According to some people Eagles Nest is a large sandstone rock structure that resembles the top half of a map of Australia. It can be seen driving along Bunurong Coast road towards Cape Paterson. The unusual rock formation separated from the headland is often photographed by visitors to Inverloch.

Inverloch is a seaside town located in Victoria, Australia. It is about 143 km south east of Melbourne via the South Gippsland Highway on the Bass Highway in the Bass Coast Shire of Gippsland, Victoria, Australia.

This was taken at high tide using a telephoto lens while walking on Inverloch Surf Beach. It was a fine autumn afternoon.

This image is included in a gallery "Butterflies & Moths 3" curate by Cheryl Blay.

This was taken at the Butterfly Conservatory in Niagara Parks near the Niagara Falls in Canada. Approaching In the dark background is a Red Postman (Heliconius erato). The fully spread wings of the resting butterfly are beautifully highlighted in the soft. filtered light of the Conservatory.

According to the 2008 Official Guide of the Conservatory:- "The Julia is bold in colour and personality, displaying dashing flight patterns and animated courtship behaviours in the Conservatory. For over 10 years , this butterfly has been reared on site. The female wings, framed by dark lines, seem dull compared to the flaming orange colour of the males."

Dryas iulia (often incorrectly spelled julia), commonly called the Julia butterfly, Julia heliconian, the flame, or flambeau, is a species of brush-footed (or nymphalid) butterfly. The sole representative of its genus Dryas, it is native from Brazil to southern Texas and Florida, and in summer can sometimes be found as far north as eastern Nebraska. Over 15 subspecies have been described. (Wikipedia)

This image is included in a gallery entitled "INTERPHOTO * THE SEA / IL MARE" curated by Marzetti Gianfranco.

This was taken from the Cape Tourville Lookout on a fine Spring morning. On the middle-top left is Lemon Bay. Wineglass Bay is near the middle right. Tasman Sea is on the left hand side.

There was a gentle breeze. The deep blue, calm sea, coloured cliff faces and the few distant, lazy white clouds contribute to a beautiful scene.

This landscape belongs to the sandstone peak forest landform in Zhangjiajie, Hunan, China. Crustal uplift changed the sedimentary rock stratum into a hilly and mountainous area, then the sandstone was carved by exogenic processes like weathering and erosion into rugged rock pillars.

Zhuangjiajie is known for its breathtaking landscape of majestic mountains. It made the news after James Cameron's blockbuster Avatar movie and by the success of wingsuit skydivers flying through the hole in the needle of Tianmen Mountains. UNESCO World Heritage site Wulingyuan is within the Zhuanjiajie National Park.

張家界市, 舊稱大庸, 位於湖南省西北部。市境東臨常德市，南達懷化市，西南界湘西州，西北接湖北省恩施州。地處武陵山脈腹地，地形以山地為主。石灰岩分布廣泛，多岩溶、峰林、溶洞等地貌。澧水橫貫全境，並有漊水等支流。張家界是著名的旅遊城市，素有「奇峰三千，秀水八百」的美譽。武陵源砂岩峰林地貌景觀為世所罕見，1992年12月獲聯合國教科文組織列入世界自然遺產。

Australia’s most widespread swallow, the Welcome Swallow can be seen fluttering, swooping and gliding in search of flying insects in almost any habitat, between city buildings, over farmland paddocks, in deserts, wetlands, forests and grasslands and every habitat in between. Sometimes they even occur at sea — the name ‘Welcome’ swallow comes from sailors who knew that the sight of a swallow meant that land was not far away. Swallows build their mud nests in many different situations, though most noticeably beneath bridges and on the walls of buildings. (Birdlife Victoria)

The Black Tiger Pine is one of the top ten popular pine trees at Huangshan. Legend has it that a long time ago while a monk was meditating in Huangshan, a black tiger appeared to be crouching on the top of a big pine tree. On closer look, the tiger was no where to be seen, so he name the tree "Black Tiger Pine". The tree is estimated to be 700 years old.

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.

黃山十大名松之一，列入世界遺產名錄。生於白鵝嶺索道站下坡至始信峰岔路口，海拔1650米處。獅子林有一高僧入定時，見一黑虎臥於松頂，後尋黑虎不見，只見古松高大蒼勁，幹枝氣勢雄偉，虎氣凜凜，且冠蓋濃綠近黑，似一黑虎臥於坡下，故名“黑虎松”。該松古松高大蒼勁，幹枝氣勢雄偉，虎氣凜凜，且冠蓋濃綠近黑，似一黑虎臥於坡下。樹高15米，冠蓋投影面達100平方米，據推算已有700樹齡。

(Explored Jun 24, 2020 #36)

For ID please. Unfortunately this is the only image I shot of this species. This is probably a female skimmer or Asian Amberwing.

The Common Rose is a swallowtail butterfly belonging to the genus Pachliopta, the roses, or red-bodied swallowtails. It is a common butterfly which is extensively distributed across south and southeast Asia.

The common rose is active much earlier in the morning than most butterflies and remains so throughout the day until dusk. It flies just as readily in the shade as in the sun, and frequently visits flowers.

