Cian 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ (he/him)
@cbdawson.bsky.social
• San Francisco Bay Area • Queer • Too many nature pix • FAIR and open gov science in the public interest • Geoscience • Water Resources • Birds! • Public Lands • Burrowing Owl & Pupfish stan acct •
This is a personal account, obviously 🙄
This is a personal account, obviously 🙄
Pinned
Interesting but I wish the article was more than just a promo for the company's proposal. It doesn't get into any feasibility analysis and glosses over that they're proposing major water imports.
It also frames the underlying challenge as if the water is being stolen by other parts of California.
It also frames the underlying challenge as if the water is being stolen by other parts of California.
A plan was presented to the Imperial County Board of Supervisors to restore the Salton Sea that proposes using geothermal heat to distill water and extract pure salt, a method that could restore fish, birds, and recreation within 20 years. #cawater www.thedesertreview.com/news/local/b...
BOS hears that the Salton Sea can be cleaned
EL CENTRO — Tom Sephton, the president of Sephton Water Technology, gave a presentation about water quality restoration at the Salton Sea during the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday,
www.thedesertreview.com
November 28, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Interesting but I wish the article was more than just a promo for the company's proposal. It doesn't get into any feasibility analysis and glosses over that they're proposing major water imports.
It also frames the underlying challenge as if the water is being stolen by other parts of California.
It also frames the underlying challenge as if the water is being stolen by other parts of California.
I was highly entertained this morning when I realized I was watching terns (🐦) from my @ternbicycles.com (🚲).
I have been having fun biking to aquatic park, and doing a quick birding survey before I turn around. Great way to notice changes with the seasons & weather.
I have been having fun biking to aquatic park, and doing a quick birding survey before I turn around. Great way to notice changes with the seasons & weather.
November 27, 2025 at 8:24 PM
I was highly entertained this morning when I realized I was watching terns (🐦) from my @ternbicycles.com (🚲).
I have been having fun biking to aquatic park, and doing a quick birding survey before I turn around. Great way to notice changes with the seasons & weather.
I have been having fun biking to aquatic park, and doing a quick birding survey before I turn around. Great way to notice changes with the seasons & weather.
This article states, "It wasn’t until the late 1800s that people in the pecan’s native range realized the pecan’s potential worth for income and trade." ignoring their earlier passing reference to the fact that indigenous tribes had been using them for food, medicine, and trade for *8,000 years*.
Throughout history, pecans have been overlooked, poached, cultivated and improved. Today, American trees produce hundreds of million of pounds of pecans – 80% of the world’s pecan crop. (via @us.theconversation.com)
https://to.pbs.org/4rbKTV7
https://to.pbs.org/4rbKTV7
How pecans went from ignored trees to a holiday staple — an expert explains the 8,000-year history
Pecans are a truly American nut: They grew on George Washington’s estate, and they flew to space on an Apollo mission.
www.pbs.org
November 27, 2025 at 6:43 PM
This article states, "It wasn’t until the late 1800s that people in the pecan’s native range realized the pecan’s potential worth for income and trade." ignoring their earlier passing reference to the fact that indigenous tribes had been using them for food, medicine, and trade for *8,000 years*.
👀 ... giant grease balls ...
grease floats.
when it flows in sewage and into our plants, it thickens as temps fall, separating in our settling tanks.
the churning water forms grease globs that build like snowballs, and operators remove them so they don’t clog the process.
listen. don’t pour grease down your drains.
when it flows in sewage and into our plants, it thickens as temps fall, separating in our settling tanks.
the churning water forms grease globs that build like snowballs, and operators remove them so they don’t clog the process.
listen. don’t pour grease down your drains.
November 27, 2025 at 3:56 PM
👀 ... giant grease balls ...
Your decisions this week are definitely being judged.
November 27, 2025 at 2:28 AM
Your decisions this week are definitely being judged.
Henceforth I shall only refer to cranberries as "bog dwellers".
Why, yes, thank you, I will take a glass of bog dweller juice. 🧃
Why is canned bog dweller jello so popular?🥫
Have you heard about the spiders that plague bog dweller farmers? 👩🌾
Why, yes, thank you, I will take a glass of bog dweller juice. 🧃
Why is canned bog dweller jello so popular?🥫
Have you heard about the spiders that plague bog dweller farmers? 👩🌾
Cranberries are a staple in U.S. households at Thanksgiving – but how did this bog dweller end up on holiday tables? (from The Conversation in 2023)
https://to.pbs.org/40MVF7a
https://to.pbs.org/40MVF7a
The botany behind why cranberries became a Thanksgiving staple
Cranberries add color and acidity to Thanksgiving menus, but they also have many interesting botanical and genetic features.
www.pbs.org
November 27, 2025 at 1:28 AM
Henceforth I shall only refer to cranberries as "bog dwellers".
Why, yes, thank you, I will take a glass of bog dweller juice. 🧃
Why is canned bog dweller jello so popular?🥫
Have you heard about the spiders that plague bog dweller farmers? 👩🌾
Why, yes, thank you, I will take a glass of bog dweller juice. 🧃
Why is canned bog dweller jello so popular?🥫
Have you heard about the spiders that plague bog dweller farmers? 👩🌾
Those soccer fields are so busy, real restrooms are important!
