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owlice.bsky.social
owlice
@owlice.bsky.social
170 followers 60 following 290 posts
Trained in med sciences, worked in IT, retired into astronomy, now faculty at R1 uni and still astonished at that.
Dark skies, travel, music, wildlife, research software & transparency.
Sometimes I take pictures.
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owlice.bsky.social
🦉🪶 #birds

Not the first time a bird has looked at me this way...

Cedar Waxwing
Houghton, MI
This Cedar Waxwing is perched on a small vertical tree branch; it is turned toward the photograph with its head cocked to one side, seeming to indicate disapproval or disbelief. Its feathers are floofed. Its crested head, face, and bib are a buffy light brown; its tummy is a light lemon yellow, as is its vent. The bird has a black mask and grey wings; the tips of its secondary flight feathers look as though they have been carefully dipped in red wax. The legs and feet are dark grey/blackish, and its tail, only a tiny bit of which is visible, has a yellow terminal band.
July 9, 2025 at 4:22 PM
owlice.bsky.social
#birds 🦉🪶
Least Bittern Houghton, Michigan, US August 2022 Small bittern perched between reeds, one foot clinging on reeds to its right, and the other foot clinging to reeds on its left. Its body is facing the viewer; its head is turned to the left of the image so we see only one of its bright yellow eyes. Little Bittern Mérida, Spain November 2024 Small bittern perched in nearly the same position as the previous Least Bittern: perched between reeds, one foot clinging on reeds to its right, and the other foot clinging to reeds on its left. Its body is also facing the viewer but its head is turned to the right of the image rather than to the left as in the previous observation. It is difficult to see its yellow-orange eye because the bird was quite far away and the photographer is not very good.
June 15, 2025 at 8:57 PM
owlice.bsky.social
Bitterns be bitterns where'er they be
No matter what kind, never easy to see

#birds 🦉🪶
American Bittern Bombay Hook, Delaware, US November, 2013 Bittern standing in a marsh, neck outstretched and beak raised; he is facing to the left in this image, so we see only his left side. American Bittern Padre Island, Texas, US February 2022 This bittern is standing in a body of water, in a marshy area with reeds, in the same position as the previous bittern. Least Bittern Houghton, Michigan, US August 2022 This small bittern is in almost the same position as the previous two but is perched on reeds, so we can see its feet, and is angled a bit more towards the viewer.
June 15, 2025 at 8:57 PM
owlice.bsky.social
Protesting yesterday--seeing & being with so many others who are not OK with the US's dive into fascism--was good for my soul. Small town, most of the protesting was done on a (packed!) pedestrian overpass; responses from those driving under the overpass were overwhelmingly positive. Yay!!
One side of my double-sided sign. It is handwritten black text on yellow posterboard. The sign says Dump the racist fascist indicted misogynist Tramp! Dump Trump is in large letters. The other side of my sign was a dark blue posterboard with two printed sheets of 8"x11" paper taped to it. One sheet has a black background and has No Kings in America in block text. Under the block text are drawings of six hands of different skin tones, each one holding a heart, with each heart representing a different ideal, such as peace (peace sign), support for LGBTQIA+ (rainbow flag), the US (US flag), and woman's rights (Venus glyph). The other sheet is white with black printing. The printed black text is "Every sitting Republican is complicit in the destruction of America." There is a negative space image of Trump's face in the upper right quadrant of the paper. I usually take photos of the crowds when I participate in a protest, but given that I live in a mostly minority community, I took no photos of people. I did take pictures of a few signs, however. This image is of one gentleman's sign that had four rows of white text on a blue background, and under the last line of text, an American flag. The text reads: DEC 7, 1941 SEP 11, 2001 JAN 6, 2021 NEVER FORGET This last image is of a sign that made me laugh out loud and then wish I'd thought of it! The background is white; there are two lines of black text on the sign, and a graphic between them. The first line of text reads YES QUEENS; the second line reads NO KINGS. The graphic is of a vertical clenched fist with long tapered fingernails; its color is a rainbow gradient going from red to indigo.
June 15, 2025 at 9:54 AM
owlice.bsky.social
Four #birds from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
🦉
A banded Song Sparrow is perched on a small stick. The bird is facing to the right and is backlit by the sun, making the feathers along most of the perimeter of the bird glow. There's a bit of sunlit spider web trailing from one of the bird's tail feathers. A Blue Jay sits perched on a short brown stick that is branched off from a longer stick that runs vertically from the bottom to top of the photo. The Jay's body is facing the camera and its head is turned to its right (our left), so the bird is looking directly at the camera with its left eye. The background is all blue sky, making the photo quite simple and spare: only a few sticks and the perched bird. A male American Redstart is on a thick horizontal branch partially adorned with lichen. The bird is facing to our left, so we have a side view of it, and looks slightly apprehensive. A male Cape May Warbler in breeding plumage is perched in a cherry tree in bloom. The bird's body faces to our right, but the bird's head is looking directly into the camera so we see his full face -- his black cap, yellow face, and orange cheek spots -- above his black-streaked yellow chest and tummy.
May 29, 2025 at 3:18 PM
owlice.bsky.social
This Ring-billed Gull has a question and a comment about your behavior last night...