The red body, slow peculiar flight, bright colouration and pattern of the wings are meant to indicate to predators that this butterfly is inedible, being well protected by the poisons it has sequestered from its larval food plant. It also emits a nasty smelling substance when handled to further enhance its unappealing qualities. Hence it is rarely attacked by predators, a strategy so successful, that edible butterflies have evolved to mimic it, the classic example being that of the female morph of the common Mormon that is Papilio polytes, female form stichius. (Wikipedia)

Carmichael's Crag is a sacred site for the local Aboriginal 'Luritja' People. Carmichael's Crag, together with the associated hills are woven into the dreamtime story of a mother dingo with her pups. Ernest Giles in 1874 called the north-west point of George Gill Range Carmichael's Crag after Samuel Carmichael, who contributed to Giles' expedition.

{{As the sun dips behind Carmichael's Crag and the George Gill Range, watch the spellbinding changing colours of the sandstone and sky before the stars come out. The mesmerising shift of red, orange and pink colours are created by the red center's natural sandy environment preventing the light from the sun's rays coming through, enabling an array of red light to reflect on the range and sky to emphasise an array of vibrant colours.}} - according to the Kings Canyon Resort website.

The Sunset Viewing Platform is within walking distance from Kings Canyon Frontier Resort where we stayed for the night. The resort is about 320 km from Uluru.

From the platform Carmichael Crag as well as the George Gill Range were in full view. The temperature was warm and the atmosphere was great.

(explored Jul 30, 2021 #160)

Waterfall Bay can be seen as a body of water off the east coast of Tasmania on the rugged Tasman Peninsula. It is located between Eaglehawk Neck and Port Arthur.

From lookout points we can see towering cliff dropping down to the ocean. On the left horizon of Tasman Sea is Cheverton Rock. In rainy seasons, after heavy rain fall, waterfalls can be seen falling spectacularly from over 200m up.

This image is included in a gallery "INTERPHOTO * THE SEA / IL MARE" curated by Gianfranco Marzetti.

The Great Ocean Road is an Australian National Heritage listed 243 kilometres stretch of road along the south-eastern coast of Australia between the Victorian cities of Torquay and Allansford.

The Arch is 6 km west of Port Campbell, Victoria. The Arch looked beautiful in the morning Autumnal light. It was a fine day, but the on-shore waves were strong.

This image is included in 3 galleries :- 1) "Favourite Landscapes" curated by MK Hardy, 2) "Paesaggi 18" by Stefano Bacci and 3) "Lenticularis' Skyscape gallery" by

D Mc

.

This is an uncropped, hand-held HDR image taken just before sunrise. In silhouettes are high tension towers in the distance, gum trees and a big weeping cherry from my adjoining neighbours. There was not enough time to set up a tripod. The dark clouds suddenly sprang into life, albeit for very few fleeting moments. The clouds appeared to be burning - not lined by silver for a change. Full credits to my dear wife who alerted me from the kitchen.

( Explored: Oct 21, 2022 #34 )

This image is included in a gallery "Vogliamo dei papaveri, Wir wollen Mohne, We want Poppies, Queremos Amapolas, Nous voulons des coquelicots. Volume 13" curated by Pascal Rey.

Papaver rhoeas, with common names including common poppy, corn poppy, corn rose, field poppy, Flanders poppy, and red poppy, is an annual herbaceous species of flowering plant in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It is notable as an agricultural weed (hence the common names including "corn" and "field"). Especially in the Commonwealth, it is used a symbol of remembrance of the fallen soldiers and other military, during World War I and thereafter.

Before the advent of herbicides, Papaver rhoeas was often abundant in agricultural fields, as the plant thrives in areas of disturbed soil. Flushes of poppies may still appear in fields where herbicides are not used, as well as those in fallow. The corn poppy and its cultivars such as the Shirley poppy are widely grown in gardens, and are frequently found in packets of seed labelled "wildflower mixes". (Wikipedia)

This image was taken at the Herb Garden of Heide Museum of Modern Art in Bulleen, Victoria, Australia.

This image is included in 4 galleries 1) "INTERPHOTO * TOP FLICKR" curated by Marzetti Gianfranco, 2) "God's Nature" by Suvad Hamzić, 3) "Landscape" by frode_oen and 4) "terrestrial space-time continuum" by Mike Beauregard.

This landscape belongs to the sandstone peak forest landform in Zhangjiajie, Hunan, China. Crustal uplift changed the sedimentary rock stratum into a hilly and mountainous area, then the sandstone was carved by exogenic processes like weathering and erosion into rugged rock pillars.

西海峰林, 位於索溪峪景區的西部。為一盆地型峽谷峰林群，千姿百態，林木蔥蘢茂密，有“峰海”、“林海”之稱。春夏或秋初雨後初晴，則云如浪濤，或湧或翻，或奔或瀉，鋪天蓋地，極為壯觀，譽為“雲海”。三“海”合一即為西海之特色。

This image is included in 3 galleries :- 1) "Mes coups de coeur N°135. My favourites N°135." curated by Chantal GIRAUDEAU, 2) "Là-haut sur la montagne...High on the mountain...." by Rick The Zoo and 3) "My favourite Landscapes" by Gerard(gsubiza).

Between the tall pine trees and Mt Patterson and below is Peyto Lake.

