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Shayna Marchese

@shaynamarchese.com
156 followers 238 following 204 posts

photos & comics, birds & nature she/her shaynamarchese.com

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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 26/09/2026
Agreed! It’s so welcome to hear anything good about beach nesters...
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 26/09/2026
Went to Barnegat Light on Monday, saw some birds… www.shaynamarchese.com/barnegat-lig...
shaynamarchese.com
Barnegat Light, NJ | September, 2026
I’m not sure I’ve ever been to Barnegat Light State Park in September… it’s heavily visited in winter by birders hoping to see “weird ducks” and that’s mostly when I’ve been there (trying not…
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 18/09/2026
Hudsonian Godwits (and shorebirds in general) in this week's @newyorker.com www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
newyorker.com
The Incredible Journey of a Migratory Shorebird
Godwits make the longest non-stop migration in the bird world. That might be the least of the shorebirds’ marvels. Can they survive a changing planet?
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 30/08/2026
Luminescent Panellus (Panellus stipticus), Morris County, NJ #mushrooms #bioluminescent
A group of Luminescent Panellus (Panellus stipticus) mushrooms photographed in the dark. Their gills are glowing green.
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 26/08/2026
I always think of them as flying lobsters but air shrimp is great too
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 23/08/2026
Macro mushrooms and friends, Rockaway, NJ #mushrooms #monotropa
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 18/08/2026
from a moth night at Troy Meadows, Parsippany, NJ (held by wildlifepreserves.org) #moths
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 03/08/2026
purple mushrooms, Rockaway, NJ
a purple coral mushroom from the complex Clavaria amethystinaA beautiful purple mushroom called a Viscid Violet Cort (Cortinarius iodes)Some sort of purple mushroom from the Tylopilus genus, which are boletes. This has a very thick stalk and could be a violet gray bolete but I really don't know.
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 26/07/2026
Snoozing Mim #catsky
A small gray cat asleep on a gray fleece blanket with a cat-print pillow behind her. She looks very relaxed
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 10/05/2026
Fleeting looks at birds who like to skulk: Yellow-breasted Chat and White-eyed Vireo #birds
A Yellow-breasted Chat, partially visible in profile through the leaves of a shrub. The bird has a bright yellow throat and a thick white line above its eye with a smaller white line below it. Its head and back are olive-greenish.A White-eyed Vireo perched on a branch. The bird has yellow feathers around its very bright white eye, a yellow wash on its side, two white wingbars, and a gray head and throat.
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 15/03/2026
It's falcon sex season -- we didn't see the male till right before he swooped in and then he was gone in a flash. #PeregrineFalcon #birds
A female Peregrine Falcon perched on a branch looking giant and foreboding. I wouldn't mess with her; would you? She's got some bloody gunk on her bill and she sports leg bands which identify her. She's kind of hunched over and when I took this photo I thought that meant she was getting ready to fly off, but it turns out it meant something else --->Peregrine Falcons having sex: The female (who is larger) leans forward as the male lands on her for a moment for a cloacal kiss. And then it's done!
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 08/03/2026
Spring is here, the plovers are back #PipingPlover #birds
A very round-looking Piping Plover with its head tilted to one side looking cuteA Piping Plover in profile walking across the sand near the ocean; it has orange legs, and orange and black bill, white belly and face, tan/gray back, big black eyes and a black ring around its neck and a black line on its forehead.
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 16/02/2026
Spent some time with cool winter visitors: Purple Sandpipers #birds #PurpleSandpiper
A Purple Sandpiper in profile on a large rock with water behind it. The sandpiper's small and round with purplish feathers (they're more of a gray with a bit of a purple sheen to them) and it has orange-yellow legs.A Purple Sandpiper splashing around in a puddle on a rock. A Purple Sandpiper standing with the sun at its side looking at the camera. Here some of its feathers look more purple than gray, sort of.
