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I am back from a quick camping trip to Grasslands National Park. I had planned to go in the spring that didn't work out, so I hopped in my car and went camping by myself this week. It was awesome. Necklace by millicent
This is Miss Miriam - she is actually a Pin-Up model in the Inland Empire area of Southern California. She can be found on Model Mayhem (Mayhem # 3447071) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/missmiriampinup).
She is also a runner. She is one of those people who can run marathons - which, to me, is AMAZING! The strength, discipline and determination it takes to accomplish something like that is just incredible! So I asked her if she would be willing to do a shoot in which we would attempt to show those qualities - not so much the running itself, but to show the character of a person who can do that. I think we got some great results, and this is the first one done from that shoot.
Miriam as a model was excellent - very friendly and fun to work with :)
For these shots I went with 5 YN560iii's. It was kind of a Joel Grimes setup. Two gridded softboxes behind the model to either side, a bare flash directly behind her, a beauty dish in font of her above camera, and the last was to camera left in front of her, fired through a white shoot through umbrella (set on VERY low power).
Actually, not a bad day. Temps about 28 deg F, moderate wind, no precip at present, roads mostly clear.
So, actually tolerable
actually, I am reflected in two mirrors if you look closely!
at the Eastern State Penitentiary
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
You might like to view iit large!
Have a lovely Sunday now!
Actually a sea lion but 'sea lion of approval' doesn't have the same ring to it.
This sunset was in San Simeon not Santa Monica but I like the song and couldn't find one about San Simeon
Actually this is part of the Tritons' Fountain, which is located in Floriana. Also known Borgo Vilhena, a fortified area in the Port Region area of Malta, just outside the capital city Valletta.
This shot was actually taken in white out visibility conditions. It is amazing how the 3 exposure HDRi makes it look almost post storm. Some of the snow blowing almost looks like noise in the image, I had to look real closely to see that it wasn't noise or pixelation.
I understand the motives behind jewelry and signs that proclaim this message. The fact is, he legally IS our future president. Unlike his MAGA followers, we believe in democracy and follow the law. He was certified by Congress on January 6 and will be inaugurated later this month.
His inauguration does NOT mean that all of us personally accept his values and agendas. We will continue to exercise our Constitutional rights and actively work against any undemocratic actions that he proposes. We will NOT be silent .
He may be my president, but he is NOT my presidential choice. I believe that he should not hold any office.
Photoleap was used to create this image.
Actually its a magnetic note clip for the fridge. Macro Mondays Vibrant Minimalism theme.
Red poster board back drop. YN-460 through softbox right. Reflector left. Red gelled Vivitar 285 at the BG to make the red more vibrant.
M42 Macro Lens. Better in light box view. L or click the image.
Actually this circa 1950's Japanese 'Banko' moriage teapot has a multi-color slip design encrusted upon it's grey clay base. The incised Banko mark is inside the lid. I just restored a large piece that was broken off the lid... one would not know this by the eye and if not told about the restoration.
I used two diffused amber lights to give the gold effect.
Our Daily Challenge:
GOLD or GOLDEN is the topic for Monday 24th August 2020
Actually pictures from 2018. A desert world with a Old Republic Sith base, including minifigures with decals from Timcan2904. Check out his other decals.
Hey everyone!
So, I'm actually posting something quite new for the first time in a very long while and I actually feel good about it. It was my friend's (the one in the photo) mom's birthday yesterday and she invited me and a couple of other close people out for dinner to celebrate and it was actually quite fun. Drank so much champagne and ate too much and just had adult conversations with the other people there. I took this just before we left for the party and it was totally spontaneous. There's something about this that takes me back to my older photos and I really love my older photos so yeah, I might start focusing on taking photos like these.
Anyway, more exciting news. I'm going to be taking new photos this coming week and I'm so excited. I've been meaning to take my camera out for a spin because I've been feeling a bit rusty lately (in terms of taking photos, editing, updating etc) so yeah, new stuff coming
Thanks for the support (comments, views, favorites, etc) and for everything so far! I know that I haven't been updating that much but that'll hopefully change soon.