Mount Patterson is a peak in the Waputik Range of the Canadian Rockies. It is located within Banff National Park in Alberta of Western Canada. Mount Patterson stands across the Mistaya River Valley from Mount Weed, and both are prominent features seen from the Icefields Parkway. Its nearest higher peak is Howse Peak, 10.14 km (6.30 mi) to the northwest.

It was named in 1917 after John Duncan Patterson who was president of the Alpine Club of Canada from 1914 to 1920.

Trentham Falls is the highest single drop of any waterfall in Central Victoria. Plunging more than 32 metres down a basalt cliff, it has formed a ravine several hundred metres long. It is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Central Victoria.

At the time of my visit, access was limited to viewing from near the car park. The light brown colour of the basalt cliff face looked beautiful in the morning light. The water was thin but the splashing was consistently musical to the ear.

Trentham Falls are part of an Aboriginal cultural landscape in the traditional Country of the Dja Dja Wurrung Peoples. It is in the Coliban River Scenic Reserve, about 20 minutes drive from Daylesford, and is about 74km from Melbourne CBD.

This image is included in a gallery "ua" curated by fstkkk.

This image is included in 2 galleries:- 1) "BC .. British Columbia" curated by Nick Kenrick and 2) "un viaje maravilloso" by byktor -f.d..

Mount Rundle is a mountain in Canada's Banff National Park overlooking the towns of Banff and Canmore, Alberta. The Cree name was Waskahigan Watchi or house mountain. In 1858 John Palliser renamed the mountain after Reverend Robert Rundle, a Methodist invited by the Hudson's Bay Company to do missionary work in western Canada in the 1840s. He introduced syllabics there — a written language developed for the Cree, as part of his missionary work. He only visited the Stoney-Nakoda of the area around what is now called Mount Rundle in 1844 and 1847.

Mt. Rundle could actually be considered a small mountain range as the mountain extends for over 12 kilometres (7.5 mi), on the south side of the Trans-Canada Highway eastward from Banff to Canmore with seven distinct peaks along the way. The third peak southeast of Banff is the highest at 9,675 feet (2,949 m). West of the Spray Lakes road is the East End of Rundle — locally known as EEOR which rises above Whiteman's Gap just south of Canmore. The Rundle Peaks are part of the South Banff Ranges, along with its siblings—the Sundance Range, Sulphur Mountain and the Goat Range. (Wikipedia)

The zig-zagging green river running in the foreground is part of Bow River. To compliment the scenery, near the lower, middle left are interesting looking hoodoos. Hoodoos are composed of sedimentary rock covered by harder rock that is harder to erode. Once softer sediment erodes rock needle, or tower like natural obstacles are left.

This image is included in 6 galleries :- 1) "Magical Dreamscapes" curated by Fadmaa Farasha, 2) "Zhangjiajie" by JimBab, 3) "Photo Gallery" by Ryan Walker, 4) " Asia" by Laurent, 5) "LUGARES INCREIBLES volumen 2" by byktor -f.d. and 6) "Best of China" by Radoslav Besenyi.

Mount Tianmen is a majestic mountain range situated in the south town of Zhangjiajie City, Hunan, China. The peak stands at 1518m high. Tianmen Cave (Heaven’s Door Cave | Heaven’s Gate Cave | 天門) is the world’s highest cave of its kind. It was formed naturally as a result of soil erosion. It’s alleged that in the year of 263, a large chunk of the mountain just fell off, creating a huge cavity (131.5 m height, 57 m width and 60 m long). Сloud capped “Heaven’s Gate” is impressive. In 1999, The World Wingsuit League held the first and second World Wingsuit Championships at Tianmen Mountain, flying through Tianmen Cave. 6 airplanes simultaneously flew through the cave successfully. There are 999 steep and narrow steps up to the cave - “The Stairway to Heaven”. It is a hard and tiresome climb (about 30 minutes). The views from the cave are quite plain, and it is always crowded, and hard to find a good place for photos. So it’s only really worth doing to say you’ve “climbed the stairway to heaven” and “knocked on Heaven’s Door”.

In February 2018 at the Dragon Challenge - Extreme Climb, a Range Rover succeeded in driving up the dizzying 99 hairpin turns from the foot of the hill (Tianmen Mountain Road 11.3km) and climbing the 999 steps, all the way to the Heaven's Gate.

This is an HDR image taken on an Autumn evening. With tight time constraint, I deployed a rubbish bin as an improvised tripod.

天門山位於湖南省張家界永定區，因自然奇觀天門洞而得名，也因天門洞而蜚聲世界，被譽為「湘西第一神山」、「武陵之魂」和「張家界之魂」。三國時期(公元263年)，天門山突然裂開一個大洞，當地官員報告給吳國君主孫休，孫休認為是吉兆，故而命名天門洞。131.5米，寬57米，深60米, 是世界海拔最高的天然穿山溶洞。1999年，俄國、美國、匈牙利、哈薩克斯坦、捷克、立陶宛六國飛行員架機穿越山洞，創造世界吉尼斯紀錄。

This image is included in 3 galleries :- 1) "Favourite Landscapes" curated by MK Hardy, 2) "INTERPHOTO * TOP FLICKR 2022" by Gianfranco Marzetti and 3) "Best Of 4" by

William White.

