This image is included in 4 galleries : 1) "Coup de coeur" curated by Peter-10, 2) "Wasser - Water - Eau - Agua - Acqua" by Reinhard Link, 3) "LANDSCAPE VOL 18" by Jean-paul Vancoppenolle and 4) "Desert" by Peter-10.

Lake Powell is an artificial reservoir on the Colorado River in Utah and Arizona, United States. It is the second largest artificial reservoir by maximum water capacity in the United States behind Lake Mead, storing 24,322,000 acre-feet (3.0001×1010 m3) of water when full. However, due to high water withdrawals for human and agricultural consumption, and because of subsequent droughts in the area, Lake Mead has fallen below Lake Powell in size several times during the 21st century in terms of volume of water, depth and surface area.

Lake Powell is named for Civil War veteran Major John Wesley Powell, who explored the Green and Colorado rivers in 1869 down through Grand Canyon. In August, 1869, Powell and his eight companions passed through the site of present day Glen Canyon Dam. Extending nearly one-third of a mile across from canyon rim to rim, the dam created the reservoir known as Lake Powell.

This was taken at Wahweap Viewpoint near Page, Arizona, after viewing the Horseshoe Bend of the Grand Canyon before moving on to Zion National Park in Utah.

Alternate Title : Hunting pack . . .

Hanging Rock (also known as Mount Diogenes, Dryden's Rock, and to some of its traditional owners as Ngannelong) is a distinctive geological formation in central Victoria, Australia. A former volcano, it lies 718m above sea level (105m above plain level) on the plain between the two small townships of Newham and Hesket, approximately 70 km north-west of Melbourne and a few kilometres north of Mount Macedon.

Hanging Rock is a mamelon, created 6.25 million years ago by stiff magma pouring from a vent and congealing in place. Often thought to be a volcanic plug, it is not. Two other mamelons exist nearby, created in the same period: Camels Hump, to the south on Mount Macedon and, to the east, Crozier's Rocks. All three mamelons are composed of soda trachyte. As Hanging Rock's magma cooled and contracted it split into rough columns. These weathered over time into the many pinnacles that can be seen today.

Victoria is still under Stage 4 Isolation Lock down. The good news is the number of COVID-19 positive cases is dropping : just 94 in the last 24 hours, which is the lowest for 2 months.

Every year in late winter, yellow wattle and flowering plum in our vicinity bloom profusely. Combined with great weather today, it seems hope is just around the corner.

The Tidal River is a perennial river of the West Gippsland catchment, located in the Wilsons Promontory region of the Australian state of Victoria.

The colour of the Tidal River ranges from a deep-yellow (in shallower areas) to a dark-purple and almost black (in its deeper depths). This discolouration is due to the large number of tea trees present in the area. The trees dye the river, making it appear like black tea (hence the name 'tea tree'). Even though the water is very clean and clear, it is impossible to see to the bottom in the deep areas.

This was taken near the footbridge along the Loo-Errn Track.

The Corrigan's Suspension Bridge stretches through a rainforest canopy with spectacular views of the fern gully on the forest floor below.

The Tarra-Bulga National Park is located in the south Gippsland region of eastern Victoria, Australia. The park is 33 kilometres south of Traralgon on the Traralgon-Balook Road. The 1,522-hectare (3,760-acre) national park is situated approximately 240 kilometres east of Melbourne and 24 kilometres north of Yarram in the eastern part of the Strzelecki Ranges.

Sjaabusriver

Huangshan 黄山 (Yellow Mountain) is a jagged range of more than 70 knifelike peaks in eastern China’s Anhui province. The region's low-hanging clouds, distinctively shaped granite rocks and twisted pine trees have been subjects of numerous classical paintings and poems. Cable cars provide access to several peaks, and steep paved trails with thousands of stone steps snake past many of the range's famous viewpoints. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of China's major tourist destinations.

This was Viewed from the Yuping Cableway Station before the ascend.

