D. C. Fitzgerald

This small, round bird—a male Rufous Hummingbird—is a masterpiece of warm, metallic colors. It has a vibrant, copper-orange body with a soft, snowy-white chest. Its most striking feature is a brilliant, iridescent throat patch that glows like a burning ember or polished gold in the light. A small cap of mossy green sits atop its head. It has a long, needle-thin black beak and delicate, dark eyes, perched firmly on a thorny, reddish branch against a soft, blurred green background.

Male Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus)...they're the most combative hummingbirds in North America...they'll attack larger birds & dive at people to protect a favorite flower or feeder. They're about the size of an avg human thumb #birds #wildlife #nature #photo #ecology

A hundred-year vision: Gary Tabor on the rise of large landscape conservation Many view conservation as a ledger of discrete gains—acres saved or species rebounded—but for Gary Tabor, the more vital metric is architecture. He focuses on systems that hold when pressure builds. F...

news.mongabay.com/2026/02/a-hu... #environment #ecology #nature

Blue-throated Bee-eater (Merops viridis)...Southeast Asia...for bees and wasps, they perform a specific "rubbing" maneuver against the branch to discharge the venom and break off the stinger before swallowing.

Blue-throated Bee-eater (Merops viridis)...Southeast Asia...for bees and wasps, they perform a specific rubbing maneuver against the branch to discharge the venom and break off the stinger before swallowing. #birds #nature #wildlife #photo #ecology

Milford Sound (Piopiotahi), New Zealand...home to one of the world’s rarest penguins, the Fiordland Crested Penguin (Tawaki).

Milford Sound (Piopiotahi), New Zealand...home to one of the world’s rarest penguins, the Fiordland Crested Penguin (Tawaki). #geography #nature #newzealand #landscape #photo

Blue-bellied Roller (Coracias cyanogaster)....West and Central Africa...they're clever, known to perch at the edge of grass fires to catch insects as they try to escape the fire.

Blue-bellied Roller (Coracias cyanogaster)....West and Central Africa...they're clever, known to perch at the edge of grass fires to catch insects as they try to escape the fire. #birds #nature #wildlife #photo

That white rose with the speckles is amazing.

New nickel-iron battery charges in seconds, survives 12,000 cycles UCLA researchers have developed a nickel-iron battery that recharges in seconds and lasts for 30 years.

interestingengineering.com/energy/ediso... Fast charging. High output. Massive endurance. ⚡️ this could be the future of solar storage—soaking up the midday sun to keep the lights on all night long. #environment #climate #science #technology

The blue-violet cones mean its either Noble Fir or Korean Fir (genus Abies). Fir cones stand like tree candles, while pine/spruce cones hang downward.

The blue-violet cones mean its either Noble Fir or Korean Fir (genus Abies). Fir cones stand like tree candles, while pine/spruce cones hang downward. #nature #plants #science #photo #forest #tree

Opinion | ‘We’re All Polyamorous Now. It’s You, Me and the A.I.’

“72% of American teens have turned to AI for companionship…When you talk thru a fight w/your partner or listen to a friend complain,you strengthen the muscles that form the foundation of human intimacy…How much of our capacity to connect w/other human[s]…atrophies when we don’t have to work at it?”🧪

That says a lot about the current “system”.

Sachin Samson. #art #nature #plants #flowers #mural

Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia). When a predator like a bird gets too close, the butterfly flashes its wings open to reveal the big eye spots, then the predator thinks it's looking at the face of a snake or other predator.

Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia). When a predator like a bird gets too close, the butterfly flashes its wings open to reveal the big eye spots, then the predator thinks it's looking at the face of a snake or other predator. #butterfly #nature #wildlife #photo

Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaea). The black eye mask is a giveaway in identification...one of the few birds that ignore gravity and walk head-first down a tree trunk.

Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaea). The black eye mask is a giveaway in identification...one of the few birds that ignore gravity and walk head-first down a tree trunk. #birds #nature #biology #science #photo #wildlife

One of 90 waterfalls in Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia.

One of 90 waterfalls in Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia. #nature #park #waterfall #photo

Male Olive-backed Sunbird about 4 inches long. It has a slender, sharply curved black beak designed for flowers. The male features a brilliant, iridescent blue-black throat that shimmers like jewels. Its back and wings are a muted olive-green, contrasting sharply with a bright, sunny-yellow belly. Its tail is dark with white outer tips. Imagine a tiny, high-energy creature that flits rapidly between blossoms, perching delicately on stems to sip nectar with its specialized tongue.

