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This is the eastern edge of the Syrian desert that the Iraqis call the Western Desert. It is also described as a plateau and historically has been the home to various Bedouin tribes. I have mentioned before that I went to Syria quite by accident when I planned a trip to go to Petra. Syria became my favorite country when I compared my experience there to the time I spent in Jordan and Lebanon.
Recently our Public Broadcasting station aired a movie/documentary on Gertrude Bell. I was enthralled. Have you heard of her? She was a British woman born to an aristocratic family in 1868, She evolved into one of the most extraordinary women of her time.
Her story begins when was invited to Iran by an uncle and fell in love with "the east." So much so that she embarked on many excursions there. She eventually stayed in Iraq permanently after WWI ended. She began her trips though the region by exploring the Syrian desert after asking her father for enough gold to hire a caravan of a dozen or more camels and servants to take her on her journey. Her first journey turned into many more.
Not only did she brave the harsh elements of the desert, but she learned Arabic and the ways of the Bedouins, Their world became hers. She was accepted because the men thought of her as one of them. The English government eventually saw her as a huge asset when WWI engulfed the region. She was deemed an expert and she was recruited to help them occupy the area of Iraq that they had conquered during the war. Ms. Bell reinvented herself as a diplomat and then as an archaeologist who helped the people of Iraq set up their first museum.
In the end, she expressed her conflicted views of her country's involvement in the far away land. Should they be there? What were they accomplishing? She was fully aware of the business interests that the West began to have in the area. America and Europe saw oil reserves and knew it was the commodity needed to control the new age of automobiles and airplanes. This was not why she had chosen Iraq as her home and did not like to see the people she had grown to love be exploited.
Gertrude Bell died in 1926 of an overdose of sleeping pills in Iraq. She left behind the photos she had taken, the brilliant letters that she wrote to her family back in England and a place in the history books as the woman who helped create the Middle East we know today.
The film, "Letters from Baghdad" incorporates her marvelous photos along side of moving pictures taken of the area. When I saw one photo, I thought, " I have seen this landscape before." (Devoid, of course, of the cafe sign.) I must say a feeling of great wonderment came over me, pondering the fact that unknowingly, I had in some MINOR way, followed the a route of this intrepid adventurous woman.
-Ultron32 describing [Like Father, Like Son] by
A Plastic Infinity.
This is part of a building game the tagged builders played for fun that is
similar to Symphony
of Construction , but uses captions rather than musical compositions
for a more laid-back execution. This is the middle of the three resulting
builds.
Also, the photo is terrible. excuse that. Better pics comign soon. or not. I dunno. My Photo setup is just a piece of paper and a lamp anyways.
The caption given by Thomas of Tortuga to this build inspired A Bumpy Ride by Hacim ...
The best way to describe Hong Kong is a city of contrasts:
Where East meets West,
Where Rural areas meet Urban Areas
Where Mountains (hills in strictly speaking) meet Beaches
Where Rich meet Poor,
etc..
This is most probably the last (at least until my next visit) in my short series of images illustrating the contrasts found in Hong Kong. It is also perhaps my favourite.
Where Land meets Sea.
Without the large container ships in the mid-ground, one would struggle to identify it as Hong Kong. Yet, despite all the concrete and high-rise it is indeed possible to find scenes of natural beauty.
The islands pictured on the horizon, are outside the territory of Hong Kong and are some 35km away. The visibility on this particular afternoon on High West was exceptionally good and is very very rare during the Winter Monsoon - more on this topic in future posts.
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Described as having olive-green upper parts, yellow underparts and a white lower belly. It has a small chestnut-brown cap (not shown here). Its gray hood extends to back, eye-ring is white. It does not wag its tail. Bird was fairly cooperative and quiet while refueling its small body.
Kanaan Naankuse is described as the highlight of the D707, because of its diverse scenery between the Tiras Mountains and the beautiful red Namib dune belt.
Newly described Bobtail Squid
Euprymna brenneri
Location: Okinawa-Japan
Found: Kadena steps
Depth: 45feet at night
Size: 35mm
Are you using my flickr photos as a reference guide to help identify your finds? If so please consider making a contribution. Help Me Make The Difference
www.patreon.com/MakeTheSwitch4Nature
Mission: To Protect & Preserve The Wildlife of The Ryukyu Islands for Further Generations
Learn more about this squid @ www.nature.com/articles/s42003-019-0661-6
- dilated eyes due to using the Light&Motion sola 1200 red light
Learn more
Equipment: Nikon D500 60.0 mm f/2.8
Nauticam underwater housing
2 Sea & Sea YS-D2J Underwater Strobe
- -custom diffusor -
Light&Motion
- - - Sola red light 1200
# Know your nature with Shawn Miller
Described by Goethe as a "sublimely towering, wide-spreading tree of God" and by Victor Hugo as a "gigantic and delicate marvel", the Strasbourg Cathedral is visible far across the plains of Alsace. It can be seen from as far off as the Black Forest or the Vosges Mountains. The reddish-brown sandstone from the Vosges mountains gives the cathedral its distinctive colour.
