Jen Cross
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jencross.bsky.social
Jen Cross
@jencross.bsky.social
53K followers 870 following 11K posts
Engineer by day | Nature & landscape photographer | Birds, bugs, spiders | Friend of animals that scare people | Be decent & kind | she / her | IG heyjencross
📸www.jencrossphoto.com
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jencross.bsky.social
Jen Cross @jencross.bsky.social · Oct 17
Hello new followers! I drag around a camera and take lots of photos. I love learning new techniques and tend to post lots of bugs and birds, but nothing is off limits.

Eastern Bluebird, Hummingbird Clearwing Moth, Glacier National Park landscape, Puffins floating on the ocean
Female Eastern Bluebird sitting on a skinny bare branch with snow flurries flying around. A hummingbird clearwing moth visiting a pink bee balm flower. Big bend overlook at Glacier National Park. Colorful mountain scenery fills the foreground with two huge peeks filling the middle ground. The skies are cloud and the scene is dramatic. Puffins floating in the Bay of Fundy.
Reposted by Jen Cross
astrokatie.com
It’s widely known (and, I think, pretty uncontroversial) that learning requires effort — specifically, if you don’t have to work at getting the knowledge, it won’t stick.

Even if an LLM could be trusted to give you correct information 100% of the time, it would be an inferior method of learning it.
us.theconversation.com The Conversation U.S. @us.theconversation.com · 3d
Relying on ChatGPT to teach you about a topic leaves you with shallower knowledge than Googling and reading about it, according to new research that compared what more than 10,000 people knew after using one method or the other.

Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
November 21, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Reposted by Jen Cross
glengrambo.bsky.social
Hi there!
This giraffe took time out from munching on leaves to check us out for a few seconds. At over 5 meters tall, they eat the leaves that no body else can reach!
Taken in Kruger Park, South Africa
#wildlife
A giraffe peaks at us while surrounded by green leaves. Only its neck and head are showing above the trees.
November 21, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Reposted by Jen Cross
crawlieswithcri.bsky.social
Today may be the day for me to play the lotto!

In 4.5 years I've *seen* two Pacific Wrens in the yard (maybe heard a few more)

Today TWO Pacific Wrens just runnin' all around the place - like right out in the open!

And posing for photos...

Wren 1

#birds #becurious
Photo of a pacific wren standing on a branch that is on the ground, behind the wren are fall big leaf maple leaves. the wren is in profile facing left.
November 20, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Reposted by Jen Cross
secondnaturemb.bsky.social
Polar bear moms are fierce. This mom watched three different males approaching her nap spot, posing a threat to her cub. They retreated with Mom stopping to assess the situation regularly. You can see a pretty serious scar on her face, indicating that she was quick to defend her cubs. #mammals 🌿
A mother polar bear watches intently as her cub wakes up in the snowy willows next to her. A mother and cub run away in the snowy grasses of a dry lake bed. A polar bear mom and cub look back to where they came from in the snowy dry lake bed on the tundra. A mom polar bear and cub stand in a snowy dry lake bed and look off into the distance watching some polar bear males off camera. A light snow floats around them.
November 20, 2025 at 3:21 AM
Reposted by Jen Cross
carolpopegordon.bsky.social
It's #TurtleTuesday so good news - Green Sea Turtles are now off the endangered list are are now classified as "least concern". Here's a few up close shots from our Galapagos trip.
Green sea turtle with glowing colors of orange and green swimming in turquoise water Sea turtle closeup of head and part of the carapace showing white lines on orange areas on head.
November 18, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Reposted by Jen Cross
whysharksmatter.bsky.social
If anyone wants to read literally anything that isn’t this, might I recommend my explainer on the history of sea shanties?

www.southernfriedscience.com/soon-may-the...
November 18, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Reposted by Jen Cross
noncompliantcyborg.bsky.social
It’s baby octopus season 🐙🦑

Saw this little guy last night with the Salish Sea School in Anacortes, WA as part of their free community dock walk I volunteer as an interpreter for.