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 09/02/2026
p.21-24 #hourlycomicsday #hourlycomicday #hcd
A black-and-white drawing of a White-throaded Sparrow with its head turned just slightly to one side. It looks cute. The text reads: 4:00pm: Sue sends me photos of some yard sparrows.A black-and-white drawing of three cats eagerly awaiting a meal. The cow-cat (Astrid) says "mrr"; Mim stands on her hind legs; Milo (the tabby) is "mroow"ing. The text reads: 5:00pm: Dinner for the cats... A black-and-white drawing of a man and woman sitting at a table with bowls in front of them. A cat has popped up and the woman's shooing him off, saying "Milo, NO." The text reads: 6:00pm: ...followed by dinner for us (cooked by Doug).A black-and-white drawing of a woman with glasses sitting in bed looking at a laptop. The text reads: 7:00pm: the rest of my night's TV & reading. [end]
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 09/02/2026
p.17-20 #hourlycomicsday #hourlycomicday #hcd
A black-and-white drawing of three cat litter boxes; two are flat and one has a dome over the top of it. The text reads: 2. litter boxes; 3 cats --> 3 boxes; * all clean *A black-and-white drawing of a Turkey Vulture flying low over rooftops. The text reads: 1:00pm: I watch a Turkey Vulture fly over the houses.A black-and-white drawing of a woman on a bike trainer; she's wearing headphones and the trainer is making a 'whirr' sound. The text reads: Then ride my bike for a few & shower.A black-and-white drawing of a hand holding a pencil (the pencil's too big, oh well), drawing the panels of this comic. The text reads: 3:00pm: Doug's drawing botanical stuff with a ruler and I'm doing... this.
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 09/02/2026
Here's the second half of my hourly comics... (p.13-16) #hourlycomicsday #hourlycomicday #hcd
A black-and-white panel showing a browser folder list; all the folders have a bunch of items and all take up at least a few GB of space. The text reads: 10:00am: Back home. I have old unsorted photos I try to cull...A black-and-white drawing of a woman in glasses frowning, thinking to herself "Why did I never do this? This is so annoying; these photos all suck."A black-and-white drawing of a place setting for two; each plate has a poorly-drawn half-burrito and some lumps that I assure you are supposed to be plantains. The text reads: 12:00pm: Lunch: leftover takeout burritos & plantainsA black-and-white drawing of two buckets; there's a hand siphon in one with the hose going into the other. The text reads: Followed by chores. 1. Clean out rock tumbling stuff from the basement sink. One bucket is labeled as slurry water.
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 08/02/2026
p. 9-12 #hourlycomicsday #hourlycomicday #hcd
A black-and-white drawing of the back of a man as he walks through a big-box hardware store. The text reads: 8:00am: the hardware storeA black-and-white drawing of of a person wearing glasses at a coffee shop, asking for a name to go with the order they just took. The text reads: 9:00am: more coffeeA black-and-white drawing of the edge of a frozen reservoir that's covered in snow. Animal tracks dot their way across the surface. The text reads: Then a quick, cold stop at the reservoir, which is mostly frozen.A black-and-white drawing of a rock with a lot of dotted lines leading up to and around it. The text reads: a rock sticking out has a ton of tracks to it -- what's the draw?
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 08/02/2026
p.5-8 #hourlycomicsday #hourlycomicday #hcd
A black-and-white drawing of a French press with two mugs; one of the mugs is filled with coffee. The text reads: & coffee for the humans.A black-and-white drawing of a man holding a book in his lap; he's sitting at a table with a laptop in front of him and a small cat perched next to it. The text reads: 6:00am: Doug gets up and makes a shopping list.A black-and-white drawing of a hand holding a phone. The screen says it's 6:26 and that it's 0° out; feels like -18°; hi: 15°; lo: 0°. The text reads: Temperature check: it's cold.A black-and-white drawing of a Wegmans. The text reads: 7:00am: the grocery store
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 08/02/2026
I definitely won't post them all today but here are some hourly comics... (of course they start with cats; every day starts with cats) #hourlycomicsday #hourlycomicday #hcd
A black panel with handwritten words saying: hourly comics / February 2, 2026A black-and-white drawing of a woman in bed with a large tabby cat leaning on her. The cat is licking and kneading her neck. Her eyes are scrunched closed. The accompanying text reads: 3:00am: Milo wakes me up with slobber.A black-and-white drawing of two cats sleeping. One is small and curled up into a ball and the other is larger and more of a long loaf. The text reads: 4:00am: Everyone goes back to sleep.A black-and-white drawing of three cats, all eating from separate bowls in a line. There are labels under the cats: the big tabby says Milo; the little gray cat says Mim, and the cow-cat says Astrid. The text reads: 5:00am: Breakfast for the cats...
