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nambroth.bsky.social
Nambroth
@nambroth.bsky.social
14K followers 210 following 1.5K posts
Wildlife & fantasy artist • BIRDS • Nature nerd • Loves plants • Oil painting, gouache, digital paint.
They/Them, Nonbinary Queer • Shy, Weird, Furry, Tired, Chronically ill, a bowl of neurodivergent soup ∞🌈
I block GenAI

Personal site: featherdust.com
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nambroth.bsky.social
"Morning Light on a Carolina Wren" 5" x 7" Oil on panel

I just think they're neat
An oil painting of a Carolina Wren. The wren's feathers are fluffed up into a round shape, and it is sitting on a rock, with strong sunlight illuminating it. The artist watermark reads: copyright 2025 Jennifer Miller "Nambroth" featherdust dot com
December 9, 2025 at 3:36 PM
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"Everbright On Dark Days" Female Northern Cardinal, 10"x8" Oil on panel

The days are dark and short, and my mood seems to follow. But sometimes a thin ray of sun cuts through for a moment, and lights up the things I love, reminding me of how wonderful and beautiful they are, and it keeps me going
An oil painting of a female Northern Cardinal, sitting on a lichen-encrusted branch. She's soft yellow-brown with red accents on her tail, wings, crest, and beak, and with a black mask. Her mood is fluffed up and relaxed, looking forward. The background is dark with sparkles of golden light. The artist's watermark reads: copyright Jennifer Miller "Nambroth" featherdust dot com.
December 6, 2025 at 6:36 PM
nambroth.bsky.social
"Cloudy Day Out My Window," Digital painting

The days are growing short, and the clouds bring night sooner than I expect, while the crows play in the blustering winds. Painted from life, looking out the window next to my computer.
A digital painting of a landscape, the sky dominant, with waves of heavy clouds and a just a tiny bit of blue sky peeking through at the top. The light is late afternoon. There is the silhouette of rolling hills in warm autumn brown at the bottom, with a tiny patch glowing amber in a distant sunbeam. Leafless ash trees reach up through the right side, and two crows fly near the left. Brush strokes are easily visible and the style is painterly. The artist watermark reads Copyright 2025 Jennifer Miller "Nambroth" featherdust dot com.
November 24, 2025 at 7:27 PM
nambroth.bsky.social
If you earnestly want to try but cannot afford seed, feel welcome to reach out and I can try sending you some free seed if you are from the Great Lakes (eastern Midwest) / Northeast / upper Southeast regions. If you contact me, please let me know your location and what your growing conditions are.
A graphic of the US, showing the following states shaded in green: Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin
October 30, 2025 at 2:47 PM
nambroth.bsky.social
"The Eagle and the Dove", digital painting

Inspired by the song "Flying Dreams", from the movie The Secret of Nimh.

I sing this tune often to our blind parrot, but with made up lyrics (his name fits nicely into the song).
Digital painting of a golden eagle and a mourning dove, both with wings spread and soaring, against dreamy sunset clouds in peach and grey blue. The eagle has its head turned back to look at the dove, who is in turn looking up at the eagle, and both have gentle loving expressions. There is a length of red string held between the two of them, in each of their claws, flowing in the wind. The artist watermark reads copyright 2025 Jennifer Miller "Nambroth" featherdust dot com
September 16, 2025 at 5:35 PM
nambroth.bsky.social
I sure do! Things others have made for me are precious to me!
Snapshot of a laminated, hand made badge, of a dragon character carefully resting on some foliage for the photo. The dragon is brown in color and seems to have bees coming out of its mouth. On the right the vertical text say Nambroth
August 20, 2025 at 2:30 PM
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Bonus little "Memories and Dreams" crow painting, also available.