#birds 🦉
May 29, 2025 at 2:55 PM
owlice.bsky.social
Four more #birds

🦉🪶
African Barred Owlet Great Horned Owl Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl Verreaux's Eagle-Owl showing off its pink eyelids
February 13, 2025 at 11:10 AM
owlice.bsky.social
Not late, because every day should be a Superb Owl day!

Four #birds

🦉🪶
Black-and-white Owl Little Owl European Eagle-Owl Sleepy Eastern Screech-Owl in a tree cavity
February 13, 2025 at 11:10 AM
owlice.bsky.social
Not just Mocks and Maggies think so... also pigeons, bee-eaters, starlings... etc...
Disapproving Feral Pigeon disapproves Florida March, 2022 Disappointed Little Bee-eater definitely disapproves Kenya May, 2023 Disappointed and disapproving Rüppell's Starling awaits my apology, and it had better be a good one. Kenya May, 2023
January 10, 2025 at 4:56 PM
owlice.bsky.social
Four local #birds

I walked around a nearby lake some days ago -- before the snow came (so cold!!) -- and saw a few things. Here are four of them.

🦉🪶
Great Blue Heron hunched up against the cold. The bird is facing to the right, its feathers floofed. It is staring at the water. This Northern Mockingbird is perched in a tree facing to the left but looking back at the photographer, doing what mockingbirds do: mocking. The bird sits in judgment; the human has been found wanting. We don't see the flotilla of (mostly) Hooded Mergansers this Ring-billed Gull is in, but they are there. The seagull is facing to the left; its primaries are ruffled by the strong wind at its back. Something has splashed down near the seagull, as we see drops of water above the bird's dark tail. A sole female Hooded Merganser smiles for the camera; she is very pretty in a very understated way. Her color palette is soft greys and browns, with just a touch of white tipping a few of her wing feathers and a warm orange on the lower mandible.
January 9, 2025 at 8:16 PM
owlice.bsky.social
Walked on the C&O Canal Towpath with a couple of friends on Wednesday on New Year's Day and saw a few birds; here are four of them.
Ducks are so beautiful, and this Gadwall is no exception! The bird faces to our left, so we see only his left side. His very finely patterned feathers can be seen in this close photo; they are exquisite! A Carolina Wren made its presence known by its loud calling. It is perched on a small branch; we see its right side. Its beak is partly open and the strong wind has ruffled its feathers. The expression on this Great Blue Heron's face makes it clear that one should not mess with this bird! It's standing on the shore of the canal on fallen leaves with its body facing the camera, head pointing to its left and staring sternly at the photographer with one eye. American Widgeons, one male, one female, dabble for food in the canal. They are swimming to the left. Such pretty ducks!
January 4, 2025 at 7:18 PM
owlice.bsky.social
‎⁨This pic came up in my memories today; I took it five years ago today at Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve⁩ in ⁨Honolulu.

I did not travel again, except alone, car-camping, fully self-sufficient, for a long time after this.

Western Cattle-Egret

🦉🪶
A head-on photo of a Western Cattle-Egret; it is looking down slightly, so is not making eye contact with the photographer. Both of its yellow eyes are visible. The background is completely black, as there was a shadowed cave opening behind the bird; the bird is white with a yellow beak. It has a patch of light tan with reddish overtones on its crown, and there is a slight wash of the same color on the bird's chest. Its head feathers are standing up, and some longer tufts are sticking up and to the bird's left side, too. The bird looks a little dazed and bed-heady, as though it has just awakened and stood up. The photo is portrait-like, as it shows only the top half or so of the Cattle-Egret.
January 3, 2025 at 6:24 PM
owlice.bsky.social
Yup; these borbs visited in 2020.
January 2, 2025 at 4:14 PM
owlice.bsky.social
Once you see the dog's face on a duck's bill, it's hard to unsee it!

