Stephen Riffle, Ph.D.
LightNews LightNews
banner
eyaspectre.bsky.social
Stephen Riffle, Ph.D.
@eyaspectre.bsky.social
340 followers 190 following 270 posts
Former researcher | Now freelance science writer, 👻 writer, & amateur wildlife 📸 (photos my own) | Fan of grappling. He/Him. 🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍⚧️🖤
Posts Replies Media Videos
eyaspectre.bsky.social
Stuck the landing! 10.0 on execution which will combine with a meager 4.0 on difficulty to give a respectable 14. Not the highest score in this owlympic games, but for a competitor of their age (>1) and with an injury, they should be very proud.
.
.
.
🐡🌿 🌎🪶 San Francisco, CA
📸 300mm, F5.6, 1/1600
A brown and tan great horned owl stands on a minor stump that jets out from an oak tree's trunk where a thick branch once grew. The owl's feet are clearly visible on the tree and its left wing is partially raised in the air, the bird having just landed from flight.
August 6, 2024 at 5:00 PM
eyaspectre.bsky.social
A lucky moment in GGP with this Great Horned Owl. I'm not so familiar with bird injuries, but its right eyebrow ain't looking too good. Anyone seen this before?
.
.
.
🐡🌿 🌎🪶 San Francisco, CA
📸 300mm, F5.6, 1/1600
A great horned owl flys towards the camera, its wings paused midway through an upbeat, splayed out with the white and black feathers backlight by the sun. Its yellow eyes gaze behind the camera. The background is a mottled mixture of oak-tree branches and nebulous green leaves.
August 5, 2024 at 3:19 PM
eyaspectre.bsky.social
A coyote pup, having a roll, roll, roll in z hay
.
.
.
🐡🌿🦊 🌎 Tahoe, CA
📸 300mm, F5.6, 1/1600
A coyote pup is seen laying on its back with its paws in the air and it's tail slightly arched upward. Its face is curled back towards its tail, maw open in a playful attempt to bite the tail.
July 12, 2024 at 4:19 PM
eyaspectre.bsky.social
Pup butt. After meandering away from the group, this one came bounding back into the grass to start stalking up on its littermates (off-camera in the upper left background).
.
.
.
🐡🌿🦊 🌎 Tahoe, CA
📸 300mm, F5.6, 1/1600
Bounding into a field of tall brown and green grass, a coyote pup can be seen with its back to us, its little butt clearly visible as the rest of it disappears into the grass.
July 9, 2024 at 4:15 PM
eyaspectre.bsky.social
Smiles all around as these pups came tumbling out of the tall grass.
.
.
.
🐡🌿🦊 🌎 Tahoe, CA
📸 300mm, F5.6, 1/1600
A close up image of four coyote pups, each looking engaged and playful as they run alongside one another, tongues out and eyes alight with youthful joy. A group of four coyote pups can be seen running in a close pack out from tall grass, their ears perked up and mouths open as they nip and play with one another mid-run. Same general description as the previous picture, however now more of the pups' faces can be seen, tongues out and flopping as they run. The group is now blurry as they begin to tumble and fall into the tall grass.
July 8, 2024 at 4:48 PM
eyaspectre.bsky.social
mischief is a foot (a floof?)
.
.
.
🐡🌿🦊 🌎 Tahoe, CA
📸 300mm, F5.6, 1/1600
A coyote pup's head can be seen poking up out of some tall grass in a meadow of brown and green grass.
July 5, 2024 at 2:44 PM
eyaspectre.bsky.social
A joyful coyote pup zoomie
.
.
.
🐡🌿🦊 🌎 Tahoe, CA
📸 300mm, F5.6, 1/1600
Three coyote pups can be seen in a brightly lit meadow. Two are standing next to each other having just been wrestling. The third is running away from the group towards the lower right corner of the picture, its ears tucked back and mouth open. The running pup seems to be having a great time.
July 3, 2024 at 1:58 PM
eyaspectre.bsky.social
In a stroke of dumb luck, I got to watch a gaggle of coyote pups playing in a meadow while passing through Tahoe. It. Was. Magical lol The pics aren't stellar. But, it'll give you a little preview into the unfettered joy of pups playing in a meadow 😍

🐡🌿🦊 🌎 Tahoe, CA
📸 300mm, F5.6, 1/1600
Three coyote pups stand in a meadow surrounded by tall grasses. Two of the pups are wrestling, one is standing with its head cocked looking back over its shoulder. In the background is an area of dark shaded undergrowth beneath Pine trees.
July 2, 2024 at 4:36 PM
eyaspectre.bsky.social
Hey Ya'll,

Some of you may know that I work as a scientific ghost writer (😎). If you work in science (🧪🔬🌿) and have about 10 minutes, I could use your help with a little informal survey. Please share it far and wide -- a higher N is always better.

