View allAll Photos Tagged Develope
Milano 2018-04-14
Zona Duomo
Olympus OM-2n con Zuiko OM 21mm f3.5 - 35mm f2.8 e 100mm f2.8
Kentmere 100
Ilfosol 3 - 1+14 x 7:30 min
Baker 25-50 Tractor (c.1929)
Abner Baker was born in Ohio, after working in the metal industry, he opened his own engineering firm based in Swanton, Ohio in 1894 near to the Toledo Railroad Junction. In that same year he built his first steam engine equiped with his own design and patent valve gear, which by 1920 was in use on some 12,500 US steam railway engines. He moved into the manufacture of steam tractors and threshers but resisted the early wave of internal combustion power followed by some of his major competitors.
The first Baker petrol powered tractor was launched in 1926 powered by a Beaver four cylinder engine it was a large tractor of 3.25 tons with a twin ratio two speed transmission, effectively four speed forward and two reverse ratios
In 1927 the 25-50 was launched powered by a Wisconsin OHV with a bore and stroke of 5.5 and 6.5 inches, which Baker claimed could achieved 50 belt HP. This was a huge tractor of four tons. Later in 1929 the engine was updated to a LeRoi OHV unit with a 5.5 inch bore and 7 inch stroke producing 67 belt HP and 75-88bhp with a drawbar pull of 7840lbs. As a result of these test figures the Tractor was rebadged as the 43-67
A D Baker continued manufacturing Tractors into the late 1930s but by then despite their rugged design the Baker Tractor had become old fashioned and without capital to develope a new design sales had dropped against competitors including IH, Case, and John Deere,
Thanks for a stunning 59,596,833 views
Diolch am 59,596,833 gwych, golygfeydd, mwy na phoblogaeth y Lloegr honno yn y Gorllewin
Pencampwyr y Chwe Gwlad Cymru 2021
Shot 28.05.2017 at the Smallwood Vintage Rally, Love Lane Farm, Betchton, Sandbach REF 127-030
Castano Primo - Gennaio 2022
FujiFilm GA645W
Super EBC Fujinon 45mm f4
Rollei SuperPan 200
Bellini Hydrofen 1+30 x 13 min
Busto Arsizio - scorcio urbano
Gennaio 2023
Leica M2
Leitz Summicron-C 40mm f2
Rollei SuperPan 200
Bellini Hydrofen 1+30 x 9 min
negative scanned::Kiev 88::Arsat 80mm f2.8mc::Fujifilm Neopan Acros 100 [ self - develope with khai_nomore ] :: Ciwidey Kawah Putih Bandung Indonesia ::
sorry he just blink his eyes ;P
Busto Arsizio - Dicembre 2020
Scorcio Urbano
FujiFilm GSW690 III
EBC Fujinon-SW 65mm f5,6
Fomapan 100
Hydrofen 1+39 x 8 min
Milano City Life
2019-02-04
Olympus XA - F.Zuiko 35mm f2.8
Fomapan 100
Studional 1+31 x 10 min
Le altre in questo album: flic.kr/s/aHsmApmaV6
Busto Arsizio - Scorcio Urbano
Febbraio 2024
FujiFilm GSW690 III
EBC Fujinon-SW 65mm f5,6 + yellow filter 1 stop
FomaPan 400
R09 Studio 1+30 x 12 min
Milano 2019-09-14
Street
Hasselblad Super Wide C (1968)
Biogon 38mm f4.5
Fomapan 100
Hydrofen 1+39 x 8 min
Other shots in this album
L'arribada al Castell Nou de Perafita.
Foto feta amb una Kodak Medalist I fabricada el 1944, durant la Segona Guerra Mundial. Rodet Ilford FP4+ 125, revelat amb HC110.
www.perafita.cat/el-municipi/turisme/157-llocs-dinteres/1...
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The early XX Century Perafita "new" castle has his own avenue. As derelicted as the castle.
Picture taken with a Kodak Medalist I camera, made in 1944 during WW2, and probably for the US Navy or Army. Ilford FP4+ 125 develope in HC110.
