Siobhan Leachman
@siobhanleachman.bsky.social
Wikimedian, citizen scientist, digital curator, volunteer, nature nerd, wine geek, partner & mum. She/her. Inordinately fond of linked open data, moths & weevils. Other contact links see my ORCID. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5398-7721
Pinned
Integrating research expedition data: from BHL into the Wikiverse
YouTube video by Siobhan Leachman
www.youtube.com
The #LivingData2025 conference is starting soon. I'm attending virtually and will be presenting on a very simple workflow for extracting #biodiversity data from the #BiodiversityHeritageLibrary My presentation has been prerecorded and can be seen here www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySyi... #Wikidata
Reposted by Siobhan Leachman
Don McGlashan's 2025 Lilburn Lecture is now available to listen to and view. It was an epic and frequently funny journey through McGlashan's life and impressive music career. Check it out 👇👇
www.rnz.co.nz/concert/prog...
www.rnz.co.nz/concert/prog...
Lilburn Lecture 2025: Bodies of Water - Don McGlashan
In his 2025 Lilburn Lecture, New Zealand music icon Don McGlashan talks about how bodies of water have shaped him as an artist and person.
www.rnz.co.nz
November 23, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Don McGlashan's 2025 Lilburn Lecture is now available to listen to and view. It was an epic and frequently funny journey through McGlashan's life and impressive music career. Check it out 👇👇
www.rnz.co.nz/concert/prog...
www.rnz.co.nz/concert/prog...
Reposted by Siobhan Leachman
I think about this every day of my life actually
no one has ever understood the assignment better
no one has ever understood the assignment better
These posters for the South Korean stage production of Macbeth are the greatest thing ever? #art
November 29, 2025 at 2:15 AM
I think about this every day of my life actually
no one has ever understood the assignment better
no one has ever understood the assignment better
Got to Queenstown in time for our first holiday event. A “first pour” event with several wineries highlighting their wares. Fav wines are the Wild Irishman “the light within” Pinot noir 2024 and the Valli “Hogan” Gibbston Pinot Noir.
November 29, 2025 at 2:27 AM
Got to Queenstown in time for our first holiday event. A “first pour” event with several wineries highlighting their wares. Fav wines are the Wild Irishman “the light within” Pinot noir 2024 and the Valli “Hogan” Gibbston Pinot Noir.
Arrowtown is jumping. Lots of languages being heard as I wander down the street.
November 29, 2025 at 12:51 AM
Arrowtown is jumping. Lots of languages being heard as I wander down the street.
Reposted by Siobhan Leachman
Nerrrrrrrrrrrds!
To celebrate getting 100,000 followers on Bluesky, I am offering some of you fine folks the chance to join me on a 2026 shark research expedition. Really!
Enter here: forms.gle/iq3YQG31kbAC...
Terms and conditions in thread below:
To celebrate getting 100,000 followers on Bluesky, I am offering some of you fine folks the chance to join me on a 2026 shark research expedition. Really!
Enter here: forms.gle/iq3YQG31kbAC...
Terms and conditions in thread below:
a man in red swim trunks is standing in the ocean
ALT: a man in red swim trunks is standing in the ocean
media.tenor.com
November 28, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Nerrrrrrrrrrrds!
To celebrate getting 100,000 followers on Bluesky, I am offering some of you fine folks the chance to join me on a 2026 shark research expedition. Really!
Enter here: forms.gle/iq3YQG31kbAC...
Terms and conditions in thread below:
To celebrate getting 100,000 followers on Bluesky, I am offering some of you fine folks the chance to join me on a 2026 shark research expedition. Really!
Enter here: forms.gle/iq3YQG31kbAC...
