Okay, it's not actually within our backyard, but it's just beyond it. The yard behind our house borders a large park that is just being developed. The park was recently seeded, and the straw was put down as mulch. I took this shot while standing on our backyard deck. I think these Sandhill Cranes must have been eating the grass seed.

I know that there's not a lot going on in this image. But I rather like the repetitive poses of the birds, and I thought it was kind of cool that I could get this shot without leaving home, so I decided to go with it. The abundance of Sandhill Cranes in the area near our new home in Michigan has been one of the pleasant surprises of living here.

This thing is actually the roof of a "light well" or "skylight" that provides daylight to the mezzanine level of the U-Bahn station "Harthof", located at the southern end of that station.

© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.

The Mute swan actually gets its name from the fact that its is less vocal than other swan species and is one of the heaviest flying birds. A male swan is known as a Cob while the female is known as a Pen and has a lifespan of around 12 years in the wild and can reach 30 years if in an protected environment. One of three species of wild swans to be found in the UK and is the national bird of Denmark. The Mute Swan is unique in making a vibrant throbbing sound with the wings when in flight. A large group of swans can be called, school, ballet and regatta. No swan has ever broken anyone's arm, this is a actually a complete myth.

Actually not. This is a Douglas C-47 Skytrain mounted above the roof terrace of the Deutsches Technikmuseum (German Museum of Technology).

This particular C-47 was delivered to the USAF in 1945 and was initially used by the weather service based on Jamaica.

From 1962 to 1977 it was used by the Spanish Air Force, in 1986 it went back to the USAF, who displayed it on Tempelhof Airport to remember the Berlin Air Lift.

In 1994 it was handed over to the Deutsches Technikmuseum.

Click here for a different perspective.

© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.

Actually, we have like a spring time just before Christmas, the weather is behaving strangely ...

I don't know what the snow looks like in reality :)

I wish you all a wonderful White Christmas time !

I was actually hiding behind a wooden kissing gate in a dry stone wall, trying to obtain shots of a Stonechat pair ahead of me on the footpath, when this Robin that had been hanging around on the cliff-side fencing and posts, flew down in front and landed on this isolated, dead bramble stem protruding from the bracken field margin. He was quite distant, so this is a huge crop, but at the time it landed, I was immediately taken with his pose and the bracken background, so fired off a quick burst of shots.

Thank you for your faves and comments

Not the tree actually, but the parasitic birds in the tree, Brown-headed Cowbirds. The dark-colored birds in the picture are the males, light-colored ones are females. More specifically, they are "brood parasites", laying an egg in another bird's nest, leaving the care and feeding of the hatchling to the host bird.

The cowbird eggs often hatch faster than the host bird's, and displace the other hatchlings. One would think that the host bird would recognize that it was feeding a different species in its nest, but I witnessed a Northern Cardinal nesting in my backyard, feeding a cowbird, the only hatchling to survive in the nest. (shown in first picture in the comments below)

Actually a real colour of a dahlia paired with a white flower of the same plant - Shot time ago

Vieux temps

En fait, une vraie couleur d'un dahlia associée à une fleur blanche de la même plante - Prise il y a quelque temps

Well actually it isn't Bonny but a very amusing birthday card sent to my wife from the family! If you want to know more about the people who produced the card please visit www.avantipress.com

Our Bonny Lass was born in Ireland and was originally thought to be a labrador/collie cross - but our dog trainer thought she is a 'Heinz 57 Varieties' with some Lurcher and Staffie thrown in! Whatever she is, she is adorable!

She is now thirteen years old and although she's slowing down she can still give dogs half her age a run for their money in short bursts!

If you are looking for a rescue dog in the UK, please visit www.pupsneedinghomes.co.uk/ as they do such an outstanding job in rehoming unwanted dogs!

Actually, the plant was already dried, but our good care and enough water help sometimes miracles

<3H - BINARYHEARTS

<3H - BINARYHEARTS - StoneCat

[Eternus]

Eleanor dress

Compatible with:- Maitreya+Petite- Legacy+Perky- Kupra Original+Kups

Heartsdale Jewellery

[HJ] Mangalsutra Collection

all info in the blog

blog

Actually it's in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon but I couldn't help but think of that great water storage that kept so many invaders outside the walls of Constantinople. You can see it in that great movie Topkapi

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Antiquorum/159/139/22

We actually got a good day today, and a nice sunset tonight. I found a nice spot with loads of swans but just wanted the one in it. Have you ever tried to control the movement of swans.....no....well dont.

Our field is full of these beautiful Monarch caterpillars which makes me very happy. We have tons of milk weed which these chubba wubbas love. I'm actually not sure if that is the front or back end. It's what was facing me so it's what I got a photo of....ha ha.

Actually it's a balloon. 🎈😂

This was actually taken a couple of weeks ago during a snow storm as I scurried around the valley floor trying to get as many shots as possible before the storm broke up. I was fortunate enough to set up my tripod at the tunnel that morning at 6 AM next to Willie Huang and Aaron Meyers among several others.

