#tristi <3< /div> Explore tagged Tumblr posts

[quotidian-oblivion]

Hiiiiiiiiiiii :)

What is a funny story that you were either part of or you witnessed recently?

Byeeeeeeer :)

I AM BEING HAUNTED AND HUNTED BY EMAILS AND PEOPLE, TRISTI. THATS THE STORY I'M PART OF RIGHT NOW PLEASE HIDE ME HELP

[amamiofacciouncasinoo]

[lonelywretchjervistetch]

The State Birds Initiative: New Jersey (#3)

Welcome to the third official poll of the State Birds Initiative! Before the poll, though, one thing real quick. My suggestion is that you read the post below before voting in the poll below. That's especially important if you're lacking any context about the birds being presented as the new (or old) State Bird of the Garden State, New Jersey. This is to be fully informed as to why these are being presented, and to make your choices appropriately. Lastly, some of these birds, you will notice, may go against some of the rules listed in the introduction post. All is explained after the jump where the explanations are, I promise you that. But with that...OK! Here's the poll! If you'd like to see the last post, check out Pennsylvania (Poll | Results)

So, with that done...New Jersey.

OK, I'll be honest, I have very little history with New Jersey. Only been there a few times, I've driven through it a decent number of times, and I mostly know it by reputation. But, uh...for whatever reason, every trip I take that requires me to go through New Jersey, NJ is the worst driving portion of that trip. Basically every time. Maybe that's a New Jersey turnpike problem, maybe that's unhappy coincidence. Hell, maybe it's conservation bias from being a New Yorker (upstate, but I've gone to the city regularly throughout my life). Or maybe it really is cultural reputation for New Jersey trickling in to my subconscious (looking at you, Jersey Shore). But either way...I have complicated feelings about New Jersey.

But this post is NOT about my personal geographic experience. Mostly. It's about birds! So, let's get into New Jersey objectively. Third state admitted into the union, state capital is Trenton, largest city is Newark, and it's the most densely populated state in the country. Famous for being the origin of electricity in civic infrastructure, as well as the home of their favorite son, Thomas Alva Edison. Which...when you learn more about the guy, makes you wonder about New Jersey as a whole. MOVING ON! It was a major staging point in the American Revolutionary War, and ever since, it's been all about freedom. Even though you can't pump your own gas there. Although, to their credit, the Statue of Liberty is actually technically in New Jersey waters. Yeah. That's absolutely true. But, like...it's spiritually a New York landmark, so we'll let it slide.

Now, here's the thing about New Jersey, seriously and truly. It has a bad reputation because of media and New York City. This is for two more specific reasons, from what I can tell. One, the New Jersey Turnpike sucks, and it smells like raw sewage due to its proximity to industrial factories and processing plants. And unfortunate way to experience the state, and the main way I've experienced New Jersey personally. So, that's one, and it's not indicative of the state's quality. Number two is simply the fact that it's a hub for commuters, with lots of people going to either NYC or Philadelphia for work. Because of that, Jersey itself gets pieces of their cultures combined, which also makes it a very easy target with a unique accent. So, not Jersey's fault.

In reality, it's quite a nice state with more natural area than you'd expect for somewhere so densely populated. New Jerseyans, unsurprisingly love their state...and aren't big fans of tourists, from discourse I see online. It's a small state, which makes it crowded enough. Plus, there are tourist attractions there. There's the massive American Dream Meadowlands mall, there's MetLife Stadium, there's Six Flags Great Adventure, there's...Trenton. Actually, no, Trenton sucks, I stand by that assessment. But it's also a highly diverse state, with the highest proportion of Hinduism followers in the country, as well as the densest collection of LGBTQ+ social centers (AKA gayborhoods), amongst other things. NJ does deserve more credit.

Now with that said, let's talk about the natural world of New Jersey, because there is a surprising amount to talk about. 45% of the land is covered in mixed deciduous-coniferous forest, which you've probably noticed is typical of the NE USA. Oak is our primary tree here, which is also probably why Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra) is the state tree. It also has some major ecological features that are well known for its natural advantages. Cape May is a seaside city and vacation resort, but also one of the most well-known and important sites for birders from the United States during migration seasons, making it immediately prominent for this post. Great Swamp NWR in the north is the first wilderness area ever designated by Congress, and also serves as a major refuge for birds during the breeding season for various reasons. And maybe most importantly, the New Jersey Pine Barrens are the largest remaining pine barrens in the NE USA, and act as a bastion of diversity. More on this later, I promise; there's a species entry dedicated to this unique environment.

And that's not all to talk about here. NJ's environment needs some focus for a number of reasons, not least of which being that the state has more toxic waste dump sites than any other state in the Union, which are the focus of the federal Superfund environmental remediation program. Yeah, there's some cleanup that needs to happen in the state, especially as it is so small. Of 150 federally listed sites, only 35 have been cleaned up since the 1970s. So, yeah. We should get on that, please. But with that said, NJ has relatively low carbon dioxide emissions compared to other states, they're seventh in solar power, and get most of their electricity from natural gas and nuclear power. So, it's a greenish state that could be a lot greener.

