Brian Banks Ⓥ 🇨🇦
@brianbanks
Scribbler (mainly nature, conservation, critters, science, climate); Geographer (Fellow, Royal Canadian Geographical Society); Soy nature boy.
Came downstairs this morning to discover a bat clinging to the wall in our kitchen. Much stressful Googling ensued. Captured it by covering it with a plastic container and sliding stiff cardboard under to dislodge it. Put on lid (air holes punched through first) and tucked it into a dark room. 1/2
I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a Brewer’s blackbird - less of a puzzle after looking at range map on iBird Canada. (I live in southeastern Ontario):
Young cat (6 mos?) showed up outside our house middle of last week, stayed nearby, mewing about. We’re in the country, only one neighbour less than half a km away, so guessing it’s lost/dumped. Is used to people. Brought it into the outdoor bathroom/shed last night. Taking to a shelter today.
Less than an hour till game time. If #Canada wins today, our next opponent will be either #Morocco or #Netherlands. Current world rankings: 6th and 7th. #WorldCup
Ooh, cool #lunamoth on some leaves near the ground on a path through some trees on our property.
Just got back from my ride in time to watch Germany-Ivory Coast. Playing in my hometown. #WorldCup ⚽️🇩🇪🇨🇮 Woot! Finally broke out the Cervelo today. Had been riding my mountain bike so far this year.
Found another firefly in the house this morning. (Funny how they get inside and upstairs.) Relying on iNaturalist for most likely ID: Pyractomena angulata, aka Say’s firefly.
In March, Ontario delisted 106 of 270 species considered endangered, threatened or of concern under province's former Endangered Species Act, claiming federal protections suffice. I look at why that's bogus in latest @ontarionature.bsky.social ON Nature mag: catalog.ontarionature.org/summer-2026/...
Every year at the southwest corner of our property there’s an indigo bunting singing in a dead tree. Is it the same bird returning to same spot each year? Its offspring? So weirdly consistent. #birds
Bumblebees like the allium. But hard to get my phone to focus on the bee and not the flower.