...Describe your sorrows and desires, the thoughts that pass through your mind and your belief in some kind of beauty - describe all these with heartfelt, silent, humble sincerity and, when you express yourself, use the Things around you, the images from your dreams, and the objects that you remember. If your everyday life seems poor, don’t blame it; blame yourself; admit to yourself that you are not enough of a poet to call forth its riches; because for the creator there is not poverty and no poor, indifferent place. And even if you found yourself in some prison, whose walls let in none of the world’s sounds – wouldn’t you still have your childhood, that jewel beyond all price, that treasure house of memories? Turn your attentions to it. Try to raise up the sunken feelings of this enormous past; your personality will grow stronger, your solitude will expand and become a place where you can live in the twilight, where the noise of other people passes by, far in the distance. - And if out of this turning-within, out of this immersion in your own world, poems come, then you will not think of asking anyone whether they are good or not. Nor will you try to interest magazines in these works: for you will see them as your dear natural possession, a piece of your life, a voice from it. A work of art is good if it has arisen out of necessity. That is the only way one can judge it.
Rainer Maria Rilke
describes the theoretical moment where all judgments about the existence of the external world, and consequently all action in the world, are suspended
Described as one of the more dangerous airports to land at because the 5,500-foot runway is not really that hard to land at, but the city's main street intersects with the runway and has to be closed when a plane lands.
The short runway also abruptly ends at the Sea on both ends, forcing pilots to hit the brakes immediately after landing.
In 1912, physicist Theodore von Kármán first described a process that makes long, spiraling cloud patterns in the sky. These so-called "von Kármán vortices" arise when winds are diverted around a blunt, high-profile area, often an island rising from the ocean. The alternating direction of rotation in the air forms swirls in the clouds.
Satellites regularly spot these wind and cloud patterns around the world. On May 24, 2017, the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the Suomi NPP satellite captured a natural-color image of such swirls on the lee side of Guadalupe Island. The volcanic island rises from the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Baja California, Mexico.
Image credit: NASA Earth Observatory images by Joshua Stevens and Jesse Allen, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey and VIIRS data from the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership
Cartell describes it as a van, so maybe the side windows are a later addition?
Both with wipers parked on the screen! Justification for it in my case was that I had to replace the blades, and they have to be parked like that to get them out.
This photo is dedicated to lovely Lisa {lisa.anne}.
Lisa's photo stream is just beautiful!! Her photos look like nice prints that you find in magazines! I admire her photo tones, the artistry of her photo presentations and her gorgeous portraits. Her beauty runs in the family!! hehe :) See for yourself.
Lisa, thank you so much for stopping by my photo stream often! It means a lot to me.
One Architectural critic has described the Renzo Piano Central St Giles building as a 'Marmite' building, i.e. people will either love it or hate it. The bold use of colour is certainly a good way to break up what would've been an enormous building if the facade had all been the same.
More Renzo Piano building here : www.flickr.com/photos/darrellg/sets/72157626298255851
From Wikipedia : "Central Saint Giles is a mixed-use development in central London. Built at a cost of £450 million and completed in May 2010, it was designed by the Italian architect Renzo Piano and is his first work in the UK. The development consists of two buildings of up to 15 storeys in height, arranged around a public courtyard lined with shops and restaurants. It is chiefly notable for its façades, covered with 134,000 glazed tiles in vivid shades of green, orange, lime and yellow. It has attracted a number of high-profile tenants including NBCUniversal, MindShare and Google."
My Website : Twtter : Facebook
Legend describes a group of Cornish maidens who were turned to stone for daring to dance on a Sunday. So, when visiting Cornwall, probably best to observe local customs as punishment for failing to do so seems a little on the harsh side!
The best way I can describe this area of Minnesota so far is the Alaskan interior with more houses and Maine with more trains. To that end here's BNSF's Rapids Turn from Superior evoking 1991 plus air conditioning as they pull up to the north end of the yard at Cloquet preparing to set off for the SAPPI mill. This former Great Northern line serves as a conduit for BN's inferior ore trains and has some searchlights along the way as well.
Christ is described at Chora as "Land of the Living"
[Χώρα των ζώντων]
music:
The famous byzantine Lamentations of the Tomb of Christ, sung during the Matins of Holy and Great Saturday (Holy Friday evening). The official name of the hymns is "Εγκώμια", which is greek and means "Praises". The Praises (although considered being hymns of lament) are chanted in Plagal 1st and 3rd Tones, which are actually used for chants intended for triumphant occasions. On this performance parts of all three Staseis of the Praise are chanted. Note that in the beginning of each part, the second verse is chanted in arabic.
