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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 9h

The Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica) has an interesting factoid: their colorful beak plates absorb ultraviolet light and fluoresce under blacklight. #birds #nature #wildlife #biology #animals

In its nest next to some daisies. The Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica) has an interesting factoid: their colorful beak plates absorb ultraviolet light and fluoresce under blacklight.

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 16h

Systemic inequality isn't an accident of design; it's maintained by policy choices. #humor #work #meme #economics #culture #cartoon

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Portland Head Light, a historic lighthouse sitting along the coast of Maine. First lit in 1791, it is one of the oldest active lighthouses in the US with a white stone tower with a red-roofed keeper's quarters. Located in Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. #geography #phhotography #nature

A dramatic coastal scene featuring Portland Head Light, a tall white conical stone lighthouse with a black lantern top, standing on a craggy, sunlit rocky cliff beside a red-roofed keeper's house. The deep blue ocean churns at the base of the rocks below. Above, dark storm clouds split across the sky, revealing brilliant beams of golden sunlight bursting through from behind the tower, illuminating the dramatic sky.

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Smugglers' Notch, a mountain pass in the Green Mountains of Vermont. The road visible through the canopy is Vermont Route 108. #geography #fall #autumn #nature #photography not my personal photo.

This aerial photo captures Smugglers' Notch, a mountain pass in the Green Mountains of Vermont.

The narrow, winding road visible through the canopy is Vermont Route 108 as it cuts through the gorge between Mount Mansfield (on the right) and Spruce Peak (on the left) within Mount Mansfield State Forest. During peak autumn foliage, the dense hardwood forest—dominated by sugar maples—displays brilliant shades of orange, yellow, and red.

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu (Uraeginthus bengalus). Native to tropical Sub-Saharan Africa. He’s likely gathering nest material and not to perform a mating ‘tap dance’ with grass in its mouth. #birds #nature #wildlife #animals

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Spotted Owlet (Athene brama) peering out from a tree trunk cavity.South Asia and parts of Southeast Asia Their eyes are fixed in tubular sockets, they can’t turn their eyes to look around. So they do a frantic head-bobbing and weaving routine when intrigued/alarmed #birds #nature #biology #wildlife

A small Spotted Owlet perches inside a hollowed-out tree trunk. Its big, bright yellow eyes stare forward, surrounded by brown and white facial discs. Speckled brown and white feathers cover its chest. The weathered grey-brown wood frames the bird in a shadowy cave-like nook, contrasting with a soft, blurred green and yellow foliage background.

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Reposted by D. C. Fitzgerald

Misty @purplestarrynight.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Hope this spectacular artsy dahlia brightens up your day today! San Francisco, Golden Gate Park. 🌱 #bloomscrolling #dailyflowers #flowerreport

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Look at this little panda—like a kid in a bear costume, carefully digging out an apple, grabbing it with both paws, then tumbling backward like it just won the jackpot 🍎 #humor #wildlife #nature #animals #biology

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

South American coati (Nasua nasua). Coatis show stark social contrast: females & young form coordinated bands of up to 30 for foraging, grooming and predator defense, while adult males remain solitary. #nature #wildlife #biology

The South American coati (Nasua nasua) is a cat-sized mammal with soft, warm reddish-brown fur, a dark elongated snout, and small rounded ears. Its long, bushy tail features light and dark brown rings, held straight up like a flagpole as it walks. Diurnal and highly active, coatis use sharp claws and a flexible, hog-like nose to root through soil and leaves for fruits, insects, and small animals.

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Reposted by D. C. Fitzgerald

German Society for Mammalian Biology @mammalbiology.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

1/3 Mammal Monday: the Black-backed Jackal! The Black-backed Jackal (𝘓𝘶𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘴 ) is one of Africa’s most adaptable small carnivores. Its name comes from the distinctive dark “saddle” of fur running along its back, contrasting sharply with its brown flanks. 🧪🦊🦤🌍 Photo:©Ulla Lächele

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Blackwater Falls, Blackwater Falls State Park, located in the Allegheny Mountains of Tucker County near Davis, WV.Tucker County sits along the historical Seneca Trail (also known as the Great Island Path), an extensive North-South Indigenous travel and trade corridor. #nature #autumn #landscape

Blackwater Falls in autumn 🍂 Blackwater Falls State Park, located in the Allegheny Mountains of Tucker County near Davis, West Virginia. Tucker County sits along the historical Seneca Trail (also known as the Great Island Path), an extensive North-South Indigenous travel and trade corridor.

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

White Plume Moth (Pterophorus pentadactyla)...gardens, and scrublands across Europe and parts of Asia. Adults are active typically May through August. They're attracted to artificial light. #insects #nature #biology #wildlife

This photo captures a close-up, front-facing view of a White Plume Moth resting on a vivid green leaf. Entirely pure, snowy white, the moth holds its feather-like wings fully spread open, revealing deeply fringed, plume-like edges. Its slender, pale body stands on remarkably long, jointed legs anchored to the leaf's edge, while two thin, delicate antennae sweep backward above bright green eyes.

