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Snowy Weekend in England -
Much of England experienced a touch of snow this weekend. Starting from midnight, heavy snowfall caused airport runways to close and prompted several warnings. While many woke up to snow-covered landscapes, others reported heavy rain, and some even enjoyed clear skies. Despite the weather, it was confirmed that the Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester United would proceed, though many matches in other leagues were postponed.
In my local area of Leicestershire, the morning brought thick fog and around 7-8 cm of snow covering everything. Having packed my camera bag the night before, I quickly had breakfast, cleared the snow off my car, and headed to Bradgate Park! However, upon arrival, I was met with an unexpected light sleet, and the melting snow hinted at insufficient cold to keep it frozen.
Still, I managed to capture a few shots! Two wide-angle photos showcase Bradgate Park and the River Lin partially covered in snow. My favorite little bird, the robin (or redbreast), saved the day with its generous poses. I hope the close-up shots of this curious bird, gazing at me with its black, inquisitive eyes while perched on the snow, catch your interest.
Wishing you all a lovely Sunday evening!
Robins and Winter Conditions
Robins (Erithacus rubecula), commonly found across Europe, are resilient birds but face significant challenges during winter, especially in snowy conditions. Here are some key points:
Struggle to Find Food:
Robins primarily feed on insects, worms, and berries, often foraged from the ground. Snow-covered landscapes limit their access to these essential food sources, making survival more difficult.
Increased Energy Needs:
Cold temperatures demand more energy to maintain body heat. If robins cannot meet this energy requirement, their chances of survival drop significantly.
Human Support:
People can aid robins by placing seeds, oats, berries, and dried fruits in bird feeders during the winter months. Providing fresh water is equally vital, as natural water sources may freeze.
Connection to Snow:
Robins become more visible against snowy backdrops due to their vibrant red breast, making them a favorite subject for photographers.
These challenges highlight the delicate balance of winter ecosystems and the need to support wildlife during harsh conditions.
I've captured some unforgettable moments with my camera, and I hope you feel the same joy viewing these images as I did while shooting them.
Thank you so much for visiting my gallery, whether you leave a comment, add it to your favorites, or simply take a moment to look around. Your support means a lot to me, and I wish you good luck and beautiful light in all your endeavors.
© All rights belong to R.Ertuğ. Please refrain from using these images without my express written permission. If you are interested in purchasing or using them, feel free to contact me via Flickr mail.
Lens - hand held or Monopod and definitely SPORT VR on. Aperture is f5.6 and full length. All my images have been converted from RAW to JPEG.
I started using Nikon Cross-Body Strap or Monopod on long walks. Here is my Carbon Monopod details : Gitzo GM2542 Series 2 4S Carbon Monopod - Really Right Stuff MH-01 Monopod Head with Standard Lever - Really Right Stuff LCF-11 Replacement Foot for Nikon AF-S 500mm /5.6E PF Lense -
Your comments and criticism are very valuable.
Thanks for taking the time to stop by and explore :)
This bird, which turned up on Great Cumbrae, has caused some confusion. At first it was thought to have been a Glaucous Gull, experts have now confirmed that it is in fact a first winter Iceland
As usual, any fungi IDs given are always tentative, not 100% confirmed. Rule is, if you are not an expert in mycology, do not pick wild mushrooms to eat! You could end up very sick, or worse.
Another gloomy day today, 13 September 2019, with a temperature of 14C just after noon. Yesterday, however, it was actually sunny, so I had to get out and make the most of it. It definitely feels and looks like fall. Snow is already being forecast for parts of Alberta. It will soon be time to get all-season tires off and winter tires put on.
Five days ago, on 8 September 2019, we had such a wonderful four and a half hours, searching for different kinds of fungi in the amazing forest on Rod Handfield's land, SW of Calgary. I believe this was our tenth visit - the first one I went on, being on 25 June 2009 - each one resulting in various different species. This last visit was so overwhelming! You didn't know which direction to face and which mushroom to photograph first. They were everywhere! Such a contrast to our visit on 6 August 2017, when basically there were no mushrooms (other than maybe three), because everywhere had been so very dry.
A day like this can be so exhausting, not just from the walking and fresh air, but also because of all the excitement. The quality of many of my photos is not the best, as the day was very overcast - the last thing one wants when trying to take photos deep in the forest. After leaving Rod's, it did rain. I had driven myself there instead of carpooling, so that I could drive some of the backroads in the area after we had finished. The forecast was for sun and cloud - and I had foolishly believed it. The rain put an end to my plans and I headed for home. I'm so glad I had checked a special little spot near Rod's first thing in the morning, when I got there a bit too early. A few years ago, there was a beautiful display of Fly Agaric / Amanita muscaria mushrooms growing there, but not since then whenever I have checked. To my absolute delight, there were maybe half a dozen, in different stages of development. Surprisingly, we didn't come across a single one in Rod's forest this year.
As always, thank you so much, Rod, for so generously allowing us to explore your property. This has been my favourite place to visit for quite a number of years now. We greatly appreciate your kindness - you are always so welcoming, and we learn so much and discover so many beautiful things. Thank you, Karel, for leading the group and helping with identifications. I'm sure at least some of us are anxiously waiting for you to have time, in between leading botany walks, to post some of your photos along with their IDs. Meanwhile, "fungus" has to be sufficient.
As usual, any fungi IDs given are always tentative, not 100% confirmed. Rule is, if you are not an expert in mycology, do not pick wild mushrooms to eat! You could end up very sick, or worse.
Another gloomy morning today, 13 September 2019, with a temperature of 14C just after noon. Yesterday, however, it was actually sunny, so I had to get out and make the most of it in the afternoon. It definitely feels and looks like fall. Snow is already being forecast for parts of Alberta. It will soon be time to get all-season tires off and winter tires put on.