Male Olive-backed Sunbird (Cinnyris jugularis)...they supplement their nectar diet with insects for protein...found across Southern Asia and Australia. #birds #nature #wildlife #photo #biology

Weedy Seadragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus). The extravagant looking appendages are for camouflage so they blend with kelp and seaweed to avoid predators. #wildlife #nature #ocean #biology #photo

Imagine a medium-sized butterfly with a velvety, orange-pink base on its wings. The tips of the forewings are deep black, boldly interrupted by bright white spots. Along the trailing edges, you'll find delicate black patterns and tiny "eyespots." When it closes its wings, the underside reveals a muted, sandy camouflage of tan and grey, perfect for hiding. Its flight is fast and erratic, often pausing on thistles. It’s a global traveler, famous for its incredible long-distance migrations.

Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui). Found on every continent except Antarctica and South America. #butterfly #nature #wildlife #photo

You might be correct.

Poor shark.

The Five-spot Burnet (Zygaena trifolii) is a distinctive day-flying moth found across Europe. It features shimmering metallic black wings adorned with five crimson spots, typically arranged in two pairs with a single spot near the tip.

Likely a Five-spot Burnet (Zygaena trifolii)...the pretty red spots aren't just for show...they're a warning to predators that this moth contains hydrogen cyanide. #wildlife #nature #photo #insects #biology

3D robot fish designed by student sucks microplastics from waterways the 3D robot fish named ‘gillbert’ has a fine mesh inside its gills that filters and keeps the microplastics while it swims in the water.

www.designboom.com/technology/3... The fish sucker features a set of gills that filters the water and keeps the microplastics inside its container as it swims. #environment #technology #nature #pollution

The Yellow-throated Euphonia (Euphonia hirundinacea) is a small, energetic songbird native to Central America and Mexico. Resembling a tiny finch, males are striking with deep steel-blue upperparts and vibrant yellow underparts that extend all the way up to the throat—a key feature that distinguishes them from their cousins. Females are more understated, sporting olive-green backs and pale, yellowish bellies.

Yellow-throated Euphonia (Euphonia hirundinacea)…frugivores, their favorite is mistletoe berries…Mexico down to Panama. #birds #nature #wildlife #photo

Chestnut tree (likely Castanea sativa, the Sweet Chestnut). The mossy layer (doesn't harm the tree) is essentially a miniature forest, providing a home for tiny invertebrates and other small plants.

Chestnut tree (likely Castanea sativa, the Sweet Chestnut). The mossy layer (doesn't harm the tree) is essentially a miniature forest, providing a home for tiny invertebrates and other small plants. #nature #plants #moss #biology #ecology

Often called "flame birds" or "pink curlews”.
Roseate Spoonbills (Platalea ajaja)...Found in coastal marshes, and forested swamps.
In the U.S., they are most common in Florida, Texas, and Louisiana. #birds #nature #wildlife

A terrorism label that comes before the facts can turn ‘domestic terrorism’ into a useless designation A ‘domestic terrorism’ label that comes before the facts teaches the public to treat the term as propaganda rather than factual diagnosis.

“Domestic terrorism” has a specific legal meaning. Using it too fast — and without evidence — can do real damage in misleading the public.

Hallstatt, Austria. Hallstatt is home to the world's oldest salt mine, with mining activity dating back over 7,000 years. And its a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Hallstatt, Austria. Hallstatt is home to the world's oldest salt mine, with mining activity dating back over 7,000 years. And its a UNESCO World Heritage site. #geography #austria #nature #photo

#meme #epstein #humor #GOP

This unexpected plant discovery could change how drugs are made Plants make chemical weapons to protect themselves, and many of these compounds have become vital to human medicine. Researchers found that one powerful plant chemical is produced using a gene that lo...

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/202... Plants create chemical defenses that often become life-saving medicines. #science #nature #health #biology

Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo). They're one of the most variable colored birds of prey in Europe; some can look almost entirely white, others are dark chocolate brown.

Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo).
They're one of the most variable colored birds of prey in Europe; some can look almost entirely white, others are dark chocolate brown. #birds #nature #biology #wildlife #photography