View allAll Photos Tagged Directive
Italien / Südtirol - Mendelkamm
On the way to Monte Roen - Chamois
Auf dem Weg zum Monte Roen - Gämse
The chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) is a species of goat-antelope native to mountains in Europe, from west to east, including the Cantabrian Mountains, the Pyrenees, the Alps and the Apennines, the Dinarides, the Tatra and the Carpathian Mountains, the Balkan Mountains, the Rila–Rhodope massif, Pindus, the northeastern mountains of Turkey, and the Caucasus. The chamois has also been introduced to the South Island of New Zealand. Some subspecies of chamois are strictly protected in the EU under the European Habitats Directive.
Names
The English name comes from French chamois. The latter is derived from Gaulish camox (attested in Latin, 5th century), itself perhaps borrowing from some Alpine language (Raetic, Ligurian). The Gaulish form also underlies German Gemse, Gams, Gämse, Italian camoscio, Ladin ciamorz.
The usual pronunciation for the animal is UK: /ˈʃæmwɑː/ or US: /ʃæmˈwɑː/, approximating the French pronunciation [ʃamwa]. However, when referring to chamois leather, and in New Zealand often for the animal itself, it is /ˈʃæmi/, and sometimes spelt shammy or chamy. The plural of "chamois" is spelled the same as the singular, and it may be pronounced with the final "s" sounded. However, as with many other quarry species, the plural for the animal is often pronounced the same as the singular.
The Dutch name for the chamois is gems, and the male is called a gemsbok. In Afrikaans, the name gemsbok came to refer to a species of Subsaharan antelope of the genus Oryx, and this meaning of "gemsbok" has been adopted into English.
Description
The chamois is a very small bovid. A fully grown chamois reaches a height of 70–80 cm (28–31 in) and measures 107–137 cm (42–54 in) (the tail is not generally visible except when mating).[6] Males, which weigh 30–60 kg (66–132 lb), are slightly larger than females, which weigh 25–45 kg (55–99 lb). Both males and females have short, straightish horns which are hooked backwards near the tip, the horn of the male being thicker. In summer, the fur has a rich brown colour which turns to a light grey in winter. Distinct characteristics are white contrasting marks on the sides of the head with pronounced black stripes below the eyes, a white rump and a black stripe along the back.
Biology and behaviour
Female chamois and their young live in herds of up to 15 to 30 individuals; adult males tend to live solitarily for most of the year. During the rut (late November/early December in Europe, May in New Zealand), males engage in fierce battles for the attention of unmated females. An impregnated female undergoes a gestation period of 170 days, after which a single kid is usually born in May or early June. On rare occasions, twins may be born. If a mother is killed, other females in the herd may try to raise the young. The kid is weaned at six months of age and is fully grown by one year of age. However, the kids do not reach sexual maturity until they are three to four years old, although some females may mate at as early two years old. At sexual maturity, young males are forced out of their mother's herds by dominant males (who sometimes kill them), and then wander somewhat nomadically until they can establish themselves as mature breeding specimens at eight to nine years of age.
Chamois eat various types of vegetation, including highland grasses and herbs during the summer and conifers, barks and needles from trees in winter. Primarily diurnal in activity, they often rest around mid-day and may actively forage during moonlit nights.
Chamois can reach an age of 22 years in captivity, although the maximum recorded in the wild is from 15 to 17 years of age. Common causes of mortality can include avalanches, epidemics and predation. At present, humans are the main predator of chamois. In the past, the principal predators were Eurasian lynxes, Persian leopards and gray wolves; with some predation possibly by brown bears and golden eagles. Chamois usually use speed and stealthy evasion to escape predators and can run at 50 kilometers per hour (31 mph) and can jump 2 m (6.6 ft) vertically into the air or over a distance of 6 m (20 ft).
Distribution and habitat
The chamois is native to the Pyrenees, the mountains of south and central Europe, Turkey, and the Caucasus. It lives in precipitous, rugged, rocky terrain at moderately high elevations of up to at least 3,600 m (11,800 ft). In Europe, the chamois spends the summer months in alpine meadows above the tree line, but moves to elevations of around 800 m (2,600 ft) to spend the winter in pine-dominated forests.
Hunting and wildlife management
As their meat is considered tasty, chamois are popular game animals. Chamois have two traits that are exploited by hunters: the first is that they are most active in the morning and evening when they feed; the second is that they tend to look for danger originating from below, which means that a hunter stalking chamois from above is less likely to be observed and more likely to be successful.
The tuft of hair from the back of the neck, the gamsbart (chamois "beard"), is traditionally worn as a decoration on hats throughout the alpine countries.
Chamois leather
Chamois leather, traditionally made from the hide of the chamois, is very smooth and absorbent and is favoured in cleaning, buffing, and polishing because it produces no scratching. Modern chamois leather may be made from chamois hides, but hides of deer or domestic goats or sheep are commonly used.
Chamois fabric
A fabric known as chamois is made variously from cotton flannel, PVA, Viscose, and other materials with similar qualities. It is napped to produce a plush surface similar to moleskin or chamois leather.
(Wikipedia)
Der Mendelkamm, auch Mendelgebirge oder Mendelzug genannt, ist eine etwa 35 km lange Gebirgsgruppe in Südtirol und im Trentino. Der Mendelkamm wird zur Nonsberggruppe gerechnet und damit zu den Südlichen Kalkalpen.