The Fifeshire / Arrow Rock is an iconic landmark of Nelson waterfront off State Highway 6, South Island, Newzealand. The rock is illuminated after dark and before sunrise.

Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson Region. Nelson is the oldest city in the South Island and the second-oldest settled city in New Zealand, It was established in 1841 and was proclaimed a city by royal charter in 1858.

This was taken after sunset. Clouds were thick and the sky was intensely deep blue before turning completely dark. Arrow Rock was lit by flood light from the shore.

This was taken at a flower bed on Centre Island, Toronto, Canada. Both are female.

(not explored)

This image is included in a gallery "Favourite Landscapes" curated by MK Hardy.

Bay of Islands Coastal Park is a 32 kilometres long coastal reserve located in Victoria, Australia on the Great Ocean Road between Peterborough and Warrnambool. Bay of Islands Coastal Park is part of an Aboriginal cultural landscape. The wild Southern Ocean has carved a stunning collection of rock stacks and sheltered bays with clifftop walks, scenic lookouts and small beach coves near Peterborough along the Great Ocean Road.

These side lit sea stacks appear guilded in the soft early summer light. Looking beyond the horizon is Great Australian Bight. The sea is relatively calm - only gentle waves and mild ocean swells to embellish the otherwise pristine serenity. I am happy with the impressionistic feel.

This image is included in 10 galleries 1) "Clouds" curated by stephen cole, 2) "Beautiful Sunset and Sunrise" by Jessica Chau, 3) "JUIN 2020 #2" by Impatience_1, 4) "Levers et couchers du soleil...# 7" by Impatience_1, 5) "Haut en couleur !" by MimilyArt31, 6) "Beaux couchers de soleil" by MimilyArt31, 7) "Sunrise and Sunset" by Arthur Hofmann, 8) "Sunrise, Sunset"by Jeff Tripodi, 9) "lumière marine" by Christian Ragaine, 10) "Special effects" by verabellapiccolachiaragloria and 11) "aust land" byandy dennis .

Stand up board paddling is getting popular recently in Australia. Half Moon Bay is in Black Rock, Victoria.

Located in Black Rock, about 19 km from Melbourne, Red Bluff is a high (over 25 m), active cliff cut in poorly consolidated clayey sands, with harder sandstone beds forming a series of irregular ledges and benches at the base. The greater part of the cliff is an exposure of the Red Bluff Sand, this site being the type locality for that geological formation. (Sourced from Victorian Resources Online)

This image is included in 4 galleries :- 1) "SPECTACULAR LANDSCAPES OF THE WORD IX." curated by miguel angel iglesias, 2) "2020 08 01 Samstag" by BAKAWI, 3) "Stoned and Rocked" by Sandra Mahle and 4) "Landscape" by Jens Koschitzki.

The was taken on board a coach travelling along Zion Mount Carmel Highway after passing the East Entrance and Zion Tunnel. The white peaks on the left is called the Beehives, while the taller one on the right is the Sentinel, which stands at 7157 feet. The glass of the window gave the image a bluish-grey tint. Against a clear blue sky, these mountains peaks looked austere, surreal and beautiful.

Zion National Park is an American national park located in southwestern Utah near the town of Springdale. A prominent feature of the 229-square-mile park is Zion Canyon, which is 15 miles long and up to 2,640 ft deep. The canyon walls are reddish and tan-colored Navajo Sandstone eroded by the North Fork of the Virgin River. The lowest point in the park is 3,666 ft at Coalpits Wash and the highest peak is 8,726 ft at Horse Ranch Mountain. Located at the junction of the Colorado Plateau, Great Basin, and Mojave Desert regions, the park has a unique geography and a variety of life zones that allow for unusual plant and animal diversity. Numerous plant species as well as 289 species of birds, 75 mammals, and 32 reptiles inhabit the park's four life zones: desert, riparian, woodland, and coniferous forest. Zion National Park includes mountains, canyons, buttes, mesas, monoliths, rivers, slot canyons, and natural arches. (Wikipedia)

(explored: Jul 31, 2020 #24)

This image is included in 2 galleries:- 1) "Photo Gallery" curated by Ryan Miller and 2) "Bryce & Zion" by 2lynnehume..

Bryce Canyon National Park is located in south western Utah. The major feature of the park is Bryce Canyon, which despite its name, is not a canyon, but a collection of giant natural amphitheatres along the eastern side of the Paunsaugunt Plateau. Bryce is distinctive due to geological structures called hoodoos, formed by frost weathering and stream erosion of the river and lake bed sedimentary rocks. The red, orange, and white colours of the rocks provide spectacular views for park visitors. Bryce sits at a much higher elevation than nearby Zion National Park. The rim at Bryce varies from 8,000 to 9,000 feet (2,400 to 2,700 m). The Bryce Canyon area was settled by Mormon pioneers in the 1850s and was named after Ebenezer Bryce, who homesteaded in the area in 1874. The area around Bryce Canyon became a National Monument in 1923 and was designated as a National Park in 1928. The park covers 35,835 acres (55.992 sq mi; 14,502 ha; 145.02 km2) and receives substantially fewer visitors than Zion National Park (nearly 4.3 million in 2016) or Grand Canyon National Park (nearly 6 million in 2016), largely due to Bryce's more remote location. (Sourced from Internet)

This was taken at Sunset Point (8000 ft above sea level).