Volvo 360 GLT (1976-91) Engine 1986cc S4 OHV 106bhp
Production 1,086,405
Registration Number F 360 WAF (Truro)
VOLVO SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623738795351...
The Volvo 300 Series is a rear-wheel-drive small family car sold from 1976 to 1991, both as a hatchback and (from 1984) as a conventional notchback saloon. Designed by John de Vries
DAF needed to seak a partner to help develope the new model for the market, intending to call it a DAF77, and approached BMW, Audi and Volvo to no avail. Volvo who had originally been dissuaded by the costs involved, took a second look encouraged by a ready access to Renault engines which would drastically reduce the costs of new Volvo models and the benifits of producing cars in the Netherlands, giving them an open market to the EEC, of which Sweden was not a part. Volvo purchased a one-third share in DAF in 1973, increasing to a three-quarters stake in 1975; the DAF company's name was changed to Volvo Car BV that year.freeing DAF to concentrate on their truck division.
The 340 along with the larger engined 360, began as a three and five door Hatchback, with the Saloon added in 1983.
Featuring Renault engines of 1397cc (70-72bhp) and 1721cc (80bhp) in the 340. and 1986 (92-115bhp) engines in the 360 all matched to five speed gearboxes, with De Dion layout at the rear. This 2-litre 360 model was available in five-door and three-door hatchback form, with four-door "notchback" saloon models added in 1984. Trim levels were GL, GLE, or GLT, depending on output and specifications.
Diolch am olygfa anhygoel, 62,761,481 oblogaeth y Lloegr honno dros y Mynyddoedd
Thanks for a stonking 62,761,481 views
Shot 30-07-2017 exiting the 2017 Silverstone Classic REF 129-749
A somewhat moodier shot of this old flame. See my previous post for another view.
This was the first quality camera I ever used (not this exact one). I had borrowed it from a friend when I was 16 and took some pictures of her at a park and she taught me to develope them in her darkroom (don't read anything into that). Fond memories of those days. Thats when I got the "bug" for photography (thanks forever Linda). I went through 3 cameras in the next year and my first Canon SLR a FTql.
This beauty came to me about 15 years ago and except for the light meter is in working order. I photographed my daughters wedding with it as digital just wasn't good enough at the time.
About the specs and history....
The first Yashica TLR (twin lens reflex) with crank advance was the Yashica-Mat, released in 1957. The earliest models are equipped with a 75-mm 3.5 Lumaxar taking lens and a 75-mm 3.2 Lumaxar viewing lens, succeeded by 80-mm lenses with the same specifications.
The Yashica Mat-124 (this model) was made from 1970 till 1986 and was the last TLR produced by Yashica. Even if this type of camera seemed to be obsolete at the time of its appearence, the 124 was an instant success.
The 124 has a four-element, 80mm F3.5 taking lens, of the better "Yashinon" variety. Focusing is via a ground glass screen, with a 3x diopter loupe for critical focusing, as well as a sports finder. The focusing screen is used with the camera at waist-level (which is a real pain since everything is backwards). The sportsfinder, incorporated in the focusing hood, is operational by pushing the front cover backwards. According to the Instruction Booklet, it comes in handy for snapshots or when shooting fast-moving objects at eye-level. No screen to check focus in this set-up though. The Copal shutter features speeds 1 to 1/500 sec., plus B.
The 124(G) can handle both 120 and 220 film.
Very slow to use it was best suited to portraits and studio work as well as landscapes. This particular camera was probably produced around 1972.
