cadamanteus

joined 2 years ago
MODERATOR OF
[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago

I always go for a druid-type in games (I have a druid of the coast in a 5e game and now a moon druid in BG3) and I too am frustrated that I can't really do spells while Bear. But it's okay, because I am Bear.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Since roadside hawk is an actual species in Latin America, I might stick with calling our red-shouldered hawks by their own common name, even if they do tend to be on the roadside a lot! I was excited for a moment since I hadn't heard of a rare raptor in Florida.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago

I too use peanut oil for cooking nearly everything. So cheap.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 years ago

I wonder if this would work for my feeders, how clever! They're such a menace.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago

Many of my friends are biologists themselves, but not all are as well-verse in birds, so I'm definitely the bird guy there. Or wildlife guy, as in the case of my family. Kinda why I started bird ID and snake ID communities here when I didn't see them (not sure how to link to them on mobile).

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago (2 children)

I like to post pictures to get the community more active, but I'm also down for discussion.

Laat year, I was a teaching assistant for a study abroad course to Honduras. One of our stops was PANACAM, one of the best national parks in the country (I spent about ten days there this year, such a beautiful location). We only had half a day there. The class happened to contain only women, and the day we visited, we learned of the US Supreme Court's decision regarding abortion access. Demoralized, I led a group to a bird tower in the forest in our remaining time. They were largely uninterested in birding, but they were into the more charismatic species. In the span of an hour on that tower, we only recorded ten species, but the experience was quite exceptional. I located three king vultures far in the sky and was able to show them to the students. A dozen or so swallow-tailed kites swooped around the tower. I photographed a dark morph short-tailed hawk with a lizard in its bill across two passes (a publication I'm working on). The students located a keel-billed toucan before I did. And best (for them) of all, a white-nosed coati decided to pop up in the leaves just 20 feet from us.

I love birding, but I really love getting others into it and making cool observations with them. It was a memerable day for sure.

 

As hawk watch locations across North America start hiring and counting migrating raptors, the raptors themselves are gearing up to head wherever. I've had the opportunity to see and photograph a lot of raptors in the past two years. The two common accipiter hawks, the sharp-shinned hawk (or "sharpie") and Cooper's hawk are often mistaken for one another. While the sharpie is usually considerably smaller than the Cooper's, size can be difficult to judge in the field. Sharp-shinned hawks often travel in pairs during migration.

I hope this graphic helps you to visualize some of the differences between these two species.

 

A link to the African Snakebite Institute, a great organization dedicated to snake identification and education in South Africa.

 

Only a favorite because they're so skinny and wiggly, I like showing the blunt-headed tree snake to students because they're just not what people new to snakes think a snake looks like. There are definitely weirder species out there, but the big eyes and shoelace appearance amuse the non-herpers.

Honduras, June 2023

 

I was amazed at how close these birds got. I had given up most hope on locating one (I wasn't sure where local birdfeeders were), but then I found a handful of em at a parking lot up the mountain.

Colorado, USA, May 2022

 

I don't get tired of little ducks like teal. Two cinnamon teal on the left, blue-winged teal drake on the right.

Colorado, USA, May 2022

 

Merlins kinda breed in my area, but you're more likely to find them during migration. I believe we found three on this day.

Pennsylvania, USA, Oct. 2022

 

In the right habitat (a pile of rocks near buildings at somewhat higher, but not quite cloud forest, elevation), the yellow-spotted night lizard can be easily spotted... at night. They have a pretty nice chomp. They always look to be in shed.

Honduras, June 2023

 

Sometimes warblers don't care how close you are. This one was probably ten feet away. They are truly smol, and I like to crop my photos.

Honduras, April 2023

 

This cicada is such a brilliant emerald with gold tints. And they screm.

Honduras, June 2023

 

I was hoping for Erie watersnakes, but this was a nice find anyway. This area is known for having melanistic garters.

May 2022

 

Golden-crowned kinglet

Pennsylvania, January 2022

 

Few warblers retain their breeding plumage into fall. Most warblers transition into a nonbreeding/winter plumage after their young have fledged. Some look kinda close to their breeding plumage, but others look radically different.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago

There is not yet enough content for your sort selection to really matter. I sort by new because at least I'll see more content as stuff is posted throughout the day.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago

Wow, great image! I'm amazed at how similar the Brazilian tanager is to the scarlet tanager despite being in different families.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago

Thanks! 90% luck, 10% skill!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago

My plants are (mostly) loving the sunshine! Plant lights can only do so much.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago

I looked and looked, and I didn't spot any Ross's geese nor overhear other birders gasping at the sight of one. I did scour my images. A few are spotted at Middle Creek (where this event occurs in Pennsylvania) every year, but obviously, they're hit or miss when you have to sort through tens of thousands of individuals that generally all look the same.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago

It loads fine for me on Jerboa and desktop.

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