There's a lot to talk about for such a small state, it would seem. Let's not linger about, and let's get on with the show here! I'm honestly kind of excited. Birds after the jump!!!

American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)

Let's kick things off by talking about the incumbent, the American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis). Now, why was the American Goldfinch chosen as the State Bird of New Jersey in 1935? Easy answer: favoritism. The bird was nominated as the only candidate by the New Jersey Audubon Society because...it was their mascot at the time. Yeah. That's it. In reality, the New Jersey State Bird is the New Jersey Audubon Society. And even then, it's officially lost its relevancy, because that's not their mascot anymore. More on that later.

What's actually worse about the goldfinch here is...for some reason, not a lot of New Jerseyans have actually seen them. Part of the reason for this entire series, by the way is this Reddit post, which stoked the fires that had long been simmering deep within my soul. OK, not that deep, but still. Anyway, the header of that post is that the OP had barely ever seen an American Goldfinch, despite being a native. I thought that was insane (and said as much in my comments), because this is a ridiculously common bird, especially for birdwatchers. But, uh...I've looked into since then. And only 0.4% of its global breeding population resides in the state. What's crazy is, this is a common sentiment amongst New Jerseyans. They just...haven't seen this bird. And obviously, that/s not every new Jerseyan, and a lot have reported seeing it. But to be honest...is this bird really worth being called the State Bird of New Jersey?

OK, can we make the American Goldfinch make sense in retrospect? Let's see, they're a highly social finch species throughout the year, living in dense colonies in the spring and summer especially. The males are late breeders with ornate flying displays meant to attract females, and may group territories with other males to defend against predators. And they're an open secondary growth forest specialist that live in the state year-round, including during the breeding season. Which means...well, actually, it means that they're perfectly suited to live in New Jersey, funnily enough.

Hear me out here. There are two things that goldfinches love most: forest clearings and weeds. New Jersey may be 45% covered in forest, but it does have deforestation as a minor problem around its settlements. However, that's not a problem for the goldfinch, who thrives in secondary growth forests that occur as a result of succession. Given an attempt in recent decades to recover New Jersey's forests, this means the goldfinch is a potential symbol of these efforts. Plus, its love of the seeds that come from flowers that are pest plants, like dandelion, thistle, ragweed, and cosmos, make it a potentially attractive bird for gardeners of the state to attract, especially as those plants thrive in open fields during stages of succession!

...YES I'M STRETCHING MORE THAN AN AUSTRALIAN BREAKDANCER WITH A DOCTORATE TRYING TO MAKE A POINT, BUT WHAT ELSE AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THIS MASCOT OF AN ORGANIZATION NAMED AFTER A SLAVE-OWNER???

So...moving on.

Clapper Rail (Rallus crepitans)

While the majority of natural New Jersey is covered in forest, it still has a fairly important habitat in the form of the saltmarsh. Just to get the definition in place early, a saltmarsh is essentially what it sounds like: a vegetation-dominated coastal biome with salt and brackish water, salt-tolerant grasses and plants, and the animals that depend on such. They're coastline preservers, trapping and binding sediment as it makes its way to and from the ocean, and acting as a major supply for the food web along the coasts. They're incredibly important habitats, and this will not be (and have not been) the last time you've seen them during the State Birds Initiative.

Now, obviously, these habitats are chockful of birds. New Jersey has a few major salt flats along its coast, all of which shelter some major breeding populations of birds. One of these species is the Clapper Rail (Rallus crepitans), which is our eBird-sponsored pick of this poll. Clapper Rails have 13% of their global population in New Jersey saltmarshes, meaning they're quite dependent on this unique habitat, and most of their population breeds in the state. Some people may never have seen or heard of a rail, but in case you're one of those people, just know that they're a smaller semi-aquatic relative of cranes. If you've seen a coot, moorhen, or gallinule, then you've seen a rail! And the Clapper Rail is a crustacean-eating, saltmarsh-loving, new Jersey-dependent example. And that said...it is kinda boring looking to the average person.

Don't take me wrong! For me, this bird is fantastic, and would actually be a lifer for me, personally. But the average non-birder? Look, in instances like this, I usually tap into the part of my brain my fiancee lives in rent-free, and all I can hear is her shouting "LONG DUCK LONG DUCK" over and over. I love these guys, but I'm not sure they'd resonate with the public. Plus, as far as saltmarshes go, these are good representatives, but I'm not sure they're the best. Are these a good New Jersey representative? Possibly, since they represent a major ecosystem in the state, and that is important. But I'll leave that question to you all. Moving on!

Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina)

OK, onto the category of birds that are named after the state, and New Jersey has one of those! The Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina) is so-named because the first specimen described by Alexander Wilson was collected in Cape May, New Jersey by George Ord. That said, it's certainly a unique warbler, easily recognizable, and dependent upon conifer forests dominated by spruce, which the Pine Barrens are...not. Still, an iconic bird in New Jersey! Except...wait, hold on...ah. It doesn't breed in the state. In fact, after it was described from a Cape May specimen, it wasn't seen in the area again for...a century. So...yeah, it's named after a major location in the state, known for birds at that, and yet it's barely found there?Love this bird, but...maybe think about renaming it one of these days.

Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus)

Now, the Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus), on the other hand, that's a better warbler representative of New Jersey. Well, sort of. To be fair, the Pine Warbler only has 1% of its global breeding population in New Jersey, so the state isn't a bastion or reservoir for the species. However, there is a major reservoir of the species in the New Jersey Pine Barrens, which I'd mentioned earlier. And hey, Pine Barrens, Pine Warbler...slam dunk for representation of the habitat right there. And yeah, that's absolutely relevant to the species as a whole. They live, eat, and breed in pine-dominated forests, exactly like (and including) the Pine Barrens. It's actually listed as a "Significant Congregation" species by the New Jersey Audubon Society.

And as for making a good State Bird of New Jersey? It's a notable bird, even keeping the goldfinch's yellow with white wing bars. It's not terribly difficult to find, especially during the breeding season in areas like the Pine Barrens. And hey, they're even well-known to live with other species, making them an important biodiversity indicator for conservation purposes. Plus, if people go out to look for the Pine Warbler in the wild, they'll likely encounter other species like the Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca) or the Tennessee Warbler (Leiothlypis peregrina), amongst others. Fostering interest in birdwatching by chance! It works in a conservation sense...but I don't know that it's particularly emblematic of New Jersey, to be fair.

Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonicus)

Now, here's an interesting choice! If the current State Bird, the American Goldfinch, was chosen because it was the mascot for the New Jersey Audubon Society at the time, then by that logic, their current mascot should actually be the State Bird of New Jersey. And so, in that case, may I present to you the current mascot of the NJ Audubon Scoiety, and the next candidate for State Bird...the...is that a Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonicus)? Yeah, looks like it, and some sources I have confirm that's the case. But, uh...why?

Let me be really clear about something first off: I adore the Northern Harrier. Also caleld the marsh hawk, they're a beautiful raptor native to brackish and salt mashes, as well as grasslands and fields, hunting small mammals, insects, and the occasional bird. They're one of the few accipiters that are silent fliers, ambushing prey from above like owls. They even have the disc-like face. They're one of the new North American raptors with sexual dimorphism (the smoky gray male is pictured above, as compared to the brown females), and their iconic coloration has given them the nickname of the Gray Ghost. WHICH IS BADASS. They're also one of the only polygynous raptors, meaning a male can mate with several females in a given season, nesting on the ground and hatching chicks. Because of their unique relationships, some indigenous peoples see them as a symbol of healthy marriage. Finally, these are considered good for agriculture, as they eat rodents and not chicken. I love harriers, they're super neat birds, and it's always a pleasure to see them in the wild. Also, they DROWN THEIR PREY!!! What the hell! That's terrifying!

OK, harriers are cool, but do they have a relevance to New Jersey outside of being the logo of New jersey Audubon? Well...they do breed there...barely. But they've been observed doing so, so that counts. They represent key habitats in the state of New Jersey, so that's great. Their certainly charismatic enough (GRAY GHOST), and they've got nationwide conservation concern as an endangered species. So, it has those qualities going for it as the State Bird candidate. We'll see what the poll says. In the meantime, let's move on!

Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla)

Y'know, my original plan was to put the Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) in this list as well...and then, I stumbled upon a fun fact. The black-headed cousin of the Ring-billed Gull, and Laughing Gull, is a regular traveler to New Jersey, and in fact has a colony right off of the Jersey Shore, making them a fairly well-known and recognizable resident of an iconic area of the state. But pretty importantly, the species has a pretty massive breeding population in New Jersey. 5% of the breeding population of the species are in southern NJ, which isn’t the bulwark of their breeding population in the USA (that'd be Louisiana, according the eBird Status and Trends), but it's still a significant portion.

That said, the Laughing Gull is a recognizable member of the New Jersey shore community, and I mean the term "community" in multiple contexts. Ecologically, they're omnivorous scavengers that are well-adapted to living in a densely populated state, as well as in saltmarshes and other coastal environments throughout New Jersey. Sociologically, they hang around human settlements so much that they see opportunities in human hands...literally. The Laughing Gulls of the Jersey Shore are pretty notorious for stealing food out of the hands of beachgoers and boardwalk visitors. There are even boardwalk restaurants with signs saying they won't offer refunds if your food is stolen by a gull. They're SO notorious, in fact, that falconers have been hired to use their falcons to drive away these birds. And honestly...that's a shame. After all, the Laughing Gulls are such prominent citizens that humans have had to adjust to them.

But that said...I'm gonna quote Brian Donahue, the reporter at the end of the video/new report I linked to above...because it's hilarious, and it makes an interesting statement that I think people from New Jersey should think about. Read the quote, but trust that I have a somewhat well-thought out idea supporting it.

Derided as "flying rats" by many, I think it's time to reconsider the Laughing Gull, because if things haters say about Laughing Gulls (they're loud, feisty, there's too many of them... (Interviewee Kathy McCarey): They're rude...they're very demanding...and they come for what they want...I don't like 'em.) ...are the same things haters often say about New Jerseyans. Laughing Gulls are us. They deserve more respect.

