#grey Hatching the Eggs

[maekarlargenaturals]

finally got around to designing Aenerys' dragon egg that never hatches zzz

transparent under cut! :

[reinekes-fox]

Random but Grey Swan 1.5 and IV are coming along great!

I need to stop, atm I am writing three stories at the same time lol but I love all of them.

[otiksimr]

it took me. so fucking long to get a shiny dusk lycanroc. u have my sympathy with the shiny salazzle

I've found one Salandit so far and it's male I am in tears.

[phemiec]

A Mouthwashing (and How Fish is Made) fansong, unfortunately from Jimmy’s POV mostly, sorry. 🐴 Music and lyrics by me, PhemieC

NOTE: this is my first fansong in five years, and sad to say but my voice has been decimated by illness in the last few years, so please don’t go into this expecting it to sound the same as my old stuff.

That being said, I have released an instrumental version, and I would LOVE to hear covers from other vocalists! Feel free to post and sell if you make a cover as well. <3

LYRICS UNDER CUT

[verse 1] Momma bird sleeping and her nest is empty Pretty and clean I feel the crease of envy Cutting a line right through the sky above me Healthy and green just like a good tree should be Momma bird leaving now her eggs are lonely Out from the underbrush I creep so slowly I’ll lay my own, her home is sound and safe, he’s Grey like a stone among her round blue babies She’ll never tell if she’s a few shells lighter Quick cracking clever comes my little fighter  Babes that feel safer they hatch so much slower Thrown down below then by my own fast grower Momma returns to feed her only child he Smells like a stranger and he cries so loudly Drinks of his fill while I look up on proudly Picking away at the discarded bounty 

[chorus] What hides inside has the skill to thrive Do you have the will to decide to survive? A parasite needs you alive To feed their growing appetite 

[verse 2] Thing crawling thirsty, shared flesh, a blessing Drink of my stagnancy, the taste refreshing Carry a part of me and keep on climbing  Top of the ladder’s just a place for dying Dread in your gullet, ignore it, buddy Lead in the bullet, it’s harmless, mostly Let me consume you, let you defend me Curling protector, my friendly fresh meat Im in control now and I like the feeling I’ll play the role of every wound you’re healing Follow the leader was always my thing Swallow your pills and lay still, unwrithing Master of puppets is my one objective Real apex predators can be selective Relay your message, it won’t stop the spread if I replace your tongue when I open your head up

[chorus] What hides inside has the skill to thrive Do you have the will to decide to survive? A parasite keeps you alive To feed their growing appetite 

[verse 3] My stress relief, she keeps asking questions I can’t believe she thinks I’ll learn her lesson Nothing outside of me will ever get in No mocking birdie with an unblinking grin Four beating hooves, I hate to hear them thunder Trample the metal tomb I’m buried under braying beast, neighing in the womb inside her Breaking its legs to glue you back together

[chorus] What hides inside has the skill to thrive Do you have the will to decide to survive? A parasite needs you alive To feed their growing appetite…

[uncharismatic-fauna]

The Palestine Sunbird Persists

The Palestine sunbird, also known as the orange-tufted sunbird (Cinnyris osea) is the national bird of Palestine, and often seen as a symbol of resistance and hope. This species occurs in dry climates, particularly desert, scrubland, and savannahs, but can also be found in orchards and gardens where flowers are abundant. In addition to the Levant, C. osea occurs throughout the southwest cost of Saudia Arabia and the coasts of Yemen and Oman in the south.

C. osea is a small bird, 8 to 12 cm (3.1-4.7 in) long with a wingspan of only 14 to 16 cm (5.5-6.2 in). Males weigh on average 7.6 g (0.26 oz) and females are slightly smaller, at about 6.8 g (0.24 oz). Males are quite easy to identify due to their striking plumage; their feathers are iridescent, appearing dark until they shimmer glossy blue or green, with orange tufts at the side of the breast. In contrast females are fairly drab; grey-brown with a lighter underside. The beaks of the Palestine sunbird are also noted for their distinctively long and curved, which they have developed to efficiently feed on nectar.

