View allAll Photos Tagged CLOSETONATURE
The "Apostle" nearest to thThe "Apostle" nearest to the camera would crumble on 3/7/2005. This was taken with my Sony DSC-V1, my first DSC ever. Pixelation is obvious.
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.
White Dragontail is a medium sized butterfly , wing span ranges from 40 to 45 mm. Wings are mainly black, the triangular forewing with hyaline cells, short and narrow radial cells in the hindwing, and has a pair of slender tails which looks like swallow's tail. Its adult is the smallest in the Papilionidae family in the world.
Ref: Fung Yuen Biodiversity Series. White Dragontail by Pun Sui Fai.
When feeding, they stay on one flower very briefly, usually for a second or two, then swiftly jump to another with no predictable route Capturing them in motion is a great challenge.
This should be last of the series until my next visit...
Taken on the first day of Spring. Mr Noisy Miner is busy feeding on yellow wattle blossoms.
This image is included in 3 galleries :- 1) "NATURE" curated by SAMBFOTOCINECLUB, 2) "Gallery 2 - Excellent Photos of Beautiful Birds of the World -" by mmeastman and 3) "Wildlife - Cute & Adorable by ArtDesign by Babsy Artner.
A Grotto (Italian grotta and French grotte) is any type of natural or artificial cave that is associated with modern, historic, or prehistoric use by humans. The Grotto, found on the Great Ocean Road just outside Port Campbell, is a geological sinkhole formation and tourist attraction. At low tide, beyond the arch lies a still pool and then the open sea.
This is captured digitally off an old photographic print taken in 1984 while I was travelling in Japan. This red colour is likely due to high content of iron oxide.
地點：別府田佳彥
面積：約1,300m²
排放量：約1,800kl/天
泉質量：酸性綠礬泉
淳泉：約78度
The terrace is a rolling formation of what looks like multicoloured liquid rock; its colours a blend of gold, black, grey and rust. The unusual colouration is the result of algae, iron oxide, hydroxide and silicate deposits.
In 1886 Mount Tarawera erupted in a devastating explosion of ash and lava, ripping the mountain in two and gouging a 17 kilometre rift into the landscape. Lake Rotomahana swelled to twenty times its size and the seven craters that make up the geothermal utopia that is Waimangu, were created.
Waimangu Valley, being the youngest geothermal site in the world, shows off the beauty left behind after a volcanic eruption. Thirty years after the explosion, plant life returned in abundance and the hot pools and springs display multicoloured rock and amazing coloured water
In the Maori language Waimangu means "black water". The area was once the location of the most powerful geyser in the world; spewing black mud 460 metres (1,500 ft) into the air. While the geyser became extinct in 1904, this beautiful valley still bears the name Waimangu. The Waimangu Volcanic Valley is a 20 minute trip south from Rotorua that must not be missed.
This image is included in a gallery "Birds 6" cuated by Grisu.
This image is included in a book "Guide to INTRODUCED PEST ANIMALS of Australia" by Peter West, published by CSIRO, ISBN 978-1-4863-0567-4.
(explored: May 19, 2012 #395)
Very close encounter : while photographing dragonflies at a pond, unannounced, this Grey Fantail landed silently on a dead branch a few feet from me. There was just enough time to set my lens's range to 1.5m and fired a few shots. Luckily the light compensation was spot on.
Alternate Title : I think therefore I exist. There is some reference from the ancient philosoper Rene Descartes' famous quote.
Rene Descartes was a French mathematician, philosopher and scientist 1596-1650. The original quote looks like this " Dubito ergo cogito, cogito ergo sum"
The city is seen from the summit of Mt Eden. The Sky Tower, being the tallest structure in the Southern Hemisphere, stands out prominently in the centre of the picture. Maungawhau / Mount Eden is a scoria cone in the Mount Eden suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. The cone is a dormant volcano and its summit, at 196 metres (643 ft) above sea level, is the highest natural point on the Auckland isthmus. The majestic bowl-like crater is 50 metres (160 ft) deep. The volcano erupted from three craters 28,000 years ago, with the last eruptions from the southern crater filling the northern craters. The western face of the hill was extensively quarried. This is the site of a large ecological restoration project run by volunteers.