黃山位於中國安徽省南部黃山市境內。黃山古稱黟山，南北長約40千米，東西寬約30千米。黃山素以「奇松、怪石、雲海、溫泉」四絕聞名天下。那72峰、24溪、2湖、3瀑，峰峰奇特，溪溪曲折、極盡天下山水之美，更聚名山大川之勝。黃山最高峰是蓮花峰，海拔1860米 ，位 於黃山中部、站在玉屏樓向前望去, 猶如一朵含苞初放的蓮花, 峻峭高聳, 仰天怒放。晴天從蓮花峰頂可遙見江西的廬山和似帶的長江。黃山三大主峰之一的天都峰，與蓮花峰爭雄對峙。它位於黃山東南部，人稱無上之都會, 海拔1829米、從玉屏樓至天都峰約15千米，其間有黃山最險峻的峰嶺，峰上的石樓，坡度都在70度以上；尤以中途的鯽魚背最險。

This was taken at the entrance to the Yinzi Cave.

It took me 5 visits to find the right sunlight angle to showcase the face of the rosette.

The Rosette Rock is a radial array of basalt columns. It can be seen about 500 metres (1,600 ft) upstream (Jacksons Creek) of the Organ Pipes and is an overhanging rock on the northern bank of the stream. It is also an outcrop of basalt but with a radial array of columns akin to the spokes of a giant wheel. Its formation is attributed to the cooling of "a pocket of lava, probably in a spherical cave formed from an earlier lava flow".

This was taken on a Summer's morning. The radial array was sidelit and many shadows were cast upon it from the foliage of a tall gum tree close to it. A few attempts to photograph this formation had not been successful during previous autumn and winter visits.

The Organ Pipes National Park, abbreviated as OPNP, is a national park located in the Central region of Victoria, Australia. The 121-hectare (300-acre) protected area was established with the focus on conservation of the native flora and fauna, and preservation of the geological features in the Jacksons Creek, a part of the Maribyrnong valley, north-west of Melbourne. It is situated in a deep gorge in the grassy, basalt Keilor plains.

This image is included in 10 galleries :- 1) "Ornithologie" curated by Christof Störmer, 2) "Beautiful boker III." by miguelitoiglesias777 3) "macros of today tomorrow and forever III." by miguelitoiglesias777, 4) "bird of the world II" by miguelitoiglesias777, 5) "2020 05 18 Wertschätzung" by BAKAWI, 6) "Best of Birds G9" by morgonsilkstone, 7) "Water, Wading and Sea Birds" by Glass Angel, 8) "birds" by fotoris web, 9) "OISEAUX IV" by Bernard et Jacqueline and 10) "Pretty Birds" by Hans-Werner Stapel.

The black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus) is a widely distributed, very long-legged wader in the avocet and stilt family Recurvirostridae. Its scientific name, Himantopus himantopus, is sometimes used to generalize a single, almost cosmopolitan species. Alternatively, it is restricted to the form that is widespread in Europe, Asia and Africa, which equals the nominate group of H. himantopus sensu lato.

Pink Lake is a small, salty Lake west of Melbourne CBD, in Fisherman's Bend, near Westgate Bridge. Every year between summer and autumn, the salinity and warm weather encourage the proliferation of a pink algae.

( Explored: May 17, 2020 #32 )

This image is included in a gallery "Macro Marvels" curated by John Hewitt 7.

深秋中

沐著嬌陽

你的

步履何其匆匆

任秋色再濃

也趕你不上

可否放慢

一點

對

就這樣

讓快們

一按

就這樣

英姿

當可走進永恆

This is a path leading to Claude Monet's House at Giverny. Monet's home and garden lies 80 km (50 mi) from Paris, west and slightly north, in the old province of Normandy.

Punakaiki is a small community on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand, between Westport and Greymouth. The community lies on the edge of the Paparoa National Park. The Pancake Rocks are a very popular tourist destination at Dolomite Point south of the main village. The Pancake Rocks are a heavily eroded limestone area where the sea bursts through several vertical blowholes during high tides. Together with the 'pancake'-layering of the limestone, these form the main attraction of the area.

This was taken when it was very dark.

This image is included in 2 galleries 1) "Magic in the Sky #23" curated by Mick E. Talbot and 2) "Australia" by ionut iordache.