Five days ago, on 8 September 2019, we had such a wonderful four and a half hours, searching for different kinds of fungi in the amazing forest on Rod Handfield's land, SW of Calgary. I believe this was our tenth visit - the first one I went on, being on 25 June 2009 - each one resulting in various different species. This last visit was so overwhelming! You didn't know which direction to face and which mushroom to photograph first. They were everywhere! Such a contrast to our visit on 6 August 2017, when basically there were no mushrooms (other than maybe three), because everywhere had been so very dry.
A day like this can be so exhausting, not just from the walking and fresh air, but also because of all the excitement. The quality of many of my photos is not the best, as the day was very overcast - the last thing one wants when trying to take photos deep in the forest. After leaving Rod's, it did rain. I had driven myself there instead of carpooling, so that I could drive some of the backroads in the area after we had finished. The forecast was for sun and cloud - and I had foolishly believed it. The rain put an end to my plans and I headed for home. I'm so glad I had checked a special little spot near Rod's first thing in the morning, when I got there a bit too early. A few years ago, there was a beautiful display of Fly Agaric / Amanita muscaria mushrooms growing there, but not since then whenever I have checked. To my absolute delight, there were maybe half a dozen, in different stages of development. Surprisingly, we didn't come across a single one in Rod's forest this year.
As always, thank you so much, Rod, for so generously allowing us to explore your property. This has been my favourite place to visit for quite a number of years now. We greatly appreciate your kindness - you are always so welcoming, and we learn so much and discover so many beautiful things. Thank you, Karel, for leading the group and helping with identifications. I'm sure at least some of us are anxiously waiting for you to have time, in between leading botany walks, to post some of your photos along with their IDs. Meanwhile, "fungus" has to be sufficient for most of them.
I confirmed Nadja, Eugenia and Erin. I also got to split Jordan, Rayna and Adele for their fashions. A little bummed that I didn't get Adele complete, but happy to have gotten the outfit. Might pick up Ayumi because I think she pairs well with Nadja. I wish they came with a vanity to complete their aesthetic.
Semaphore's importance as a communications centre was confirmed when a Telegraph and Post Office was established in 1856. The Time Ball Tower was erected in 1875 adjacent to the Signal Station. Before wireless time-signals were invented these towers were found at all main ports throughout the world. The district was very isolated until a precarious wooden bridge, later replaced by the Jervois Bridge, was opened in 1859. The
Semaphore Jetty was completed in 1860, but it was two years before the bridge and jetty were connected by a hardsurfaced road. (from www.seasidelights.com.au/au/sa/semaphore.asp?fState=SA)
Caputh wurde 1317 erstmals urkundlich erwähnt. Verglichen mit der Entwicklung benachbarter Orte ist es daher denkbar, dass bereits im 14. Jahrhundert auch in Caputh ein Sakralbau errichtet wurde. Hierzu liegen bislang jedoch keine gesicherten Erkenntnisse vor. Sicher ist, dass es im Jahr 1820 ein Bauwerk gab, das mittlerweile baufällig geworden war. Da die Einwohnerzahl wuchs, setzte sich die Kirchengemeinde für einen Neubau ein, der in den Jahren 1850 bis 1852 nach einem Entwurf Friedrich August Stülers errichtet wurde, Bauberater von König Friedrich Wilhelm IV von Preußen. Die Kirchenausstattung stammt einheitlich aus der Bauzeit und wurde vom König beeinflusst. Die Taufschale aus der Zeit um 1840 wurde aus Porzellan in der Königlichen Porzellan-Manufaktur nach einem Entwurf Karl Friedrich Schinkels in Berlin hergestellt. Zur weiteren Ausstattung gehören zwei klassizistische Leuchter mit Seilscheibenaufhängung.
Caputh was first mentioned in a document in 1317. Compared to the development of neighbouring villages, it is therefore conceivable that a sacred building was also erected in Caputh in the 14th century. However, there are no confirmed findings on this so far. What is certain is that in 1820 there was a building that had become dilapidated. As the number of inhabitants grew, the parish supported a new building, which was erected between 1850 and 1852 according to a design by Friedrich August Stüler, Architecture Consultant of King Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia. The church furnishings are uniformly from the construction period and were influenced by the king. The baptismal font from around 1840 was made of porcelain in the Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur in Berlin according to a design by Karl Friedrich Schinkel. Two neo-Classical chandeliers with rope wheel suspension belong to the further equipment.
The grey heron (Ardea cinerea) is the largest heron in Europe. It has a long neck, a strong, dagger-like bill and long yellow legs. In flight, the neck is folded back, and the wings are bowed. In adults, the forehead, sides of the head and the center of the crown are white, whereas in juveniles these are grayish. The sexes are similar in appearance.
The grey heron (Ardea cinerea) is a long-legged predatory wading bird of the heron family, Ardeidae, native throughout temperate Europe and Asia and also parts of Africa. It is resident in much of its range, but some populations from the more northern parts migrate southwards in autumn. A bird of wetland areas, it can be seen around lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes and on the sea coast. It feeds mostly on aquatic creatures which it catches after standing stationary beside or in the water or stalking its prey through the shallows.
Standing up to 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) tall, adults weigh from 1 to 2 kg (2 to 4 lb). They have a white head and neck with a broad black stripe that extends from the eye to the black crest. The body and wings are grey above and the underparts are greyish-white, with some black on the flanks. The long, sharply pointed beak is pinkish-yellow and the legs are brown.
The birds breed colonially in spring in "heronries", usually building their nests high in trees. A clutch of usually three to five bluish-green eggs is laid. Both birds incubate the eggs for around 25 days, and then both feed the chicks, which fledge when 7-8 weeks old. Many juveniles do not survive their first winter, but if they do, they can expect to live for about 5 years.