A 6 x 9 inch watercolor painting of a slightly stylized and whimsical crow holding a sprig of pink flowers with green leaves still attached. The crow has a soft expression and there are colorful filigrees curling around the lower part of the portrait. The crow is ringed in a green circle and outside of it there is a subtle wash with fern impressions in the paint. The artist watermark reads copyright 2025 Jennifer Miller Nambroth featherdust dot com
August 15, 2025 at 6:41 PM
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Watercolor "Crow and Rising / Cascading Fern" series I've been working on recently.

The originals are available, either through my site featherdust.storenvy.com or if you send me an email/message, I can create a custom invoice for you, which saves the handling fee.
🪶
An 11.25 x 7.5 inch watercolor painting featuring a wash of warm yellows at top, fading to reds then blues at the bottom. In the glow of yellow, a crow has been painted in detail, wings open in flight, soaring to the left. The bottom part of the painting had ferns placed onto it while it was wet, and metallic copper and iridescent blue pigments dropped in, so that once dry the impression of ferns remained. The artist watermark reads copyright 2025 Jennifer Miller Nambroth featherdust dot com An 11.25 x 7.5 inch watercolor painting featuring a wash of warm yellows at top, fading to greens then blues at the bottom, and hints of dull rose here and there. In the glow of yellow at top, a crow has been painted in detail, wings open in flight and diving to the right. The bottom part of the painting had ferns placed onto it while it was wet, and metallic copper and iridescent blue pigments dropped in, so that once dry the impression of ferns remained. The artist watermark reads copyright 2025 Jennifer Miller Nambroth featherdust dot com An 11.25 x 7.5 inch watercolor painting featuring a wash of warm oranges at top, fading to purples and pinks then blues at the bottom. In the center, a crow has been painted in detail, wings open in flight and flying upward to the left. Across the middle of the painting, ferns placed onto it while it was wet, and metallic copper and iridescent blue pigments dropped in, so that once dry the impression of ferns remained. The artist watermark reads copyright 2025 Jennifer Miller Nambroth featherdust dot com A tall 12 x 6 inch watercolor painting featuring a wash of blue at the top, fading down to reds then yellow at the bottom. In the glow of yellow and red at the bottom a crow has been painted in detail, wings open in flight, facing left. The top part of the painting had ferns placed onto it while it was wet, and metallic copper and iridescent blue pigments dropped in, so that once dry the impression of ferns remained. The artist watermark reads copyright 2025 Jennifer Miller Nambroth featherdust dot com
August 15, 2025 at 6:41 PM
nambroth.bsky.social
A few of the artfight pieces I did last month, sketched and painted in CSP.

Su'Alagos the Galebird
Joris the turkey
Banana Bread the rhamphorhynchus
Jack the Vulture
Digital painting of a phoenix like mythological bird, it is green with red tips on some of its feathers. Flying in a dynamic banking pose, with ethereal green fire blasting from its open beak, it looks like a powerful entity. Moody purple clouds make up the background. The artist watermark reads Art by Jennifer Miller "Nambroth" 2025 featherdust dot com Digital painting of a smiling eastern wild turkey in profile. He has a typical look for a wild turkey, with bronzy iridescent feathers, a naked head of blue, white, and red, a dangling snood, large brown eyes, and bead feathers protruding from the chest. He has a pair of pointed cool guy triangle sunglasses on his beak and he just seems like a chill dude. The background are painted stylized waves and a sun, giving a surfer vibe. I wish I could show you the whole character because he's literally a turkey with human legs and it's so glorious. The artist watermark reads Art by Jennifer Miller "Nambroth" 2025 featherdust dot com Digital painting of a rhamporhynchus, which is a smaller sized pterosaur, flying in a cloudy sky. The rhamp has the color scheme of a modern day ruddy duck, with ruddy red overall, blue beak, tail tip, and leg patagiums, white cheek patch, black cap, and white dotting under its wings. Rhamps had a long tail and a toothy beak. This one in particular is inspired by the video game Path of Titans. The artist watermark reads Art by Jennifer Miller "Nambroth" 2025 featherdust dot com Digital painting of a fantasy creature that is a bit gryphon-like in appearance. Overall feathered with four bird legs, a long tail, wings, and a turkey vulture head with long pointed ears, dark blackish brown colors, and a happy expression. Jack the Vulture is sitting in a clear spot with a bit of vegetation around, and a blue sky behind. The artist watermark reads Art by Jennifer Miller "Nambroth" 2025 featherdust dot com
August 6, 2025 at 6:45 PM
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I have many little original watercolor and gouache paintings in my shop, if you're interested!

