I’m pretty sure I got to this part of Moby Dick on public transportation. 😅

Look at this handsome winter lad! An American wigeon drake visiting Heather Farm Park in Walnut Creek. #birds

this one small brain think thoughts

After 3 weeks of California’s tule fog persisting where I live, I finally saw a brief blue sky today… and an adult wasp of Xanthoteras clavuloides (aka Club #Gall #Wasp) emerged from her gall! I guess I wasn’t the only one who’s been longing for some winter sunshine ☀️

I crashed out and told a useless customer service chatbot tonight that I hope it ends up in the same hell as Harlan Ellison’s Allied Mastercomputer, so I’m just gonna practice mentally screaming in case that’s the AI that becomes sentient.

Here are some of my favorite ducks from this year’s cool duck season (so far): Cinnamon Teal drake in the Guadalupe River, San Jose Bufflehead drake at Heather Farm Park, Walnut Creek American Wigeon drake at Heather Farm Park, Walnut Creek Ring-necked Duck drake at Valle Vista, Moraga

Thank you to the contributors in December's #Penumbric! Elana Gomel, Maia Brown-Jackson, Yuliia Vereta, @flairiart.bsky.social, @yeahiknowbut.bsky.social, @emmiechristie33.bsky.social, @epapasoulioti.bsky.social ... www.penumbric.com/currentissue... #fiction #poetry #art #scifi #fantasy #horror

You don't need to be an expert to help protect local nature. Starting December 15, join our first-ever ID-a-thon and contribute directly to biodiversity science and conservation! Learn more: tr.ee/id-a-thon

Cover artist & designer Don Noble lost his home last night in a fire. Help him out if you can, either with a donation or a share. He's good people. gofund.me/59db2c153

Yesterday I got this photo of a willet in one of the salt ponds of the Alviso Slough in San Jose. #birds #birdwatching #bayarea

It's Spring in the City day! Grab this anthology of dark urban fantasy stories featuring living cities and new dangers wherever books are sold. Buy direct: links.ruadanbooks.com/spring Join us for our launch event at 8 PM ET: links.ruadanbooks.com/springparty #BookSky #shortstories #TBR

Calling all writers: SUMMER IN THE CITY is now open to short story submissions! We're looking for original dark speculative fiction stories where the city isn't just a setting, it's a character. Guidelines here: links.ruadanbooks.com/cfs Send us your best. #WriterSky #AuthorSky #writingcommunity

The new issue is out! Need a break from the holidays? We've got aging druids, adorable bee-cats, vengeful weather witches & more. www.lunastationquart... #ShortStories #WomenWriters #SpeculativeFiction #Fantasy #SciFi #Books #Reading #Writing #Magazines

Introduce yourself with 5 animals you’ve seen in the wild: Armadillo Bobcat Bald eagle Monk seal Tule elk

I have been sick for over a week now, which has sucked, but at least I’ve had this book, The God of the Woods by Liz Moore, to read. Just finished it tonight. So good! #books #reading

I’ve been sick with a cold and reading The God of the Woods by Liz Moore, and even though it’s about bad things happening in the woods, it also makes me want to go out to the woods, but I can’t because I’m sick. 😩

Another species that is known to emerge in late fall in CA. Happy to meet her for the first time! www.inaturalist.org/observations...

Jeff Goldblum was really like, “Oh, you think I can play but a cheeky rascal? An amoral scamp? I am going to eye-act so hard right now and devastate the theater all over again.” #Wicked

Big news - I’ll be starting an #insect #systematics lab at University of Nebraska-Lincoln this coming academic year! I’m looking to #recruit #PhDstudents to work in #wasp systematics, especially gall systems, to begin Fall 2026. Please help me spread the word — more details on the flyer below!

This issue of @grantamag.bsky.social has a genius, but day-ruining, short story by Leopold O’Shea. Carousel.

Finished The Sixteen Trees of the Somme by Lars Mytting. I have a new appreciation for wood (not in a Taylor Swift way). This was a random selection from a used book store, and a captivating read.

Trying to read more instead of scrolling, and ended up staying up late to finish Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions by Mario Giordano. Loved it! Fun mystery with older protagonist. Made me want whatever granitas are. #books

Terrifying.

Yesterday while hiking at Shell Ridge, I saw this male tarantula out searching for a mate. Since he was crossing a trail popular with mountain bikers, I kept an eye on him until he made it safely across. Almost immediately afterwards, I saw my lifer red-breasted sapsucker!