The grey heron is a large bird, standing up to 100 cm (40 in) tall and measuring 84–102 cm (33–40 in) long with a 155–195 cm (61–77 in) wingspan. The body weight can range from 1.02–2.08 kg (2 lb 4 oz–4 lb 9+1⁄4 oz). The plumage is largely ashy-grey above, and greyish-white below with some black on the flanks. Adults have the head and neck white with a broad black supercilium that terminates in the slender, dangling crest, and bluish-black streaks on the front of the neck. The scapular feathers are elongated and the feathers at the base of the neck are also somewhat elongated. Immature birds lack the dark stripe on the head and are generally duller in appearance than adults, with a grey head and neck, and a small, dark grey crest. The pinkish-yellow beak is long, straight and powerful, and is brighter in colour in breeding adults. The iris is yellow and the legs are brown and very long.
The main call is a loud croaking "fraaank", but a variety of guttural and raucous noises is heard at the breeding colony. The male uses an advertisement call to encourage a female to join him at the nest, and both sexes use various greeting calls after a pair bond has been established. A loud, harsh "schaah" is used by the male in driving other birds from the vicinity of the nest and a soft "gogogo" expresses anxiety, as when a predator is nearby or a human walks past the colony. The chicks utter loud chattering or ticking noises.
The grey heron has an extensive range throughout most of the Palearctic realm. The range of the nominate subspecies A. c. cinerea extends to 70° N in Norway and 66°N in Sweden, but otherwise its northerly limit is around 60°N across the rest of Europe and Asia eastwards as far as the Ural Mountains. To the south, its range extends to northern Spain, France, central Italy, the Balkans, the Caucasus, Iraq, Iran, India, The Maldives and Myanmar (Burma). It is also present in Africa south of the Sahara Desert, the Canary Islands, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and many of the Mediterranean Islands. It is replaced by A. c. jouyi in eastern Siberia, Mongolia, eastern China, Hainan, Japan, and Taiwan. In Madagascar and the Aldabra Islands, the subspecies A. c. firasa is found, while the subspecies A. c. monicae is restricted to Mauritania and offshore islands.
Over much of its range, the grey heron is resident, but birds from the more northerly parts of Europe migrate southwards, some remaining in Central and Southern Europe, others travelling on to Africa south of the Sahara Desert.
The grey heron is also known to be vagrant in the Caribbean, Bermuda, Iceland, Greenland, the Aleutian Islands, and Newfoundland, with a few confirmed sightings in other parts of North America including Nova Scotia and Nantucket.
Within its range, the grey heron can be found anywhere with suitable watery habitat that can supply its food. The water body needs to be either shallow enough, or have a shelving margin in it, which it can wade. Although most common in the lowlands, it also occurs in mountain tarns, lakes, reservoirs, large and small rivers, marshes, ponds, ditches, flooded areas, coastal lagoons, estuaries, and the sea shore. It sometimes forages away from water in pasture, and it has been recorded in desert areas, hunting for beetles and lizards. Breeding colonies are usually near feeding areas, but exceptionally may be up to eight kilometers (five miles) away, and birds sometimes forage as much as 20 km (12 mi) from the nesting site.
For more information, please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_heron
"Domesticated cats have been confirmed to prey on native animals, and surveys of catches have regularly occurred. In 2016, 29% of Australian households had a domesticated cat.
Feral cats are one of the major invasive species in Australia and have been linked to the decline and extinction of various native animals. They have been shown to cause a significant impact on ground-nesting birds and small native mammals. Feral cats have also hampered any attempts to reintroduce threatened species back into areas where they have become extinct, as the cats have simply hunted and killed the newly released animals... Cats in Australia have no natural predators except dingoes and wedge-tailed eagles, and as a result, they are apex predators where neither the dingo nor the eagle exists."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cats_in_Australia
As cat lovers, we had no idea how destructive and damaging cats were (in Australia) until we actually got cats. We try and be responsible and always keep them in over night and lure them inside before dusk and never let them out till after 9am (if possible, it's hard with small children running in and out of the house). Keeping them locked up 24/7 is just not feasible with our house design, and also feels a little cruel as well.
The image above shows our female cat catching what really is the largest meal she ever manages, a skink. I wish I could say the same for our ginger tabby who is an absolute killing machine...
Perhaps our cats days are numbered. We have official reports of three dingoes near our land, which have also seemed to have driven away the 'roos from the neighbouring national park. The park rangers are hoping that when camp sites reopen that this will drive the dingoes further back and signal the return of the roos. Time will tell...
Near Roxby Downs was the permanent water springs named Purple Well which was a source of conflict in the early years. In the early 1890s the managers of Arcoona and Andamooka stations fought over this water. Andamooka station won the fight and had a government survey which confirmed their ownership of the water. By 1900 parts of Arcoona and Andamooka leaseholds were unoccupied. Roxby Downs station was created out of these two runs in 1900 by Norman Richardson. He named it Roxby Downs after Roxby in QLD, near Coolangatta, where his first cattle came from. His new run had the Purple Well in it. It was the best country around with a sparse tree canopy of Mulga, Myall, native pine, native peach and native bushes, grasses and bulrushes around the lakes and water soaks, patches of claypans and good salt bush country. Richardson held Roxby for about ten years before selling the leasehold to W. H Greenfield who held it with his ancestors for decades. Eventually BHP bought the station leasehold for the development of Olympic Dam mine. They also bought the leaseholds for Purple Well/Downs run and Andamooka run but they have not operated the leaseholds as pastoral properties. In 2014 Kokatha Aboriginal people got Native Title to these territories and Kokatha Pastoral Company has an agistment Memoranda of Understanding with BHP to run several thousand cattle on the leasehold.
