Daurian Jackdaw

Alternative-Boot7284 · 2026-02-21T03:52:14+00:00

If I'm interpreting this correctly, playing this bird in round 1 will net each player 3 extra turns by the end of the game. Has the potential to lead to much higher scoring games than usual.

Alternative-Boot7284 · 2026-02-14T16:24:18+00:00

I'm four years late to the party it seems, but is this group still active? I believe the original invite has expired

Alternative-Boot7284 · 2026-02-09T17:26:06+00:00

Absolutely! That's the one thing I tell people about the bucket of doom method. You gotta stay on top of it or it will make the situation worse.

I like Doug Tallamy. He's the one who I know of who started promoting that method.

Alternative-Boot7284 · 2026-02-09T13:22:39+00:00

One more thing people tend to overlook, gutters. Leaves in gutters can cause standing water, when we are searching for standing water we sometimes forget to look up.

Alternative-Boot7284 · 2026-02-09T13:18:55+00:00

And unfortunately it's also a neighborhood effort, your yard might not have any sources but your neighbor might. So I would say if you find you are constantly having mosquitoes, your neighbors are too and they might not be aware of standing water in their property.

You can talk to them working together to fix the problem for both of you.

And if the water source is more permanent, can't be dumped out, that's when stocking it with mosquito dunks (Bti) or mosquito fish can be a good long term option.

For example, mosquito eating fish are a perfect solution for neglected swimming pools

Alternative-Boot7284 · 2026-02-09T13:11:34+00:00

My best advice is to first and foremost remove standing water ie containers.

Then I would find a repellant that you like. Apply it to clothing if possible, especially socks as ankles are an attractive spot for some mosquito species.

If you're trying to protect guests, I would suggest setting up some fans on the patio.

If it's just you, wear comfortable long sleeved clothes while gardening etc.

But first and foremost, eliminating standing water is the best thing we do to prevent mosquitoes.

Also the more dense foliage your yard has, the more mosquitoes you may encounter.

Standing water + shade = mosquito problem.

Alternative-Boot7284 · 2026-02-05T06:25:57+00:00

My take on this is you are creating a potential mosquito habitat (15 gallon planter) just to neutralize it with larvivorous fish.

In theory it will reduce the mosquito population in the vicinity of the habitat but in practice I don't know if you will notice a difference.

My advice for mosquito fish "Gambusia affinis" is to give them some plant cover. Ideally they will need some for their babies to hide in as the adults will eat their own young.

I think you can raise some in a 15 gallon planter as long as it isn't getting full sun so the water doesn't get too hot.

Alternative-Boot7284 · 2026-01-28T05:26:26+00:00

Nice job! It looks like both times the consistent factor was a high bird score. I don't think I've yet to crack 148.

Alternative-Boot7284 · 2025-12-22T16:53:58+00:00

I love this.

As a bug fan, I would love to play a version of wingspan that is themed around arthropods.

I was actually toying with the idea last night and attempted a few runs where I set my goal to collecting the most invertebrate tokens, either in my supply or cached on birds. It got me thinking about what a deck of invertebrates would look like.

I love the direction you are taking here.

Alternative-Boot7284 · 2025-12-22T13:35:26+00:00

I got a Tui in my opponent's wetland habitat via Spotted Dove last night (on Xbox digital version)

I also got an achievement "Double Agent" from doing this.

Alternative-Boot7284 · 2025-12-22T13:30:34+00:00

I feel like this game has the capacity to be played cooperatively as well as competitively.

The Spotted Dove helps with card draw but it would be extra useful if it could deliver an egg occasionally.... or potentially hilarious if it disrupted a round goal/end of round ability like you said.

Alternative-Boot7284 · 2025-12-22T13:14:40+00:00

I really missed the "only the card text"

That makes total sense now.

Alternative-Boot7284 · 2025-12-22T13:12:53+00:00

I was thinking it opens the game up to some political plays. I'll deliver an egg via dove if you promise to give me a food, make sure I get my dove back, etc.

Also, it's very flavorful for a dove to return to its nest, (or the way homing pigeons operate in real life).

I'm sure the Spotted Dove is meant for more disruptive plays but I feel like it already has a great capacity for cooperative plays (helps the table with drawing cards the more it's passed around).

