cranky ol’ Auncle Allie

@turtlesoup.bsky.social

1144 Followers 180 Following

Cartoonist, illustrator, fanperson. Budding professional science writer & hobby naturalist/nature photographer. They/them. http://linktr.ee/alliekleber Expect lots of bird photos (and sometimes plants, bugs, etc). GenAI is not welcome here.

Photo of an old vaguely anime-style drawing colored with color pencil of a young woman with pointy ears, orange wings and a tail that looks rather like orange and yellow streamers extending from her rear. She's holding a knife in one hand and has one leg inexplicably lifted and bent at the knee, while the other hand is outstretched and extruding a gout of flame. Her black hair streams behind her but for a thick section braided to one side of her face, decorated with what appear to be her own feathers. She wears a red tube top, brown belt, black miniskirt, and gold or brass wrist braces, and she stares off into space with a stony expression and yellow eyes.
A tabby cat in a tiger-striped harness laying across a lap with his face resting on a sticker-covered laptop.
A fledgling tufted titmouse perched on an old, worn fallen branch, looking very alert and determined and ROUND. It stands with its body facing the viewer and its head turned to the side. It's a fluffy ball of white breast feathers and grey wings/head, with a pointy little crest, a black beak topped with a little black band of feathers, beady black eyes and little grey feet.
Very scribbly ballpoint pen drawing of Rachel Summers circa her days on Claremont's X-Men, floating in midair, screaming and clutching at her head, with a messy angry phoenix effect around her and 'AARGH' in big dark letters behind her and running off the page. It's drawn on a purple notepad with cartoony drawings of opossums at the top holding a banner that reads "THINGS I DON'T WANT TO DO."
Video starts with a view of a red-tailed hawk perched in an oak tree with a voiceover saying "Here's fledgling number one ..." At which point a second hawk appears at the upper left, flapping and apparently flying right towards the camera. It does a little dip in the air and the person holding the camera briefly loses control of it while saying quickly "... And fledgling number two who has apparently come to say hello!" The camera refocuses on the second hawk, who is settling on a much closer branch, shaking out its tail a bit. The voice continues "Oh my God. Okay."
Photo showing a grey/brown tabby cat in a tiger-striped harness sitting on an upside-down plastic serving tray that has been placed over a laptop keyboard. The cat is facing away from the screen, ignoring the video playing on it.
Video shows a gray/brown tabby cat in a tiger-striped harness intently watching a video of birds and squirrels on a laptop screen. He attempts to lunge at one of the subjects, stepping on a laptop key and stopping the video/closing the window. The camera view wobbles around and gets closer to the cat, while a wry voice comments, "well, good job."
Photo of a handsome grey/brown tabby cat wearing an orange tiger-striped halter, standing in profile across the lap of a white human in yellow-lensed glasses, a red bandana, and a black tank top. The cat is staring forward into outdoor lighting (clearly a window), and incidentally, between the human and the screen of a silver MacBook.
A very round American robin fledgling perched in a tree. It has lots of dark speckling on its breast still, and an exaggerated gape that looks like a big cranky frown.
7-second video of a fledgling red-tailed hawk standing on a residential roof against a clear blue sky. It unfolds its wings, wobbles, refolds them and refocuses, and then takes off. There are lots of angry American robin calls in the background, and a human voice saying "You can do it, baby! Woooo ..."
A near-fledgling red-tailed hawk chick perched on a jutting pine tree branch against a blue sky. Its body is proportioned like an adult's, but its head looks oddly small/not fully feathered.
A rough three-panel pen and ink comic titled "birdbrain" (with "dysregulation" in parentheses). Panel 1: In the background, large letters spell ALARM, apparently emerging from a blue jay who is perched on a branch to the upper right with its beak open. I. The foreground, a bespectacled white human with a bandana on their head squeezes their eyes shut and covers their ears; word balloons read "=ow=" and "Shush!" Panel 2: Head and shoulders of the shouting blue jay. The shouty spiky word balloon behind it obscures the first word, so it reads "DE---IR! DISMAY! DISASTER!" Panel 3: The blue jay stands in agitated posture on the ground, yelling up at the human, who is on their hands and knees, addressing the bird with a tentativeness in their posture. Jay: "FIGHT! FLEE!! FREEZE!!!" Human: "Let's try a few deep breaths."
Photo of a red tulip with shades of yellow and orange, leaning over sideways with the weight of the droplets of water bedecking it. A hand-drawn purple dragon, digitally colored, is curled up at the entrance to the "cave" of the flower's interior, eye half-closed, sleepy.
A fledgling American Robin perched on a branch against a backdrop of bright green. It has a dark head, a pointy yellow beak, and appears to be 90% round orangeish chest and belly fluff with thick black speckling.
