#bowerbirds are known for their mating rituals

[hyperiionvii]

junior illustration final: the seven deadly sins

#please please please click for better quality and look at the halftone texture it adds so much #the birds i picked for each sin all have a reason behind it and im so proud of that #i love talking about birds i explain my decision making to everyone possible #magpies steal #shrikes are carnivourous and kill their food on thorns #blue jays are extremely arrogant and pick fights with much larger birds #crows eat anything available #mockingbirds copy the calls of other birds #bowerbirds are known for their mating rituals #and cuckoos leave their eggs in other birds nests to avoid raising their young #illustration #digital illustration #original art #clip studio paint #seven deadly sins #black billed magpie #loggerhead shrike #blue jay #carrion crow #mockingbird #flame bowerbird #common cuckoo

[bowerbirdboy]

Crack Theory: Collar Combat Charm

What exactly is the Collar combat charm made of, you may ask. Well Raelle answers for us. “It’s a Bowerbird’s foot. They love anything blue.” 

Let’s break that down. 

This is a Bowerbird. They are really only known for one thing, their courtship rituals. Male Bowerbirds create bowers, complex structures built out of sticks that hold brightly colored objects that they have found. 

Some bowers are made with mostly man made objects, like discarded plastics. 

Others use natural elements, like rocks and bones.

The male spends hours and hours on these bowers and the females pick their mate based on how much effort was put into the bower. The less effort, the less likely a male is picked. 

Even symbolically, Bowerbirds have always stood for romance and courtship. 

Alright, so what we’ve got so far are hopelessly romantic birds who like to put a lot of time and effort into arts and crafts. 

Got it. Weird coincidence I guess.

Well, what color do Bowerbirds typically like the most. Blue? Hmm, that’s interesting. What’s the most vibrant shade of blue we’ve seen on the show?

Yep, that makes sense. Maybe I sound a little crazy, and maybe I am, but what if I told you it’s not just Raelle. Willa Collar risked being an outcast in the witch community and was sent to the most dangerous war locations because she fell for a civilian with...

Blue eyes. So yes, your Honor, I rest my case.

Our smooth Southern gentlewoman doesn’t just happen to be a hopeless romantic, it’s in her blood. And even if she wanted to stop loving Scylla, she can’t. She found the brightest shade of blue that she could, and by making the combat charm a corsage she was able to make the most beautiful bower.

(Sorry to Amalia Holm for calling her a pile of sticks and plastic, but I did call her a BEAUTIFUL pile of sticks and plastic). 

#motherland fort salem #motherland: fort salem #motherland #fort salem #scylla ramshorn #raelle collar #grace speaks #raylla #MFS Research Institute

[risingfire17-in-wonderland-blog]