We can tell it is a giant pacific octopus from the single line of chromatophores on each arm.
Four shots of a baby giant pacific octopus bouncing around
November 15, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Reposted by Jen Cross
alexwild.bsky.social
Screen cap of the xkcd cartoon, "Welcome to the Biology Department. It has been three days since we discovered something existentially horrifying about bugs that makes you question your whole reality."
November 17, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Reposted by Jen Cross
thewildimages.bsky.social
For #BlueSkyMonday

The Wisconsin River

Was partially frozen

But the auroras were

Blazing so very bright

Captured Nov. 11, 2025

#Aurora

#photography #naturephotography #nature #scape #eastcoastkin #landscapephotography #thewildimages
November 17, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Reposted by Jen Cross
crytzerfry.bsky.social
I'm not kidding. This is not photoshopped! Rock #squirrel filled to the BRIM.

"What? Who, me?"
Picture of a rock squirrel on a bird-feeding platform made of a saguaro skeleton that was struck by lightning at our place. He sits to right of a quail seed-block, cheeks CRAMMED to at least 10xs their size. Comical! Blue skies and train trestle in background.
November 17, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Reposted by Jen Cross
onlyveesaz.bsky.social
One of two (!) Prairie Falcons at my local patch yesterday morning… ⛅️ 🪶🌵
Prairie Falcon perched on a snag under gray skies
November 17, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Reposted by Jen Cross
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Something lovely to start the week! 🐙🏺❤️

Ancient clay pots with octopus decoration, made by artisans from Bronze Age Crete some 3,500 years ago!

Heraklion Archaeological Museum 📷 by me

#Archaeology
My photo collage shows four pottery vessels, all a creamy yellow in colour, with black painted decoration depicting underwater sea-life featuring lively stylised octopuses with writhing tentacles (arms), All on display at Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete. Top L - Minoan pithoid storage jar decorated in the “Marine Style” with wide-eyes octopus, argonauts, rocks, and coral. Rounded top tapering down to a narrower base. Short cyclindrical neck flaring out at the mouth with black wavy decoration reminiscent of waves. Loop handles attached to the shoulders of the body. Height 55 cm. From Zakros. 1500-1450 BC Top R - Minoan flask with a rounded body, short cyclindrical neck which flares at the rim, and two small curved handles attached between the top of the spout and the shoulders of the body. Decorated in “Marine Style” which depicts an almost cartoon-like octopus with wide eyes and sucker-lined tentacles which writhe around the vase. Other decorative sea-motifs include sea urchins, seaweed and rocks. Height 27cm. From Palaikastro, 1500-1450 BC Bottom L - alabastron, broad at the base, swelling outwards into a fuller belly before narrowing near the top with a very short cyclindrical neck and a wider flat rimmed mouth. Decorated in “Marine Style” with a wide-eyed octopus among rocks. From Knossos Little Palace, 1450-1370 BC Bottom R - krater with rounded body narrowing at the bottom towards the foot. Wide flaring mouth and rim with black painted wavy decoration, and two sturdy handles attached on each side between the top of the mouth and shoulders of the vessel. Decorated with a central very stylised wide-eyed octopus whose tentacles loop up and down around the body of the pot, 1370-1300 BC
November 17, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Reposted by Jen Cross
mariannedenton.bsky.social
a reach of stream this morning

change your focus
change your life
November 17, 2025 at 2:24 AM
jencross.bsky.social
Pileated Woodpeckers are the largest woodpecker in North America and are nearly the size of a crow. They excavate deep into rotten wood to get at carpenter ant nests and leave behind rectangular holes. This is a female busy looking for food. 🪶
A large black bird with a, black bill, red crest and a white head striped with black through the eye and across the cheek. She is clinging to a dead tree and looking toward with the tree.
November 16, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Reposted by Jen Cross
crawlieswithcri.bsky.social
So. Was standing at my kitchen sink washing my hands when this bald beauty landed in my yard right in front of me at eye level! 👀

Life in the PNW!

