LightNews — News, ranked by scholars

@leafwarbler.myatproto.social

This African Penguin looking up at me on a beach outside Cape Town a few years ago is making a strong bid to be featured in today’s #BirdOfTheDay themes of #WideOpenWings and #NoBranch!

An African Penguin, showing its white belly flanked by black “tuxedo jacket” a black and white collar, and a white eyebrow over a black-masked head, is looking up towards camera with its wings held aloft.

An African Penguin, showing its white belly flanked by black “tuxedo jacket” a black and white collar, and a white eyebrow over a black-masked head standing on a beach. Its head and wings are blurred as it is shaking them rapidly as if attempting to take off.

February 26, 2026 at 3:15 PM

Mr-Write

@mr-write.bsky.social

Good morning! The #BirdOfTheDay today from @alan678.bsky.social‬ is #WideOpenWings. The alt is #NoBranch, a perched bird not on a branch.

I hope you soar today like this Frigate.

If you like this photo, please repost. Thx.

#birdphotography #birds #photography #nature #animals #BirdsOfBluesky

February 26, 2026 at 1:39 PM

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@trendtags.bsky.social

February 26, 2026 at 10:00 AM

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@trendtags.bsky.social

🚀 BlueSky trending hashtags (15m):

#섹블 #nsfw #photography #birdoftheday #oc #art #furryart #aiイラスト #aiart #wideopenwings #birds #furry #nobranch #섹트 #一次創作

February 26, 2026 at 9:45 AM

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@trendtags.bsky.social

February 26, 2026 at 8:01 AM

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@trendtags.bsky.social

February 26, 2026 at 8:01 AM

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@trendtags.bsky.social

February 26, 2026 at 8:01 AM

andwhatfreshhell.bsky.social

@andwhatfreshhell.bsky.social

#birdoftheday #nobranch
No branch PLUS snazzy yellow shoes.

February 26, 2026 at 3:55 PM

Debra Myers, artist

@debramyersart.bsky.social

Today’s #BirdoftheDay is #wideopenwings and #nobranch set by @alan678.bsky.social and @robcrank68.bsky.social. I have been waiting for a theme to share this and behold! It’s a twofer! #treeswallow

February 26, 2026 at 12:48 PM

Anna Quent

@annaquent.bsky.social

Das alternative Thema von @alan678.bsky.social zum #BirdOfTheDay ist #NoBranch
Vögel, die nicht auf einem Ast sitzen.

Ein männlucher Buntspecht, mit einem roten Nackenfleck am Kopf, sitzt in einer Wiese zwischen Gänseblümchen, zeigt sein Rückengefieder, und hat den Kopf in Richtung linker Bildseite gedreht.

February 26, 2026 at 2:39 PM

Janet Roch

@cumberlandjc.bsky.social

Who needs a branch when you have a nice soft sibling to stand on.

Imperial Shag chicks on Bleaker Island, in the Falkland Islands. Its unusual to see so many chicks in one nest, see alt.

#BirdOfTheDay #NoBranch #Birds #BirdSeenIn2026 #FalklandIslands #EastCoastKin #ArtYear

Photo shows 4, down covered, brown Imperial Shag chicks on one nest with 2 other chicks also clearly seen on a second nest behind the first. The nests are made of mud and grass moulded into a pillar with a cupped top, The chicks are big enough to be safely left by their parents but are still trying to stay in the nest waiting for a parent to return from fishing and feed them but have grown too large for the depression and so 2 chicks are sitting on the nest and the other two are balanced one on top of the other on the bottom 2 like cheerleaders. There were Imperial Shags nesting on all the Islands we visited but their success rate was variable. Some Islands there was predominantly only one chick per nest , most commonly there were 2 and on Bleaker it was not uncommon to see 3. These parents were exceptional raising 4 which is considered unusual. The nests become very hard and compact and previous years nests, although not used by this colony, had survived the winter rains and were a marker of how the colony was moving across the landscape each year.

