iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Captain Doug and I drifted quietly into a cove and discovered a four-year-old bald eagle above us. He saw the humans. He simply had more important things to watch. We never did figure out what. 🦉

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Sad Cake — lesson in imperfection What makes a cake sad? My great-grandmother Granny knew. And Papa Big Jim knew something about sad cakes that has stayed with me for nearly 70 years. Come through the open door with me Sunday morning. 🎧 New Open the Door audio story docellen.substack.com/p/sad-cake

docellen.substack.com

Sad Cake

Lesson in imperfection.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

I was sitting quietly at the boat ramp, as I often do, when I sneezed. Not a great big sneeze. Just one of those quick, sharp little sneezes. I had no idea there was a Great Blue Heron on the far side of this pine tree. Apparently, he had no idea I was there, either. ACHOO. Suddenly, there he was. 🦉

Great Blue Heron suddenly peeking around the trunk of a pine tree, its long neck stretched forward and one bright eye fixed toward the camera.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Obviously — the little things that hold life together. A new Open the Door story, told from wherever I happen to be perched. 🎙️ Listen here: docellen.substack.com/p/obviously

Mint-green promotional graphic for Obviously, an Open the Door audio story by Doc Ellen Tinsley. Text reads, “the little things that hold life together,” “New Story every Sunday,” and “from wherever she is perched.”

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Back to the wild — after a quick bath! An adult Bald Eagle returns home at Jordan Lake following rehabilitation by the Carolina Raptor Center. August 3, 2026.🦉

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

A quiet morning. Bare toes curled over the edge of a porch step. And memories of some of the places those bare feet have taken me. This Sunday’s Open the Door story is Toes — What my bare feet remember. Listen beginning Sunday at 5:00 AM at docellen.substack.com.

Mint-green announcement graphic for the Open the Door audio series. Title: “Toes.” Subtitle: “what my bare feet remember.” A small microphone icon appears above “Open the Door audio series.” The graphic identifies the storyteller as Doc Ellen Tinsley, says there is a new story every Sunday, that the stories will always be free, and gives the address docellen.substack.com.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

Bounce. The whole nest shook. Two young Bald Eagles. One increasingly small nest. This week's Open the Door follows those youngsters from bouncing and branching to that first extraordinary leap into open air. 🎙️ Bald Eagle Bounce — Leap from Nest to Sky🦉 Listen free at: docellen.substack.com

Mint-green promotional graphic for the Open the Door audio series. Title: “Bald Eagle Bounce.” Subtitle: “Leap from Nest to Sky.” A small microphone symbol appears above information about the weekly storytelling series by Doc Ellen Tinsley.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

TWO REHABILITATED BALD EAGLES WILL BE RETURNING TO THE WILD! Rehabilitated by the Carolina Raptor Center, they will be released (weather permitting) 📅 Monday, August 3 🕦 Gates open at 11:30 a.m. 📍 Vista Point Boat Ramp, Jordan Lake 🚫 No drones. Photos shown are mine - NOT the eagles being released.🦉

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

What do a Saturday crossword, a rocking chair, and four generations of family have in common? This week's Open the Door audio story: 1 Down 1 Across. The answer was rocking chair. 🎙️💚 docellen.substack.com

Green announcement graphic for the Open the Door audio series. Title: "1 Down 1 Across." Subtitle: "The answer was rocking chair." The graphic announces a new Sunday audio story by storyteller Doc Ellen Tinsley and notes that all stories are free, with paid subscriptions helping support the series. Substack address: docellen.substack.com.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

Even though nesting season is over, this Great Egret still wears the last of its breeding plumes. Their reddish tint comes from North Carolina's red clay, not the feathers themselves. Long-legged birds often rest on one leg, with the other tucked safely into their feathers. 📍Jordan Lake, NC🦉

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

P Cat is the 7th story in the Open the Door audio series. Sometimes the smallest family members have the biggest opinions about who really owns the house. This morning's story is about one determined cat... and one bathtub. 🎙️ Open the Door on Substack. docellen.substack.com/p/p-cat?r=ac...

Promotional graphic with a turquoise background. At the top is the title "P Cat" above the words, "The bathtub belonged to Dad. P Cat thought otherwise." A microphone icon separates the title from information about the Open the Door audio series by Doc Ellen Tinsley. The graphic notes that a new story is released every Sunday, that the stories are always free, and that paid subscriptions help support the series. The Substack address appears at the bottom.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

It's easy to think Mom Osprey is stretching. She isn't. On a blistering summer day, Mom becomes a living umbrella, spreading her wings to shade the chicks/eggs beneath her. She's panting because she's hot too. Dad sometimes takes over, but Mom is usually the umbrella because she's the larger bird.🦉

An adult female osprey stands over her nest on top of a weathered dead tree, wings spread to shade the chicks beneath her during a hot summer day. Her open beak shows she is panting in the heat.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