It’s cool duck season again! At the Palo Alto Baylands today I saw 30+ species of birds, including these: green-winged teal hen, ruddy duck drake, Northern shoveler drake, and a whole lot of Northern shovelers (with American avocets and hidden willet) #birds #ducks

I get that the news cycle is packed right now, but I just heard from a colleague at the Smithsonian that this is fully a GIANT SQUID BEING EATEN BY A SPERM WHALE and it’s possibly the first ever confirmed video according to a friend at NOAA 10 YEAR OLD ME IS LOSING HER MIND (a thread 🧵)

I realize we've totally been AWOL from social media lately. Here's an update: Best of #Penumbric, vol viii, has finally been proofed and is now up on Amazon at www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR9HFPH8. (Yay!!!) Author's copies will go out in the next couple of weeks as we try to catch up.

Until recently @ymilesz.bsky.social taught me, I didn't know anything about the fascinating synbiotic relationship between fig trees and fig wasps. So I've been wanting to see their work in the wild, and found it on the last day of #September2025GallWeek ! www.inaturalist.org/observations...

Gorgeous male surf scoter I saw at the Bay a few weeks ago. He was very close to the beach playing in the surf, riding some waves and diving into others. #dslr #nikon #birdphotography #birds #ducks #scoter #surfscoter #melanitta #melanittaperspicillata #delawarebay #newjersey

This morning I went on a quick walk to Catton Park to see a scarce gall on a young Oak tree caused by the agamic (asexual) generation of the gall wasp Andricus lucidus. It had been found there recently by @susanweeks.bsky.social . This gall has lots of uniformly thin 'spines' with rounded tips.

I've been managing BHL's #Bluesky account for 4 months now. It's an honour to share such beautiful & significant content, particularly at this critical time. BHL's future is uncertain, but hopeful. Follow along @biodivlibrary.bsky.social & on the #BHLblog: blog.biodiversitylibrary.org/tag/transition

It’s Gall Week! #gallsky

"Each time I align the jump ignition sequence, I feel the shipsuit respond to my intention, its answer a thrum of power I can hardly comprehend. It opens a rift in space, and I slip through." Read 'In The Vanguard' by @chloehsmith.bsky.social inner-worlds.ghost.io/in-the-vangu... #SFF #SciFi

Hey, who turned out the lights?? 🕯️🕯️🕯️ The theme for September's flash fiction contest is CANDLELIGHT! You have until the end of this month to submit. Full submission details linked below ⬇️ www.patreon.com/posts/septem...

The new issue is out! We are storytelling animals, always have been, always will be. This issue is proof that stories still mean something in our world. www.lunastationquart... #ShortStories #WomenWriters #SpeculativeFiction #Fantasy #SciFi #Books #Reading #Writing #Magazines

Unisexual generation oak gall season!!! 🥰 Feron pattersonae, Feron gigas, Feron crystallinum, and Andricus brunneus, all on blue or Jolon oak. #gallsky

Saw this adorable weevil today on a coast live oak acorn! #bugsky #weevils

California Gall Wasp (Andricus quercuscalifornicus) is one of the largest cynipid wasps (5mm!) and induces the largest insect galls in the western U.S. Some females emerge August-November, while others may remain in the gall for over a year before emerging. #cynipidwasps #galls #nature #california

Spotted this baby opossum while hiking in Moraga today!

If you're not writing your long book what are you even doing. It's the summer of writing your long book, not the summer of experiencing happiness

Spined Turban Gall Wasps (Cynips douglasii) induce distinctive galls on valley, blue, and scrub oaks—home to developing larvae. Adult females emerge from these galls in winter. #OakGalls #InsectLifeCycle #wildlife #nature #california

“Jaylana” is my new favorite interpretation of my name (Janna, which I even spelled out). This usurps Gianna, which I’ve gotten a few times.

Does anyone know what this might be? I’m thinking some kind of gall wasp/sweat bee? #norfolk #inverts

Beaked Twig Gall Wasps (Burnettweldia plumbella) form galls on several California oaks—including blue, leather, Muller’s, and scrub oaks. Adult wasps are tiny, just 3 to 4 mm long! #GallWasp #nativeinsects #wildlife #nature #california

Capybaras: you know they're chill, you know they're cool, you *might* know they're the world's largest rodents, but did you know their scientific name? Now you do, it's Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris! 📷 ge_op on iNaturalist 📍 Brazil 🔗: www.inaturalist.org/observations... #ObservationOfTheDay

Get ready for an exciting announcement straight from the horse's mouth! 🎠🐴 The theme for July's flash fiction contest is CAROUSEL! You have until the end of the month to submit! Check out the full submission requirements here: www.patreon.com/posts/july-f...

Yesterday I saw this pigeon posing majestically on Castle Rock at Mount Diablo State Park. My understanding is that rocky cliffs are rock pigeons’ natural habitat. 🐦