Terms and conditions in thread below:
Introduce yourself with 5 animals you’ve seen in the wild:
New Zealand giraffe weevil
New Zealand red admiral butterfly
Leopard seal
Hector’s dolphin
Brown kiwi
New Zealand giraffe weevil
New Zealand red admiral butterfly
Leopard seal
Hector’s dolphin
Brown kiwi
Introduce yourself with 5 animals you’ve seen in the wild:
Woolly mammoth
Woolly rhino
Cave lion
Steppe bison
Lena horse
Woolly mammoth
Woolly rhino
Cave lion
Steppe bison
Lena horse
Introduce yourself with 5 animals you've seen in the wild:
Moose
Beaver
Black bear
Humpback Whale
Gray Whale
Moose
Beaver
Black bear
Humpback Whale
Gray Whale
November 28, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Introduce yourself with 5 animals you’ve seen in the wild:
New Zealand giraffe weevil
New Zealand red admiral butterfly
Leopard seal
Hector’s dolphin
Brown kiwi
New Zealand giraffe weevil
New Zealand red admiral butterfly
Leopard seal
Hector’s dolphin
Brown kiwi
Reposted by Siobhan Leachman
Among many other things, Frederick Douglass was one of the very first important theorists of photography, a fact that historians have been exploring for a couple decades — and that the white photography world continues to largely ignore. Here's an intro. www.nps.gov/articles/000...
Frederick Douglass and the Power of Photography (U.S. National Park Service)
www.nps.gov
November 28, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Among many other things, Frederick Douglass was one of the very first important theorists of photography, a fact that historians have been exploring for a couple decades — and that the white photography world continues to largely ignore. Here's an intro. www.nps.gov/articles/000...
We’re boarding! MUCH quicker turnaround than expected. Well done @airnz.bsky.social !!!
Further update. I suspect the “30 min delay” is optimistic by Air New Zealand. It sounds from what I’ve been reading the software work will take 2-3 hrs. Adjusting my expectations. If we make it down to Queenstown for our fancy dinner this evening I’m going to be VERY happy.
Travel plans have hit a slight snag as a result of the Airbus A320 software issue. We were just off loaded and told the flight might be cancelled but pleased to say it should just be delayed while they upgrade. #ComputerSaysNo🤞
November 28, 2025 at 9:11 PM
We’re boarding! MUCH quicker turnaround than expected. Well done @airnz.bsky.social !!!
The thing I like MOST about the writing in this article is the attribution for the image. Contains a url link to the file, who took it and the Creative Commons license it can be reused under.
November 28, 2025 at 8:51 PM
The thing I like MOST about the writing in this article is the attribution for the image. Contains a url link to the file, who took it and the Creative Commons license it can be reused under.
Further update. I suspect the “30 min delay” is optimistic by Air New Zealand. It sounds from what I’ve been reading the software work will take 2-3 hrs. Adjusting my expectations. If we make it down to Queenstown for our fancy dinner this evening I’m going to be VERY happy.
Travel plans have hit a slight snag as a result of the Airbus A320 software issue. We were just off loaded and told the flight might be cancelled but pleased to say it should just be delayed while they upgrade. #ComputerSaysNo🤞
November 28, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Further update. I suspect the “30 min delay” is optimistic by Air New Zealand. It sounds from what I’ve been reading the software work will take 2-3 hrs. Adjusting my expectations. If we make it down to Queenstown for our fancy dinner this evening I’m going to be VERY happy.
Travel plans have hit a slight snag as a result of the Airbus A320 software issue. We were just off loaded and told the flight might be cancelled but pleased to say it should just be delayed while they upgrade. #ComputerSaysNo🤞
November 28, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Travel plans have hit a slight snag as a result of the Airbus A320 software issue. We were just off loaded and told the flight might be cancelled but pleased to say it should just be delayed while they upgrade. #ComputerSaysNo🤞
Reposted by Siobhan Leachman
Talk went well. Slides here: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ma...
November 27, 2025 at 1:24 AM
Talk went well. Slides here: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ma...
Reposted by Siobhan Leachman
The most maddening thing about this is that restoring inanga spawning habitat is really easy. Like, the easiest, fastest results I've seen in any project. We've got to stop monitoring towards extinction and actually start spending money on fixing the problems! www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Whitebait species at risk from declining state of waterways
A new freshwater fish report has found 28 percent of species are facing extinction and 32 percent are at risk of becoming threatened.
www.rnz.co.nz
November 28, 2025 at 6:51 PM
The most maddening thing about this is that restoring inanga spawning habitat is really easy. Like, the easiest, fastest results I've seen in any project. We've got to stop monitoring towards extinction and actually start spending money on fixing the problems! www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...