You can actually stand inside the tree, the perfect Hobbit house:)
an enormous deciduous specimen that reaches 88 feet tall with a sprawling 70 foot canopy. Myrtle trees (also known as Myrtlewood or California Bay Laurel) are specifically adapted for fire; the roots can survive even the fiercest blaze and will sprout new trunks after the smoke has cleared. This Myrtle is estimated to have 200-year-old branches, a 400-year-old trunk and a root system so old that the experts won't even take a guess.
When you hike to the tree there are many myrtles there, the smell is amazing! Of course there are many myrtle wood items for sell along the Southern Oregon coast. The wood varies in color, from very dark to light, brown, yellow and even red. Of course we had to stop and buy some finished myrtle products. And Steve got a blank so he can do his own carvings.
This quote is actually taken from a Sloan song but I find Sloan to be quite genial really. I went to concerts just to enjoy music for years before I even decided to take photos at them and in that amount of time I've often struggled with the "fans" that can't stop talking or completely ruining the show for me. This happened most recently at Belle and Sebastian when the girl in front would not stop talking really loudly (I had paid about $50 for my ticket after service charges) or at Leonard Cohen when the people in my aisle got up every other song for drinks including "Suzanne" which is the only song Leonard sang acoustically. I paid over $100 for that ticket.
I don't think it's necessarily a Chicago thing but I have experienced this quite a bit over the years. At rougher shows, men want to ram into me for fun. At quieter shows, people want to talk as if someone like Chan Marshall of Cat Power is just background music to their personal party, for example.
But the worst thing that happened was definitely at Stereolab at the Vic, which is why I'm holding up my favorite Stereloab album. There were a group of people heavily intoxicated from early on in the night who were loudly trash talking Laetitia Sadier when she was performin in Monade. They continued to talk loudly through Le Loup's middle set when I bluntly told them that if their intention was to ruin the show for everyone, they could at least move to the back. Of course, you can't reason with people under the influence sometimes. The basic jist is that a friend stepped in to help, I got a security guard, two of them were thrown out when they became violent with the security guard.
And that's how the "fans" can really ruin a show. Those aren't fans though...those are scenesters.
Ok, how was one of your favorite shows ruined by others?
EDITED TO ADD: Oh also, if anyone has any great ideas on how to deal with these people, DO TELL!
Actually, it wasn't much of a competition--Top Pot beat my homemade creation hands down. I think with a bit of practice, though, I could produce cake donuts that are close enough to satisfy my constant craving for them :)
Want the recipe? I just placed it on my food blog: technofoodie.blogspot.com/
I've actually got three 2017 photos in today's set of 10, which is probably a record of some sort for this year's Target Sunday Summer Spectacular! Like I said, for some reason I just don't have as many pics in my archive for this store as I have in the past. Must be that I don't take as many pictures of it anymore, because I don't feel like I've been visiting it any less frequently. But I suppose when you've done at least four major upload series of it before, you feel like you've documented the place pretty darn well, haha!
Pictured here is a look down the left-side actionway at the market, as the neon changes colors.
(c) 2017 Retail Retell
These places are public so these photos are too, but just as I tell where they came from, I'd appreciate if you'd say who :)
Steam locomotives are the most incredible machines when you actually stop to think about it. When you stand next to one of these mechanical behemoths, even when it's not operational, you become aware of the immense power that's needed to propel, not just the huge engine, an amazing feat in itself, but a train of cars loaded with passengers or cargo, too. And all this is achieved using the same substance that comes out of your kettle whenever you make a cuppa. When I was much younger I used to catch the train home from school most days. It was always a steam loco (diesel was a long time coming to that part of the world). We didn't think of it as catching a "steam" train, it was just "the train". Frankly, we would have preferred silent, clean electric trains (like they had in more advanced parts of the country), or diesel. Many was the day you had to get small fragments of soot out your eye! Today, of course, it's a different story, as steam takes on the allure and romance of a bygone era. This shot was taken at the Reefsteamers open day, held in conjunction with the Sandstone Heritage Trust on Saturday, October 24.