February 26, 2026 at 3:26 PM

Graham Jones

@oldmanrambling.bsky.social

#BirdOfTheDay theme chosen by Alan @alan678.bsky.social
today is #WideOpenWings and the alt is #NoBranch a bird perched but no branches. I’ve got Roberto sat on an old plastic sack; an elegant Red Kite on high and a beached (Black Headed?) Gull.
#photography
#Robins #ForJanet
##EastCoastKin

From top left, clockwise: a European Robin sits on a plastic sack of pavement salt (empty). The white and green of the sack contrasts with the bird’s bright orange/red chest and face plumage and its soft grey under feathering reflects light from the plastic surface; a Red Kite, wings outstretched, flies high above our English village in a clear blue sky, its forked tail making it easily identifiable; a Gull stands next to a greenish-tinged lake on the grassy banks.

February 26, 2026 at 4:03 PM

Cove Creek Photography

@covecreekphoto.bsky.social

A scissor-tailed flycatcher for @alan678.bsky.social #BirdOfTheDay alt theme #NoBranch
#birds #nature #birdphotography

A scissor-tailed flycatcher perched on a tree stump. The bird has a white head and breast, orange on the belly, black wings, and a long black tail.

February 26, 2026 at 2:05 PM

Atlantic Birding

@atlanticbirding.bsky.social

🪶 Today’s #BirdOfTheDay Theme is #WideOpenWings. The Alternative is #NoBranch, birds perched not on a branch

This Grey Heron was having a nice sunbath after a preen.

#birds #birdsofbluesky #birdphotography #naturetherapy #greyheron #eastcoastkin #irishbirding #naturephotography

A Grey Heron perched on a willow branch in the strong sunshine. The bird is facing the camera to the left of the picture with its wings open and dropped down below its shoulders. The background is blue skies

February 26, 2026 at 7:22 AM

Squidward's Tiki Land

@oohahhohtikitiki.bsky.social

California Towhee
#BirdOfTheDay #NoBranch #birds

A California Towhee perched atop a chain link fence.

February 26, 2026 at 11:50 PM

Alan H

@alan678.bsky.social

Good morning. The #BirdOfTheDay theme today is #WideOpenWings birds with wings wide open and the alt is #NoBranch any perched bird not on a branch. Good luck. #birds #photography #EastCoastKin

A small brown sparrow captured mid-flight, wings fully outstretched and fanned wide, showing pale, translucent feathers lit by sunlight. The bird’s body is angled slightly downward as it lifts off from a leafy branch with glossy green leaves and small red berries. The background is softly blurred with rich green foliage, making the sparrow’s delicate feather detail stand out sharply in the foreground.

February 26, 2026 at 6:51 AM

Claire Laila Dines

@freedomtodoubt.bsky.social

@alan678.bsky.social
Rock Pipit on #NoBranch yesterday just east of Brighton Marina.
#BirdOfTheDay
#EastCoastKin
#Birds

February 26, 2026 at 7:41 AM

Zerene

@zerene.bsky.social

#NoBranch Any ole’ power pole will do!
#birdoftheday

A large brown vulture resting atop of a powerpole with wings spread out to dry in the sun.

February 26, 2026 at 4:13 PM

✮ 𝒥𝒶𝓃𝑒 ✮

@janesgallery.bsky.social

The #BirdOfTheDay theme alt is #NoBranch any perched bird not on a branch.
A pelican on the rocks (alcohol free 😂)
@alan678.bsky.social
#birds #photography #EastCoastKin

A pelican preening itself in a rocky setting

February 26, 2026 at 8:28 AM

AcECox

@adrianen.bsky.social

#NoBranch #BirdOfTheDay

Brown Pelican
American Crow
Black-Crowned Night Heron

February 26, 2026 at 8:16 PM

AcECox

@adrianen.bsky.social

#NoBranch #BirdOfTheDay

Double-Crested Cormorant
Acorn Woodpecker
Western Bluebird
Red-Tailed Hawk

February 26, 2026 at 7:51 PM

It'sFromJenni

@itsfromjenni.bsky.social

The #BirdOfTheDay theme today is #WideOpenWings birds with wings wide open and the alt is #NoBranch any perched bird not on a branch.
Here is my set: a #Buzzard on a sign, 2 #Cormorants on a lamp, a flying #GreyHeron and a disappearing #MarshTit.

Ein Bussard sitzt auf einem Hinweisschild

February 26, 2026 at 7:13 AM

B.R. Crichton

@brcrichton.bsky.social

Alan's @alan678.bsky.social #BirdOfTheDay theme today is #WideOpenWings birds with wings wide open and the alt is #NoBranch any perched bird not on a branch.
So here's a reed cormorant, sunning itself.