owlice

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Four #GreyDay #Birds

Gray-backed Cisticola
Grey-crowned Crane
Grey Heron
Gray Catbird

#BirdOfTheDay

Astronomers Watch in Amazement as 2 Planets Smash Into Each Other Around Nearby Star The collision likely resembles the one that formed the Moon around 4.5 billion years ago.

Theres SO much discovery to be made in “long timescale” astronomy right now!

gizmodo.com/astronomers-...

Beautiful shot!

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These birds have a question and a comment.

Song Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow

Oh my gosh, that's lovely!

Lovely shot. I love pintails; so elegant. Clearly they are on the A list for party invitations.

Pretty pretty pretty!!

Wonderful shot, and now I need a sweater!

A Field Sparrow sits on a slender branch among sunlit green leaves, facing right in warm golden light, its back to the viewer. Its soft gray breast, warm reddish crown, and delicate pink bill glow in the evening sun while the small bird balances lightly with its tail trailing behind, its head turned to its right shoulder so it is looking at the camera, clearly a lady with an attitude.

A Black-throated Sparrow perches on a smooth gray branch, body angled left so we see his chest; he is looking over his left shoulder. The small desert sparrow shows a pale gray face with bold black-and-white stripes and a sharply defined triangular black throat patch above a soft gray belly. Fresh green leaves frame the branch against a softly blurred background. The little bird is a fella that was in the mood.

A Song Sparrow perches on a lichen-dusted branch against a bright blue sky, its brown streaks and central chest spot clearly visible. Facing left with an upright stance and its back to the viewer, the sparrow shows layered feather patterns along its back and tail while pale green lichens decorate the branch beneath its feet. The bird is looking over its left shoulder at the camera, alert and composed. Don’t just stand there, let’s get to it.

A Savannah Sparrow stands atop a pale yellow post beside deep blue water, facing right, tummy and chest visible, with its tail extended behind it. Its finely streaked breast and yellow eyebrow catch the warm sunlight while the background fades into a smooth blue blur. Balanced neatly on the flat perch, the small sparrow on its tiny stage is framed by light and open space. It looks sharply to the left to strike a pose; there’s nothing to it.

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Four #SongBirds #PerfectlyPerched

Field Sparrow
Black-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow

#BirdOfTheDay
#sparrows

Lovely shot!

Excellent! Thanks for sharing it.

The featured image shows a starfield surrounding a nebula that resembles the human brain. A blue outer oval has a bright nebulosity inside. Please see the explanation for more detailed information.

🔭 The Cranium Nebula from the Webb Telescope

Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI; Processing: J. DePasquale (STScI)

ap260309

🚨 Job vacancy!

We are recruiting a Computing Officer for the School of Physics and Astronomy at St Andrews ⚛️🔭

High-Performance Computing is critical to our work on understanding the Universe, including the search for life on other planets. 🪐🧑‍💻🖥️

www.vacancies.st-andrews.ac.uk/Vacancies/W/...

Radcliffe graduation photo of Ellen Dorrit Hoffleit, who is seated and wearing a cap and gown.

Astronomer Ellen Dorrit Hoffleit was born #OTD in 1907. She discovered more than 1,000 new variable stars over the course of her career, worked in the Harvard and Yale observatories, and edited the Bright Star Catalog. 🧪 🔭 👩‍🔬

Image: American Association of Variable Star Observers

Our high yesterday was 86°F.

It's currently snowing.

#weather
#Maryland

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#Birds with their #WingsOpenNotFlying

Eurasian Griffon
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Exceeding wet Black Vulture

#BirdOfTheDay

Looks like he just realized he forgot to put on his shoes. 😄

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Two Scrub Jays for #Corvidae Day

#birds

A Blue Jay perches on a horizontal branch of a flowering dogwood, facing left and showing its back and long tail. The bird’s soft gray-blue back contrasts with bright blue, black, and white barred wings and tail feathers, while its pale face and small crest are visible in profile. Clusters of white dogwood blossoms and fresh green leaves surround the branch, and the background fades into a smooth, softly blurred gray-green.

