this year. Were you able to find an auditor that allowed you to maintain sudo access on developer machines? The last auditors we used didn't understand Linux and didn't allow the use of sudo at all and I'd like to […]

mastodon.org.uk

Original post on mastodon.org.uk

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 02/08/2026

Mallard duckling. It's a quiet time for birding right now, but a great time to be out cycling. So I've not been out much with my camera. Here's a duckling resting underneath mum from a few months back instead. June 2026. Stockport, UK. #Birds […] [Original post on mastodon.org.uk]

A fluffy, yellow and brown duckling sits down underneath a larger duck that's mostly out of frame. There's another duckling further to the right that is just about visible.

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kim_harding ✅ @kim-harding.mastodon.scot.ap.brid.gy · 30/07/2026

Google DeepMind disbands its Nobel-prize winning AlphaFold team www.engadget.com/2225849/google-shu… It has already reassigned some members of the DeepMind project, while others have already left the company. This represents Google's decision to put more and more of its […]

mastodon.scot

Original post on mastodon.scot

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Reposted by Lucy B

Liam Proven @lproven.social.vivaldi.net.ap.brid.gy · 29/07/2026

SAVE JODRELL BANK – Protect a national treasure of science, heritage & inspiration c.org/fCZVFS2YYj Reverse funding cuts that would end 80Y of world-leading UK science. Home to the iconic Lovell Telescope, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, & the heart of UK radio astronomy – faces losing […]

social.vivaldi.net

Original post on social.vivaldi.net

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 26/07/2026

Young dunnock. It's been a long weekend, with a lot of travel and not enough sleep. Anyway, there are plenty of lovely young birds still around. I'm just slightly annoyed that all of the many baby robins on my local patch appear to be camera shy. #Birds […] [Original post on mastodon.org.uk]

A scruffy, grumpy, brown and otherwise nondescript small bird perches on a fence. They probably aren't entirely happy with the situation but haven't yet figured out anything better.

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 12/07/2026

Another unbearably hot summer where the air is filled with smoke. We can't close our windows because of the heat and apparently we're too far away to need to, but the overwhelming smell and the pollution data says otherwise. Utterly devastating. There's no […] [Original post on mastodon.org.uk]

The moor above Dovestones, covered with I'd guess miles of smoke. Photo taken from Marple.

Data from a pollution monitor attached to my house, measuring PM10, PM5 and PM2.5. They're all well above any legal limits (shown with dashed lines).

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 10/07/2026

Carrion crow. Birds don't sweat, so they need to pant in order to cool down. Which is what this crow was doing at the start of this current heatwave, at 8am one morning. It must be pretty unpleasant for them right now, given how hot it is today. #Birds […] [Original post on mastodon.org.uk]

A black coloured bird sits with their beak open and their throat expanded. The background shows some out of focus trees, creating a nice bokeh effect in the morning light.

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 05/07/2026

European robin. I've been enjoying watching a pair of robins go in and out of my garden with food recently. They must have a nest somewhere nearby. Always a pleasure to see them and I'm glad that my tiny garden can provide a haven. I'll have to remember to […] [Original post on mastodon.org.uk]

A robin perches on a wooden fence. There are some bushes in the background and it's generally sunny.

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 27/06/2026

Mallard ducklings. It's been a challenging week and I feel exhausted thanks to the unrelenting heat. It's mostly been too warm to watch wildlife or to edit photos, but what I have seen has been great. Here's one from last week, when it was actually cool […] [Original post on mastodon.org.uk]

A duckling stands up, there's another duckling next to them. In the background is the distinctive shape and colour of a male mallard that this youngster will (hopefully) grow up to be.

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 14/06/2026

Juvenile house sparrow. This young bird only stopped on the branch for a fraction of a second. I'd been watching them and their family for a while, trying to get a clear shot, but they kept moving around, trying to stay out of sight. I used to see house […] [Original post on mastodon.org.uk]

A small brown bird sits up a branch and looks upward. Their feathers aren't as neat as an adult and they still have a yellow gape around their beak.