© Steve Kelley 2008
I actually had the chance to go to Long Beach, NY to shoot lightning last night and choose not to thinking there would be none there. This strike is just off of Long Beach about 60 miles away or so from where I took this shot in Jersey City, NJ.
To view all images in larger sizes and to download, purchase, or license please click here: Lightning Images
I actually really love this photo. It is color altered but I looove how clear it is. I took around 10-15 photos that day and this one was the best (in my opinion).
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© Victoria Beckett | All Rights Reserved
All photos are property of Victoria Beckett and may not be used, sold, printed, or posted elsewhere without permission.
ⓒRebecca Bugge, All Rights Reserved
Do not use without permission.
This is actually an example of how nature has taken over where man has been - though admittedly, in this case, it was a long time ago. This is a Roman military camp. Today nothing remains but some carvings in the rock wall, and it's not easy to get there. At all. My dad found it on Google Earth, there is no signs to tell you it's here (apart from the main road to get there which it's called Rue du Camp Romain) and I ruined a pair of stockings getting to it. But it's quite magnificent once you get there!
I actually forgot i had this negative, found it by chance when i was looking for the slide of F524WSJ. This is the scene i wish i could still see, an Ailsa outside the Stevenston Motor Co Garage as i remember it by. Now occupied by the aptly named A1 fast fit garage.
Actually yellow paint on a piece of film wrap over a base speaker playing very loud music. Something else to do with paint.
Actually my mum and dad's house, but it still feels like home to me, even though I'm 42 years old and haven't lived there for 20 years or so.
I go back now and then and work in the garden, trimming back the trees and hedges, and looking up occasionally to appreciate the view.
I live on the edge of town, which is a fairly industrial area. So going back to the quiet, green, tranquil countryside, feels like coming home. The grass smells good, the trees feel good, the clean air tastes good. I'd love to live in the countryside one day. Look at the view! All greens and browns!
this is what i sent to my partner
the pincushion is because i was so awfully late, underneath it is a napkin in fabric that i used on the back of the placemat
"...there's a kid in here! A real kid!"
This is one of those Disneyland exclusive (well, California Adventure, actually) attractions that I enjoyed tremendously. Very well done, a lot of fun, and Monsters, Inc. is probably my favorite Pixar movie... great dark ride!
See where this picture was taken. [?]
Quick EXIF:
Exposure: 1/50
Aperture: f/1.4
Focal Length: 30 mm
ISO: 560
Pictured:
Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!
Hollywood Pictures Backlot
Disney's California Adventure
Disneyland Resort
Anaheim, California
August, 2008
Quick Fact: The attraction replaced the park's only other dark ride, Superstar Limo, which ran from the park's opening until 2002.
Thanks for droppin' in!
Actually... a "red-bellied woodpecker", to be exact.
* * * * * * * * * * * Large Size is worth clicking on! * * * * * * * * * * *
Actually, No. The road has a slight rise and then turns left, leaving these beautiful rocks safe from cars and Merrie......
Technically, these are rings, but this image is actually a continuation of this series: flic.kr/p/T6Nahv
Hasselblad SWC
Kodak Ektachrome 100
Actually 12+12, but only 1 trip around the dial. Multitude of other functions too, and still kept operational after ca. 500 years. Solothurn CH.
In my sets: Dan's Other Metal and Dan's Old Architecture.
(Dan Daniels)
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Unashamedly I will shout it from the rooftops.
I LOVE CARRION CROW.
There, I've said it. Words I use to describe these amazing birds would include stunning, beautiful, bold, magnificent, intelligent and fantastic, loving, tender, victimized...... oh yes, and sometimes they can be brutal (Let's face it, Mother nature often is).