featherdust.storenvy.com/collections/...
A watercolor painting of an American crow profile, looking right, with vibrant colors and sparkly star burst shapes behind it painted with iridescent paints. A watercolor painting of a fantasy gryphon in profile, beak agape in a smile, with white, cream and brown hues and a grey and yellow beak. The eye is a subtle rainbow of colors and a thin blue crescent frames the gryphon's face. A gouache painting of a red dragon seemingly casting a spell, with blue ethereal flames glowing around its front claws and subtle rainbow smoke pouring from its mouth and nostrils. A gouache painting of a Bluejay on tan tinted paper. The jay is facing left and is vibrant blue and white, with black stripes and facial markings. A subtle rainbow outlines the bird.
June 18, 2025 at 5:43 PM
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"Dream Defender"
Digitally painted in CSP
A digital painting showing a large dark colored dragon with a trans pride glowing mane down its entire spine, perched on hilltop, wings spread wide, head lifted to breathe a stream of rainbow fire. As the rainbow fire expands upward, it becomes an aurora. A flight of smaller dragons flow around it in flight, in various colors and shapes, but all dark against the twilight of the day. The sun has set, or is about to rise, and the stars are showing in the sky, along with the moon. The art is not subtle in its support for queer people. The mood is defiant and celebratory at the same time. The artist watermark reads Copyright 2025 Jennifer Miller Nambroth, featherdust dot com A closeup of the prior image, showing details of the large dragon's head and neck, as well as a bit of the smaller dragons.
June 16, 2025 at 3:09 PM
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If you are at Furality, you can find my art in the gallery, as well as the Dealer's Den! # 931. Here are my awkward polygons:
A VRChat screenshot of a virtual dealer's booth in dreamy purples with pink curtains. The front banner reads "Nambroth Featherdust Studio, fantasy and wildlife art" booth number 931. Inside, a 3D avatar of a green and white anthropomorphic bird with barred wings and a conbadge lanyard around it's neck poses like a weird gremlin in the center. The walls show various artworks by the artist. A VRChat screenshot of a virtual dealer's booth in dreamy purples. Inside, a 3D avatar of a green and white anthropomorphic bird with barred wings and a conbadge lanyard around it's neck poses like a weird gremlin in the center. The walls show various artworks by the artist. A VRChat screenshot of 2D art of a large dragon with a trans flag colored mane breathing rainbow fire that turns into an aurora. Hard to see are many smaller dragons flying around the large one. Hovering somewhat ominously over the 2D art, is the 3D avatar of a green and white anthropomorphic bird with barred wings and a conbadge lanyard around it's neck.
June 7, 2025 at 7:35 PM
nambroth.bsky.social
According to range maps, Lonicera involucrata might be native for you! I don't know anything about it, but searching its name should give you information!
USA and Canada range map by county, by BONAP, for Lonicera involucrata (a honeysuckle). The green on the map indicates that it is native to states west of the rocky mountains, Canada, and a few of the upper midwest states.