Busto Arsizio
Aprile 2022
Leica CL
Leitz Elmarit-m 28mm f2,8 ASPH - Leitz Summicron-c 40mm f2
Agfa APX100@100
Bellini Hydrofen 1+30 x 9 min
2018-10-07
Lago Maggiore - Isola dei Pescatori
Leica M2
Canon 35mm f2 LTM
VC 21mm f4
Agfa APX100
Dev. Studional 1+30 x 9 min
The other images in this album:
Busto Arsizio - Scorcio Urbano
(test Kiev-5 + Jupiter 8 NB 50mm f2)
Aprile 2022
Kiev-5
Jupiter 8 NB 50mm f2
Fomapan 200 @ 320
R09 One Shot 1+50 x 11 min
Milano 2019-09-14
Street
Hasselblad Super Wide C (1968)
Biogon 38mm f4.5
Fomapan 100
Hydrofen 1+39 x 8 min
Other shots in this album
Busto Arsizio - Scorcio urbano
Giugno 2025
Hasselblad 500 C/M
Zeiss Distagon 50mm f4 + filtro giallo -1
Kodak Tri-x 400 (expired)
Bellini Hydrofen 1+31 x 8 min
Stresa - Isola dei Pescatori
Ottobre 2022
Olympus OM-4
Zuiko OM 21 f3,5 - OM 50 f1,8 - OM 100 f2,8
Rollei Retro 400@400
Bellini Hydrofen 1+30 x 17 min
Busto Arsizio
Scorcio Urbano
Canon IIS2 LTM (1955)
Canon 50 mm F1,8 LTM + Filtro giallo -1 stop
Kentemere 100
Bellini Hydrofen 1+31 x 8 min
Busto Arsizio - Febbraio 2022
Scorcio Urbano
Olympus OM-4 + OM Zuiko 35-70mm f3.6 + yellow filter -1
Rollei Superpan 200 @200 asa
Bellini Hydrophen 1+30 x 13 min
Busto Arsizio
Marzo 2019
Leica CL
Summicron-c 40mm f2
Kentmere 100
Studional 1+31 x 9 min
Le restanti nel seguente album flic.kr/s/aHsmb4i4ZK
Busto Arsizio - Gennaio 2021
Scorcio Urbano (same places - second step - another film and equipment)
Hasselblad SWC
Zeiss Biogon 38mm f4,5
Rollei SuperPan 200
Hydrofen 1+30 x 8 min
this serie is born in ferbuary 07, at some weekends when i had time and power sitting before my wall and take some pictures.
all times i look for a nice, seasonable decoration like a bunch of flowers, a nice figure ore something else.
from the beginning i had the idea projecting onto the wall some pictures of my imagination. Photos, drawings, artworks mostly found in books, newspaper or web. to showing you and me a dream, thought, wish ...
I'm anxious to how this serie will develope.
this artwork the cherry blossom is a favorited work from MATT MIMS, take a look at his site: www.flickr.com/photos/mattmims
Monza - Scorcio Urbano
Luglio 2023
Hasselblad SWC
Zeiss Biogon 38 mm f4.5
Kodak T-Max 100
R09 Studio 1+30 x 9,5 min
In May 1968 the Leyland Motor Corporation merged with British Motor Holdings to form British Leyland Motor Corporation, or British Leyland for short. With the formation of British Leyland resulted in BL having the monopoly of the rear-engined double-deck market in the UK comprising of Leyland Atlantean, Bristol VRT and Daimler Fleetline. One man operation of double-deck buses was legalised in 1970 resulting a huge demand for double-deck buses this had a knock on effect on sales of the rear-engined single-deck buses notably the Leyland National which was a joint project between British Leyland Truck & Bus Division and the National Bus Company. A brand new state of the art assembly factory to assemble the Leyland National at the rate of 2000 buses per year had been built on the Lillyhall industrial estate near Workington.
The Industry wanted Leyland develope a second generation rear-engined double-deck chassis, sadly Leyland had other ideas. Towards the end of 1972, Leyland started to put the finishing touches to their thoughts of their next generation double-deck bus coded B15. The Government organised a major transport symposium in April 1973 at the Transport and Road Research Laboratory at Crowthorne in Berkshire. At this event Leyland launched two new Leyland National models, but most importantly launched the B15 both with a full size wooden model and a selection of artist's impressions which I have posted. These were used in discussions with major operators in 1973 and 1974, and some appeared in London Transport and West Midlands PTE liveries. Plus the body style differed from the one in the image I have used.