A Blue Jay sits among a dense cluster of white cherry blossoms, chest to the camera, head facing left; its crest is raised. The bird’s pale gray -- nearly white -- chest and belly contrast with its blue crest, wings, and tail, while a black collar and dark bill mark the face. It is surrounded by white flowers and reddish new leaves, with the overcast yet bright sky softly glowing behind the flowering tree.

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Two Blue Jays for #Corvidae Day

#birdsinblossoms

"Give.me.all.your.snacks."

An American Crow perches on the horizontal bar of a silver metal gate, chest to the camera, head turned to the left in profile. The medium-sized bird is entirely black with slightly ruffled feathers and a stout dark bill, and a small reddish mark is visible near the corner of its beak. Two rounded metal gate posts frame the crow on either side, while the softly blurred background shows pale green vegetation.

A Mexican Jay perches on a tangle of pale, leafless branches, facing right, its front to the viewer and its head turned to the right. It appears to be sizing up the viewer and is likely to pass judgment soon. The medium-sized bird shows soft blue plumage on the head, wings, and tail, with a pale gray throat, chest, and belly. Its sturdy gray bill and dark eyes stand out against the powder-blue head. Sunlight highlights the bird’s smooth feathers while the background of dry branches and woodland is softly blurred.

Close-up of a Green Jay’s head and upper body in side profile, facing left, its colors in strong contrast to the pale gray background. The bird shows a glossy black head and throat bordered by bright cobalt-blue patches around the eye and cheek, with vivid lime-green feathers on the back and shoulder. His stout dark bill and dark eye shine in the sunlight. He would like to know what you think about his proposal.

Two White-necked Ravens fly to the left; they are close together, like military jets in a flight exhibition. The large dark birds show long broad wings with splayed wingtips, and each has a pale patch at the base of the neck that contrasts with the otherwise black plumage. They fly through a clear pale blue sky with no landscape or clouds visible.

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Four #Corvidae #birds for #BirdOfTheDay

American Crow
Mexican Jay
Green Jay
White-necked Ravens

(So many to choose from... !)

A Black-crowned Night Heron rests at the edge of calm water, facing right in close side profile. The stocky bird has a smooth black crown and back, pale gray wings, and a creamy white face and chest. Its bright red eye stands out sharply against the pale head, and a stout dark bill points forward over the water. The heron sits low beside a small gravelly hard surface, with soft blue and green reflections and faint tree shapes mirrored in the water behind it.

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Black-crowned Night Heron

#birds

Lovely shot!

A Black-winged Kite perches upright on a thin bare branch against a soft blue sky, its body facing left and head turned to look somewhat behind it; we see its head in profile. The small raptor shows pale gray and white plumage with bold black patches on the shoulders and wings, a short hooked black bill, and bright orange-red eyes. Its yellow feet grip the branch while its long gray wings and tail taper neatly behind, giving the bird a poised, alert look. Sunlight falls on the bird's wings, face, and feet; its breast and the back of its head are in shadow.

A Brown Thrasher perches on a slender diagonal branch, its body facing the camera, its head looking to the left of the photo. It's slightly floofed up. The bird shows warm rufous-brown upperparts and a pale buff chest boldly marked with dark teardrop-shaped spots. Its bright yellow eye stands out against the softly blurred green foliage in the background, while its long tail hangs below the branch.

A Turkey Vulture perches on a knobby bare branch against a clear blue sky, his whole body facing us, and his wings partly spread, almost as if they are his bathrobe and he is holding it open. The vulture is looking at us with his left eye. The large dark bird shows blackish-brown plumage with some greenish iridescence, pale silvery flight feathers beneath the wings, and a bare red head with a hooked pale bill.

