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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 50m

This Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) seemed to enjoy the sunflower seeds it was picking. A good reminder of how omnivorous this species is. #birds #photography #nature

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

California's state bird, the California Quail (Callipepla californica), is native to areas beyond California itself including parts of Oregon Washington, Idaho, Nevada, and Baja California. #birds #California #nature

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

I am really looking forward to The Drake's Beach Sanderlings Bird-a-thon tomorrow and hoping to see migrants like these Long-billed Dowitchers (Limnodromus scolopaceus)! #birding #birdathon #birds

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

I posted this video about an hour ago on my YouTube channel and I am already drawing some fire for it. So, let's see what happens here! #cornelllabofornithology #birding #JaneJoe

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Was on a work trip to Point Reyes yesterday and saw this Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum)! Lousy photo of a fun bird! My first vagrant of the fall. Migration is so on!!! #warbler #fallmigration #bird #rarebird #pointreyes

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

How it started and how it's going. I was one of the original members of the Point Blue Conservation Science youth bird-a-thon team and now I lead the team each year! If you want to support this team with a donation, follow the link in the first comment below! #birding #youth #conservation #nature

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

I have started seeing my first Zonotrichia sparrows of the fall! Both Golden-crowned Sparrows (like this one) and White-crowned Sparrows are making their way south! #fall #migration #birds

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

A tale of two creeks. Take a look at these two photos of two different creeks in the Mattole River watershed. What differences do you notice? #habitat #creek #restoration #conservation #nature

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

This Northern Pacific Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus oreganus) gave a good rattle as I pasted it on a trail in Oregon. A myth to bust: the segments in the tail cannot be used to tell how old a snake is as the older segments break off and new ones grow as the snake does. #snake #mythbusting #Oregon

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Me and a few of the birds I saw in Ashland, Oregon this past week. Photo 1. Me Photo 2. Black-capped Chickadee Photo 3. Lincoln's Sparrow Photo 4. Northern Flicker #birds #photography #ashlandoregon

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Spent yesterday celebrating my 18th anniversary being married to the amazing ladywoodthrush! We hiked through a beautiful forest, saw a Pacific Rattlesnake and Pileated Woodpeckers, then went wine tasting, and ended the day with Japanese food! Happy anniversary, my love! Here's to many more years!

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Check out the greens and purples of this Rhododendron Leafhopper (Graphocephala fennahi)! These insects feed on sap from rhododendrons, and they themselves are eaten by ladybugs, spiders, and other predatory insects. #insect #photography #Oregon

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Hiked the East Aaplegate Ridge Trail in Jackson County, Oregon. Beautiful vistas, really comfortable trail, and interesting biodiversity to see. 10/10 would recommend! #hiking #Oregon #exploring

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

At the Effie Yeaw Nature Center, I watched this Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) doe and her fawn. Mule Deer tend to avoid areas with lots of non-native grasses (20% invasive cover seems to be their threshold) which is another reason why habitat restoration is so important! #nature #deer

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) take a fairly long time to grow up. Adults (1st photo) take 3 to 5 years to reach sexual maturity and develop this full adult plumage from where they start as young birds (2nd photo). #birds #birding #California

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Biodiversity can be subtle. These dragonflies look fairly similar, but upon taking a closer look they are different species! The first is a Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens) and the second is a Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum). Happy Biodiversity Week! #dragonfly #biodiversity #nature

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Edge on view of a passing adult Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis). Western Red-tails just never get old! #hawk #raptor #birds

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Most of the time I see Red-necked Phalaropes (Phalaropus lobatus) they are swimming, often in their characteristic tight foraging spins, so I was really excited to see this one walk right up to me before then taking flight. #bird #beach #nature

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Saw my FOF Western Flycatcher in Berkeley, CA today!

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Happy International Vulture Awareness Day from me and this kettle of Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura)! Vultures are super important parts of ecosystems. They help decompose dead animals and prevent the spread of diseases! #vultures #internationalvultureawarenessday #nature

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

I have had some good fortune with Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias) recently. These are 3 different individuals who I crossed paths with as they hunted along waterways or in fields. #birds #herons #nature

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

I spotted this American Barn Owl (Tyto furcata) as it moved from tree to tree across a small patch of wetlands. #owl #birds #northamerica

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

My YouTube channel is 25 subscribers away from hitting 2,000! Who's interested in helping me out? #nature #science #birds

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

One of the primary foods of Pied-billed Grebes (Podilymbus podiceps) are crayfish as this individual is demonstrating so well! That thick bill is backed by strong jaws to hold and crush their prey. #birds #nature #feeding #photography

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

I visited the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing which the Wildlife Conservation Board (the agency I work for) contributed $20 million. This is one of the largest wildlife crossings in the world and will allow animals to cross 10 lanes of Hwy 101 in safety! #wildlife #crossings #wallisannenberg

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Reel part 2! My project was approved! Another salmon restoration project up and running! #WCB #conservation #salmon

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Meeting day at the Wildlife Conservation Board! These meetings are where projects are presented and funding decisions are made! I'm presenting a ~$2.5 million salmon project, so wish me luck! #WCB #conservation #science #nature #wildlife