The Olympic Dam mine (and other Australian copper mines are the third largest copper deposit in the world and Olympic Dam the largest known single uranium deposit in the world. But as an operating mine Olympic Damn is not even in the world’s 20 biggest mines. Roughly 70% of the wealth comes from copper, 25% from uranium and the remaining 5% from silver and gold. Olympic Dam is crucial to the economy of South Australia. The dam at the site was named in 1956 when Melbourne was holding the Olympic Games but mining operations only began in 1988. It was started by Western Mining Corporations and taken over by its 49% partner BHP in 2005. BHP originally planned a major extension but shelved it soon afterwards. Today Olympic Dam is the fourth largest uranium mine in the world.
The town of Roxby Downs was surveyed in 1986 and established in 1987 to service the Olympic Dam mine. When being built all power, gas, phone and water lines were to be underground. Streets were curved and followed land
contours. The State Government Planning Department drew up plans for the library and education complex. Later a swimming pool, auditorium and indoor recreation facility were added. The government also built the Police Station, Ambulance Station, Medical Centre and Municipal offices. The town centre also included a hotel, large motel, bottle shop, supermarket and shopping centre. Grassed areas were established with a median strip in the main street and nearby an oval. The first houses were occupied in 1987 and a Mess and quarters for single workers followed soon after. Native vegetation was retained where possible and additional tree and shrub plantings made by the government Woods and Forest Department. Run off water was used to create a golf course with some green patches. The town is administered by an appointed government administrator with a local Council but no elections. The town had all the facilities expected in a town of its size despite its remote location. The water supply for the town is drawn from the Great Artesian Basin near Maree and it is piped 200 kms south to a desalination plant on the BHP leasehold. The official opening of the Olympic Dam mine was 5th November 1988. The airport was unable to cope with the number for aircraft flying in VIPs. A few months later the airport was under a metre of water from March 1989 rains- 320 mms fell in three days! But the runway on higher ground was not flooded. Australia, as Dorothy Mackellar wrote, has always been a land of drought and flooding rains.
Activities for Roxby Downs include a stroll around the Emu Walk a 3kms path around the town. Map available from Information Centre.
Check out the Bilby mural on the Radio Station which is in the Recreation Centre.
BHP has a 12 minute film in the Info Centre but we have to book a time.
History of Olympic Dam Copper mines.
This history is drawn from John Showers book entitled “Return to Roxby Downs.” Western Mining Corporation began searching for copper deep beneath the surface of this area in 1961. A small claypan in the area was named in 1956 Olympic Dam as Melbourne was hosting the Olympic Games. A drill hole made near the claypans in 1976 went 350 metres deep when it intersected a 38 metre thick seam of copper bearing rock and a later drill hole reached a seam 170 metres thick containing copper plus gold and silver. To exploit this find MWC joined forces with BHP to develop a mine. In 1979 the companies set about establishing a camp for 60 men, and an airstrip prior to further investigations and mining. John Showers had 4 months to make this happen and to select a site for a village, hopefully outside the Woomera restricted area as approvals from the Commonwealth government would delay proceedings. The site selected was on Andamooka station lands but changed when the Commonwealth government changed the boundaries of the Woomera Restricted Zone for the mining village. The village was to be south of the proposed mine in an area of sandhills with relatively tall Mulga trees and some Myall trees. Water was to come from the 12 mile dam on Andamooka Station which would be covered to lessen evaporation. Water still had to be available for the cattle on Andamooka Station. Longer term the company would have to build a pipeline from Woomera and take water from there which came by pipeline from Port Augusta (and the Morgan to Whyalla pipeline.) The Olympic Dam village next to the mine site took shape in 1980. Construction of a 72 kms road was approved 7kms east of Woomera to Roxby through the Restricted Area. The mining project got approval from the SA government in 1982 and had to proceed before 1987 unless more approvals were obtained. By 1984 there were 12 houses, 50 caravans and accommodation for 250 singles in the Olympic Dam Village. After all the planning and approvals mining began in early 1986. Once mining began the township of Roxby Downs was created to the south of Olympics Dam Mine and village. An area south of the Special Mining Lease was created as the Municipality of Roxby Downs.
In 2025 BHP announced a major expansion of the mining operations at Roxby Downs dependant on a new water supply which will probably be a water desalination plant near Whyalla. Over one billion dollars will be spent on this expansion, partly because the world price for copper is high as copper is an essential component of much of our electrical, plumbing and renewable energy production. To reduce road transport future copper will be railed from Pimba to Port Pirie for export. The Roxby mine expansion is meant to double production by early next decade. Accommodation at Olympic Dam site will be expanded for another 1,000 workers and the BHP workforce across the three copper mines- Roxby, Prominent Hill and Carrapateena mines is currently at 8,000 workers. These three BHP mines are the world’s third largest copper resource.
While not formally announced nor confirmed by Boeing, sources with in the company have confirmed with several reporters that the Queen's line will be dead in a couple of years as the company will be closing down the 747 line once the final orders that are on the books are delivered to UPS in the next two years.
Since the late 1960's this line has produced nearly 1600 aircraft in its half century of existence and produced seven different variants of the 747, the 747-100/200/300/400/400ER/SP/-8.
With this line being converted later, this is officially the death of the jumbo airplane production as a whole with the companies main rival, Airbus, shutting down its A380 jumbo line later this year.
There is only one first frame ever for a type, here we see RA001, with the registration of N7470, named the "City of Everett" as a nod to the city that it, and every following 747 was ever created in. She completed her first ever flight on February 9, 1969 and only served as a test aircraft for Boeing never seeing passenger service.
Here we see her in 2015 having just received a fresh coat of paint as the The Museum of Flight was getting building its new air park and she was spending her last few days out side with no protection.
Boeing Company
N7470
747-121 RA001(1/20235)
King County International Airport
February 2015.
R2315. A suburban station somewhere in Vienna, but can anyone tell me which one it is? I though that it might be Praterstern and my guess has been confirmed as correct.
