This is so cool! And a wonderful photo! I love corvids.

I'm excited because a second adult #bluebird has now appeared in my yard! It appears to be a male, though less brilliantly blue than (single) Dad BB. He did a little wing-fluttering in Dad's direction, so I wonder if he's one of his offspring from last season. Maybe he will help feed the chicks?!

Wow!

I'm sorry.

They had to leave most of their possessions, getting the kids to and from school became a huge challenge (which we managed because I was at home with the kids and could help), and of course her life became even more of a living hell as his threats ramped up. Very few women have that kind of option.

Yes. There's no "just" about it. My sister left her (second) abusive husband, but that was possible because she had somewhere for herself, her kids and their pets to go (they moved in with my family). But even with that, it was so hard.

It bothers me too. This person has apparently taken this same bird skydiving and other adventures that no parakeet would ever encounter in a normal life. It seems like pure anthropomorphism of the bird. I don't think it's OK.

(This is the nestbox in my yard, not the one on public land that had to be moved due to construction. So much bluebird drama this week!)

A photo looking down inside a bluebird nestbox, showing four nestlings about 9 days old. They are showing pinfeathers on their heads, backs, and wings, but they still have some downy fuzzy patches left. Their feathers still look gray, though a tinge of blue shows on a few of the wing pinfeathers. They have wide yellow beaks and their eyes are beginning to open.

#Bird 🐦‍⬛update #2: Mrs. Bluebird has gone missing, which means she has likely fallen prey to a hawk or other predator. I found one of the 5 nestlings dead in the nest, and had to remove it. I've been offering lots of fresh mealworms to help Daddy Bluebird care for the other 4. So far so good.

A photo of a Cardinal's nest, made of dry leaves and pine needles. Two of three eggs have hatched, and the chicks are pink and floppy little things with long, droopy necks. The are huddled against their sibling in the third egg, which is pale blue-green with brown speckles.

#bird 🐦update #1: Mrs. Cardinal's eggs in the nest she built in the coral honeysuckle right by my front door are hatching today! Two out of three have hatched, and I have my fingers crossed for chick #3! Such long and floppy necks!!

Emails sent! (Though I think my reps are already onboard.)

They're like frog-birds!

Hey, what kind of fabric do you need/want? I have so much, and I'd be happy to put together some to send you!

A gray and white cat sits in/on a cardboard box that used to contain the macarons that are now in a plastic box next to her on the kitchen counter. Also next to her is a white china cake plate decorated with a purple floral design.

I don't know if Dilly #cat is sitting ON the macaron box or IN the macaron box, but I do know that it's a good thing I removed the macarons. And I'm glad she didn't sit on the cake plate. Yet.

Really, watch it, with sound, to the end. It made me cry.

Omg it made me cry

I have only read a little about this disease so far, but my understanding is that it is nearly 100% fatal. It will take 4-10 years to kill the mature trees. It is caused by a nematode in the soil, so presumably none of the seedlings will survive to adulthood. I'm sad and worried! I love these trees.

A photo of some leaves of a mature beech tree, showing bands of dark discoloration and texture change associated with beach leaf disease.

A photo of a forest floor, showing many, many little green beech tree seedlings emerging.

I realized today that I am seeing signs of #beechleafdisease in the trees on my wooded property in Northern Virginia. There are signs on the leaves, and I also notice a huge number of seedlings this spring -- maybe a response by the #beech trees to the disease is to frantically try to reproduce?

Coral honeysuckle is growing in a mass on a trellis in front of a house. It displays a profusion of bright green leaves and orange flower buds.

My coral honeysuckle is about to explode with blooms! I saw the first hummingbird of the season visiting it! #nativeplants 🌱

I just went to check, and the adult bluebirds have accepted the new location of the box and are both tending the nestlings. This is good news!

A big yellow construction machine right next to a little bluebird nestbox on a pole, behind some orange construction fencing. Behind the machine, out of sight but not out of hearing, is an incredibly noisy wood chipper, which is chopping up the trees that are being cut down in the background . My shadow is visible on the grass in the foreground, holding up my phone to take this photo and be bird-advocacy Karen.

Today I got pushy. I made a bunch of noise about the construction project so close to one of the bluebird boxes on the trail I help to monitor, and a number of local environmental advocacy and county government officials came and we moved the box. (The best option we could find)

Eddie, an orange cat, sits on a beige ceramic tile floor next to a cat-sized ceramic frog. The frog is green and brown. There is a blue wall and a brown bookcase behind both critters.

Eddie #cat refuses to acknowledge that there is an enormous #frog standing right beside him.

Ooh! Exciting!

Ooooh!

I was happy to find you! It's the turtle post that caught my eye. And now I want to read what you wrote about cats!

A hummingbird moth hovers and feeds at lavender-colored creeping phlox flowers. The moth's wings are moving so fast they are a blur. Its body is covered with golden and black bands of fuzz. It has long black antennae.

A hummingbird moth is visiting my creeping phlox! I just love these guys! #insect

I've got my eye out for one here in Northern Virginia! Also, you were my professor at William and Mary back in the early 90s!

It's the best feeling. Yay!

OMG, this is perfect in every way! <3

A photo of a Northern Cardinal nest with three pale blue-green eggs with brown speckles. The nest is made mainly of pine needles and brown leaves, and it's hidden in a honeysuckle vine that is growing on a black metal trellis.

A photo showing the trellised honeysuckle growing right next to the front stoop and door of a house. The house has red brick walls and white vinyl siding.

Mrs. Cardinal finished her nest in the coral honeysuckle and she has three eggs so far. Good luck Mrs. Cardinal! #birds 🐦