Paul Foth
@paulrfoth.bsky.social
Sparrow, lichen, music fan account
Bird guide in the BC Cariboo
Occasional scholar of of religious history
Exile from the Salish Sea
Bird guide in the BC Cariboo
Occasional scholar of of religious history
Exile from the Salish Sea
Reposted by Paul Foth
For Globe and Mail readers - I have it on good authority that this article is worth your time. Likely for all nature lovers - birders, photographers, everyone. buff.ly/2Rwqi4P. #Owls #Birds
Dear birdwatchers, it’s ‘leave the owls alone’ season
Canada’s most charismatic birds are at risk of being loved to death. Here’s why ethical owling matters
www.theglobeandmail.com
January 17, 2026 at 6:02 PM
For Globe and Mail readers - I have it on good authority that this article is worth your time. Likely for all nature lovers - birders, photographers, everyone. buff.ly/2Rwqi4P. #Owls #Birds
Snowpants none the richer
January 17, 2026 at 3:16 AM
Snowpants none the richer
Snohomish!
My favorite Twitter prompt was "RT this with your home river," so reskeet this with your home river.
Mine is the Patuxent.
Mine is the Patuxent.
January 13, 2026 at 12:52 AM
Snohomish!
Reposted by Paul Foth
i just think that
January 7, 2026 at 8:50 PM
i just think that
Does anyone have recommendations for interesting reads on the philosophy of aesthetics?
January 7, 2026 at 4:09 PM
Does anyone have recommendations for interesting reads on the philosophy of aesthetics?
When God sings with his creations, will Hypogymnia tubulosa not be part of the choir?
K but what's it called when lichens do it?
Theology is the dialogue between God and human beings, where we respond and testify to God’s self-revelation, directing our thoughts, words, and actions toward love for God and God’s creation.
January 6, 2026 at 7:35 PM
When God sings with his creations, will Hypogymnia tubulosa not be part of the choir?
Reposted by Paul Foth
I am going to try to post a new picture of something nice in the forest every (work) day of January this year as well!
First up: The queen of the forest, Usnea longissima (NO huldrestry). Here from Noresund, Norway. An old-growth forest lichen that needs moist conditions.
First up: The queen of the forest, Usnea longissima (NO huldrestry). Here from Noresund, Norway. An old-growth forest lichen that needs moist conditions.
January 5, 2026 at 12:33 PM
I am going to try to post a new picture of something nice in the forest every (work) day of January this year as well!
First up: The queen of the forest, Usnea longissima (NO huldrestry). Here from Noresund, Norway. An old-growth forest lichen that needs moist conditions.
First up: The queen of the forest, Usnea longissima (NO huldrestry). Here from Noresund, Norway. An old-growth forest lichen that needs moist conditions.
Reposted by Paul Foth
The ABA’s 2026 Bird of the Year… 🪶
January 5, 2026 at 11:57 PM
The ABA’s 2026 Bird of the Year… 🪶
The 12 days of crustose lichens
Day 12: The finest in crustose lichens, the Rhizocarpon geographicum complex. This is one of several similar yellow and black Rhizocarpon species. Rhizocarpon geographicum (Yellow Map Lichen) is the most common.
From Enterprise, BC (south of 150 Mile House). 🪶🌿
Day 12: The finest in crustose lichens, the Rhizocarpon geographicum complex. This is one of several similar yellow and black Rhizocarpon species. Rhizocarpon geographicum (Yellow Map Lichen) is the most common.
From Enterprise, BC (south of 150 Mile House). 🪶🌿
January 5, 2026 at 3:04 PM
The 12 days of crustose lichens
Day 12: The finest in crustose lichens, the Rhizocarpon geographicum complex. This is one of several similar yellow and black Rhizocarpon species. Rhizocarpon geographicum (Yellow Map Lichen) is the most common.
From Enterprise, BC (south of 150 Mile House). 🪶🌿
Day 12: The finest in crustose lichens, the Rhizocarpon geographicum complex. This is one of several similar yellow and black Rhizocarpon species. Rhizocarpon geographicum (Yellow Map Lichen) is the most common.
From Enterprise, BC (south of 150 Mile House). 🪶🌿
Reposted by Paul Foth
Hmmm. Lichens do stay still, which is a plus.
But can you identify them by sound?
But can you identify them by sound?
I'm getting to the annoying stage in trying to get my birder friends into lichens
January 5, 2026 at 2:12 AM
Hmmm. Lichens do stay still, which is a plus.