The train is a 4030 Class EMU with the driving trailer 6030.212 leading. These trains were introduced in 1956 but by the end of 2004 they had all been withdrawn from service.
Thursday, 3rd June, 1965. Copyright © Ron Fisher 2025.
For the first time in my life I discovered supernova which was later confirmed by the spectrum www.wis-tns.org/object/2022bsi — SN 2022bsi is located in the galaxy NGC 5902 (in the Boötes constellation). More information about this:
On February 9, 2022, I found supernova candidate in the images of the CRTS (Catalina Real-Time Transient Survey). It was added www.wis-tns.org/object/2022bsi/discovery-cert to the TNS (Transient Name Server) on the same date.
On February 15, 2022, I obtained (by my request) photographs of this galaxy using remote telescope T21 (0.43-m f/6.8 reflector + CCD + f/4.5 focal reducer in Mayhill, New Mexico, USA) of iTelescope.Net, and I stacked these photos. This astronomical transient was clearly visible in the stacked image, indicating that it really exists; also on this date, information was added to the TNS about the detection of this SN candidate by ZTF_Bot1.
ZTF (Zwicky Transient Facility) light curve is available here lasair.roe.ac.uk/object/ZTF22aaajrdf/ It shows that the maximum brightness of about 19 mag was around February 20-21, 2022. On 2022-02-20 I obtained photos (with luminance filter, by my request) remotely using iTelescope T24 (0.61-m f/6.5 reflector + CCD in Sierra Remote Observatory at Auberry, California, USA). I am attaching the stacked image (9x300 sec. with mid time 11:46 UT).
On February 28, 2022, it was confirmed as a supernova and its type has been classified www.wis-tns.org/object/2022bsi/classification-cert as SN Ia-91bg-like according to the result of the analysis of the spectrum that was obtained at the Palomar 60-inch (1.5m) telescope.
The past (in August 2020) my discovery of transient (supernova candidate) was faint (fainter than 21 mag) AT 2020quo www.wis-tns.org/object/2020quo - I found it in the Pan-STARRS images during the International Asteroid Search Campaign (IASC) www.facebook.com/iasc.news/videos/494478235164682/ . But this has forever remained only in the status of an astronomical transient, because no one has obtained the spectrum of this object, but photometrically the existence of this has been confirmed by PS1_Bot1.
Also, in November 2019, I discovered two supernova candidates on digitized photographic plates: AT 1991bm www.wis-tns.org/object/1991bm in galaxy UGC 11180 and AT 1992bw www.wis-tns.org/object/1992bw in galaxy UGC 43, but they won't be confirmed as supernovae, so I am glad that the supernova SN 2022bsi has been confirmed by the spectrum.
Vanessa and Adele: Dealers
Mothership Dania: W Club Exclusive Event Doll
NOTE: This set was known for having ill-fitting hands & metal forearm pieces. A call to Patient Care was needed to request replacements.
Item # 91464
Retro Dimensional
Vanessa Perrin® Dressed Doll
The Fashion Royalty® Collection: RETROFUTURE
Expected Ship Date:
Late-Spring/Early Summer 2020
Suggested Retail Pricing:
$160.00
*ONLY AVAILABLE VIA IT DEALERS*
Edition Size: 1000
Head Sculpt: Vanessa 1.0
Body Type: FR 6.0
Foot Sculpt: High-heeled Foot
Skin Tone: Hungarian
Hair Color: Chocolate Brown
Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-applied
Quickswitch: No
Today brought the fifty-third confirmed bird species in the yard, not including flyovers. I saw a mysterious sparrow rummaging around in the underbrush earlier in the day, but eventually gave up on it. Fortunately it must have hung around, as some time later that evening it visited the pond in plain view and was very cooperative. Lincoln's sparrow, backyard Olympia.
7. pine-siskins
8. bushtits
11. brown creepers
12. crows
13. flickers
16. starlings
17. mourning doves
21. house finches
22. gold finches
26. stellar's jays
28. fox-sparrows
30. song-sparrows
31. house sparrows
34. varied thrushes
35. hermit thrushes
41. black-throated gray warblers
42. bewick's wrens
43. pacific wrens
44. cedar waxwings
46. cooper's hawks
47. lazuli buntings
48. hutton's vireos
50. western tanagers
53. lincoln's sparrows
Note (4.17): What I presume is the same Lincoln's sparrow came back for an evening bath.
Confirmed as "mammatus" clouds by the National Weather Service (San Diego). I don't recall having seen these beautiful clouds 'live'. To see them here seems unusual, but they were a welcome sight! If they were moving, it was imperceptible.
You can see the 'break' in the 'front', which I judged at 6 miles, and west towards the ocean. I don't know how far inland, but I suspect it went at least to the mountains 20 miles east.
The following day was overcast then clear, and today (May 12) is a beautiful sunny day with billowy clouds on the horizon, as cooler weather is the norm in California. Wonderful to have the return of great air quality.
We had come too far! Unbelievable. Consulting the GPS confirmed it. Wasted time and wasted energy. I was frustrated at the situation and at us not having consulted the GPS earlier but there was little time to waste being frustrated.
The cloud was beginning to rise and could be seen flowing out of the valley and over one of the ridges below. The sun was on its way up and was shining its first warmth of light on the peaks. Time was ticking away.
We turned around and followed the hard fought tracks back to find the ramp. Eventually we arrived and as I looked up I realised it was the same place that I had pointed out to Bruce on the walk up! Why hadn't I asked to look at the GPS when we were here the first time. My mind was ticking over on useless thoughts.
Time to refocus. We were finally here and I had been looking forward to this climb for a long time. It is meant to be the riskiest part of the North West Ridge and had been the site of numerous fatalities. I hoped though that preparations and decisions we had made so far would reduce the risk to an acceptable level, but nevertheless, that thought is always present.