Reposted by Siobhan Leachman
We have improved our links with the Allmaps project, so that any of our maps can be freely, collaboratively georeferenced and then brought back into our Georeferenced Maps viewer 🗺️
Learn more > maps.nls.uk/view/help/
#Georeference #MapMonday #Maps
Learn more > maps.nls.uk/view/help/
#Georeference #MapMonday #Maps
October 6, 2025 at 8:01 AM
We have improved our links with the Allmaps project, so that any of our maps can be freely, collaboratively georeferenced and then brought back into our Georeferenced Maps viewer 🗺️
Learn more > maps.nls.uk/view/help/
#Georeference #MapMonday #Maps
Learn more > maps.nls.uk/view/help/
#Georeference #MapMonday #Maps
Reposted by Siobhan Leachman
We're excited to share that University of Otago Wikimedian in Residence, Dr Tamsin Braisher (@thneed.bsky.social), will be continuing her placement in 2026! 🎓
Since mid-2025, Tamsin has been building a bridge between university staff, students, and researchers, and the world of Wikipedia ⬇️
Since mid-2025, Tamsin has been building a bridge between university staff, students, and researchers, and the world of Wikipedia ⬇️
Otago University’s Wikipedian in Residence sets sights on 2026
Official website of the non-profit charitable New Zealand affiliate of the Wikimedia Foundation.
www.wikimedia.nz
November 26, 2025 at 9:54 PM
We're excited to share that University of Otago Wikimedian in Residence, Dr Tamsin Braisher (@thneed.bsky.social), will be continuing her placement in 2026! 🎓
Since mid-2025, Tamsin has been building a bridge between university staff, students, and researchers, and the world of Wikipedia ⬇️
Since mid-2025, Tamsin has been building a bridge between university staff, students, and researchers, and the world of Wikipedia ⬇️
Reposted by Siobhan Leachman
Adding content to Wikimedia platforms is a high-impact, low-cost strategy to reach the global readership of Wikipedia. We’ve helped organisations bring Aotearoa New Zealand’s collections and stories to the world, and we're looking to take things further in 2026/27.
Please share. Call closes 23 Jan.
Please share. Call closes 23 Jan.
Partner with us in 2026–27
Official website of the non-profit charitable New Zealand affiliate of the Wikimedia Foundation.
www.wikimedia.nz
November 27, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Adding content to Wikimedia platforms is a high-impact, low-cost strategy to reach the global readership of Wikipedia. We’ve helped organisations bring Aotearoa New Zealand’s collections and stories to the world, and we're looking to take things further in 2026/27.
Please share. Call closes 23 Jan.
Please share. Call closes 23 Jan.
Reposted by Siobhan Leachman
We were very saddened to find out about Don Lafontaine's passing.
He had a stellar career in lepidopterology and was deeply involved in our journal's development as editor and author.
He will be missed.
zookeys.pensoft.net/news/1031
He had a stellar career in lepidopterology and was deeply involved in our journal's development as editor and author.
He will be missed.
zookeys.pensoft.net/news/1031
Canadian lepidopterologist J Donald Lafontaine passed away
Renowned Canadian lepidopterologist J Donald Lafontaine passed away on 20 November 2025.After decades of collaboration with the Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids, and Nematodes in Ott...
zookeys.pensoft.net
November 25, 2025 at 10:29 AM
We were very saddened to find out about Don Lafontaine's passing.
He had a stellar career in lepidopterology and was deeply involved in our journal's development as editor and author.
He will be missed.
zookeys.pensoft.net/news/1031
He had a stellar career in lepidopterology and was deeply involved in our journal's development as editor and author.
He will be missed.
zookeys.pensoft.net/news/1031
Reposted by Siobhan Leachman
Yesterday Sir Peter Gluckman at a speech to the MacDiarmid Institute symposium used the merger of CRIs as an example of removing redundancies in NZ science. I guess these are the redundancies he meant.
