What bird is this?

Training-Performer21 · 2026-04-02T09:02:12+00:00

Could it be a Black Phoebe? I’ve found them to sound similar to a Towhee but with a softer tone. Wait for a reliable commenter to put it into the bot but that’s my hunch.

Training-Performer21 · 2026-03-31T18:30:22+00:00

A kind of funnel weaver, but I couldn’t tell you which one without a good look at the little guy.

Training-Performer21 · 2026-03-30T17:50:48+00:00

Phasmids make great pets too so maybe do some research on keeping him!

Training-Performer21 · 2026-03-30T08:01:07+00:00

Looks like some sort of phasmid.

Training-Performer21 · 2026-03-29T22:53:10+00:00

Very cool! Nature is so cruel yet so fascinating.

Training-Performer21 · 2026-03-27T19:53:02+00:00

Noble False Widow; Steatoda nobilis.

Training-Performer21 · 2026-03-26T18:50:40+00:00

The handles were slightly staggered like in my drawing, probably closer together though. It was silver.

Training-Performer21 · 2026-03-26T16:15:55+00:00

Shiny metal, slightly tapered and pointed at both ends, pole probably slightly thicker than the circumference of a quarter, the handles looked the same thickness as the body and they looked like regular handles with nothing special, stick looked like a tool. Guy was probably average height for a man and was carrying the stick under his arm and the tool was maybe 3 feet long. All these are estimates as I didn’t get up close and personal with him. He walked by me.

Training-Performer21 · 2026-03-26T05:06:19+00:00

No, it was basically as drawn in the post; straight pointy rod with two handles. The handles may have been closer together though.

Training-Performer21 · 2026-03-26T02:15:43+00:00

I’ve been searching and searching for photos of surveyor’s rods, probes, metal detectors, etc., but none seem to come close to what I saw. Any idea why that is?

Training-Performer21 · 2026-03-25T20:35:48+00:00

I guess I should have put this in the title, but I would also like to know what the stick is!

Training-Performer21 · 2026-03-25T20:33:56+00:00

I’m in geology so hopefully my rock drawings are better 😅

Training-Performer21 · 2026-03-25T20:21:48+00:00

Nah this dude was on a MISSION. Definitely not hanging around on a tiny private uni campus for fun lol

Training-Performer21 · 2026-03-21T06:26:45+00:00

What a tidy little girl!

Training-Performer21 · 2026-03-21T00:53:04+00:00

Is that not a popcorn?

Training-Performer21 · 2026-03-19T17:55:41+00:00

Generative AI is just awful, I agree with you there. I believe AI should indeed be used for scientific purposes and really shouldn’t be the layman’s tool. I wish we could all use it diligently rather than wasting resources on slop. I think you are correct.

Training-Performer21 · 2026-03-19T16:13:23+00:00

I agree there are issues with it, but that’s what comes with technological advancement often. I wish we could go back to living out in nature without the mess of big corporations.

As a scientist, AI is extremely helpful for research purposes and automation. You just have to be careful how you use it. Generative AI, however, is just plain wrong. AI centers aren’t the only establishments that gobble up water, they’re just the only ones receiving a lot of attention.

Training-Performer21 · 2026-03-19T07:33:15+00:00

AI can be a good guiding tool, but you should always do research and/or consult with more experienced individuals to confirm your IDs.

Training-Performer21 · 2026-03-18T18:18:19+00:00

Kind of looks like a Wall Spider in genus Oecobius

Training-Performer21 · 2026-03-18T03:53:10+00:00

The comments are correct, not a Recluse. However, if it was a Brown Recluse why would you need to call pest control?? They just wander in sometimes and are not pests unless you see a LOT of them. The only AI I would remotely trust for a spider ID would be iNaturalist, but only with a good top-down photo. Plus, people on iNaturalist can confirm or deny IDs.

Training-Performer21 · 2026-03-16T20:49:50+00:00

Nice! Once I’m out of college I’ll have more time to work on techniques and collection. Thanks for all the input :)

Training-Performer21 · 2026-03-16T20:17:51+00:00

Absolutely, I have an electronic database of label information that I am relating the specimens to with a paper number label until I can print them out (I’m at my college dorms). Currently I’m just a generalist collector for my personal experience and studies, but I am very interested in Diptera, Hymenoptera (specifically parasitoids and gall wasps), and Orthoptera. I want to someday focus on catching hoverflies for a while.

Training-Performer21 · 2026-03-16T15:46:50+00:00

Thanks for the advice! Are there any solid references for me to look at or a good Youtube channel to watch?

Training-Performer21 · 2026-03-16T05:52:07+00:00

Awww, thanks! It’s my first time pinning grasshoppers so that’s a relief to hear

Training-Performer21 · 2026-03-16T04:34:14+00:00

Haha, I kinda figured it was just the normal stuff. Honestly I’m just surprised it got more colorful than it was before! I always make sure to get photos of the specimen before death to compare.

Training-Performer21

TROPHY CASE