Lage
Der Mendelkamm trennt das Nonstal im Westen und das Etschtal im Osten auf der Länge zwischen Gampenpass und Rotaliana-Ebene. Auf dem Großteil der Strecke verläuft die Grenze zwischen dem Trentino und Südtirol über den Gipfelkamm, nur das nördlichste Teilstück am Deutschnonsberg liegt zur Gänze in Südtirol und das südlichste Teilstück ab der Höhe der Salurner Klause im Trentino.
Topographie
Der Mendelkamm zeichnet sich durch verhältnismäßig geringe Höhenunterschiede auf seinem Gipfelkamm aus. Nur einmal unterschreitet er deutlich eine Höhe von 1500 m am Mendelpass, nur einmal überschreitet er eine Höhe von 2000 m am Roen. Ebenfalls auffällig ist die Asymmetrie des Bergkammes im Längsprofil: Während das Nonstal im Westen größtenteils nur mit geringen Steigungsgraden zu den Gipfeln ansteigt, die von dort betrachtet oftmals als wenig markante Hügelkuppen erscheinen, bricht die Gebirgsgruppe nach Osten ins Etschtal sehr steil ab.
Der Mendelkamm verläuft vom Gampenpass (1518 m s.l.m.) südlich von Meran, der den Kamm vom Laugen trennt und das Etschtal mit dem Deutschnonsberg verbindet, zunächst in einem leichten Bogen nach Südosten über wenig markante erste Erhebungen, darunter Schönegg (1772 m) und Hochkührast (1836 m), zum Gantkofel (1866 m). Am Gantkofel, der mit seinem großen Felsabbruch über dem Bozner Talkessel im Osten thront, biegt der Mendelkamm nach Süden ab. Von hier ab bildet er die Grenze zwischen Südtirol und dem Trentino und überragt auf einer Strecke von etwa 14 km im Osten die Überetsch genannte Landschaft, die durch den parallel verlaufenden Mitterberg zum Talboden der Etsch hin abgetrennt ist. Der nächste Gipfel ist der Penegal (1737 m), ehe der Kamm zum Mendelpass (1363 m) hin abfällt. Dieser ist durch die SS 42 und die Mendelbahn verkehrstechnisch erschlossen.
Südlich vom Mendelpass steigt das Gelände über diverse Zwischengipfel zum höchsten Berg des Mendelkamms, dem Roen (2116 m), an. Am Roen, an dessen Ostseite das Überetsch ins Unterland übergeht, befindet sich auch die einzige Schutzhütte der Gebirgsgruppe, die Überetscher Hütte (1775 m). Gegen Süden fällt das Gelände wieder rasch zum Grauner Joch (1800 m) ab und erreicht in der Folge mit mehreren Erhebungen nur noch Höhen zwischen 1600 m und 1700 m. An der Westseite dieses Gebiets liegt die Altopiano della Predaia genannte Hochfläche. Der erste Gipfel, der wieder über 1800 m hinaufreicht, aber sich ansonsten nur wenig markant im Kammverlauf erhebt, ist das Tresner Horn (1812 m). Hier biegt der Mendelkamm in südwestliche Richtung ab und befindet sich knapp hinter dem Fenner Joch (1563 m), dem nach Südosten der Fennberg (1468 m) und die Salurner Klause vorgelagert sind, und den Cimoni (1729 m) nur noch im Trentino.
Auf dem letzten Teilstück erreicht der Mendelkamm an der Wiggerspitze (Cima Roccapiana, 1873 m) und an der Cima Monticello (1857 m) noch einmal bedeutende Höhen. Er fällt schließlich über die weitläufige Terrasse von Monte Mezzocorona in die Rotaliana-Ebene bei Mezzocorona ab, wo das Nonstal ins Etschtal einmündet.
Weinbau
Nicht nur bei Tramin und Kaltern, sondern auch bis zum nördlicheren Eppan findet der Weinbau durch den speziellen, lockeren Kalkstein und die zugehörigen Schotterböden ideale Wachstumsbedingungen. Die Süd- bis Südost-Hänge eignen sich für kräftige und fruchtbetonte Rebsorten vom Gewürztraminer bis zum Weißburgunder oder Sauvignon. Das milde Klima des Überetsch und der Mendel-Osthänge darüber wird unter anderem durch häufige Fallwinde geprägt, deren Erwärmung (um etwa 6° pro 1.000 Höhenmeter) ein gut durchlüftetes Mikroklima erzeugt.
Pflanzenwelt
An den westlichen und östlichen Hängen des Mendelgebirges gibt es teils ausgedehnte Wälder mit Rotbuchen und Waldkiefern. Auf über 1000 m Meereshöhe sind Fichtenwälder, und vor allem auf der Nonstaler Seite Lärchenwiesen. Auch die Legföhre kommt an einigen Stellen vor. Die Flora ist ähnlich jener der Dolomiten, doch fehlen Hochgebirgspflanzen, da die Gipfel nicht so hoch sind.
Herkunft des Namens
Das Wort Mendel erscheint schon in einem Dokument von 1429 in der Form an der Mendell.