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 07/06/2026

Juvenile pied wagtail. Here's a closer view of the same bird. I don't think I've seen really young pied wagtail before, so it was a pleasure to watch them explore.

A yellow and grey bird stands on some wood, surrounded by greenery.

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 07/06/2026

Juvenile pied wagtail. I've been watching these birds fly around my local patch for the last few days. They've been hanging around a group of house sparrows, with the parents regularly calling nearby. Almost everyone has overlooked them, often even after […] [Original post on mastodon.org.uk]

A small yellow and grey-ish bird sits amongst some weeds. They have a distinctive yellow gape, characteristic of a young bird, and are generally still a bit fluffy.

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Reposted by Lucy B

Liam Proven @lproven.social.vivaldi.net.ap.brid.gy · 02/06/2026

"the solution might be cancelling my AI subscription" thoughts.hmmz.org/2026-05-31.html "[AI coding tech] is horrific for attention. It's a thermonuclear ADHD amplifier and I have seen the same effect in every single one of my adult friends."

thoughts.hmmz.org

vibecoding as adhd multiplier

Comments

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Reposted by Lucy B

Trish Greenhalgh @trishgreenhalgh.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

Every summer I repost this article on how to spot drowning. Please read it and pass on. In the last few years I’ve had SIX messages from people who saved a kid’s life after clicking on the link from my feed. slate.com/technology/2...

slate.com

Drowning Doesn’t Look Like Drowning

Drowning is not the violent, splashing call for help that most people expect.

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 15/05/2026

Stock dove. I've had a challenging week and it feels like nothing has gone to plan. I wasn't even supposed to be out birding today. However, it was probably the only thing that's gone well. I've been wanting a good photograph of a stock dove for ages […] [Original post on mastodon.org.uk]

A grey bird, rather like a pigeon but with larger saucer-like eyes, sits under a tree. There are iridescent green and pink feathers around the bird's neck.

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 08/05/2026

Pied flycatcher, female. An amber-listed bird that flies over from west Africa to breed in western Britain. Numbers declined by 56% between 1995 and 2023, but it's now the focus of conversation efforts so populations are expected to increase. It has an […] [Original post on mastodon.org.uk]

A small brown and white bird sits on a curved moss covered branch.

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 01/05/2026

Carrion crow. You can't tell from the image, but this crow is disabled. They have a damaged foot and have difficulty getting around. Their family supports them, making sure they always get the food they need, and they seem to be doing well as a result […] [Original post on mastodon.org.uk]

A black and white photograph of a carrion crow. The crow is positioned towards the right of the frame and is looking over their shoulder towards the left.

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 25/04/2026

It was fantastic catching up with lots of lovely folks at #OggCamp2026 today. I really enjoyed the talks as well. It was refreshing to spend time focusing on tech for fun and tech for good. Looking forward to tomorrow! I've been going to this conference […] [Original post on mastodon.org.uk]

Remarkably the sun is shining on Manchester Piccadilly station. This hardly ever happens and apparently the station looks quite nice when it does.

Charlie giving an amazing talk, during which she paid tribute to some of the original organisers/founders. The slide has a photo of Dan and Les, with the words print("hello Oggcamp").

Kraken's tech office, with a really impressive octopus mural. The audience of people is listening to someone from Kraken give a talk.

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 11/04/2026

Juvenile robin. A pair of robins have taken up residence in the garden. I've been hearing one singing loudly from the bush outside my study window. They've also been busy hoping around picking up grubs and any other food they can get hold of. Hopefully, in a […] [Original post on mastodon.org.uk]

A brown, speckled bird with large dark eyes sits uncertain on a piece of wood. They look robin-like, apart from the slightly different colouring and general fluffiness.

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 04/04/2026

Does anyone have any suggestions for UK towns that are okay for cycling? 🚴 I'm getting fed up of consistently bad cycling experiences around Manchester. I've had two incidents that really needed reporting to the police in the last month and could really do with living somewhere that has less drama.