More snow covered Yosemite photos and my top 10 tips for shooting Yosemite in the snow may be found at:

The Resonant Landscape: Tips On Shooting Yosemite In The Snow

I will definitely be missing the snowstorm that's moving in today at Yosemite with a snow level down to almost 2000 feet tonight as I will be with my wonderful family. I wish safe travels to all who are out there tonight, and a very Merry Christmas to all of you!

-----------------

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Actually taken a few years ago in the cemetery given over to a mini nature reserve at Lelant Cornwall. Was zooming around looking for something that would follow-on on from my butterfly shots that were captured in Cornwall. Difficult to believe we saw so few other butterflies this holiday :(

I actually worked on this image last year on my return from NZ/Canada. This shot was taken on a wet day re-tracing my steps to my primary school. The tree ferns were all along the pathway and they sheltered me from the rain. I have added the water to this image - i wasn't wading through it!

Posted for Sliders Sunday

Actually, I wanted to photograph dew-wetted insects, but at this time of day it doesn't work out so well. At least the lavender is still glittering a little (probably it hadn't moved enough yet as it was fixed with the spider's thread). Happy weekend everybody ☀️

Olympus E-M1 Mark II + Olympus 60mm F2.8 Macro

Thanks to everyone who stopped by to watch or leave a comment or award :)

All my photos are © All Rights Reserved. The pictures are for viewing, not to be downloaded and shared on any other site or for personal use without my explicit permission. And definitely do not post ads in my photos!!! Thank you! :)

- Living Jewels of Nature 14, Precious Living Jewels of Nature 12, Members Choice 11

- Nature's Carousel 10, Nature's Golden Carousel 10, Nature's Platinum CArousel 13

Actually not a jungle, but the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.

A zoo on the Gold Coast. Queensland, Australia.

I actually have a title in mind for this one, but the theme for this week's Looking Close on Friday group is "Title Wanted."

So have at it. :-)

Also for Our Daily Challenge: "In A Box"

HLCoF

Addendum: Thanks to Ben Edge for the title!

Moored in the PORT OF SKAGWAY ALASKA

**Ship appears MUCH closer to the shore than she actually was

MS Eurodam is a Signature-class cruise ship for Holland America Line. Eurodam is the 80th ship to enter Holland America's service and, at 86,700 tons and carrying 2,104 passengers,

Skagway is a compact city in southeast Alaska, set along the popular cruise route the Inside Passage. It's home to gold-rush-era buildings, now preserved as part of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. The White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad runs vintage locomotives past the famously steep Chilkoot trail and offers sweeping mountain views during its climb toward Canada. ― Google

Thank-you for all the overwhelming support and many friendships.

Happy Clicks

~Christie

*Best experienced in full screen

www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3clrkLNTSA

Actually it was a little warm on this late summer evening by the river ... but the cool tones of blue hour were quite soothing. A pretty place to sit and enjoy the sounds of the flowing river ... and nothing else.

Actually, I did see this Snowy owl, but two years earlier at Zoo America in Hershey, Pennsylvania. 😄 My dream of seeing a Snowy on the snow-covered dunes could only be realized through Photoshop😜

Actually, these are love- locks on the Ponte Scaligero - a bridge reconstructed in 1949 after its destruction in WWII. The original bridge dates to 1354.

I'm not so sure about the love locks, but they are now appearing on bridges the world over, even when they are built with bricks.

When I'm not exploring Verona, you can find me on Twitter

Bryce Canyon National Park was actually the second park we went to but the last Utah National Park represented in my Photostream.

Since I missed sunrise, I knew I really only had one chance to catch some nice light. There is an overlook called Sunset Point but figured it would be packed so I decided to find Bryce Point overlook which turned out to be just as good in my opinion.

The order of parks in our itinerary was Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Arches and Canyonlands.

Per www.brycecanyoncountry.com, At 8,300 feet, Bryce Point offers one of the most sweeping views of the hoodoo-filled red rock amphitheater. Famous for its astonishing sunrise as the sunlight floods the top of the hoodoos with a brilliant burst of light and then works its way down into all but the deepest crevices, this north-facing viewpoint is also beautiful throughout the day. Catch a great view of Boat Mesa and the rich colors of the Claron Formation. Bryce Point is the trailhead for Peek-a-Boo Loop, a strenuous 5.5-mile trail which winds among the majestic red rock hoodoos such as the Wall of the Windows and Three Wise Men formations. Bryce Point is also a popular birding spot; keep an eye out for a rare glimpse of the California condor. The viewpoint is named for Ebenezer Bryce, who settled the area in 1870.

I do have more pictures from each park but wanted to represent one from each. I might slip in others before posting all my Utah pictures so you don't get bored with all the rocks.

Actually our storks should have migrated south by now, but an increasing number of them decide to stay here during the winter. Right now lots of meadows are flooded and they seem to find enough food.