May 9, 2025 at 4:23 PM
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Two detail crops:
A detail crop of the digital paintings from the previous post. Two fantasy phoenix birds face one another, shown from the chest up. The one on the left, Nambroth, is leaf green with cream undersides, a corvid-like beak with soft rictal feathers, and a cyan and purple eye. They are preening the forehead of the bird on the right. The bird on the right, Eldarath, is yellow and brown hues with white undersides, a corvid-like grey beak with soft rictal feathers, a brown mask around his eyes, long ornamental wire feathers poking out form his eye ridges, and a green eye. Their feathers are detailed and fluffy in the glowing morning light, and the expressions are soft and loving with subtle smiles on their beaks. The artist watermark reads Copyright 2025 Jennifer Miller "Nambroth" featherdust dot com A detail crop of the digital paintings from the previous post. A close-up of a ruby-crowned kinglet clinging to the end of dead black cherry tree branch. The kinglet is tiny and overall warm grey, with subtle yellow markings on the wing feathers, a black beak and eye, and a wee little bright red crest popping up. It has one wing slightly open because kinglets are never still for more than a second or two, suggesting the bird is either still moving or will be any instant. The branch is covered in grey blue lichens and a little clump of moss, and hunks of bark are peeling and hanging from it. The background is a painterly scene of clouds in glowing sunset colors with visible texture and brushwork. The artist watermark reads Copyright Jennifer Miller "Nambroth" featherdust dot com
March 19, 2025 at 6:05 PM
nambroth.bsky.social
"My Favorite Mornings" Digital painting (CSP)
I painted two different backgrounds for this as I enjoyed both skies for different reasons. A gift for my wonderful partner @eldarath.bsky.social
A digital painting of a fantasy scene. Two phoenix fantasy birds perch close together, facing one another. The one on the left, Nambroth, whomst is my phoenix fursona, is green with cream undersides, long ornamental tail feathers, grey legs, a grey beak with soft rictal feathers, and a cyan and purple eye. This bird is preening the forehead of the other bird, and has one wing lightly wrapped around the other bird's back. On the left is Eldarath, with yellow and brown markings against white feathers, a grey beak with soft rictal feathers, a green eye, a brown eye mask, grey legs, and long ornamental feathers on the tail and eyebrows. He also has a wing open and lightly draped over the back of the other bird. They are sitting on a dead black cherry tree branch that is absolutely covered in patches of blue grey lichens and little clumps of moss, and the bark is peeling and hanging from the branch here and there. Three non-fantasy birds are on the branch with them: a red-breasted nuthatch, a black-capped chickadee, and a ruby-crowned kinglet. A black and yellow bumblebee is flying below the branch, and a brownish banded tussock moth is clinging to the bark. In the backround, a flock of three crows is flying against a painterly cloudy sky, aglow in sunrise colors. The artist watermark reads Copyright 2025 Jennifer Miller "Nambroth" featherdust dot com A digital painting of a fantasy scene, identical to the prior image, but with a different sky. This sky is painterly with the warm blue of morning, faint wispy clouds to the right, and a low bank of clouds in sunrise colors at the bottom. A crescent moon is peeking through in the upper left. The artist watermark reads Copyright 2025 Jennifer Miller "Nambroth" featherdust dot com
March 19, 2025 at 6:05 PM
nambroth.bsky.social
When we moved to our current residence, we had a few fireflies, but then we stopped mowing the areas we don't need to, left the leaves and moved branches to brush piles, no outdoor lights at night, and started planting native plants. Then things really got nuts. More: bsky.app/profile/namb...
A stacked photograph image of fireflies in my backyard, among native flowering plants such as penstemon digitalis, seen with pale white flowers draped along tall stems. The photos were taken at dusk then during full darkness, and represent between 5-8 exposures, I can't quite remember. The fireflies are smears of glowing green and orangeish red, showing different species present, and are quite numerous. A stacked photograph image of fireflies in my backyard, among native flowering plants such as lance leaf coreopsis, whose normally bright and cheery yellow blooms are moody in the late evening light. The photos were taken at dusk then during full darkness, and represent between 5-8 exposures, I can't quite remember. The fireflies are smears of glowing green and orangeish red, showing different species present, and are quite numerous. A stacked photograph image of fireflies in my backyard, over a small meadow area with tall unmowed grasses, representing a mix of both native grass as well as overgrown lawn grasses which I'm slowly replacing. The photos were taken at dusk then during full darkness, and represent about 10 exposures if I remember correctly. The fireflies are smears of glowing green and orangeish red, showing different species present, and are quite numerous.