The Twelve Apostles is a collection of limestone stacks off the shore of Port Campbell National Park. Their proximity to one another has made the site a popular tourist attraction. Currently there are eight apostles left but the name remains significant and spectacular especially in the Australian tourism industry. The apostles were formed by erosion: the harsh and extreme weather conditions from the South Ocean gradually eroded the soft limestone to form caves in the cliffs, which then became arches, which in turn collapsed; leaving rock stacks up to 45metres high. The site was known as the Sow and Piglets until 1922 (Muttonbird Island, near Loch Ard Gorge, was the Sow, and the smaller rock stacks were the Piglets); after which it was renamed to The Apostles for tourism purposes. The formation eventually became known as the Twelve Apostles.

On a fine day with mild sunshine and gentle breezes, sea gulls may circle around those stacks and even come close to greet you. On another cold, miserable day, strong gusts and showers may howl and test your determination whether to quit or stay on to witness the grandeur of Nature at work.

While on-shore wind is quietly whistling and lacey white waves are lazily washing the rocks and sandy beach, the clouds in the distance are angry-looking.

Huangshan 黄山 (Yellow Mountain) is a jagged range of more than 70 knifelike peaks in eastern China’s Anhui province. The region's low-hanging clouds, distinctively shaped granite rocks and twisted pine trees have been subjects of numerous classical paintings and poems. Cable cars provide access to several peaks, and steep paved trails with thousands of stone steps snake past many of the range's famous viewpoints. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of China's major tourist destinations.

On the top right a "rabbit" is perching on a pedestal, near the center right are "a toad looking at the moon" and "peacock dancing around a lotus flower". On the left is Tiandu Peak, which is 1860 metres high.

黃山位於中國安徽省南部黃山市境內。黃山古稱黟山，南北長約40千米，東西寬約30千米。黃山素以「奇松、怪石、雲海、溫泉」四絕聞名天下。那72峰、24溪、2湖、3瀑，峰峰奇特，溪溪曲折、極盡天下山水之美，更聚名山大川之勝。黃山最高峰是蓮花峰，海拔1860米 ，位 於黃山中部、站在玉屏樓向前望去, 猶如一朵含苞初放的蓮花, 峻峭高聳, 仰天怒放。晴天從蓮花峰頂可遙見江西的廬山和似帶的長江。黃山三大主峰之一的天都峰，與蓮花峰爭雄對峙。它位於黃山東南部，人稱無上之「都會, 海拔1829米、從玉屏樓至天都峰約15千米，其間有黃山最險峻的峰嶺，峰上的石樓，坡度都在70度以上；尤以中途的鯽魚背最險。

This was taken on a highway travelling in a coach at high speed, on our way to Zion National Park. Eastern Entrance was about an hour away. The brownish-red cliff face stood out beautifully against a cloudy blue sky. The red colour is due to the rich iron oxide content in the soil. In other words, the cliff is "rusting".

Drying wings for the next flight.

This image is included in a gallery "Jays Favs Birds in Motion" curated by Jason Prince.

This image is included in a gallery "Interesting facts on Flickr." curated by Andrzej Skałuba.

Pink Lake is a small, salty Lake west of Melbourne CBD, in Fisherman's Bend, near Westgate Bridge. Every year between summer and autumn, the salinity and warm weather encourage the proliferation of a pink algae.

This image is included in 9 galleries :- 1) "Sacred Nature ~ Gallery #57" curated by artattackcat, 2) "Stunning Bird Shots - IV" by anandamoy, 3) "Birdwatching" by Jarmi 7d, 4) "Birds (air159) by air3538 - Ahmad Ragab, 5) "Birds in Flight" by Mornby, 6) "Vogel" by Rita Rijas, 7) "Flying is freedom3 - Birds flying and landing" by *Gitpix*, 8) "Aves 2" by cruz dario33 and 9) "Birds - Parrots" by Radoslav Besenyi.

This is an UNESCO site along The Silk Road, situated in Turpan, Xinjiang, China. This historic relic is over 2000 years old. No bricks were used for the whole city : walls and partitions were dug up from mud.

