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patricknearyart.bsky.social
@patricknearyart.bsky.social
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patricknearyart.bsky.social
A smaller forest high up on a branch of a bigger forest
#lichen #lichens #moss #mosses
#fungi #fungifriends
#oak #oaks #oaktrees #ValleyOak
#forest #forests
#California #nature #environment
A close-up view of a collection of lichens and moss, seen along a short length of a small branch of a Valley Oak tree.
December 4, 2025 at 10:16 PM
patricknearyart.bsky.social
A downy woodpecker, finding much to eat under the moss.
Could be a very similar #hairywoodpecker but I don't think that it is.
#woodpecker #woodpeckers #downywoodpecker
#birds #birdphotography #naturephotography
#wildlife #wildlifephotography
#nikon #nikonphotography
#California #environment
November 24, 2025 at 10:59 PM
patricknearyart.bsky.social
Ancient conte' crayon 2460-B, warmer tone, larger size
Less-ancient conte' crayon No2, cooler/neutral tone, smaller size
In-progress drawing.
Plein air winter: rain. Plein air summer: insects.
#pleinair #drawing
#conte #contecrayon
#art #artmaterial #artmaterials
#haptic #hapticfeedback
#tactile
Close-up picture comparing two conte' crayons, which are classic drawing stick media by conte'-a-paris. Both are laying on an in-progress drawing. Older drawing crayon with imprint of 2460-B is warmer in tone and larger in size. Smaller crayon with imprint of No2 is smaller and more neutral or cooler in tone.
November 17, 2025 at 10:07 PM
patricknearyart.bsky.social
A tough little #California #BumbleBee drying in the sun after several days of heavy #atmosphericriver #rain in early #November

Terrific scientific name Bombus californicus

#NorthernCalifornia #environment #environmental
#Bombus #bee #bees
#insectphotography
Wet-looking California bumble bee sitting still in the sun on a wood surface. Several days of heavy rain from an atmospheric river event seemingly soaked the bee. Early November heavy rains in Northern California.
November 15, 2025 at 5:58 PM
patricknearyart.bsky.social
#CoastLiveOak Two-horned #GallWasp
#Fossils of #insectgalls on leaves 100-million years ago.
Must have been stable LONG before that to be abundant enough for fossilization
#California #environment
#insects
#oak #oaks #oaktree #oaktrees
#Nikon #NikonPhotography
#macrophotography
#insectphotography
Close-up view of the underside of a leaf of a Coast Live Oak. Various galls of the Two-horn Gall Wasp are prominent, attached along the major veins of the leaf. Edge of the leaf shows several of the protective spines that are characteristic of the Coast Live Oak.
November 12, 2025 at 4:35 PM
patricknearyart.bsky.social
1 of the little #Redwood #trees sprouted earlier this year in March. After 7 months about 18-centimeters/7-inches tall. 2 trees are full and tall, 4 are shorter, 8 of 14 did not survive summer.
#environmental #citizenscience
#California #Sequoias #Sequoiasempervirens
#RedwoodTrees
#STEMeducation
Two photos comparing the growth of a northern California Redwood sprout, mid-March to mid-October 2025. Left photo is the initial seed-topped sprout next to the cone. Right photo shows growth 7 months later, approximately 18-centimeters or 7-inches tall.
October 12, 2025 at 4:59 PM
patricknearyart.bsky.social
Gall of a #RedConeGallWasp, underside of a leaf of #ValleyOak

#insects #galls #insectgalls
#oak #oaks #oaktree #oaktrees
#Nikon #NikonPhotography
#macrophotography
#insectphotography
A reddish conical-shaped gall of a Red Cone Gall Wasp, on the light-green-colored underside of a leaf of a Valley Oak. Bright sunlight streaming from the left.
September 27, 2025 at 4:53 PM
patricknearyart.bsky.social
Entombed within its original plastic shrink-wrap, my Wal-Mart "bargain"-bin VHS copy of Howard the Duck.

#tbt #throwback #throwbackThursday
#HowardtheDuck
#VHS #videotape #VHSvideotape
September 26, 2025 at 2:29 AM
patricknearyart.bsky.social
When the oak leaves fall is a great time to study insect galls. Red Cone Gall Wasp, not red here but within described color variation. (Valley Oak.)