Look, as extremely funny as that point is...there's a point about that statement. That is something that people say about New Jerseyans! They live in a state full of garbage, they're obnoxious and loud, all of that kinds thing. And New Jerseyans love their state as much as anybody else; SO MUCH, in fact, that many people online say they actually love that stereotype, because it means that people STAY OUT OF THEIR STATE. Funny or not, true or not...there's a point there. Laughing Gulls, as with all gulls, have a bad reputation, which is mostly undeserved. They're opportunists trying to feed themselves and their young, who see a smorgasbord of food right in front of them, in their neighborhood! In their place, what would YOU do? Honestly, these guys are a solid contender for that reason alone.

Plus, honestly...it's kinda funny.

Saltmarsh Sparrow (Ammospiza caudacuta)

Finally, let's look at the conservation focus for this post: the Saltmarsh Sparrow (Ammospiza caudacuta). So, this is a pretty big one, especially when looking at New Jersey. A full 32% of the species' global population breeds in this state, which is, frankly, a MASSIVE proportion of any species. What's more, they're considered an endangered species, which immediately makes this an impressive contender for the State Bird of New Jersey. And as one of the most endangered species in the Eastern USA, not to mention a species of immense scientific interest for ecological and genomic reasons, this bird should get some attention by the public and federal government.

However...and this is a point to be made here...it's not exactly the most iconic bird for non-birders. As a birder who would kill to get this on his lifelist (I AM WORKING ON IT, LITERALLY TOMORROW AS I AM TYPING THIS), this is a prominent bird within certain communities. And to others? Ugh, this is gonna hurt me to say, you have no idea, but...it's a sparrow. It may be a little harder for people to become attached to a sparrow, and even more difficult for people to recognize the Saltmarsh Sparrow specifically.

Don't believe that this matters? Do me a favor, bird people. Show your non-bird friends Bird A, Bird B, and Bird C. Ask them how many different species you showed them. I'm willing to bet the especially observant will say 2. The less observant are gonna say 1. And throw in these top two pictures, while you're at it. I'm willing to bet you'll still get a 2 or 3. Because, unfortunately, to many people, sparrows all look pretty similar. And going forward, that's something we'll have to keep in mind: a unique appearance. What makes a bird iconic is also in its uniqueness and identifiability. And sure, maybe I'm not giving the average person enough credit, but we're also talking about children. I've said it before and I'll say it many times over: kids are important targets to consider when choosing natural State Symbols. And I really don't know how many adults could tell the difference between some sparrows, even professionals. And, uh...the Saltmarsh Sparrow is a very important example of this, because it wasn't even a species until the '90s.

Oh, and kudos to those of you who caught on immediately to my little trick up there. Probably a good amount of you noticed it, but if you didn't...there are five species of sparrows shown in this post. The two birds pictured in the post? Different species. Yeah, hearing that now makes that more obvious, but you may not have noticed it immediately. The first bird pictured is indeed the Saltmarsh Sparrow. The second bird, however, is the Nelson's Sparrow (Ammospiza nelsoni), which was once considered the same species as the Saltmarsh Sparrow. Dirty question, I know, but it's also found in New Jersey. Not a breeder there, but it's enough to cause a bit of confusion. See what I mean?

Oh, as for the rest, Bird A is LeConte's Sparrow (Ammospiza leconteii), Bird B is a Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), and Bird C is a Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum).

Please understand, bird-peeps: I hate making this argument. Genuinely. The New World sparrows are a wonderful group, and a really fun one to play around with and hunt down as a birder. And don't worry, sparrows will be getting a mention in my personal list. But as for the State Bird? I'll let you all decide.

And with that, that's the end of this post! I miss any big ones? Make any leaps a bit too big? Feel free to let me know! In the meantime, stay tuned for State #4 - Georgia! Wait...wait, the fourth state to be admitted into the Union was Georgia? Huh. Go figure.

See you next time, and happy birding!

[fudgetunblr]

Credit to @blissfullogoless for the clips <3 & to that one user I can't find who thought someone should make a Tim and Hawk edit with Illicit Affairs, this ones for you random user :)))

Edit: random user is not a random user anymore, it’s @arbor-tristis (thx for the inspo bestie)

[witch128chick]

under the "Labyrinth Runners" rewatch post i suggested to analyse Amity's name and Willow's role in the friend group and got requested to do it. so, this is what i'm doing now!

first, let's start with Amity's name. i didn't make the connection until i read about it somewhere, that her name means friendship. it's a shame tbh, bc i learnt French at some point and the word "friendship" means l'amitié (f) in French. however, the name's origin is Latin.