The B15 was not a chassis but a sophisticated and advanced rear-engined double-deck bus, not what the industry really wanted. In 1973, MCW launched the Metropolitan rear-engined double-deck bus using Scania running units. The Metropolitan was not a threat to Leyland's market share, but it was the foundations for MCW's next double-deck bus, the Metrobus which was a serious threat to Leyland's market share.
I will be going into detail about the B15 project which became the Titan over the next few months with previous unseen photographs.
Photograph credit: British Leyland Truck & Bus Division
Frazer Nash Le Mans Replica (1948-52) Le Mans Replica II (1952-53) Engine 1971cc S6 OHV
Production 34
Race Number 23 John Ure
Owner P A Mann
Registration Number RPJ 1 (Guildford)
FRAZER NASH SET
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623665136729...
Shortly after WW!!, Frazer Nash were aquired by the Bristol Aeroplane Company and plans were put forward to develope a luxury Saloon under the Bristol name and a new Frazer Nash sports car, both to be powered by the former BMW 328 engine built under license by Frazer Nash during the second half of 1930s. Though before the cars could be marketed the companies had become independant once more. Bristol built their 400 and susequent models. While Frazer Nash with limited resources produced a sports car that was a clear developement of the BMW. chassis it was new but still consisted of a conventional steel ladder frame. Suspension at the front was through lower wishbones with a single transverse leaf spring. A live rear axle was fitted with torsion bar springs. A development of the overhead-valve 328 engine was, which featured hemispherical combustion chambers. Equipped with three carburettors, it produced around 120 bhp..
A few of these cycle winged High Speed Models were built for competition, one of which achieved third position at the 1949 Le Mans 24 hour race driven by Norman Culpan and Harold John Aldington.
The success prompted orders for these cars, and in honour of the achievment the model was renamed Le Mans Replica, from late 1949 whith triple carburettors and larger valve ports and power output of 120bhp Around 50 were sold and competition successes include outright victories in the 1951 Targa Florio (Franco Cortese), and the 1952 Sebring 12 hour (Larry Kulok and Harry Gray)
In 1952 a Le Mans Replica Mark II version was introduced with a lighter tubular chassis even more stark than the original LeMans Replica with power increased to 125bhp and a de Dion back end.
Production was ended in late 1953 due to the imminent ban on cycle wing, bodied cars in sports car racing. but today the cars remain active in historic events and are extremely valuable, not supringly giving rise to the creation of replica Replicas
In the 1960's or 70's Crosthwaite and Gardiner built a number of replicas, after their restoration of an original frame following a racing accident. These cars used a duplicate tubular chassis and running gear from scrapped Bristols. The finished cars had copies of the Le Mans Replica bodies with the correct instruments and trim.
Another series of replica were began around 1990, by Werner Oswald and associates, who laid down parts for ten cars possibly copied from the Frank Synter Le Mans Replica I. These were sold in kit for (Werner Oswald Kits) also known as WOKs. Around the same time one of the Werner Oswald associates realising the Frazer Nash name had not been registered for a few years bought the title from Companies House. Meaning Oswald could now advertise the cars legally as having been made by Frazer Nash Cars Ltd. avoiding the cars aquiring Q plate registrations as kit cars.
Many thanks for a fantabulous
50,434,015 views
Shot 23.04.2016 Shot at VSCC Spring Start Meeting, Silverstone REF 115-482.
Castellanza
Giugno 2022
Meopta Flexaret Automat VII (1968)
Meopta Belar 80mm f3.5
Fomapan 100@100
R09 Studio 1+30 x 9 min
negative scanned::Kiev 88::Arsat 80mm f2.8mc::Fujifilm Neopan Acros 100 [ self - develope ] :: Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 :: Megan Avenue Kuala Lumpur ::
model : Farah
Malcesine
Olympus OM2n
Zuiko OM 35 f2.8
Zuiko OM 21 f3.5
Kodak T-max100
R09 1+50 x 12 min
Altre nell'album flic.kr/s/aHsmAebvta
©All photographs on this site are copyright: ©DESPITE STRAIGHT LINES (Paul Williams) 2011 – 2021 & GETTY IMAGES ®
No license is given nor granted in respect of the use of any copyrighted material on this site other than with the express written agreement of ©DESPITE STRAIGHT LINES (Paul Williams). No image may be used as source material for paintings, drawings, sculptures, or any other art form without permission and/or compensation to ©DESPITE STRAIGHT LINES (Paul Williams)
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Photograph taken at an altitude of Sixty two metres at 11:02am on a summer morning on Tuesday 8th June 2021, of an adult Carrion crow (Corvus corone), cracking open and eating a walnut having pulled it from under the earth where a Grey squirrel had previously buried it. Taken off Hythe Avenue and Chessington Avenue in Bexleyheath, Kent.
