Mourning Dove (Zenaida Macroura), Taken March 21, 2025, In Georgia, US

Brave Squirrel...

Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos), taken March 9, 2025, in Georgia, US

I haven't been out in a few days, so have this month-old mockingbird lol. There's something about the composition of this photo that is just really nice. I love the lighting, and the way the mockingbird kind of blends into the background is visually appealing! This specific pair has made a nest in a tree next to my house, so we may get to see babies at the feeders this spring!

Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus), taken February 18, 2025, in Georgia, US

I spent 15 minutes filming this doofus to catch his takeoff. My arms were numb from holding my camera so still for that long!!! Worth it in the long run though, because large bird takeoffs are absolutely fascinating to me. It's so cool to watch them fall and catch themselves!

society has ingrained in all of us that bugs are bad and evil and scary and they Bite You for no reason and Sting You For Fun and I would like to challenge every single person that reads this to try to step back and challenge those thoughts. CHALLENGE that knee-jerk reaction to kill every bug you see. REALIZE that killing it doesn't have to be the answer. it's fine to not want bugs in your home. but I see so many people whose FIRST choice is to kill it, even though it'd be easy to just cup it and toss it outside. why?

one of the greatest things that got me over my extremely intense arachnophobia was knowledge. learning more about the thing I was afraid of made me realize, "oh, they're just little guys trying to get by too" and I stopped killing every spider I saw.

and it's like. no, that wasp didn't sting you for fun. it stung you because it felt scared or defensive. no, the spider in your shower isn't trying to kill you. spiders need water to live too.

you don't deem a scared dog/cat evil for biting you, do you? then why are we demonizing insects and spiders for feeling scared? they are so, so small and we are so large. they don't know anything about us, they're just trying to live life. they didn't know they built their web in a bad spot. they didn't know they built their nest next to your door. please, show some kindness to these tiny creatures. I understand you can't let infestations happen or wasps build in your walls, but whenever possible, try to put bugs in a cup and take them outside. yes, even wasps. even black widows. if you want tips for safely capturing bugs, I'm always around to ask.

also, to those who say things like, "x bug eats other pest bug, so they're okay" why? why does something have to benefit you to deserve to live? shouldn't all creatures have a chance at life, even if they're ugly, even if they don't benefit you, even if they do something you don't like? what gives you the right to decide to take the life of any animal just because ahhh it looked scary? please. all I ask is you try to be kinder. it's okay to be scared, it's not okay to pointlessly kill things.

Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis), taken April 30, 2025, in Georgia, US

My friend pointed out to me that catbirds have soulless, black eyes, and now I see it every time I look at them. I can't deny that this guy looks like he's committed crimes. Either that or his children that are actively screaming at him as this photo is taken have sucked the soul out of him. Is he telling me that he doesn't care about the horrific things he's done, or is he silently pleading for reprieve from parenthood? I don't think I could help him either way!

the leafhoppers are back 🥰

Erythronerua acuticephala

Erythroneura calycula

Erythroneura infuscata

Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus), taken July 19, 2024, in New Hampshire, US

Looking down at me from above... Though these birds would never get very close, I still find the few pictures I got of them wonderful. This one in particular is very nice! The fact that he perched right in a gap in the branches so he could look at me was pretty fortunate, since it turned into a really cool picture!

Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos), juvenile, taken May 9, 2025, in Georgia, US

A young mockingbird eating like an absolute weirdo from the woodpecker feeder! This newly-independent teen could barely fit on the feeder ledge and kept almost falling off. Apparently the taste was worth it, though, because it kept trying! I can tell this is a juvenile because it's smaller and leaner than its parents, and they also never eat from this feeder due to the inconvenience. They prefer the easy to access barn feeders that are accessible to everyone, but this little guy hasn't figured out the tech yet—or maybe they haven't figured out his!

Jumping Spider (Maevia expansa), female, taken May 8, 2025, in Georgia, US

A curious jumper making her way along a twig! She was not very happy with me but ultimately cooperated enough to get a single good picture. Like the Dimorphic Jumping Spider (Maevia inclemens), this spider's males have two different morphs: a "gray" morph that is gray with black stripes and bright orange palps and a "tufted" morph that is black with white legs and 3 black tufts of hairs above its eyes. The males of the species look nothing alike, which may cause them to be misidentified. This species can be differentiated from M. inclemens by the presence of white patterning on the head of the female and around the eyes of the males. You can also use locality, as they have currently only been found in Georgia and once in Tennessee.

Common Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon), juvenile, taken May 22, 2025, in Georgia, US

My first (and hopefully not last) snake of the year: a tiny watersnake! This guy couldn't have been very old. I would actually guess based on his size that he was very recently born! The little creek I found him in will provide a great place to begin life, full of small fish, salamander larvae, and invertebrates for this baby to eat until he's large enough to eat bigger prey and swim long distances.

Unlike most other snakes, N. sipedon is ovoviviparous, meaning eggs develop and hatch inside the mother before being laid, and the mother gives birth directly to baby snakes! Upon being born, these babies are immediately independent and soon leave the mother, who can give birth to—in extreme cases—up to 30 babies!