A hand-written sign tacked to a wall, which reads "PLEASE ENJOY my inspiration wall. ❤️ Nearly all of this is NOT my work. Many of these artists ARE friends or acquaintances. Happy to share names/info!"
A pegboard display with six postcard-sized drawings of different birds in marker and color pencil. Post-it notes list a price, and another asks "what's your FAVORITE bird??"
A smiling, light-skinned, bespectacled person sitting in an office chair holding a partly-done postcard-sized piece of artwork, with a cluttered desk behind them and a wall covered in artwork and cards.
Image shows a collage of photos, including one of several issues of a comic book called Queer Thrills on display, a pile of hand-drawn bird art in marker and color pencil, photos of a hummingbird and a bumblebee, as well as a graphic advertising Somerville Open Studios and another, featuring a tiny "phoenix" based on a tufted titmouse, advertising alliekleber.com. The caption reads: "Art, comics & nature photos @Somerville Open Studios! Stop 110 - Mad Oyster Studios"
Left: blurry close-up through a couple of the main tree limbs, showing an adult hawk bending over the fluffy white head of a chick. If you squint, you can see its beak and eye. White text with an arrow pointing at the chick reads "BABY!!" Right: another somewhat less than crisp image of the adult hawk looking down at a ball of white fluff (the baby’s head, no longer turned outwards). White text with an arrow pointing at the chick reads "STILL BABY (LOOKS LIKE COTTON BALL)".
Photo of a grey-brown tabby cat rubbing his face on a laptop screen, which displays a black and white comic page (the last page of Queer Thrills #4).
A red-tailed hawk nest nestled among the thick limbs of a large pine tree. An adult hawk is visible sitting in the nest, and appears to be looking back at the viewer.
An immature red-tailed hawk perched on a branch directly above the viewer at a diagonal, staring downwards against the backdrop of a pale sky. It's a stocky raptor with a white chin, chest and belly, brown head, wings and tail (hard to see the barring from this angle/lighting), and brown splotches on its lower chest.
A brown/gray tabby cat perched on a stack of white boxes behind a chair, body in profile and face turned up and a little to the side. He's wearing a red bandana-patterned harness.
Photo of a cardboard protest sign with a hand drawn belted kingfisher cut out of white paper and glued to the cardboard. Text reads "NO KINGS" (in red) and "only kingFISHERS" (in blue).
A gray/brown tabby cat lies on a blue fleece blanket on soomeone's lap, eyes squeezed shut, while a light-skinned hand scritches the top of his head.
Marker & color pencil drawing of a pair of black-cheeked lovebirds sitting side-to-side while one preens the side of the other's face with its beak. Both have word balloons with hearts in thisem, and there's text reading "#birdwhisperer project February 2026".
Marker & colored pencil drawing of a great blue heron taking a deliberate step through shallow water against a backdrop of tall and curving reesa, head up and neck in a backward s-shape, looking intent.
A middle-aged bespectacled white person in a sleeveless black plaid button-down with a black bandana on their head, sitting in a white-walled room with some framed vintage landscape postcards on the wall and a closed sketchbook on the desk I'm front of them, scratching the head of a grey-brown tabby cat sitting up in their lap, wearing a red bandana-print harness. The human!s expression is wry.
A marker/colored pencil drawing of an American robin with very puffed-up breast feathers, facing the viewer with head turned to the side, standing on a bare branch.
A small postcard-sized marker drawing showing a cluster of springtime wildflowers, with a list of scientific names in the upper left corner. The plants are star-flowered lilies-of-the-valley, Virginia bluebells, a yellow trout lily, Canada mayflower and wood anemones.
A color pencil + marker drawing of a gray catbird perched on a slender branch amid clusters of blue dogwood berries and green leaves, tail erect and beak wide open. "MEOW" is written in large orange letters across the background.
A color pencil and marker drawing of a black-capped chickadee hanging from a slender twig, peering at the top with its beak a little open. It emits a speech balloon containing a pink heart.
Mixed media drawing (color pencil and artist marker) of a male hooded merganser mid-courtship display, body raised a little out of the water and tilted back, bill open, crest full. Above his head in pink letters it reads " ... LADIES."
A black-capped chickadee pulling seeds out of a tiny pinecone, clinging upside-down to a branch with its body contorted so its chest sticks out and its tail is pointed down and to the side, and one wing is unfolded pointing downwards as well. It's a tiny greyish songbird with a black cap and chin, pale face, chest and belly, and slate-colored wings and tail.
A "black" (brownish/greyish) tabby cat in a black t-shirt sprawled out on his side between layers of blanket (a cloud-and-star printed duvet on one side, a green plaid fleece throw on the other), eyes closed, looking content.
