I just saw a bird pull a berry of a branch. It reminded me this world didn't have to be cruel.

[R. A.]

I was watching a robin jump around outside, and as it just rained I thought "oh, it's probably looking for poor worms to rip from their home the earth to eat...but I guess it also has to eat...".
But no - there's a tarp down for grass restoration or something (I just rent, idk) so it couldn't get at the ground. Instead, it spied the raspberries growing on the bushes, and sort of hop-flapped up to get one. It pulled it off, and just pecked at it. Then it got another one.

I know birds are omnivores, but I just fucking cried seeing that. Here I was thinking I was about to be subjected to a Rated-G episode of Nature is Metal, but instead I saw an adorable example of life sustaining life. Nothing died. The tree spreads its seed, the bird gets to eat, the worm digs away.

Why the fuck can't this be how it is always? The fact many creatures require the death of others so that they may live is one of my main existential gripes and, among other worse reasons, makes me want to fucking die. Especially because it is clearly not a requirement for life.
As this beautiful nature scene has reminded me with oh-so-much melancholy.​

 

[bankai]

Yeah, OP,I get it.It's raining at my place right now. I'm just looking at the rain and being happy. I know that the rain is more likely to make you depressed lol.But that doesn't really matter. Yes, nature's beautiful. I wish we were all integrated into nature better than we are right now


Nature kind of made us obsolete and Incomplete, if that makes sense.

That's what I feel.Hopefully we can somehow heal and feel better.

 

[Pluto]

 

[getoutgirl]

I've been feeding a pair of mapgies from my window for a couple years now. And I can't claim they've saved my life, but they sure have made it a lot more tolerable in general. Fixed the shittiest of days by just flapping around and demanding cashews at me. Nature does that, birds specially do that to me too. Great moments if sparse, so yep, cherish them. Hope this one lasts for you for today.
here's one for all the birds out there, keep chirping mfers

 

[Doll Steak]

I know how you feel so much, I've never really heard of anyone else experiencing it but I get a bitter sweet sadness seeing any kind of wild animal, they get hunted by larger prey, eaten alive, but why? There are plenty of plants to eat, why hasn't nature gone in that direction and why must any of it even exist at all?

Existence would be so much more tolerable If everything and everyone was a herbivore, It brings me so much mental pain knowing what wild animals go through everyday, the ways they have to live, the ways in which they suffer. Terrible.

 

[GhostInTheMachine]

I've been feeding a pair of mapgies from my window for a couple years now. And I can't claim they've saved my life, but they sure have made it a lot more tolerable in general. Fixed the shittiest of days by just flapping around and demanding cashews at me. Nature does that, birds specially do that to me too. Great moments if sparce, so yep, cherish them. Hope this one lasts for you for today.
here's one for all the birds out there, keep chirping mfers

Magpies are absolutely amazing birds. They're related to Ravens and Crows too, so they're very smart. Birdwatching is a really calming past-time, and the nature trail near me has so many differant species. I'd spend more time there if it wasn't for the damn biting flies.

 

[Coconut7]

I feel this way all the time, I have trouble eating meat myself because of it. Life in general feels like a cruel and pointless mistake. If there was no life, there would be no suffering.

 

[R. A.]

I know how you feel so much, I've never really heard of anyone else experiencing it but I get a bitter sweet sadness seeing any kind of wild animal, they get hunted by larger prey, eaten alive, but why? There are plenty of plants to eat, why hasn't nature gone in that direction and why must any of it even exist at all?

Existence would be so much more tolerable If everything and everyone was a herbivore, It brings me so much mental pain knowing what wild animals go through everyday, the ways they have to live, the ways in which they suffer. Terrible.

Fruit for me is the ultimate sustenance cycle. Plants are also alive - the nature of their existence being so different doesn't matter; they can get sick and die, and western science is slowly catching up on the fact that some can communicate with each other - when I eat a carrot or potato, that's a whole-ass life form. I don't care that it doesn't have a nervous system; Descartes literally entrenched animal cruelty in western thought by carving up a dog and bullshitting that its "apparent" suffering was just some kind of robotic programmed response.

