Empire Builder
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Great blue herons don't mate for life, but they do have elaborate courtship rituals that help pairs form strong bonds. Their mating displays include bill snapping, neck stretching, moaning calls, preening, circular flights, twig shaking, twig exchanging, crest raising and even bill duels. Scuffles over females are common, but never end in death. Once their complex dance is finished, the male and the female heron will have the strong bond necessary to raise their hatchlings together.
Source: Sciencing
Shelf Fungi (and more) slowly dissolving a rotting tree trunk on the forest floor.
Balance of nature...
Hooded crow (Corvus cornix) perched on a branch with a stick – nest building material – in its beak.
Wrona siwa (Corvus cornix) siedąca na gałązce z patykiem – materiałem do budowy gniazda – w dziobie.
We have finally seen some snow in southern Wisconsin, making it look and feel a little more like winter. Here on the north side of Watertown, Amtrak's eastbound Empire Builder kicks up the powder a little after just crossing over from 2 main to the single track main at Watertown West.
Amtrak 8
AMTK 130,140,133
Watertown, WI.
January 23, 2022
Yes...I know it's another Goldfinch....but how could I refuse to take her portrait when she'd been so industrious,and posed Soooo close to me, and, with a gorse bush as her back drop....Delightful...!
Worth viewing large...she deserves it after all her hard work, thanks.
Although my recent trip to Minnesota was focused towards the Duluth area, I did stumble upon Amtrak's Eastbound Empire Builder in Saint Paul shortly after leaving the airport. The train is powered with 2 new Siemens ALC-42's and Phase 1 Heritage P42 # 161. Here we see the train doing station work at Saint Paul, MN.
Great tit (Parus major) perched on a branch with some nest building material in its beak.
Bogatka (Parus major) siedząca na gałązce z jakimś materiałem do budowy gniazda w dziobie.
© WJP Productions 2025
A fantasy synagogue.
Inspired by the novella The ark builder, written by Chaim Potok.
The twin-towered gatehouse of 14th century Donnington Castle, near Newbury, survives within impressive earthworks. It shows the luxury enjoyed by Sir Richard Abberbury, Donnington's builder, whose private quarters lay within it. Both Henry VIII and Elizabeth I are thought to have stayed here.
After crossing a snowy Marias Pass, Amtrak’s eastbound Empire Builder curves through Grizzly, Montana, on a cold December 22, 1998.
The previous day's eastbound Empire Builder rolled through about an hour ahead of this Christmas day scheduled eastbound Builder. Nothing special about this train other than it's Christmas day passengers traveling by rail, as it should be.
Amtrak Number 8
AMTK 165,19,154
Watertown, WI.
December 25, 2021
Another winter snowfall and brings another late Empire Builder on its trip back to Chicago. Siemens ALC-42 Chargers 302 and 310 are about 5 hours late into the Twin Cities and should arrive at St. Paul Union Deport within the half hour.
Full Youtube video at:
I've made a little decorative birdhouse that's hanging near the front door of my house that's been popular over the years.
-A few years ago, some chickadees checked it out a lot, but didn't move in.
-The next year it got invaded by yellow-jackets.
-This year it has attracted a pair of Bewick's wrens.
Of course the houses I've built specifically for wrens, in ideal locations/heights/etc. so far have had no visitors.
Continuing the Series "Random Acts of Modeling" I was lucky enough to photograph :
Xaleria Solaris sim owner and builder of
Lux Aeterna a magical place with alot of Fantasy Faire overtones.
Have a visit : maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Lux%20Aeterna/17/215/22
It's a gorgeous day upon the grassy knoll, as Amtrak's eastbound Empire Builder races along just east of their Columbus station stop, running only twenty minutes behind today.
Amtrak Number 8
AMTK 130,52
Columbus, WI.
June 4, 2021
Lens: Takumar 200mm f/3.5
We have a pair of Carolina Wrens constructing a nest in a pot of Yellow Bird Orchids that is under cover of the deck. It's a large nest and we assume it must be their second brood this year because of how late it is. It is right outside our patio door so we can watch the chicks grow. Should be lots of fun. I spotted this one on the squirrel feeder with some material. He was waiting for me to move out of the way to he could take it to the new nest. Quite interesting.
Anchorage - Bay of Bengal - India - 27/6/2015
Name: -
IMO: -
Flag:Liberia
MMSI: -
Callsign: -
Vessel type:Bulk Carrier
Gross tonnage:24,533 tons
Summer DWT:42,584 tons
Length:188 m
Beam:31 m
Draught:8.7 m
Home port:Monrovia
Class society:Bureau Veritas
Build year:1997
Builder:Split Shipyard
Split, Croatia
Owner:-
Rolleicord III - Carl Zeiss Triotar f3.5 75mm
Kodak Portra 160
100827-033a
Ein architektonisches Highlight in Graz ist eine der bedeutendsten Zwillingswendeltreppen Europas.