This image is included in a gallery "INTERPHOTO * TOP FLICKR 2022" curated by Gianfranco Marzetti.

This species is aggressive to other honeyeaters. Here this bird has just finished feeding on Grevillea 'Peaches and Cream" and moves on.

The little wattlebird (Anthochaera chrysoptera), also known as the brush wattlebird, is a passerine bird in the honeyeater family Meliphagidae. It is found in coastal and sub-coastal south-eastern Australia. (Wikipedia)

As with other honeyeaters, Little Wattlebirds feed on nectar, which is obtained using a long, brush-tipped tongue, specially adapted to probing deep into flowers. Other food includes insects, flowers, berries and some seeds. Most feeding is done while perched, but some insects are caught in mid-air. Birds may feed alone or in small to large groups. (Birdlife Australia)

This image is included in 7 galleries :- 1) "2020 05 04 Montag" curated by BAKAWI, 2) "Beautiful spirit" by io747, 3) "Landscapes" by Sandra Mahle, 4) "Soñando Paisajes" by Ana Mary Rodrigo Simón, 5) "Landschaft 7" by Michael Gschwind, 6) "the big view - der weite blick - la grande vue" by Matthias Huber and 7) "Chakras da Terra" by Erika Pinto.

Uluru / Ayers Rock, is a large sandstone rock formation. Uluru is just the expsed tip of a huge vertical body of rock. This rock probably extends far below the surrounding plain, probably for several kilometres. It lies 335 km (208 mi) south west of the nearest large town, Alice Springs. It has been listed as Dual UNESCO heritage site.

Uluru means Meeting Place. It is sacred to the Pitjantjatjara Anangu, the Aboriginal people of the area. The area around the formation is home to an abundance of springs, waterholes, rock caves and ancient paintings. Uluru and Kata Tjuta, also known as the Olgas, are the two major features of the Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park. Uluru, the world's most famous monolith, is an evocative and powerful icon of the Australian landscape. Uluru appears in many guises and poses a unique photographic challenge.

Elevation: 863 m (2,831 ft)

Prominence: 348 m (1,142 ft)

Circumference: 9.4 km

This was taken on board a helicopter run by the PROFESSIONAL HELICOPTER SERVICES. Uluru is illuminated beautifully in the warm spring morning light. The immenseness of this unique monolith can be appreciated more from this angle. Pock marks and fissures as results of weathering and erosion are quite obvious in this sidelit capture.

This was taken during the Rim Walk upon reaching the top of the Canyon. Below, in the Kings Canyon ravine are large fallen rock slabs. The South Wall, a steep vertical cliff about 100 metres high, looks beautiful in the warm Spring morning light.

Kings Canyon is a canyon in the Northern Territory of Australia located at the western end of the George Gill Range about 323 km southwest of Alice Springs and about 1,316 km south of Darwin within the Watarrka National Park.

From the Visitor Centre, a steep climb at the beginning of the walk, which locals call "Heartbreak Hill" (or "Heart Attack Hill", due to its steepness), takes visitors up to the top, with views of the gorge below and of the surrounding landscape. About half way during the walk, a detour descends to the Garden of Eden, a permanent waterhole surrounded by plant life. The last half of the walk passes through a maze of weathered sandstone domes, reminiscent of the Bungle Bungle. A slow descent brings the visitor back to the starting point. (Wikipedia) (Wikipedia)

(explored Sep 3, 2020 #93)

On the back beaches of Mornington Peninsula sits the BlairgowrieJumping Rock, a jagged cliff perches over a turquoise rock pool at Bridgewater Bay. The sandstone arch is about 7 metre tall. At low tides, rock pools with turquoise water a few metre deep become apparent. A lot of adventurous people jump off the cliff into those rock pools. Looking beyond is Port Phillip Bay.

I went there on a windy Autumn morning. The winds were close to howling and white waves were incessantly attacking the shore and cliffs. I had to put a finger on the camera horseshoe to steady the set up despite a sturdy tripod was used. The shifting clouds made the landscape look atmospheric.

This image is included in 2 galleries :- 1) "Landscape" curated by Chris Boothman and 2) "Mountains and Canyons" also by Chris Boothman .

Pōhutu (‘‘poor-hoo-too’’) is the largest active geyser in the southern hemisphere. She erupts once or twice every hour and sometimes reaches heights of 30 metres (100 feet). Pōhutu means ‘‘constant splashing’’ in Māori.

As well as being a spectacular sight, Pōhutu is the most reliable geyser on Earth. Eruptions can last from a few minutes to much longer. About 15 years ago, Pōhutu erupted for over 250 days. Pōohutu has been visited by royalty and many other famous people. However, because nearby residents used bores to tap into the valley’s geothermal resources, Pōohutu was once at grave risk of losing its power. Fortunately, a programme to close bores has ensured that today, Pōohutu continues to impress visitors once or twice an hour.

This image is included in 4 galleries :- 1) "Juillet 2020 suite" curated by Impatience_1, 2) "Les insectes...ceux qu'on aime...ceux qu'on aime moins...# 15" also by Impatience_1, 3) "INSECTOS" by agar41_ Juan Antonio and 4) "Macros 76(1781)" by DAN VARTANIAN.