But fruit? Literal gifts from plants. They're obvious. They give easily when ready but not quite when not. They're one of the few original sources of sugar which our brains crave like drugs; certainly the most abundant source without processing. And some are actually filling like avocados. Actually, nuts are also tree gifts - they're just a little less conveniently and beautifully packaged (getting an almond from off a tree and into your mouth is a fucking ordeal, let me tell you). But some fruit seeds have good fats and protein, like those of squash and pumpkin!

Otherwise yeah, even some giant herbivores aren't safe...elephants are huge and strong but lions eat them. Maybe also rhinos? Not sure if lions fuck with those. Probably lots of other examples I don't know of...

 

[Kali_Yuga13]

Nature does that, birds specially do that to me too. Great moments if sparse, so yep, cherish them.

Birdwatching is a really calming past-time,

Bird watching is something I started in parallel to to becoming a member here. It's been a heathy and balancing activity. It started with talking parrot videos on youtube then I moved onto the real ones outside. They are nice creatures with sometimes funny personalities and behaviors. It's still a mystery to me how a robin can just land on a random place in the grass and find exactly where a worm is.

 

[GhostInTheMachine]

Bird watching is something I started in parallel to to becoming a member here. It's been a heathy and balancing activity. It started with talking parrot videos on youtube then I moved onto the real ones outside. They are nice creatures with sometimes funny personalities and behaviors. It's still a mystery to me how a robin can just land on a random place in the grass and find exactly where a worm is.

The nature trail near me has a lot of really nice birds. Cardinals, Blue Jays, Blackbirds, Herons, Warblers, Turkeys, Ospreys, Hawks, and even Bald Eagles. Some really cool insects and fish too, plus turtles and snakes. It's one of my only real escapes from the daily toil.

 

[Kali_Yuga13]

The nature trail near me has a lot of really nice birds. Cardinals, Blue Jays, Blackbirds, Herons, Warblers, Turkeys, Ospreys, Hawks, and even Bald Eagles. Some really cool insects and fish too, plus turtles and snakes. It's one of my only real escapes from the daily toil.

You must live in a similar climate as me as I have many of those same birds. I have to go about 30-40 miles to get to where the Ospreys are. I've also became proficient at spotting the occasional turtles, snakes and frogs. I try to catch the garter snakes but I can only grab them for a second or two before I get scared and let them go. I'd love to be able to calmly handle them, they have such a cool texture. Plants too, I'm slowly learning to ID them.

 

[PI3.14]

I'm glad people like you exist and I do agree with your thoughts

 

[GhostInTheMachine]

You must live in a similar climate as me as I have many of those same birds. I have to go about 30-40 miles to get to where the Ospreys are. I've also became proficient at spotting the occasional turtles, snakes and frogs. I try to catch the garter snakes but I can only grab them for a second or two before I get scared and let them go. I'd love to be able to calmly handle them, they have such a cool texture. Plants too, I'm slowly learning to ID them.

I'm in the Mid-Atlantic, it's a nice place climate wise. I'm fortunate enough to be able to just walk to the nature here.

 

[R. A.]

@Kali_Yuga13 @GhostInTheMachine jealous of you both. While jays, cardinals, and sometimes hawks can be found in my block, living in a big stanky city far from the few legit nature spots sucks arse.

I'm glad people like you exit and I do agree with your thoughts

Was that supposed to say "exit", or exist? lol

 

[PI3.14]

@Kali_Yuga13 @GhostInTheMachine jealous of you both. While jays, cardinals, and sometimes hawks can be found in my block, living in a big stanky city far from the few legit nature spots sucks arse.



Was that supposed to say "exit", or exist? lol

Exist lol

 

[Kali_Yuga13]

While jays, cardinals, and sometimes hawks can be found in my block, living in a big stanky city far from the few legit nature spots sucks arse.

Indoor plants and aquariums are a nice way to bring nature inside. I've even derived great enjoyment taking care of a single beta fish.

 

[Linda]

The nature trail near me has a lot of really nice birds. Cardinals, Blue Jays, Blackbirds, Herons, Warblers, Turkeys, Ospreys, Hawks, and even Bald Eagles. Some really cool insects and fish too, plus turtles and snakes. It's one of my only real escapes from the daily toil.