March 12, 2025 at 6:40 PM
nambroth.bsky.social
"Expression", Scarlet tanager. A digital painting several years in the making; a future album cover for a client. Many thanks to my client for the microphone reference.
A digital painting of a scarlet tanager sitting on a microphone against a dark background. The bird is bright red with black wings and tail, and is perching with his back to us, looking over his shoulder to the right. The microphone is a handheld type, resting in a microphone stand. Motes of dust are scattered against the dark background. The artist watermark reads: Art by Jennifer Miller "Nambroth" 2024 featherdust dot com
March 5, 2025 at 4:27 PM
nambroth.bsky.social
Are you trans? Would having a fierce rainbow breathing dragon print cheer you up even a little? I'm giving away several metallic prints to trans folk in the US; please read the following carefully!
Please do NOT repost / reskeet, I'm not looking for followers, just want to spread a little happiness
I have several 8”x10” hand-signed prints of “Brightest Flame” on glossy metallic paper to give away to trans folks. They are pretty neat and shiny. I’ll cover shipping, there is no cost to you. This giveaway is intended for trans folks who are not really in a position to buy art, but any trans person in the USA may enter. Rules for entry: 1. Read the rules completely, there’s no rush. 2. Do NOT repost / reshare / reskeet this. If you want to share it with a friend, send a direct link please. 3. Comment a reply to this post, clearly stating you wish to enter. 3A. I have this set to accept “followers only” replies for my own anxiety, but I am not trying to generate follows from this. Following me is NOT required nor asked for. If you are not a follower but wish to enter, send me a direct message and I’ll add your entry. You may also DM me if you don’t want to out yourself in a comment. 4. You must have a USA shipping address for me to send the print to. Make sure you can receive a 9”x12” rigid mailer at the address you provide. I can’t replace lost or damaged give-away prints. 5. If you are chosen, I’ll reply to your comment here, asking you to email me your shipping address. If I don’t hear back from you within a few days, I’ll choose someone else. 6. I’m kinda slow but I’ll do my best to get the prints out within 1-2 weeks of notifying you. Please be patient with me. 7. One entry per person please. 8. I’ll pick five recipients at random on Thursday, March 6th, 2025. Please refrain from commenting unless you are entering or if you have a question (questions are welcome). Seriously, please DO NOT repost /reskeet this, it will make me melt into a puddle of pure distilled anxiety. Thanks for understanding; I am limited in spoons. A digital painting done in Clip Studio Paint. A black dragon rears back from the viewer in a powerful and defiant pose, readying its flame breath. The flame is a rainbow, gathering in the dragon's mouth and throat with streaks of rainbow light streaming. The dragon has a mane of glowing fire, flowing back and around in waves, in the white, pink, blue, brown, and black of the progress pride flag colors. The dragon's pose flows into a raised talon, ready to strike or defend, with wicked curved talons. Its eye is a radiant yellow. It has various spikes on its head, a curved beaky snout full of tooth like hooks, and forked horns. Its wings are spread and flared behind. The art is not subtle in its support for queer people. The artist's watermark reads copyright 2025 Jennifer Miller "Nambroth" featherdust dot com.
March 3, 2025 at 7:12 PM
nambroth.bsky.social
A 9"x6" watercolor peafowl I just finished this month, and a few older watercolor and red colored pencil sketches of a female American Goldfinch and an American Flamingo. All are available in my shop if they catch your interest! featherdust.storenvy.com/collections/...