Interesting facts about mantids :-

1) Mantids can turn their heads a full 180 degrees.

2) Mantids Are Closely Related to Cockroaches and Termites.

3) Mantids have two eyes, but only one ear. The single ear is located on the underside of its belly, just forward of its hind legs.

4) A praying mantis will molt 5-10 times in its lifetime. The whole process should take about 20 minutes, unless it’s the last/adult molt in which case takes it will take a little longer to inflate wings.

This image is included in a gallery "Mother Earth, our planet!" curated by Aracelis.

The Bay of Fires (indigenous name: larapuna) is a bay on the north eastern coast of Tasmania, extending from Binalong Bay to Eddystone Point. It is a 29 km long sweep of powder-white sand and crystal-clear seas, with a string of superb beaches, punctuated by lagoons and rocky headlands, backed by coastal heath and bush.

The bay was given its name in 1773 by Captain Tobias Furneaux in Adventure, who saw the fires of Aboriginal people on the beaches along the coast line. The Bay of Fires is characterized by white beaches, blue water and huge granite blocks that are coloured bright orange by lichens. Perhaps, Captain Tobias Furneaux named the bay after these fiery red rocks. The lichens responsible for the orange hue in the rocks of Bay of Fires belong to the family Hymeneliaceae.

The conservation area is divided into three sections, with Anson's Bay dividing the southern and northern ends. A scenic view of the bay can be glimpsed by driving along the coast to The Gardens.

This was taken near Skeleton Bay.

This image is included in 5 galleries:-1) "Most Outstanding Landscapes in the World" curated by mark doyle, 2) "Landscapes" by Süskind Dostoevsky Poe and 3) "LUGARES INCREIBLES volumen 2" by BYKTOR-f.d.

The Grand Canyon (Hopi: Ongtupqa; Yavapai: Wi:kaʼi:la, Navajo: Tsékooh Hatsoh, Spanish: Gran Cañón) is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona, United States. The Grand Canyon is 277 miles (446 km) long, up to 18 miles (29 km) wide and attains a depth of over a mile (6,093 feet or 1,857 meters). The canyon and adjacent rim are contained within Grand Canyon National Park, the Kaibab National Forest, Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, the Hualapai Indian Reservation, the Havasupai Indian Reservation and the Navajo Nation. President Theodore Roosevelt was a major proponent of preservation of the Grand Canyon area, and visited it on numerous occasions to hunt and enjoy the scenery.

Nearly two billion years of Earth's geological history have been exposed as the Colorado River and its tributaries cut their channels through layer after layer of rock while the Colorado Plateau was uplifted. While some aspects about the history of incision of the canyon are debated by geologists, several recent studies support the hypothesis that the Colorado River established its course through the area about 5 to 6 million years ago. Since that time, the Colorado River has driven the down-cutting of the tributaries and retreat of the cliffs, simultaneously deepening and widening the canyon. (Wikipedia)

This was viewed from Mather Point, which is on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The colour was warm in the late afternoon sun.

Voodoo Point is located in the Kurnell Kamay National park. It is about 21.4 km south of the Sydney central business district. Named by surfers after the almost supernatural sets unleashed upon it, Voodoo Point being a reef break means this little surfing haven of big waves when the conditions are pristine and is for experienced surfers only, make no mistake about that! It has been known to host 15 foot swells.

For non-surfers, the rock formations up on the cliffs are spectacular. On a hot summer's afternoon, in conjunction with the streaky clouds against a subdued blue sky, these rocks appeared surrealistic and beautiful. Looking beyond the horizon is Tasman Sea.

( Explored : Mar 6, 2023 #84 )

Also called Golden Birdwing, this was taken at the Butterfly Conservatory in Niagara Parks near the Niagara Falls in Canada. Golden Birdwing (Troides aeacus) is a large butterfly belonging to the Swallowtail (Papilionidae family). The Troides Birdwing butterfly has an impressive windspan of 13-15cm. Females are much larger than the males. The contrasting golden yellow spots adorning the jet black wings and abdomen, warn predators they are poisonous. Toxins are sequestered by the caterpillar as it feeds on plants from the genus Aristolochia or Pipevine. (Sourced from the booklet of the Butterfly Conservatory).

This was taken at a visit to Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory.

This image is included in 5 galleries:- 1) "Butterflies, Insects" curated by Judy Baum, 2) "Schmetterlinge" by BAKAWI, 3"Best of action" by bratispixl, 4) "Sonnenfotografie" by bratispixl and 5) "#3 MASTERY VISION OF NATURE WORLD" by Dmitry Ivanov.

This image is included in 2 galleries:- 1) "Paesaggi 20" curated by

Stefano Bacci and 2) "Couchers et/ou levers de soleil - Sunsets or sunrises" by Rick The Zoo.

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.

It was a mild evening. There were occasional thin clouds. The mist around the area made it rather atmospheric in the setting sun. From this position we can only see 5 Apostles in silhouttes. Looking beyond the horizon is Bass Strait.

( Explored : Jan 17, 2023 #53 )

This image is included in a gallery "PAPILLONS 2" by Jean-paul Vancoppenolle.