To some extent it is that challenge of overcoming the fear and pushing on in spite of that fear that intrigues me. The psychological games that play over in your head that have the ability to change the outlook from one of fear to that of excitement and focus. This had been something I had worked on since my earlier climbing years.
I used to be fearful of performing badly in climbing competitions and felt a weight of expectation on me. As a result I found my hands sweating up and I would loose grip and fall. I eventually managed to turn that fear to excitement and my outlook totally changed from one of fear to enjoyment.
Despite all this, what happened next I had not seen coming...
(Ion and Conor can be seen on side of the ridge to the right of the shot heading back to the ramp)
Alignment of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is now complete. After full review, the observatory has been confirmed to be capable of capturing crisp, well-focused images with each of its four powerful onboard science instruments. Upon completing the seventh and final stage of telescope alignment, the team held a set of key decision meetings and unanimously agreed that Webb is ready to move forward into its next and final series of preparations, known as science instrument commissioning. This process will take about two months before scientific operations begin in the summer.
The alignment of the telescope across all of Webb’s instruments can be seen in a series of images that captures the observatory’s full field of view.
Read more: blogs.nasa.gov/webb/2022/04/28/nasas-webb-in-full-focus-r...
Image caption:
Engineering images of sharply focused stars in the field of view of each instrument demonstrate that the telescope is fully aligned and in focus. For this test, Webb pointed at part of the Large Magellanic Cloud, a small satellite galaxy of the Milky Way, providing a dense field of hundreds of thousands of stars across all the observatory’s sensors. The sizes and positions of the images shown here depict the relative arrangement of each of Webb’s instruments in the telescope’s focal plane, each pointing at a slightly offset part of the sky relative to one another. Webb’s three imaging instruments are NIRCam (images shown here at a wavelength of 2 microns), NIRISS (image shown here at 1.5 microns), and MIRI (shown at 7.7 microns, a longer wavelength revealing emission from interstellar clouds as well as starlight). NIRSpec is a spectrograph rather than imager but can take images, such as the 1.1 micron image shown here, for calibrations and target acquisition. The dark regions visible in parts of the NIRSpec data are due to structures of its microshutter array, which has several hundred thousand controllable shutters that can be opened or shut to select which light is sent into the spectrograph. Lastly, Webb’s Fine Guidance Sensor tracks guide stars to point the observatory accurately and precisely; its two sensors are not generally used for scientific imaging but can take calibration images such as those shown here. This image data is used not just to assess image sharpness but also to precisely measure and calibrate subtle image distortions and alignments between sensors as part of Webb’s overall instrument calibration process.
Credit: NASA/STScI
As usual, any fungi IDs given are always tentative, not 100% confirmed. Rule is, if you are not an expert in mycology, do not pick wild mushrooms to eat! You could end up very sick, or worse.
Another gloomy day today, 13 September 2019, with a temperature of 14C just after noon. Yesterday, however, it was actually sunny, so I had to get out and make the most of it. It definitely feels and looks like fall. Snow is already being forecast for parts of Alberta. It will soon be time to get all-season tires off and winter tires put on.
Five days ago, on 8 September 2019, we had such a wonderful four and a half hours, searching for different kinds of fungi in the amazing forest on Rod Handfield's land, SW of Calgary. I believe this was our tenth visit - the first one I went on, being on 25 June 2009 - each one resulting in various different species. This last visit was so overwhelming! You didn't know which direction to face and which mushroom to photograph first. They were everywhere! Such a contrast to our visit on 6 August 2017, when basically there were no mushrooms (other than maybe three), because everywhere had been so very dry.
A day like this can be so exhausting, not just from the walking and fresh air, but also because of all the excitement. The quality of many of my photos is not the best, as the day was very overcast - the last thing one wants when trying to take photos deep in the forest. After leaving Rod's, it did rain. I had driven myself there instead of carpooling, so that I could drive some of the backroads in the area after we had finished. The forecast was for sun and cloud - and I had foolishly believed it. The rain put an end to my plans and I headed for home. I'm so glad I had checked a special little spot near Rod's first thing in the morning, when I got there a bit too early. A few years ago, there was a beautiful display of Fly Agaric / Amanita muscaria mushrooms growing there, but not since then whenever I have checked. To my absolute delight, there were maybe half a dozen, in different stages of development. Surprisingly, we didn't come across a single one in Rod's forest this year.
As always, thank you so much, Rod, for so generously allowing us to explore your property. This has been my favourite place to visit for quite a number of years now. We greatly appreciate your kindness - you are always so welcoming, and we learn so much and discover so many beautiful things. Thank you, Karel, for leading the group and helping with identifications. I'm sure at least some of us are anxiously waiting for you to have time, in between leading botany walks, to post some of your photos along with their IDs. Meanwhile, "fungus" has to be sufficient.
Preliminary Webb science shows galaxies confirmed by spectroscopy to date back to less than 400 million years after the big bang. Spectroscopy refers to breaking light into its components to create spectra, which can be thought of as “barcodes.” On a "barcode," elements and molecules have characteristic signatures we can read.
Because the universe is expanding, the light from distant galaxies is stretched — or redshifted — into longer, infrared wavelengths. We can figure out galaxies’ distances by measuring how much the signatures of elements in their spectra have shifted due to this effect.
Without spectroscopy, it can be hard to confirm how far away a galaxy is, as closer galaxies can “masquerade” as distant ones. To search for the earliest galaxies, scientists looked for a distinct feature in spectra that required Webb’s unprecedented infrared sensitivity to observe.
Finding and confirming early galaxies is a continuous process, and Webb is just getting started. Many more distant galaxies are lined up for Webb to investigate. Read more: blogs.nasa.gov/webb/2022/12/09/nasas-webb-reaches-new-mil...
Note: Data is from Webb science in progress, which has not yet been peer reviewed.