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 06/02/2026
It's awful and I'm so glad it didn't really catch on 😅
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 06/02/2026
I've never heard it but: also old. I unfortunately remember the term "phablet" (phone + tablet)
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 26/01/2026
PageMaker here.
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Reposted by Shayna Marchese
Brian Rusnica @neogonzo.bsky.social · 24/01/2026
For yesterday's @cornellbirds.bsky.social #BirdArtWeek2026 theme of #PhotoNotAvailable I wanted to recreate my favorite #BaldEagle image I saw last year (not my photo). Unfortunately for some reason, it isn't available on eBird anymore. Oh well, I hope I got all the little details right. 🪶🦅🖕🧊
A stylized illustration of a majestic adult Bald Eagle flying over a grafitti-marked landscape with bold letters spelling out F U C K I C E.  The illustration recreates a viral photo of the same subject that was posted on eBird in late 2025. A screenshot of an eBird photo of a majestic adult Bald Eagle flying over a grafitti-marked landscape with bold letters spelling F U C K I C E.
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 05/01/2026
Here are a couple I like (why's it so hard to get the horns?). Both taken in Liberty State Park, Jersey City.
A Horned Lark in a brown grassy field in winter. The bird's in profile.A Horned Lark in a snowy field, mostly looking towards the camera. You can see a little hint of a horn on one side.
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 04/01/2026
Weekend birds: Blue Jay and Peregrine Falcon (eating a... pigeon?) #birds
An inquisitive-looking Blue Jay perched on a branch on a gray winter day. Male Peregrine Falcon from a local pair perched on a tree limb on a sunny morning eating a prey item. There's not too much left of it and what can be seen is a pink foot (definitely from a bird) and some whitish-grayish feathers on the leg.
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 29/12/2025
Yeah, so many were floofed up to keep warmer!
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 29/12/2025
Some highlights from the 90th Boonton Christmas Bird Count #birds
A Barred Owl sits on a branch in a snowy tree with its feathers floofed up. We looked at many clumps of leaves and wasp nests before locating this owl, who was tucked in nicely amongst the trees.A Great Blue Heron portrait. This bird was right next to a bridge with a nearly-solid fence blocking the view and my lens was too long to fit more of the bird in.A Bald Eagle perched high in a tree on a snow-covered branch. The eagle is looking down at a flock of Canada Geese (not pictured).A female Belted Kingfisher paused briefly above a small stream. She sits on a snowy branch, looking down at the water.
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 26/12/2025
From this year's Christmas Bird Count (12/14/2025): Our route is usually nearly all cemeteries with no ponds; this year we covered Lincoln Park in Jersey City and got to see more species than usual; here's a juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron hanging out by the edge of a mostly-frozen pond. #birds
A streaky-brown juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron is perched in some phragmites that are covered in snow. The bird has its head turned to the side; its eye is bright orange.A streaky-brown juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron is perched in some phragmites that are covered in snow at the edge of a mostly-frozen pond. The heron is in a typical hunched position where its neck does not look very long at all; Black-crowned Night Herons are often described as "stocky."
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 30/11/2025
I suspect there a lot of new wave weirdos...
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 12/10/2025
Piping Plover, a little after sunrise, Jersey Shore. It's sporting leg bands, which are difficult to see as the bird's floofed up on a chilly morning #birds #shorebirds #PipingPlover
A young Piping Plover hunkers down on the beach in warm early-morning light. The bird's in profile; it has an all-black bill and soft brown coloring. A small shorebird on the beach in profile in early-morning sun. Part of a green leg band is visible. The Piping Plover has a short black bill and soft brown feathers on its upperparts; below it is white. It has orangey-yellow legs.
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 26/09/2025
I really like Tombow Fudenosuke soft tip brush pens (I can usually only find them in a two-pack with a hard tip that I like less).
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Reposted by Shayna Marchese
The Public Domain Review @publicdomainrev.bsky.social · 21/08/2025
Specimens from Phantom Flowers, one of two books published in 1864 on the art of producing skeleton leaves. More in our latest post from @eayers0: publicdomainreview.org/collection/p…
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 18/08/2025
Finally found one that (kind of) fits and is in a vague comfort zone and want to get another? Discontinued.