Eine sichere Erklärung zur Etymologie gibt es nicht. Egon Kühebacher hält eine Verwandtschaft mit einem romanischen menda für möglich, welches im Sardischen „nicht bebautes, als Weide dienendes Land“ bedeutet. Falls ein Zusammenhang mit althochdeutsch mendi („Freude, Wonne“) besteht, könnte sich der Name auf das gute Weideland, auf die ergiebigen Jagdgründe, aber auch auf die sommerliche Frische beziehen, die der Hitze im Talboden gern vorgezogen wird; seit jeher verbringen viele Bewohner der östlichen Mendelhänge den Sommer dort im Gebirge. Eventuell handelt es sich aber auch um ein vorindogermanisches Reliktwort, das im baskischen mendi mit der Bedeutung „Berg“ eine Parallele findet.
(Wikipedia)
Die (Alpen-)Gämse (Rupicapra rupicapra), vor der Rechtschreibreform Gemse geschrieben und in der Jägersprache mit Gams oder Gamswild bezeichnet, ist eine in Europa und Kleinasien beheimatete Art der Ziegenartigen. Zusammen mit der Pyrenäen-Gämse und weiteren Arten gehört sie zur Gattung der Gämsen (Rupicapra).
Die Gämse wurde von der Schutzgemeinschaft Deutsches Wild zum Wildtier des Jahres 2012 gekürt.
Merkmale
Ausgewachsene Gämsen haben eine Kopf-Rumpf-Länge von 110 bis 130 Zentimetern, einen bis zu acht Zentimeter langen Schwanz, eine Widerristhöhe von 70 bis 85 Zentimetern und ein Gewicht von 25 bis 40 Kilogramm (Weibchen) bzw. 35 bis 50 Kilogramm (Männchen). Gämsen verfügen über einen kräftigen, jedoch gedrungenen Körperbau. Der schlanke Hals trägt einen zur Schnauze hin stark verschmälerten, kurzen Kopf. Beide Geschlechter tragen Hörner, auch Krucken oder Krickel genannt. Diese werden bis zu 25 Zentimeter lang und sind drehrund. Sie sind an der Wurzel kreisförmig eingekerbt, gerade aufsteigend und an der Spitze rückwärts gebogen. Die Hörner werden im Gegensatz zu dem Geweih der Hirsche und des Rehwilds im Winter nicht abgeworfen. Die spitzen Ohren der Gämsen besitzen eine Länge von ca. einer halben Kopflänge.
Die Gämse hat verhältnismäßig lange, kräftige Beine mit relativ großen Hufen. Im Gegensatz zum Rotwild hat die Gämse keine Tränengruben, sondern eine Brunftfeige. Dieses Drüsenorgan befindet sich hinter den Hörnern in einer Höhlung. Zur Brunftzeit sondert es ein schmieriges, streng riechendes Sekret ab.
Im Sommer ist die Gämse schmutzig rotbraun, auf der Unterseite hell rotgelb, auf dem Rücken mit einem schwarzbraunen Aalstrich, an der Kehle fahlgelb, im Nacken weißgelblich. Die Hinterseite der Schenkel ist weiß, der Schwanz auf der Unterseite und an der Spitze schwarz. Von den Ohren verläuft über die Augen hin eine schwarze Längsbinde.
Im Winter ist die Gämse oben dunkelbraun oder braunschwarz, am Bauch weiß, an den Füßen und am Kopf gelblichweiß, auf dem Scheitel und an der Schnauze etwas dunkler. Beide Kleider gehen unmerklich ineinander über. Jäger unterscheiden das große, dunkelbraune Waldtier von dem kleineren, rotbraunen Grattier.
Eine wesentlich auf die Steiermark beschränkte, seit dem 16. Jahrhundert dort belegbare Farbmutation der Gämse wird Kohlgams genannt. Sie zeichnet sich dadurch aus, dass die sonst hellen Unterseite, Kehle- und Wangen-Partien dunkel gefärbt sind, wobei die Stirn und die Innenohren ihre übliche helle Färbung beibehalten.
Verbreitung und Lebensraum
Bei der Gämse handelt es sich um eine weitgehend auf Europa beschränkte Art, was in der Tierwelt eine nennenswerte Besonderheit darstellt. Sie besiedelt den ganzen Alpenraum und Teile des Balkans. Das größte Revier befindet sich im Hochschwabgebiet in der Steiermark. Wie archäologische Funde belegen, erstreckte sich das Vorkommen noch vor 7000 bis 4000 Jahren auch auf weitere gebirgige Gegenden, etwa in den deutschen Mittelgebirgen. Nach Aussetzungen und vereinzelten Zuwanderungen aus den Alpen existieren mittlerweile wieder kleine Populationen im Jura, in den Vogesen, im Schwarzwald, auf der Schwäbischen Alb, auf der Fränkischen Alb sowie im Lausitzer Gebirge.
Als Lebensraum ist die Gämse auf steiles, möglichst teils felsiges Gelände angewiesen. Dort kommen ihre körperlichen Fähigkeiten am besten zum Tragen. So ermöglichen ein vergleichsweise großes Herz, ein hoher Anteil sauerstoffbindender roter Blutkörperchen und der spezielle Bau der spreizbaren Hufe den Gämsen Bewegungssicherheit und Leistungsvermögen unter diesen Bedingungen. Auch wird das Gefälle der Landschaft genutzt, um sich stets in einem geeigneten Mikroklima aufzuhalten, zumal bereits Temperaturen ab 12 Grad von den Tieren als eher unangenehm empfunden werden. Ob das Gelände bewaldet ist, hat im Grunde keine zentrale Bedeutung.[6] In den Alpen ergibt es sich, dass die Gämsen sich meist oberhalb des Waldgürtels in Höhen zwischen 1500 und 2500 Metern aufhalten. Nahrungsknappheit zwingt sie im Winter zum Abstieg in tiefere – bewaldete – Lagen.