But can you identify them by sound?
But can you identify them by sound?
I've read some tragic research headlines. This is one of them.
🌿🪶
🌿🪶
January 5, 2026 at 1:49 AM
I've read some tragic research headlines. This is one of them.
🌿🪶
🌿🪶
I'm getting to the annoying stage in trying to get my birder friends into lichens
January 5, 2026 at 1:13 AM
I'm getting to the annoying stage in trying to get my birder friends into lichens
I saw some cousins.
Female Black-backed Woodpecker and male American Three-toed Woodpecker, both more or less near 108 Mile Ranch, BC.
🪶🌿
Female Black-backed Woodpecker and male American Three-toed Woodpecker, both more or less near 108 Mile Ranch, BC.
🪶🌿
January 5, 2026 at 12:58 AM
I saw some cousins.
Female Black-backed Woodpecker and male American Three-toed Woodpecker, both more or less near 108 Mile Ranch, BC.
🪶🌿
Female Black-backed Woodpecker and male American Three-toed Woodpecker, both more or less near 108 Mile Ranch, BC.
🪶🌿
Some good things are happening in the NDP leadership race.
More parties should adopt "people first" policies for many labour and technology and economy issues.
More parties should adopt "people first" policies for many labour and technology and economy issues.
AI is being used to strip workers, women, children, artists, and communities of their autonomy. Meanwhile Mark Carneys AI Minister, is more interested in rubbing shoulders with tech billionaires than regulating. Our NDP will take on AI with people-first policy.
January 4, 2026 at 7:01 PM
Some good things are happening in the NDP leadership race.
More parties should adopt "people first" policies for many labour and technology and economy issues.
More parties should adopt "people first" policies for many labour and technology and economy issues.
The 12 days of crustose lichens
Day 11: Ochrolechia upsaliensis (Tundra Saucer lichen). I find these little aliens coating moss and other surfaces near the ground in arid rocky sites. Watch out for prickly pears if you're looking for these.
Near Ashcroft, BC. 🌿
Day 11: Ochrolechia upsaliensis (Tundra Saucer lichen). I find these little aliens coating moss and other surfaces near the ground in arid rocky sites. Watch out for prickly pears if you're looking for these.
Near Ashcroft, BC. 🌿
January 4, 2026 at 3:47 PM
The 12 days of crustose lichens
Day 11: Ochrolechia upsaliensis (Tundra Saucer lichen). I find these little aliens coating moss and other surfaces near the ground in arid rocky sites. Watch out for prickly pears if you're looking for these.
Near Ashcroft, BC. 🌿
Day 11: Ochrolechia upsaliensis (Tundra Saucer lichen). I find these little aliens coating moss and other surfaces near the ground in arid rocky sites. Watch out for prickly pears if you're looking for these.
Near Ashcroft, BC. 🌿
January 3, 2026 at 5:16 PM
The 12 days of crustose lichens
Day 10: Lecidea lapicida (Gray-orange Disk lichen) I think. I think a few similar species can turn this kind of orange. Porpidia flavicunda is similar but seems to be out of range and differs in some ways.
On the top of the Lone Butte in Lone Butte, BC 🌿
Day 10: Lecidea lapicida (Gray-orange Disk lichen) I think. I think a few similar species can turn this kind of orange. Porpidia flavicunda is similar but seems to be out of range and differs in some ways.
On the top of the Lone Butte in Lone Butte, BC 🌿
January 3, 2026 at 4:30 PM
The 12 days of crustose lichens
Day 10: Lecidea lapicida (Gray-orange Disk lichen) I think. I think a few similar species can turn this kind of orange. Porpidia flavicunda is similar but seems to be out of range and differs in some ways.
On the top of the Lone Butte in Lone Butte, BC 🌿
Day 10: Lecidea lapicida (Gray-orange Disk lichen) I think. I think a few similar species can turn this kind of orange. Porpidia flavicunda is similar but seems to be out of range and differs in some ways.
On the top of the Lone Butte in Lone Butte, BC 🌿
Laughs in Prog Rock
January 3, 2026 at 12:51 AM
Laughs in Prog Rock
Owl warning
There's a Northern Hawk Owl that has been around for a few days not far away—a great first owl for the year.
Near Lac la Hache, BC. 🌿🪶
There's a Northern Hawk Owl that has been around for a few days not far away—a great first owl for the year.