Captured this grey heron patiently foraging for its prey by a lake, in Vondelpark, Amsterdam on a fine Autumn morning using my Sony DC.
This image is included in a gallery "Stunning Bird Shots-XI" curated by anandamoy.
On a typical winter Melbourne afternoon : blustery, chilly, showery and drizzily, there are rare moments when the sun manages to peep through thick rain clouds. The view is surreal.
Major Thomas Mitchell, Surveyor General of the Colony of New South Wales; was the first person to map and survey Mount Macedon, naming the Mountain after Philip of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great. He did this on September 30th, 1836.
This lookout, named after Major Mitchell, looks out towards the west across the Wombat State Forest and to the southern part of Woodend.
A plaque erected in his honour was unveiled in 1976 at the lookout. Ref: Macedon Regional Park web site.
It is about 100m from the Memorial Cross, and is about 65 km north-west of Melbourne CBD.
This image is included in 2 galleries :- 1) "mariposas de los continentes.." curated by José Ruiz Quesada and 2) "Ces jolis papillons..." by Impatience_1.
This image is included in a gallery "LUGARES INCREIBLES volumen 2" curated by byktor -f.d.
There is a small lake with a mirror-like surface that reflects the illuminated stalactites hanging from above.
Yinzi is a famous cave in Yangshou, Guangxi, China.
According to the Yinzi Cave Travel Guide : "The Silver Cave (Yinzi Cave) is praised as "the World Limestone Cave Miracle" by the experts on Karsts geology from France. It is one of the most impressive caves with amazing crystal cave deposits in Guilin. The deposits are prevented from oxidation very well, so the Silver Cave is as beautiful as its name. "
It takes about an hour to go through high-lighted features.
銀子岩洞內的每一處都獨立成景，遠觀又形成一個奇異的景觀世界，形神意似，令人浮想聯翩。越是深入洞中，越是奇石遍布，景觀越是高大雄偉，形色壯美。你看那擎天石柱猶如立于峰巔之上的老松，憂鬱滄桑，周圍遍布均勻細長的枝權，巍巍高乎26米，此是洞中"三寶"之二，名為"獨柱擎天"。再看那凌駕在半空之中的"險峻天橋"不禁讓人想起牛郎織女的傳說故事，然而使人驚訝的是"橋"的另一端與岩壁隻有一絲相接!更有奇趣迥異的傘狀鍾乳石，以其比作神話中北方多聞天王手中的神器--"混元珍珠傘"隨隊的導遊將傳說故事娓娓道來，形象而生動，實屬溶洞景觀中的絕品，這種在地質變化以及石灰岩溶解的復雜變化過程中產生出的奇特形狀，對地質學、地貌學、洞穴學等學科均具有很高的科研價值。
This image is included in 4 galleries :- 1) "photo´s i like B" curated by indyraf, 2) "HISTOIRES DE PLUMES..." by Hubert Rituit, 3) "photo´s i like A" by indyraf and 4) "Natura 25" by Stefano Bacci.
Monet's Garden.
This image is included in 2 galleries:- 1) "Water & Ponds" curated by Lush Little Landscapes and 2) "FRANCE: Monet's Garden, Giverny" by LastOfTheTimeLords .
The light was dull and grey throughout the morning. In this image everything looks grey except the yellow buoy in the background.
This image is included in 3 galleries "Fari 2" curated by valentino, 2) "I love lighthouse! Here are some of my favorites...in and outside of Second Life!" by Lanay Resident and 3) "lighthouse / phare / farol / faro /" by fotoris web .
The Cape Schanck lighthouse was built in 1859 as the second coastal lighthouse in Victoria. It is located on the southernmost tip of the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Australia. The tower was built from limestone, it is 21 metres tall. The lens is first order Fresnel and has a range of 48 km.