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Wildfires have complex impacts. A lot of harm can certainly be done, but many species respond very well to fire. One example are Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) populations that continue to increase even 35 years after a fire! #fire #forests #birds #science

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

The Bold Jumper (Phidippus audax) is one of the most common spiders in North America. It can be identified by the bold white spot on its abdomen. These spiders are diurnal in part because they hunt by sight (they have excellent eyesight). #spider #nature #wildlife

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

White-faced Ibis (Phegadis chihi) populations have been increasing in recent decades with about 7.2 million birds breeding in the USA today, and another 1.3 million breeding in Canada. #birds #nature #NorthAmerica

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

These are Lupine Blue (Plebejus lupini) butterflies. They get their name from their color as their caterpillars feed on plants in the Buckwheat genus, not lupines. #butterfly #nature #insects #NationalPark

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

This Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) was a wonderful modeling subject. But it may have gotten a bit bored given the yawning (3rd photo). That structure sticking up at the root of the tongue is part of the laryngeal mound that helps open and close the windpipe. #birds #science #anatomy #nature

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

California Tortoiseshells emerge and gather in large numbers (sometimes huge numbers!) around Mount Lassen which is where I photographed these drinking from snowmelt and even landing on the snow itself. Learn more from my latest short video (link in the first comment below)! #butterfly #nature

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

California has two widespread species of jay, the Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri), generally preferring conifer forests, and the California Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica), generally found in scrub and oak habitats. #birds #California #nature #ecology

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Had an amazing time co-hosting Nerdy & Birdy Nature Trivia Night at A Seat At The Table Books with Gabrielle and for Friends of Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge! Thanks to everyone who came out and joined the fun! #nature #trivia #elkgrove #ASeatAtTheTable

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Take a close look at what is going on here. This Anna's Hummingbird is stealing nectar from this flower by piercing in from the side instead of entering through the open petals. This means the bird doesn't contact the stamens and pistols and so does not pollinate the flower at all. #birds #nature

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

In Lassen Volcanic National Park, I watched this mother Sooty Grouse (Dendragapus fuliginosus) and her young slowly and carefully make their way through the forest where she could show it the seeds and insects available for food. Their camouflage was amazing! #birds #NationalParks #nature

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Clark's Nutcrackers (Nucifraga columbiana) really focuses on pine seeds for their food, and their crop can hold as many as 150 pine nuts! They also cache the pine nuts to eat later. Uneaten seeds sprout and help to start the next generation of trees! #birds #NationalPark #nature #forests

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Three Sciuridae (the squirrel family) eating. I saw these munching mammals in Lassen Volcanic National Park. They are: 1. Lodgepole Chipmunk 2. Douglas Tree Squirrel 3. Golden-mantled Groundsquirrel Foods: unknown #wildlife #squirrels #nature

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Southern Alligator Lizards (Elgaria multicarinata) are pretty common urban residents that eat a wide variety of prey that humans consider to be pests. I made a short video about them when I found this very cooperative one (link in a comment below). #Lizard #wildlife #nature #science

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

"Hang on, did a Scrub-Jay just fly past my head?" As I watched this female Nuttall's Woodpecker, a California Scrub-Jay photo-bombed the setup. Trust a corvid to want extra attention! #birds #nature #photobomb

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

The wildlife in Mono County was so on point! My morning started with a Sandhill Crane family (photos 1 and 2) and a Brewer's Sparrow foraging in the dawn light (photo 3), and then included quite a lot of Pronghorn such as this male (photo 4)! #nature #photography #wildlife

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

To follow on my last post, these photos are from my morning and day spent in Mono County on the east side of the Sierra. Amazing land! #landscapes #photography #California

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

On a work trip to the eastern Sierra Nevada, I spent a night at a beautiful campground along the West Walker River. Look at this sunset! It was a wonderful spot where I fell asleep to the sounds of Common Nighthawks and Great Horned Owls. #California #nature #camping

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

Common Mergansers (Mergus merganser), like this female I saw on the Silver Fork of the American River, are fish-eaters. They have bills with serrations on the edges which are adaptations to help them grip their prey. #birds #adaptaion #AmericanRiver

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

The state bird of California, the California Quail (Callipepla californica), is fairly common in dry areas such as sagebrush, chaparral, high desert, and foothill habitats. They are also really pretty birds! #birds #California #habitat

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

In the USA, blood is needed every 2 seconds! That's one of the reasons I donate, and this is donation No. 52. #blooddonor #vitalant #donatingbloodsaveslives

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

American Dippers (Cinclus mexicanus) have extra thick layers of feathers (even feathered eyelids) which they need to stay warm as they dive into cold mountain rivers to search for food. #birds #water #nature

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Join me at A Seat At The Table Books on August 13th for a fun nerdy and birdy nature trivia night! #nature #trivianight #elkgrove

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ABirdingNaturalist @abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

The very first bird I ever extracted from a mist net was a Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis). Because of the link to that incredible experience, these birds will always hold a special place in my mind. #birds #nature #memories

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