Although not directly part of the hummingbird family, the Palestine sunbird shares many similarities with the group. Its diet consists of nectar, and is supplemented with insects. Their tongues are long, and brush-like, and the shape of their beak allows them to reach down to the base of the flower. For flowers that are , they will use their sharp beaks to pierce the side and access the nectar directly. All this is done at very high speeds, but unlike hummingbirds the Palestine sunbird cannot hover in place, and must land in order to feed. Because of their primary reliance on nectar, the orange-tufted sunbird is an important pollinator in its native region. Adults are rarely predated upon, but eggs and young are often targets for lizards, snakes, and birds of prey.

Reproduction begins in June, and continues through October. Males establish and defend territories, and court females by singing to attract a potential mate, then chasing her until she perches to signal her acceptance. Following the pairing, the two construct a purse-like nest, sometimes with a porch-like structure, that hangs from a branch. In this nest, 1-2 eggs are laid, and are incubated primarily by the female, while the male provides her food. The eggs take 13 to 14 days to hatch, and chicks are taken care of by both parents for an additional 14 to 21 days. Individuals can live up to 5 years in the wild.

Conservation status: The Palestine sunbird has a large range and population, and is thus considered Least Concern by the IUCN. Its primary threat is habitat loss due to agriculture and urban development.

If you send me proof that you’ve made a donation to UNRWA or another organization benefiting Palestinians, I’ll make art of any animal of your choosing.

Remember, the donation can be in any amount– every dollar counts!

Photos

Jorrit Vlot

Dula Alhashimi

Rana Hijawi

[tell-them-the-north-remembers]

When you think about it Euron Greyjoy is actually the villain of all time, GRRM's magnum opus. He opens his eyes to the world and decides sibling abuse is gonna be his thing for a while. He fucks his brother's wife, gets exiled for it, fucks off to god knows where. Then allegedly finds a dragon egg, tries to get a wizard to hatch it, gets mad, randomly throws it into the sea. Commits war crimes, captures warlocks, makes them cannibalize each other for shits and giggles. Steals a dragon horn. DEMOCRATICALLY GETS ELECTED KING. Raids a man's castle, ties up the man, sees his daughter who goes "hey my step mom and step siblings suck strip them naked and make them serve dinner to ur men like that" and he goes "ok." and then is like "hey that was fun im gonna like kinda marry you and make you my salt wife". But she will be his SALT wife (she actually wont he will literally CUT her tongue bcs he evil) bcs he literally thinks oh yes i will marry daenerys and then tame a dragon using my dragonhorn and conquer westeros on dragonback aegon-style. He gets fucked up on shade of the evening daily, sees hallucinations and visions and plans on summoning eldritch horrors. He is an edgy pirate with a ship called "silence" bcs he fucking tore out the tongues of his entire crew and the ship is painted red so it conceals the BLOOD. Martin went "i have enough morally grey antagonists" and then created euron fucking greyjoy.

[alcoholicpilot]

Hold on. Why John Dory is dead???? What happened and why Branch sees him?????

PLEASE TELL ME ABOUT IT!!!

so far i’m planning to make either a fic or comic about it, but i’ll still explain some stuff!!

in this au the great bergen escape takes place before branch’s egg hatches and JD doesn’t make it out

each brother reacts to the loss differently but Bruce goes full denial. destroying any picture or object that reminds him of his brother.

though branch isn’t grey in this AU, he still has trouble making friends because of his overprotective brothers.

in his loneliness he wishes for a friend.

and John’s soul manifests as a ghost only branch can see!

unfortunately John doesn’t remember who he is or that he’s dead, all he knows is branch is his best friend.

i’ll reveal more soon dw! :3

[visenyaism]

If the Blackfyre Rebellion Era Targaryens had Dragons which one would Naerys have Ridden (and fed her creep ass brothers to?)

Dreamfyre is Such an Easy Answer so let's say Dreamfyre has retired to a nice cave in the Vale by this point and isnt an option

naerys? the egg placed in her crib hatches when she is seven years old. it has two heads and sickly grey-pink translucent scales and a hole in its heart. it lives for three days before it dies shivering in her arms. she names her Mercy. it cannot save her.