In this image: his image taken by the James Webb Space Telescope highlights the region of study by the Webb Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES). This area is in and around the Hubble Space Telescope’s Ultra Deep Field. Scientists used Webb’s NIRCam instrument to observe the field in nine different infrared wavelength ranges. From these images, the team searched for faint galaxies that are visible in the infrared but whose spectra abruptly cut off at a critical wavelength. They conducted additional observations (not shown here) with Webb’s NIRSpec instrument to measure each galaxy’s redshift and reveal the properties of the gas and stars in these galaxies.
In this image blue represents light at 1.15 microns (115W), green is 2.0 microns (200W), and red is 4.44 microns (444W).
Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, and M. Zamani (ESA/Webb).
Credits: NASA, ESA, CSA, M. Zamani (ESA/Webb). Brant Robertson (UC Santa Cruz), S. Tacchella (Cambridge), E. Curtis-Lake (UOH), S. Carniani (Scuola Normale Superiore), JADES Collaboration
Image description: A close-up of hundreds of assorted galaxies on a black background. Their colors include white, yellow, orange and blue. Some are spirals, while others appear more like blobs or streaks. There are scattered stars, some with large eight-pointed spikes.
Webb confirmed the first detection of water vapor around a rare type of comet in the main asteroid belt. This suggests that water from the early solar system can be preserved in that region as ice — a breakthrough for studying the origins of water on Earth.
The comet, Comet Read, is called a main belt comet. This is a fairly new classification, and Comet Read was actually one of the original 3 comets to establish this category. Unlike most comets, found beyond the orbit of Neptune in the Kuiper Belt or the Oort Cloud, main belt comets reside in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. And unlike asteroids, they periodically display a halo and tail.
Comets get their distinctive halos and tails from frozen material vaporizing as they approach the Sun. Although comet-like objects were previously seen in the main belt, Webb has brought us the first definitive proof that water ice is creating that effect.
The successful detection of water came with another puzzle: Comet Read had no detectable carbon dioxide. (Carbon dioxide usually makes up 10% of a comet's volatile material.) Scientists theorize its carbon dioxide got lost over time due to the main belt's relatively warm temperatures, or it formed in an area where no carbon dioxide was available.
We don’t quite know how water got to Earth. According to the science team, understanding the history of water distribution in our solar system will in turn help us understand other planetary systems — and if they could be on their way to hosting an Earth-like planet.
Read more about these findings: go.nasa.gov/3W8Nd02
In this image:
This graphic presentation of spectral data highlights a key similarity and difference between observations of Comet 238P/Read by the NIRSpec (Near-Infrared Spectrograph) instrument on NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope in 2022 and observations of Comet 103P/Hartley 2 by NASA’s Deep Impact mission in 2010. Both show a distinct peak in the region of the spectrum associated with water. Finding this in Comet Read was a significant accomplishment for Webb, as it is in a different class of comets than Jupiter-family comets like Hartley 2, and this marks the first time that a gas has been confirmed in such a main belt comet. However, Comet Read did not show the characteristic, expected bump indicating the presence of carbon dioxide.
Credits: NASA, ESA, CSA, and J. Olmsted (STScI)
Alt text: Graph comparing the spectral data of Comet 238 P/Read and Comet 109 P/Hartley 2, highlighting the detection of water in both, and the absence of carbon dioxide in Comet Read.
Probably an Armillaria that is decaying in the freezing after autumn. Located in the forest "Scheveningse Bosjes" in The Hague, Netherlands.
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Tras una mañana extrañamente fructífera en circulaciones (y en grafitis, por supuesto) la tarde se presentaba muy bien porque en teoría venían hacia La Bureba dos trenes muy interesantes. De Irún había partido un bobinero de Captrain con destino en Trasona y procedente de Bilbao teníamos este mercancías de Medway que, por desgracia, traía muy poca carga. Tras un cálculo muy prudente. estimamos que hacia las cuatro y media de la tarde ambos trenes habrían pasado por Fuentebureba, el lugar elegido para fotografiarlos. Pero como de costumbre, las cosas no salieron como esperábamos. El día estaba siendo muy desagradable con un viento frío que se te metía hasta el tuétano así que la espera la sobrellevamos mejor dentro del coche. Pero vencidos por la impaciencia salimos al exterior por si aparecía alguno de los trenes. Tras pasar media hora infernal en el puente de Fuentebureba volvimos al coche y recibimos la información de que el tren de Medway llevaba cuarenta minutos detenido en Miranda de Ebro. Las sombras empezaban a invadir la vía así que, pasara lo que pasara, estaba descartada por completo la foto que teníamos en mente. Muy decepcionado, opté por volver a casa pero en el último momento me acordé de que en Cameno el sol aguantaría casi una hora más. Hacia allí me dirigí y tras una espera de casi media hora por fin pude fotografiar este tren en un punto que me encanta. Las nubes altas dominaban el cielo pero el paso del mercante coincidió con el predominio de la nube más oscura así que me marché con la idea de que la foto no me iba a gustar nada de nada. Editándola me di cuenta de que la cosa no había sido tan lamentable pero se volvió a confirmar que esta línea nunca regala nada.¿ Y el bobinero de Captrain? Bueno, ya volviendo a Bilbao lo vi pasar bastante antes de su llegada a Pancorbo así que en estas épocas en las que el sol se esconde tan pronto es evidente que en un ferrocarril tan penoso como el nuestro es facilísimo vivir situaciones como esta.