#insects #galls #insectgalls
#oak #oaks #oaktree #oaktrees
#ValleyOak #RedConeGallWasp
#Nikon #NikonPhotography
#macrophotography
#insectphotography
September 17, 2025 at 10:41 PM
patricknearyart.bsky.social
Once an oak tree.
#environmental #streetphotography
September 11, 2025 at 3:16 AM
patricknearyart.bsky.social
#Monarch #Butterfly on tropical (?) #milkweed (non-native)
Two weeks ago I saw my 1st #monarchbutterfly
Thrilling, yet...also sad, given their #endangered status
#CorteMadera #California
#butterfly #butterflies
#naturephotography
#nikon #nikonphotography
A Monarch Butterfly, seen from the back. Deep orange colored cells, with deep brown sectional separations. Lighter colored whitish spots on the upper body, and on the outer sections of the wings. Feeding/resting on a tropical milkweed plant, a non-native plant for the geographic area, which is Corte Madera Creek, north of San Francisco, California.
August 30, 2025 at 9:51 PM
patricknearyart.bsky.social
Contemporary #pastel #pencil , wood-"barrel"/shaft/casing splinters/flakes when trimmed along the mid-line of semi-halves. Wood grain differences apparent, affecting the low-angle long-taper smooth application of the drawing media onto the paper.
#drawing #tactile #touch #haptic #hapticresponse
August 11, 2025 at 4:14 AM
patricknearyart.bsky.social
A new #drawing needs a broader tip, I'll smooth and taper the point on the #paper. One of my oldest #Conte #pencils, dense wood barrel of larger circumference, ultra-fine consistent granularity. Green edge reflection of trees.
#pencil #drawingpencil
#pleinair #expeditionary
#tactile #touch #haptic
August 9, 2025 at 2:55 PM
patricknearyart.bsky.social
From several years ago, a light fixture against a riveted tower on the Golden Gate Bridge.

#GoldenGateBridge #SanFrancisco #California
#nikon #nikonphotography #streetphotography
A rectangular light-fixture with a rectangular bulb protector (yellow in coloration, probably sturdy plastic) is suspended in place by a curved steel support. The riveted steel surface of one of the towers of the Golden Gate Bridge fills the background area. All painted in the iconic orange-hued coloration of International Orange.
July 21, 2025 at 4:28 PM
patricknearyart.bsky.social
I've always been curious about what drove the decision to alternate the structural beams on the this bridge. Several possibilities come to mind.

#STEM #STEMed #STEMeducation
#STEAM #STEAMed #STEAMeducation
#architecture #architectural
#design
#streetphotography
July 19, 2025 at 9:56 PM
patricknearyart.bsky.social
Seeing either I think of the other.

#carhartt #Skellington #jackskellington
#nightmarebeforechristmas
#visualthinking #design
July 6, 2025 at 5:06 PM
patricknearyart.bsky.social
In an epic battle, two #waterstriders pummel each other with concentric ripples. This went on for several minutes, each appeared to be focused on the other. A third on the left remains suspiciously quiet.
#California #insects #Hemiptera
#water #wildlife #nature #photography
#nikon #nikonphotography
On the shady surface of a freshwater creek, many concentric ripples emanate from two water strider insects who are in close proximity to each other. They appeared to be aware of each other, and so seemed to be directing their ripples in the direction of the other. A third water strider can be seen in a sunny spot to the left of the picture. It is not emanating any ripples, which is interesting when compared to the behavior of the other two insects. Water reflections are deep green, with both shady and sunny parts of the creek bed being seen. Northern California freshwater creek, 2 July 2025.
July 2, 2025 at 8:40 PM
patricknearyart.bsky.social
It's the #summer #solstice on our fragile little planet.
Sagital-plane midline symmetrical defensive #coloration and structure.
Top: #caterpillar of #Pipevine #butterfly with orange #tubercles (may help chrysalis)
Inset: #MuleDeer #fawn spotted rows along spine
#life #nature #wildlifephotography
At the top of the photo is a caterpillar of the Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly. The caterpillar has a dark-brown body with bright orange tubercles (elongated conical shapes) emerging from each section of its long body, and in two parallel rows along the symmetrical midline of its body. A rectangular inset photo shows the upper-back of the fawn of a Mule-deer, which has two parallel rows of white spots in the light-brown fur along the symmetrical midline of its body. The rows of colored tubercles and white spots are both probably defensive coloration. The caterpillar's tubercles may help it attach to the inside of the chrysalis during that phase of its life.
June 20, 2025 at 9:40 PM
patricknearyart.bsky.social
Little #Lagunitas #California , #NoKings today!
200+ people at its peak, 300+ including comings-and-goings.
Very minor opposition, no incidents, tremendous support from most passing cars, honking/clapping/peace-signs, and from the many multitudes of #cyclists.
#NorthernCalifornia #Peaceful #Protest
This is NoKings Day, where peaceful protesters line both sides of a wide boulevard in Lagunitas, California (northern California). At the peak of the protest there were over 200 people, with around 300 people total counting people who left and then other people showed up. Minor opposition, no incidents, tremendous support shown by the occupants of all of the passing cars, and by the multitudes of cyclists who road past.
June 14, 2025 at 9:50 PM
patricknearyart.bsky.social
#California Wild #Buckwheat, with #honeybee
A sturdy native plant that needs little water when established, very beneficial to #insects and animals.
#Bloomscrolling #flowers
#bee #bees
#NorthernCalifornia
Clusters of small pink and white flowers of a native California Buckwheat, in full bloom, against an out-of-focus background of drier plant stalks. A single honeybee clings to the underside of one cluster. An important and beneficial plant for both insects and animals, sturdy, without a need for much water when established.
June 11, 2025 at 4:05 PM
patricknearyart.bsky.social
That little rant that you do when your parents think that you are old enough to feed yourself but you do not think so....