Sie wurde in den Jahren 1499/1500 von einem unbekannten Baumeister und von Steinmetzen errichtet. Die Doppelwendeltreppe besteht aus zwei gegenläufigen Treppen, die in jedem Stockwerk zusammenkommen und sich wieder trennen.
An architectural highlight in Graz is one of the most important twin spiral staircases in Europe.
It was built in 1499/1500 by an unknown master builder and stonemasons. The double spiral staircase consists of two opposing staircases that come together and separate again on each floor.
The Empire Builder at MP 322, cruising along the Mississippi River at track speed on a beautiful day.
Atlantic Drive, Achill Island Sound
Grace O'Malley's Castle, Kildavnet, Mayo Co, Ireland
The Tower at Kildavnet, in the south-east corner of Achill Island, is a perfect example of a 15th century Irish tower house. The Gaelic Chiefs of the time copied a Norman design and constructed many such tower houses. The tower at Kildavnet is thought to have been constructed by the Clan O’Malley in about 1429, but is associated locally with a descendant of the original builders, Grace O’Malley or Granuaile. This legendary pirate queen is thought to have been born around 1530 and died in about 1603. The Tower at Kildavnet is one of a series of such strongholds that Granuaile established along the western seaboard (she is said to be buried in a similar tower on Clare Island) as she dominated the waters during the 16th century.
The previous day, Amtrak zipped through town missing the 5 car Seattle section of the train. That section (led by AMTK 307) smashed a tree west of Spokane and was towed back to Seattle and added to the next day's train. (307 was left behind)
Led by 3 differently painted Amtrak locomotives, an unusually big 14-car Empire Builder flies through town with temperatures just barely hitting +10.
Of course, in 2022, I would have much rather shot AMTK 301 ("Day 1") leading. But I feel like in several years when the GEs are gone or hard to find I'll feel differently about catching a bloody Genesis 45 leading.
Winds kept the Becker plant steam away from the sun but also chilled the bones stepping outside to get the shot.
AMTK 45
AMTK 301
AMTK 303
Years ago, before double track, there was a tree that blocked the billboard and was a better photo prop. Granted the billboard has changed recently, but I still miss the tree.
Three identical Siemens ALC-42s take the Empire Builder away from Saint Paul Union Depot underneath the bluffs along the Mississippi River. For a long while now Amtrak has only allocated a single coach on the Seattle section while the Portland section retains two. One of those things that makes you say, "Hmmmm...."
Port Jefferson is a beautiful, historic town located on the North Shore of Long Island where the smell of salt in the air and the sound of the Long Island Ferry is never too far in the distance. This waterfront town was settled in the 1600s as a rural town, but transitioned into a shipbuilding center in the 1800s.
Many of the historic buildings and homes still standing in Port Jefferson belonged to prominent sailors and shipbuilders in the area. Visitors to the town can still take in a slice of history at buildings like the Village Center. The Village Center was formerly a shipyard, where builders worked tirelessly to create and immediately launch ships into the Long Island Sound.
Today, Port Jefferson is widely known as a popular tourist spot in Suffolk County, as well as a transport hub thanks to the Bridgeport and Port Jefferson Steamboat Company, which takes hundreds of passengers to and from Connecticut each day. Port Jeff is busiest in the summer, but it also draws many tourists for unique events like the Charles Dickens Festival, which is held every December.
Second build in my Iron Builder round against Caleb (Cheesie), with the Minecraft Trident in sand green as a seed part.
The seed part was used 10 times.
Stalagtite/stalagmite design by Thorsten Bonsch.
ALL of my September 2021 event items are now up in the main store and on marketplace!
Main Store: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cult%20Grounds/160/38/2773
Plasma Arsenal Set: marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Plasma-Arsenal-Set/22863525
Plasma Blade: marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Plasma-Arsenal-Blade/22863522
Plasma Cannon: marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Plasma-Arsenal-Cannon/22863523
Plasma Pistol: marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Plasma-Arsenal-Pistol/22863524
Plasma Shotgun: marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Plasma-Arsenal-Shotgun/22863526
Everwhite Masks: marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Everwhite-Masks/22849302
Arcane Energy Paths: marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Arcane-Energy-Path-Builder-K...
Amtrak 77 leads the Westbound Empire Builder through Duplainville. Note the recently installed quad gates. Pewaukee, WI
Not my greatest pan shot, but hey. A BNSF "fakebonnet", (who cares at this point, it's not a common livery anymore no matter how you slice it) C44-9W 744, leads Amtrak train 8, the eastbound 'Empire Builder', under the searchlights at A-3, Western Avenue, Chicago. The train was operating a bit over four hours behind schedule due to engine problems in Washington, (the BNSF leader was picked up in Spokane) and severe winter weather in North Dakota.