After a strangely fruitful morning in terms of traffic (and graffiti, of course), the afternoon was looking very good because, in theory, two very interesting trains were heading to La Bureba. A Captrain train had left Irún for Trasona and we had this Medway freight train coming from Bilbao, which, unfortunately, was carrying very little cargo. After a very cautious calculation, we estimated that at around half past four in the afternoon both trains would have passed through Fuentebureba, the place chosen to photograph them. But as usual, things did not go as we had hoped. The day was being very unpleasant with a cold wind that got into your bones, so we endured the wait better inside the car. But overcome by impatience we went outside in case one of the trains appeared. After spending a hellish half hour on the Fuentebureba bridge we returned to the car and received the information that the Medway train had been stopped for forty minutes in Miranda de Ebro. The shadows were beginning to invade the track so, whatever happened, the photo we had in mind was completely ruled out. Very disappointed, I decided to go back home but at the last moment I remembered that in Cameno the sun would hold out for almost another hour. I headed there and after waiting for almost half an hour I was finally able to photograph this train in a spot that I love. High clouds dominated the sky but the passage of the freight coincided with the predominance of the darkest cloud so I left with the idea that I was not going to like the photo at all. Editing it I realised that it had not been so unfortunate but it was confirmed once again that this line never gives anything away. And the Captrain steel freight? Well, on my way back to Bilbao I saw it pass by quite a while before it arrived at Pancorbo, so in these times when the sun sets so early it is obvious that on a railway as difficult as ours it is very easy to experience situations like this.
Preliminary Webb science shows galaxies confirmed by spectroscopy to date back to less than 400 million years after the big bang. Spectroscopy refers to breaking light into its components to create spectra, which can be thought of as “barcodes.” On a "barcode," elements and molecules have characteristic signatures we can read.
Because the universe is expanding, the light from distant galaxies is stretched — or redshifted — into longer, infrared wavelengths. We can figure out galaxies’ distances by measuring how much the signatures of elements in their spectra have shifted due to this effect.
Without spectroscopy, it can be hard to confirm how far away a galaxy is, as closer galaxies can “masquerade” as distant ones. To search for the earliest galaxies, scientists looked for a distinct feature in spectra that required Webb’s unprecedented infrared sensitivity to observe.
Finding and confirming early galaxies is a continuous process, and Webb is just getting started. Many more distant galaxies are lined up for Webb to investigate. Read more: blogs.nasa.gov/webb/2022/12/09/nasas-webb-reaches-new-mil...
Note: Data is from Webb science in progress, which has not yet been peer reviewed.
In this graphic: Using Webb’s NIRCam instrument, scientists observed the field in nine different infrared wavelength ranges. From these images (shown at left), the team searched for faint galaxies that are visible in the infrared but whose spectra abruptly cut off at a critical wavelength known as the Lyman break. Webb’s NIRSpec instrument then yielded a precise measurement of each galaxy’s redshift (shown at right). Four of the galaxies studied are particularly special, as they were revealed to be at an unprecedentedly early epoch. These galaxies date back to less than 400 million years after the big bang, when the universe was only 2% of its current age.
In the background image blue represents light at 1.15 microns (115W), green is 2.0 microns (200W), and red is 4.44 microns (444W). In the cutout images blue is a combination of 0.9 and 1.15 microns (090W+115W), green is 1.5 and 2.0 microns (150W+200W), and red is 2.0, 2.77, and 4.44 microns (200W+277W+444W).
Credits: NASA, ESA, CSA, M. Zamani (ESA/Webb). Brant Robertson (UC Santa Cruz), S. Tacchella (Cambridge), E. Curtis-Lake (UOH), S. Carniani (Scuola Normale Superiore), JADES Collaboration
Extended image description available here: stsci-opo.org/STScI-01GKSRHS8KWW78PY0ZRGREX8N5.pdf
One of the commoner Soldier Beetles in the UK, photographed on 9 May 2016 on the pendulous sedge by the pond in the garden. ID confirmed by Wil Heeney on Facebook.
"Position Confirmed", an oil painting by Ardell Bourgeois, on display at the Bomber Command Museum of Canada in Nanton, Alberta. The painting of a BATCP Harvard trainer is shown in front of the museum's Harvard.
I Always Heard About The Man Who Lived In Bldg 25.. And I Always Thought It Was Myth / Legend .. But I Encountered Him Yesterday While There.. Shit Was Intense To Say The Least. And Yeah He's REAL. Lives On The 2nd Floor And Ummmm YEAH.
New York City ©
I like to make personal arrangements for my dinners. So My Pre - Keystone is confirmed and set for 3-22-22 at Carrabba's Will I see you there?? It was a cold day but I wanted to show off a little. Do you like the view?
Don Valley Brick Works, Toronto Ontario The Don Valley Brick Works (often referred to as the Evergreen Brick Works) is a former quarry and industrial site located in the Don River Valley in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Don Valley Brick Works operated for nearly 100 years and provided bricks used to construct many well-known Toronto landmarks, such as Casa Loma, Osgoode Hall, Massey Hall, and the Ontario Legislature. Since the closure of the original factory, the quarry has been converted into a city park which includes a series of naturalized ponds, while the buildings have been restored and opened as an environmentally focused community and cultural centre by Evergreen, a national charity dedicated to restoring nature in urban environments. The Don Valley Brick Works was created in 1889 by the Taylor brothers. John Taylor and his brothers, William and George, had purchased the site in the Don Valley in the 1830s where they established a paper mill. While digging post holes to make a fence, William came across some good quality clay. He took a sample to a local brick works where it was confirmed that it would make a high quality brick. A quarry was soon established at the north end of the site and a brick making plant was built at the south end of the property near the Don River.
A confirmed exhibitionist that noisily announces its presence by mimicing cats meows or the calls of other birds. A very bold and aggressive bird that is known to take on much larger birds.
Sandhill Skipper (Polites sabuleti).
Yosemite National Park, California, USA.
May 26, 2014.
Thanks to Bruce RIpley for the ID. Since he wasn't 100% certain, I got a second opinion. BugGuide confirmed Bruce's ID. :-)
Check out Jay's new book, Southern Ontario Butterflies and their Natural History. :-)
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