Watercolor painting of a peafowl, from the neck up, with her head canted upwards. She has greenish blue feathering on her neck, white on her face, with rich brown markings around her eye and on top of her head. A spray of decorative feathers spikes up from her topknot. Her eye has subtle rainbow colors, and the background is a wash of pink, yellow, and a bit of greenish blue. A faint blue circle halos around her head. The artist watermark reads copyright 2025 Jennifer Miller Nambroth featherdust dot com Close up of the previous watercolor painting of a peafowl, showing just her head, with her beak canted upwards. She has greenish blue feathering on her neck, white on her face, with rich brown markings around her eye and on top of her head. A spray of decorative feathers spikes up from her topknot. Her eye has subtle rainbow colors, and the background is a wash of pink, yellow, and a bit of greenish blue.The artist watermark reads copyright 2025 Jennifer Miller Nambroth featherdust dot com A watercolor painting of a female American goldfinch. She is perched on a rough textured twig, with a wide vertical stance, and looking toward the left. She was sketched in with red colored pencil, and it shows through as the outlines. The background is a wash of purple blue colors. The artist watermark reads copyright 2022 Jennifer Miller Nambroth featherdust dot com A watercolor painting of an American flamingo. It is striding through shallow greenish rippling water, to the left. The water comes about halfway up to the bird's ankles, and the posture is somewhat relaxed, with back feathers partially raised. It was sketched in with red colored pencil, and it shows through as the outlines. The background is a wash pale green that fades down into the water without a horizon. The artist watermark reads copyright 2022 Jennifer Miller Nambroth featherdust dot com
February 26, 2025 at 7:11 PM
nambroth.bsky.social
Art making has been slow and weird lately (artist friends, you get it) but I was able to do some watercolor studies of my cockatiel recently. Each is on a sheet of 9"x6" watercolor paper. 🪶

If any of them catch your interest, they are available: featherdust.storenvy.com/collections/...
A watercolor study of a grey male cockatiel. He's sitting with his back to us, looking over his wing. He's overall grey, with a white crescent on his wing, a yellow face, and an orange ear patch, and a long tail cut off by the end of the paper. His crest is long and he's in a relaxed posture with his cheeks partially covering his beak. He was sitting and posing on my knee when I sketched him. The background is a pale rainbowy mix of colors, and it is signed by the artist at the bottom: Jennifer Miller "Nambroth" 2025. The watermark also has the website featherdust dot com. A watercolor study of a grey male cockatiel in profile. He's overall grey, with a white crescent on his wing, a yellow face, and an orange ear patch. His crest is long and he's stretched out in a curious posture as he examines something, his cheeks covering his beak partially, crest slightly back, and eye looking down and forward in a squint. The background is a very pale mix of blue and pink, and it is signed by the artist at the bottom: Jennifer Miller "Nambroth" 2025. The watermark also has the website featherdust dot com. A watercolor study of a grey male cockatiel in profile. He's sitting with his back to us, looking over his wing. He's overall grey, with a white crescent on his wing, a yellow face, and an orange ear patch. His crest is long and he's in a slightly crest-down but content posture, with his cheeks partially covering his beak. The background is a wash of greens, and it is signed by the artist at the bottom: Jennifer Miller "Nambroth" 2025. The watermark also has the website featherdust dot com. A watercolor study of a grey male cockatiel in profile, looking left. He's overall grey, with a white crescent on his wing, a yellow face, and an orange ear patch. His crest is long and he's in a slightly cranky posture, with his crest down and his eye slightly squinted (he was sleepy and wanted to be left alone). The background is a wash of blue and rust colors, and it is signed by the artist at the bottom: Jennifer Miller "Nambroth" 2025. The watermark also has the website featherdust dot com.
February 19, 2025 at 7:09 PM
nambroth.bsky.social
Some days you need the dragon, powerful and protective; some days you are the dragon, fierce and full of fire
A digital painting done in Clip Studio Paint. A black dragon rears back from the viewer in a powerful and defiant pose, readying its flame breath. The flame is a rainbow, gathering in the dragon's mouth and throat with streaks of rainbow light streaming. The dragon has a mane of glowing fire, flowing back and around in waves, in the white, pink, blue, brown, and black of the progress pride flag colors. The dragon's pose flows into a raised talon, ready to strike or defend, with wicked curved talons. Its eye is a radiant yellow. It has various spikes on its head, a curved beaky snout full of tooth like hooks, and forked horns. Its wings are spread and flared behind. The art is not subtle in its support for queer people. The artist's watermark reads copyright 2025 Jennifer Miller "Nambroth" featherdust dot com.
