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Mark Dennis

@markcdennis.bsky.social
885 followers 629 following 532 posts

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.

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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 1h
A less conventional view of an American Pipit, they're everywhere in southern Nova Scotia at the moment. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
A new birding blog post from Nova Scotia. capesablebirding.wordpress.com/2026/09/27/l...
capesablebirding.wordpress.com
Lagging Behind
September migration started filling a few year gaps for me, year bird list-wise, but it wasn’t a torrent or even a concerted drip of birds, more like two days when things happened, followed by many…
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
To help readers get into my birder mysteries, I did compilations of the first six novels, three per book. This way you save money, but Amazon get less, so win-win. Of course I get less too, but I don't care, I prefer to be read. #Books #Booksky #NovaScotia #Birderstories
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
It's mostly Least Flycatchers left now, but they'll be gone soon, then it's rare empid time. Over the years I've had Hammonds, Dusky and Acadian, the latter two I found myself. Hopefully we'll get another Western Flycatcher, I missed the last one. Too busy in Africa. #Birds #Birdwatching #Birding
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
A slight wind shift resulted in a better morning for migration around Cape Sable Island. My year first Eastern Warbling Vireo finally showed up, got Prairie, Wilson's Warbler and Northern Waterthrush for my island year list too, only three from two hundred now. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
It's American Golden Plover time down here right now. This one is from a few years ago, as you can see, plenty of insects to keep it company. Southern Nova Scotia. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Lincoln's Sparrows tends to breed in the northern half of Nova Scotia, so we in the south generally have to wait until fall migration when a few pass through. I squeaked this one up from roadside bushes this morning, adding it to our Shelburne County year list. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
A blog post about our recent pelagic off Wedgeport, Nova Scotia. capesablebirding.wordpress.com/2026/09/07/1... #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
capesablebirding.wordpress.com
Wedgeport Pelagic
I realise that it isn’t long since my last blog post and, in the scheme of things, the general reduction in mental capacity caused by everything being rendered down to a three-minute video clip, co…
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
A better shot of the Far Eastern Curlew currently entertaining crowds of up to twenty at Carlton sur mer in Quebec. This morning the rain stopped for an hour, so I had another look. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Canada has a Far Eastern Curlew in Quebec, how weird is that? I connected today but it was lashing down, here's a BOC shot. #birds #birding #birdwatching
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Surprisingly only one Cory's on our little ten-hour jaunt off southern Nova Scotia yesterday. If we want to get to the warm water where the real goodies are, it's 20 hours each way. We need a better boat. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
We did a lobster boat pelagic off Yarmuth County, NS today. Decent conditions and more South Polar Skuas than we're used to. Here's one of possibly ten. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
An end of August blog post where, amongst other things, I look at the BirdNET listening app. capesablebirding.wordpress.com/2026/08/29/s... #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
capesablebirding.wordpress.com
Showing App-titude
Before I get down to the app bit, let’s go birding. A ‘what the fudge is this’ question by email to Tony, later with a photo, led to a twitchable Crested Caracara doing the right thing and showing …
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
I wrote this stand-alone birder novel for fun, and I think it holds up pretty well. You probably know that Cuckoos lay their eggs in someone else's nest, then the cuckoo kicks out the other birds. The title is something of a metaphor. #Booksky #Birdernovels #Birderfiction #Books
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Another northern (to us on Cape Island) warbler today, Bay-breasted. I'd like to think the pace will pick up, but the weather is settled and warm. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
Three books self-published in my Hannah Washington series, so far. I am doing a prequel called 'Hannah', but I haven't figured out whether I want to adapt (partial re-write) her first case, which appeared in 'The Chaser', or write a completely new novel. #Booksky #2026Books #NovaScotia
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
As the weather deteriorates, the migration kicks in. Added three species to my yard year list today, the pick being this Canada Warbler. 126 so far, with lots of gaps expected to be filled. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching #NovaScotia
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Not a great shot, but I caught up with provincial tick, Crested Caracara in the delightful Pugwash area of Nova Scotia. Locals were very kind and free with their access, allowing us keen visitors the chance to enjoy their bird. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
Still very spotty, but that will change. I've only seen the one around Cape Island for a while now. Winter is coming. #Bird #Birding #Birdwatching
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Even after all these years, I can't see a Black-and-White Warbler and not think of How Hill Nature Reserve in Norfolk and that mud. That won't mean anything to North American viewers, but if you're old enough to remember that bird, it does. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching #mud
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
I get one a year in the yard, so I make sure I enjoy my annual dose of Ovenbird. Oddly enough they're pretty common off Cape Sable Island. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
Blog post time. capesablebirding.wordpress.com/2026/08/08/h... #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching #Novascotia
capesablebirding.wordpress.com
Heading Back North
After adding the Glace Bay, Cape Breton White Ibis to my Nova Scotia list, (see the previous post), the hope was, naturally, that the next tick on the way to 400 would be a bit nearer, it wasn’t. S…
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Seeing as I just published my new Novel, I'm going to have to post about it a few times. If it gets annoying, please, scroll on. #Books #Booksky #Authors #Novascotia #writingcommunity
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
The day before our trip, thousands of shearwaters left the Bay of Fundy following a wind storm that shoved sea birds way up into Kings County. Our haul was modest, with a few Sooty Shearwaters and a lot more greats. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching #Seabirds
