Shayna Marchese
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Shayna Marchese
@shaynamarchese.com
150 followers 220 following 180 posts
photos & comics, birds & nature
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shaynamarchese.com
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Piping Plover, a little after sunrise, Jersey Shore. It's sporting leg bands, which are difficult to see as the bird's floofed up on a chilly morning #birds #shorebirds #PipingPlover
A young Piping Plover hunkers down on the beach in warm early-morning light. The bird's in profile; it has an all-black bill and soft brown coloring. A small shorebird on the beach in profile in early-morning sun. Part of a green leg band is visible. The Piping Plover has a short black bill and soft brown feathers on its upperparts; below it is white. It has orangey-yellow legs.
October 12, 2025 at 9:20 PM
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Milo’s too big for cat beds so we got him a dog bed instead #caturday #catsky #catsofbluesky
A large tabby tux cat is zonked out on a colorfully striped dog bed. The cat has long legs, big ears, and looks very peaceful on his throne.
August 2, 2025 at 11:51 AM
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Seaside Sparrow #birds (Cook's Beach, Cape May County, May 2025)
A Seaside Sparrow perched in reeds, looking to the side. The bird is a drab grayish brown with a bit of yellow in front of its eyes and a brown mustache-like stripe running downwards from its bill, which is large for a sparrow.
July 31, 2025 at 11:35 AM
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It's flying lobster season #HummingbirdClearwingMoth
A green and burgundy hummingbird clearwing moth (Hemaris thysbe) visits bee balm (Monarda fistulosa). The moth looks like a fuzzy flying lobster with long antennae and a curled proboscis.
July 29, 2025 at 10:54 AM
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anyone who did not say Piping Plover is wrong (or Red Knot, or Sanderling, or Ruddy Turnstone, or... )
Three floofy, unbearably cute Piping Plover chicks huddled together on the beach
July 12, 2025 at 10:28 AM
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Bees in the bee balm (Monarda fistulosa) #nativeplants
July 6, 2025 at 12:50 PM
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In-progress rock tumble; a soothing break from *everything else*
An arrangement of many small smooth rocks on a black background; the rocks are mostly reddish-salmon or gray in color
July 2, 2025 at 11:27 AM
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Crested Caracaras, Sarasota County, FL #birds #CrestedCaracara
A juvenile Crested Caracara walking on the ground. They're large falcons with big legs (for all the walking). The juvenile has bare pink skin around its face and a light blue bill. The same juvenile Crested Caracara, perched on a fence. An adult Crested Caracara perched on a rock by the side of a road. The adult has orange skin around the face instead of the pink of the juvenile. The adult Crested Caracara, still standing on the same rock, as the juvenile swoops in off to the side. The juvenile's blurry.
June 21, 2025 at 5:21 PM
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Gulf coast shells and other beach finds from Captiva, FL
An assortment of colorful shells. I don't know the names of all of them but the assortment includes Atlantic calico scallops, turkey wing ark clam, and cat's paw. An assortment of colorful shells. I don't know the names of all of them but the assortment includes giant heart cockle, yellow cockle, slipper shell, and calico clam. There are a couple rock-like things too.
June 15, 2025 at 2:10 PM
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So Florida Scrub Jays are pretty great #birds #FloridaScrubJay
A Florida Scrub Jay is perched in a bush (I think it’s sand live oak) on an overcast day. The bird is blue and gray with light gray on its head and front. It’s tilting its head to one side, looking inquisitive. A Florida Scrub Jay is perched in a bush (maybe sand live oak) on an overcast day. The bird is blue and gray with light gray on its head and front. It’s looking right at the camera and appears to have a bit of an attitude. I received this glower after the jay figured out I didn’t have any offerings for it.
June 9, 2025 at 6:38 PM
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A surprise Black-billed Cuckoo seen while kayaking the Rockaway River. I've only seen this species one other time... it did that very cuckoo thing where you've spotted it and it hunches over and just moves a little but somehow disappears completely (what is with them!?) #birds #blackbilledcuckoo
A Black-billed Cuckoo perched on a tree limb, seen in profile. In addition to its namesake black bill, it has a long tail, white front, brown head and back, and bright red ring around its eye.
May 24, 2025 at 10:24 PM
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Yellow-breasted Chat, South Cape May Meadows #birds
Warbler-like bird with a yellow breast, olive back, and white spectacles perched at the top of a shrub that is wrapped in vines. Chats were once thought to be warblers but have more recently been classified into their own family.
May 14, 2025 at 10:34 AM
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Shorebirds on the Delaware Bay #birds #shorebirds
A large mixed group of shorebirds coming in for a landing along the Delaware Bay. Most recognizable amongst the chaos are Ruddy Turnstones and Red Knots. Also present are Dunlin, Semiplamated Sandpipers, and Sanderling. A group of shorebirds taking off: it's mostly Ruddy Turnstones and Red Knots.
May 11, 2025 at 7:40 PM
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Saw some shorebirds! Delaware Bay, NJ #birds #RedKnot
A Red Knot (a medium-sized shorebird with a reddish head and front) stands with its head in profile as a wave hits behind it.
May 11, 2025 at 5:24 PM
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Fluorescent minerals from Franklin, NJ (ID'd as best I can) #minerals #fluorescent
Photo of a rock taken in the dark using a shortwave (255nm) flashlight. This contains Willemite (green) and calcite (red); I believe the dark parts are Franklinite. Photo of the previous rock under regular lighting. Photo of a rock taken in the dark using a shortwave (255nm) flashlight. This contains calcite (red) and Willemite (green); the dark parts may be Franklinite. Photo of the previous rock under regular lighting.