Actually, this is before it rained (again!) today. I had just refilled the birdbath when I saw this bedraggled dandelion seed head. It isn't the prettiest specimen but it sure held the water drops nicely. Steve said it looks like a wet poodle, lol! : )

Actually there is a nice pile of rusty junk out front and on the porch. Anyone need a wheel barrow? I think someone ran into the left side of this house with a lawn tractor. HWW

Actually not two but three Grebes were rushing that day. Unfortunately they were so close I lost many good frames when I was panning with them. Fortunately I was using a full frame modern camera that locked on to the first grebe for the entirety of the sequence. Therefore I got few keepers.

Actually ALL horses are my valentines, I love them so much. Wells County, Michigan.

Actually, lemon blossom buds.

I had promised myself that I would not post any flower shots on Flickr until spring, but due to a variety of reasons, I have not taken a single photograph during the whole year so far (all 8 days). So here are some more flowers from last year. Atleast, it's not a rose.

This Was Actually Taken Spotted One Late Evening After Taken Laurel Home ... Mother And I Both Saw It ... Mother Said " It Will Be Beautiful When The Sun Is Hitting It" She Was Right ..

The Next Day I Came And Got the Pic ... I Do Think It Was One Of The Prettiest Trees In All Of Roane County ..

Not Much Of A Story .. But Proved To Be A Swell Shot .. And Not Sweltering ...

Right Now In My Neck Of The Woods... We Are Rejoicing For the Rain ... We Are Getting Hard Rains - ( Much Needed At That ) ... The Mountains Are On Fire.. All Around Us ..

God Shows Up, And Off, Just In The Nick Of Time ..

.

HAVE A TREE MENDOUSLY WONDERFUL TUESDAY ... Cindy

This is a pic for my new website so I'm sharing it on here

Harajuku Top & Skirt by DeadDollz

KOHAKU Hair by ARGRACE

Pose by Le Poppycock

Pic was taken @ Whimberly

Actually its Snowhill Manor.

I actually photographed this fence for the first time in April 2010 for one of my first ever Fence Fridays. See that picture here.

Happy Fence Friday! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. :)

Old and Dusty looks like small view camera, actually a dummy camera, looks good sitting there but cant take a picture, one of mine, found in North Carolina.

hand-warped in elasticam and treated with icolorama

Actually, I do not want to have people in this picture. But this place is a place for everyone to do it, and this man is still sitting quietly. That's a long shutter. The photo was taken, he was sitting still.

The feeling may be similar to this song.

youtu.be/6X2Nvx--k1U

This is a shot I took in the forest here in Zürich on a day with heavy snowfall. I actually wanted to capture the person walking in the distance in front of me but my camera misfocused on the snow instead of the person. Later I also managed to capture a similar Picture with the “correct” focus, but I think I got lucky with this one as I prefer it this way with the person out of focus. It captures the feel of the falling snow better in my eyes. However, I might show the other one as well one day.

Actually the fluffy white turned out to be feathers, probably of a night heron, so the young owl was telling the truth😄.

I was actually there earlier that day to take pictures but every single spot of this infamous palace which was made more famous by the famed "The Last Emperor" was cramped with local tourists. So I decided to return later that afternoon hoping that people have dwindled as admission closes. Had to find a place where crowd was less and was lucky enough to get a bonus from this setting sun.

Built from 1406 to 1420, The Forbidden City was the home for he Emperors of Ming and Qing Dynasties. For almost five centuries, of course, it was also the home of the Emperors' household and also served as the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government.

It consists of 980 surviving buildings with 8,707 bays of rooms that covers 720,000 square meters. The palace complex exemplifies traditional Chinese palatial architecture that influenced cultural and architectural developments in East Asia and elsewhere.

HMM-- actually i had a wonderful time choosing, shooting, and experimenting with pics for this theme!! and learned so much about rendering things into b&w and the relative values in sliders.

this is thurman and his smile/face is just under an inch and he's my favorite of the possibles for "back to square one". he's particularly happy to be a part of the macro mondays group's pool for the theme of:

"back to square one" “Center Square B&W”: center composed, black and white image in square format...

ODC "available light"

The Mute swan actually gets its name from the fact that its is less vocal than other swan species and is one of the heaviest flying birds. A male swan is known as a Cob while the female is known as a Pen and has a lifespan of around 12 years in the wild and can reach 30 years if in an protected environment. One of three species of wild swans to be found in the UK and is the national bird of Denmark. The Mute Swan is unique in making a vibrant throbbing sound with the wings when in flight. A large group of swans can be called, school, ballet and regatta. No swan has ever broken anyone's arm, this is a actually a complete myth. Have a great Christmas everyone !!!!

actually...this is everyday scene, this guy jumps from one window to another checking where we are to let him in...:))

©2008AnnaZavileiskaia

Hmm, actually a little pleased with this one.

The stoneware jar is in itself no more than 3 inches totally.

I placed it on a glass dish, to add some water/light reflection, and then under a running kitchen faucet.

Again, a little surprised of the result, in a positive way :-)

Tried the slow shutter speed that we experimented with a couple of months ago in the 'intentional blur' theme, but the result didn't turn out well.