The ancient city of Jiaohe was founded and built by the Cheshi people from the 2nd to the 5th century BC. It reached its peak in the Northern and Southern Dynasties and the Tang Dynasty. Due to successive years of war, the city of Jiaohe gradually declined. At the end of the period of the Yuan Dynasty Chahetai period, Turpan was fighting for years. The Jiaohe City was seriously damaged and was finally abandoned. After a brutal war of many years, the rebel forces of the 14th-century Mongolian nobles such as the Haidu capital successively broke through Gaochang and turned into rivers. At the same time, the Mongolian rulers forced local residents to abandon their traditional Buddhist beliefs to convert to Islam. Under the double blow of spirit and material, the cross-river finally completed its life.

(新疆吐魯番市古城）交河故城是世界上最大最古老、保存得最完好的生土建築城市，也是我國保存兩千多年最完整的都市遺跡，唐西域最高軍政機構安西都護府最早就設在交河故城。 1961年被列為國家重點文物保護單位。

交河故城是公元前2世紀至5世紀由車師人開創和建造的，在南北朝和唐朝達到鼎盛，9至14世紀由於連年戰火，交河城逐漸衰落。元末察合台時期，吐魯番一帶連年戰火。交河城毀損嚴重，終於被棄。14世紀蒙古貴族海都等叛軍經過多年的殘酷戰爭，先後攻破高昌，交河。同時蒙古統治者還強迫當地居民放棄傳統的佛教信仰改信伊斯蘭教。精神與物質的雙重打擊下，交河終於走完了它生命的歷程。

2014年6月22日，在卡塔爾多哈召開的聯合國教科文組織第38屆世界遺產委員會會議上，交河故城作為中國、哈薩克斯坦和吉爾吉斯斯坦三國聯合申遺的“絲綢之路：長安-天山廊道的路網”中的一處遺址點成功列入《世界遺產名錄》。

The Firehole River is located in northwestern Wyoming, and is one of the two major tributaries of the Madison River. It flows north approximately 21 miles (34 km) from its source in Madison Lake on the Continental Divide to join the Gibbon River at Madison Junction in Yellowstone National Park. It is part of the Missouri River system.

This was taken in the Midway Geyser Basin, near Grand Prismatic Spring, Opal Pool, Turquoise Pool and Excelsior Geyser Crater. I wish I had captured the pungent smell of sulphur dioxide, which was blowing into my camer lens...

This image is included in 2 galleries:- 1) "INTERPHOTO * TOP FLICKR 2022" curated by Gianfranco Marzetti and 2) "Fascinating insects" by Stephen Cole.

(explored: Feb 15, 2011 #460)

This image is included in a gallery "Sorts of Starry Skies" curated by Demeter Orsolya.

This was taken on 21.8.2017 on a fine day at the football ground of Brigham Young University in Rexburg, Idaho, USA. For the beginning and partial eclipse, a Baader AstroSolar Safety Foil was used before the lens. This foil is CE-tested and reduces the intensity of sunlight by 99.999% (optical density 5.0). This image was taken without the foil, moments before the earlier posting. The coronal filaments are not as long, but the prominences are strong. Near the lower left there is a very thin edge of the sun visible. Beads are not quite obvious, but the irregular contour of the moon is appreciable when looked at closely.

A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon completely covers the Sun's disk, as seen in this 2017 eclipse. Solar prominences (in red) can be seen along the limb as well as extensive coronal filaments.

It is safe to observe the total phase of a solar eclipse directly only when the Sun's photosphere is completely covered by the Moon, and not before or after totality. During this period, the Sun is too dim to be seen through filters. The Sun's faint corona will be visible, and the chromosphere, solar prominences, and possibly even a solar flare may be seen. At the end of totality, the same effects will occur in reverse order, and on the opposite side of the Moon.

This image is included in 3 galleries:- 1) "The more colour the better they look" curated by Nigel Wedge, 2) "INTERPHOTO 2017-B * SPECIAL AUTHORS" by Gianfranco Marzetti and 3) "Birds 2" by shackledomen .

This image is included a gallery "+ Mariposas" curated by Juan Antonio Capó.

This was taken while travelling on board a moving coach on the way to see the hot springs and geysers.

