Natalie Wright, Ph.D.
@coereba.bsky.social
Ornithologist, evolutionary ecologist, morphologist, mom, knitter, reader, lover of bananaquits. she/her 🏳️🌈 Associate Professor of Biology at Kenyon College. wrightlab.org
My Emotional Support Beagle and Lap Puppy takes his jobs very seriously.
My mother in law passed away last night, and this Velcro dog can tell I need extra snuggles. I can’t do anything today without tripping over him.
My mother in law passed away last night, and this Velcro dog can tell I need extra snuggles. I can’t do anything today without tripping over him.
November 9, 2025 at 6:38 PM
My Emotional Support Beagle and Lap Puppy takes his jobs very seriously.
My mother in law passed away last night, and this Velcro dog can tell I need extra snuggles. I can’t do anything today without tripping over him.
My mother in law passed away last night, and this Velcro dog can tell I need extra snuggles. I can’t do anything today without tripping over him.
Today Bandit helped one of my students take an exam, and she told him he is the bestest dog ever & perfect in every way. He is proud of the job he’s doing as the unofficial Emotional Support Beagle* for Kenyon’s Biology Department.
*only 70% actual beagle
*only 70% actual beagle
September 25, 2025 at 12:09 AM
Today Bandit helped one of my students take an exam, and she told him he is the bestest dog ever & perfect in every way. He is proud of the job he’s doing as the unofficial Emotional Support Beagle* for Kenyon’s Biology Department.
*only 70% actual beagle
*only 70% actual beagle
August 30, 2025 at 6:59 PM
All mine this semester have been extra eager and less anxious than in years. I assumed it was my new puppy’s presence in office hours, but maybe it’s part of a bigger shift.
But this goofball really does brighten everyone’s day.
But this goofball really does brighten everyone’s day.
August 30, 2025 at 12:47 PM
All mine this semester have been extra eager and less anxious than in years. I assumed it was my new puppy’s presence in office hours, but maybe it’s part of a bigger shift.
But this goofball really does brighten everyone’s day.
But this goofball really does brighten everyone’s day.
My kid asked for a Minecraft cake for his birthday. I decided making & working with fondant for the first time ever would be fun.
Never. Again. So much work for so little benefit.
The cardamom cake with chocolate buttercream tastes amazing, though.
Never. Again. So much work for so little benefit.
The cardamom cake with chocolate buttercream tastes amazing, though.
August 30, 2025 at 3:03 AM
My kid asked for a Minecraft cake for his birthday. I decided making & working with fondant for the first time ever would be fun.
Never. Again. So much work for so little benefit.
The cardamom cake with chocolate buttercream tastes amazing, though.
Never. Again. So much work for so little benefit.
The cardamom cake with chocolate buttercream tastes amazing, though.
I adopted a rescue puppy whose DNA test results claim is 72% beagle, 19% cattle dog, and 9% other. I’m very afraid he’s going to grow up to be the mutant you’ve described.
August 9, 2025 at 3:12 AM
I adopted a rescue puppy whose DNA test results claim is 72% beagle, 19% cattle dog, and 9% other. I’m very afraid he’s going to grow up to be the mutant you’ve described.
Bandit in the office begging to go outside - “the students aren’t visiting me now, I need exercise, we must got for a walk” - vs. Bandit in the reality of the summer heat - “it’s too hot to walk, Mom. Let’s just lay here forever.”
July 25, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Bandit in the office begging to go outside - “the students aren’t visiting me now, I need exercise, we must got for a walk” - vs. Bandit in the reality of the summer heat - “it’s too hot to walk, Mom. Let’s just lay here forever.”
What fresh hell is this?
July 1, 2025 at 12:19 AM
What fresh hell is this?
Today I am grateful for my neighbor who, upon opening her door to find my 5yo asking if she would babysit 5’s baby mammoth Peaches while we went to the playground, agreed with a straight face and then sent us these photos.
June 29, 2025 at 11:56 PM
Today I am grateful for my neighbor who, upon opening her door to find my 5yo asking if she would babysit 5’s baby mammoth Peaches while we went to the playground, agreed with a straight face and then sent us these photos.
The world is shit right now, but each evening my new puppy Bandit plays all-out until he just cannot chase the toy any longer and collapses exhausted into my lap. We snuggle while he snoozes. And life is good.
June 28, 2025 at 2:02 AM
The world is shit right now, but each evening my new puppy Bandit plays all-out until he just cannot chase the toy any longer and collapses exhausted into my lap. We snuggle while he snoozes. And life is good.
