Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Ross @rosssalawitch.bsky.social · 2d

Thick cloud deck to the east put a damper on views of 6 Oct 2025 #HarvestMoon from the nation's Capital, but I did manage to get an image of the Moon and Old Glory before the clouds eclipsed the moon.

@capitalweather.bsky.social

6 46

Ross @rosssalawitch.bsky.social · Jul 6

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝗲𝗴𝗲 𝗜𝘀 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴

Our urban siege of Yellow-Crowned Night Heron is rising.

A few of the chicks are out of the trees; rest about to fledge.

Papa Harry has a nice lookout position.

#Birds #Heron @everyheron.bsky.social

1 2 30

Ross @rosssalawitch.bsky.social · Jun 30

So very very sad.

1

Reposted by Ross

Zack Labe @zacklabe.com · Jun 30

What a tragedy this is even being proposed on paper... 💔

NOAA FY2026 Congressional Justification: www.noaa.gov/sites/defaul...

Termination of OAR’s Climate Laboratories and Cooperative Institutes (-$102,292, -204 FTE/ -216 Positions) –NOAA will continue to support high priority ocean and weather research programs in NOS and NWS.

In coordination with the requested terminations for Weather Laboratories and Cooperative Institutes (see OAR-10) and Ocean Laboratories and Cooperative Institutes (see OAR-19), NOAA will close the Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) in Miami, FL; the Air Resources Laboratory (ARL) in College Park, MD, Idaho Falls, ID, and Oak Ridge, TN, as well as a nation-wide network of soil moisture sensors; the Chemical Sciences Laboratory (CSL) in Boulder, CO; the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) in Princeton, NJ; the Global Monitoring Laboratory (GML) in Boulder, CO, Utqiaġvik, AK, Mauna Loa, HI, Hilo, HI, Big Island, HI, American Samoa, and the South Pole; the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL) in Seattle, WA; and the Physical Sciences Laboratory (PSL) in Boulder, CO.

28 160 370

Ross @rosssalawitch.bsky.social · Jun 15

Full photo of Charlie:

2

Ross @rosssalawitch.bsky.social · Jun 15

Full photo of Harry:

1 1

Ross @rosssalawitch.bsky.social · Jun 15

Happy Fathers' Day to Harry, my favorite Barred Owlet Pops, and Charlie, my favorite Yellow-Crowned Night Heron Daddy.

Quite a pair!

#Birds @everyheron.bsky.social

1 1 13

Ross @rosssalawitch.bsky.social · Jun 13

The interaction ended when the lower Owlet descended into the water out of curiosity, and the Yellow-Crowned Night Heron let out a mighty squawk, then went full wing span, and flew down the water. Good that Papa Owl did not get involved.

3

Ross @rosssalawitch.bsky.social · Jun 13

𝙊𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙄𝙣 𝘼 𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚

Short film about a chance encounter of a Yellow-Crowned Night Heron and two Barred Owlets. Papa Owl was also hovering high in the trees. Sound up ... enjoy!

#Birds @everyheron.bsky.social

2 1 8

Ross @rosssalawitch.bsky.social · Jun 12

Initial reviews of new short film are in. The spirit of Roger Ebert was able to reach the spirit of Alfred Hitchcock. David Attenburgh, not to be confused w/ David Attenborough, really liked the pre-release. As did blogger “Every Other Heron”. #Birds @everyheron.bsky.social
Film drops mañana.

1 1 2

Ross @rosssalawitch.bsky.social · Jun 11

𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴

Two images of Spirit, an Owlet, interesting for different reasons. First image shows narrow bone structure on the leading edge of the wings, whereas the second shows the alula, a small group of feathers on the first digit (thumb) that plays a crucial role in flight control.

#Birds

6

Ross @rosssalawitch.bsky.social · Jun 10

Legend of Doc Brown:

backtothefuture.fandom.com/wiki/Emmett_...

Emmett Brown

"Great Scott!" —Doc Brown's famous exclamation and catchphrase "If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits 88 miles per hour, you’re gonna see some serious shit. " —Doc demonstrating the time...

backtothefuture.fandom.com

1

Ross @rosssalawitch.bsky.social · Jun 10

I have observed very strange behavior in this nest this season, almost as if they are able to shift time. Am working hard on understanding how this is done. Stay tuned.