Twitterpated- Trying to Take the B out of the Bromance

Ok, so I watched this BBC clip of bird seduction, and let me tell ya, the animal kingdom is into some kinky shit! (Well actually it’s mostly the narration that makes the video kinky) but the point still stands that I watched kinky bids! And I saw a comment that said “Dark master seduces young androgynous femboy, all archive warnings apply” (Shoutout to loffiene on Youtube) and I just had to write fic of it! So here you are, my loyal followers of my dumpster fire bullshit: the result of this fateful encounter!          

~~~~~

            Another year, another mating season. Maybe this would be the year Master finally found a lady bird and truly joined the ranks of adulthood. Not that Master cared too much. He still had Junior to look after, after all.

            Master had been a child himself when he started caring for Junior after the kid’s parents were killed by some stupid human sport. His own parents had disapproved, but something about the kid’s optimistic smile despite everything triggered some sort of need to protect him. 

            Since then, Junior had been faithfully following in the older boy’s footsteps. Master, in turn, took it upon himself to make sure Junior knew everything about being a blue-eyed satin bowerbird, and he took his position quite seriously.  He took pride in knowing his teaching was behind every one of Junior’s successes, from his first flight to his first forage. 

             But this time, things would be different. This was Junior’s first mating season, and though Master could walk him through every step of the mating ritual beforehand (as he had already done multiple times), he could not go through it with him and watch over him as he always had. And this irked Master far more than he thought it should.

            Why should he be so bothered anyway? Was it because he was worried Junior would fail? No. There was no way that would happen. He had done too good a job with the boy. Besides, Junior was a brilliant pupil. No, Master had no doubt this mating season would be a success. 

             Then why the dread? Was it the knowledge that once Junior found a mate, he’d not be by Master’s side anymore? Well, that was ridiculous. He should be happy the boy was off on his own. He couldn’t take care of him forever, now, could he? Well, he thought cynically, he actually could (and the prospect might not be that bad) but that just wasn’t how things worked. No, Junior needed to find a lady. And so did Master! Good god, did he need to get laid! That was the problem! He’s been taking care of Junior for so long he’d forgotten about his own needs now his brain was all weird!

            With that, Master dove back into his preparations for mating season. He had already acquired plenty of the blue ornaments that the females love, which lay tastefully around the nest he was almost finished constructing. In a short time, a female, recently expelled from her childhood home, would chance by, see a strong structure built by a strong man capable of protecting her and her young, and decide to live with him. And Master would get laid. 

             He briefly debated the skull decoration. While he found it amusing, it might turn off a potential mate. Not that he really cared. The only reason he’d put so much effort into it this year was because he had to set a strong example for Junior.

             Speaking of Junior, as Master fixed a stray twig on his house, he caught the younger boy spying on him, his sheepish face peeking out from behind a fallen log. Must be having a hard time with his nest. Master chuckled and pretended not to notice, but put significantly more flair in his steps to impress his onlooker. It wouldn’t be for much longer that the kid would look up to him like this, after all. 

              For God’s sake, the kid had bits of the black stain of adulthood on his feathers. Too damn soon, in Master’s opinion. But, small as those black spots were, Junior still looked young and innocent, just like one of the girls they’d be seeking out. Definitely cute like one. Damn, he needed to get laid, and fast, to get rid of all these weird thoughts!

              Unfortunately, with his nest about done, there was little left to do but wait for the females to come along. He decided to check out Junior’s progress. When he made his way over to the shabby little area his ward had claimed, it was to find a spindly mess of twigs in a pathetic array that would not survive the slightest disturbance. Dear God, Master had definitely taught the boy better than this! His heart started to race with worry. How would the boy find a mate? Screw the mate, how would he even survive the rainy season?! He had known it was too soon! He should have listened to his instinct!

            The boy would just have to live with him for another year, until he was fully darkened and ready to be on his own. Master already had a place prepared, after all. To be honest, he didn’t mind waiting a whole year to play the stupid “impress the female” game. And he didn’t mind having Junior by his side, all snug and warm on the coldest nights, that cute little smile on his face, like a little girl’s… And damn, he was having weird thoughts again. And was it just him, or was his heart racing more?

            He shook his head and prepared for the task at hand, namely, dragging this fool back to his place before he hurt himself. But where was Junior, anyway? He was nowhere to be seen around his disaster of a nest. Had he gone and got himself snatched up by a predator? No way, Master would have heard something like that. He’d be fine; he’d be fine. 

            Master took a quick shuttle around the area, and when he did not find Junior, returned to his own nest to make preparations for a longer search. To his relief, he found Junior nestled into his nest. So apparently the lad had just gone to steal some nest-building tips again. Oh well, this saved Master the trouble of dragging him back. Yes, he was already right where he should be. The sight quickened Master’s heart once again. Right where he should be.

            Master had a thought that made him shake with laughter even as his heart continued to pound. If Junior was going to live in that nest anyway, they may as well go through with the formalities, right? Before he fully knew what he was doing, he took flight and landed behind the shocked and embarrassed Junior, caught in the archway of his elder’s nest, and began to dance. Why not? Master had gone through all the trouble of practicing the damn mating dance, after all.

            Junior looked up at him, eyes wide in confusion. Master couldn’t help but want to dance even harder after seeing such a cute little face. This was definitely the strangest joke he’d ever played. But was it really that strange? This dance must be stirring up some strange hormones, because he couldn’t stop thinking that he really wouldn’t mind living out the rest of his days with this cute boy by his side.