Title: "Εγκώμια - Α' Στάσις / Β' Στάσις / Γ' Στάσις" (Praises - 1st / 2nd / 3rd Stasis)
Service: Holy and Great Saturday Matins
Performers: Greek Byzantine Choir
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photo:
Parekklesion [funerary chapel] of the
Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora, Istanbul
www.columbia.edu/cu/wallach/exhibitions/Byzantium/html/bu...
Chora Museum, Chora Monastery (Contantinople)
Μονή της Χώρας, Μουσείο Χώρας, Κωνσταντινούπολη
Ἐκκλησία του Ἅγιου Σωτῆρος ἐν τῃ Χώρᾳ
The Church of the Holy Redeemer in the Fields
Church of the Holy Saviour in the Country
Kariye Müzesi, Kariye Camii, Kariye Kilisesi, Istanbul, Turkey
"The funerary chapel contains prefigurations of the Virgin and Themes of Resurrection and Judgment. Like the narthexes, the program of the parekklesion is divided between the Virgin and Christ. Here, however, the overriding theme is Salvation, befitting a funeral chapel. The western domed bay is devoted to the Virgin; the upper walls represent Old Testament prefigurations of the Virgin, emphasizing her role in Salvation. The eastern bay is devoted to the Last Judgment. The complex program of the chapel culminates in the conch of the apse, where the Anastasis (Harrowing of Hell) is represented, flanked by scenes of resurrection. Unlike the narthexes and the naos, the parekkelsion is decorated with frescoes."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chora_Church
www.columbia.edu/cu/wallach/exhibitions/Byzantium/
www.byzantium1200.com/chora.html
www.sacred-destinations.com/turkey/istanbul-st-savior-in-...
www.doaks.org/library-archives/icfa/moving-image-collecti...
Crib Goch is described as a "knife-edged" arête in the Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd, Wales. The name means "red ridge" in the Welsh language.
The highest point on the arête is 923 metres (3,028 ft) above sea level. All routes which tackle Crib Goch are considered mountaineering routes in winter or scrambles in summer—meaning that they must cross "graded territory" as defined in Steve Ashton's Scrambles in Snowdonia. The easiest of these lines (the ‘bad step’ part of the route) is given a scrambling grade of Grade 1 (the most difficult being Grade 3—routes more difficult than Grade 3 are considered rock climbs).
The species was first described by the German naturalist Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber on the basis of an illustration in his 1777 publication Die Säugethiere in Abbildungen nach der Natur mit Beschreibungen. Schreber named the cat Felis uncia and gave its type locality as Barbary, Persia, East India, and China. In 1854, the British zoologist John Edward Gray proposed the genus Uncia, to which he subordinated the snow leopard under the name Uncia irbis. British zoologist Reginald Innes Pocock corroborated this classification, but attributed the scientific name Uncia uncia. He also described morphological differences between snow leopards and the then-accepted members of Panthera.
The snow leopard is part of the Panthera lineage, one of the eight lineages of Felidae. This lineage comprises the species of Panthera and Neofelis. The Neofelis lineage diverged first remainder of the Felinae (see figure). Subsequent branching between the snow leopard and clouded leopard began two to three million years ago, but the details of this are disputed. A 2006 phylogenetic study by Warren E. Johnson (of the National Cancer Institute) and colleagues, based on nDNA and mtDNA analysis, showed that the leopard is sister to two clades within Panthera – one consisting of the tiger and the snow leopard, and the other of the lion and the jaguar. This was seconded by a 2009 study by Lars Werdelin and colleagues. However, the results obtained in a 2010 study by Brian W. Davis (of the Texas A&M University) and colleagues and a 2011 study by Ji H. Mazák (of the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum) and colleagues showed a swapping between the leopard and the jaguar in the cladogram.A 2016 study indicates that, at some point in their evolution, snow leopards interbred with lions, as their mitochondrial genomes are more similar to each other than their nuclear genomes. From this research, it is indicated that a female hybrid offspring of male ancestors of modern snow leopards and female ancestors of modern lions interbred with the male ancestors of modern snow leopards.
The snow leopard is distributed from the west of Lake Baikal through southern Siberia, in the Kunlun Mountains, in the Russian Altai mountains, Sayan and Tannu-Ola Mountains, in the Tian Shan, across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan to the Hindu Kush in eastern Afghanistan, Karakoram in northern Pakistan, in the Pamir Mountains, and in the high altitudes of the Himalayas in India, Nepal, and Bhutan, and the Tibetan Plateau. In Mongolia, it is found in the Mongolian and Gobi Altai Mountains and the Khangai Mountains. In Tibet, it is found up to the Altyn-Tagh in the north.