Amity; meaning: friendship, harmony.

now that we cleared this, let's talk about Willow's name. surprisingly enough, her name means "willow tree", originated from Old English. one of the websites describe the trees as elegant and having the ability to grow and prosper despite unfavourable conditions.

i can't help but bring up smth i learnt at uni. i think one of the most famous willow trees is Salix alba 'Tristis', commonly called Golden Weeping Willow or White Willow. (but that might just be me. the tree is indigenous in my country.) the word "tristis" means sorrowful, mournful. this will only be a side note, just an idea i had, but i wanted to include it, for further angst potentials.

so the meaning of the names is cleared. now let me write a little summary about Willow and Amity's friendship.

the two started off as friends pretty early. Willow was everyone's first friend in the Hexsquad, but her first friend was Amity. i'd link that to the meaning of her name. then, the two were forced apart, and Willow became a sad part of Amity's life, someone she missed, someone she mourned losing as a best friend. here comes the side note i mentioned in point 4. the two then found each other again, when Luz (Spanish name, meaning light) shone her light on them and the sorrow vanished. at least partly, since the hurt they both felt was still present.

Amity was forced to be friends with kids she didn't like, her true self fading over the years after losing Willow. she made mistakes in this new situation where she most likely felt alone and most importantly; didn't have her best friend by her side. to someone who's name means friendship and who's a genuinely kind and sweet person, this was enough reason to become cold and watch as the harmony within fell apart. without her best friend Amity couldn't be herself with anyone, therefore she had to suppress all her traits that didn't fit in the friend group she was forced into.

Willow cruelly lost her best friend. she was alone, until she met Gus. another thing from uni: big, majestic trees are perfect to stand in the middle of a bigger garden as solitaire trees. and willows are big, majestic trees. so as another side note, i'd say she was alone like those solitaire trees. (tho the White Willow i mentioned earlier is most commonly planted on watersides.)

as my last point, i'd like to talk a little about point 3. especially about the part where i mentioned that willow trees have the ability to grow and prosper despite unfavourable conditions. Willow was definitely in an unfavourable condition, before becoming friends with Gus and even after that, bc of the bullying and the fact that her former best friend was one of her bullies. but she grew. even more, after Luz - the light or the sun, if you will - shone on her. Willow became the strongest she's ever been.

both Willow and Amity needed Luz to become who they were meant to be. actually, Luz had that effect on everyone. literally. my point is that Willow and Amity's friendship is an important lesson about staying true to yourself, losing yourself bc of control and cold circumstances, unhealthy coping mechanisms, second chances to people who deserve it and healing not being linear.

i think that's all i wanted to say. i had these thoughts in my head for quite a while so i'm glad i finally sat down and wrote this :D it was fun! it got me engaged even tho i thought i'd lose interest after 5 minutes. but i finished it in one sitting! anyway, i can totally see myself do more of these kind of posts and i'm open for requests too!

hope you liked my little rambling about Amity and Willow! <3

sources: The Bump, Wikipedia, North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

[tristysonic]

Hey🙏 I usually lurk around on tags but I would love to meet some new people in this fandom 😁 So I'm doing an introduction post if anyone would be interested.. (Keep reading if so!)

You can call me Tristy!! (He/They) My favorite CC's in the group are Platy (<3!!) Chilled, Ze, Jeremy, Speedy, and Sidearms!! But I love and respect them all. Will watch anything related to them trust me.

Been watching Ze and Chilled for.. god way over a decade? Back in the old LittleBigPlanet days (As that was.. is still my favorite game series)

This fandom in of itself feels small (at least this side of the community) so I would love more people to talk to about them.. Deeply hyperfixated.

[iggy-gotthisaccountunderduress]

I’m trying to 🥺

how do i keep you forever

[quotidian-oblivion]

For the Merlin ask game, number 25? Pre-Merlin headcanon?

what- what does this mean??? Is it before the timeline of the show? An Old Religion hc?? Before the Purge hc?? Before Merlin came to Camelot hc??

In any case, I have a li'l ol' Arthur hc. Baby Arthur was attracted to magic.

Hear me out.

Everyone knows that he was born of magic, right? That won't come without consequences and side-effects. Like, come on.

I believe that when Arthur was a little baby or toddler, perhaps up till the age of 3 or 4, Arthur found himself strangely drawn towards magical objects. Objects have a different calibration of magic than people because sorcerers' magic flows and shifts constantly because it is living. Objects are more dense and solid and set. It may become drained of magic overtime or tainted, but it doesn't shift constantly and fluctuate and move like people's.

So Arthur, a simple-minded child who follows his id and hasn't completely grasped his ego and superego yet, follows those objects because his dormant inner magic is drawn to the objects. I think the reason it's drawn is because of the prophecies. Arthur's magic knows that it is a part of a bigger vassal of magic (i.e. Merlin), and it wants to find it.

So at times, Uther or his nannies or the knights sometimes found little Arthur toddling to the vaults or drawn to jewellery some of the visiting royalty and nobles wore. No one knows why, they thought it was his adventurous heart, to be quite honest Arthur himself didn't know why, but he felt a sense of longing at times. Nighttimes were a nightmare for his nannies sometimes because occasionally, the magic got frustrated at its missing half, its missing piece. Uther ended up patting Arthur back to sleep during those nights when his nannies could not.

Then, one day, the sense of longing and the mysterious urges to walk down to the vaults or grab the ring from the visiting queen disappeared.