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Phalaropes are slowly building up in the Bay of Fundy now. Most appear to be Red Phalaropes, I didn't see any that were actually red. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching #seabirds
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
eBook publication day for my latest novel. Influencer is the third Hannah Washington mystery, sort of. #Books #Booksky #Authors Available from Amazon, search my name.
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Just about finished writing the latest book in my Hannah Washington series. Pending that, this is the first, although Hannah begins life in my Nova Scotia Birder Mystery 'The Chaser'. I self-publish, so I'm always pleased when someone takes a punt on one of my stories. #Books #Booksky #Authors
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Watched this Belted Kingfisher catch a Green Crab, only to be robbed by an American Crow. Cape Sable Island (no horses), Nova Scotia. #Birds #Birdwatching #Birding
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
A pleasure to watch my first Orca since 1984 (in Shetland) at Canso Causeway in Nova Scotia. Naturally it got some boat hassle, such is the dickhead mentality of some people.
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Common Nighthawks were out day hawking in Shelburne County yesterday, a sure sign that it won't be long before they're off south. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
Did a Bay of Fundy trip with Petit Passage Whale Tours. Lots of Wilson's but not many shearwaters. Phalaropes are arriving, but with no real numbers yet. In a few weeks there'll be 10000+ - no typo. I didn't know about this until I moved to Nova Scotia. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Boreal Chickadee, an erratic visitor to our Cape Sable Island NS yard these days and probably because there's sod all control on development, meaning territories get hacked down. Won't be long before they're gone. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Very much our default summer shearwater, we managed 614 Greats on our little offshore jaunt, Jul-11th. For anyone visiting, a good way to connect with seabirds is to do a Brier Island Whale Watch tour. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Sooty Shearwaters are present annually off Cape Sable Island NS, May through September and sometimes later. A rough ratio would be one in every fifty Greats. This was one of fifteen see offshore on Jul-12th. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching.
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
I had an idea. What if the Galactic Management Committee were every bit as incompetent as we are? If so, then they'd naturally follow the tried and tested method of hiring somebody to blame. In Harvesting Kerry Peters they may have made a big mistake. #Booksky #Books #Scifi
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
A friend has a small boat that's great for going offshore when conditions allow. We counted 247 Wilson's Storm-Petrels out there in very slick conditions. Off Baccaro, Shelburne County NS. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
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Reposted by Mark Dennis
Count Binface @countbinface.bsky.social · 19/07/2023
Under a Binface government, anyone who doesn’t accept human-made climate change as fact will be sent back to school, from Year 1 right the way to A Levels, to see if anything goes in the second time round. #VoteBinface
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Cape Island had a good day for seabird 8th July. I've never seen so many, so close. I quite like the eBird trip report feature for making a quick day summary. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching ebird.org/tripreport/5...
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Short-billed Dowitchers are pouring in after having made a few more to the north of Nova Scotia. I had a little ride around doing counts, over 500 on Cape Sable Island so far. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
We have no idea why, every year, multiple Yellow-crowned Night-Herons suddenly opt for a break in Nova Scotia around now. This one was in one of my Cape Island spots, mostly we get immature birds so an adult is a treat. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
After a busy spell, I finally found time to do a blog post. capesablebirding.wordpress.com/2026/07/01/i... #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
capesablebirding.wordpress.com
IBIS!
It’s been a while but here we are. I’ve been busy and so have the birds Cape Sable Island is home to a spot where, if you park there, it’s the furthest south you can sit in a car in the…
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Not depressed enough yet? 99c will take you to another level and not just because some of it goes to Amazon. I live where this will happen, it was what inspired me to write it. This might be a work of fiction, or it might be prophetic. I'd say 'who knows?', but science does. #Books #Booksky #Authors
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Getting a Cape Island tick is always nice, it's even better when it's in the yard. Great Crested Flycatcher in Nova Scotia tends to be limited to a few pairs in the Annapolis Valley, in Shelbourne they're pretty rare. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
From 1994, Am Oystercatcher was been restricted to Cape Sable Island, NS in Summer, c5 years ago they started to wander. Finally got them in the next door county of Yarmouth 23-jun. Only the 2nd county record. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
While on our mini break to Cape Breton, this Scissor-tailed Flycatcher showed up close to home. A new Shelburne County bird for me (where it matters) and great to watch. Always distant hence the image. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
We only see Mourning Warbler as a scarce passage migrant in the south of Nova Scotia. Once you get to Cape Breton they are a common summer breeder. Always good to see. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
Nice to see a White Ibis in Nova Scotia, finally. This bird chose a small park in Glace Bay, Cape Breton and provided the ideal excuse to take a few days vacation and explore new areas. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
Always a late arrival, Nelson's Sparrows are now 'hissing' from anywhere around the coast with suitable habitat. If you hiss back, sometimes they'll jump out of the grass and onto a post for a better look. Yarmouth NS. #Birds #Birdwatching #Birding
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
Nice to look out of the window and see a Red-bellied Woodpecker in the yard, my second here this year. These are scarce in southern Nova Scotia, although it probably breeds sparingly. #Birds #Birdwatching #Birding #NovaScotia
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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
Olive-sided Flycatchers have finally shown up in southern Nova Scotia, about ten days behind the rest of the province. Great to watch this one yapping locally. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching #Novascotia
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