The lighthouse was not only one of the first such buildings in Victoria, it was moreover Australia's first lighthouse tower with stone stairs. During the 1970s and 1980s the facility was restored and has since become an attraction for tourists. Today there is a museum in the old assistants' quarters. (Wikipedia)
This image is included in 4 galleries :- 1) "Exposición Siabala V. Austellung" curated by Luis Siabala Valer and 3 galleries "Photo Gallery" by Ryan Miller/Walker.
This was taken at the Butterfly Conservatory in Niagara Parks near the Niagara Falls in Canada. It is also known as large tree nymph. A member of the Danaidae family, the Rice Paper is related to the well known Monarch. Numerous names and folklore tales were inspired by the graceful ghost-like flight of this butterfly throughout the canopy of coastal mangrove swamps in South East Asia. (Sourced from the booklet from the Butterfly Conservatory).
It does exhibit a texture like rice paper when backlit !!
This is another "re-mix" from 2009.
It is early on a foggy morning, the grass is still wet and the worms are fresh, this couple are enjoying a quality time together, feeding happily, away from the rest of a flock of about 12.
This image is included in a gallery "Pajaros Birds" curated by haiku_rose.
The fork-tailed sunbird (Aethopyga christinae) is a bird in the family Nectariniidae. The species was first described by Robert Swinhoe in 1869. It is found in China, Hong Kong, Laos, and Vietnam.
Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. These small birds, with decurved bill, call a soft and frequent "zwink-zwink" and a metallic trill. The bird appears in the most commonly used postal stamp of Hong Kong. (Wikipedia)
This image is included in a gallery "Natura 13" curated by Stefano Bacci.
Winter Solstice and half moon. This is a reprocessed image of one of my favourites from 2010.
(explored: Jun 23, 2010 #481)
White Dragontail is a medium sized butterfly , wing span ranges from 40 to 45 mm. Wings are mainly black, the triangular forewing with hyaline cells, short and narrow radial cells in the hindwing, and has a pair of slender tails which looks like swallow's tail. Its adult is the smallest in the Papilionidae family in the world.
Ref: Fung Yuen Biodiversity Series. White Dragontail by Pun Sui Fai.
When feeding, they stay on one flower very briefly, usually for a second or two, then swiftly jump to another with no predictable route Capturing them in motion is a great challenge.
(explored: Apr 23, 2012 #64)
This image is included in 2 galleries :- 1) "TXT_06" curated by Willie Sturges and 2) "Perroquets ou autres 16" by Yvonne Yvonne..
This was taken at a water hole next to Wave Rock Motel, Hyden, Western Australia. This fella is checking me out ...
Listed as UNESCO in 2010, the Zhangye Danxia Landform area is known as “the eye candy of Zhangye”. Many artists admire this masterpiece as it is unbelievably colorful, like a n imaginative oil painting . Zhangye's Danxia landscape has lots of precipitous red cliffs, most of which are several hundred meters high, and multicolored ridges of weathered strata, sometimes stretching to the horizon. These formations, sometimes smooth sometimes sharp, stand out against the greens or grays of the plains , looking grand and magnificent, vigorous and virile.
Across the Danxia landscape zone, a kaleidoscope of numerous red rocky outcrops resemble weird and wonderful shapes like castles, cones, towers ; as well as humans, creatures, birds and beasts. Their peaks peeping through the mist and clouds, produce mirage-like scenery of fantastic mountains and pavilions.
Zhangye 's Danxia was formed by the erosion of red sandstone, forming isolated peaks and steep stratified outcrops. Its special geological structure, combined with long-term desert conditions , freeze-thaw peeling, and wind and water erosion gave rise to its present appearance.
Geologists believe that Danxia topography is formed by folding of layered oceanic crust. Exposed slanting rock layers have different colors, textures, shapes, sizes, and patterns. The combination of differences in density and erosion create towering peaks, cave holes, and stone halls. (Sourced from Internet)
This was taken at the entrance to the park.