Recently I had a resident pair of Carrion crows who decided that my garden was theirs, playing a game of cat and mouse with a pair of cheeky Magpies (Pica pica) for dominance and food rights. The male crow actually flew in and 'winged' the magpies to make them leave, an incredible sight to witness. It was an honour and a privilege to be able to win their trust and they have given me so much pleasure this year being able to get within a few feet of them, and their three youngsters, to photograph and feed them, and they have reinforced my already deep admiration for a bird that is brimming with beauty, intelligence, confidence and also surrounded by myths, legend and prejudice.
So let's begin with a look back over history.
LEGEND AND MYTHOLOGY
Crows appear in the Bible where Noah uses one to search for dry land and to check on the recession of the flood. Crows supposedly saved the prophet, Elijah, from famine and are an Inuit deity. Legend has it that England and its monarchy will end when there are no more crows in the Tower of London. And some believe that the crows went to the Tower attracted by the regular corpses following executions with written accounts of their presence at the executions of Anne Boleyn and Jane Gray.
In Welsh mythology, unfortunately Crows are seen as symbolic of evilness and black magic thanks to many references to witches transforming into crows or ravens and escaping. Indian legend tells of Kakabhusandi, a crow who sits on the branches of a wish-fulfilling tree called Kalpataru and a crow in Ramayana where Lord Rama blessed the crow with the power to foresee future events and communicate with the souls.
In Native American first nation legend the crow is sometimes considered to be something of a trickster, though they are also viewed positively by some tribes as messengers between this world and the next where they carry messages from the living to those deceased, and even carry healing medicines between both worlds. There is a belief that crows can foresee the future. The Klamath tribe in Oregon believe that when we die, we fly up to heaven as a crow. The Crow can also signify wisdom to some tribes who believe crows had the power to talk and were therefore considered to be one of the wisest of birds. Tribes with Crow Clans include the Chippewa (whose Crow Clan and its totem are called Aandeg), the Hopi (whose Crow Clan is called Angwusngyam or Ungwish-wungwa), the Menominee, the Caddo, the Tlingit, and the Pueblo tribes of New Mexico.
The crow features in the Nanissáanah (Ghost dance), popularized by Jerome Crow Dog, a Brulé Lakota sub-chief and warrior born at Horse Stealing Creek in Montana Territory in 1833, the crow symbolizing wisdom and the past, when the crow had became a guide and acted as a pathfinder during hunting. The Ghost dance movement was originally created in 1870 by Wodziwob, or Gray Hair, a prophet and medicine man of the Paiute tribe in an area that became known as Nevada. Ghost dancers wore crow and eagle feathers in their clothes and hair, and the fact that the Crow could talk placed it as one of the sages of the animal kingdom. The five day dances seeking trance,prophecy and exhortations would eventually play a major part in the pathway towards the white man's broken treaties, the infamous battle at Wounded knee and the surrender of Matȟó Wanáȟtaka (Kicking Bear), after officials began to fear the ghost dancers and rituals which seemed to occur prior to battle.
Historically the Vikings are the group who made so many references to the crow, and Ragnarr Loðbrók and his sons used this species in his banner as well as appearances in many flags and coats of arms. Also, it had some kind of association with Odin, one of their main deities. Norse legend tells us that Odin is accompanied by two crows. Hugin, who symbolizes thought, and Munin, who represents a memory. These two crows were sent out each dawn to fly the entire world, returning at breakfast where they informed the Lord of the Nordic gods of everything that went on in their kingdoms. Odin was also referred to as Rafnagud (raven-god). The raven appears in almost every skaldic poem describing warfare.Coins dating back to 940's minted by Olaf Cuaran depict the Viking war standard, the Raven and Viking war banners (Gonfalon) depicted the bird also.