#Chickadee #Chickadees
#birds #birdphotography
#nikon #nikonphotography
#gardens #NorthernCalifornia
Side-view of a young Chickadee bird perched on garden wire. It has an open mouth as it drops its head forward in a little ranting call for food. It is old enough to get its own food, but it still wants to be fed by its parents.
June 7, 2025 at 9:34 PM
patricknearyart.bsky.social
Blooming blossom clusters
#California Buckeye/Horse-chestnut

Native species #NorthernCalifornia

#Bloomscrolling #blossoms #flowers
#buckeye #chestnut #chestnuttree
The native California Buckeye tree, also known as Horse-chestnut, in full bloom. Many bright clusters of blossoming flowers are seen against a darker green, natural background. As seen in northern California.
May 30, 2025 at 9:38 PM
patricknearyart.bsky.social
Small #CarpenterBee on #California #Native #Rose.
CarpenterBee entering burrow, appeared to be harvesting the #lichen , male nearby.
Roses are early this year, normally June, possibly due to longer rainy season in #NorthernCalifornia
#insects #insectphotography
#naturephotography
#Bloomscrolling
Two photos, side-by-side. Left, a Small Carpenter Bee (dark, blackish color) on a yellowish center of a pink-colored California Native Rose. Right picture, a female Carpenter Bee enters a burrow, and appeared to be harvesting the lichen on the wood post where the burrow is located. A male Carpenter Bee was nearby. Native roses are early this year, normally appearing in June, possibly due to a longer rainy season in Northern California.
May 23, 2025 at 5:44 PM
patricknearyart.bsky.social
Crawdad/Crayfish ( #Arthropod )
Introduced and non-native to this area of #NorthernCalifornia , nonetheless, an amazing animal.

#Nikon #Nikonphotography
#wildlife #wildlifephotography
#nature #naturephotography
#mood #moody
#freshwater #crustaceans
#crawdad #crayfish
A pale reddish crawdad/crayfish moves along the sandy and rocky bottom of a fresh-water creek, occupying an angled ray of sunlight in the center of the picture. Reflections of green leaves fill the upper left one-third of the photograph.
May 20, 2025 at 9:05 PM
patricknearyart.bsky.social
Rose Clover (?), in the soft sunlight after the morning rain.
Non-native to this part of #NorthernCalifornia
Cultivated as animal feed within dryland #pasture #grazing areas. Common in disturbed areas and #roadsides (as here). Keeps #nitrogen in soil.
#Bloomscrolling
#clover #clovers #legumes
Rose and purple colored clover, the Rose Clover, with small droplets of rain water, in the soft sunlight of morning. Found along the disturbed roadside in Northern California. Non-native plant, historically used as cultivated animal feed in open grazing areas.
May 14, 2025 at 6:09 PM