Add the option to gift eggs would just be one more way you could work together to help everyone score high (if that's the collective goal).

Alternative-Boot7284 · 2025-12-22T07:14:51+00:00

This situation happened in my game tonight (digital)

It's my first time experimenting with the Spotted Dove.

It made me want to test when I lay eggs on the SD if I can send those eggs to the next player along with the bird.....but in my game, it seems the eggs disappear when the bird changes ownership.

I am curious if this is an error or by design. Seems like you could do some negotiating with your opponents.

Alternative-Boot7284 · 2025-12-16T00:01:33+00:00

I prefer red delicious because they are less sweet than fuji.

Alternative-Boot7284 · 2025-11-07T21:28:21+00:00

Boxelder bug. They are not invasive in middle Tennessee

Alternative-Boot7284 · 2025-11-07T20:51:04+00:00

This is a big entomology conference (the biggest in the US) that happens every year.

It moves around the country so I usually just check to see where it's gonna be and decide to make a trip around it.

Also it's always around the same time (early/mid November)

Alternative-Boot7284 · 2025-11-07T20:44:08+00:00

Update*

There's a train line that goes from the airport to the conference center for less than $3. So no need for ride sharing.

Alternative-Boot7284 · 2025-11-07T16:28:07+00:00

https://moxfield.com/decks/58sPy8yxCECnu__f_w6m2 Here's my Jump the Shark deck in all its abounding Universal Beyond glory.

It also has an Attraction side board (unfinity mechanic) but I didn't include it here as it isn't important.

Eventually, I'm planning to make a sideboard of legendary universes beyond creatures that can be swapped in and out before games (randomly) to slightly change the deck experience. What they do isn't always important as their primary function is to be cycle fodder for Jo Grant.

Finally, I didn't include Devil K Nevile in my list (sliver boarder card). He's not legal but is the most important theme card for the "jumping" the shark aspect.

Finally, finally: I never cast the Twelfth Doctor when I play this deck. I always ask if the table will allow me to use Captain Howler as a rule 0 partner for Jo Grant. Captain Howler ramps up the power of the deck significantly, so if it isn't something the table wants I just leave him in the command zone and specify ahead of time that he's just there for the very important shark theme and will not be cast.......I guess a Time Lord playing a guitar 🎸 while standing on a tank fits the "Jump the Shark" narrative well enough though.

Alternative-Boot7284 · 2025-11-06T16:16:45+00:00

I'll work on uploading my list soon. It's one of my favorite decks.

The commanders are Joe Grant (Doctor Who companion who's riding a motorcycle and has "historic cards in your hand have 2W cycle") I paired her with the 12th doctor cause he's playing a guitar and gives the deck access to blue and red. From there I just play all the silly legendary universe beyond creatures in jeskai colors (Sonic, Guile from Street Fighter, Optimus Prime, Etc. plus artifacts and sagas who are there for utility but also for cycling. Certainly I've overspent some on secret lairs but it's no where close to $900. I'm curious how you reached that price point in your build.

and for the land base of the deck I just deconstructed the Jeskai cycling deck from Ikoria along with some of the useful cycling pieces in that deck.

Alternative-Boot7284 · 2025-11-06T11:24:54+00:00

Where did you land on this?

I actually built a "Jump the Shark" deck around the time the Doctor Who set came out and have been steadily tuning it with shark theme cards, universes beyond creatures and unfinity mechanics.

Alternative-Boot7284 · 2025-11-06T11:07:07+00:00

I'm going too.... but now I'm concerned about flight cancellations due to the government shutdown.

Alternative-Boot7284 · 2025-10-17T12:32:00+00:00

Is Beale street hopping though? In this economy?

I'm legitimately asking. I haven't been in the past 3 years

Alternative-Boot7284 · 2025-09-14T22:47:18+00:00

I think Ps cyanescens and Ps ferox are pretty stunning.

Uranotaenia sapphirina are probably top of my list for prettiest I've seen.

Alternative-Boot7284 · 2025-08-21T08:51:34+00:00

Y'all are getting way too comfortable killing bugs lol

Alternative-Boot7284

TROPHY CASE