Right now I have a resident pair of Carrion crows who have decided that my garden is theirs, and are playing a game of cat and mouse with a pair of cheeky Magpies (Pica pica) for dominance and food rights. The male crow actually flies in and 'wings' the magpies to make them leave, an incredible sight to witness. It's an honour and a privilege to be able to win their trust and they have given me so much pleasure this year being able to get within a few feet of them, to photograph and feed them, and they have reinforced my already deep admiration for a bird that is brimming with beauty, intelligence, confidence and also surrounded by myths, legend and prejudice.
So let's begin with a look back over history.
LEGEND AND MYTHOLOGY
Crows appear in the Bible where Noah uses one to search for dry land and to check on the recession of the flood. Crows supposedly saved the prophet, Elijah, from famine and are an Inuit deity. Legend has it that England and its monarchy will end when there are no more crows in the Tower of London. And some believe that the crows went to the Tower attracted by the regular corpses following executions with written accounts of their presence at the executions of Anne Boleyn and Jane Gray.
In Welsh mythology, unfortunately Crows are seen as symbolic of evilness and black magic thanks to many references to witches transforming into crows or ravens and escaping. Indian legend tells of Kakabhusandi, a crow who sits on the branches of a wish-fulfilling tree called Kalpataru and a crow in Ramayana where Lord Rama blessed the crow with the power to foresee future events and communicate with the souls.
In Native American first nation legend the crow is sometimes considered to be something of a trickster, though they are also viewed positively by some tribes as messengers between this world and the next where they carry messages from the living to those deceased, and even carry healing medicines between both worlds. There is a belief that crows can foresee the future. The Klamath tribe in Oregon believe that when we die, we fly up to heaven as a crow. The Crow can also signify wisdom to some tribes who believe crows had the power to talk and were therefore considered to be one of the wisest of birds. Tribes with Crow Clans include the Chippewa (whose Crow Clan and its totem are called Aandeg), the Hopi (whose Crow Clan is called Angwusngyam or Ungwish-wungwa), the Menominee, the Caddo, the Tlingit, and the Pueblo tribes of New Mexico.
The crow features in the Ghost dance, popularized by Jerome Crow Dog, a Brulé Lakota sub-chief and warrior born at Horse Stealing Creek in Montana Territory in 1833, the crow symbolizing wisdom and the past, when the crow had became a guide and acted as a pathfinder during hunting. Ghost dancers wore crow and eagle feathers in their clothes and hair, and the fact that the Crow could talk placed it as one of the sages of the animal kingdom.
Historically the Vikings are the group who made so many references to the crow, and Ragnar Lodbrok used this species in his banner as well as appearances in many flags and coats of arms. Also, it had some kind of association with Odin, one of their main deities. Norse legend tells us that Odin is accompanied by two crows. Hugin, who symbolizes thought, and Munin, who represents a memory. These two crows informed the Lord of the Nordic gods of everything that went on in their kingdoms.
In Scandinavian legends, crows are a representative of the Goddess of Death, known as Valkyrie (from old Norse 'Valkyrja'), one of the group of maidens who served the Norse deity Odin, visiting battlefields and sending him the souls of the slain worthy of a place in Valhalla. Odin ( also called Wodan, Woden, or Wotan), preferred that heroes be killed in battle and that the most valiant of souls be taken to Valhöll, the hall of slain warriors. It is the crow that provides the Valkyries with important information on who should go. In Hindu ceremonies that are associated to ancestors, the crow has an important place in Vedic rituals. They are seen as messengers of death in Indian culture too.
