Mary Gemignani
LightNews LightNews
banner
marygemignani.bsky.social
Mary Gemignani
@marygemignani.bsky.social
22K followers 940 following 9.6K posts
Data Professional. Photographer. I try to put birds and all of nature in a good light. 📷

All posts are copyright my own unless noted otherwise.
Posts Replies Media Videos
Pinned
marygemignani.bsky.social
Mary Gemignani @marygemignani.bsky.social · Nov 13
Great Blue Heron.
#birds
A large blue and white bird with yellow eyes and yellow beak stands on a log in a pond. The background of the image is of water lilies in the pond.
marygemignani.bsky.social
Happy #NationalBirdDay! Having Bald Eagle pics for this day is fun. The bird is magnificent, unlike our nation of late. Here's a another youngster that is a little older, maybe 3 yrs old. He has a small fish in his talons.
#birds #BaldEagle
A young Bald Eagle with a small fish in it's talons. The background is a winter scene at the Wisconsin River at a local dam where the birds are fishing. A young Bald Eagle with a small fish in it's talons. The background is a winter sky at the Wisconsin River at a local dam where the birds are fishing.
January 5, 2026 at 11:30 PM
marygemignani.bsky.social
I'll post the other shots of this same bird here to keep them together. He gave so many nice views. Here he is with trees in the background. ... and Happy #NationalBirdDay
#birds #BaldEagle
A very young Bald Eagle flying past a wooded area. Young Bald Eagles have mottled brown plumage that grows into adult plumage, but it takes a very long time, 5 years! This bird has a black beak indicating he is very young and this may be his first winter.
January 5, 2026 at 11:03 PM
marygemignani.bsky.social
Not sure what this will be like, but if you nature journal or are interested in it, there is a free virtual event this week sponsored by the Aldo Leopold Foundation. I hope to attend, to see what it is about. Aldo Leopold Foundation sponsors some nice free events!
events.zoom.us/ev/AlbIvAbaE...
Nature Journaling: How to Reclaim Your Attention & Sense of Place
events.zoom.us
January 4, 2026 at 1:07 AM
marygemignani.bsky.social
To give you a sense of the loc where I go to see the Bald Eagles...There is a juvie Bald Eagle reaching for a fish in shallow waters in front of the dam where the locks are closed. The dam is open on the near side of the rocks and waters are faster. The young one is smart to fish in the calm waters.
A young bald eagle is reaching for a fish in calm shallow waters in front of closed locks at a local dam. On the near side of the rocks in the picture the locks are open and water is poring through the dam dumping water and fish on this side of the dam. The young bird seems to know his limits and chooses the easy waters. He also seemed to be all by himself so using caution was a very smart idea.
January 4, 2026 at 12:36 AM
marygemignani.bsky.social
This juvenile Bald Eagle made my day yesterday giving the best view(s) of the day.
#birds #BaldEagle
Juvenile Bald Eagle in flight. Looks to be a first year youngster with that black beak.
January 4, 2026 at 12:19 AM
marygemignani.bsky.social
My first photo subject of 2026! Went to see some Bald Eagles yesterday. They did not disappoint! This is an adult Bald Eagle in flight.
#birds #BaldEagle #birdoftheday #CaughtInMotion
An adult Bald Eagle in flight looks to it's left while flying above a dam where the fishing is easy. The bird is a large brown bird with a white tail and a white head.
January 4, 2026 at 12:14 AM
Reposted by Mary Gemignani
burrowingowl.bsky.social
Good morning! 🪶
Tall and short burrowing owlets cuddling together at the entrance to their burrow.
January 3, 2026 at 1:00 PM
Reposted by Mary Gemignani
burrowingowl.bsky.social
Good morning! 🪶
Very young, messy baby burrowing owl.
January 1, 2026 at 1:01 PM
marygemignani.bsky.social
Thanks!
January 1, 2026 at 7:05 PM
marygemignani.bsky.social
#BirdonaStick!

Green Heron
#BranchingOut #BirdOfTheDay #birds
Green Heron perched on a broken off branch.
January 1, 2026 at 12:31 AM
marygemignani.bsky.social
Birds, bugs, fish, whatever, Let's see some #NewYearsEveIridescence

#birds #invertebrates #fish

One more since I misspelled #NewYearsEveIridescence .
I don't know if virescent metallic counts as iridescence, but a virescent green metallic bee was fun to see this year.
A small bee, a virescent green metallic bee on a pink flower.
January 1, 2026 at 12:26 AM
marygemignani.bsky.social
Birds, bugs, fish, whatever, Let's see some #NewYearsEverIridescence