It was also the day Hunith held her small son with the odd stuck-out ears and raven-black hair in her arms for the first time.

When Merlin came to Camelot and picked a fight with Arthur, on a whim, the prince decided to let him go. He didn't know why, but there was something about the snarky and stupid commoner.

Little did either of them know, after two decades of searching, Arthur's innate magic finally found its missing piece.

[snakemanaustralia]

New to science .... more new species of lizards in Australia.

Hoser, R. T. 2024. Small and overlooked. New species and subspecies within the Australian skink genera Morethia Gray, 1845 and the closely associated Solvonemesis Wells and Wellington, 1984.. Australasian Journal of Herpetology 72:3-13.

Hoser, R. T. 2024. Pleistocene splits in the Australian Odatria tristis (Schlegel, 1839) species and Pantherosaurus rosenbergi (Mertens, 1957) complexes. The formal identification and naming of a new species and three new subspecies.. Australasian Journal of Herpetology 72:14-24.

Hoser, R. T. 2024. Out from the cold - a new species of Australian Jacky Dragon Amphibolurus Wagler, 1830 from the region near the southern border between South Australia and Victoria as well as a new subspecies from New South Wales and Victoria. Australasian Journal of Herpetology 72:25-28.

Hoser, R. T. 2024. Before we end up with mutts! The formal diagnosis of subspecies within the Sydney basin species, Hoplocephalus bungaroides (Schlegel, 1837) and Amalosia lesueurii (Dumeril and Bibron, 1836). Australasian Journal of Herpetology 72:29-34.

Hoser, R. T. 2024. Two new subspecies of Mountain Dragon, Rankinia boylani Wells and Wellington, 1984 from New South Wales, Australia. Australasian Journal of Herpetology 72:35-39.

Hoser, R. T. 2024. A new subspecies of Hesperoedura reticulata (Bustard, 1969) from south-central Western Australia. Australasian Journal of Herpetology 72:40-42.

Hoser, R. T. 2024. Atraserpens, a new genus of Australian small-eyed snakes from Eastern Australia as well as a new subspecies of the Northern Small-eyed Snake Cryptophis pallidiceps (Gunther, 1858) from north-west Western Australia (Serpentes: Elapidae). Australasian Journal of Herpetology 72:43-46.

Hoser, R. T. 2024. Taxonomic vandalism by Wolfgang Wuster and his gang of thieves. Yet more illegally coined names by the rule breakers for species and genera previously named according to the rules of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. Australasian Journal of Herpetology 72:47-63.

[lonelywretchjervistetch]

The State Bird Initiative: New Jersey (#3) - Results

Another week, another poll! And this one...this one had the results in super fast. So, we're gonna get right into it, as well as the personal choices by the SBI. But OK, which species does Tumblr think should be the State Bird of New Jersey?

Which of the following should be the state bird of New Jersey, the Garden State?

Look...I'd be lying if I said I didn't vote for that one, too.

SBI Elected State Bird of New Jersey: Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla)

The American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) has been replaced by popular vote by the Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) in the latest polls! And there's a part of me that wonders if this is for the meme...and there's a part of me that thinks this actually makes sense.

Read the original post here if you want my rationale, but...yeah, I stand by this being a good choice. NJ is a coastal state with a long coastline and a strong beach culture, to the point where "the Shore" is a recognized area in the state with an international reputation. And yes, while other shorebirds could be associated with the state, the Laughing Gull is essentially the only one whose breeding population heavily depends on its Jersey population. Plus, it's a recognizable and iconic bird with a known presence, and could easily be associated with the state it's been selected for. I can dig it. Just sayin'. And yeah, this is the bird chosen as a personal choice by the SBI as well. If you'd like to see the other personal choices from the SBI, stick around after the jump! And if this is all you were waiting for, then no worries! Check out Georgia's entry and give it a vote while you can!

The State Birds Initiative Personal Pick - New Jersey (#3)

State Game Bird of New Jersey (SBI): Brant (Branta bernicla)

Wait...WHAT THE HELL IS THAT? I never brought this bird up as a contender for State Bird? So, what is it doing here? Well, I never brought this guy up for State Bird because they don't breed in New Jersey, and honestly couldn't come up with a solid argument for it to be in that position. However, it was always a contender for State Game Bird, because New Jersey is home to the largest population of this goose, the Brant (Branta bernicla), on the eastern coast, with other concentrations being in Virginia and Rhode Island. But they'll get different birds for this category.

Now, time to talk further about what a State Game Bird is. Game birds are not a single taxonomic classification; rather, they're a sociological one. These are birds prioritized for hunting, usually for culinary purposes, if not just for sport. While they come from a few taxa, the vast majority of game birds belong to orders Galliformes (chickens, pheasants, quail, etc.) and Anseriformes (ducks and geese). The Brant represents our first member of the latter in this category! New jersey is known for its Brant hunting, and the state has major regulations during its Brant hunting season for conservation purposes. I could've put the Snow Goose (Cher caerulenscens) here as well, since New Jersey actually prioritizes hunting of this overpopulated bird...but the purpose of this is to promote birds of conservation interest that have a significant role in the state, and the Brant fits this a lot better than the Snow Goose. With that, let's move on!