In Germanic legend, Crows are seen as psychonomes, meaning the act of guiding spirits to their final destination, and that the feathers of a crow could cure a victim who had been cursed. And yet, a lone black crow could symbolize impending death, whilst a group symbolizes a lucky omen! Vikings also saw good omens in the crow and would leave offerings of meat as a token.
The crow also has sacred and prophetic meaning within the Celtic civilization, where it stood for flesh ripped off due to combat and Morrighan, the warrior goddess, often appears in Celtic mythology as a raven or crow, or else is found to be in the company of the birds. Crow is sacred to Lugdnum, the Celtic god of creation who gave his name to the city of Lug
In Greek mythology Apollo is supposedly responsible for the black feathers of the crow. Turning them forever black from their pristine white plumage as a punishment after they failed to watch Coronis, lover of Apollo, battles a Native Indian legend where the once rainbow coloured crows became forever black after shedding their colourful plumage over the other animals of the world.
In China the Crow is represented in art as a three legged bird on a solar disk, being a creature that helps the sun in its journey. In Japan there are myths of Crow Tengu who were priests who became vain, and turned into this spirit to serve as messengers until they learn the lesson of humility as well as a great Crow who takes part in Shinto creation stories.
In animal spirit guides there are general perceptions of what sightings of numbers of crows actually mean:
1 Crow Meaning: To carry a message from your near one who died recently.
2 Crows Meaning: Two crows sitting near your home signifies some good news is on your way.
3 Crows Meaning: An upcoming wedding in your family.
4 Crows Meaning: Symbolizes wealth and prosperity.
5 Crows Meaning: Diseases or pain.
6 Crows Meaning: A theft in your house!
7 Crows Meaning: Denotes travel or moving from your house.
8 Crows Meaning: Sorrowful events
Crows are generally seen as the symbolism when alive for doom bringing, misfortune and bad omens, and yet a dead crow symbolises potentially bringing good news and positive change to those who see it. This wonderful bird certainly gets a mixed bag of contradictory mythology and legend over the centuries and in modern days is often seen as a bit of a nuisance, attacking and killing the babies of other birds such as Starlings, Pigeons and House Sparrows as well as plucking the eyes out of lambs in the field, being loud and noisy and violently attacking poor victims in a 'crow court'....
There is even a classic horror film called 'THE CROW' released in 1994 by Miramax Films, directed by Alex Proyas and starring Brandon Lee in his final film appearance as Eric Draven, who is revived by a Crow tapping on his gravestone a year after he and his fiancée are murdered in Detroit by a street gang. The crow becomes his guide as he sets out to avenge the murders. The only son of martial arts expert Bruce Lee, Brandon lee suffered fatal injuries on the set of the film when the crew failed to remove the primer from a cartridge that hit Lee in the abdomen with the same force as a normal bullet. Lee died that day, March 31st 1993 aged 28.
The symbolism of the Crow resurrecting the dead star and accompanying him on his quest for revenge was powerful, and in some part based on the history of the carrion crow itself and the original film grossed more than $94 Million dollars with three subsequent sequels following.
TAKING A CLOSER LOOK
So let's move away from legend, mythology and stories passed down from our parents and grandparents and look at these amazing birds in isolation.
Carrion crow are passerines in the family Corvidae a group of Oscine passerine birds including Crows, Ravens, Rooks, Jackdaws, Jays, Magpies, Treepies, Choughs and Nutcrackers. Technically they are classed as Corvids, and the largest of passerine birds. Carrion crows are medium to large in size with rictal bristles and a single moult per year (most passerines moult twice). Carrion crow was one of the many species originally described by Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (Carl Von Linne after his ennoblement) in his 1758 and 1759 editions of 'SYSTEMA NATURAE', and it still bears its original name of Corvus corone, derived from the Latin of Corvus, meaning Raven and the Greek κορώνη (korōnē), meaning crow.