             Even after Junior was fully grown and stained completely black, Master wouldn’t mind, if the boy kept looking at him with those wide, trusting eyes of his, as he had always done. Yes, he thought as he lost himself in his dance, as long as Junior could look up only at him like that, then he would still be pure and perfect in Master’s eyes.

            As he leaned in to make this future come true, he was brought back into the present by Junior’s timid pitch. “Wh-what are you doing?”

            He continued to lean toward Junior. God, now he was even wider-eyed and blushing, and he looked so damn cute! “Don’t worry about a nest. We can share mine.”

            He hadn’t meant his voice to come out in such a husky whisper, but the shiver that went through Junior’s body was worth it. Wait, when did this become something that wasn’t a joke! He couldn’t think straight. He was hot and dizzy and the only thing that made sense was to dance until Junior drew him close, closer, closer….

             He could barely hear Junior’s voice over the pounding of blood in his head. “C’mon, stop joking, hey…” But when he turned to face Junior, struggling to steady his vision, he felt drool escape his beak. Junior saw it, too, and he slowly backed away. “Y-you’re not joking, are you? Wha- I…don’t know, I-I need some air!” And the young man rushed awkwardly off into the forest, leaving Master in an interrupted reverie.

            Master shook the remaining drool loose from his beak and gasped in the fresh, cool air. What the hell had just happened? It was just a joke, right? But his blood rushed in such a way that he knew he wanted Junior in a way he would never want a female. But he’d scared him, right? What would happen now? Junior couldn’t run off like this! He still had to make sure he survived, after all! Surely, everything wasn’t ruined, right? Surely, he’d come back, right?

            Yes, Junior would come back, and he’d forgive Master when he realized that everything he did was for his own well-being.  He’d once again look up at Master with those trusting eyes that saw only him. And so they would continue on forever.

            As he continued trying to steady his thoughts, Master realized he’d stumbled into the clearing where Junior’s pathetic attempt at a nest lay. And he had another brilliant idea. He couldn’t let Junior delude himself into thinking he could make this ramshackle structure work, or he’d get hurt. To save him from this fate, Master swooped down and razed the nest to the ground.

             When it was all done, Master stood surrounded by broken twigs, his blood boiling as he admired his handiwork. Yes, Junior would see this and come back to him. And he’d stay forever under his wing, in a nest snug and warm, looking only at him. He allowed the thought to warm his entire body. Yes, Junior would be his, forever and always.

#fanfiction #animal kingdom #animal characters #master and pet #slightly problematic ship #can you tell i was listening to the hamilton soundtrack while writing this? #you'll be back #george the 3rd #teacher and student #greek style #platonic before platonic meant no sex #overprotective #mating dance #mating ritual #mating #bird mating #i swear i was sober when i wrote this #bbc #nature documentary #seduction #LGBTQA #gay ships

[ifuckinglovestvincent]

Interview with St. Vincent

By Sweetwater on Jun 16, 8:03 AM

Her self-titled album won a 2015 Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album. Her music has been described as “bold and almost jarringly confident.” In 2016, she worked with Ernie Ball to design a signature series of Music Man guitars designed to fit her form and playing style.

ERNIE BALL MUSIC MAN | ST. VINCENT SIGNATURE SERIES Her name is Anne Erin Clark, but anyone with ears and a penchant for guitar music knows her as St. Vincent. Sweetwater and many others know her to be a ground breaking artist and musician. We recently caught up with St. Vincent to talk music, performing, and of course, gear. You’re known to use a wide range of guitar pedals — what’s on your current pedalboard? JHS Colour Box, Chris Lord-Alge Reverbs, many things Eventide, Animal Five: Pit Viper… What piece of music advice forever changed your way of thinking? “If it sounds good, it is good.” — Charlie Parker

How much writing happens on the road? Artists are like bowerbirds: Constantly building elaborate plumage to attract mates. You teamed up with EBMM to create your signature guitar… what are you most proud of when it comes to your guitar? We just set out to make a guitar that addressed my concerns and experience as a player and performer of over 20 years: designerly, ergonomic, lightweight, tone flexibility. What I didn’t expect was the disruption the retro-future design would cause in the guitar market. I consider it a success and honor to have created something so polarizing. What is it about the guitar that inspires you? It really is a democratic instrument, an instrument for the people. It’s highly portable and the barrier to entry is low, financially and artistically.

Ernie Ball Music Man St. Vincent Signature – Tobacco Burst What do you look for in a producer/studio when choosing where to record? I do most of my recording in my own studio, which has a small selection of good mics, preamps, compression, and eq., but more than that, the vibe is good and I can work for hours and still feel inspired. What piece of gear has had the biggest impact on your professional life? Wunder Audio CM7 and a Shure SM7 for liberated vocal takes. Where do you draw inspiration to write songs? All of my work is 100% autobiographical — the fictional and the non-fictional parts. Other than your main rig, what “must-have” piece of gear do you keep on the road? 1960’s Kalamazoo 6v6 amp, for vibe. What are each of your preshow warm-ups/rituals? Vocal and guitar warm ups. It just helps to have the guitar in your hands before a show. It grounds you. It rests close to your heart when you sit. It’s a weapon, or a shield, or a portal, depending on the moment.

What defines a “successful” St. Vincent performance? No one can see themselves objectively, but it is a worthy and egoless goal to try to bridge the gap between how you think you sound and how you actually sound. Therein lies a path to the kind of transcendence you can only have on a stage in front of an audience. It’s also important to note that you really cannot control an audience’s reaction to a show. You just try to think through and be as generous with the myriad of variables that you can control, and then hope for the best. What do you think will be the next evolution in the music industry? Augmented reality shows. What’s on top of your musical bucket list? Hanging out with the remaining members of Pink Floyd. BONUS [videos]* Hear St. Vincent demo her Signature Model: Fuzz Tone… The Making of St. Vincent’s Ernie Ball Music Man Signature Guitar [ source ]

#THX ANON #st vincent #annie clark #gear #sweetwater #interviews