In Scandinavian legends, crows are a representative of the Goddess of Death, known as Valkyrie (from old Norse 'Valkyrja'), one of the group of maidens who served the Norse deity Odin, visiting battlefields and sending him the souls of the slain worthy of a place in Valhalla. Odin ( also called Wodan, Woden, or Wotan), preferred that heroes be killed in battle and that the most valiant of souls be taken to Valhöll, the hall of slain warriors. It is the crow that provides the Valkyries with important information on who should go. In Hindu ceremonies that are associated to ancestors, the crow has an important place in Vedic rituals. They are seen as messengers of death in Indian culture too.
In Germanic legend, Crows are seen as psychonomes, meaning the act of guiding spirits to their final destination, and that the feathers of a crow could cure a victim who had been cursed. And yet, a lone black crow could symbolize impending death, whilst a group symbolizes a lucky omen! Vikings also saw good omens in the crow and would leave offerings of meat as a token.
The crow also has sacred and prophetic meaning within the Celtic civilization, where it stood for flesh ripped off due to combat and Morrighan, the warrior goddess, often appears in Celtic mythology as a raven or crow, or else is found to be in the company of the birds. Crow is sacred to Lugdnum, the Celtic god of creation who gave his name to the city of Lug
In Greek mythology according to Appolodorus, Apollo is supposedly responsible for the black feathers of the crow, turning them forever black from their pristine white original plumage as a punishment after they brought news that Κορωνις (Coronis) a princess of the Thessalian kingdom of Phlegyantis, Apollo's pregnant lover had left him to marry a mortal, Ischys. In one legend, Apollo burned the crows feathers and then burned Coronis to death, in another Coronis herself was turned into a black crow, and another that she was slain by the arrows of Αρτεμις (Artemis - twin to Apollo). Koronis was later set amongst the stars as the constellation Corvus ("the Crow"). Her name means "Curved One" from the Greek word korônis or "Crow" from the word korônê.
A similar Muslim legend allegedly tells of Muhammad, founder of Islam and the last prophet sent by God to Earth, who's secret location was given away by a white crow to his seekers, as he hid in caves. The crow shouted 'Ghar Ghar' (Cave, cave) and thus as punishment, Muhammad turned the crow black and cursed it for eternity to utter only one phrase, 'Ghar, ghar). Native Indian legend where the once rainbow coloured crows became forever black after shedding their colourful plumage over the other animals of the world.
In China the Crow is represented in art as a three legged bird on a solar disk, being a creature that helps the sun in its journey. In Japan there are myths of Crow Tengu who were priests who became vain, and turned into this spirit to serve as messengers until they learn the lesson of humility as well as a great Crow who takes part in Shinto creation stories.
In animal spirit guides there are general perceptions of what sightings of numbers of crows actually mean:
1 Crow Meaning: To carry a message from your near one who died recently.
2 Crows Meaning: Two crows sitting near your home signifies some good news is on your way.
3 Crows Meaning: An upcoming wedding in your family.
4 Crows Meaning: Symbolizes wealth and prosperity.
5 Crows Meaning: Diseases or pain.
6 Crows Meaning: A theft in your house!
7 Crows Meaning: Denotes travel or moving from your house.
8 Crows Meaning: Sorrowful events
Crows are generally seen as the symbolism when alive for doom bringing, misfortune and bad omens, and yet a dead crow symbolises potentially bringing good news and positive change to those who see it. This wonderful bird certainly gets a mixed bag of contradictory mythology and legend over the centuries and in modern days is often seen as a bit of a nuisance, attacking and killing the babies of other birds such as Starlings, Pigeons and House Sparrows as well as plucking the eyes out of lambs in the field, being loud and noisy and violently attacking poor victims in a 'crow court'....
There is even a classic horror film called 'THE CROW' released in 1994 by Miramax Films, directed by Alex Proyas and starring Brandon Lee in his final film appearance as Eric Draven, who is revived by a Crow tapping on his gravestone a year after he and his fiancée are murdered in Detroit by a street gang. The crow becomes his guide as he sets out to avenge the murders. The only son of martial arts expert Bruce Lee, Brandon lee suffered fatal injuries on the set of the film when the crew failed to remove the primer from a cartridge that hit Lee in the abdomen with the same force as a normal bullet. Lee died that day, March 31st 1993 aged 28.