State Raptor of New Jersey (SBI): Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonicus)

The Gray Ghost wins the category of State Raptor of New Jersey! This one, of course, I put in the original post and poll, and it unfortunately didn't get far at all. Not sure why, since it's the logo for the New Jersey Audubon Society, it represents a major ecosystem in the state, and it's generally a pretty cool bird. But, hey, that's the price of democracy. Either way, the Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonicus) is a charismatic raptor of conservation concern, and a generally pretty neat bird all around. Check out the original post for more details on this guy, but for now, we'll move on!

SBI's Big Fifty - New Jersey: Saltmarsh Sparrow (Ammospiza caudacuta)

So, in my original post, I mentioned that the Saltmarsh Sparrow (Ammospiza caudacuta) wasn't a great fit for State Bird due to its similarity to other sparrows, and that would be difficult for the average citizen to parse out. A sparrow is a sparrow is a sparrow, right? Well, not to birders it ain't! This is a pretty big bird for any birder's life list, mine included, making it an important focus for that community. So, in order to give the sparrow its day in court, the Saltmarsh Sparrow wins the prize for New Jersey's representative in SBI's Big Fifty, adding it to the countrywide scavenger hunt that this list represents. Sorry, Massachusetts, I know you could've had this one, too. I'll give you a neat one, I promise.

State Conservation Focus of New Jersey (SBI): Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus)

OK, so, the Conservation Focus of New Jersey is sort of disingenuous in this entry, since the bird is far less of a focus than its habitat, but I'll use it as the symbol of the habitat. The Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus) is an accessible symbol for the average person to see when going to the ecologically significant (and always in danger) New Jersey Pine Barrens, also representing a larger community of birds with which it tends to be geographically associated. But more than that, the real symbol of the Pine Barrens isn't quite as accessible. For that reason, there really should be two focuses for the Pine Barrens, one for bird people, and one for ecologists. And if you know anything about the New Jersey Pine Barrens, I think you know what the other symbol is.

Now, to be fair, the Pine Barrens Tree Frog (Dryophytes andersonii) is, despite the name, not endemic to the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Instead, it can be found in the Carolinas and the Florida Panhandle, all in isolated areas and...well, pine barrens. But, its populations are decreasing in size, with the Georgia population already extirpated, and is a species of conservation concern. Frogs are, of course, less easy to spot than birds, especially nocturnal ones like the tree frog. So, it's not a great public symbol of the forests as a result, but is still an important inhabitant of the New Jersey Pine Barrens. So, consider this another conservation focus endorsed by SBI. And for the record, it's actually the state frog of North Carolina, so it hasn't been completely shafted!

And with that, we've reached the end of the personal choices by the SBI for ornithological state representatives! Be sure to check out the Georgia poll currently running; still a day or two for votes to be counted!

See you next time, and happy birding!

[qualcosalungolastrada]

Il Postino - " I suoni dell'isola"

1. onde alla cala di sotto, piccole

2. onde grandi

3. vento della scogliera

4. vento dei cespugli

5. reti tristi di mio padre

6. campana dell'addolorata (con prete)

7. cielo stellato, dell'isola

8. cuore di pablito

questo film ♥️

[cutulisci]

Le dichiarazioni d’amore più belle della letteratura:

1. «Vorrei che tu venissi da me in una sera d’inverno e, stretti insieme dietro i vetri, guardando la solitudine delle strade buie e gelate, ricordassimo gli inverni delle favole, dove si visse insieme senza saperlo.»

Dino Buzzati - La boutique del mistero

2. «Non sono sicuro di averti dentro di me, né di essere dentro di te, e neppure di possederti. E in ogni caso, non è al possesso che aspiro. Credo invece che siamo entrambi dentro un altro essere, che abbiamo creato e che si chiama Noi.»

Robert James Waller - I ponti di Madison County

3. «Tu sei veramente una fiamma che scalda ma bisogna proteggere dal vento. A volte non so se un mio gesto tende a scaldarmi o a proteggerti. Allora m’immagino di fare le due cose insieme, e questa è tutta la mia e la tua tenerezza come una cosa sola.»

Cesare Pavese a Bianca Garufi

4. «E senza di te io sono lontana 

non so dire da cosa ma lontana, scomoda un poco perduta, come malata, un po’ sporco il mondo lontano da te, più nemico, che punge, che graffia, sta fuori misura.»

Mariangela Gualtieri - Il mondo che graffia, se non sei accanto a me

5. «Scese, evitando di guardarla a lungo, come si fa col sole, ma vedeva lei, come si vede il sole, anche senza guardare.»

Lev Tolstoj - Anna Karenina

6. «Ho lottato invano. Non c’è rimedio. Non sono in grado di reprimere i miei sentimenti. Lasciate che vi dica con quanto ardore io vi ammiri e vi ami.»

Jane Austen - Orgoglio e pregiudizio

7. «Se tu ti ricordi di me, allora non importa se tutto il mondo mi dimentica.»