Lebensweise
Weibchen und Jungtiere leben in Herden von 15 bis 30 Tieren. Die sozialen Bande ändern sich mit den Jahreszeiten. Im Sommer sind sie sehr intensiv. Zum Winter hin wird der Herdenzusammenhalt lockerer und manche Herden vermischen sich oder lösen sich auf. Böcke leben einzelgängerisch und suchen erst im Spätsommer eine Herde auf. Sie vertreiben die männlichen Jungtiere, wenn sie alt genug sind, und behaupten sich in Kämpfen gegen Geschlechtsgenossen. In der zweiten Novemberhälfte erfolgt dann die Paarung.
Ende Mai oder Anfang Juni wirft die Gämse ein, selten zwei oder drei Junge, die bald der Mutter folgen und drei Monate gesäugt werden. Die Tragzeit beträgt sechs Monate. Die Geißen werden nach zwei Jahren geschlechtsreif. Im dritten Jahr ist das Junge ausgewachsen. Die Gamsböcke erreichen ein Alter von 15 Jahren, die Weibchen werden bis zu 20 Jahre alt.
Ihre Nahrung besteht aus vor allem jungen Trieben der Alpensträucher (Alpenrose, Erle, Weide, Wacholder, Kiefer) und Bäume sowie aus Kräutern, Blättern und Gräsern, im Winter auch aus Moos und Flechten.
Feinde
Raubtiere wie Luchs, Wolf und Bär stellen ihnen nach. Der Steinadler schlägt hin und wieder Gamskitze.
Gämsen sind außerdem durch herabrollende Steine und Felsstücke gefährdet sowie durch Lawinen (besonders frühe Herbstlawinen sind häufig tödlich für Gamskitze), in strengen Wintern auch durch Futtermangel.
Mensch und Gämse
Bejagung
Die Jagd auf Gämsen findet aufgrund ihrer Lebensweise meist im Hochgebirge statt. Da Gämsen keinen steilen Grat und keine felsigen Gegenden scheuen, ist die Jagd mühsam und oft gefährlich. Der tatsächlich bejagbare Bestand ist oft sehr gering, da durch die widrigen Umweltbedingungen insbesondere im hochalpinen Winter viele Jungtiere nicht überleben. Auch können Seuchen wie Gämsblindheit, Räude und andere parasitäre und infektiöse Erkrankungen für hohe Todesraten mitverantwortlich sein. Auch in den Mittelgebirgsregionen kann heute jedoch aufgrund der sicheren Populationsgrößen wieder eine nennenswerte Bestandsabschöpfung verzeichnet werden. Im Jagdjahr 2015/16 wurden nur in Bayern 4250 und Baden-Württemberg 500 Tiere erlegt. 2010/11 lagen die Zahlen bei 4070 und 400. Die deutsche Gesamtquote ist im Gegensatz zu anderen bejagten Tierarten seit 15 Jahren fast unverändert. Auch in Österreich sind die Quoten stabil, sie lagen 2015/16 bei 20.370 und 2010/11 bei 20.300 erlegten Gämsen.
In der Schweiz lag der Abschuss 2009 sowie 2010 jeweils bei etwa 13.000. Die Gämsenpopulation in der Schweiz nimmt seit Jahren kontinuierlich ab. Die Abschusszahlen waren nicht den tatsächlichen Gegebenheiten angemessen, sodass eine Überjagung die Bestände dezimiert hat. Besonders auf Faktoren wie Klimaveränderungen, neue Prädatoren und zunehmenden Tourismus sei zu wenig Rücksicht genommen worden. Die Abschussquote 2015 lag bei 11.650 Tieren, dem niedrigsten Wert seit 15 Jahren. Die Gesamtpopulation der Gämsen auf dem Gebiet der Schweiz beträgt etwa 90.000. Um die Bestände langfristig zu sichern und den Abwärtstrend zu beenden, wurde im Dezember 2016 von JagdSchweiz und der Jagd- und Fischereiverwalterkonferenz ein gemeinsames Positionspapier sowie eine Broschüre zum verantwortungsvollen Umgang mit der Gämse erarbeitet. Ziel ist es, die Jagd den lokalen und aktuellen Gegebenheiten anzupassen: „Bei der Jagd ist die Frage nicht, welche Gämsen wir jagen wollen, sondern was der Bestand erlaubt zu entnehmen, um gesunde Bestände mit einer möglichst natürlichen Alters- und Sozialstruktur zu sichern. Zur Beantwortung dieser Frage und als Voraussetzung für ein erfolgreiches Management braucht es gute Datengrundlagen. Ganz wesentlich ist dabei die Bereitschaft der Jägerinnen und Jäger mitzuhelfen, Datengrundlagen zu sammeln und die Gamsbestände in gewissen Gebieten zu schonen.“
Verwertung
Das Fleisch der Gämsen ist wohlschmeckend und wird hoch geschätzt; das Gamsfell ergibt ein schönes Leder, das vor allem zu Hosen und Handschuhen verarbeitet wird. Die Hörner werden zu Stockgriffen und die Haare auf dem Widerrist der Böcke als Hutschmuck (Gamsbart) verarbeitet.