You could have a look at the plants too. Once you start looking closely it's amazing what's out there. If you buy a hand lens with x10 magnification (not expensive) that will open yet another new world for you.

 

[GhostInTheMachine]

You could have a look at the plants too. Once you start looking closely it's amazing what's out there. If you buy a hand lens with x10 magnification (not expensive) that will open yet another new world for you.

I do actually! I used to have an app that can identify plants, but it sold out and paywalled pretty much every feature and most of the alternatives are doing the same thing. I just take a ton of pictures of cool things I see during my walks now, and I'm amassing a nice gallery. Unfortunately, I have no income so buying a professional camera is just not an option.

But here's a cute picture of a female Eastern Hercules Beetle, I spotted her during a night walk. She was so big I was able to see her in the dark.

 

[Linda]

I do actually! I used to have an app that can identify plants, but it sold out and paywalled pretty much every feature and most of the alternatives are doing the same thing. I just take a ton of pictures of cool things I see during my walks now, and I'm amassing a nice gallery. Unfortunately, I have no income so buying a professional camera is just not an option.

But here's a cute picture of a female Eastern Hercules Beetle, I spotted her during a night walk. She was so big I was able to see her in the dark.

View attachment 172366

You may be able to buy identification guides to some groups of organisms that are not very expensive. They won't cover everything but they will get you started. (To cover everything for a group of organisms, you usually need more specialised and more expensive books.)
I like the photo. I have always had an interest in insects, and if my life had gone a bit differently they might easily have become my subject. But, as things worked out, I finished up in a different area of biology. A big difficulty with insects is the sheer number of different species. The family Curculionidae (weevils) alone contains over 80,000 species. I don't know how entomologists keep track of them all.

If you start looking closely, and repeatedly, at what you are seeing, and you keep your brain switched on, you will soon start asking questions. Why does that species of plant occur commonly "there" but not at all "here". Why do those two species commonly occur together? What does that species of insect actually eat? Why do some species of tree, but not all, have such brilliant colors in the Fall? (Hint: For that last one, read the works of the late W. D. Hamilton. He suggested a fascinating explanation, and I think he was right.) Before you know it, you will be a budding scientist.

 

[R. A.]

Indoor plants and aquariums are a nice way to bring nature inside. I've even derived great enjoyment taking care of a single beta fish.

i've got a couple of plants, one neat long ivy thing that goes around a bit of wall. but i miss animate life (i know plants move lol), something about a betta for me seems so lonely and i think you'd have to buy one and would never take any non-rescue animal. the pet industry is repulsive

 

[Kali_Yuga13]

something about a betta for me seems so lonely and i think you'd have to buy one and would never take any non-rescue animal. the pet industry is repulsive

True, I have no idea how they're bred and the pipeline to a big box pet store. I put him by the kitchen sink where there was steady people presence. He seemed pretty happy and would wiggle his little fins when I fed him. I miss him.

I wanted a bird a few years ago. I started watching youtube videos of different parrots and realized I couldn't take proper care of one. Cockatoo's throw major temper tantrums at high decibels on a regular basis so a huge number of them are orphaned after 2 1/2 years on average. I saw a video someone took from their apartment in Australia after the fires a few years ago. The wild Cockatoo's had migrated into the suburban area to escape the fires and landed on her balcony rail. They're definitely flock animals that need to be in the wild.

I do actually! I used to have an app that can identify plants, but it sold out and paywalled pretty much every feature

Forget that paywall stuff. There's reddit subs to ID all kinds of natural stuff. r/whatplantisthis r/mycology r/whatbirdisthis etc. Many of them have "Trusted Identifier" flairs among the mods. I've gotten answers for the pics I've posted and links to free self study resources.

The American Horticultural Society has a Master Gardener program affiliated with various universities in most states. My county has a Master Gardener chapter office and I've taken various potted pants and cuttings to ID. It's a pretty cool resource. I had them stumped on an uncommon tree once. We emailed back and forth until we got it figured out.