A Ground Woodpecker stands upright on a pale lichen-covered rock, its back to the camera; it is facing left with its long pointed bill angled up. The bird shows a gray head and throat, mottled olive-brown body feathers, and a bright red patch along the folded wing. Its alert eye looks upward, possibly watching another bird above, while the softly blurred warm brown background suggests rocky hillside terrain.

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Four #photogenic #birds

Black-winged Kite
Brown Thrasher
Turkey Vulture
Ground Woodpecker

#BirdoftheDay

A close-up portrait of a Common Ostrich facing the camera. Its long bare neck rises into a fluffy pale crown of feathers, with large brown eyes and long dark eyelashes on either side of its pinkish beak. The bird’s slightly tousled facial feathers and curious expression give it a comical look, while the softly blurred green landscape behind it keeps attention on the ostrich’s expressive face.

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She has style, she has grace
Holy moley, what a face!

(Common Ostrich)

#BirdOfTheDay #photogenic #birds

What a great pic!

Definitely all the birds' fault, as they are all such pretty birds, and sometimes so shiny bright!

(Thank you!)

One of my favorite parks! I love going there.

Lovely capture!

A Malachite Sunbird perches near the top of a small leafy shrub, facing right against a clear pale blue sky. The slender bird gleams metallic emerald green, with darker wings and an extremely long narrow tail extending behind it. Its long, strongly curved black bill points forward as it sits upright among thin branches and small leaves, the bright sunlight highlighting the bird’s iridescent green plumage. What a shiny bird!

A Green Honeycreeper perches on a moss-flecked branch, facing left. The small bird shows bright lime-green plumage with darker green wings and tail, a slender slightly curved bill that is yellow with a black tip, and a vivid red eye. Its body leans forward as if alert; the softly blurred forest background has patches of similarly vibrant green.

Its back to us, a Green-crowned Brilliant perches upright on a thin pale branch, with its head looking to the right. The hummingbird shows iridescent emerald-green plumage across its crown, back, and upper breast, contrasting with darker wings and tail. Its long, straight black bill points forward, and faint white speckling is visible along the throat. The softly blurred background of gray trunks and green foliage contrasts well with the bird’s shimmering green colors.

A Green-winged Pytilia perches on a broken tree branch, facing right. The small finch shows a gray head, coral-pink bill, olive-green wings with a yellowish patch, and finely barred underparts with small white spots on the chest. Its long reddish tail extends behind it, and the softly blurred tan background highlights the bird’s delicate markings and warm colors.

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Four #Green #Birds
Malachite Sunbird
Green Honeycreeper
Green-crowned Brilliant
Green-winged Pytilia

#BirdOfTheDay

A Ruff wades in shallow water, facing right and away from the viewer, its head lowered to probe the mud. The medium-sized shorebird shows intricately patterned brown, buff, and black upperparts, pale underparts, and bright orange legs. Its slender bill touches the water’s surface as it forages among small clumps of vegetation, and the still water reflects the bird’s legs.

A Great Egret stands among floating lily pads in shallow water, facing left with its long neck curved forward. The large white wading bird shows a bright yellow bill, pale eye, and black legs. One leg is lifted with its toes spread near the side of its neck, scratching an itch, while the other leg supports its body. The calm water and scattered green lily pads form a soft background around the bird.

A Northern Jacana wades through shallow water, facing left with one long leg lifted mid-step. The bird shows a dark iridescent green back, rich chestnut body, black head and neck, and a bright yellow bill with a yellow frontal shield. Its extremely long toes spread across the water’s surface near sparse aquatic plants. The blue water reflects light around the bird as it searches the shallows.

A Long-billed Dowitcher stands in shallow water, preening with its long straight bill tucked into the feathers along its back. The medium-sized shorebird shows mottled brown and gray plumage and pale legs. Its reflection appears clearly in the still blue water beneath it, creating a near mirror image of the bird.

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Four #birds #StandingInWater

Ruff
Great Egret
Northern Jacana
Long-billed Dowitcher