Im Magen der Gämsen findet man zuweilen die sogenannten Gämskugeln (Bezoar). Dieselben wurden wegen vermeintlicher arzneilicher Wirksamkeit ebenso wie das Gamsblut früher teuer bezahlt, sind aber ohne medizinischen Wert. Jung eingefangen, lassen die Gämsen sich mit Ziegenmilch ernähren und werden sehr zahm, bisweilen pflanzen sie sich in der Gefangenschaft fort.
(Wikipedia)
I didn't get to play around with these dolls (especially Eugie) as much since I was still starry-eyed over the convention collection. Hopefully, there won't be delay on this year's dolls. I hated getting them before and after convention last year. It really made them feel second-class. I'm crossing my fingers that Eugenia will be this year's W Club doll. I miss her!!!
Today I saw one of ours and a NATO unit just walking past each other. They shouldn’t be able to override base directives like this.
---
Built for New Elementary: www.newelementary.com/2021/11/lego-bionicle-20th-annivers...
A tribute to one of my favorite Pixar films. Read more about the genesis of this pic here: thereeljames.wordpress.com/2015/07/17/lego-great-outdoors/
"Guidelines"
Hanoi (Vietnam)
Website : www.fluidr.com/photos/pat21
www.flickriver.com/photos/pat21/sets/
"Copyright © – Patrick Bouchenard
The reproduction, publication, modification, transmission or exploitation of any work contained here in for any use, personal or commercial, without my prior written permission is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved."
Sunset is a wonderful time to share with friends. You never know what might be on people's minds...Sometimes a light shines in a magic moment and things become clear.
- Something wrong... Somebody lost head..
DIRECTIVE (EU) 2019/904 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
Hello everyone! I hope you are all having a great start to your weekend & an amazing last day of 2022! Today I will be sharing the third set of photos of an interior design project that we have recently completed. For this project, we were commissioned to design the entire interior of the home, as well as the patios and balconies. Any landscaping details that you see in this and upcoming photos of this project, have been completed by the landscapers that are employed by the community that our client lives in.
In the first photo, you are getting a look at what may be my favourite room of this project, the kitchen! For this space, we created a ton of custom elements, which really help distinguish this kitchen from all the others that have been installed in this model of home. To start, we created a custom mesh wooden surround, which helps enclose all cabinetry and appliances, such as the wine fridges on the left hand side of the photo. We’ve also created a custom glass door fridge, along with custom glass door cabinetry on each side of the range, in a beautiful tinted black finish. These details help break up the heavy usage of wood and stones in this space, providing a nice contrast of a more delicate material.
In the second photo, you are getting a peak into the breakfast area, which is adjacent to the kitchen. This is a much more intimate space than the dining room, which I showcased in my previous post, due to the space being smaller overall and having a lesser seating capacity. As you can see, we stuck with our client's directive, using lots of beige, cream and white tones, with graphite and black accents to provide a grounding effect.
As always, the team & I thank you so much for following us along our design journey & supporting The Design Firm! You support is what keeps us going <3
Lastly, I always recommend viewing my photos in full screen mode when able! This allows you to see the true depth and detail of the spaces that my colleagues and I create for our clients.
Photo Credit - Sean Hardy
I don't know how the hours passed in the olive groves this morning. Chasing the Caucasian squirrel requires patience, They don't really go down to the ground unless they need to be fed. Even if I see them on the tree trunk, they disappear very quickly by jumping from tree to tree. They're incredibly quick and like flying acrobats. North Aegean region - Türkiye is full of olive groves and this opportunity also determines their living spaces. They are nesting in the trunks of centuries-old olive trees.
Here is this curious lovely male individual; It has made a home for itself in the hollow of a century-old olive tree with a diameter of 50 cm. The female was not in the nest during the period I watched for over 2 hours. My sudden encounter with a curious and young individual male Caucasian squirrel definitely made my day.
Today I tried to capture different close-up poses without using TC 1.4. It was indeed a different experience for me. The teleconverter sometimes causes loss of clarity and lack of light even though I use a monopod. I think even bokeh is affected.
I hope you'll enjoy the my Caucasian Squirrel series as much as I enjoyed taking them.
The Caucasian squirrel lives in the hollows of centuries-old olive trees. The number of Caucasian squirrels in the North Aegean region is decreasing every year, noticeably.
Like most red squirrels, spotting a Caucasian Squirrel is definitely becoming a rare sight. Climate change affects nature differently in every corner of the world.
The Caucasian squirrel - Sciurus anomalus ; The Caucasian squirrel or Persian squirrel, is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus found in temperate broadleaf and mixed forests in south-western Asia.
The species is usually said to have first been described in 1778 by Johann Friedrich Gmelin in the 13th edition of Systema Naturae,and named Sciurus anomalus. However, some authors argue that this work was actually published in 1788, and that the true first description was made by Johann Anton Güldenstädt in 1785.
Description -
Caucasian squirrels are small tree squirrels, with a total length of 32 to 36 cm (13 to 14 in), including the 13 to 18 cm (5.1 to 7.1 in) tail, and weighing 250 to 410 g (8.8 to 14.5 oz). The color of the upper body fur ranges from greyish brown to pale grey, depending on the subspecies, while that of the underparts is rusty brown to yellowish, and that of the tail, yellow brown to deep red. The claws are relatively short, compared with those of other tree squirrels, and females have either eight or ten teats.