But I'm very concerned about new sports facilities even closer to the water, specifically impact of lights on birds -- the north basin is significant winter bird habitat. The soccer lights are so excessive, bright from > half mile away.
But I'm very concerned about new sports facilities even closer to the water, specifically impact of lights on birds -- the north basin is significant winter bird habitat. The soccer lights are so excessive, bright from > half mile away.
A $6.5 million project will also bring long-awaited new permanent restrooms to the Tom Bates Regional Sports Complex.
Pickleball players rejoice: A Berkeley park is adding 6 courts
A $6.5 million project will also bring long-awaited new permanent restrooms to the Tom Bates Regional Sports Complex.
www.berkeleyside.org
November 26, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Those soccer fields are so busy, real restrooms are important!
But I'm very concerned about new sports facilities even closer to the water, specifically impact of lights on birds -- the north basin is significant winter bird habitat. The soccer lights are so excessive, bright from > half mile away.
But I'm very concerned about new sports facilities even closer to the water, specifically impact of lights on birds -- the north basin is significant winter bird habitat. The soccer lights are so excessive, bright from > half mile away.
🤣🦃🚲
The locals definitely are happy to block car traffic here in Berkeley.
The locals definitely are happy to block car traffic here in Berkeley.
I thought turkeys were our allies in The War on Cars!
November 26, 2025 at 3:00 AM
🤣🦃🚲
The locals definitely are happy to block car traffic here in Berkeley.
The locals definitely are happy to block car traffic here in Berkeley.
Reposted by Cian 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ (he/him)
We got volcano time! (New eruption just started at Kīlauea): www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk0t...
November 26, 2025 at 1:03 AM
We got volcano time! (New eruption just started at Kīlauea): www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk0t...
Reposted by Cian 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ (he/him)
I presented our latest research on groundwater recharge yesterday to the NSW government water planners for groundwater and coastal syatems. And then led tours to show the team our recharge monitoring sites at Harrie Wood Cave, Yarrangobilly.
November 25, 2025 at 7:05 PM
I presented our latest research on groundwater recharge yesterday to the NSW government water planners for groundwater and coastal syatems. And then led tours to show the team our recharge monitoring sites at Harrie Wood Cave, Yarrangobilly.
Not a fan of the AI-first-and-for-everything approach. But hopefully this initiative will fastrack the DOE Office of Science's integrated research infrastructure efforts, to better connect the globally distributed experiments, data, computing, and people.
content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USD...
content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USD...
November 25, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Not a fan of the AI-first-and-for-everything approach. But hopefully this initiative will fastrack the DOE Office of Science's integrated research infrastructure efforts, to better connect the globally distributed experiments, data, computing, and people.
content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USD...
content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USD...
Was in a scicomm workshop about video, took me awhile to realize why it was such a turnoff. They kept highlighting movie clips from a clint eastwood western (including someone getting shot!), good fellas, the godfather, wolf of wallstreet, etc.
Just a non-stop selection of violent & offensive men.
Just a non-stop selection of violent & offensive men.
November 25, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Was in a scicomm workshop about video, took me awhile to realize why it was such a turnoff. They kept highlighting movie clips from a clint eastwood western (including someone getting shot!), good fellas, the godfather, wolf of wallstreet, etc.
Just a non-stop selection of violent & offensive men.
Just a non-stop selection of violent & offensive men.
Reposted by Cian 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ (he/him)
when we say we want more streets to be pedestrianized, this is what we mean
November 25, 2025 at 4:46 PM
when we say we want more streets to be pedestrianized, this is what we mean
Reposted by Cian 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ (he/him)
Kind of lousy air quality in the SF Bay Area right now if you’re headed out to exercise…
November 25, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Kind of lousy air quality in the SF Bay Area right now if you’re headed out to exercise…
Proposal: If you can't attend a meeting, you don't get to send your "AI notetaker". Hosts should start kicking out AI notetakers.
a blue bird with glasses and a beard is looking out a window .
Alt: a blue muppet with glasses and a beak is looking out a door and then closes the door .
media.tenor.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Proposal: If you can't attend a meeting, you don't get to send your "AI notetaker". Hosts should start kicking out AI notetakers.
😍😍😍
More Greenland photos, featuring some geology. Scoresbysund has some fantastic exposures of columnar basalts, which are ~55 million years old (young for Greenland rocks!) related to flood basalts when the Atlantic was opening up. Fantastical shapes and fall tundra colors
November 25, 2025 at 7:19 AM
😍😍😍
Battery fires are serious hazards.
CPSC Warns Consumers to Immediately Stop Using Batteries for E-Bikes from Rad Power Bikes Due to Fire Hazard; Risk of Serious Injury or Death www.cpsc.gov/Warnings/202...
November 25, 2025 at 12:24 AM
Battery fires are serious hazards.
Reposted by Cian 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ (he/him)
Beautiful great horned owl spotted on the Butler Hill South camera near Oxnard over the weekend.