An old flour sifter. A lifetime of memories. Today's free Open the Door story is In Momma's Hands. 🎙️ docellen.substack.com

Promotional graphic for Doc Ellen Tinsley's weekly "Open the Door" audio series. The title reads "In Momma's Hands" with the subtitle, "Sometimes well-worn objects hold the biggest stories." The graphic invites readers to a new free audio story available every Sunday at docellen.substack.com.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

I looked at the bald eagle's talons, still carrying the mud from wherever she'd been before she landed. It made me think about us humans and our old saying about having feet of clay. Here I was, watching a bald eagle with feet of mud... but it wasn't her feet I envied. It was her wings.🦉

Adult bald eagle perched on a broken tree trunk, muddy talons wrapped around the wood as it gazes to the left. Fresh green leaves fill the background on an overcast summer day.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

New Sunday story: "Turning the Handle." Sometimes the simplest things deserve a second thought. 🎙️ docellen.substack.com/p/turning-th...

Promotional graphic for Doc Ellen Tinsley's Open the Door audio series featuring the story "Turning the Handle" with the tagline, "Sometimes the simplest things deserve a second thought." Includes the Substack address and notes that new stories are published every Sunday.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

Adult Bald Eagle comes in hot, sticks the landing, and pretends it was graceful all along.🦉

Adult bald eagle bursts above the treetops with wings spread wide and feet beginning to extend, lining up for a landing among dense green pines and hardwoods.

Adult bald eagle descends toward the intended perch with wings raised and talons lowered, making a last-second adjustment in midair as it approaches the branches.

Adult bald eagle reaches the branch with wings still extended, balancing awkwardly among crisscrossing limbs as it completes the landing.

Adult bald eagle stands securely on a large tree branch after landing, wings folded and posture composed within a tangle of pine limbs.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

How do you tell the sky no? Sometimes the answer comes in a small vintage airplane. This week's Open the Door is about a flight I have never forgotten, a moment of turbulence, and the lesson that stayed with me long after the wheels touched the ground. 🎧 New audio story: docellen.substack.com

Promotional cover for Doc Ellen Tinsley's Open the Door audio series. The teal cover features the title "How Do You Tell the Sky No" in large black serif lettering. Below it reads: "A small vintage airplane. A moment of turbulence. A sky I have never forgotten." The lower portion identifies the series, storyteller Doc Ellen Tinsley, notes that a new story is published every Sunday, and includes the address docellen.substack.com.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

The first blooming mimosa I have encountered in decades of photographing Jordan Lake. Although undeniably beautiful, this non-native invasive tree is displacing native vegetation in many parts of the Southeast. It serves as a reminder that not every beautiful thing belongs where we find it.

Soft pink blossoms of a blooming mimosa tree peek above the native forest canopy at Jordan Lake. This was the first blooming mimosa I have encountered in decades of photographing the lake. Although strikingly beautiful, mimosa is a non-native invasive species that spreads into natural habitats.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

I've started a new storytelling project called Open the Door. A new audio story is published every Sunday. Listen free at: docellen.substack.com

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

You may have heard the saying, "Be careful whose toes you step on." This Great Blue Heron seemed completely unconcerned about such advice as it stood on the "toes" formed by the roots of an old tree. What looks like a hazard to some becomes a waterfront perch for a heron. Different perspectives. 🦉

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

These bald eagle chicks will be last to fledge this breeding season at Jordan Lake. 1) two chicks - one to the right is leftover foraging. 2) one of the babies is wapping its wings. 3) it has performed branching - gaining muscle and courage by flapping and jumping up to branches above the nest.🦉

Two juvenile bald eagles standing in a nest high in a pine tree at Jordan Lake, North Carolina. One chick appears to be searching the nest for leftover food.

Juvenile bald eagle above the nest with wings spread wide while practicing flapping and balancing among pine branches.

Juvenile bald eagle perched on a branch above its nest in a pine tree, a behavior known as branching before fledging.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

The Studio Supervisor may be 15 years old, but the sound of a fork touching a breakfast plate still brings him running. Every meal in the studio falls under Grayced's jurisdiction, and tribute must be rendered.🐈

Black-and-white photograph of a tabby cat balancing on a narrow windowsill beside a bookshelf. One front paw is lifted mid-step as he leans forward with an intent expression, appearing to climb toward the photographer. Sunlight from the window highlights the stripes in his coat while books and office furnishings frame the scene, creating the impression of a determined feline making his way through the studio.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

First Nest: Three Jordan Lake eaglets. One made it to dinner first. The other two fledglings are perched nearby looking highly offended. (And yes — all three eaglets really are in this photograph.) 🦉

A distant view of three fledgling bald eagles at a Jordan Lake nest high in a pine tree. One eaglet stands at the nest rim eating while two siblings perch together on a branch to the left, partially hidden among pine needles and cones.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 17/05/2026