Samuel Griswold Goodrich described the Caucasian squirrel in 1885 as "Its color is grayish-brown above, and yellowish-brown below".
Physical Description -
Caucasian squirrels have a dental formula of incisors 1/1, canines 0/0, premolars 1/1, and molars 3/3, totaling 20. They have four fingered fore feet and five fingered hind feet. Sex differences in body length or mass are not evident.
Distribution and habitat -
Caucasian squirrels are native to south-western Asia, where they are found from Turkey, and the islands of Gökçeada and Lesbos in the west, Iran in the southeast, and as far as Israel and Jordan in the south.It is one of only two species of the genus Sciurus to be found on Mediterranean islands,and, although Eurasian red squirrels have been recently introduced to some areas, is the only species of Sciurus native to the wider region.
The species mainly lives in forested areas dominated by oak, pine, and pistachio, up to altitudes of 2,000 metres (6,600 ft).
Biology and behavior -
The squirrels are diurnal, and solitary, although temporary groups may forage where food is plentiful. Their diet includes nuts, seeds, tree shoots, and buds,with the seeds of oak and pine being particularly favored. Like many other squirrels, they cache their food within tree cavities or loose soil, with some larders containing up to 6 kg (13 lb) of seeds. They live in trees, where they make their dens, but frequently forage on the ground, and are considered less arboreal than Eurasian red squirrels. They commonly nest in tree hollows lined with moss and leaves, and located 5 to 14 m (16 to 46 ft) above the ground, but nests are also sometimes found under rocks or tree roots. Their alarm call is high-pitched, and said to resemble the call of the European green woodpecker, and they mark their territories with urine and dung.
Breeding occurs throughout the year, but is more common in spring or autumn. Litters range from two to seven, with three or four being typical, and the young are fully mature by five or six months of age.
Conservation -
A survey in 2008 found that the species remained abundant within Turkey, however declines are noted in population within the Levant region. The guides for a survey in 1993 in Israel stated that they considered the species to be nearly extinct within the area studied. Whilst the Caucasian squirrel is threatened by poaching and deforestation, the declines recorded are not sufficient to qualify them as anything other than "Least Concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.[1] Hunting of the species is banned by the Central Hunting Commission, and the Caucasian squirrel is protected by the Bern Convention and the EU Habitats Directive.
This information is sourced from "Wikipedia".
Thank you so much for visiting my stream, whether you comments , favorites or just have a look.
I appreciate it very much, wishing the best of luck and good light.
© All rights reserved R.Ertug Please do not use this image without my explicit written permission. Contact me by Flickr mail if you want to buy or use Your comments and critiques are very well appreciated.
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 -
Thanks for stopping and looking :)
'Ringo in the rain'.
On a rainy morning, at the break of dawn...A neck and leg ringed Greenland White-fronted Goose, Anser, albifons flavirostris (sub species) with grass on its orange bill.
Ringing of birds for more extensive scientific purposes was started in 1899 by Hans Christian Cornelius Mortensen, a Danish schoolteacher, using aluminium rings on European starlings (Mortensen had tried using zinc rings as early as 1890 but found these were too heavy).
WWT notes...As temperatures plummet in Greenland, this goose makes an incredible 1,500km journey back to the UK to spend the winter. Since 1999, fewer and fewer geese make it here. WWT is working hard with others at GWGS (the Greenland white-fronted Goose Study group of dedicated volunteers) and NPWS (the National Parks & Wildlife Service, Ireland) to discover why.
Diagnosing why a species is in decline is often difficult and requires a major investment of time and money over many years, but in the case of the Greenland white-fronted goose it is particularly challenging. They breed in one of the most remote and hostile areas of the world and so studying them on the ground is extremely challenging. Their migration route across the great ice cap of Greenland, for example, is impossible to study through human observation alone.
Each year GWGS and WWT count the numbers of Greenland white-fronted geese that arrive on our shores. In the late 1990s Britain and Ireland hosted nearly 36,000 Greenland white-fronted geese but just 20 years later that number has almost halved.
Many thanks for visiting my Flickr pages ...Your visits, interest, comments and kindness to 'fave' my photos is very much appreciated, Steve.
Greenland White-fronted Goose Notes and Information:
The White-fronted Goose is a grey goose, bigger than a mallard and smaller than a mute swan. Adults have a large white patch at the front of the head around the beak and bold black bars on the belly. The legs are orange and Siberian birds have pink bills, while Greenland birds have orange bills. This species does not breed in the UK. Two races visit the UK in winter - birds which breed in Greenland and birds which breed in Siberia. The current wintering areas need protection, including avoiding drainage of traditional wintering areas in southern England. RSPB Notes.
What they eat:
Grass, clover, grain, winter wheat and potatoes.
Measurements:
Length:65-78cm
Wingspan:130-165cm
Weight:1.9-2.5kgPopulation:
UK wintering:13,500
Identifying features:
Greenland White fronted goose
Feather colour: Black Brown Cream/buff Grey White
Leg colour: Orange
Beak: Orange Red Long Duck-like Chunky
Natural habitats: Farmland Grassland Marine and intertidal Wetland
Similar birds: Greylag goose, Taiga bean goose,
Pink-footed goose
Where and when to see them:
White-fronted geese can be seen in south England especially the Severn estuary in Gloucestershire and the Swale estuary in Kent for Siberian birds. Ireland and West Scotland for Greenland birds.