Here’s your reminder that every day, puppies are discovering the joys of rolling in the grass and playing with sticks for the first times in their lives.
My rescue pup Bandit thinks his new life is amazing.
(Bandit was living with a lovely foster family, but too little for outside until recently).
My rescue pup Bandit thinks his new life is amazing.
(Bandit was living with a lovely foster family, but too little for outside until recently).
June 20, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Here’s your reminder that every day, puppies are discovering the joys of rolling in the grass and playing with sticks for the first times in their lives.
My rescue pup Bandit thinks his new life is amazing.
(Bandit was living with a lovely foster family, but too little for outside until recently).
My rescue pup Bandit thinks his new life is amazing.
(Bandit was living with a lovely foster family, but too little for outside until recently).
Meet Bandit. We brought this 8 week old mutt home last night and we’re all in love. He loves his kids already. He didn’t make a peep all night in his crate, but cried when he wasn’t allowed to follow his child throughout the house. We objectively declare he is the Goodest Dog ever.
June 20, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Meet Bandit. We brought this 8 week old mutt home last night and we’re all in love. He loves his kids already. He didn’t make a peep all night in his crate, but cried when he wasn’t allowed to follow his child throughout the house. We objectively declare he is the Goodest Dog ever.
Belated Mother’s Day post: my 4 year-old knows me pretty darn well. Only one of these is actually incorrect.
May 15, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Belated Mother’s Day post: my 4 year-old knows me pretty darn well. Only one of these is actually incorrect.
My husband has much better tolerance for taking goofy Disney Magic photos than my kids do.
April 29, 2025 at 12:40 PM
My husband has much better tolerance for taking goofy Disney Magic photos than my kids do.
My children went to the beach for the first time last weekend, and it brought them so much joy. Their feet hit the sand & they started running & giggling. It was a lovely reminder to me what a beautiful & special world we live in.
April 18, 2025 at 10:52 AM
My children went to the beach for the first time last weekend, and it brought them so much joy. Their feet hit the sand & they started running & giggling. It was a lovely reminder to me what a beautiful & special world we live in.
Took my kids to the beach for the first time in their lives, the same beach I grew up going to regularly. Their feet hit the sand and they started squealing with joy & took off running down the beach. My heart is full.
April 11, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Took my kids to the beach for the first time in their lives, the same beach I grew up going to regularly. Their feet hit the sand and they started squealing with joy & took off running down the beach. My heart is full.
Victory cookies made for the game tonight. Go Gators!! 🐊🧡💙🐊
April 5, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Victory cookies made for the game tonight. Go Gators!! 🐊🧡💙🐊
The dog and haircut in question.
March 29, 2025 at 1:17 AM
The dog and haircut in question.
It’s hard to capture the full glory in a photo.
March 29, 2025 at 1:16 AM
It’s hard to capture the full glory in a photo.
Here’s an example of a healed broken tibitotarsus next to a normal one, in a caracara. I see this sort of thing in shorebirds often, but don’t have an example photograph handy.
February 6, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Here’s an example of a healed broken tibitotarsus next to a normal one, in a caracara. I see this sort of thing in shorebirds often, but don’t have an example photograph handy.
I’m having a hard time focusing on bird morphology today, given the state of the world. But letting the fascists rob me of my work & joy serves only them, not me. So I persist.
February 3, 2025 at 3:28 PM
I’m having a hard time focusing on bird morphology today, given the state of the world. But letting the fascists rob me of my work & joy serves only them, not me. So I persist.
Here’s a photo of the triosseal canal, through which the tendon passes.
January 29, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Here’s a photo of the triosseal canal, through which the tendon passes.
The ends of these bones look weird - rough and kind of unfinished-looking. There’s even a horizontal line near the top (proximal end) of the tibiotarsus. That’s because this bird is a juvenile. Even though it’s basically adult-sized, its bones aren’t fully ossified.
January 22, 2025 at 8:38 PM
The ends of these bones look weird - rough and kind of unfinished-looking. There’s even a horizontal line near the top (proximal end) of the tibiotarsus. That’s because this bird is a juvenile. Even though it’s basically adult-sized, its bones aren’t fully ossified.
But this particular individual’s bones are a little weird. Did anyone notice something off? Check out the proximal ends of the tibiotarsus & tarsometatarsus. 🧪🪶
January 22, 2025 at 8:29 PM
But this particular individual’s bones are a little weird. Did anyone notice something off? Check out the proximal ends of the tibiotarsus & tarsometatarsus. 🧪🪶