Potential snow leopard habitat in the Indian Himalayas is estimated at less than 90,000 km2 (35,000 sq mi) in the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh, of which about 34,000 km2 (13,000 sq mi) is considered good habitat, and 14.4% is protected. In the beginning of the 1990s, the Indian snow leopard population was estimated at roughly 200–600 individuals living across about 25 protected areas.
In summer, snow leopards usually live above the tree line on mountainous meadows and in rocky regions at altitudes from 2,700 to 6,000 m (8,900 to 19,700 ft). In winter, they come down into the forests to altitudes around 1,200 to 2,000 m (3,900 to 6,600 ft). Snow leopards prefer rocky, broken terrain, and can travel without difficulty in snow up to 85 cm (33 in) deep, although they prefer to use existing trails made by other animals.
Spotted this elusive predators in ladakh
Snow leopard in Ladakh
Global warming has caused the tree line to be increased in altitude, resulting in the decrease of wild prey that depend on the plants for food.
I can not describe a person I do not know or have seen in my life.
I was sitting on a terrace in a square in San Sebastian where a group of musicians entertained the aperitif.
At the end of his performance this man appeared from I do not know where, greeting the audience with his hand between the applause of the respectable and left.
Meanwhile, I was shooting with a camera comfortably sitting in the shade without knowing who I was photographing.
It is possible that it is someone very well known in the area. I dont know. If someone can inform me, I will be very grateful.
It's a "stolen" photo and maybe I'm getting into a mess, but for me it's just one of the many photos I have in my files and that one day, it occurred to me to edit it to see if I could get something decent.
I liked the result and there it is. Nothing else.
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No puedo describir a una persona que ni conozco ni había visto en mi vida.
Estaba sentado en una terraza en una plaza de San Sebastián donde un grupo de músicos amenizaba el aperitivo.
Al terminar su actuación este señor apareció de no sé donde, saludo a la audiencia con la mano entre los aplausos del respetable y se fue.
Mientras, yo iba disparando con cámara cómodamente sentado a la sombra sin saber a quién fotografiaba.
Es posible que sea alguien muy conocido en la zona. No sé. Si alguien puede informarme, le estaré muy agradecido.
Es una foto "robada" y quizá me estoy metiendo en un lio, pero para mí solo es una de tantas fotos que tengo en mis archivos y que un día cualquiera, se me ocurrió editarla a ver si sacaba algo decente.
Me gustó el resultado y ahí está. Nada más.
say what's the first word comes to your mind when you take a look at my photostream ..& I'll say the same about you as a reply :)))
Photos reflect a big part of our cultures, personalities & behaviors :)
Coimbra, Portugal - March 2023
Anyone that knows me, knows that I hate to describe photos but please bear with me on this one.
I was in a cafe enjoying some lunch when I saw the band of student merrymakers coming down the street. I quickly grabbed my camera and took a shot.
"Damn, I forgot to turn my Leica shutter speed from OFF to 1/250th" when I fired the shutter.
The student with her hand coming at me then decided to give me a lecture about Portuguese law and privacy and that I had no right taking their photos.
Turns out, the law states that you can't take their "portrait" without their permission or something like that. So I argued with her for a few minutes and then just gave up and finished my lunch. I didn't want to wind up in Portuguese prison after all, especially in a country that I'm trying to establish residency.
I got on WhatsApp and texted my Portuguese photography friend and he said, "Just move along and pay them no mind. You won't be going to prison. That is the law but move along."
When I found the image on the contact sheet you can only imagine how long over exposed the frame would be. So I tried to fix it in the darkroom. The result is the best I could do with it.
I kind of really like the movement and the mysterious-ness of it.
Any words you describe love?
There are many words to describe the love
What is your opinion of floor occasion worthy of love??
ممكـن تحطون اخر صوركم بس ياليت
ماتكون كبيره ياااربت واتـــكـــــووون
في 188pix 250
ღhope u like itღ
Described by the manufacturer as All new except for reconditioned trucks using a Cat 3512 engine and Kato generator .Seen at West Colton and headed for thr Pacific Harbor Lines in the ports of LA and Long Beach. Apologies for the floodlight out of the roof I don't have photoshop
“THE WET” AND “THE DRY” IN THE NORTHERN AUSTRALIAN TROPICS
The Northern Tropics of Australia in the Darwin region are described as having only 2 seasons – the “wet season” (or simply “The Wet”)(broadly November to April) and the “dry season” (or simply “The Dry”) (May to October). There is no local designation of Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, although it should be noted that some ancient local indigenous calendars describe up to 8 seasons, categorised by not only weather but also flowering and fruiting of edible plants, appearance of migratory animals as food sources, river heights, etc.
While Europeans settled Darwin in the 1860s, indigenous Australians have occupied the area for at least 40,000 years.
In broad terms, the main differences between the Wet and the Dry relate to humidity levels, prevailing wind direction, and (as the names imply) rain, or the absence of rain.
Darwin has no frost, no snow and no hail.