The symbolism of the Crow resurrecting the dead star and accompanying him on his quest for revenge was powerful, and in some part based on the history of the carrion crow itself and the original film grossed more than $94 Million dollars with three subsequent sequels following.
TAKING A CLOSER LOOK
So let's move away from legend, mythology and stories passed down from our parents and grandparents and look at these amazing birds in isolation.
Carrion crow are passerines in the family Corvidae a group of Oscine passerine birds including Crows, Ravens, Rooks, Jackdaws, Jays, Magpies, Treepies, Choughs and Nutcrackers. Technically they are classed as Corvids, and the largest of passerine birds. Carrion crows are medium to large in size with rictal bristles and a single moult per year (most passerines moult twice). Carrion crow was one of the many species originally described by Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (Carl Von Linne after his ennoblement) in his 1758 and 1759 editions of 'SYSTEMA NATURAE', and it still bears its original name of Corvus corone, derived from the Latin of Corvus, meaning Raven and the Greek κορώνη (korōnē), meaning crow.
Carrion crow are of the Animalia kingdom Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Corvidae Genus: Corvus and Species: Corvus corone
Corvus corone can reach 45-47cm in length with a 93-104cm wingspan and weigh between 370-650g. They are protected under The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in the United Kingdom with a Green UK conservation status which means they are of least concern with more than 1,000,000 territories. Breeding occurs in April with fledging of the chicks taking around twenty nine days following an incubation period of around twenty days with 3 to 4 eggs being the average norm.
They are abundant in the UK apart from Northwest Scotland and Ireland where the Hooded crow (Corvus cornix) was considered the same species until 2002. They have a lifespan of around four years, whilst Crow species can live to the age of Twenty years old, and the oldest known American crow in the wild was almost Thirty years old. The oldest documented captive crow died at age Fifty nine. They are smaller and have a shorter lifespan than the Raven, which again is used as a symbol in history to live life to the full and not waste a moment!
They are often mistaken for the Rook (Corvus frugilegus), a similar bird, though in the UK, the Rook is actually technically smaller than the Carrion crow averaging 44-46cm in length, 81-99cm wingspan and weighing up to 340g. Rooks have white beaks compared to the black beaks of Carrion crow. There are documented cases in the UK of singular and grouped Rooks attacking and killing Carrion crows in their territory. Rooks nest in colonies unlike Carrion crows. Carrion crows have only a few natural enemies including powerful raptors such as the northern goshawk, the peregrine falcon, the Eurasian eagle-owl and the golden eagle which will all readily hunt them.
Regarded as one of the most intelligent birds, indeed creatures on the planet, studies suggest that Corvids cognitive abilities can rival that of primates such as chimpanzees and gorillas and even provide clues to understanding human intelligence. Crows have relatively large brains for their body size, compared to other animals. Their encephalization quotient (EQ) a ratio of brain to body size, adjusted for size because there isn’t a linear relationship is 4.1. That is remarkably close to chimps at 4.2 whilst humans are 8.1. Corvids also have a very high neuronal density, the number of neurons per gram of brain, factoring in the number of cortical neurons, neuron packing density, interneuronal distance and axonal conduction velocity shows that Corvids score high on this measure as well, with humans scoring the highest.
A corvid's pallium is packed with more neurons than a great ape's. Corvids have demonstrated the ability to use a combination of mental tools such as imagination, and anticipation of future events. They can craft tools from twigs and branches to hook grubs from deep recesses, they can solve puzzles and intricate methods of gaining access to food set by humans., and have even bent pieces of wire into hooks to obtain food. They have been proven to have a higher cognitive ability level than seven year old humans. Communications wise, their repertoire of wraw-wraw's is not fully understood, but the intensity, rhythm, and duration of caws seems to form the basis of a possible language. They also remember the faces of humans who have hindered or hurt them and pass that information on to their offspring.