Thanks!
www.surveymonkey.com/r/SZ23SQR
Science Stories: What Do You Look For? Survey
Web survey powered by SurveyMonkey.com. Create your own online survey now with SurveyMonkey's expert certified FREE templates.
www.surveymonkey.com
June 18, 2024 at 4:11 PM
eyaspectre.bsky.social
*Thread* 1/3

Sometimes, feeding coyotes isn't obvious or intended. Here, a person was feeding squirrels.

🐡🌿🦊 🌎 San Francisco, CA
📸 300mm, F5.6, 1/250
A pair of coyotes stand blurry in the foreground, their backs to the camera as they look on into the background. There, a man can be seen—partially obscured by the coyote—looking down into his backpack (where an unseen big bag of peanuts sat).
May 24, 2024 at 4:50 PM
eyaspectre.bsky.social
After watching this, I'm pretty sure that death by coyote is FAR better than death by heron.

🐡🌿🦊 🌎🪶 San Francisco, CA
📸 130mm, F5.6, 1/1600
A great blue heron strides through short grass with a limp gopher hanging from its beak.
May 23, 2024 at 6:24 PM
eyaspectre.bsky.social
From out of the shadows, a curious dream, ephemeral in all but memory.

(Resharing this one because why not 🤷‍♂️)

🐡🌿🦊 🌎 San Francisco, CA
📸 130mm, F5.6, 1/1600
A person lays on their back among green grass and white daisies, bathed in one strong beam of sunlight. The person's hands are resting limply above their head, which is propped up on a skateboard and covered by the person's shirt. In the shadowed grass beyond the person, a coyote looks on with curiosity.
May 8, 2024 at 4:07 PM
eyaspectre.bsky.social
Watching curiously as people and dogs walk on the trail below.

🐡🌿🦊 🌎 San Francisco, CA
📸 300mm, F5.6, 1/250
A coyote stands in a tree clearing facing to the left of the picture frame, its ears perked up. Around it are lush green vines and bushes. The picture is framed by golden brown tree trunks on either side of the photo.
May 7, 2024 at 3:38 PM
eyaspectre.bsky.social
Another couple shots from 4/20. I was lucky enough to be in a spot where I could see the coyotes emerge from the bushes and then proceed to cross the road one at a time, first wearily, then at speed. 

🐡🌿🦊 🌎 San Francisco, CA
📸 300mm, F5.6, 1/2000
A coyote stands looking straight off to the right side of the picture frame. In the blurry background are 4 people staring at it, one with a phone raised to take a picture, another with a 3' long bong in one hand and the other raised, pointing at the coyote. A blurry foreground image of a coyote standing and looking towards the background at four people, all staring in awe at the coyote. One person has their phone raised to take a picture, the rest have their hands full carrying picnic items, and one guy—adorned in a Celtics jersey with snowboarding sunglasses on—rests with his weight partially on a ~3' long bong. A coyote runs across the sidewalk as three blurry figures look on in the background.
April 26, 2024 at 4:16 PM
eyaspectre.bsky.social
Sleepy days, what better time to rest among the flowers?

🐡🌿🦊 🌎 San Francisco, CA
📸 300mm, F5.6, 1/160
A coyote lays at the base of two diverging tree trunks. Next to is a bushel of purple flowers blooming out from among deep green leaves. The coyote is yawning.
April 25, 2024 at 3:38 PM
eyaspectre.bsky.social
🧵 On Bold Coyote Behavior:
Lots of reports of a coyote in GGP approaching dogs and people. Last week I saw a few ex of this, one shown in this thread. The coyote had seen a dog and its owner nearby. The coyote reversed course to walk towards the pair.
🐡🌿🦊 🌎 San Francisco, CA
📸 120mm, F5.0, 1/2000
A coyote walks with its head lowered, ears flared to the side, and tail between its legs, intently focused on something off to the right of the camera.
April 24, 2024 at 4:29 PM
eyaspectre.bsky.social
Looking back through old pics and found this one, so thought I'd share it on here: A coyote resting among the oaks.