It is in Western Utah, USA. Entering Zion National Park from the east entrance immediately reveals a colourful display of orange, brown and white slick rock that includes one of the parks landmarks, Checkerboard Mesa. The unusual crack pattern in the sandstone hills resemble a grid much like you would see on a checkerboard. The majestic criss-crossed mountain appears as a massive hill towering 900 feet above the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway and resembles a giant, extended chess or checkerboard. The vertical and horizontal fissures are more evident on the north side of the mesa, where most of the photographs of the mountain are taken. The left to right deep scratches are due to a north to south wind direction while the vertical cracks are a result of weathering, a cycle of freezing and thawing. (sourced from internet)

This is a closer look than the earlier posting.

Flight shots of these guys are always diffficult : they always dwell among leaves.

This image is included in a gallery "Bird 5" curated by tiro5.

This was captured near the North Head Cafe, Manly, NSW.

The Australian brushturkey or Australian brush-turkey or gweela (Alectura lathami), also frequently called the scrub turkey or bush turkey, is a common, widespread species of mound-building bird from the family Megapodiidae found in eastern Australia from Far North Queensland to Eurobodalla on the south coast of New South Wales. The Australian brush-turkey has also been introduced to Kangaroo Island in South Australia. It is the largest extant representative of the family Megapodiidae, and is one of three species to inhabit Australia. (Wikipedia)

This image is included in a gallery "LUGARES INCREIBLES volumen 2" curated by BYKTOR-f.d.

This huge boulder (15m x 7m) is believed to have come from nowhere, sitting precariously on a solid cliff, overlooking the myriad of mountains and peaks below.

Huangshan 黄山 (Yellow Mountain) is a jagged range of more than 70 knifelike peaks in eastern China’s Anhui province. The region's low-hanging clouds, distinctively shaped granite rocks and twisted pine trees have been subjects of numerous classical paintings and poems. Cable cars provide access to several peaks, and steep paved trails with thousands of stone steps snake past many of the range's famous viewpoints. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of China's major tourist destinations.

飛來石的傳說: 　飛來石位於黃山光明頂的西北方，高約15米，寬7米，如同從天而降，兀立於峰頂，是黃山非常著名的一處奇景。

關於飛來石的來歷，也有一段有趣的故事。相傳，宋代有個叫單福的石匠，一生造成了不少石橋，也想在自己家鄉門口的江山建造一座，只可惜缺少幫手。他膝下只有一女名叫小姣，長得聰明美麗。小姣知道父親的心思，便自告奮勇要求幫助父親建造石橋。但那深山採石，百里運石的苦和累，小女子怎麼受得了，所以單福就是不答應。小姣跪在地上苦苦哀求，單福沒奈何，才含淚點頭。

　　單福還叫來三個徒弟幫忙，於是不久就開工了。由於開山運石的苦和累實在難受，大徒弟和二徒弟先後悄悄地溜了。單福和女兒，三徒弟為修橋鐵了心，繼續風裏雨裏苦幹著。但好幾年過去了，運到江邊的石頭只有一小堆，這樣累死苦死，橋也建不起來。

　　小姣一咬牙，請人寫了“捐身修橋”四個大字，插了個草標，坐到江邊石堆旁。一連三天，來看的人無數，但望望滔滔的江水，就都走了。這天，忽然來了個瘸子，身背一把扇子，摘了草標，問小姣願願意跟他走，小姣回答說：“什麼時候把大山裏的開採的石頭全運到江邊，就什麼時候跟你走。”

　　這瘸子原來是八仙中的鐵拐李。他擠出人群，騰雲駕霧，很快來到百裏外的大山，從背上拿下扇子，對著單福和三徒弟開出的石頭就扇。石頭竟都飛了起來，又紛紛都落在江邊。單福和三徒弟也被從山上扇到造橋工地。鐵拐李還怕不夠，又對身下立著的一塊巨石扇了三扇子，他就站在那巨石上飛到江邊。只見底下盡人，未敢讓巨石落下。又聽單福大聲說：“石頭夠了”他便駕起雲頭，飄游起來，游到黃山，見黃山風景秀麗，便將石頭落下。從此，這飛來石就給黃山增添了絕妙的一景。