A wild turkey perched high in a tree amid bare branches, in profile. Its feathers are puffed up and it looks VERY round.
A tufted titmouse clinging to dead plant stalks against a cracked cement wall, body titled downwards at a diagonal. It's a small grey songbird with a white face, breast and belly, a black patch over its beak, a pointy crest, and warm streaks of peachy yellow peeking out from beneath its wings.
Photo shows a brightly (and unrealistically)-painted statue of a turkey standing on a brick plaza under a cloudy sky.
An adult red-tailed hawk perched among bare branches on a bright, sunny winter day, in profile. It's a stocky buteo with a mostly-white chest and belly, a warm brown head and back, brown eyes, and a curved grey beak.
A snowy owl sits hunkered down in a snowy cornfield, body turned at a three-quarter angle and eyes closed. It's a large, white owl with dark barring across its chest and wings, and in a sort of "headband" on its forehead.
Photo of a grey/brown tabby cat in. Red harness sitting in a lap in the back seat of a car. He is looking dubiously over his shoulder at the photographer/owner of the lap, who is holding onto him via a red plaid leash.
A gray-brown tabby cat in a red harness standing on a bookshelf with his forepaws resting on the shelf in front of the books, and his hind paws on top of some of them, staring alertly off to the side.
A very puffed-up, plump-looking snow bunting in non-breeding plumage perched at the edge of a cement wall overlooking blue water. It's a small white, brown and cream songbird with a little orange wedge-shaped beak and black feet.
A Marvel Legends Phoenix (Rachel Summers) action figure standing on a shelf of graphic novels and comic book trade paperbacks. Titles visible behind her include ElfQuest, Excalibur and Finder.
A happy gray-brown tabby cat in a gray t-shirt snuggling amid fleece blankets, eyes closed in appreciation.
A photo of two feet resting on their heels on a dirt path, taken by the person they belong to, who is seated slightly off the ground. Each foot wears a shoe from a different pair, though as both are dark grey sneakers, the fact that they don't match may not be immediately obvious. One has teal accents; the other is a darker grey, once black, and has a split seam on the outer side.
A grey/brown tabby cat sitting up alertly on his back legs, in profile, on top of a low cat tree. He's wearing a black tank top t-shirt.
An American coot in profile, floating in calm water near a patch of floating oak leaves with a great billful of pondweed. It's a rotund black water bird with a little tuft for a tail, a pointed ivory bill, red eyes, and a (just barely visible) red "shield" at the top of the bill, between the eyes.
A brown/grey (technically black, confusingly enough) tabby cat reclining on a white-and-blue comforter (on someone's lap) in golden lighting, head turned to the side, looking relaxed.
A postcard-sized hand-drawn mixed-media (color pencil & art marker) drawing of a female belted kingfisher perched on a fallen/drooping old tree, her head turned to the side and a little crown floating above her head.
A male hooded merganser mid-courtship display, with his body canted backwards and up, his neck puffed up and crest raised, and his bill open. He's a small diving duck with a skinny black bill, black mohawk-like crested head with a huge white spot on each side, black-and-white striped wings, white breast, rufous sides, and bright yellow eyes.
A middle-aged pale-skinned person dressed up as Gomez Addams, giving the camera a rakish look. Their brown hair is slicked back, they have on a fake black mustache, and they're wearing a black pinstripe blazer over a dark pink shirt and black tie. There's a plastic Thing sitting on one shoulder.
Close-up shot of the head and neck of a great blue heron, in profile, with a small fish (a black crappie) hanging from its beak. It's a large bluish-grey heron with a stripe of white and darker-blue feathers down its throat, a long pointed bill, and round yellow eyes.
A simple outline pencil sketch of a female belted kingfisher perched on a broken-off branch with her head turned to the side.
A male ruddy duck in non-breeding plumage, floating in a lake and facing directly towards the viewer. He's a small diving duck with a dark brown cap and back, lighter brown chest, white cheeks, and an enormous scoop of a dark brown bill.
Sketchbook page with a mixed-media (color pencil & Copic marker) drawing of a common grackle perched on a bare tree branch, head turned to the side and some iridescence showing on its head and throat.
A bespectacled middle-aged nonbinary white human standing beside an institutional brick building, wearing a black three-piece suit with a dark purple brocade-pattern shirt and a pastel purple necktie and holding a small notebook. They have a wry/confused expression.
A gray tabby cat standing straddling the lap of a person lying in bed, face near a laptop screen.
An eastern chipmunk pausing half in shadow, with its cheek oucheds stuffed full and its forepaws resting on a low stone monument, staring directly into the camera. It's a small, adorable brown rodent with a white underside.
A gray tabby cat snoozing, sprawled on his size on a plaid fleece blanket with his forepaws resting on a light-skinned human thigh.