Memorial Day — Nature’s Door Is Open For Memorial Day, both of my Etsy galleries are holding a small holiday sale. Fine art prints: docellenimages.etsy.com Digital nature moments: stillnessmoments.etsy.com Whether for your wall, your screen, or simply a few moments with nature — come right on in. 🦉

An adult bald eagle balances on the tip of a long diagonal branch against a pale blue sky. One wing is lifted slightly for balance as the bird looks downward. A large elegant “Doc Ellen Tinsley” watermark overlays part of the branch and open sky.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

First Nest update: ALL 3 bald eagle triplets have fledged! Mom Kate and Dad Bard successfully raised all three chicks to flight. From quiet observation to powerful wingbeats, these youngsters are now meeting the sky at Jordan Lake, NC. 🦉 #BaldEagles #NaturePhotography

Three-image collage of the First Nest bald eagle triplets shortly after fledging. The first image shows the smallest sibling perched high in the nest tree, quietly watching the activity around it. The second image captures another sibling in strong flight with wings fully extended against the sky. The third image shows the final sibling testing the wind and air currents during an early flight attempt. Together, the images celebrate the successful fledging of all three eaglets raised by Mom Kate and Dad Bard.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

Mother’s Day — Where Nature Awaits 🌿 Bluebirds feeding, eagles and ospreys tending their young. Quiet moments of care and connection— here to return to, any day you need them. Doc Ellen’s Images 🦉 www.etsy.com/shop/DocElle...

An adult bluebird stands on a weathered branch, holding an insect in its beak as it feeds a speckled fledgling with its mouth open, set against a soft, blurred natural background.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 25/04/2026

First Nest. All three of the bald eagle TRIPLETS are continuing to grow rapidly. Hint: to see each look for dark football shape, then yellow feet and for a beak. Nature camouflages these youngsters very well. Jordan Lake, NC🦉

Three juvenile bald eagles perch and cluster around a large stick nest high in a pine tree, their dark, bulky bodies blending into the branches and needles. Their shapes are partially hidden among the limbs, with hints of yellow feet and developing beaks visible. Bright green foliage fills the lower right corner, contrasting with the muted greens and browns of the tree canopy.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 12/04/2026

Saturday Siesta. Deadlines exist, but the Studio Supervisor has determined that nap protocols are non-negotiable. If you have been following his supervisory work, he has made his way into the Gallery… where there happens to be a short sale underway. He may be visited here: docellenimages.etsy.com

A striped tabby cat sleeping peacefully in a cushioned bed near a window, bathed in warm afternoon sunlight.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

Heron Point Nest. Bald Eagle Fledglings! Jordan Lake, both juveniles have now fledged and moved about 100 feet from the nest. One pushed farther—lifting off again to try for the point—while the other remained perched, watching. First fledges I’ve observed on Jordan Lake this season.🦉

A juvenile bald eagle, recently fledged, lifts off from a tree near the Heron Point nest at Jordan Lake, wings fully extended as it attempts a longer flight around the point.

A second juvenile bald eagle, also recently fledged, perches in a nearby tree about 100 feet from the Heron Point nest at Jordan Lake, watching as its sibling takes a more adventurous flight.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 22/03/2026

First Nest bald eagle chicks. All three of the TRIPLETS are still here! I was so relieved to find them this morning while cruising with Captain Doug—alive and growing. Look closely… big chick on the left, middle in the center, and the tiniest one tucked on the right. Look for their beaks. 🦉

Three young raptor chicks in a large stick nest high in a pine tree. The chicks are different sizes, arranged like steps from left to right, with the smallest chick partially tucked down on the right side. Sunlight filters through the surrounding green pine branches.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

Supervisor Afternoon Protocol: Maintenance mode activated All systems checked… Toe beans cleaned… Sunbeam fully calibrated. Carry on. —Grayced, Studio8 Supervisor

Grayced, a tabby cat, lifts a paw and licks it while sitting in a bright patch of afternoon sunlight, surrounded by soft blankets with warm light illuminating the fur.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

Storm Prep In my experience responding after natural disasters, the horses that were loose in pasture usually had only minor injuries that could be treated. Regretfully, the horses trapped in collapsed barns were the ones I could not save.🐴🐶🐈 AVMA disaster preparedness www.avma.org/blog/free-gu...