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Reposted by D. C. Fitzgerald

DrArchivalGenomics @ehekkala.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

🧪🌏❤️👇

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

The green hydra (Hydra viridissima) a Cnidarian famous for its limitless regenerative abilities. Floating nearby are Volvox (green algae), which are not cnidarians & reproduce via daughter colonies. #biology #nature #science #wildlife

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Temperate Rainforest Ecosystem featuring bryophytes (mosses) colonizing a mature vascular host tree (conifer) and its exposed root flares. The moss-covered root system provides a complex habitat (microniche) for soil microfauna, invertebrates, tardigrades & beneficial mycorrhizal. #ecology #nature

This image highlights a dynamic Temperate Rainforest Ecosystem featuring bryophytes (mosses) colonizing a mature vascular host tree (conifer) and its exposed root flares. Biological OverviewEpiphytic Moss Growth: The moss growing along the trunk and root bark functions as an epiphyte—a plant that grows on the surface of another plant for structural support rather than taking nutrients or water from the host tissue. Bryophyte Characteristics: Mosses are non-vascular plants (lacking true xylem and phloem) that absorb water and dissolved nutrients directly through their leaves via osmosis and atmospheric deposition. Host Tree Structural Adaptations: The prominent root flare at the base provides mechanical stability to anchor large trees in shallow, saturated forest soils.

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Sassolungo (Langkofel) mountain group in the Dolomites region of Northern Italy. South Tyrol (Alto Adige) region of northern Italy, rising above Val Gardena (Gröden) and the Sella Pass (Passo Sella). #geography #nature #photo #italy

lush green mountainside. Sassolungo (Langkofel) mountain group in the Dolomites region of Northern Italy. South Tyrol (Alto Adige) region of northern Italy, rising above Val Gardena (Gröden) and the Sella Pass (Passo Sella).

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher (Trochocercuscyanomelas).Native to the forests of sub-Saharan Africa. They’re "flush-pursuit" hunters that actively scare hidden insects into revealing themselves. #birds #nature #biology #wildlife

A small bird perches upright on a rough, tan rockface. It features soft slate-blue plumage across its back and crown, shading into dark slate-gray wing feathers and tail, with a pale grayish-white belly. Its most striking feature is a stark, bright white ring completely encircling a dark eye, paired with a short, neat beak.
Native to dense, shaded forests of eastern and southeastern Africa, the Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher (Trochocercus cyanomelas) is an active insectivore that continuously flits through the understory hunting bugs.

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

A massive sea fan (Gorgonian) coral on a reef. Its flexible, tree-like lattice sways with the currents to maximize filter feeding on plankton while providing crucial habitat and shelter for surrounding marine life. #coral #ocean #diving #biology #nature

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

New Spring & Summer Goods / William Snider. 1855. Woodblock print poster. Everything you need: BONNETS! RIBBONS!! SHAWLS!!! FISH, SALT, LUMBER. #poster #art #vintage #history #culture #humor

1855 advertisement for Snider's store in Virgil, NY. The top features an illustration of a lively town square with a train, store, horsemen, and crowds. Bold text below promotes discounted dry goods, ready-made clothing, bonnets, silks, boots, and shoes. It also lists general country store items like groceries, hardware, paints, fish, and lumber

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus) perching among flowering bottlebrush (Callistemon). Eastern seaboard of Australia. They have a specialized brush-tipped tongued for feeding on nectar/pollen from native flowering trees. #birds #nature #biology #wildlife

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Honey Badger (Mellivora capensis), native to Sub-Saharan Africa, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the Indian subcontinent. Its skin is extremely tough and loose enough to resist bee stings, porcupine quills & dog bites. #wildlife #nature #biology #bees

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Stone-paved hiking trail leading through a mountain valley in the Tatra Mountains (Tatry), located along the border of Poland & Slovakia. The path descends through dense dwarf pine (Kosodrzewina), mountain ash, and mixed subalpine forest, opening up into a glacial trough. #geography #ecology #nature

A stone-paved hiking trail made of flat granite slabs winds downward through a vibrant mountain valley in the Tatra Mountains. Lush green birch trees and low alpine scrub line the path, displaying early hints of autumn gold and rust. In the distance, steep, sunlit evergreen slopes rise toward dramatic, jagged blue mountain peaks under a dynamic sky filled with soft white clouds. Bright daylight illuminates the natural textures of the rugged, serene high-country landscape.

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

www.nbcnews.com/science/envi... It’s pretty rare to discover a new, relatively large mammal, since most newly identified species are small. But this time, researchers found something truly unusual: a new cat species — the first one formally described in about 100 years. #cats #science #nature

nbcnews.com

New wild cat species is identified for first time in 100 years, researchers say

A type of tiger cat, the animal is slender, spotted and smaller than a house cat. It lives in the Bolivian cloud forest.