Carrion crow are of the Animalia kingdom Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Corvidae Genus: Corvus and Species: Corvus corone
Corvus corone can reach 45-47cm in length with a 93-104cm wingspan and weigh between 370-650g. They are protected under The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in the United Kingdom with a Green UK conservation status which means they are of least concern with more than 1,000,000 territories. Breeding occurs in April with fledging of the chicks taking around twenty nine days following an incubation period of around twenty days with 3 to 4 eggs being the average norm.
They are abundant in the UK apart from Northwest Scotland and Ireland where the Hooded crow (Corvus cornix) was considered the same species until 2002. They have a lifespan of around four years, whilst Crow species can live to the age of Twenty years old, and the oldest known American crow in the wild was almost Thirty years old. The oldest documented captive crow died at age Fifty nine. They are smaller and have a shorter lifespan than the Raven, which again is used as a symbol in history to live life to the full and not waste a moment!
They are often mistaken for the Rook (Corvus frugilegus), a similar bird, though in the UK, the Rook is actually technically smaller than the Carrion crow averaging 44-46cm in length, 81-99cm wingspan and weighing up to 340g. Rooks have white beaks compared to the black beaks of Carrion crow. There are documented cases in the UK of singular and grouped Rooks attacking and killing Carrion crows in their territory. Rooks nest in colonies unlike Carrion crows. Carrion crows have only a few natural enemies including powerful raptors such as the northern goshawk, the peregrine falcon, the Eurasian eagle-owl and the golden eagle which will all readily hunt them.
Regarded as one of the most intelligent birds, indeed creatures on the planet, studies suggest that Corvids cognitive abilities can rival that of primates such as chimpanzees and gorillas and even provide clues to understanding human intelligence. A corvid's pallium is packed with more neurons than a great ape's. Corvids have demonstrated the ability to use a combination of mental tools such as imagination, and anticipation of future events. They can craft tools from twigs and branches to hook grubs from deep recesses, they can solve puzzles and intricate methods of gaining access to food set by humans., and have even bent pieces of wire into hooks to obtain food. They have been proven to have a higher cognitive ability level than seven year old humans.
Pet crows develope a unique call for their owners, in effect actually naming them. They also know to sunbathe for a dose of vitamin D. In groups they warn of danger and communicate vocally. They store a cache of food for later if in abundance and are clever enough to move it if they feel it has been discovered. They leave markers for their cache. They have even learned to place walnuts under car tyres at traffic lights as a means of cracking them!
Crows regularly gather around a dead fellow corvid, almost like a funeral, and it is thought they somehow learn from each death. They can even remember human faces for decades. Crows group together to attack larger predators and even steal their food, and they have different dialects in different areas, with the ability to mimic the dialect of the alpha males when they enter their territory!
They have a twenty year life span, the oldest on record reaching the age of Fifty nine. Crows can leave gifts for those who feed them such as buttons or bright shiny objects as a thank you, and they even kiss and make up after an argument, having mated for life.
In mythology they are associated with good and bad luck, being the bringers of omens and even witchcraft and are generally reviled for their attacks on baby birds and small mammals. They have an attack method of to stunning smaller birds before consuming them, tearing violently at smaller, less aggressive birds, which is simply down to the fact that they are so highly intelligent, and also the top of the food chain. Their diet includes over a thousand different items: Dead animals (as their name suggests), invertebrates, grain, as well as stealing eggs and chicks from other birds' nests, worms, insects, fruit, seeds, kitchen scraps. They are highly adaptable when food sources grow scarce.
I absolutely love them, they are magnificent, bold, beautiful and incredibly interesting to watch and though at times it is hard to witness attacks made by them, I cannot help but adore them for so many other and more important reasons.
OBSERVATIONS ON THE PAIR IN MY GARDEN
Crows have been in the area for a while, but rarely had strayed into my garden, leaving the Magpies to own the territory. Things changed towards the end of May when a beautiful female Carrion crow appeared and began to take some of the food that I put down for the other birds. Within a few days she began to appear regularly, on occasions stocking up on food, whilst other times placing pieces in the birdbath to soften them. She would stand on the birdbath and eat and drink and come back over the course of the day to eat the softened food.