Aesop's fable of 'The Crow and the Pitcher, tells of a thirsty crow which drops stones into a water pitcher to raise the water level and enable it to take a drink. Scientists have conducted tests to see whether crows really are this intelligent. They placed floating treats in a deep tube and observed the crows indeed dropping dense objects carefully selected into the water until the treat floated within reach. They had the intelligence to pick up, weigh and discount objects that would float in the water, they also did not select ones that were too large for the container.
Pet crows develop a unique call for their owners, in effect actually naming them. They also know to sunbathe for a dose of vitamin D, regularly settling on wooden garden fences, opening their mouths and wings and raising their heads to the sun. In groups they warn of danger and communicate vocally. They store a cache of food for later if in abundance and are clever enough to move it if they feel it has been discovered. They leave markers for their cache. They have even learned to place walnuts and similar hard food items under car tyres at traffic lights as a means of cracking them!
Crows regularly gather around a dead fellow corvid, almost like a funeral, and it is thought they somehow learn from each death. They can even remember human faces for decades. Crows group together to attack larger predators and even steal their food, and they have different dialects in different areas, with the ability to mimic the dialect of the alpha males when they enter their territory!
They have a twenty year life span, the oldest on record reaching the age of Fifty nine. Crows can leave gifts for those who feed them such as buttons or bright shiny objects as a thank you, and they even kiss and make up after an argument, having mated for life.
In mythology they are associated with good and bad luck, being the bringers of omens and even witchcraft and are generally reviled for their attacks on baby birds and small mammals. They have an attack method of to stunning smaller birds before consuming them, tearing violently at smaller, less aggressive birds, which is simply down to the fact that they are so highly intelligent, and also the top of the food chain. Their diet includes over a thousand different items: Dead animals (as their name suggests), invertebrates, grain, as well as stealing eggs and chicks from other birds' nests, worms, insects, fruit, seeds, kitchen scraps. They are highly adaptable when food sources grow scarce. I absolutely love them, they are magnificent, bold, beautiful and incredibly interesting to watch and though at times it is hard to witness attacks made by them, I cannot help but adore them for so many other and more important reasons.
OBSERVATIONS ON THE PAIR IN MY GARDEN
Crows have been in the area for a while, but rarely had strayed into my garden, leaving the Magpies to own the territory. Things changed towards the end of May when a beautiful female Carrion crow appeared and began to take some of the food that I put down for the other birds. Within a few days she began to appear regularly, on occasions stocking up on food, whilst other times placing pieces in the birdbath to soften them. She would stand on the birdbath and eat and drink and come back over the course of the day to eat the softened food.
Shortly afterwards she brought along her mate, a tall and handsome fella, much larger than her who was also very vocal if he felt she was getting a little too close to me. By now I had moved from a seated position from the patio as an observer, to laying on a mat just five feet from the birdbath with my Nikon so that I could photograph the pair as they landed, scavenged and fed. She was now confident enough to let me be very close, and she even tolerated and recognized the clicking of the camera. At first I used silent mode to reduce the noise but this only allowed two shooting frame rates of single frame or continuous low frame which meant I was missing shots. I reverted back to normal continuous high frames and she soon got used to the whirring of the frames as the mirror slapped back and forth.
The big fella would bark orders at her from the safety of the fence or the rear of the garden, whilst she rarely made a sound. That was until one day when in the sweltering heat she kept opening her beak and sunning on the grass, panting slightly in the heat. I placed the circular water sprayer nearby and had it rotating so that the birdbath and grass was bathed in gentle water droplets and she soon came back, landed and seemed to really like the cooling effect on offer. She then climbed onto the birdbath and opened her wings slightly and made some gentle purring, cooing noises....
I swear she was expressing happiness, joy....
On another blisteringly hot day when the sprayer was on, she came down, walked towards it and opened her wings up running into the water spray. Not once, but many times.
