Ethan Moon
LightNews LightNews
banner
ethanmoon.bsky.social
Ethan Moon
@ethanmoon.bsky.social
93 followers 38 following 120 posts
linktr.ee/ethanashleymoon

Vancouverite 🇨🇦 (Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations), bird nerd 🦆, forager of secondhand book stores 📚.

If you have questions about my app, feel free to contact me.
Posts Replies Media Videos
Pinned
ethanmoon.bsky.social
Ethan Moon @ethanmoon.bsky.social · Jul 4
Version 1.12.5 of Gullable is available.

Images have been added to Glossary and inline definitions.

Vega Gull and Slaty-backed Gull have some small additions as well.

#gullable #gulls #seagulls
ethanmoon.bsky.social
Snow Bunting.
(Vancouver BC, October 30 2025)

#birds #birding #snowbunting #plectrophenaxnivalis 🪶
A Snow Bunting stands low to the rocky ground--round and majestical.
October 31, 2025 at 4:54 AM
ethanmoon.bsky.social
A juvenile Little Blue Heron, far from home.
(Burnaby BC, October 24 2025.)

#birds #birding #littleblueheron #egrettacaerulea 🪶
A juvenile Little Blue Heron perched on a branch. Juveniles are all white (like this one), but will eventually moult into a mostly grey plumage. This is the sixth record for British Columbia.
October 25, 2025 at 5:28 PM
ethanmoon.bsky.social
Golden-crowned Sparrow.
(Vancouver BC, October 22 2025)

#birds #birding #goldencrownedsparrow #zonotrichiaatricapilla 🪶
A Golden-crowned Sparrow perches on some barbed wire. The species portion of its scientific name Zonotrichia atricapilla means black-headed or -capped, referring to the lateral stripes on breeding adults. This is similar to the Black-capped Chickadee's scientific name Poecile atricapillus, and more apt for the latter.
October 23, 2025 at 10:16 PM
ethanmoon.bsky.social
Whoops. I'll fix that arrow button in the next update.

#gullable #gullible
October 23, 2025 at 2:14 AM
ethanmoon.bsky.social
Mountain Bluebird.
(Vancouver BC, October 22 2025)

#birds #birding #mountainbluebird #sialiacurrucoides 🪶
A drab looking Mountain Bluebird perched on a post, lowered tail revealing a bluish rump.
October 23, 2025 at 1:00 AM
ethanmoon.bsky.social
Male Harlequin Duck.

(Victoria BC, October 9 2025)

#birds #birding #ducks #harlequinduck #histrionicushistrionicus 🪶
A male Harlequin Duck standing on a tidal rock.
October 13, 2025 at 2:12 AM
ethanmoon.bsky.social
Black Turnstone.

(Sooke BC, October 9 2025)

#birds #birding #blackturnstone 🪶
A Black Turnstone side profile. Can you guess how they got their name?
October 12, 2025 at 11:52 PM
ethanmoon.bsky.social
For reference, this is a White-crowned Sparrow in juvenile plumage. Notice how streaky it is.
October 7, 2025 at 3:49 PM
ethanmoon.bsky.social
A young White-crowned Sparrow.

#birding #birds #whitecrownedsparrow #zonotrichialeucophrys 🪶
A hatch year (HY) White-crowned Sparrow perched on the tip of some pine needles. This individual is in its formative plumage, which replaced many of the poor quality juvenile feathers it grew in the nest. Once this bird moults into its 1st alternate (breeding) plumage, it will become almost impossible to distinguish from an adult. I have noticed some of my local White-crowns (pugetensis subspecies) retain some brown feathers in the hind crown, allowing me to age them as second years (SY).
October 7, 2025 at 6:31 AM
ethanmoon.bsky.social
Adult California Gull.
(Vancouver BC, September 30 2025)

#birds #birding #californiagull #laruscalifornicus #gull #seagull #gullable #gullible 🪶
An adult California Gull in flight. Dusky head markings are part of the basic (nonbreeding) plumage.
October 6, 2025 at 1:51 AM
ethanmoon.bsky.social
Yellow-rumped warbler.

#birds #birding #yellowrumpedwarbler #myrtlewarbler #setophagacoronata
A Myrtle Warbler ("myrtle" subspecies of Yellow-rumped Warbler) on a tree branch, holding a stink bug in its bill.
October 4, 2025 at 2:06 AM
ethanmoon.bsky.social
Long-billed Dowitcher.

#birds #birding #longbilleddowitcher #limnodromusscolopaceus 🪶
A Long-billed Dowitcher looking towards the camera, with its undulating reflection cast on the water below.
September 30, 2025 at 3:05 AM
ethanmoon.bsky.social
Lincoln's Sparrow.

