iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

A Cape May feeding a few feet above the grass. At Chebogue Point in Yarmouth County, a farm at the end is always worth a check. While watching this we found our year first Northern House Wren. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching

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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Always nice to bump into a Ruffed Grouse, although with it being killing season I'd rather they weren't so trusting. Southern Nova Scotia. October. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching

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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Restricted bit with regard how much I can give the Global Big Day this time, so it was nice when a cuckoo went low over the yard. After brief views it wandered on, imm Black-billed, not had one at home since 2015, pretty scarce in Nova Scotia anyway. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching

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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

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 · 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 · 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

Did the Notts record get (rightly) binned then?

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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 · 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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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 · 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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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

Who'd have predicted the recent European Robin in Canada? Actually, I did in one of my birding stories in The Frigatebird, my first Nova Scotia birder mystery. It's not my only prediction, the rest are in the now seven book series that costs pennies. #Books #Novascotia #Booksky #Birders

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Mark Dennis @markcdennis.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

A Laughing Gull on Cape Sable Island, NS, today. We get one or two annually, more if we get a bit of weather like a hurricane. I think 147 for Cape Island this year, so far. I usually hit 200+ species. #Birds #Birds #Birding

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