 

[GhostInTheMachine]

You may be able to buy identification guides to some groups of organisms that are not very expensive. They won't cover everything but they will get you started. (To cover everything for a group of organisms, you usually need more specialised and more expensive books.)
I like the photo. I have always had an interest in insects, and if my life had gone a bit differently they might easily have become my subject. But, as things worked out, I finished up in a different area of biology. A big difficulty with insects is the sheer number of different species. The family Curculionidae (weevils) alone contains over 80,000 species. I don't know how entomologists keep track of them all.

If you start looking closely, and repeatedly, at what you are seeing, and you keep your brain switched on, you will soon start asking questions. Why does that species of plant occur commonly "there" but not at all "here". Why do those two species commonly occur together? What does that species of insect actually eat? Why do some species of tree, but not all, have such brilliant colors in the Fall? (Hint: For that last one, read the works of the late W. D. Hamilton. He suggested a fascinating explanation, and I think he was right.) Before you know it, you will be a budding scientist.

I think I saw a statistic that said that ~25% of all described animals are beetles, the vast majority of which are weevils. They are by far my favorite insects for just how chill they often are.

As for the plant life, I've noticed the patterns already with specific vines that grow best on certain trees, or flowers that prefer to be right on the waters edge vs ones that like it dryer. I've also started to learn when certain species are in bloom so I can catch pictures of them before they vanish. It's really nice mentally mapping out the life throughout the seasons. One unfortunate thing I've noticed is we're starting to get Spotted Lanternbugs here, which is going to suck because we also already have the Tree of Heaven which is their preferred host. So ugh.

Forget that paywall stuff. There's reddit subs to ID all kinds of natural stuff. r/whatplantisthis r/mycology r/whatbirdisthis etc. Many of them have "Trusted Identifier" flairs among the mods. I've gotten answers for the pics I've posted and links to free self study resources.

The American Horticultural Society has a Master Gardener program affiliated with various universities in most states. My county has a Master Gardener chapter office and I've taken various potted pants and cuttings to ID. It's a pretty cool resource. I had them stumped on an uncommon tree once. We emailed back and forth until we got it figured out.

Thanks for the tip! That's something I'll keep in mind because I have a heck of a backlog of flower pictures.

 

[EmptyBottle]

I feel this way all the time, I have trouble eating meat myself because of it. Life in general feels like a cruel and pointless mistake. If there was no life, there would be no suffering.

When I pick the meal, more often than not I'd pick a meal without meat vs with meat (if it is served I'll eat coz I don't want to waste, tho in the future when I'll be making/picking all my meals I'd probably not eat much meat)

Bird watching is something I started in parallel to to becoming a member here. It's been a heathy and balancing activity. It started with talking parrot videos on youtube then I moved onto the real ones outside. They are nice creatures with sometimes funny personalities and behaviors. It's still a mystery to me how a robin can just land on a random place in the grass and find exactly where a worm is.

I think the bird can see subtle movement... or maybe pokes around healthy-looking soil until a worm or insect is found

 

[Linda]

I think I saw a statistic that said that ~25% of all described animals are beetles, the vast majority of which are weevils. They are by far my favorite insects for just how chill they often are.

As for the plant life, I've noticed the patterns already with specific vines that grow best on certain trees, or flowers that prefer to be right on the waters edge vs ones that like it dryer. I've also started to learn when certain species are in bloom so I can catch pictures of them before they vanish. It's really nice mentally mapping out the life throughout the seasons. One unfortunate thing I've noticed is we're starting to get Spotted Lanternbugs here, which is going to suck because we also already have the Tree of Heaven which is their preferred host. So ugh.


Thanks for the tip! That's something I'll keep in mind because I have a heck of a backlog of flower pictures.

I managed to locate the paper by W. D. Hamilton that I referred to. (Many people, including me, regard Hamilton as the greatest evolutionary biologist since Darwin.) A lot of his papers are rather mathematical, and quite difficult, but this one is more accessible. It's still a serious scientific paper, so you might struggle with it, and don't worry if it is beyond you. But it's a good example of how an enquiring mind can look at something commonplace, the vivid colours of autumn leaves in some species of tree, and see deeply into what is going on.

You can download a copy from

https://sci-hub.se/10.1098/rspb.2001.1672