A final observation came with the male and female on the rear garden fence. They sat together, locked beaks like a kiss and then the male took his time gently preening her head feathers and the back of her neck as she made tiny happy sounds. They stayed together like that for several minutes, showing a gentle, softer side to their nature and demonstrating the deep bond between them. Into July and the pair started to bring their three youngsters to my garden, the nippers learning to use the birdbath for bathing and dipping food, the parents attentive as ever.
Corvus Corone.... magnificently misunderstood by some!
Paul Williams June 4th 2021
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Photograph taken at an altitude of Sixty two metres at 10:25am during a brief passing rain shower on a beautiful summer morning on Thursday 3rd June 2021, off Chessington Avenue in Bexleyheath, Kent.
Here we see a large adult Female Carrion crow (Corvus corone), a passerine bird of the family Corvidae and the genus Raven (Higher classification: Corvus), which is native to western Europe and eastern Asia. It can grow to twenty inches in length with a wingspan of up to thirty nine inches.
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Nikon D850 Focal length: 340mm Shutter speed: 1/200s Aperture: f/7.1 iso250 Hand held with Tamron VC Vibration control set to ON (Position 1) 14 Bit uncompressed RAW NEF file size L (8256 x 5504 pixels) FX (36 x 24) Focus mode: AF-C AF-Area mode: 3D-tracking AF-C Priority Selection: Release. Nikon Back button focusing enabled 3D Tracking watch area: Normal 55 Tracking points Exposure mode: Manual exposure mode Metering mode: Matrix metering White balance on: Auto1 (4960k) Colour space: RGB Picture control: Neutral (Sharpening +2)
Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2. Nikon GP-1 GPS module. Lee SW150 MKII filter holder. Lee SW150 95mm screw in adapter ring. Lee SW150 circular polariser glass filter.Lee SW150 Filters field pouch. Hoodman HEYENRG round eyepiece oversized eyecup.Mcoplus professional MB-D850 multi function battery grip 6960.Two Nikon EN-EL15a batteries (Priority to battery in Battery grip). Black Rapid Curve Breathe strap. My Memory 128GB Class 10 SDXC 80MB/s card. Lowepro Flipside 400 AW camera bag.
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LATITUDE: N 51d 28m 28.67s
LONGITUDE: E 0d 8m 10.54s
ALTITUDE: 62.00m
RAW (TIFF) FILE: 130.00MB NEF FILE: 90.4MB
PROCESSED (JPeg) FILE: 57.90MB
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PROCESSING POWER:
Nikon D850 Firmware versions C 1.10 (9/05/2019) LD Distortion Data 2.018 (18/02/20) LF 1.00
HP 110-352na Desktop PC with AMD Quad-Core A6-5200 APU 64Bit processor. Radeon HD8400 graphics. 8 GB DDR3 Memory with 1TB Data storage. 64-bit Windows 10. Verbatim USB 2.0 1TB desktop hard drive. WD My Passport Ultra 1tb USB3 Portable hard drive. Nikon ViewNX-1 64bit Version 1.4.1 (18/02/2020). Nikon Capture NX-D 64bit Version 1.6.2 (18/02/2020). Nikon Picture Control Utility 2 (Version 2.4.5 (18/02/2020). Nikon Transfer 2 Version 2.13.5. Adobe photoshop Elements 8 Version 8.0 64bit.
actually a mallard, I believe - while walking in the woods I almost walked into this nest - I didn't see the female leave, but the nest looked like it was still in use so I just took a quick snap and moved on.
Actually you can talk to each other, no need texting...
Camera for the photo : Olympus OM-D E-M5
Lens for the photo : M.Zuiko Digital ED 75mm f/1.8
Actually,, I don't drink coffee, I'm a devoted tea drinker!
Think they would also look good with hot chocolate and marshmallows floating on top too. (Or Milo)
Actually there are probably Lesser and Great Scaup in this bunch, but they're too far out to be able to tell even when viewed large. But I've been saving this particular image for over a year in case I should ever seen a brace or flock of Scaup again.
The town (or part of it) across the Strait is Benicia, California.