Darwin is also largely flat and unelevated, with few locations exceeding 30 metres above sea level.
Darwin is located 12 degrees south of the equator, in the middle of the cyclone belt.
THE WET – NOVEMBER TO APRIL
During the Wet, temperatures range from a minimum of 27 – 28C overnight (sometimes not dropping below 30C) and 34 – 36C during the day. Humidity levels are in the range of 75 – 95%.
The prevailing monsoon wind direction is from the North West (i.e. from the Timor Sea), except during the frequent storms, which normally come from the South East.
Cyclones (the local name for a typhoon or hurricane) also form during the Wet as part of monsoon trough activity. The wind from a cyclone can come from any direction, depending on the relationship between the cyclone’s eye and the observer’s position.
Rainfall during the Wet approaches 2,000 mm; with the record for a 6 month Wet season period being 3,000 mm. It should be noted that due to quite obvious climatic changes these totals have not been reached in recent years and this may herald a permanent change to the local climate.
In January 2021 Darwin had 750 mm of rain, about average.
Sea temperature during the Wet is around 32C.
THE DRY – MAY TO OCTOBER
During the Dry, temperatures range from a typical minimum of 20 - 21C overnight (on rare occasions dropping to 16C) and 30 -31C during the day. Humidity levels are in the range of 10 - 30%.
The prevailing wind direction is from the South East (i.e. from the direction of the Great Australian Desert); with an occasional light North West sea breeze rising in the late afternoon.
There is virtually no rain between April and October.
Because of the absence of rain, a high bushfire danger exists throughout the area during the Dry, with the highest risk occurring in August and September, before the next Wet season storms occur. During these months, the humidity is very low and the South East winds are at their strongest – up to 30 knots (around 55 km/hr).
Bushfire smoke blows out to sea and causes spectacular sunset effects.
Salento is a geographic peninsula and a cultural isle. It is at the end of the administrative region of Apulia in Southern Italy. It is a sub-peninsula of the Italian Peninsula, sometimes described as the "heel" of the Italian "boot".
Pygmalionism, (from the myth of Pygmalion) which describes a state of love for an object of one's own creation.
Pygmalionism is a love attraction to a statue, doll, mannequin...
Pygmalion was a legendary figure of Cyprus. Though Pygmalion is the Greek version of the Phoenician royal name Pumayyaton, he is most familiar from Ovid's Metamorphoses, X, in which Pygmalion is a sculptor who falls in love with a statue he has made.
In Ovid's narrative, Pygmalion was a Cypriot sculptor who carved a woman out of ivory. He called that statue Galatea ("she who is milk-white") According to Ovid, after seeing the Propoetides prostituting themselves, he is 'not interested in women', but his statue is so realistic that he falls in love with it. He offers the statue presents and eventually prays to Venus (Aphrodite). She takes pity on him and brings the statue to life. They marry and have a son... happy end...
It was commonly rumored in Roman times that Praxiteles' Aphrodite of Knidos, the cult image in her temple was so beautiful that at least one admirer arranged to be shut in with it overnight...
In a human life sometimes the love has no happy end: John loves Mary, Mary loves Steve, Steve loves Kathy, and...
long line in an end of which may be somebody loves John... may be in a next life...
So... be creative. Make an art. Pray to God, look for your Galatea in your creations and... be happy.
Thanks to:
57mannequins from deviantart.com for this "little man"
tarnishedhalo from deviantart.com for the "fashionable man";
x_xLithiumx_x from deviantart.com for the "torso mannequin";
DarkBorder from deviantart.com for the beautiful woman's hat.
The middle mannequin - from last Christmas window decoration of Bergdorf & Goodman store in New York.
Created for The Dictionary of Image
Better viewed large
Explore front page, #73, 02/12/09
Many thanks for your visits, faves and comments. Cheers.