This image is included in a gallery "AMAZING LANDSCAPES.PAISAJES DE ALUCINE XIII." curated by

Lagarto (miguelitoiglesias21).

Cheung Po Tsai (1783-1822) was a navy colonel of the Qing dynasty and former pirate. "Cheung Po Tsai" literally means "Cheung Po the Kid". He was known to the Portuguese Navy as Quan Apon Chay during the Battle of the Tiger's Mouth. Cheung Po Sai was a notorious pirate around the South China Sea, active during the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty. He and his wife Ching Shih gathered 50,000+ followers and his fleet was said to have possessed 600 ships. He was hard to catch and caused much trouble, so the Qing government offered him a colonel position to soothe the situation.

This natural cave is located in Cheung Chau Island, Hong Kong, and is one of the many places where he stashed his lootings. This cave is dark, narrow, winding and slippery, with a total length of 88 metres between entrance and exit. It is now a popular tourist attraction.

This was taken on an overcast Spring afternoon, the sea was calm and wind was gentle. The boulders are adorned with interesting surface textures.

張保仔洞是傳說中廣東著名海盜張保仔 (1783-1822) 收藏了一些寶物的山洞，多位於廣東外海、香港離島區，其中位於長洲的張保仔洞最著名，現已成為島上的旅遊景點。清嘉慶年間，張保仔率領的紅旗幫，以上川島沙堤港為主基地，扼守瓊洲海峽，控制了上川島、下川島，赤溪半島，還有沙咀沿海，東至香港，西至廣州灣的許多島嶼。據傳當年張保仔藏寶地點眾多，上川島一帶島嶼就有十幾處，如鹽灶、七盤山、馬山、弓灣、石船咀、香爐洲和烏豬島等 。

香港的張保仔洞其一在長洲西南部，洞口趭約10呎，洞穴由入口至出口全長約88米，洞內非常黑暗及狹窄，地面濕滑，又凹凸不平，但於近年已加設了鋼梯，方便遊客進出洞穴。張保仔是清代嘉慶年間的著名海盜，活躍於粵東一帶，後來獲朝廷招安。根據傳說，現於長洲西灣崖邊的一個天然山洞，乃當年張保仔躲避朝廷追捕的藏身之所，也是他收藏寶藏的秘密地點之一。這個被後人稱之為張保仔洞的山洞，現今已毫無寶藏的痕跡。由於洞身狹窄，僅可供一人通過，因此遊客須從洞的一邊進入，再由另一邊離開。而要進入山洞，遊客亦須沿鐵梯而下，並要帶備電筒以供照明。在2012年，因風雨侵蝕導致洞口上其中一塊大石滑下，令洞入口變得更窄，遊客須更加小心。 儘管有不少人認為張保仔洞僅為後人穿鑿附會，惟該洞已經成為了長洲一處著名名勝，不少人在提起長洲歷史時，也會提起張保仔洞

( Explored : Jun 23, 2023 #163 )

Caves Beach is a locality on the Swansea peninsula between Lake Macquarie and the Pacific Ocean in New South Wales, Australia. It is part of the City of Lake Macquarie local government area. The locality is named for the large number of caves on the nearby coastline. It has a surfing beach which is popular with the local surfers. (Sourced from internet)

Pictured here is the largest one about 25 metres wide and with a ceiling of several metres high. At low tides, surfers and visitors can walk in and take shelter from the hot Australian sun, especially in summer. Anvil Rock is seen near the right centre.

This lone sentinel is located at the left of the Lovers Arch. It bears some resemblance of those stone statues at Easter Island.

The Hopewell Rocks are located in New Brunswick, Canada, within one hour of the nearest airport in Moncton, N.B.

An UNESCO site, the Hopewell Rocks, also called the Flower Pot Rocks or simply The Rocks, are rock formations caused by tidal erosion in The Hopewell Rocks Ocean Tidal Exploration Site in New Brunswick. Carved by melting glaciers, then sculpted by the world's highest and most artistic tides, these stacks stand 40–70 feet tall. They are located on the shores of the upper reaches of the Bay of Fundy at Hopewell Cape near Moncton.

Due to the extreme tidal range of the Bay of Fundy, the base of the formations are covered in water twice a day. The formations consist of dark sedimentary conglomerate and sandstone rock. The large volume of water flowing in to and out of the Bay of Fundy modifies the landscape surrounding it. Each day 160 billion tonnes of seawater flows in and out of the Bay of Fundy during one tide cycle, more than the combined flow of the world’s freshwater rivers! After the retreat of the glaciers in the region following the last ice age, surface water filtering through cracks in the cliff has eroded and separated the formations from the rest of the cliff face. Meanwhile, advancing and retreating tides and the associated waves have eroded the base of the rocks at a faster rate than the tops, resulting in their unusual shapes.

Because the Fundy Bay is funnel-shaped - wide and deep at one end and shallow at the other, tides are pushed increasingly higher as they move up the Bay. By the time they reach "The Rocks" they are over four stories high! Although the tides vary from day to day, the high tide can be as high as 16 metres (52ft) and an average of 10.7 metres (35ft), giving the Hopewell Rocks one of the highest average tides in the world.