黃山位於中國安徽省南部黃山市境內。黃山古稱黟山，南北長約40千米，東西寬約30千米。黃山素以「奇松、怪石、雲海、溫泉」四絕聞名天下。那72峰、24溪、2湖、3瀑，峰峰奇特，溪溪曲折、極盡天下山水之美，更聚名山大川之勝。黃山最高峰是蓮花峰，海拔1860米 ，位 於黃山中部、站在玉屏樓向前望去, 猶如一朵含苞初放的蓮花, 峻峭高聳, 仰天怒放。晴天從蓮花峰頂可遙見江西的廬山和似帶的長江。黃山三大主峰之一的天都峰，與蓮花峰爭雄對峙。它位於黃山東南部，人稱無上之都會, 海拔1829米、從玉屏樓至天都峰約15千米，其間有黃山最險峻的峰嶺，峰上的石樓，坡度都在70度以上；尤以中途的鯽魚背最險。

This image in included in a gallery "Colors" curated by by cristian salvadori.

Hutt Lagoon is a salty lake with a pink hue due to the presence of the carotenoid-producing algae Dunaliella salina, which is a source of ß-carotene, a food-colouring agent and source of vitamin A. The lagoon contains the world's largest microalgae production plant, a 250-hectare (620-acre) series of artificial ponds used to farm Dunaliella salina. (Sourced from the internet)

Hutt Lagoon is about 55 km from Kalbarri towards Port Gregory, Western Australia. It smells stinky when near. A coat of salt deposit covering the stones is clearly visible.

This is the "Hanging Rock" proper. It is a solid boulder "hanging" between 2 other boulders. It is one of the routes to go to the upper levels. The moss growths on the surface make it look more textured and beautiful.

Hanging Rock (also known as Mount Diogenes, Dryden's Rock, and to some of its traditional owners as Ngannelong) is a distinctive geological formation in central Victoria, Australia. A former volcano, it lies 718m above sea level (105m above plain level) on the plain between the two small townships of Newham and Hesket, approximately 70 km north-west of Melbourne and a few kilometres north of Mount Macedon.

Hanging Rock is a mamelon, created 6.25 million years ago by stiff magma pouring from a vent and congealing in place. Often thought to be a volcanic plug, it is not. Two other mamelons exist nearby, created in the same period: Camels Hump, to the south on Mount Macedon and, to the east, Crozier's Rocks. All three mamelons are composed of soda trachyte. As Hanging Rock's magma cooled and contracted it split into rough columns. These weathered over time into the many pinnacles that can be seen today.

This image is included in a gallery "MARVELOUS MACROS" curated by .M*A*K.

This image is included in 2 galleries 1) "MIX_05" curated by Willie Sturges and 2) "Scene Against the Sky" by bobtee178.

In late winter afternoon light, the rocks take on a warmth colour. Gum trees on the left are casting shadows on the pillars. A half-moon just above the ‘organ pipes’ adds additional austere atmosphere.

The hexagonal basalt columns known as the "Organ Pipes" which sit in the bed of the creek is of the order of 70 metres (230 ft) high.

The Organ Pipes National Park, abbreviated as OPNP, is a national park located in the Central region of Victoria, Australia. The 121-hectare (300-acre) protected area was established with the focus on conservation of the native flora and fauna, and preservation of the geological features in the Jacksons Creek, a part of the Maribyrnong valley, north-west of Melbourne. It is situated in a deep gorge in the grassy, basalt Keilor plains.

Within Organ Pipes National Park, the valley walls of Jacksons Creek expose Pleistocene volcanic rocks of the New Volcanic Group. These 2.5 to 2.8 million year-old basalt lavas, commonly known as "trap rock," fractured during cooling into vertically standing, hexagonal basalt columns. These columns are locally known as the "organ pipes" for which this park is named. Over the last one to two million years, the slow cutting by Jackson Creek of its valley down into the basaltic plains and through the underlying trap rock exposed these geological structures. The bottom of the valley of Jackson Creek also exposes a prehistoric buried creek valley, which is cut into 400 million year-old (Silurian) mudstones and sandstones. The bottom of this buried valley contains ancient creek gravel. Both the ancient river valley and the Silurian sedimentary rock lies buried beneath the basaltic volcanic rocks of the New Volcanic Group. Marine fossils that are found in the Silurian sedimentary rocks demonstrate that they accumulated beneath a prehistoric ocean.