Brain was all "Do not move fast to get camera, do NOT MOVE FAST..." Also "Do not rinse soap off hands, just wipe on towel slowly" #birds #becurious
Photograph of a bald eagle sitting in a big leaf maple tree, the large branches and trunk are covered in moss and ferns. the eagle has their back to the camera and their head is turned to the right in profile.
November 13, 2025 at 5:48 PM
jencross.bsky.social
The ash tree forests in PA have been hit hard by emerald ash borers. So, this morning I did some volunteer work planting new trees. I was able to plant 3 black willows and a sycamore tree. 🌿
One of the nature center staff talking about how to properly plant a tree. Using a stick to make sure the tree is at the correct height in its hole. A lone green protective cover marks the spot of a new baby sycamore tree. The new tree is surrounded by dead ash trees.
November 16, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Reposted by Jen Cross
glengrambo.bsky.social
Rollers are a group of birds that get their name from their
dramatic tumbling flight during courtship and territorial displays.
While we did see a bit of those displays, this Lilac-breasted Roller seemed mainly concerned with flashing his fancy colours!
Kruger Park, South Africa
#Birds 🪶
A Lilac-breasted Roller flys in a blue sky. His wings are completely spread and we can see his lilac coloured face and breast. It contrasts with the turquoise blue of his under wings and the black edging on his wings
November 16, 2025 at 1:18 AM
Reposted by Jen Cross
heatherbirds.bsky.social
American Crows locking feet during a mid-air scuffle over the Brooklyn Bridge! #birds #crows #brooklyn
November 15, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Reposted by Jen Cross
enzogiordani.bsky.social
I don’t generally chase rare species but if one lands right next to me, what’s a guy to do? A tara-iti (New Zealand fairy tern) at Omaha this morning. There are less than 40 individuals and only 9 breeding pairs left in the world. 🪶🇳🇿
November 15, 2025 at 9:43 PM
jencross.bsky.social
Some fun with lady Belted Kingfisher today. I found a good spot for them. Thinking about actually dragging a tripod with me next time out. 🪶
A bird with slate blue on the back and a slate blue crest, stout black bill, white collar, and white on the chest with ruddy markings. She is perched in a tree looking to the right. A bird in flight with wings and tail spread. She has a bluish-green crest and stripes on white wings and tail. She is flying upward looking for a perch. A bird bursting out of the water. She has a bluish-green crest, stout black bill, and ruddy markings on her side. Water is exploding off of her wings.
November 15, 2025 at 7:38 PM
jencross.bsky.social
Rare bird alert! Red-necked Grebe that's been hanging around a local lake in Bucks County, PA. #LiferPie for me! 🪶
A water bird with dark gray on the back and cap, a yellow bill, white on the cheeks and chest, and ruddy red on the sides of the neck. It is floating on the surface of a lake.
November 15, 2025 at 7:00 PM
jencross.bsky.social
When you’re out fishing please be responsible and clean up your gear. This stuff is a hazard for wildlife.
A handful of fishing line mixed with leaves. I am holding it in my hand. There is a creek in the background.
November 15, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Reposted by Jen Cross
tetzoo.bsky.social
Mainstream palaeoart often seems lily-white in terms of the diversity of its contributors. But pieces of palaeoart that rank among the -MOST SEEN- works in the entire field were examples of black craftsmanship. This week came news on the passing of Garfield G. Minott (1966-2025)... cont
Garfield Minott at microphone, holding sauropod model. Photo from Simcoe Muskoka Family Connections Black History Month event. Carcharodontosaurus head model by Minott, as used in technical paper by Kent Stevens. Minott Carcharodontosaurus head model from Paul Sereno lab website.
November 15, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Reposted by Jen Cross
glengrambo.bsky.social
An adult Rhinoceros can weigh 5000 lbs, so it’s appropriate that a group of rhinoceroses is called a “crash”. They go where they want.
These White Rhinoceroses were slowly eating their way across the plain. Mom is front and centre and always kept an eye on the “little” baby on the left!
#mammal
Five white rhinoceros are arranged across the grassy plain eating. The baby is on the left and mom is in the center. This is in Kruger National Park, South Africa
November 15, 2025 at 1:08 AM
jencross.bsky.social
Congrats @philtorres.bsky.social and @aaronpomerantz.bsky.social on the paper! I look for these decoy spiders whenever I’m in the rainforest and this is the best example I’ve found. #inverts
Cuyabeno Reserve, Ecuador 2022
A spider web with a trash line through the middle leading up to a larger, spider-ish looking patch at the top.
November 15, 2025 at 12:22 PM