Near Lac la Hache, BC. 🌿🪶
January 2, 2026 at 10:18 PM
Owl warning
There's a Northern Hawk Owl that has been around for a few days not far away—a great first owl for the year.
Near Lac la Hache, BC. 🌿🪶
There's a Northern Hawk Owl that has been around for a few days not far away—a great first owl for the year.
Near Lac la Hache, BC. 🌿🪶
Hello, I'm getting stuck under a moving river raft in white water on the Nile.
They also call me Ford Bronco II.
They also call me Ford Bronco II.
January 2, 2026 at 9:02 PM
Hello, I'm getting stuck under a moving river raft in white water on the Nile.
They also call me Ford Bronco II.
They also call me Ford Bronco II.
The 12 days of crustose lichens
Day 9: Calicium tigillare (Yellow Soot lichen). This little raised yellow and black crust is is one of my favourites. I've found it on exposed dead stumps, sometimes over water or in high wind-exposed areas.
On a snag on top of a hill near 108 Mile Ranch, BC 🌿
Day 9: Calicium tigillare (Yellow Soot lichen). This little raised yellow and black crust is is one of my favourites. I've found it on exposed dead stumps, sometimes over water or in high wind-exposed areas.
On a snag on top of a hill near 108 Mile Ranch, BC 🌿
January 2, 2026 at 4:21 PM
The 12 days of crustose lichens
Day 9: Calicium tigillare (Yellow Soot lichen). This little raised yellow and black crust is is one of my favourites. I've found it on exposed dead stumps, sometimes over water or in high wind-exposed areas.
On a snag on top of a hill near 108 Mile Ranch, BC 🌿
Day 9: Calicium tigillare (Yellow Soot lichen). This little raised yellow and black crust is is one of my favourites. I've found it on exposed dead stumps, sometimes over water or in high wind-exposed areas.
On a snag on top of a hill near 108 Mile Ranch, BC 🌿
The 12 days of crustose lichens
Day 8: Cowpie Lichen, baby! Diplostiches muscorum. That crusty white patch of whatsit in a desert or grassland near you is a lichen ecosystem. I'm not bullshitting you.
Clinton, BC. 🌿
Day 8: Cowpie Lichen, baby! Diplostiches muscorum. That crusty white patch of whatsit in a desert or grassland near you is a lichen ecosystem. I'm not bullshitting you.
Clinton, BC. 🌿
January 2, 2026 at 2:44 AM
The 12 days of crustose lichens
Day 8: Cowpie Lichen, baby! Diplostiches muscorum. That crusty white patch of whatsit in a desert or grassland near you is a lichen ecosystem. I'm not bullshitting you.
Clinton, BC. 🌿
Day 8: Cowpie Lichen, baby! Diplostiches muscorum. That crusty white patch of whatsit in a desert or grassland near you is a lichen ecosystem. I'm not bullshitting you.
Clinton, BC. 🌿
A new year, a new set of acquaintances
When I was a kid, I thought the opening words were "Let old acquaintance be forgot."
January 1, 2026 at 2:34 AM
A new year, a new set of acquaintances
People should say "Happy Old Year" when it is before midnight.
January 1, 2026 at 2:08 AM
People should say "Happy Old Year" when it is before midnight.
The 12 days of crustose lichens
Day 7: This is one of a number of grayish map lichens (Rhizocarpon). I don't think I'm equipped to venture a species-level guess here. Similar gray and brown Rhizocarpon lichens are on rocks everywhere or, in this case, on an old yellow metal wreck.
In Yale, BC 🌿
Day 7: This is one of a number of grayish map lichens (Rhizocarpon). I don't think I'm equipped to venture a species-level guess here. Similar gray and brown Rhizocarpon lichens are on rocks everywhere or, in this case, on an old yellow metal wreck.
In Yale, BC 🌿
December 31, 2025 at 5:34 PM
The 12 days of crustose lichens
Day 7: This is one of a number of grayish map lichens (Rhizocarpon). I don't think I'm equipped to venture a species-level guess here. Similar gray and brown Rhizocarpon lichens are on rocks everywhere or, in this case, on an old yellow metal wreck.
In Yale, BC 🌿
Day 7: This is one of a number of grayish map lichens (Rhizocarpon). I don't think I'm equipped to venture a species-level guess here. Similar gray and brown Rhizocarpon lichens are on rocks everywhere or, in this case, on an old yellow metal wreck.
In Yale, BC 🌿