'Birdguides' Notes... Goose 'fitness tracker' reveals migration struggles
Greenland White-fronted Geese make a 600-mile round trip each year to overwinter in Scotland but not every bird finds it easy, according to new research from Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT).
Specially designed bird ‘fitness trackers’ have revealed what happens to the birds as they struggle over the sea for long distances, trying to navigate the angry North Atlantic and getting blown off course by unpredictable storms.
Migration is a particularly vulnerable time for Greenland White-fronts. One goose took just 14 and a half hours to fly from Iceland to Greenland, but two others took days to complete the same journey, being forced to spend a lot of the time bobbing on the sea.
The complete migration routes of Greenland White-fronted Geese in spring, as monitored by the WWT (WWT).
WWT researcher Ed Burrell has just returned from the tiny island of Islay, Argyll, where he’s been downloading data from the bird fitness trackers. He said: “We’ve just downloaded all this amazing data from these individual birds to see what they’ve been up to. From studying the leg from Iceland to Greenland in May this year, we see what a difference a day makes.
“We can tell that the weather turned on two birds who left the same evening, as they landed on the sea – so they wouldn’t be blown further, of course. By using an extra gadget called an accelerometer – a bird 'fitness tracker' so to speak – which measures the movement of the tag, we can tell that they bobbed about for a bit. To avoid the terrible conditions, the birds went for a swim.”
The blue-tagged goose left Iceland at 3.30 am on 6 May in calm conditions, arriving in Greenland 14-and-a-half hours later at a speed of 33.5 mph. The green-tagged goose left at 4 pm on 3 May accompanied by a good tailwind that later turned on the bird, blowing it towards the Arctic Ocean and forcing it to hunker down in the sea. It later landed in Greenland 53 hours after its journey began.
The red-tagged goose had it even worse, leaving the same evening as Green, but taking a traumatic 63 hours to complete the trip.
Researchers at WWT have been tracking these birds to find out why they are declining so rapidly. Since the turn of the century, 50 per cent of the population has vanished.
Thanks to support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, Ian Macleod Distillers Ltd and other generous funders, WWT is able to carry out pioneering research using the finest technologies available to try and prevent further loss of these magnificent birds.
White-fronted Goose is one of eight wetland species of birds threatened with extirpation in Britain. Numbers have declined from 35,000 in 1999 to 18,900 in 2016 due to a number of threats at their breeding grounds. People keen to support our drive to save this species can donate here.
Northern Ireland Notes:
Anser albifrons flavirostris Dalgety & P. Scott, 1948
Family: Anatidae
While it may graze with other geese on manicured pastures, this goose is also a bird of wild boglands and marshes, returning faithfully each year to favoured areas. It breeds on the coastal fringes of western Greenland and winters almost entirely in Ireland and Scotland. Its eastern counterpart, the European white-fronted goose, winters in England.
In brief...
Scarce wintering bird to traditional sites in the west of Northern Ireland
Prefers blanket bog with pools or agricultural grassland
It is a winter visitor found from late October to early April
The Greenland white-fronted goose is Amber listed in both Irish and UK Birds of Conservation Concern
Threats include habitat loss from drainage, inappropriate development and disturbance.
Species description:
The white-fronted goose is a medium-sized, grey-brown goose, which is slightly smaller than the more familiar greylag goose. It has bold black bars across its belly. Its name derives from the white forehead blaze above its beak. The Greenland race is distinctive in being rather dark and having an orange bill and legs. Young birds can be distinguished early in the winter by their reduced white forehead and lack of bars on the belly.
Life cycle
Greenland white-fronted geese breed entirely in the arctic coastal fringe of western Greenland, up to 700m above sea level. They nest amongst hummocks in the tundra, and the timing of egg laying is determined by the thaw of snow. The young geese are tended by both parents and remain as a family through the first autumn and winter. They migrate to Ireland together via south-west Iceland. During the winter months the geese form flocks which remain at traditional sites. These are often improved grasslands where protein-rich shoot tips are grazed. Some small flocks remain faithful to blanket bog feeding sites where they eat the tubers of bog cotton and sedges.
Similar species:
The greylag goose is much more numerous in Northern Ireland. It is a bigger, heavier bird with a larger orange bill and pink legs and lacks the white forehead and black bars on the belly. In flight the greylag has broad pale forewings which contrast with the rest of the plumage. The pink-footed goose is a scarce migrant with pink legs, a noticeably dark head and neck and small, stubby bill. The eastern race of white-fronted goose, which is rare in Ireland, differs in having a pinkish bill.
How to see this species:
There are only a few sites where they winter regularly. On Lough Foyle they can be found feeding on the fields around the southern part of the lough. These birds are not always present, and are more often at Lough Swilly which lies just to the west in Donegal. The other flocks can be difficult to track down, leading to many real wild goose chases! The small flock at Annaghroe on the River Blackwater (County Tyrone) can often be viewed from a public road. Occasionally, flocks or single birds are seen on migration at other sites such as Strangford Lough.
Current status:
The wintering population in Northern Ireland seems to have decreased since the 1960s when around 500 wintered. Several traditional sites have been lost to drainage, peat cutting and afforestation. In recent years, numbers at Lough Foyle have been very variable, with usually between 40-50 birds present. Over 1,000 winter nearby at Lough Swilly in County Donegal. Lower Lough Macnean in County Fermanagh supports the largest regular flock of about 100 birds, while there are smaller numbers on the Pettigo Plateau bogs (Fermanagh/Donegal) and at the River Blackwater (County Tyrone). The most important site in Ireland is the Wexford Slobs which supports a spectacular 10,000 geese each winter.