甘肅張掖國家地質公園
位於中國甘肅省張掖市, 規劃面積322平方公里。 2012年4月, “甘肅張掖丹霞地質公園” 國家地質公園（建設）資格被國土資源部批准。 2016年6月, 經實地驗收, 國土資源部同意命名該處為 “甘肅張掖國家地質公園”。這裡曾因其色彩斑斕的岩石地貌而被中國多家媒體選為中國最美地貌之一, 於2008年1月被甘肅省人民政府批准為省級“肅南－臨澤丹霞地貌風景名勝區”。
該公園位於祁連山北麓, 臨澤縣和肅南縣境內。兩縣均在甘肅省地級市張掖統轄範圍內。丹霞地貌主要分佈在康樂鄉和白銀鄉地段。臨澤丹霞景區是公園的核心區域, 距張掖市區以西30公里, 臨澤縣城以南20公里。這是整個公園發展最為完善, 遊客人數最多的一個景區。 第二大景區冰溝位於梨園河北岸, 於2014年8月3日正式揭牌。 冰溝佔地總面積為300平方公里, 海拔1500-2500米。 第三大景區肅南丹霞景區位於甘肅省臨澤縣。
張掖丹霞因其與眾不同的岩石色彩而舉世聞名。這些岩石光滑而險峻, 高數百米, 是紅礫石, 砂岩和其他礦物經過2400萬年的沉澱堆積而成。這種夾層蛋糕 般的效果與構成喜馬拉雅山脈的地殼板塊運動有關。經年累月的風吹雨淋，最終被雕琢成了如今這番奇特景象, 或形似塔, 或貌似柱, 或溝壑縱橫, 色彩斑斕, 形態各異。
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.
Exmouth is a town on the tip of the North West Cape, and is 1,270 km north of Perth and 3,300 km south-west of Darwin. Many kilometres before reaching and after leaving Exmouth along the Learmonth Minilya Road, numerous termite nests can be seen adorning the otherwise bleak landscape. This mound here is about 5 foot tall.
Mound-building termites or just mound builders are a group of termite species that live in mounds. This group of termites live in Africa, Australia and South America. The mounds sometimes have a diameter of 30 metres. Most of the mounds are found in well drained areas. Termite mounds usually out live the colonies themselves. If the inner tunnels of the nest are exposed it is usually dead, however, sometimes other colonies occupy a mound after the death of the original builders. (Sourced from Wikipedia)
This image is included in a gallery "MIX_13" curated by Willie Sturges.
This is a hand-held HDR.
A heartwarming moment between a mother zebra and her foal, captured in the wild landscapes of Namibia. Their striking black-and-white stripes stand out against the dusty road, a beautiful symbol of nature’s harmony and resilience.
This image is included in 2 galleries :- 1) "Birds XIII" curated by rio en medio and 2) "Beautiful animals by Fadmaa.
This image was accidentally deleted - lost 600 + views and 15 favourites : had to upload and repost to all groups again ....
This was taken at Wave Rock Resort, Hyden, Western Australia. The setting sun is casting long shadows of dead trees on the dirt road.
This image is included in 2 galleries :- 1) "bellisimas mariposas...de amigos." curated by José Ruiz Quesada and 2) "Butterfly VI" by Andreas ( der_andyrandy)..
Called "Blood Moon" by star gazers, the red hue is at its peak at total eclipse, caused by the shimmering of sunrises and sunsets seeping through the Earth's atmosphere. This event was observed in an eastern suburb of Melbourne, Australia. This has been processed slightly brighter than it actually appeared.
This image is included in a gallery "Above" curated by Annette LeDuff.
Peggy's Cove is a small rural community located on the eastern shore of St. Margarets Bay in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality, which is famous for the Peggys Point Lighthouse (Wikipedia). The interesting looking huge boulders and rocks contribute to the main feature of the area. This was taken near the Peggy's Cove Lighthouse. In late autumn afternoon, the wavy growth of sea weeds on/amongs the rocks somewhat resembles sea waves washing ashore.