Text announcement about storm preparedness for horses and other animals. It explains that the writer’s experience after tornadoes and hurricanes is that horses loose in pasture usually suffered only minor injuries, while those trapped in collapsed barns could not be saved. The notice encourages horse owners and animal owners to review two veterinary preparedness resources and includes links to the American Quarter Horse Association emergency preparedness page and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) disaster preparedness page.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 08/03/2026

First Nest has TRIPLETS! Mom Kate was feeding a chick when we arrived - see the chick just below her throat area. The other 2 chicks are dark heads above the nest brim (look for their beaks), one of them almost under Kate's tail, the other one to the right of the main tree trunk. Jordan Lake🦉

Adult bald eagle in a large stick nest high in a pine tree at Jordan Lake, North Carolina, leaning forward as it feeds three eaglets hidden low in the nest bowl, with pine branches and needles surrounding the nest.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 22/02/2026

First Nest: 2 bald eagle chicks! They are about 2 weeks old. You can easily see one chick, fluffy white fuzzball with 2 very dark eyes at the rim of the nest. The 2nd chick is harder to see. Look to left of chick at the rim and see a white fuzzy tennis ball under a long horizontal thin branch. 🦉

A bald eagle nest high in a pine tree at Jordan Lake. Two downy white chicks about two weeks old sit among large sticks. One chick is upright at the front rim of the nest with dark eyes visible. The second chick is partially hidden to the left under a thin horizontal branch, appearing as a small white fuzzy ball.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

Grayced the Cat ... Doc Ellen was so sad about not being able to go watch the big eagles because of the very awful weather that I thought I would make myself into a nautilus shell and help her remember days of yore with warm tropical seas.

A brown and black tabby cat curled tightly into a spiral, sleeping in a plush gray blanket, resembling a nautilus shell.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 31/01/2026

Studio assistant, checking in… Yes, it is cold out… but if you hurry, Doc Ellen, to get breakfast made, you’ll warm up — and my tummy will be much happier. Priorities, people. 🐾☕️

Brown tabby cat with green eyes sits indoors in warm light, looking slightly upward with alert ears and prominent white whiskers.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 26/01/2026

Two red-headed woodpeckers holding their home snag through bitter cold. Watching them together makes me hopeful that spring — and courtship — is not far off. Jordan Lake, North Carolina. 🦉

Pair of red-headed woodpeckers perched together on a dead tree snag in winter, their red heads bright against the muted cold landscape.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

I’m grateful to WRAL and Scott Mason, the Tarheel Traveler, for the opportunity to talk about the Jordan Lake Bald Eagles and EagleFest, alongside Elaine Wittry, Natural Resource Specialist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.🦉 The clip is here if you’d like to watch: www.wral.com/video/tar-he...

Male bald eagle (dad) resting in a large stick nest high in a pine tree, surrounded by green pine needles and winter branches.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 22/01/2026

Worth repeating as winter settles in. Warm water matters — for horses, livestock, pets, and wildlife.🦉

Poster about winter hydration for animals, showing a horse being offered warm water and birds in a water bowl, with text advising warm water for horses, livestock, pets, and birds during cold weather.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 18/01/2026

First Nest 2026 — Incubation has started. Dad Bard is settled deep in the nest bowl; look closely and you can see his head in that steady incubation posture. The bright patch at the far right is gull feathers — breakfast clues left on the nest.🦉

Bald eagle in incubation posture, settled low in a large pine nest. Only the top of the head is visible among sticks and pine needles. A scatter of white gull feathers is on the far right edge of the nest.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 07/12/2025

First Nest Bald Eagles: As I was getting journals and itinerary ready for this breeding season, it occurred to me that perhaps you would like to see the changes in the nest itself. The 1st photo was taken in the first breeding season 2011-2012.

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

when I wrote this in 2018, I had no idea at all that seven years later, our country would be even more divided, more fearful, and, regretfully, with very little contentment or peace to be found

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 10/10/2025

Bald eagles keep an eye on their nest all year. This pair will not get into the whole breeding sequence until later in the year. However, parents must guard their nest. As you can see they are very alert… 🦉

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 03/10/2025

What a delightful surprise this afternoon at Jordan Lake: Captain Doug and I found the parents of the Heron Point bald eagle nest sitting side by side ... its about time for this pair to start thinking about the next generation! 🦉

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 28/09/2025

The eagle was intent upon something way up in the sky. The eagle shifted it's glance and perched thinking. Suddenly it exploded almost straight up off of the branch and into the air. Captain Doug and I both said at the same time "I haven't never seen an eagle launch straight up like that". 🦉

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

Oh, but how can it be that this was the last day of summer? Will I still be able to find my favorite sun patch in the kitchen tomorrow?

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 14/09/2025

This bald eagle absolutely ignored Captain Doug and I. I wondered what had her attention. Leaning back, I looked up and up. All I could see was sky and a few clouds. It was obvious, because of her attention heavenward, that there was something that I, mere human, just could not bring into sight. 🦉

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Doc Ellen @docellen.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

Egrets and herons, on their middle toes, have a special edge that acts like a comb. They use this pectinate edge to reach up into the special soft feathers on their chest and gather up some of the extra fine fluff that lingers there. 🦉

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