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 03/04/2026

Teal, female. The smallest ducks found in the UK. Widespread in the winter but quite shy. Teals are mostly flying to their breeding grounds now, although some may stick around. RSPB Leighton Moss. March 2026. #Birds #BirdPhotography #Nature […] [Original post on mastodon.org.uk]

A small brown duck is swimming in the water. A patch of teal coloured feathers are visible on the wing.

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Prof Christina Pagel @chrischirp.bsky.social · 27/03/2026

🧵The Covid Inquiry’s latest reports have made one thing brutally clear: the first year of the pandemic - and especially the second Covid wave in winter 2020/21 - was devastating. Much of that devastation was avoidable. This 🧵: impact on NHS, impact on bereaved, and avoidable harm. 1/19

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 22/03/2026

Kingfishers. Spring is really starting to pick up now. I've not had much opportunity to get out with my camera, but managed to time it well with some recent exceptional weather & bird life. I've had to buy a new computer so I can continue to process photos […] [Original post on mastodon.org.uk]

A male kingfisher sits on a fallen tree, with a female sitting on a small branch below. The female is paler and has an orange underside to their beak.

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 27/02/2026

Here's Hannah Spencer's acceptance speech in full (i.e my new MP). Unfortunately, it's Sky News, but I couldn't find anywhere else that had a good quality version of the full speech. It's worth a listen. news.sky.com/video/hannah-spencer-s… […]

mastodon.org.uk

Original post on mastodon.org.uk

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CelloMom On Cars @cellomomoncars.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 27/02/2026

RE: mastox.eu/@ZackPolanski/11614273254… Worth watching the whole thing, including for the contrast between the naysayers' playbook and the Greens' platform and - um - facts. Note the allegations of "cheating" and Polanski's response: "Nigel Farage is a sore loser and he just […]

mastodon.social

Original post on mastodon.social

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 27/02/2026

We did it! 💚 At the beginning of the campaign, it was assumed Reform would win this. I spoke to people who weren't going to bother voting because it was so obvious they would and things felt so hopeless. It wasn't hopeless, but it took work. A Reform win at the next GE isn't inevitable. Hope […]

mastodon.org.uk

Original post on mastodon.org.uk

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 26/02/2026

Well, that was an exhausting month. I've knocked on hundreds of doors, lost count of the number of leaflets I've delivered (over 600) and walked 30k steps today alone. The support we have from every part of the constituency is amazing, but especially Levenshulme and Longsight. I feel like I've […]

mastodon.org.uk

Original post on mastodon.org.uk

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George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

If Labour followed its own logic, it would now step aside and let the Greens walk home in this crucial by-election. It is hard to imagine how Starmer and co could have made a bigger fist of this - and of everything. My column. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

theguardian.com

How is Reform’s charmless candidate still a contender in Gorton and Denton? Ask Labour | George Monbiot

This byelection should have been a stroll for Keir Starmer’s party. Instead, all hope of defeating Matt Goodwin now seems to lie with the Greens, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 13/02/2026

@ProjectFearlessness TBF, the Labour candidate has already enacted her plan to improve air pollution on the A57, when she was Manchester Council’s Transport and Environment lead. She widened the road during COVID (against the wishes of locals), thereby increasing traffic and air pollution... Oh […]

mastodon.org.uk

Original post on mastodon.org.uk

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Lucy B @linuxlucy.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy · 02/02/2026

Goldeneye (male). The resignation of our local MP and resulting by-election means I'll be mostly focused on politics this month. However, we've been treated to a stunning visitor on our local ponds over the last week. I'm really hoping he'll stay to see the […] [Original post on mastodon.org.uk]

A black and white duck sits in the water surrounded by water droplets.

The duck isn't fully black, but the harsh light makes it look the case. In reality, the feathers are wonderful green and purple.

A black and white duck stands in the water stretching his wings back. There are some water droplets flying around.

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