Shortly afterwards she brought along her mate, a tall and handsome fella, much larger than her who was also very vocal if he felt she was getting a little too close to me. By now I had moved from a seated position from the patio as an observer, to laying on a mat just five feet from the birdbath with my Nikon so that I could photograph the pair as they landed, scavenged and fed. She was now confident enough to let me be very close, and she even tolerated and recognized the clicking of the camera. At first I used silent mode to reduce the noise but this only allowed two shooting frame rates of single frame or continuous low frame which meant I was missing shots. I reverted back to normal continuous high frames and she soon got used to the whirring of the frames as the mirror slapped back and forth.
The big fella would bark orders at her from the safety of the fence or the rear of the garden, whilst she rarely made a sound. That was until one day when in the sweltering heat she kept opening her beak and sunning on the grass, panting slightly in the heat. I placed the circular water sprayer nearby and had it rotating so that the birdbath and grass was bathed in gentle water droplets and she soon came back, landed and seemed to really like the cooling effect on offer. She then climbed onto the birdbath and opened her wings slightly and made some gentle purring, cooing noises.... I swear she was expressing happiness, joy....
On another blisteringly hot day when the sprayer was on, she came down, walked towards it and opened her wings up running into the water spray. Not once, but many times.
A final observation came with the male and female on the rear garden fence. They sat together, locked beaks like a kiss and then the male took his time gently preening her head feathers and the back of her neck as she made tiny happy sounds. They stayed together like that for several minutes, showing a gentle, softer side to their nature and demonstrating the deep bond between them.
Corvus Corone.... magnificently misunderstood by some!
Paul Williams June 4th 2021
©DESPITE STRAIGHT LINES (Paul Williams)
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Nikon D850 Focal length 500mm Shutter speed: 1/640s Aperture f/8.0 iso200 Hand held with Tamron VC Vibration control set to ON in position 1 14 Bit uncompressed RAW NEF file size L (8256 x 5504 pixels) FX (36 x 24) Focus mode: AF-C AF-Area mode: 3D-tracking AF-C Priority Selection: Release. Nikon Back button focusing enabled 3D Tracking watch area: Normal 55 Tracking points Exposure mode: Manual exposure mode Metering mode: Matrix metering White balance on: Auto1 (4440k) Colour space: RGB Picture control: Neutral (Sharpening +2)
Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2. Nikon GP-1 GPS module. Lee SW150 MKII filter holder. Lee SW150 95mm screw in adapter ring. Lee SW150 circular polariser glass filter.Lee SW150 Filters field pouch. Hoodman HEYENRG round eyepiece oversized eyecup.Mcoplus professional MB-D850 multi function battery grip 6960.Two Nikon EN-EL15a batteries (Priority to battery in Battery grip). Black Rapid Curve Breathe strap. My Memory 128GB Class 10 SDXC 80MB/s card. Lowepro Flipside 400 AW camera bag.
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LATITUDE: N 51d 28m 28.42s
LONGITUDE: E 0d 8m 10.52s
ALTITUDE: 62.0m
RAW (TIFF) FILE: 130.00MB NEF FILE: 90.00MB
PROCESSED (JPeg) FILE: 38.90MB
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PROCESSING POWER:
Nikon D850 Firmware versions C 1.10 (9/05/2019) LD Distortion Data 2.018 (18/02/20) LF 1.00
HP 110-352na Desktop PC with AMD Quad-Core A6-5200 APU 64Bit processor. Radeon HD8400 graphics. 8 GB DDR3 Memory with 1TB Data storage. 64-bit Windows 10. Verbatim USB 2.0 1TB desktop hard drive. WD My Passport Ultra 1tb USB3 Portable hard drive. Nikon ViewNX-1 64bit Version 1.4.1 (18/02/2020). Nikon Capture NX-D 64bit Version 1.6.2 (18/02/2020). Nikon Picture Control Utility 2 (Version 2.4.5 (18/02/2020). Nikon Transfer 2 Version 2.13.5. Adobe photoshop Elements 8 Version 8.0 64bit.