[herpsandbirds]

Southern or Grey Foam-nest Tree Frogs (Chiromantis xerampelina), family Rhacophoridae, South Africa

The adult females make a foam nest (from cloacal mucous), in a tree, bush or other vegetaion above water, in which they lay their eggs, which are then fertilized by the male. The tadpoles hatch from the eggs later, then drop down form the foam nest into the water below.

photographs: Imelus Umwabe, Lynn Raw, Arno Meintjes

[prof-peach]

Plum's new Pokemon: Strudel

Ever since the ranger days, Plum loved Bob the Torkoal, and Bob loved Plum. despite their trainers not getting along well, those two really hit it off. Imagine the old torkoals joy to see the ranger return to his trainers life once more, many years later, this time permanently.

When its cold everyone puts their feet on Bob's big warm shell, and he serves as the finest egg hatcher on the whole island. But his egg duties sometimes leave him without space for feet in the winter, and he's very serious about hatching those little ones. SO, with him following Peach around, Plum is left a little cold as the autumn draws in, working away in her office close to the docks. Until that is Peach sees an egg hatch that is less than normal. A dunsparce with torkoal traits, no wonder Bob took special care of that one egg. It imprints to the big nanny pokemon instantly and follows him around for the day as the professor observes just what this thing is, other than fat and cute, of course.

Peach takes the weird hybrid home and shows everyone, Both Grey and Plum fall madly in love with it, as do all the house mons give or take. So, until the little one shows signs of wanting a change in pace, they decided to keep the little hybrid around. She's registered to Plum, seeing as she has the least mons of the trio, and it took an instant shine to her thanks to Bob having a soft spot for her too. Where Plum goes, Strudel goes. Best travel companion you could ask for.

She seems mostly ground typing, but can produce a small flame, enough to start a campfire, or heat soup, but past that is not suited to battle. Likes to nap!

[cinematic-phosphenes]

I'm once again pissed off about Nettles likely being cut.

Dragonstone has dragons coming out the seams. If they had to give Rhaena an adult dragon*, they could have given her Grey Ghost and Nettles could still claim Sheepstealer. I don't want to hear shit about the CGI budget. There are some other unnecessary dragon scenes they could have cut. (I love Syrax and Caraxes but we did not have to see Caraxes doing nothing in the Riverlands or Rhaenyra taking off on Syrax to go confront Addam - although admittedly that shot of Syrax diving like a hawk is cool.)

*They're basically recycling Aemond's S1 plot for Rhaena. A Targaryen kid feels inferior and left out because they don't have a dragon. Eventually they claim the biggest, baddest dragon around and everything is (not) fine.

I think Rhaena coming into her own by hatching a dragon egg (something we haven't seen anyone else do in this series) and also realizing Targaryens are more than just their dragons and she can be a leader despite not being a dragon rider and not having a grown, intimidating dragon would've made for a better story and character development for her.

They could've shown Rhaena impressing Lady Jeyne Arryn and winning her over to Rhaenyra's cause despite not bringing a dragon to defend the Vale. They could have shown Lady Jeyne tutoring Rhaena in how to be a ruler and command men in a world that's reluctant to accept female leaders. That would be more scenes and character development for Lady Jeyne too, who has a great actress playing her.

They could've had Rhaena show up at Harrenhal in the season finale leading the Vale army she's recruited with diplomacy and negotiation instead of pointing a dragon at them. They could've shown Daemon realizing he's been underestimating Rhaena all along and finally show pride in his second daughter. It could have been a character growth moment for Daemon too since he's all about dragon supremacy and has been neglecting Rhaena her whole life.

I do like HOTD despite it being far from perfect ... but I want to like it more. I just want all my favourite girl characters to have better :(

Maybe the leaks are wrong.

Maybe I should console myself by writing fanfic.