We only had barely over an hour's time there because the tide was coming in very fast. Luckily the light was reasonably good.

Because of the extreme tidal actions, the water appears to be muddy, brick red in colour. Plants grow on top of the rock stacks - hence they are called Flower Pot Rocks.

(Explored: Dec 3, 2021 #124)

This image is included in 3 galleries :- 1) "Magical Dreamscapes" curated by Fadmaa, 2) "Sunset/Sunrise 28(893)" by DAN VARTANIAN and 3) "Sky" by Glass Angel.

Huangshan (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. Bright Top is one of the good places for viewing sunrises and sunsets.

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。黃山上觀日出的地點很多, 尤以光明頂最負盛名。

This image is included in 2 galleries:- 1) "BUTTERFLIES / PAPILLONS (3)" curated by dominiquesainthilaire (Namaki) and "Schmetterlinge" by BAKAWI.

This image is included in 3 galleries :- 1) "Water!!!" curated by Linnea Sw, 2) "WATER FEATURES" by Creamy Pet and 3) "Cascades, chutes, falls, water il all it's forms....." by Rick The Zoo.

The Toorongo Falls and Amphitheatre Falls are located in the Toorongo Falls Reserve close to Noojee and are two of the most beautiful waterfalls near Melbourne. Toorongo means wing of a bird or bulrush in the Woiwurrung dialet (Blake, Travis Easton).

The Toorongo Falls has an overall height of 48.7m and is 3-tiered, and the highest single drop is 19m. The Amphitheatre Falls is single-tiered and has an overall height of 7.7m.

The Toorongo Falls Reserve protects the two waterfalls on the Toorongo River and the Little Toorongo River in Gippsland. It is located approximately 6 kilometres north-east of the town of Noojee, approximately 100 kilometres east of Melbourne.

This was taken on an overcast morning. It looked like a 4-tiered falls to me.

This image is included in 5 galleries :- 1) "birds" curated by stephen cole 2) "Best of Birds G6" by dave hangover, 3) "Australia in Focus" by dave hangover, 4) "Cute Birds !!" by Linnea Sw and 5) "Rapaces et autres 1" by Yvonne Yvonne.

This image is included in a gallery "Coast" curated by Chris Boothman.

Facing Bass Strait, Sorrento Back Beach is one of the most photogenic parts of the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia. It is 62 km south of Melbourne and 8 km from Point Nepean at the end of the peninsula. The Sphinx Rock can be seen from a small rotunda called Coppin's Lookout.

This image is included in a gallery "People, Pets and Places" curated by Randy Lochner.

Upper Antelope Canyon, about 200m long, is a slot canyon in the American Southwest. It is on Navajo land east of Page, Arizona. Antelope Canyon includes two separate, scenic slot canyon sections, referred to individually as "Upper Antelope Canyon" or "The Crack" Antelope Canyon "or" The Corkscrew ". The Navajo name for Upper Antelope Canyon is Tsé bighánílíní, which means 'the place where water runs through rocks'. Lower Antelope Canyon is Hazdistazí (called "Hasdestwazi" by the Navajo Parks and Recreation Department), or 'spiral rock arches'. Both are in the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation.

Antelope Canyon's winding walls were carved by fast flowing flash flood waters. The floods carried abrasive sand, rocks logs and other debris picked up by the sudden torrents. Over millenia, these floods sculpted natural corridors through the soft sandstone. (sourced from internet)

This is a hand-held HDR.

This image is included in a gallery "by the sea" curated by Halina Larsson.

On the back beaches of Mornington Peninsula sits the Blairgowrie jumping rock, a jagged cliff perches over a turquoise rock pool at Bridgewater Bay. The sandstone arch is about 7 metre tall. At low tides, rock pools with turquoise water a few metre deep become apparent. A lot of adventurous people jump off the cliff into those rock pools. Looking beyond is Port Phillip Bay.

I went there on a windy Autumn morning. The winds were close to howling and white waves were incessantly attacking the shore and cliffs. I had to put a finger on the camera horseshoe to steady the set up despite a sturdy tripod was used. The shifting clouds made the landscape look atmospheric.

(Not explored)

This was taken on a cold, drizzly summer afternoon. The light was lacklustre and the tides were not conducive to facilitate any Blowhole activities. Looking beyond the horizon is Tasman Sea.

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 (created by immense pressure on alternating hard and soft layers of marine creatures and plant sediments), these form the main attraction of the area. The base of the limestone was laid down and formed between 25 million and 35 million years ago.

Stylobedding is the name given to the process which formed the pancake layering. The current theory on how this happens is that following the limestone being buried up to kilometre below the seabed, it comes under pressure dissolution and the thinner layers of mud between the limestone are dissolved more quickly than the limestone, when exposed. This leaves the effect of the Pancake Rock layers.

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.

This image is included in a gallery "Photo Gallery" curated by Ryan Walker.

The White-headed Pigeon is a large pigeon with a distinctive white head, neck and breast, which sometimes have an orange or greyish wash. The back, wings and tail are dark grey to black and the underparts are grey. The male has a metallic green or purple sheen, and the female often has a darker cap and is usually greyer. Young White-headed Pigeons resemble darker females. The eye ring is pink to dark red and the legs and feet are also pink-red. (birdlife Australia)