Laughing Kookaburra
Scientific Name: Dacelo novaeguineae
The laughing kookaburra was first described and illustrated (in black and white) by the French naturalist and explorer Pierre Sonnerat in his Voyage à la nouvelle Guinée which was published in 1776. He claimed to have seen the bird in New Guinea. In fact Sonnerat never visited New Guinea and the laughing kookaburra does not occur there. He probably obtained a preserved specimen from one of the naturalists who accompanied Captain James Cook to the east coast of Australia. Edme-Louis Daubenton and François-Nicolas Martinet included a coloured plate of the laughing kookaburra based on Sonnerat's specimen in their Planches enluminées d'histoire naturelle. The plate has the legend in French "Martin-pecheur, de la Nouvelle Guinée" (Kingfisher from New Guinea). In 1783 the French naturalist Johann Hermann provided a formal description of the species based the coloured plate by Daubenton and Martinet. He gave it the scientific name Alcedo novæ Guineæ. The current genus Dacelo was introduced in 1815 by the English zoologist William Elford Leach, and is an anagram of Alcedo, the Latin word for a kingfisher. The specific name novaeguineae combines the Latin novus for new with Guinea, based on the erroneous belief that the specimen had originated from New Guinea. For many years it was believed that the earliest description was by the Dutch naturalist Pieter Boddaert and his scientific name Dacelo gigas was used in the scientific literature but in 1926 the Australian ornithologist Gregory Mathews showed that a description by Hermann had been published earlier in the same year, 1783, and thus had precedence. In the 19th century this species was commonly called the "laughing jackass", a name first recorded (as Laughing Jack-Ass) in An Account of the English Colony in New South Wales by David Collins which was published in 1798. In 1858 the ornithologist John Gould used "great brown kingfisher", a name that had been coined by John Latham in 1782. Another popular name was "laughing kingfisher". The name in several Australian indigenous languages were listed by European authors including Go-gan-ne-gine by Collins in 1878, Cuck'anda by René Lesson in 1828 and Gogera or Gogobera by George Bennett in 1834. In the early years of the 20th century "kookaburra" was included as an alternative name in ornithological publications but it was not until 1926 in the second edition of the Official Checklist of Birds of Australia that the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union officially adopted the name "laughing kookaburra". The name comes from Wiradhuri, an Aboriginal language now effectively extinct.
Description: The Laughing Kookaburra is instantly recognisable in both plumage and voice. It is generally off-white below, faintly barred with dark brown, and brown on the back and wings. The tail is more rufous, broadly barred with black. There is a conspicuous dark brown eye-stripe through the face. It is one of the larger members of the kingfisher family.
Similar species: Identification may only be confused where the Laughing Kookaburra's range overlaps that of the Blue-winged Kookaburra, Dacelo leachii, in eastern Queensland. The call of the Blue-winged Kookaburra is coarser than that of the Laughing Kookaburra, and ends somewhat abruptly. The Blue-winged Kookaburra lacks the brown eye-stripe, has a blue tail and a large amount of blue in the wing, and has a pale eye.
Distribution: Laughing Kookaburras are found throughout eastern Australia. They have been introduced to Tasmania, the extreme south-west of Western Australia, and New Zealand. Replaced by the Blue-winged Kookaburra in central northern and north-western Australia, with some overlap in Queensland, although this species is more coastal.
Habitat: The Laughing Kookaburra inhabits most areas where there are suitable trees.
Feeding: Laughing Kookaburras feed mostly on insects, worms and crustaceans, although small snakes, mammals, frogs and birds may also be eaten. Prey is seized by pouncing from a suitable perch. Small prey is eaten whole, but larger prey is killed by bashing it against the ground or tree branch.
Breeding: Laughing Kookaburras are believed to pair for life. The nest is a bare chamber in a naturally occurring tree hollow or in a burrow excavated in an arboreal (tree-dwelling) termite mound. Both sexes share the incubation duties and both care for the young. Other Laughing Kookaburras, usually offspring of the previous one to two years, act as 'helpers' during the breeding season. Every bird in the group shares all parenting duties.
Calls: The chuckling voice that gives this species its name is a common and familiar sound throughout the bird's range. The loud 'koo-koo-koo-koo-koo-kaa-kaa-kaa' is often sung in a chorus with other individuals. The Laughing Kookaburra also has a shorter 'koooa The Laughing Kookaburra is not really laughing when it makes its familiar call. The cackle of the Laughing Kookaburra is actually a territorial call to warn other birds to stay away.
Minimum Size: 40cm
Maximum Size: 45cm
Average size: 42cm
Average weight: 340g
Breeding season: August to January
(Sources: www.birdsinbackyards.net and Wikipedia)
© Chris Burns 2018
__________________________________________
All rights reserved.
This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying and recording without my written consent.
Described as being numerous but I have only seen a few at any given time and they seem shy.I just love the beauty of doves and this one especially.
I describe it as, "Hussaini jigra chahiye Hussaini bridge cross karne k liye". It needs to have the Hussaini courage to cross the thrilling Hussaini bridge.
I could simply not go beyond the 5th step. My local guide, himself won't dare cross the third step and strictly prohibited me to attempt any dare. To our jaw dropping surprise, we saw a local 14-15 year old boy almost running on the bridge making it to the 40 something step in no time. He went to the middle of the bridge for a photo I guess. The locals “Hussaini” hunzai use it on daily basis. For them, it is an unavoidable means of connection.
One step into Hussaini bridge starts the smallest of the tensions in the suspension system. A micro sin wave has started. And your feet and your body can feel them. Every step multiplies the last effect. Imagine, just imagine the experience, keep in mind that the ice cold “Hunza river” water awaits to feast on you. Worst…. Like every bridge, it has two ends. And as I said, locals “RUN” on it. Their cat walks can surely make you jump into the river :P
I met brother Ali and Faheem from Islamabad who were travelling on bikes to explore the valley side. Ali told me back at Kamran hotel that he crossed 80% of the bridge. Ali definitely has it what it takes to cross this death daring, thrilling bridge.