[pleistocene-pride]

Antrostomus vociferous, better known as the eastern whip-poor-will or whip o whill, is a species of bird within the nightjar family, Caprimulgidae, which is endemic to the deciduous forests and mixed woodlands of North and Central America from Canada in the north to Costa Rica in the south and from the east coast to the great plains. Often migrating to the north of there range to breed and to the south of there range to overwinter. It is named onomatopoeically after its song as whilst the whip-poor-will is commonly heard within its range, it is rarely seen because of its elaborate camouflage. Eastern whip-poor-whills are a nocturnal species which spends there days resting amongst leaf litter, tree roots, branches, hollows, and fallen logs, emerging at night to feed upon various flying insects such as beetles, flies, mosquitos, and in particular moths. Eastern whip-poor-wills are generally solitary preferring to spend time on their own; however, during migration, they may form loose flocks. Reaching around 8.5 to 10.5 inches (22 to 27cms) in length, 1.5 to 3 ounces (42 to 85grams) in weight with a 17.5 to 19.5 inch (45 to 50cms) wingspan, eastern whip poor whills sport a large head and broad body. They have mottled camoflauged plumage: the upperparts are grey, black and brown; the lower parts are grey and black. They have a very short bill and a black throat. Males have a white patch below the throat and white tips on the outer tail feathers; in the female, these parts are light brown. Breeding often begins in March, with pairs meeting up and building a loose nest on the ground, in shaded locations among dead leaves. Here a female will usually lay 2 eggs at a time. Incubation lasts 19-21 days performed by both parents. Eastern Whip-poor-wills lay their eggs in phase with the lunar cycle, so that they hatch on average 10 days before a full moon. As when the moon is near full, the adults can better forage at night and capture large quantities of insects to feed to their young.The chicks hatch well developed covered in down but with their eyes closed. They are fed and protected by both parents and start to fly at the age of 20 days. Eastern whip-poor-wills usually produce 1 or 2 broods per year and females may lay a second clutch while the male is still caring for chicks from the first brood. Under ideal conditions an eastern whip poor will can live up to 15 years.

[akiragatr]

Bonus challenge: Draw the creature that hatches from the egg you chose.

[kismets-barista]

Hold onto your Stetson, @ohposhers; have I got some personal HickDory lore for you 😎💜🌟🫧

Excuse the insanity for those who don't feel compelled towards these two

SO!

Hickory and JD met a few good years before the events of the World Tour when Dory was traveling to find Lonesome Flats, got heatstroke and passed out in the desert. Wakes up to Hickory shadowed in the flickering light of a campfire beneath a canopy of the brightest stars he'd seen since the Neverglades, but it wouldn't be until QUITE a few months later until they really started developing crushes against each other. (Cowboy under the stars, you'd think he'd fall right then and there, right? 🌟)

Why was Hickory already in Lonesome Flats, you might ask? Where was Dickory?

In a glue trap, I say in response. Hickory came from Yodelsberg (is there a canonical name for this?) for international study and to learn about new music. He fell in love with country because yodeling and country music are actually quite gorgeous together. She Taught Me to Yodel, anyone?

Delta Dawn obviously didn't take to Dory showing up and around the town, but after some convincing by Hickory and lots of proving himself (plus a vulture attack that resulted in John Dory saving the very young niece of Delta Dawn- Clampers-) he 'earned' a place there and began to work around town.

It was weird for him.

He'd never quite settled down, until then.

(Now, the specific timeline, yearly I mean is a little muddled because I'm still crafting this, but I'll put them out about three years, now.)

John Dory was still living in Lonesome Flats, and he'd started a relationship with Hickory. They loved each other, as my cohort in crime @protagonist-art (CHECK OUT THEIR ART I LOVE THEM SM MUAH) has Hickory tell John when we get write them, "More than the moon loves the ocean." As surely as the tide pulls in and out, so the lovers return to each other.

So Via, what does Hickory think about BroZone?

Oh, my sweet star.

He doesn't know.

After returning to the devastated Troll Tree, John Dory lost a piece of his heart in the damaged pod they used to live in. It was the first time he went grey, and the memories of his brothers started shifting from what was, to what would never be again. He couldn't find it within himself to talk about them, and has his secrets.

But so does Hickory.

Girl wdym stop being so mysterious.

Heh. I know. It's just a glimpse into my dark mind /ref. Anyways, Hickory never told John Dory he was a Yodeler troll. (Another piece of lore that Quizzy and I worked on together and I think it's brilliant.)

Huh? Aren't they in a long-term relationship? Won't this cause issues later on if they don't share these things with each other?