November 24, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Beautiful great horned owl spotted on the Butler Hill South camera near Oxnard over the weekend.
Reposted by Cian 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ (he/him)
But the story of Allensworth is also a Central Valley groundwater story! Originally, there were multiple flowing wells. Residents formed the Allensworth Rural Water Company to take over from another company. Within a few years, water levels dropped and the wells went dry. #CAwater
November 23, 2025 at 3:04 AM
But the story of Allensworth is also a Central Valley groundwater story! Originally, there were multiple flowing wells. Residents formed the Allensworth Rural Water Company to take over from another company. Within a few years, water levels dropped and the wells went dry. #CAwater
Thick fog this morning in the delta.
I feel like I want to make a joke about the second photo, but given the apparent lack of understanding of this current admin, I'll refrain.
I feel like I want to make a joke about the second photo, but given the apparent lack of understanding of this current admin, I'll refrain.
November 24, 2025 at 3:12 AM
Thick fog this morning in the delta.
I feel like I want to make a joke about the second photo, but given the apparent lack of understanding of this current admin, I'll refrain.
I feel like I want to make a joke about the second photo, but given the apparent lack of understanding of this current admin, I'll refrain.
Decided to check out Stone Lakes NWR because I had never been but was nearby. Almost eerie lack of birds, and instead I saw this.
Enough with the 🤬 balloons. Stop buying 🤬 balloons.
(Sound up for full effect)
Enough with the 🤬 balloons. Stop buying 🤬 balloons.
(Sound up for full effect)
November 24, 2025 at 2:48 AM
Decided to check out Stone Lakes NWR because I had never been but was nearby. Almost eerie lack of birds, and instead I saw this.
Enough with the 🤬 balloons. Stop buying 🤬 balloons.
(Sound up for full effect)
Enough with the 🤬 balloons. Stop buying 🤬 balloons.
(Sound up for full effect)
It was a road trippin' week!
Camped at Salton Sea State Recreation Area. I walked out of my tent to the water & saw a raft of ~1k redheads one morning. Cactus wrens were a great alarm clock. The harbor at the visitor center no longer reaches the shoreline. Saw hundreds of blue-winged teals!
Camped at Salton Sea State Recreation Area. I walked out of my tent to the water & saw a raft of ~1k redheads one morning. Cactus wrens were a great alarm clock. The harbor at the visitor center no longer reaches the shoreline. Saw hundreds of blue-winged teals!
November 23, 2025 at 3:47 AM
It was a road trippin' week!
Camped at Salton Sea State Recreation Area. I walked out of my tent to the water & saw a raft of ~1k redheads one morning. Cactus wrens were a great alarm clock. The harbor at the visitor center no longer reaches the shoreline. Saw hundreds of blue-winged teals!
Camped at Salton Sea State Recreation Area. I walked out of my tent to the water & saw a raft of ~1k redheads one morning. Cactus wrens were a great alarm clock. The harbor at the visitor center no longer reaches the shoreline. Saw hundreds of blue-winged teals!
This week I visited Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park, looking for camping. I thought it was military related, but it's not. Founded in 1908, it was the only "town in California founded, financed, and governed by Black Americans".
There's a good audio tour w/photos;
allensworth.stqry.app/en/
There's a good audio tour w/photos;
allensworth.stqry.app/en/
November 23, 2025 at 3:04 AM
This week I visited Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park, looking for camping. I thought it was military related, but it's not. Founded in 1908, it was the only "town in California founded, financed, and governed by Black Americans".
There's a good audio tour w/photos;
allensworth.stqry.app/en/
There's a good audio tour w/photos;
allensworth.stqry.app/en/
Why the heck does a California STATE public lands kiosk have this federal garbage posted?
And they couldn't even get the name right, it's SS State Recreation Area, not SS State Park.
(Rant, but also genuine question, if anyone knows -- has anyone seen these at other STATE facilities?)
And they couldn't even get the name right, it's SS State Recreation Area, not SS State Park.
(Rant, but also genuine question, if anyone knows -- has anyone seen these at other STATE facilities?)
November 21, 2025 at 4:48 AM
Why the heck does a California STATE public lands kiosk have this federal garbage posted?
And they couldn't even get the name right, it's SS State Recreation Area, not SS State Park.
(Rant, but also genuine question, if anyone knows -- has anyone seen these at other STATE facilities?)
And they couldn't even get the name right, it's SS State Recreation Area, not SS State Park.
(Rant, but also genuine question, if anyone knows -- has anyone seen these at other STATE facilities?)
This isn't a great owl photo, but I feel like it really captures how I think of this part of the Imperial Valley -- ag, geothermal, and birds.
Also: It would really be much easier if all birds put out little flags to identify themselves! 🚩
Also: It would really be much easier if all birds put out little flags to identify themselves! 🚩
November 21, 2025 at 3:01 AM
This isn't a great owl photo, but I feel like it really captures how I think of this part of the Imperial Valley -- ag, geothermal, and birds.
Also: It would really be much easier if all birds put out little flags to identify themselves! 🚩
Also: It would really be much easier if all birds put out little flags to identify themselves! 🚩