🦆 Alee Vestal-Laborde M.S.
@thewaterbirds.bsky.social
Loading: PhD Wildlife (sneezing ducks) 🦆 Completed: MS Biochemistry, BS Chickenology 🐓 #TeamBird 🦩 Book things happening 📚 Traditional artist 🎨 Bird decals and prints @ Etsy/Redbubble 🦜 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheWaterBirds
Pinned
TheWaterBirds | Patreon
bird art
www.patreon.com
Set up a Patreon for the art even though I have no idea what I'm doing. How do other traditional artists use it? I have a tier where I would send a monthly mini print to subscribers. Any other ideas?
www.patreon.com/cw/TheWaterB...
www.patreon.com/cw/TheWaterB...
Reposted by 🦆 Alee Vestal-Laborde M.S.
Me: when I was in grad school, we’d check the links in Google Scholar by reading the papers
My students: ok, grandpa, let’s get you back to bed
My students: ok, grandpa, let’s get you back to bed
December 15, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Me: when I was in grad school, we’d check the links in Google Scholar by reading the papers
My students: ok, grandpa, let’s get you back to bed
My students: ok, grandpa, let’s get you back to bed
Reposted by 🦆 Alee Vestal-Laborde M.S.
"Our reality is being destroyed all around us"
this field biologist does a great job highlighting the insidiousness of AI editing
these one-click AI edit buttons are incredibly appealing to many photographers, amateurs and professionals alike, and are framed as innocuous
this is worth sharing and educating people about
these one-click AI edit buttons are incredibly appealing to many photographers, amateurs and professionals alike, and are framed as innocuous
this is worth sharing and educating people about
December 15, 2025 at 11:18 AM
"Our reality is being destroyed all around us"
Husband requested a pintail for a donation item. Got to get this guy framed.
December 14, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Husband requested a pintail for a donation item. Got to get this guy framed.
Reposted by 🦆 Alee Vestal-Laborde M.S.
The USPS posting a NINE BILLION DOLLAR LOSS!!! sounds terrible. Certainly worse than if you said "USPS costs thirty dollars per person per year" even though that means the same thing and more accurately describes a government service
December 5, 2025 at 1:31 PM
The USPS posting a NINE BILLION DOLLAR LOSS!!! sounds terrible. Certainly worse than if you said "USPS costs thirty dollars per person per year" even though that means the same thing and more accurately describes a government service
Reposted by 🦆 Alee Vestal-Laborde M.S.
they should have a separate color of the year for people who haven’t lost the will to live
December 4, 2025 at 9:14 PM
they should have a separate color of the year for people who haven’t lost the will to live
I love it.
New species of tinamou, the slaty-masked tinamou (Tinamus resonans): mapress.com/zt/article/v... 🪶🧪 (📷Luis A. Morais)
December 2, 2025 at 11:54 PM
I love it.
Is he done? Maybe? I keep piddling.
December 2, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Is he done? Maybe? I keep piddling.
Yay! Love this feed. I paint birds, but mostly waterfowl, as it's my study topic group.
November 30, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Yay! Love this feed. I paint birds, but mostly waterfowl, as it's my study topic group.
I am so happy with this guy. #watercolor
November 28, 2025 at 4:37 PM
I am so happy with this guy. #watercolor
November 26, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Reposted by 🦆 Alee Vestal-Laborde M.S.
Climate change is real.
Conservation and restoration are critical for protecting people, infrastructure, and the economy.
The current regime’s view that conservation is hunting and big energy misses the point. We need marshes, wetlands, and dunes to weather hurricanes and storms.
Conservation and restoration are critical for protecting people, infrastructure, and the economy.
The current regime’s view that conservation is hunting and big energy misses the point. We need marshes, wetlands, and dunes to weather hurricanes and storms.
Coastal and Storm Resilience | Ducks Unlimited
Ducks Unlimited enhances coastal resilience by restoring wetlands and natural buffers, protecting communities from flooding and storm damage while supporting wildlife habitats.
www.ducks.org
November 24, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Climate change is real.
Conservation and restoration are critical for protecting people, infrastructure, and the economy.
The current regime’s view that conservation is hunting and big energy misses the point. We need marshes, wetlands, and dunes to weather hurricanes and storms.
Conservation and restoration are critical for protecting people, infrastructure, and the economy.
The current regime’s view that conservation is hunting and big energy misses the point. We need marshes, wetlands, and dunes to weather hurricanes and storms.
My grandma said that my $20 premium giclee 10x14" art prints were too expensive.
Sooooo I'm doubling down and adding custom framing options to the Etsy shop.