Oh, they love every aspect of each other too much for their bond to truly be broken.

And yet.

One morning, years after just living and loving, John Dory wakes up with a massive headache and nausea.

"Maybe it's that horse that kicked me yesterday, could've gotten me harder than we both thought."

"Lemme check for a knot, Darlin'."

No knots, but there was an egg.

🌟 (Here I'll say that I'm massively in love with the headcanon that trolls conceive through true love- it isn't quite necessary for them to physically do anything unless they want to. Just them, wholeheartedly trusting and putting everything into their relationship and pouring their heart out to their partner.)

They were absolutely ECSTATIC, and rightfully terrified in their own ways. Neither of them were looking for children but not against it, and after resting for a few days they began to plan. A nursery in the house, baby books with millions of names scattered on the coffee table, toys and cute little baby clothes for when the little one hatched.

Wanna know two of the names John Dory had in mind? Rhonda and Dolly.

They were ecstatic until the night John Dory woke up absolutely ill and with a pit in his stomach.

They lost the egg, and it was the second time John Dory went grey in his life.

A week after this had happened, John Dory left a bundled lock of his hair at Hickory's nightstand and did what he knows how to do all too well. He ran.

Hickory never went too far out of Lonesome Flats in the hopes that John Dory would come back. He couldn't imagine what would happen if his love came back and didn't find him there.

The events of World Tour come about, Hickory meets Branch, and travels for the first time since John Dory left.

John Dory continued to travel, until the events of Band Together.

But don't worry, dear readers, for as surely as the tides come in, so will the lovers meet again. 🌟

Aaaand BOOM! That's it! 💜 I've got lore behind the names Rhonda and Dolly as well, and am SO down to answer any questions about them that anyone has. For you, Posh, thank you for asking and helping me to share a story I've been working on, and for everyone else that read this, thank you kindly! I hope that everyone who made it this far has quite a lovely day, or if you didn't, have a lovely day anyways!

Remember to take your meds, drink water, eat something, and stretch!

💜🌟🫧

[uncharismatic-fauna]

Pucker Up for the Sea Lamprey!

The sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), also known as the vampire fish, is the most famous member of the order of lampreys, Petromyzontiformes. Despite their similar appearance to eels, lampreys are actually jawless fish, and are more closely related to hagfish than eels. To add further confusion, sea lampreys actually reproduce in freshwater rivers and streams, and are only found in the ocean as adults. They are spread along the Atlantic coasts of North America and Europe, as well as the Mediterranean and Black Sea.

Sea lampreys are the largest member of the lamprey family, at an impressive 30 to 100 cm (11.8 to 39.4 in) long and weighing around 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs). They are generally olive or brownish grey, and their bodies are long and smooth. Perhaps P. marinus' most distinctive feature are their mouths, which are wide and circular with teeth arranged in a circle around the tongue and throat. When opened to attach to its prey, the mouth can stretch larger than the lamprey's head.

Vampire fish are widely known for their feeding habits. Adults are parasites that attach themselves to the sides of fish and feat on their victim's blood and tissue. But despite their fearsome appearance, P. marinus has a variety of predators as both juveniles and adults, including sturgeon, catfish, sea lions, seals, sea birds, and northern pikeminnows. Juveniles are particularly vulnerable, as they are smaller and, as deteriorates, are not equipped with the sharp teeth of adults.

Like many other fish, sea lampreys are anadromous, meaning they migrate from salt to freshwater to reproduce. From April to June, males and females travel up river to find rocky beds in which to build nests. Females lay anywhere from 30,000 and 100,000 eggs in their nest, which are then fertilized by multiple males. After mating, both parents die. The larvae take 3 to 8 days to hatch, and the young spend the next 1 to 3 years filter feeding in their home river. Once they reach maturity, they migrate back to the ocean, where they can reside for up to 5 years before returning to their spawning grounds to complete their lifecycle.

Conservation status: The IUCN has rated the sea lamprey as Least Concern. This species is invasive in the Great Lakes region of the United States. However, within its native range it is threatened by habitat degradation and over-fishing.

Photos

Paul Wilson

U.S. National Park Service

Sean Landsman