🐡🌿🦊 🌎 San Francisco, CA
📸 120mm, F5.0, 1/400
A coyote can be seen sitting underneath an oak tree on a hill covered in short green grass. Immediately behind the coyote is a down tree who's branches are a bright white, establishing a contrast with the vibrant colors in the surrounding picture and emphasizing the brownish red of the coyote's fur.
April 23, 2024 at 11:07 PM
Reposted by Stephen Riffle, Ph.D.
franzanth.bsky.social
#InverteFest is here! 24-30 April your local time zone.

Share your invertebrate art.
Plug your merch & services.
Don't forget the hashtag & alt text.
a design showing 17 jellyfish species of various colors and shapes. some look like flying saucers, some obnoxiously long, some look like a mess of tangled tentacles that I can't put into words
April 23, 2024 at 4:14 PM
eyaspectre.bsky.social
Just close your eyes and feel the warm sun hitting you, a gentle contrast to the cool ocean breeze that begs you to pause for just a moment, to feel it.

🐡🌿🦊 🌎 San Francisco, CA 📸
300mm, F5.6, 1/400
A coyote stands in a beam of broken sunlight, its head tilted upwards and nose raised up in the sunbeam. The coyote is surrounded by a dirt trail and tall grasses in the background, with tortuous oak tree branches reaching into the frame.
April 23, 2024 at 4:19 PM
eyaspectre.bsky.social
A belated happy 4/20 from Golden Gate Park.

🐡🌿🦊 🌎 San Francisco, CA
📸 300mm, F5.6, 1/2000
The blurry but distinct form of a coyote walks across the foreground, transitioning from a paved sidewalk onto grass. In the background stands three people—one holding a two foot long bong—each looking at the coyote in stunned amazement.
April 22, 2024 at 3:48 PM
Reposted by Stephen Riffle, Ph.D.
ghostofthesea.bsky.social
While I'm currently working on some gouache, here's an older gouache painting of a grey fox! 🦊

#fox #grayfox #painting #art #gouache #animalart
Photo of a gouache painting of an American gray fox. It's head, shoulders and tail are visible and is looking elegantly to the right. There are light blue speckles of paint around the fox, and a small fake plant is visible in the corner of the photo.
April 19, 2024 at 3:06 PM
eyaspectre.bsky.social
After being caught, the mole must have put up a little bit of a fight b/c the yote suddenly jolted and sent the mole flying. Otherwise unfazed, the coyote trotted over, picked the mole up again, and wasted little time before downing it.

🐡🌿🦊 🌎 San Francisco, CA
📸 300mm, F5.6, 1/2000
A coyote stands on some grass looking towards the lower left of the picture. About midway up the picture and to the right, a mole can be seen soaring through the air, having just been flung by the coyote.
April 19, 2024 at 5:34 PM
eyaspectre.bsky.social
Taking a break while also keeping an eye on a pair of dogs walking nearby. This coyote did some hop scotching between green spaces on a busy weekend morning. Always fascinating to see them navigate their way through people and other obstacles.

🐡🌿🦊 🌎 San Francisco, CA
📸 300mm, F5.6, 1/2000
A coyote sits on a hillside with its front paws firmly on the ground in front of it, propping the coyote up against the slant of the hill. Its head is turned to the side, looking intently at something beyond the left side of the image. It is surrounded by bright green foliage that contrasts with its rusty red-gray coloring.
April 18, 2024 at 4:54 PM
eyaspectre.bsky.social
Alright, now hold your trophy up and smile for the camera!

🐡🌿🦊 🌎 San Francisco, CA
📸 300mm, F5.6, 1/2000
A coyote stands in a patch of light green grass against a background of deep green tree branches. The coyote is looking at the camera, its ears pointed high in the air and a mole dangling from its mouth.
April 17, 2024 at 6:45 PM
eyaspectre.bsky.social
On the hunt for moles. Got to watch this coyote (viewed through the slats of an electric bike charging station) as it successfully tracked, dug up, and rooted out a mole (more pics to come).

🐡🌿🦊 🌎 San Francisco, CA
📸 300mm, F5.6, 1/2000
A coyote walks on lime green grass, its nose lowered to the grass and its rusty red ears pointing prominently up. Gray blurry blocks (bike charging stations) boarder the image.
April 16, 2024 at 4:30 PM