1 1

Ross @rosssalawitch.bsky.social · Jun 10

𝗗𝗼𝗰 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻

Well well well, look who has shown up in my favorite Yellow-Crowned Night @everyheron.bsky.social Heron nest. If my image recognition serves me right, it is no other than Baby Doc Brown.

For any youngsters who do not know the legend of Doc Brown, I’ll post a link in comments.

#Birds

1 5

Ross @rosssalawitch.bsky.social · Jun 3

𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗜𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸

Alert, alert: more dinosaurs are rising. Here is a “straight on” and “sideways” view of another member of our Yellow-Crowned Night @everyheron.bsky.social siege, obtained Saturday.

Initial impressions are that this year’s siege is going to be unruly.

#Birds #GiveTrumpTheBird

2 2 25

Ross @rosssalawitch.bsky.social · Jun 3

You were so awesome!

1

Ross @rosssalawitch.bsky.social · Jun 2

Happy to have participated in the @wclivestream.bsky.social
live stream! Much thanks to the organizers of this most important event. Can click below to hear my presentation, which begins with an important message from the host then a shout out to #birds photography:

www.youtube.com/live/Bc8yjp5...

100 Hours to Save America’s Forecasts, Weather and Climate Livestream Part last one

YouTube video by The Weather & Climate Livestream

www.youtube.com

2 14

Ross @rosssalawitch.bsky.social · May 25

𝗗𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗮𝗱𝗱𝘆𝗼

Typical day in our Jurassic Park sort of town.

A Yellow-Crowned Night Heron flew in looking as dapper as can be, dropped off food to his brood, then received a rousing send-off by one of his appreciative, bad a$$ prodigy.

@everyheron.bsky.social #birds #heron

2 1 8

Ross @rosssalawitch.bsky.social · May 20

Great info. We don't have sight lines into the nest to be able to assess early mortality. Most summers we lose 1 or 2 out of ~25 to 30 chicks from falls out of the nest, likely when they are in the 6 to 12 week age range.

Ross @rosssalawitch.bsky.social · May 20

Ha! Our Owls certainly know me; not too sure about the Heron.

Lots of speculation about why the Yellow-Crowned Night Heron nest in urban locale, including ease of navigation (streets are great guides) & protection from hawks who tend to avoid this locale.

They are certainly acclimated to people!

1 1

Ross @rosssalawitch.bsky.social · May 20

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲

A few keen observers have reported there might be three Yellow-Crowned Night Heron chicks in the nest that is furthest along.

Indeed, there are three, including one on the right that looks like the prototype of one bad-a$$ dinosaur.

#birds #heron @everyheron.bsky.social

2 1 34

Ross @rosssalawitch.bsky.social · May 17

𝗔𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘁, 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘁: 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗗𝗶𝗻𝗼𝘀𝗮𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗲

Have seen abundant signs of baby Yellow Crowned Night Heron @everyheron.bsky.social fairly far along in 1 of our ~8 nests, but have struggled to get a clear image of a chick showing an eye.

Happy to share this image of sibling chicks!

#Birds

1 4 26

Ross @rosssalawitch.bsky.social · May 15

Places to go, things to do. Actually, an Owlet to feed!

Got lucky w/ the pan. Been visiting the Owlets since they first peeked out of the nest & they now fly towards me. Life is good.

Barred Owl+Owlet, Prince George's County, MD.

#birds #barredowl #owls #nature #wildlife #photography #usbirds

15

Ross @rosssalawitch.bsky.social · May 8

𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆, 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗢𝘂𝘁 𝗢𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗻

Bess & Harry hooted me over to photograph this special night out, now that their nest is empty.

Zoomed in on a monitor, significant differences in the mid-forehead markings of Bess (left) & Harry (right) are apparent.

#Birds #GiveTrumpTheBird

9

Ross @rosssalawitch.bsky.social · May 5

𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗕𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗬𝗼𝘂

Went into the enchanted forest on May fourth, and Harry struck up an amazing yoga like pose in the evening golden hour. He’s our local Yoda.

#Birds #GiveTrumpTheBird

12