January 29, 2025 at 6:22 PM
nambroth.bsky.social
"Takoma Gryphon"
A gift for my friend Takoma, who wanted her lynx self gryphonized!
Digitally painted slowly over the course of much of 2024, in CSP.
A digital painting of a gryphon standing on a large rock in an aspen forest. The gryphon is based on a lynx and a ferruginous hawk, with brown, cream, and reddish markings, and is standing in a wings partially open pose, as if she just leapt onto the rock and is balanced. The ears are tufted and the eye is green with a subtle happy expression. The forest is aspens in the autumn, glowing in yellow and gold autumn colors with pale barked trunks picking up the surrounding colors. Some ferns and thumbleberry plants can be seen in the foreground, with leaves starting to turn orange and red, and a few pink berries visible. The scene is warm and peaceful with dust motes and small insects dancing in the light. The artist watermark reads: Art copyright 2024 Jennifer Miller "Nambroth" featherdust dot com
January 7, 2025 at 4:12 PM
nambroth.bsky.social
The seeds of m. fistulosa are in dried tube like structures that birds like the tree sparrow cannot get their beak into. The sparrows were intentionally flapping, vibrating the seed heads to shake the seeds out, then flying down to the ground to eat them. Look carefully at the tiny seeds flying out!
Photo of an American Tree Sparrow, spizelloides arborea, perched on the dried seed heads of wild bergamot or bee balm, monarda fistulosa. The sparrow is mottled browns, with grey on its face and a cute russet colored eye stripe and hat. It's precariously balanced on the delicate brown seed head, wings out, as it flaps, with its back to us. Three black arrows point out the very tiny black seeds flying out of the seed head through the air! It's intentionally vibrating them out like a salt shaker (this is how I harvest these seeds too, actually). This was easier to see in person than with the camera. The background suggests more dead plants in a snowy winter scene. Photo of an American Tree Sparrow, spizelloides arborea, on the snowy ground. The sparrow is mottled browns, with grey on its face and a cute russet colored eye stripe and hat. It's clearly picking out very tiny seeds off the snow surface, as the snow is flecked with tiny bits of debris. In this photo most of the very tiny debris is seed! There are a few dried brown plant stems in frame above the sparrow.
December 23, 2024 at 8:07 PM
nambroth.bsky.social
At first it looked like the American tree sparrows were having trouble balancing on the delicate seed heads of the monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot / bee balm). They'd perch and seem to struggle, and then "fall" down to the ground. I looked more carefully and saw what they were doing! (continued)
Photo of an American Tree Sparrow, spizelloides arborea, perched on the dried seed heads of wild bergamot or bee balm, monarda fistulosa. The sparrow is mottled browns, with grey on its face and a cute russet hat and a pale wing bar. It's precariously perched on the delicate brown seed head, with its back to us, wings spread in balance. The background suggests more dead plants in a snowy winter scene.
December 23, 2024 at 8:07 PM
nambroth.bsky.social
In winter, I have bird feeders up, but the last 10-ish years I've been planting more native plants out in my yard each year. Witnessing the interactions between these plants and wildlife has been so joyful, and full of constant learning. This winter, tree sparrows taught me something new 🪶 (thread):
Photo of an American Tree Sparrow, spizelloides arborea, perched on the dried seed heads of wild bergamot or bee balm, monarda fistulosa. The sparrow is mottled browns, with grey on its face and a cute russet colored eye stripe and hat. It's precariously balanced on the delicate brown seed head, looking down at it. The background suggests more dead plants in a snowy winter scene.
December 23, 2024 at 8:07 PM