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 11/08/2025
Ms. Mim of the dining room table
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 02/08/2025
Milo’s too big for cat beds so we got him a dog bed instead #caturday #catsky #catsofbluesky
A large tabby tux cat is zonked out on a colorfully striped dog bed. The cat has long legs, big ears, and looks very peaceful on his throne.
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 02/08/2025
Oooh I love this one!
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 31/07/2025
Seaside Sparrow #birds (Cook's Beach, Cape May County, May 2025)
A Seaside Sparrow perched in reeds, looking to the side. The bird is a drab grayish brown with a bit of yellow in front of its eyes and a brown mustache-like stripe running downwards from its bill, which is large for a sparrow.
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 29/07/2025
It's flying lobster season #HummingbirdClearwingMoth
A green and burgundy hummingbird clearwing moth (Hemaris thysbe) visits bee balm (Monarda fistulosa). The moth looks like a fuzzy flying lobster with long antennae and a curled proboscis.
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 13/07/2025
I had the same feeling about The Overstory.
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 12/07/2025
anyone who did not say Piping Plover is wrong (or Red Knot, or Sanderling, or Ruddy Turnstone, or... )
Three floofy, unbearably cute Piping Plover chicks huddled together on the beach
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Reposted by Shayna Marchese
Doug @douggg.bsky.social · 09/07/2025
Milo appreciation post #Cats #CatsofBluesky #Catsky
A brown and white tabby tux relaxes on a grey blanket. He's looking away from the camera with a happy and maybe slightly smug expression on his face
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 06/07/2025
Bees in the bee balm (Monarda fistulosa) #nativeplants
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 02/07/2025
In-progress rock tumble; a soothing break from *everything else*
An arrangement of many small smooth rocks on a black background; the rocks are mostly reddish-salmon or gray in color
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 21/06/2025
Crested Caracaras, Sarasota County, FL #birds #CrestedCaracara
A juvenile Crested Caracara walking on the ground. They're large falcons with big legs (for all the walking). The juvenile has bare pink skin around its face and a light blue bill.The same juvenile Crested Caracara, perched on a fence.An adult Crested Caracara perched on a rock by the side of a road. The adult has orange skin around the face instead of the pink of the juvenile.The adult Crested Caracara, still standing on the same rock, as the juvenile swoops in off to the side. The juvenile's blurry.
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 17/06/2025
In case you need yet another reason to hate AI nonsense:
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Reposted by Shayna Marchese
Rebecca Heisman @rheisman.bsky.social · 16/06/2025
Welp, I did it, I wrote a piece for @therevelator.org on the proposed funding cuts to the Bird Banding Lab & Breeding Bird Survey and what they would mean for bird research & conservation in the U.S. Definitely a different sort of writing than I usually do. 🪶 therevelator.org/trump-vs-bir...
therevelator.org
Trump vs. Birds: Proposed Budget Eliminates Critical Research Programs • The Revelator
Experts say there’s “no substitute” for the Bird Banding Laboratory or the Breeding Bird Survey, which help reveal the health and status of avian populations across the country.
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 16/06/2025
The artwork’s by the wonderful @pigeonpost.cafe
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 15/06/2025
I’ve yet to find any at a farmer’s market but I tried it and enjoyed it at West Farm Nursery in NJ. I have several growing in the yard now but it’ll be several more years before we can hope for any fruit!
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 15/06/2025
Gulf coast shells and other beach finds from Captiva, FL
An assortment of colorful shells. I don't know the names of all of them but the assortment includes Atlantic calico scallops, turkey wing ark clam, and cat's paw.An assortment of colorful shells. I don't know the names of all of them but the assortment includes giant heart cockle, yellow cockle, slipper shell, and calico clam. There are a couple rock-like things too.
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Shayna Marchese @shaynamarchese.com · 13/06/2025
Well this hit hard already but I've just learned that Douglas McCarthy was a birder: "Dad and I were twitchers, I had my Young Ornithologists Club enamel badge, and we would get up super early, go out, cut samphire on the mudflats of Canvey Island, and go home."
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