Amazing really only begins to describe the conditions that we were graced with yesterday in the Gorge. Breathtaking and heart stopping would be a little closer to the truth. It was perfect. A never-ending scene of wonder everywhere you looked. Being out here with friends made it that much better and it is days like this that make me feel sorry for those who never get to see them. Hope you are enjoying this series. I have a few more to come. :)
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Dedicated to Saint Peter and located on the path to Compostela (and therefore a UNESCO World Heritage site), the Benedictine abbey of Moissac was founded in the 700s. According to legend, it was founded even earlier, in 506, by the freshly converted Clovis, King of the Franks, but there is no historical evidence that this ever happened. Affiliated to Cluny from 1047, it became the most powerful monastery of southwestern France and numbered over 1,000 monks —most likely including lay brothers, though.
There is so much to say about the abbey of Moissac that I will, for the most part, refer my readers to the many lengthy internet pages that describe it, not to mention of course the Quercy roman book by Zodiaque. The most famous parts are the stunning tympanum, the iconic statue of Saint Jeremy and the Year 1100 cloister with its 7- capitals, most of them historied. All of those are masterpieces fo Romanesque art and known worldwide.
The abbey was on the very first list of Historic Landmarks in 1840. It is an absolute must-see for all people interested in the Middle Ages, and we will devote quite a few days to its visit.
The amazing room above the narthex. Such high rooms were usually chapels dedicated to Saint Michael. I need not tell you to admire the grandiose Romanesque vaulting... Stepping into that room is my most memorable memory of Moissac!
Calgary, AB
These White-Rumped Sandpiper's are described as "a rare but regular migrant through Eastern Alberta" and we are in the West so a bit unusual for here. It was an ugly day of extreme fog (not predicted) and very chilly with some wind and only +6C but the good news was it was only moi at this marsh. Recognized these as different so took some pics in spite of the fog and identified them at home with the usual plethora of bird books. I suck at little peep identification......just saying! These are a first for me but who knows I may have seen them before and not known!! They were in with Semipalmated Sandpipers which look similar but are smaller. At least I noticed that!
Excerpt from www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca: When it was constructed in 1941, Thunderbird Park featured a Northwest Coast style house with an inaccurate frontal painting produced especially for the building, as well as original carvings from many different First Nations, all put together in an inauthentic way. Mungo Martin, a Kwagu’ł artist from Tsaxis (Fort Rupert) who was considered the finest Kwakwaka’wakw carver of his day, made this new house in the park. Wilson Duff, the museum’s Anthropology Curator at the time, stressed that this house, unlike the previous one, was culturally appropriate and accurately portrayed First Nations traditions. Moreover, these were not dead traditions consigned to the past, but still active features of First Nations culture in British Columbia. “This house is more that just an authentic Kwakiutl house,” wrote Duff when the new house opened in 1953. “It is Mungo Martin’s house and bears on its house-posts hereditary crests of his family.”
The current house contains two carvings that were made for it more recently: a log drum and a dance screen. They were created for the house by the artist, Richard Hunt, when he worked in the museum’s Carving Program. Richard is the son of Henry Hunt, Mungo Martin’s son-in-law, who worked with Martin in Thunderbird Park.
The traditional hereditary rights to Wawadiťła are now the property of Martin’s grandson, Chief Oasťakalagalis ‘Walas ‘Namugwis (Peter Knox of Fort Rupert). On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Wawadiťła in 2003, another great feast took place in the house, hosted over two evenings by Chief Peter Knox and the Royal BC Museum. Like the opening feast, this was attended by many First Nations and non-First Nations dignitaries. A poster celebrating the occasion was created by ‘Maxwa’yalisdzi (David Knox), Martin’s great-grandson. It featured a design based on the Copper Max’inuxwdzi (Great Killer Whale) that belonged to Martin and which he presented to the Royal BC Museum in 1960.
Wawadiťła continues to be used for First Nations events with the permission of Peter and Mable Knox. It continues to be a place of meeting for urban First Nations people practising their cultures, as well as a place where non-First Nations people can learn about these living traditions.
Interior features of the house are fully described in Late Era. Since that time, two carvings have been added.
Described by Pevsner guide as "The most compact and arguably the most visually pleasing of Edward I's Welsh castles" shown to good effect by early morning sunlight.
Description of L.A.'s wonderful and famed Bradbury Building in the heart of downtown! Where Blade Runner was filmed as well as 500 Days of Summer among others!
some are describing the brands they wear - I do it for the first time now and I will exercise :
printed blouse from BiBa, the skirt is "vegan" leather (oh I don´t know) and the shoes are from tamaris (100 mm heel, not vegan leather).