Mallards
Riley's Lock, C&O Canal Towpath, MD

🦉🪶

#ducks
Male Mallard facing the camera; he has a very green head, narrow white neckband, rufous chest, and light brown everything-else-that's-visible. Well, orange legs, too. His bill is yellow except for the nares and the nail at its tip, which appear black. This makes his bill look like a dog's face. This can be seen on other ducks, too, but it's very obvious on mallards. Woof! A lovely female Mallard facing the camera at a slight angle; we see her left side. Her beautiful feathers, each one a miniature work of art, are tan and brown. Her bill is yellow with some black on it, and the nares and the nail at its tip are also black. Her bill looks like a dog's face. This can be seen on other ducks, too, but it's very obvious on mallards. Woof plus encore!
January 2, 2025 at 4:06 PM
owlice.bsky.social
Four backyard #birds

Northern Cardinal
House Finch
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-rumped Warbler
A female Northern Cardinal is perched on the back of a metal chair on a snowy December day. She is showing us her left side; she looks cold and resigned to the winter's weather. Though she looks cold, her colors are warm, with her red beak and eyebrow and the soft sunset orange on her chest fading into a buffy pale yellowish tummy. Her crest, wings, and barely visible tail are tinged with red, and her sides, cheeks, head, and back are a lovely orangey light brown. Hers is a subtle beauty, remarkable when one really looks at her. A House Finch perched on patio furniture has his body facing the camera, but his head is turned so we see only his dark right eye. He has a grey beak and slight brownish eye stripe. He is red just above the eye stripe and beak, has greyish-brown cheeks, and a red throat, neck, and chest. The red chest fades into a mostly buffy tummy with brown stripes. A male Red-bellied Woodpecker clings to a tree snag, his black-and-white-striped back to us, his right wing, which is black with white spots, spread out. We see his right eye, which is red. His red cap and nape are raised, and he appears to be a bit wet and is definitely ruffled. A Yellow-rumped Warbler is perched on a bare broken branch. He has a black mask and white throat, yellow wing patches, and a yellow tummy. He has two cascades of black spots that start at his neck and split, as though they are two ends of a scarf falling to either side of his chest.
December 20, 2024 at 12:28 AM
owlice.bsky.social
Southern Double-collared Sunbird
West Coast National Park, South Africa
August, 2024

🦉
December 6, 2024 at 3:54 PM
owlice.bsky.social
Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate!
(Happy Thursday to those who don't!)
🦉
Run!! RUN!!!!
November 27, 2024 at 10:09 PM
owlice.bsky.social
Little Owl is watching
Extremadura, Spain
🦉
A Little Owl (Athene noctua) peers over a tumble of medium-sized rocks and a bit of dry vegetation. Only the top of its brown-and-white speckled head, white eyebrows, and large yellow eyes are visible. The owl is staring straight into the camera; one might get the impression that the bird has some concerns about or generally disapproves of the person the owl is staring at.
November 21, 2024 at 11:52 PM
owlice.bsky.social
From a couple of days ago, this European Robin in Valletta, Malta

🦉
November 11, 2024 at 10:53 PM
owlice.bsky.social
One #birds
🦉

Spotted Thick-Knee
(Was it something I said...??)
Spotted Thick-Knee, a medium-sized long-legged bird, has a large head, a short stout beak that is yellow at its base and black otherwise, and yellow legs. It has large yellow eyes; overall, it has white, buff, and brown speckled feathers that camouflage it very well. The bird is standing and looking slightly over its right shoulder; its expression is one of ... well, perhaps disgust, or deep skepticism, and the bird may expect either an apology or an explanation.
September 6, 2024 at 10:15 AM
owlice.bsky.social
Four #birds
🦉

Order Coraciiformes includes Rollers, Kingfishers, Bee-eaters, Motmots, and Todies; these are usually colorful, mostly Old World birds; additional info: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coracii...

