Phew! I just uploaded the last batch of my lowest priority photos that I took during last month's #CityNatureChallenge. While my last batches of observations don't count towards the official tally, they do help map out these species on #iNaturalist.

My personal target for this year's challenge was 700 wild taxa and 7,000 observations in the 4-days. In the end I've uploaded 7,276 observations of 963 taxa, of which 6,857 observations and 868 taxa were wild.

(I reckon 10,000 observations of 1,000 species is probably possible for one person with a lot of planning, even in a relatively low diversity city like Ōtautahi-Christchurch.)

Next week, I'll see if I can finish summarising all the important new finds made in the City Nature Challenge events in Aotearoa-NZ (there were a lot) and write a post about it on iNaturalist NZ.

In the meantime, below are three of my favourites of the photos I uploaded, and a map of my observations from the challenge.

https://www.inaturalist.nz/observations?d1=2026-04-24&d2=2026-04-27&subview=map&user_id=jon_sullivan&verifiable=any

Spider eating moth: https://www.inaturalist.nz/observations/359998244
NZ Tailed Forest Spider: https://www.inaturalist.nz/observations/357470468
Mokarakara caterpillar: https://www.inaturalist.nz/observations/360057381

#CNC2026 #iNaturalistNZ #nz #ObsessiveNatureWatching

The City Nature Challenge is still in full swing. We're seven days away from the deadline of 10 May, for uploading and identifing all the photos and audio recordings made on 24–27 April.

I've just finished uploading my photos from 24 April, which was a bike into work and back, a bioblitz on the university campus with students, then a moth light on my deck at home. (That’s 1,498 observations of 359 species from me.) Now I move onto my Saturday, where I surveyed my garden then went for a run around the neighbourhood, then another moth light. The, I’ll be onto Sunday's epic guided walk from the hills to the centre of the city.

If you're watching the results unfold, Te Upoko o te Ika (Wellington) is a just an whisker ahead of Ōtautahi-Christchurch at the moment for the NZ city with the most observations. The NZ total so far is 4,627 species and 58,506 observations, made by 1,738 people. It’s pretty epic.

With still a week of identifying and uploading to go, those numbers are going to continue to climb (they went up by over 200 observations while I was typing this).

If you took photos of nature in your city on 24–27 April, uploading them to #iNaturalist will contribute to the challenge. It's a great way to contribute to this global snapshot of nature in our cities.

https://www.inaturalist.nz/projects/city-nature-challenge-2026-aotearoa-new-zealand

https://www.inaturalist.nz/projects/city-nature-challenge-2026

#cnc2026 #iNaturalistNZ

I'm continuing to upload my City Nature Challenge observations to #iNaturalist.

Here are a couple of photos of magpies from my first day which I particularly like.

Magpies are such bosses.

https://www.inaturalist.nz/observations/357456910

https://www.inaturalist.nz/observations/357304678

#birds #CNC2026 #nz

Today is the fourth and last day of observing species for the #CityNatureChallenge. I’m out the door now taking my cameras for an all-day bike in Christchurch City’s Port Hills, and will then end my day with a moth light at our house.

What wild species can you find today?

Keep in mind that after Monday is over we have two weeks to upload the rest of our photos and audio recordings to #iNaturalist and help to identify all the species that have been found.

https://www.inaturalist.nz/projects/city-nature-challenge-2026-aotearoa-new-zealand

https://www.inaturalist.nz/projects/city-nature-challenge-2026-otautahi-christchurch/journal/129264

#CNC2026 #NZ

Unlocked a mini-acheivement this weekend: contributed to City Nature Challenge 2026 in three great cities: Brussels, Paris, and remotely in London. #CitizenScience #CNC2026 #Nature

https://povesham.wordpress.com/2026/04/26/three-cities-city-nature-challenge/

There are lots of events going on around Ōtautahi-Christchurch and surrounding towns today, for Day 3 of the 2026 City Nature Challenge. See the link below. There’s something for just about everyone.

I’m heading out in a moment to lead a walk from the Sign of the Takahe in the Cashmere Hills down to the Botanic Gardens (leaving 9:45 from the bus stop). We’re scheduled to pass through the South Library (currently a building site) at 1 pm, and the Art Gallery at 4 pm.

And, the weather is looking great.

Whether you’re on an organised event or doing your own thing, any species observations you make that you upload to #iNaturalist today and Monday count towards the City Nature Challenge. Globally the challenge has already passed 900,000 observations since it started on Friday.

https://www.inaturalist.nz/posts/129161-choose-your-own-adventure-many-mini-bioblitzes-on-today

#CNC2026 #CityNatureChallenge

go out at night and look at invertebrates around your house for #CNC2026! It is a good time! You will certainly not regret learning exactly how many knobbled orbweavers are hanging out! Or how large they are! it's fine!

(they're beautiful and I love them but oh dear that's quite a few more than I thought)