Something I forgot ? - I´m sure ?
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It is difficult to describe the beauty of lake Bled, Slovenia, where I am spending a few days. We arrived today and had some storms. I just loved the way the clouds and mist created such delicate layering in the landscape and didn't mind getting soaked to get this picture. This is a quick edit using LR mobile.
Es difícil describir la belleza de esta zona de Eslovenia donde paso unos días con mi familia. Hemos tenido algunas tormentas estos días y el paisaje se convirtió de repente en una sucesión de capas creadas por la neblina y las nubes. Acabé empapado tras tomar esta foto pero muy satisfecho. Esta foto es una edición rápida usando LR mobile.
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Described from the Malaysian state of Sarawak, Borneo and also known from Peninsular Malaysia.
The population inhabiting the Batang Hari river drainage, Sumatra was formerly identified as P. doriae but described as P. bitaimac by Tan and Kottelat (2009). Kottelat and Lim (1993) had previously noted that the Sumatran fish had a more slender body shape and more caudal-fin rays than those from Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak.
Description
Most of the tribe's species are solitary, though a few are communal, or exhibit simple forms of eusociality. There are about 200 described species, distributed in five genera: Euglossa, Eulaema, Eufriesea, Exaerete and the monotypic Aglae. All exclusively occur in South or Central America (though one species, Euglossa dilemma, has become established in the United States). The genera Exaerete and Aglae are kleptoparasites in the nests of other orchid bees. All except Eulaema are characterized by brilliant metallic coloration, primarily green, gold, and blue.
Females gather pollen and nectar as food from a variety of plants, and resins, mud and other materials for nest building. Some of the same food plants are also used by the males, which leave the nest upon hatching and do not return.
Fragrance collection
Male orchid bees have uniquely modified legs which are used to collect and store different volatile compounds (often esters) throughout their lives, primarily from orchids in the subtribes Stanhopeinae and Catasetinae, where all species are exclusively pollinated by euglossine males. These orchids do not produce nectar, and hide the pollen on a single anther under an anther cap; they are not visited by females. The whole pollinarium becomes attached to the male as it leaves the flower. Several flowers from other plant families are also visited by the bees: Spathiphyllum and Anthurium (Araceae), Drymonia and Gloxinia (Gesneriaceae), Cyphomandra (Solanaceae), and Dalechampia (Euphorbiaceae) contain one or more species that attract male euglossines.
The chemicals are picked up using special brushes on the forelegs, transferred from there by rubbing the brushes against combs on the middle legs, and finally these combs are pressed into grooves on the dorsal edge of the hind legs, squeezing the chemicals past the waxy hairs which block the opening of the groove, and into a sponge-like cavity inside the hind tibia.
The accumulated "fragrances" are evidently released by the males at their display sites in the forest understory, where matings are known to take place. The accumulated volatiles were long believed to be used by males as a pheromone to attract females; however, female attraction to male odors or to orchid fragrances has never been demonstrated in behavioral experiments. Instead, it is now thought that the function of the male odors is to signal male 'genetic quality' to females, because great effort must be expended by males to collect orchid fragrances and thus only the most fit males could gather complex odor mixes. This would constitute an unusual example of Zahavi's handicap principle, analogous to the male peacock's tail.[8] The relationship between male euglossine bees and volatile chemicals is essentially unique in the animal kingdom.
Single synthetic compounds are commonly used as bait to attract and collect males for study, and include many familiar flavorings and odors considered appealing to humans (e.g., methyl salicylate, eugenol, cineole, benzyl acetate, methyl benzoate, methyl cinnamate), and others which are not (e.g., skatole).
It is also important to note that resource 'hot spots' wax and wane throughout the year as plants bloom and die, largely due to temporal changes, particularly between the changing of seasons. This often shifts euglossine bee preferences for certain chemicals over others. For Euglossa imperialis, studies have shown that there is a significant trend in chemical preference for cineole during later times in the year as opposed to methyl salicylate. In the local fragrance environment, a shift in the wind direction is another factor which may also cause another fragrance 'hot spot' to be included in the odor plume for euglossine bees.
Neotropical orchids themselves often exhibit elaborate adaptations involving highly specific placement of pollen packets (pollinia) on the bodies of the male orchid bees; the specificity of their placement ensures that cross-pollination only occurs between orchids of the same species. Different orchid bee males are attracted to different chemicals, so there is also some specificity regarding which orchid bees visit which types of orchid. The early description of this pollination system was by Charles Darwin, though at the time, he believed the bees were females. Not all orchids utilize euglossines as pollen vectors, of course; among the other types of insects exploited are other types of bees, wasps, flies, ants, and moths.
The male of Eufriesea purpurata is highly unusual in actively collecting the insecticide DDT in huge amounts from houses in Brazil, without suffering any harm from it.