Intro post: I'm a professor of #Biology at the #UniversityOfWashington. My training is in #EvolutionaryBiology, #BehavioralEcology, #PopulationGenetics, and #Epidemiology. I did lots of work in #Bibliometrics and #NetworkTheory. I teach #DataLiteracy. These days I spend a lot of time thinking about the spread of #Misinformation, the #ScienceOfScience, and #PhilosophyOfScience. I do a lot of #BirdPhotography and love #ravens, #crows, and all #corvids.

For your trouble, here's a perfect crow.

I just wanted to give a tip about those writing alt text.

I thank everyone who does so! It makes my Mastodon experience so much more amazing!

But a tip, though:

If you are describing, say, text on a screen, it would be very appreciated if you describe not just the screen that exists, but what is on the screen. Here is an example.

If you say, "A screen shot of my phone's screen, showing a post on Mastodon." it doesn't much help because I ask myself (since I cannot see the image) "Yes? What does it say?

A better example would be, say:

"A screen shot of my phone's screen. There is a Mastodon post that reads:
'This is my amazing post!'"

It really, really helps me understand the full context.

One problem with leaving the birdsite is that I had built up a reasonable list of illustrators to follow there, and I really haven't here. But I bet they're around. If you're a #fantasy or #sciencefiction or #comedy #illustrator, especially if you're interested in commissions from an author, give this post a like so I can check out your work. Or recommend me someone in the comments. Or boost this so more people see it. Or just tell me what good hashtags I should be following.
#illustration #sff

Guess I'm gonna try out yet another social media! So hi everyone, I'm Nika and I'm doing digital art in a more or less painterly tradional feel. I'm looking forward to find some new amazing artists to connect with around here!

So here's a little portrait I got commissioned to do as some advertisement.

#newhere #newbie #digital #digitalarl

A different pose for a grey squirrel

http://www.vickyoutenphotography.com

#photography #wildlife #wildlifephotography #nature #naturephotography #Mastodonnaturecommunity #greysquirrel #squirrel

I just want to say for my first post to the #Fediverse that I've already seen more #alttext in the last couple of days than I've literally seen in my entire life. I don't know what it is, but as a blind user it's making me emotional to be able to actually interact with content. Think I'll write an introduction soon.
#accessibility #Mastodon #redditMigration

People are like "mastodon isn't full of old people" and then tell a personal anecdote about the time some guy catfished 11 women on USENET.

Huh, just boosted a toot saying Mastodon is the Gen-X of social media, and that made me realize that I think most of the people that I interact with here are Gen-X like me, or maybe elder millennials. So, it's poll time!

If you are an active Mastodon user, what generation do you consider yourself to be?

edit: If you are a Xennial (1977 to 1985ish) you can pick "Geriatric" Millenial

Doing a test here to see how much reach this #mastodon account with 550 followers has compared to the same test on #Threads with a 430 Follower count.

I suspect I already know the answer.

If you see this please Boost and Like, and if you want to leave a comment feel free to that.

FINAL UPDATE - 4 Days Later

Mastodon
Likes: 3,200+
Boosts: 2,600+
Replies: 150+
Followers gained: 225

Threads
Likes: 17
Retweet/Boosts: Unknown. No stats
Replies: 4
Followers Gained: 330

Hypothesis: The Fediverse consists almost entirely of adults.

I expect most youths are drawn to the large corporate social networks; but those of us who took the effort to come here have likely experienced the Internet before most of those existed.

Of course, the only way to test this is by collecting data using the most scientifically rigorous method available to me: a Mastodon poll, lol

(I expect this will only reach English-speaking Fedi, but do boost if you're able)

⬇️ What is your age? ⬇️

The IAFA Imagining Indigenous Futurisms Award recognizes emerging authors who use science fiction to address issues of Indigenous sovereignty and self-determination. To be considered for the award, submit the following: 200-word statement with background & goals in writing SF 4,000-word maximum writing sample addressing Indigenous perspectives Deadline: December 1, 2023. https://iaftfita.wildapricot.org/Imagining-Indigenous-Futurisms-Award/ @indigenousauthors #WritingContest #Indigedon #IndigenousFuturism #SciFi #IndigenousLiterature

I'm on my own instance now thanks to @mastohost and I feel like I've started a new playthrough of Mastodon and I need to level up. (An instance only federates with others if there's activity such as a user on another instance boosting a post--so I need lots of boosts! I'm not federated with many other instances yet.)

@matt runs a wonderful instance and I'm grateful I got to get to know Mastodon on writing.exchange. But it's cool having my own instance. Or it will be, once I level up some.

Side street display in #Florence #Italy

#TravelThursday #photography #travel #StreetPhotography #TravelPhotography

OK, maybe I'm a little obsessed with sweet peas. Because here's another one...

Artwork is here - https://peggy-collins.pixels.com/featured/colorful-sweet-peas-peggy-collins.html

#sweetpeas #flowers #floral #pink #garden #wildflowers #art #artist #ArtForSale #AYearForArt #MastodonArt #FediGiftShop #MastoArt #FediArt #BuyIntoArt #PeggyCollins

Bird of the Day — Paradise Shelduck, New Zealand 2015
Not a kiwi

#Nature #NaturePhotography #Birds #Wildlife #NatureCommunity #Photography #BirdsOfMastodon #BirdPhotography #BirdWatching #Aotearoa #waterfowl

Whales let humans pick live from them! #whales #nature

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jul/06/grey-whales-seen-seeking-human-help-to-remove-parasites?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other