Turquoise-browed Motmot
White-throated Bee-Eater
Lilac-breasted Roller
African Pygmy-Kingfisher
This Motmot is perched on a tree branch that obscures the bird's belly; it is facing somewhat to the right. This pretty bird is partly shaded, but sun illuminates and highlights the turquoise brow, which is in fluff-mode here, black eye and black and rufous eye strip, the thin turquoise stripe under the eye, and just a bit of the turquoise-bordered black patch on the throat and chest. This racket-tailed bird has a rufous back and belly, a light olive chest, and blue flight feathers. The upper side of the tail are also blue. The bird's right eye is looking directly into the camera. This bird is perched on a small branch, just a stick, really, and is facing mostly to the left, so we see its whole left side. Its head is turned a bit so we can easily see its black beak, black eye stripe and crown, white throat, and the black neckband under its throat. Its eyes are red. The bird's slender body and its wings are mostly green, pale green below and a stronger green above. Its wingtips and tail have some blue on them, though, and even a bit of yellowy-olive on the wings. This brightly-multi-colored bird is the common Roller of eastern and southern Africa and is easy to see, as it perches prominently when hunting. It has a lilac throat and neck, a turquoise tummy, and gorgeous wings that are olive, deep radiant azure, and deep turquoise. The head is buffy just above the eyes; the nape is a lovely shining green that fades into olive, and the tail has long black outermost tail streamers. Most people who go on safari in Africa are looking for/at mammals and mostly don't care about birds, but this is one that will catch their attention, especially if they see it flying, because it is so colorful and so beautiful. Such a tiny shiny!! This adorable little bird has the typical long beak of a kingfisher. The beak is orange, the throat white, and the chest and tummy are rufous, though in this photo, taken in bright sun, make the tummy look buff-colored. Its crown is speckled dark blue, and its back a lovely dark but bright blue, almost a royal blue, I'd say. It has a very short black-tipped blue tail. The bird is perched on barbed wire with its back to the photograph, but is vogue-ing, given the camera its best over-the-left-shoulder pose while its expression is quite serious.
September 5, 2024 at 10:09 PM
owlice.bsky.social
I wanted to tuck this flying chili pepper under my arm and bring him home!

(Also all the other Red-billed Hornbills I've seen. They are so fun to watch.)
Southern Red-billed Hornbill on a patio; he looks defiant, as though he's thinking, "Yeah, yeah, I AM going to get part of your lunch; you can't stop me." He is mostly black and white with a large red bill, yellow eyes, and a buffy tummy.
September 1, 2024 at 8:52 PM
owlice.bsky.social
Four #birds
🦉

Burchell's Starling
Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill
Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird
Southern Chinspot Batis

South Africa
This Burchell's Starling is perched with its back to the camera and its right side visible to the photographer. It is a shiny medium-sized bird, and shows a lovely iridescent blue-green-purple head, chest, tummy, and back in the sun. It has dark barring on its wings and long tail. The crown is also blue-green, but the face of the bird appears black, as does its eye and beak. It's gorgeous; what a bird!! omg, these birds! I love hornbills, especially the flying chili peppers and flying bananas; they are adorable. This flying banana, a Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill, is a medium-sized black-and-white bird, and feeds on the ground. It has a long tail and long eyelashes fringing its bright yellow eyes, and a large curved yellow bill with a bit of black and reddish trim at its tip and base. It has a white belly, grey lightly striated neck and chest, and black back plumage with white spots and stripes. It looks serious, but in the cutest way possible. Tinkerbirds are small barbets with better color coordination. This Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird is perched facing to the right of the photo and has a green berry or seed in its black beak. Its head is black and white striped, with a black mask through its dark eye and a white stripe above; the throat and upper chest is usually white, but shows pale yellow here, as does its tummy. The upper and wings are black and yellow. These are handsome little birds. Small black, white, grey, and rufous bird perched in profile on a branch; she is facing to the left of the photo. She looks as though she might have a Napoleon complex; definitely a boss bird. She has a black beak, grey crown, black mask, yellow eyes, and a white collar. She sports a rufous (or chestnut) chinspot and narrow bib on her white neck and chest. Her wings are black and grey and have a prominent white stripe. Adult males do not have the chinspot and narrow bib.
September 1, 2024 at 1:50 PM
owlice.bsky.social
Saw a dinosaur plop down yesterday and forage while sitting
🦉
Two Helmeted Guineafowl, one sitting in a gravel road foraging and the other standing behind it. The butt feathers of another are protruding into the photo in the top right corner.
August 17, 2024 at 2:29 PM
owlice.bsky.social
Four #birds
🦉

White-chested Magpie-Jay
Blue Jay
Mexican Jay
Pied Crow
August 15, 2024 at 7:53 AM