A Friends’ group, (the first in Australia) the "Friends of Organ Pipes" (FOOPS), comprising conservation activists to support the efforts of rehabilitation of the OPNP’s indigenous flora and fauna, supplemented the work of the Victoria Park system under which the OPNP was declared a National Park. The park's importance to the whole region as a "center for education about the geology, flora and fauna of the Keilor Plains, and the restoration of degraded land" is important. With its inclusion in the IUCN Category III (Natural Monuments) of the United Nations’ list of National Parks and Protected Areas, there is a greater recognition of the need to protect or preserve outstanding natural features. (Sourced from Internet)

This image is included in a gallery "landscape vol 7" curated by Jean-paul Vancoppenolle.

This close-up image of the 3 Sisters was taken on a warm summer evening, from Echo Point. Here the rock faces reflect different hues of the warm setting sun, in contrast to the dark blue valley beyond and below.

The Three Sisters is the Blue Mountains’ most spectacular landmark. Located at Echo Point Katoomba, around 2.5 kilometres from the Great Western Highway, this iconic visitor attraction is experienced by millions of people each year.

The Three Sisters is essentially an unusual rock formation representing three sisters who according to Aboriginal legend were turned to stone. The character of the Three Sisters changes throughout the day and throughout the seasons as the sunlight brings out the magnificent colours. The Three Sisters is also floodlit until around 11pm each evening looking simply spectacular set against the black background of the night sky.Each of the Three Sisters stand at 922, 918 & 906 metres tall, respectively. They are actually over 3000 feet above sea level! The Wall of Kings is in the far left while Mount Solitary is just not far beyond to the right.

The Legend is that " The Aboriginal dream-time legend has it that three sisters, 'Meehni', 'Wimlah' and Gunnedoo' lived in the Jamison Valley as members of the Katoomba tribe. These beautiful young ladies had fallen in love with three brothers from the Nepean tribe, yet tribal law forbade them to marry. The brothers were not happy to accept this law and so decided to use force to capture the three sisters causing a major tribal battle. As the lives of the three sisters were seriously in danger, a witch doctor from the Katoomba tribe took it upon himself to turn the three sisters into stone to protect them from any harm. While he had intended to reverse the spell when the battle was over, the witch doctor himself was killed. As only he could reverse the spell to return the ladies to their former beauty, the sisters remain in their magnificent rock formation as a reminder of this battle for generations to come.

(Sourced from BluemountainsAustralia.com.au)

This image is included in 2 galleries :- 1) "Favourite Bird Photographs I" curated by Jacob Yesh-Brochstein and 2) "Des oiseaux de plus. More birds." by rosedenovembre..

This image is included in 2 galleries:- 1) "waterfalls of our world; The big and the small ones." curated by enfin enfin and 2) "PAISAJES DE ENSUEÑO-volumen 2" by byktor -f.d..

Niagara Falls is the collective name for three waterfalls that straddle the international border between Canada and the United States; more specifically, between the province of Ontario and the state of New York.

Accordding to information from the Niagara Parks :-

• More than 168,000 cubic metres (6 million cubic ft.) of water go over the crestline of the Falls every minute during peak daytime tourist hours.

• The average fall from Lake Erie to the beginning of the upper Niagara Rapids is only 2.7 metres (9 ft.)

• The Canadian Horseshoe Falls drops an average of 57 metres (188 ft.) into the Lower Niagara River.

• The crest line of the Canadian Horseshoe Falls is approximately 670 metres (2,200 ft.) wide. The plunge pool beneath the Falls is 35 metres (100 ft.) deep.

This is seen from the Canadian side and from a distance.

This image is included in 3 galleries :- 1) "Butterflies 125(1963)" curated by DAN VARTANIAN, 2 ) "Nature" by hussi48 and 3) "Amazing Photos" by Daren Rose.

Feeding on forget-me-not.

This moth is very small, very colourful and quick in flight. They feed on wild flowers.

According to Wikipedia: The Heliotrope Moth (Utetheisa pulchelloides) is a moth of the Arctiidae family. It is found in the Indo-Australian region including Borneo, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Papua, Seychelles and most of Australia.

The "bridge" joining the arch crumbled on 15/1/1990. Now only the arch is standing to brave the waves and tides and winds and harsh Australian sun. It is now called London Arch.