Haruki Murakami - Kafka sulla spiaggia

8. «Saremo felici o saremo tristi, che importa? Saremo l’uno accanto all’altra. E questo deve essere, questo è l’essenziale.»

Gabriele D’Annunzio

9. «Ti amo, cara Connie, di questa parola so tutto il peso – l’orrore e la meraviglia – eppure te la dico, quasi con tranquillità. L’ho usata così poco nella mia vita, e così male, che è come nuova per me.»

Cesare Pavese a Constance Dowling

10. «Per qualche motivo che ignoro mi piaci moltissimo. Molto, niente di irragionevole, direi quel poco che basta a far si che di notte, da solo, mi svegli e non riuscendo a riaddormentarmi, inizi a sognarti.»

Franz Kafka - Lettere a Milena

11. «Sei entrata per caso in una vita di cui non andavo fiero, e da quel giorno qualcosa ha cominciato a cambiare. Prima di te, fuori di te, non aderivo a nulla. Quella forza per cui ogni tanto mi prendevi in giro è sempre stata solo una forza solitaria, una forza di rifiuto. Con te ho accettato più cose. Ho imparato a vivere, in un certo senso. Per questo forse il mio amore è sempre stato pervaso da una gratitudine immensa.»

Albert Camus a Maria Casarès

12. «Ho sceso, dandoti il braccio, almeno un milione di scale e ora che non ci sei è il vuoto ad ogni gradino.»

Eugenio Montale

- https://x.com/poesiaitalia/status/1692772938200539376?s=46&t=34dYe_n2Br4FRHOah3j69Q -

[coffee-without-anesthetics]

orchid+cactus+camellia :3

:3 { ask game link }

orchid ⇢ what’s a song you consider to be perfect?

{bâtard} by stromae and {corpus tristis} by igorrr and {it be like that sometimes} by james roach, in no particular order.

cactus ⇢ something you’re currently learning (about)?

the fuckinnng Law.

camellia ⇢ what were you like when you were younger? do you think you’ve changed a lot?

i do not know👍 to the first question. whooboy did i a lot❗to the other question.

[ambrenoir]

LE TOSSINE DELLA CASA SONO:

1. Oggetti che non utilizzi più

2. Vestiti che non ti piacciono o che non usi da molto tempo. Biancheria intima rotta

3. Oggetti rotti

4. Vecchie lettere e annotazioni

5. Piante morte o malate

6. Vecchie ricevute e riviste

9. Scarpe sfinite dall'uso

7. Qualquasi tipo di cose inutili che richiamano il passato

8. Se hai figli, giochi che non usano, che non funzionano o rotti

CON IL DISTACCO DA QUESTE COSE:

1. la salute migliora

2. la creatività cresce

3. le relazioni migliorano

4. hai più capacità di raziocinio

5. migliora l'umore

DOMANDE CHE AIUTANO IL DISTACCO:

- perchè sto conservando questo?

- ha a che fare con me oggi?

- cosa sentirò nel liberarmi di questo oggetto?

SEPARA E CLASSIFICA:

1. da donare

2. da buttare

3. da vendere

LA PULIZIA DA DENTRO SI RIFLETTERA' FUORI

1. Evita rumori estremi

2. Meno luci forti

3. Meno colori eccessivi

4. Meno odori e profumi chimici

5. Meno ricordi tristi

6. Concludi i progetti inconclusi

7. Coltiva energia positiva nella tua casa

Fai una pulizia generale e usa scatole per organizzare. Incomincia da cassetti e armadi e concludi ogni stanza, fai secondo il tuo ritmo...

a) Immondizia

b) da riordinare

c) da riciclare

d) in dubbio

e) regali

f) donazioni

g) vendere

Mentre ORDINI, osserva ciò che cambia in te.

Nella misura in cui puliamo la nostra casa fisica, mettiamo in ordine anche nella nostra mente e nel nostro cuore.

Pratica il distacco con le cose materiali che servono solo a riempire il tuo spazio e vedrai come, poco a poco, potrai fare lo stesso con situazioni più trascendentali.

S. A. F.

[somehow---here]

... perché è la gente triste che fa tristi i luoghi.

Italo Svevo, "Una vita", 1892, cap. 3

[quotidian-oblivion]

For the weird writers ask game, 40 and 13?

13. What is a subject matter that is incredibly difficult for you write about? What is easy?

40. Please share a poem with me, I need it.

Thanks for the askkkk!

13. I'm not quite sure how to answer this question but I'll give it my best go.

So. It's near-impossible for me to write a sex scene or anything closely related to sex because I just. Can't. I don't know how else to explain it.

But in other terms of definitions, a subject matter that's difficult for me to write about is sport or action scenes which aren't fictional. I just... skip over it. Simply because I don't know how 😅

~

40. There's this poem in my drafts that's from January and it's so long ago that i don't know what the HELL it means

I saw their eyes darken as they sat down to work Then I saw their eyes light up like stars in the sky while reading And then I saw it all taken away when they turned back

I have no idea what the fuck it means but here you go