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

At twilight, three African elephants emerge through crimson dust, their rhythmic footsteps crossing the arid plain. Reflected in still water, their silhouettes glow against distant mountains—a timeless portrait of wilderness. Visual: Daniel Kordan. #nature #wildlife #africa #conservation

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus). Adult monarchs feed on nectar from a variety of flowers, including milkweed, thistles, and fruit juices (such as the sliced 🍉 watermelon). #biology #nature #butterfly #wildlife #photo

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Sand cat (Felis margarita), the desert’s elusive specialist. Perfectly suited for arid dunes, it featuring large heat-radiating ears, fur-padded paws to navigate scorching sand and striking facial markings #cats #wildlife #biology #nature

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Yakushima Rhododendron (Rhododendron yakushimanum).Yakushima Island, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. #flowers #plants #geography #nature #photo

Yakushima Rhododendron (Rhododendron yakushimanum) shrub in full bloom.

Flowers: Dense, dome-like clusters of bell-shaped flowers display a natural color gradient. Unopened buds at the center are a deep, saturated rose-pink with ribbed, velvety textures. As the petals unfurl, they soften into delicate pale pink, fading to near-pure white at full maturity. Fine, subtle speckled flecks line the interior throats of the white blossoms, anchored by slender pinkish stamens.

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Gila Woodpecker (Melanerpes uropygialis) approaching its nest in a Saguaro Cactus.Gilas excavate nest cavities in living saguaros, prompting the cactus to secrete resinous sap.This hardens into a waterproof "saguaro boot" sealing the wound against rot and water loss #birds #ecology #nature #wildlife

Gila Woodpecker (Melanerpes uropygialis) approaching its nest in a Saguaro Cactus (Carnegiea gigantea). Gilas excavate nest cavities in living saguaros, prompting the cactus to secrete resinous sap. This hardens into a waterproof "saguaro boot" that seals the wound against rot and water loss.

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Sunlit forest trail through mixed conifer woodland typical of the Dolomites (Northern Italy),with mature Norway spruces (Picea abies), silver firs (Abies alba), and European larches (Larix decidua). #geography #nature #trail #hiking #photo

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Bladder wrack (Fucus vesiculosus) found in the North Atlantic, but I’ve seen a lot of it in the mid Atlantic coast.

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Reposted by D. C. Fitzgerald

Lyn Heideman @heidelyn.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

IN DEFENSE OF ANIMALS has more information plus a sample script if you want to call your legislators or a letter (in right column) you can personalize and they'll send for you: www.idausa.org/campaign/wil.... Tell your legislators you never want another animal to suffer like mountain lion #P-22! 🌎

idausa.org

Wild Animals Are Dying Horrific Deaths on Roadways

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Breeding male- note the red fleshy frontal shield extending above the bill-Watercock (Gallicrex cinerea). South & East Asia. The flared wings of someone who intends to demand a full refund & speak directly to the manager of the swamp about the lack of grasshoppers. #birds #nature #biology #wildlife

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

An ocean quahog (Arctica islandica) nicknamed "Ming" was dredged off Iceland in 2006. By counting its annual shell growth rings (sclerochronology), researchers confirmed it was born ~ 1499 and had lived 507 years before being harvested. The real Ming measured only 8.6 cm across. #science #biology

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

The Defense Department has never received a clean department-wide audit. In FY2024 it reported more than $4.1 trillion in assets, while auditors still couldn’t obtain enough evidence to verify major portions of its financial statements.

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Yellow dahlia and hoverflies (family Syrphidae). The flies use Batesian mimicry (bright black-and-yellow abdominal striping) to imitate stinging wasps and deter potential predators. #flowers #biology #wildlife #ecology #nature

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Reposted by D. C. Fitzgerald

Sierra Magazine @sierramagazine.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

For decades, turtle sightings were rare. “If you saw a turtle, you saw its ass as it was fleeing away from you with the greatest of fear,” said one researcher. Now, thanks to his decades-long work, surfers regularly spot turtles coming up for air, and snorkelers see them feeding on algae. 🌎

sierraclub.org

The Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle Is Making a Comeback

How locals and conservationists are helping the honu resurgence

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

I’d guess a male Magellanic Woodpecker (Campephilus magellanicus), but the alt text says it’s native range is Asia rather than South America. If I could see if it has a white belly that would help.

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D. C. Fitzgerald @dcfitzgerald.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Female Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), resting on a submerged log. #birds #ducks #photography #nature #wildlife

Vertical photograph of six female Mallards lined up single-file diagonally across dark water. The ducks feature mottled brown feathers, yellowish bills, and subtle iridescent blue wing patches bordered in white. Several ducks have their heads turned back, preening or resting their bills against their shoulders. Ripple reflections curve through the murky green-gray water around them.

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