This shot is taken shortly after sunset, with the near-full moon shining from the top left hand sky.

This image is included in a gallery "|38| Parrots parakeets lorikeets exotics etc." curated by Calvin Virginia.

A pair of red-rumped parrots sit on a dead branch, soaking the warmth of Autumn morning sun. Suddenly Mrs Parrot takes off, and Mr Parrot follows...

This images is included in a gallery "LANDSCAPE VOL 18" curated by Jean-paul Vancoppenolle.

Hubbard Glacier is a glacier located in eastern Alaska and part of Yukon, Canada, and named after Gardiner Hubbard. It is a valley glacier with a face about 9.6 km across and 90 m high.

This was taken on board a cruise ship Celebrity Century-X. Despite a fair distance from it, the small avalanches were frequent and quite loud.

This image is included in a gallery "|38| Parrots parakeets lorikeets exotics etc." curated by Calvin Virginia.

This image included in a gallery "Birds ...dw" curated by Tess Trueheart.

This image is included in a gallery "Blue" curated by Andy Montgomery.

Average depth : 22 to 30 m (72 to 98 ft)

Max. depth : 30 m (98 ft)

Inferno Crater Lake is a large hot spring located in the Waimangu Volcanic Rift Valley on the North Island of New Zealand, and the largest geyser-like feature in the world. The actual geyser is not visible, as it plays underwater at the bottom of the lake, however, fumaroles are visible on the lake's shore and the rock wall behind it.

The water temperature in the lake ranges from 35 to 80 °C (95 to 176 °F), with acidity up to pH 2.2, and lake levels that vary up to 12 metres (39 ft), following a complicated 38-day cycle that includes an overflow stage. White silica deposits grow up to the overflow level, and the lake's colour is a result of finely divided silica suspended in the water. At low water levels the lake can be a dull grey colour, changing to an intensely sky blue colour at higher lake levels, in particular after the overflow stage.

Inferno Crater was blasted out of the side of the locally prominent Mt Haszard as part of the 1886 Mount Tarawera eruption, which opened several craters along a 17 kilometres (11 mi) rift stretching southwest from Mount Tarawera to the nearby Southern Crater. Inferno Crater's trumpet-shaped lake bed is up to 30 metres (98 ft) deep when the lake is full, which is also when it reaches its highest temperature.

Since 1901 the lake occupying Inferno Crater has exhibited water-level variations closely associated with the Waimangu Geyser cycle. Inferno Crater Lake and its neighbouring Frying Pan Lake form a unique relationship and follow an interconnected rhythmic cycle of hydrology variations repeating itself over the course of roughly 38 days. When the water level and temperature of Inferno Crater Lake increase, the water level and outflow of Frying Pan Lake decrease. Comparable cyclic activity is unknown in other hydrothermal systems in the world.

The system has been the subject of studies since monitoring equipment was installed in the area in 1970. Four distinct phases can be recognised in its cycle: First, the lake level rises steadily from its lowest level by a total of almost 5 metres (16 ft) over the course of 8 days, and then it commences oscillating. The average lake level keeps rising over the course of the oscillations of the second phase until it reaches overflow level. At that point, the lake's volume has increased by 45,800 cubic metres (1,620,000 cu ft). Next, the lake overflows for about 51 hours at a rate of almost 80 liter per second, discharging on average 140,000 cubic metres (4,900,000 cu ft) of over 70 °C (158 °F) hot water down a temporary overflow stream into Waimangu Stream in the valley below. The last stage sees the lake recede to its low level over the last 13 days of the cycle, its water temperature also falling to the low point. During that stage, around 30 million liters of water drain back under Mt Haszard.

Inferno Crater Lake is accessible via a side track with 50 steps off the main Waimangu walking track. It is one of three lakes filling craters created in the vicinity during the 1886 event. (Wikipedia)

Captured this one near River Deck Cafe in Albury, NSW, Australia.

This image is included in 3 galleries :- 1) "Butterfly" curated by Anandamoy Chatterji, 2) "PAPILLONS 2" by Jean-paul Vancoppenolle and 3) "Bolboretas-Mariposas" byJose Luis Cernadas Iglesias.