View allAll Photos Tagged December2017
The Taj Mahal (/ˌtɑːdʒ məˈhɑːl/, more often /ˈtɑːʒ/; meaning Crown of the Palace) is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the south bank of the Yamuna river in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan (reigned from 1628 to 1658), to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The tomb is the centrepiece of a 17-hectare (42-acre) complex, which includes a mosque and a guest house, and is set in formal gardens bounded on three sides by a crenellated wall.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taj_Mahal
Date of visit: 9th December 2017
The American Kestrel is North America’s littlest falcon but “little” doesn’t mean trivial. This raptor is also one of the most colorful birds of prey. They are only about the size of a pigeon. In fact, on this particular morning I found this female kestrel perched on a platform, in a sports park, along with half a dozen pigeons. I might have easily overlooked her had she not suddenly dropped to the ground to pluck a cricket from obscurity. Even at a distance, her direct flight was so unpigeon-like as to alert me to her presence. It is rare to find a kestrel so tolerant to human presence, and I spent the better part of that day and the next watching and photographing her #AmericanKestrel
18th December 2017:
Having walked along the top road above the beach I turned inland and walked back home the long way.
Noticed a camper van parked by one of the hotels and took a photo of the logo on the back. I have since turned it to black and white and given it a boarder.
Something a bit different.
Better viewed large and thank you for your favourites. :O)
. . . Notice this Snowy Owl is looking almost straight at me, but yet his tail feathers indicate he is facing away from me! Because of an adaptation in owl's neck bones, they can rotate their heads almost 270 degrees. As far as I know, they do not do projectile vomiting, although an owl pellet might be considered a close second!
Have a great week Facebook, Flickr, and 500px friends!
I couldn't decide which card to send to everyone so you got three and you can choose which one you want!
Better viewed large and thank you for your favourites. :O)
Vancouver Public Library, Vancouver, Washington. I must (shamefacedly) admit that this is the first time I went in the building. A very nice building indeed, and I will return at other times of day to get different light.
A view of nighttime traffic on westbound I-670, on the south part of the KC Downtown Loop, as seen from the Baltimore Avenue bridge looking west toward Bartle Hall and the ramps to I-35 and Broadway.
10 second long exposure.
Kansas City, Missouri
Friday evening 1 December 2017
A man sitting behind a stall full of various items and lucky charms near the Jizodo, a subtemple of the Chuson-ji temple complex at Hiraizumi, Japan.
A man walks out of a (n empty by 8:00!) fish store at the Mutsuminato Ekimae Asaichi, a vibrant morning market that has served the kitchens of Hachinohe ever since the end of World War II.
Road bridge over Royal Canal and Railway at Broombridge, Dublin, Ireland
Passenger services commenced on 9 December 2017 on the new Luas Cross City Tram route from St. Stephen's Green to Broombridge, Dublin, Ireland. The route links up the existing Green and Red lines.
I was fortunate to make the journey on the very first Tram from St. Stephens Green to Broombridge. I then got off and we went for a stroll. I took a later Luas Tram back.
Something bugging you? Just eat it!
North America’s smallest falcon, the American Kestrel, drops to the ground to grab a tasty morsel or two. Aside from insects, these small birds of prey also hunt mice, moles, and small birds, and even the occasional lizard. #AmericanKestrel
Having your personal items taken by a stranger can be very disturbing. So, imaging our surprise when a few friends and I were out photographing beautiful owls and it happened! We were concentrating so hard on our subjects that we didn’t even notice that a young merlin had taken a liking to my good friend’s Grand Cherokee. Now, anyone who knows merlin, also knows just how skittish these little raptors are. In fact, I can say that I’ve never had a decent photograph of this elusive bird of prey. Yet, once we noticed her, we approached in awe. She stood defiantly over the door of the elegant Jeep and refused to give it up, eventually hopping into the front seat and driving off. Perhaps there is a lesson to be learned but I have yet to unravel its mystery. The only thing I do realize is that this feathered carjacker can be observed more closely, not by bating, but by leaving a Jeep unattended, with the door open. #Merlin
Lots of birds in the garden today, because we have no cover (it's a new and bare patch with a fresh bright fence) they move very quickly and I get more misses than hits on sharpness
Merry Christmas, Tingle, I see you're back from the North Pole again
That's right, Faith, so you better behave I'm reporting back to Santa nightly, you know...
You sound like a big tattletale!
There are many rules, written and unwritten, regarding photographic composition. Of course, the eternal iconoclast doesn’t always want to follow those rules. In general, the eye is drawn to items in a photo that are in focus. They eye is also drawn to brighter objects in an image, and with rare exception, to written words. If a background is too distracting it draws the eye away from the main subject, but the background also puts the main subject into perspective, adding lines of unwritten text to an unwritten story. So when the main subject and brighter object are not one and the same, or when the background is more complex, a battle ensues for attention. Some find it a distraction. I find it to be a delightful feast for the mind and eye. A closer view of this ipswich sparrow might be interesting but the perspective gained in a wider view adds spice to a delicate recipe to feast the eye. #Ipswich Sparrow
Still cleaning out my USB key and external hard disc and came across this bench down at the Port. Can't remember if I've used it or not, but Happy Bench Monday all the same.
Maybe better viewed large, but thank you for your favourites. :O)
Extreme Cold Warning - A period of very cold wind chills is expected. Wind chill values of minus 30 or below are occurring this morning
One of four photos taken this morning from different balconies on the 34th floor of our condo building. It feels like -28 C in Toronto, and you can see steam rising from the lake. Thanks for visiting, enjoy your day!
Cleaning out some old photos and found this from 2015.
bout time it got used!
Better viewed large and thank you for your favourites. :O)
. . . The lagoons at the Muskegon Wastewater Treatment Plant are starting to freeze, so that means there is safe refuge for the Snowy Owls on the thin ice. There are enough ducks still around that the owls can find food as well.
I just know I don't want to sit out here all day with today's winds and snow! Have a great week Facebook, Flickr, and 500px friends!
. . . Here's a bit of owl behavior I have never photographed before, this Snowy Owl appeared to be "retching" and kept it up for a good 5 minutes, but nothing ever came up!
In reality, this is common with all owls that they cough out undigested bones and fur of the small mammals that they have eaten. These "owl pellets" can then be analyzed to see exactly what has been in the owls diet.
Have a great week Facebook, Flickr, and 500px friends! And stay warm!
I took this last Sunday morning when the weather improved and gave me some lovely light.
I feel sorry for the chalet holders this year. The weather has been dreadful and I'm sure they aren't doing a great deal of trade.
The Christmas Market goes on until the end of the month, so maybe trade will pick up - if the weather does ...
Better viewed large and thank you for your favourites. :O)
Road bridge over Royal Canal and Railway at Broombridge, Dublin, Ireland
Passenger services commenced on 9 December 2017 on the new Luas Cross City Tram route from St. Stephen's Green to Broombridge, Dublin, Ireland. The route links up the existing Green and Red lines.
I was fortunate to make the journey on the very first Tram from St. Stephens Green to Broombridge. I then got off and we went for a stroll. I took a later Luas Tram back.