#birds #invertebrates #fish
A Common Grackle at pond's edge in the springtime.
January 1, 2026 at 12:09 AM
marygemignani.bsky.social
As 2026 encroaches, I took a walk down my 2025 timeline. I encourage everyone to do so, especially the regular contributors. It's a nice way to recall your work. I so enjoy this circle of photogs here! 2025 was a good year for me and I am looking forward to the same good times birding in 2026!
One of two colts in this Sandhill Crane family. The youngster is standing spreading it's wings in a mowed grass area at a large sports complex.
December 31, 2025 at 8:36 PM
marygemignani.bsky.social
It's very wintery here today so I am calling on an old flower video so we can remember that Spring will be here before we know it. (Trying to make myself feel cozy and warm as I get stuff done inside today)
#flowers
December 29, 2025 at 8:38 PM
marygemignani.bsky.social
Apparently #birdoftheday theme is #birdbutts. I give you the beautiful bustle of the Sandhill Crane.
The Sandhill Crane has a thick bustle of feathers that covers it's butt.
December 29, 2025 at 8:30 PM
marygemignani.bsky.social
These shots were far away, but good action at the fishing hole last weekend. They are in sequence and show how the Bald Eagle controls and manages his catch. Definitely commanding this catch with one talon. It's a privilege to be able to see this during our winter months.
#birds #BadlEagle
A bald eagle right after the moment of a fish catch. Hard to see the fish here, but he is pressing the fish against his tail with one talon and securing a good grip. He is inches above the water of the Wisconsin River. The bald eagle's second move is to grab the fish momentarily with both talons and get the load balanced just right. The fish is nice size. This third picture of the bald eagle shows him grabbing the fish by the head. The last picture shows the bald eagle with the fish in his right talon which is how he flew off with it finding a tree on the shore to enjoy this meal.
December 28, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Reposted by Mary Gemignani
saskajanet.bsky.social
Common Ravens have remarkable neck feathers (“hackles”) that they can raise or lower to punctuate their vocalizations. How I love these amazing creatures! #birds 🌿
Head and shoulders portrait of a huge, black bird.
December 28, 2025 at 12:37 AM
marygemignani.bsky.social
Only photographed 4 dragonfly species in 2025. Tried to document them this year with a collage and get the species correct. I invested in the book in the 2nd post to help with my ID skills and knowledge about these great inverts.
#dragonflies
A collage of the dragonflies that I photographed in 2025. Blue Dasher has blue eyes and bluish abdomen with a yellow and black or brown striped thorax and a white face. The White-faced Meadowhawk has a bright red abdomen with black markings on the side, a dark red thorax and dark cherry eyes with a bold white face. The Eastern Amberwing is a very small dragonfly and is rusty amber on all body parts. The Black Saddlebags is a large dragonfly black on all body parts with clear wings that have large black patches close to the abdomen.
December 27, 2025 at 8:44 PM
marygemignani.bsky.social
My most recent bird image is from last weekend of a Juvenile Bald Eagle in flight with a view from directly underneath the bird.
#BirdOfTheDay #mostrecent #BaldEagle #birds
A young Bald Eagle is soaring above near an energy dam in Wisconsin. He's displaying a full wing and tail spread. His coloring is a patchwork of brown and cream coloring.
December 27, 2025 at 6:03 PM
marygemignani.bsky.social
Here are the rest of the American Kestrel pics from last weekend.
#birds #Kestrel
American Kestrel is perched in a tree showing a side view. American Kestrel is hovering while hunting near a county road. American Kestrel is hovering while hunting near a county road.
December 26, 2025 at 8:42 PM
marygemignani.bsky.social
I saw an American Kestrel last weekend. Great encounter, but came to realize how hard they are to photograph (humbled). They are small and elusive and pretty fast. This one hovered 5 or 6 times hunting. 1st time I saw one hunt. Best pics I managed to get. #birds #Kestrel
The underbelly of an American Kestrel. The bird has beautiful checkerboard patterns black and white under the wing and a striped tail. It has a rusty breast. The head which is not very visible in this pic has functional striping for defense. The bird is mostly grey and rust colored topside. This picture clearly shows the use of the alula feathers while hovering in the middle of the leading edge of the wings. An American Kestrel is perched in a tree branch. It's breast is spotted, white with black spots and a bit of light rust. The face has vertical stripes from the top of the head to the breast. It has a small beak, but make no mistake, it is a carnivore! It was hunting for voles on this day.
December 26, 2025 at 7:32 PM
marygemignani.bsky.social
Sandhill crane flying across a Wisconsin farm field. I'll bet the cranes never forget their migration journeys.... and neither will I. It was a great time spotting and photographing them in the farm fields this year. #birds #SandhillCranes
A Sandhill Crane, a large gray bird is landing in a Wisconsin farm field during Fall migration in the Eastern flyway. The scene is a hillside with barns and tree line in the background.
December 25, 2025 at 8:05 PM
marygemignani.bsky.social
Merry Christmas everyone! This Sandhill Crane pic shouted red and green today, so up it came from the archives! Hoping you have a wonderful Christmas!
A Sandhill Crane portrait of his head and neck and long beak. He has a red skin patch on his forehead and amber eyes. His neck is a little muddy as this was taken during nesting season.
December 25, 2025 at 7:03 PM
marygemignani.bsky.social
Thanks for another great year of #ArtAdventCalendar Jay!
jayispainting.earthskyart.ca JayIsPainting 🍁 @jayispainting.earthskyart.ca · 13d
You can see over 8000 human made images (97% of them with AltText) posted by over 600 #ArtAdventCalendar participants just by clicking or long pressing on the hashtag and selecting See Posts.

I guarantee you it's better for your mental health than whatever else you're looking at on here.
jayispainting.earthskyart.ca JayIsPainting 🍁 @jayispainting.earthskyart.ca · Dec 3
I mean...just look at this. It goes on and on and on.

#ArtAdventCalendar is amazing and you really should check it out.
December 25, 2025 at 6:58 PM
marygemignani.bsky.social
I saw a very photogenic Blue-winged Teal duck this year in June. #ArtAdvntCalndar #Ducks #birds
A very content and happy-looking male Blue-Winged Teal duck is resting on a stump submerged in marsh waters. The duck brown spotted with a dark bill and a white stripe on the face between the eye and the bill. His feet and legs are bright orange.
December 23, 2025 at 6:11 PM