Sooooo I'm doubling down and adding custom framing options to the Etsy shop.
a person is drawing a bird with a pen on a piece of paper
ALT: a person is drawing a bird with a pen on a piece of paper
media.tenor.com
November 23, 2025 at 5:53 PM
My grandma said that my $20 premium giclee 10x14" art prints were too expensive.
Sooooo I'm doubling down and adding custom framing options to the Etsy shop.
Sooooo I'm doubling down and adding custom framing options to the Etsy shop.
Reposted by 🦆 Alee Vestal-Laborde M.S.
My new favorite kind of meme is "here are detailed instructions on how to turn off AI". 🔨
November 19, 2025 at 3:00 PM
My new favorite kind of meme is "here are detailed instructions on how to turn off AI". 🔨
Reposted by 🦆 Alee Vestal-Laborde M.S.
If you ever wonder why your artist friend is so pissed off whenever they see AI slop used instead of real, human-created art, it's exactly what you think:
How is AI *really* impacting jobs?
Henley Chiu, the CTO of Revealera, a jobs data analysis firm, analyzed 180 million jobs listings in 2024 and 2025, in an effort to find out. Chiu found an:
-8% drop in all jobs postings
-~30% drop in art, photography, writing jobs
-22% drop in journalism jobs
Henley Chiu, the CTO of Revealera, a jobs data analysis firm, analyzed 180 million jobs listings in 2024 and 2025, in an effort to find out. Chiu found an:
-8% drop in all jobs postings
-~30% drop in art, photography, writing jobs
-22% drop in journalism jobs
What’s really going on with AI and jobs?
Record-breaking layoff reports, Amazon's mass firings, and a slump in entry level employment. Is AI behind it all?
www.bloodinthemachine.com
November 13, 2025 at 9:31 PM
If you ever wonder why your artist friend is so pissed off whenever they see AI slop used instead of real, human-created art, it's exactly what you think:
Reposted by 🦆 Alee Vestal-Laborde M.S.
ever since I learned about three-cueing I've developed infinitely more patience for replies on social media. mfers literally do not know how to read. people are walking around conjuring random meanings into words they don't know, and they don't know a lot of words. it's crazy
November 11, 2025 at 6:15 PM
ever since I learned about three-cueing I've developed infinitely more patience for replies on social media. mfers literally do not know how to read. people are walking around conjuring random meanings into words they don't know, and they don't know a lot of words. it's crazy
Added a few new waterbirds to the Etsy shop today.
November 11, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Added a few new waterbirds to the Etsy shop today.
If you see this, post your bird art.🪶
November 10, 2025 at 6:58 PM
If you see this, post your bird art.🪶
The irony of the undergrads in my Renewable Natural Resources course becoming entirely dependent upon ChatGPT to study and accomplish any course work. #academia
November 9, 2025 at 6:47 PM
The irony of the undergrads in my Renewable Natural Resources course becoming entirely dependent upon ChatGPT to study and accomplish any course work. #academia
Reposted by 🦆 Alee Vestal-Laborde M.S.
Wikipedia says this shark is listed as "Least Concern", but after seeing that terrifying mouth of teeth I am VERY concerned.
November 8, 2025 at 6:23 AM
Wikipedia says this shark is listed as "Least Concern", but after seeing that terrifying mouth of teeth I am VERY concerned.
Reposted by 🦆 Alee Vestal-Laborde M.S.
I think about this post every day 🧪
November 7, 2025 at 12:15 PM
I think about this post every day 🧪
Just finished up this friend. Trying to get that out of focus background and sharp bird.
November 5, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Just finished up this friend. Trying to get that out of focus background and sharp bird.
I absolutely adore how this guy came out for this month's bird. Watercolor and a touch of white gouache for #birdwhisperer
October 29, 2025 at 11:10 AM
I absolutely adore how this guy came out for this month's bird. Watercolor and a touch of white gouache for #birdwhisperer
Missed out on @birdwhisperers.bsky.social 's 2024 monthly prompts and really wasn't painting from reference photos on my own last year anyway. But I've been working through the 2024 prompts and just finished up with the little dove friend. All traditional watercolor. 🥰 #watercolor
October 28, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Missed out on @birdwhisperers.bsky.social 's 2024 monthly prompts and really wasn't painting from reference photos on my own last year anyway. But I've been working through the 2024 prompts and just finished up with the little dove friend. All traditional watercolor. 🥰 #watercolor
Reposted by 🦆 Alee Vestal-Laborde M.S.
"I DON'T NEED YOU TO FUCKING REWRITE WHAT I'VE JUST WRITTEN!"
October 28, 2025 at 10:46 AM
"I DON'T NEED YOU TO FUCKING REWRITE WHAT I'VE JUST WRITTEN!"
October 28, 2025 at 2:19 AM