#birding #birds #lincolnssparrow #melospizalincolnii 🪶
September 29, 2025 at 2:44 AM
ethanmoon.bsky.social
Overlooked Olympic Gull.
(Vancouver BC, Sept 23 2025)

#birding #birds #gulls #seagulls #gullable #gullible #olympicgull #westerngull #glaucouswingedgull #larusoccidentalisxglaucescens #larusoccidentalis #larusglaucescens 🪶
A young Olympic Gull (Western Gull x Glaucous-winged Gull hybrid) stands on the edge of an urban water feature, with water frothing from a fountain behind. This bird is starting to replace body feathers in the 1st prealternate (prebreeding) moult. The Lower Mainland is right above the intersection of the breeding ranges of Glaucous-winged Gull to the north and Western Gull to the south. The resulting hybrid swarm produces a vast array of phenotypes--birds with a unique set of characteristics--as multiple generations of mixed gulls interbreed.
September 25, 2025 at 5:26 PM
ethanmoon.bsky.social
2 Ring-billed Gulls of different stature.
(Vancouver BC, September 12 2025)

#birds #birding #ringbilledgull #larusdelawarensis #gulls #seagulls #gullable 🪶
This 1st cycle Ring-billed Gull confused me. It resembles a Short-billed in build, but the plumage aspect is Ring-billed. The dark grey chevron pattern on the scapulars is also interesting. This is a good reminder to myself to look out for individual variation that deviates from expectations. A more typical first cycle Ring-billed Gull.
September 17, 2025 at 11:59 PM
ethanmoon.bsky.social
Juvenile Sabine's Gull.

#birds #birding #gulls #seagulls #sabinesgull #xemasabini #gullable #gullible
A juvenile Sabine's Gull in flight, with tri-coloured wing pattern on full display. In Greater Vancouver, Sabine's Gulls are usually seen flying out at sea or high above as they migrate between their Arctic breeding grounds and wintering locations in South America. All age groups have a distinct tri-coloured winged. Definitely one of the easier gulls to identify.
September 10, 2025 at 9:46 PM
ethanmoon.bsky.social
Savannah Sparrow.

#birds #birding #savannahsparrow #passerculussandwichensis
A Savannah Sparrow perched on a leafy Blackberry branch, cast in a warm light.
September 3, 2025 at 4:52 AM
ethanmoon.bsky.social
Western Tanager.

#birds #birding #westerntanager #pirangaludoviciana
Female(?) Western Tanager on a lichen-blanketed branch, holding a wasp.
August 29, 2025 at 3:57 PM
ethanmoon.bsky.social
Rhinoceros Auklet.

#birding #birds #rhinocerosauklet #cerorhincamonocerata 🪶
August 24, 2025 at 5:50 PM
ethanmoon.bsky.social
Northern Waterthrush mid bob.

#birds #birding #northernwaterthrush #parkesianoveboracensis 🪶
A Northern Waterthrush perched on a thorny branch, bobbing its tail high above its head. What a strange warbler. (Yes, it's a warbler, don't get me started.)
August 16, 2025 at 4:56 AM
ethanmoon.bsky.social
Belted Kingfisher.

#birds #birding #kingfisher #megacerylealcyon 🪶
August 13, 2025 at 2:44 AM
ethanmoon.bsky.social
Immature California Gull moulting flight feathers.

#birds #birding #californiagull #laruscalifornicus #gulls #seagulls #gullable 🪶
California Gull in flight, displaying its flight feather moult. Mix of grey and brown upperparts are largely 1st alternate (breeding plumage). The inner 4 primaries (p1-4) are 2nd cycle, with p5 and p6 growing; p7 is shed or not visible. Primary coverts are also being replaced in similar sequence. Secondary moult has also commenced, with s1 growing, well after start of primary moult. (Vancouver BC, August 2 2025)
August 12, 2025 at 4:45 PM
ethanmoon.bsky.social
A leap of faith.

#birds #birding #harlequinduck #histrionicushistrionicus #ducks 🪶
Harlequin duck mid jump from tidal rock into water below.
August 12, 2025 at 6:05 AM
ethanmoon.bsky.social
Juvenile Olympic Gull in flight.

#birds #birding #gulls #seagulls #gullable #olympicgull #westerngull #glaucouswingedgull 🪶
Olympic Gull (Western Gull x Glaucous-winged Gull hybrid) in flight with lingering natal down behind eye.
August 5, 2025 at 4:03 PM