Ongoing erosion of public research capabilities in Aotearoa. When orgs are forced to restructure like this without $ to pay for it, this is what happens. Very curious to know what the new management structure is and how much it costs in salaries...
#NZPOL
#NZPOL
Bioeconomy Science Institute to ask for voluntary redundancies
CEO Mark Piper said the proposed voluntary redundancy offer was part of a financial improvement process to support the new organisation.
www.rnz.co.nz
November 27, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Yesterday Sir Peter Gluckman at a speech to the MacDiarmid Institute symposium used the merger of CRIs as an example of removing redundancies in NZ science. I guess these are the redundancies he meant.
Another document I've created to support new #Wikidata editors. This one deals with how to manually create a #taxon item doi.org/10.5281/zeno...
Creating a new Wikidata taxon item
A document aimed at beginner Wikidata editors outlining how to manually create a new Wikidata item for a taxon.
doi.org
November 27, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Another document I've created to support new #Wikidata editors. This one deals with how to manually create a #taxon item doi.org/10.5281/zeno...
Reposted by Siobhan Leachman
My book Ghosts Behind Glass: Encountering Extinction in Museums came out this month!
I’m so happy with how gorgeous it is in full color with 90 photos.
press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/bo...
I’m so happy with how gorgeous it is in full color with 90 photos.
press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/bo...
November 27, 2025 at 5:37 AM
My book Ghosts Behind Glass: Encountering Extinction in Museums came out this month!
I’m so happy with how gorgeous it is in full color with 90 photos.
press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/bo...
I’m so happy with how gorgeous it is in full color with 90 photos.
press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/bo...
Reposted by Siobhan Leachman
Stolen off @darienfenton.bsky.social FB
National are in line to produce the worst economic returns for a Govt term, even worse than the Bolger/Richardson disastrous govt.
Austerity does not work. End of. #NZPol
National are in line to produce the worst economic returns for a Govt term, even worse than the Bolger/Richardson disastrous govt.
Austerity does not work. End of. #NZPol
November 27, 2025 at 3:55 AM
Stolen off @darienfenton.bsky.social FB
National are in line to produce the worst economic returns for a Govt term, even worse than the Bolger/Richardson disastrous govt.
Austerity does not work. End of. #NZPol
National are in line to produce the worst economic returns for a Govt term, even worse than the Bolger/Richardson disastrous govt.
Austerity does not work. End of. #NZPol
Reposted by Siobhan Leachman
Reminder for those on and near to Waiheke Island — Wikipedian at Large Dr Mike Dickison will be visiting this weekend to run a couple of great events. Details here: www.wikimedia.nz/waiheke-work...
Anyway I’m in Auckland for the next five days: presenting on Wikipedia at the MacDiarmid Institute’s symposium at the Uni, and giving a public talk and Sunday workshop on Waiheke Island in the weekend.
November 26, 2025 at 2:47 AM
Reminder for those on and near to Waiheke Island — Wikipedian at Large Dr Mike Dickison will be visiting this weekend to run a couple of great events. Details here: www.wikimedia.nz/waiheke-work...
Reposted by Siobhan Leachman
#librarians #Wikidata #Wikipedia if a library uses Primo VE software then there's a linked data feature they can turn on based on Wikidata. I did an explainer video to show people what it looks like. Lemme know if you see it in the wild! www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S4u...
Wikidata in library catalogues: Introduction to the Primo VE linked data feature
YouTube video by Dr Thneed
www.youtube.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:39 AM
#librarians #Wikidata #Wikipedia if a library uses Primo VE software then there's a linked data feature they can turn on based on Wikidata. I did an explainer video to show people what it looks like. Lemme know if you see it in the wild! www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S4u...
Reposted by Siobhan Leachman
Anyway I’m in Auckland for the next five days: presenting on Wikipedia at the MacDiarmid Institute’s symposium at the Uni, and giving a public talk and Sunday workshop on Waiheke Island in the weekend.
November 25, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Anyway I’m in Auckland for the next five days: presenting on Wikipedia at the MacDiarmid Institute’s symposium at the Uni, and giving a public talk and Sunday workshop on Waiheke Island in the weekend.