May 9, 2025 at 4:22 PM
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No kings, only kinglets #birds
A Ruby-crowned Kinglet perched in profile on a branch on an overcast early spring day. The bright red feathers on top of its head are just visible. A Golden-crowned Kinglet (very) momentarily paused on a branch on an overcast day. The overall gray of its surroundings makes its yellow crown really pop.
April 6, 2025 at 9:51 PM
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Purple Sandpiper, Barnegat Lighthouse State Park #birds
A Purple Sandpiper on a rock with the ocean behind it. The bird is in profile and it only looks vaguely purple. A Purple Sandpiper on a rock looking for food as the ocean water is splashing around it. Some droplets are in front of the bird's face.
March 15, 2025 at 10:49 PM
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It was cloudy but there were some breaks #LunarEclipse
Photo of the mood during a lunar eclipse; the moon looks reddish
March 14, 2025 at 8:59 AM
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Winter falcons: They seem to be eating well (evidenced by full crops and victims' feathers scattered below them). They have some sort of agreement to never sit on the same branch though! #birds
Male Peregrine Falcon perched on a branch on an overcast day. The bird's in profile and there's a bulge in his neck (a full crop) which means he's recently had a meal. He looks rather serious. Male and female Peregrine Falcons sitting near one another on winter branches on a sunny day. The male is a bit behind and is out of focus. The female's closer and it's obvious she's much larger. Her feathers are more brown with darker marking. She's looking right at the camera and there's blood on her talons. Female Peregrine Falcon perched on a branch on an overcast day. She's stretching her wings and her tail feathers are fanned out. She has a full crop (her neck is bulging out) and there's blood smeared on her feathers around her feet and talons. She has a "do not mess with me" face. On the pavement below her (not seen in the photo) there are clumps of feathers scattered around, presumably from her breakfast.
February 19, 2025 at 12:33 PM
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just... being seals
Two Harbor Seals with their heads sticking out of the water. One's head is thrown back so it looks like a neck with whiskers and the other is gazing off to the side and looks like a worried puppy Two Harbor Seals with their heads sticking out of the water. Both have their eyes closed
February 17, 2025 at 5:36 PM
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Harbor Seal cuteness, Barnegat Inlet, NJ
A Harbor Seal swimming in an ocean inlet, seen in profile. The seal's fur is gray with faint spotting. It has black eyes and mostly white whiskers which are a bit catlike. A Harbor Seal swimming in an ocean inlet sticking its head out of the water.
February 17, 2025 at 5:33 PM
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The weekend shift: Black Vultures gathered on the roof of a pebbled building in a corporate park #birds
ten black vultures lined up on the roof of a brown pebbled building with no visible windows on an overcast day
February 17, 2025 at 1:06 PM
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A black-and-white ink drawing of a Barred Owl sitting in a tree with the moon and Venus visible in the dark sky. The text reads "On the way home, Doug photographs an abandoned house in the swamp." The time is 5:30pm. A black-and-white ink drawing of tabby cat sitting in front of a bowl of food looking a bit confused, saying "Rrow?" The text reads "The cats have dinner. Earl's slow to start but eventually does all right." The time is 6:00pm. A black-and-white ink drawing of a man wearing a winter hat and glasses kneeling on the floor, holding a wand toy. A black-and-white cat is leaping into the air, reaching out for the toy. The text reads "Astrid's playtime. She's quite althletic." The time is 7:00pm. A black-and-white ink drawing of woman in glasses lying in bed looking at a laptop. The text reads "I watch X-Files till I'm tired enough to go to sleep." The time is 8:00pm.
February 3, 2025 at 1:20 PM
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I know this is a very early dinner but 1-we are old; 2-lunch was small; 3-this place gets crowded
A black-and-white ink drawing of a woman with glasses crouched over a tabby cat. She's holding the cat by the scruff and is aiming a pill gun towards his mouth. She's saying "I'm sorry!" and the cat is saying "Mrr?" The text reads "Earl gets his medication (steroids and famotidine). He hates it but he can't see it coming so it's over fast." The time is 2:00pm. A black-and-white ink drawing of a woman wearing glasses on a couch looking at a phone. There's a black-and-white cat under the covers next to her. The text reads "Shower and another peek at the internet. This time I try to limit myself to only looking at other peoples' comics." The time is 3:00pm. A black-and-white ink drawing of a woman and man sitting at a table eating. The woman says "We need to make garlic mashed potatoes..." and the man answers, "Yeah, these are great!" The text reads "We decide to go out to dinner because it's been months." The time is 4:00pm. A black-and-white ink drawing of a house that looks like it is being swallowed up by the plants and trees growing around it. The text reads "On the way home, Doug photographs an abandoned house in the swamp." The time is 5:30pm.
February 3, 2025 at 1:19 PM
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A black-and-white ink drawing of two Peregrine Falcons perched on branches. The text reads "We check on the falcons. They're perched close together. But the light's harsh and the wind's brutal--it's a quick stop." The time is 10:00am. A black-and-white ink drawing of a Wild Turkey's head and neck in profile. The text reads "I copy the card from my camera for the first time this year. There are a bunch of photos of turkeys." The time is 11:00am. A black-and-white ink drawing split in two; the first half is a bowl of pasta and the second is a woman wearing glasses on a couch with a tabby cat snuggled up to her head and a black-and-white cat under the covers near her legs. The text reads "Pasta Leftovers for lunch / Snuggles with Earl on the couch (and Astrid)." The time is 12:00pm. A black-and-white ink drawing of a man wearing a baseball cap drilling into the side of a shelving unit. The text reads "Doug is working on shelves in the living room. I'm hovering." The time is 1:00pm.
February 3, 2025 at 1:16 PM