This is not a quarry species and is protected under the Wildlife (NI) Order 1985. It is also listed in Annex I of the EU Birds Directive as a species which must be the subject of special conservation measures.
Why is this species a priority in Northern Ireland?
The Greenland race is Amber listed in the UK and Irish Birds of Conservation Concern lists because both UK and Ireland support more than 20 per cent of the NW European population in winter.
Threats/Causes of decline
Some traditional sites in Northern Ireland have been lost because of drainage (Downpatrick Marshes) or the encroachment of forestry. Inappropriate siting of wind turbines could also threaten some flocks and the geese are also very vulnerable to human disturbance. The world population increased following a ban on hunting in their wintering grounds in 1982, although there is evidence of a recent decrease in numbers.
Conservation of this species:
Current action
Some sites visited by this species are designated as Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSIs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs)
Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s (DARD) Countryside Management Scheme and Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme include measures designed to protect and enhance habitats for wintering geese
Some key sites are surveyed each winter by a combination of conservation bodies and volunteer counters as part of the nationally co-ordinated Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS).
Proposed objectives/actions
The status of the Greenland white-fronted goose will continue to be monitored and appropriate conservation action undertaken if required.
What you can do...
Volunteer as a Wetland Bird Survey counter by contacting EHS or RSPB
Report incidents of illegal shooting to PSNI or EHS
Report any sightings to Northern Ireland Birdwatchers’ Association Flightline. Tel: 028 9146 7408.
The Supreme Moff flicks a button on the table console, and a holographic chart appears mid-air.
Supreme Moff Barthol: With this reorganization we will initiate three new directives that will keep the New Republic incapacitated. We want them to stay vigilant towards carefully chosen activities, in order to draw their gaze away from others. We will focus our efforts and resources on the three directives: Operation Nightwing, Operation Thorn, and Operation Resurrection! These are the supreme directives, and take priority over all other operations. These directives are all working toward restoring the Glory of the Empire!
Grand Prince Serion: For security reasons, we will brief each commander of their involvement separately after this meeting. You will each receive a droid carrying your directives. Commander Bannon, and Administrator Goren. Please come with me. The rest of you are dismissed!
To be continued…
///
Join the Imperial cause in the Factions RPG over on Eurobricks: www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/forum/188-fact...
When designing them, one of the iterative directives we designated was to learn and improve rapid deployment. It wasn't long until we experienced first hand just how rapid they became.
---
Built for SHIPtember 2023. 106 studs long.
More images: www.instagram.com/p/Cxxz2itN4dZ/
Hatfield Moors is very unusual place and the type of habitat that one would not associate with Britain. However, once upon a time habitats such as peatlands, bogs, heathland and mossland was much more common. They are a great place to visit and one that should not be forgotten.
.
www.gov.uk/government/publications/south-yorkshires-natio...
South Yorkshire's National Nature Reserves (NNRs)
Humberhead Peatlands
The moors are remnants of wetland that occupied the floodplain of the Humberhead Levels thousands of years ago
Main habitats: peatland
Features of interest
The Humberhead Peatlands NNR comprises Thorne, Goole, and Crowle Moors, as well as Hatfield Moors and it represents the largest area of raised bog wilderness in lowland Britain at 2,887 hectares in size.
The site is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) for its habitat. and an internationally important breeding site for the nocturnal, insect-feeding nightjar which was responsible for the area being declared as a Special Protection Area (SPA) under the European Birds Directive.
A wide range of habitats supports the 5,000 species of plants and animals that have been recorded on the reserve of which more than 4000 are insects. There is also a sizable population of adders on the Moors.
More than 200 bird species have been recorded and approximately 75 have bred. Winter visitors include whooper swans, pink-footed geese and short-eared owls. From March-July a very special summer visitor is the diminutive woodlark and oystercatcher, lapwing, ringed plover and great crested grebe can be spotted around the lakes.
Directions
By train
There are train stations at Thorne and Crowle .
By bus
Bus services run to the villages, call 01302 734309 and 01652 657053 for the Tourist Information Centres covering the area.
Call 01709 515151 for South Yorkshire transport.
On foot
Thorne, Hatfield & Crowle are on the route of the 72km circular Peatlands Way which connects with the Trans Pennine Trail.
School and community groups
Humberhead Peatlands NNR offers outdoor learning opportunities for schools. These are aimed at both primary and secondary schools .
Contact
For more information contact Natural England Enquiries, tel. 0300 060 3900 or email enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk
To discuss school visits or volunteering opportunities contact the Community Support Officer on 07766 420290.
The Presidio of San Francisco (originally, El Presidio Real de San Francisco or The Royal Fortress of Saint Francis) is a park and former U.S. Army post on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula in San Francisco, California, and is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
It had been a fortified location since September 17, 1776, when New Spain established the presidio to gain a foothold in Alta California and the San Francisco Bay. It passed to Mexico in 1820, which in turn passed it to the United States in 1848.[6] As part of a military reduction program under the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process from 1988, Congress voted to end the Presidio's status as an active military installation of the U.S. Army.[7] On October 1, 1994, it was transferred to the National Park Service, ending 219 years of military use and beginning its next phase of mixed commercial and public use.[8]
In 1996, the United States Congress created the Presidio Trust to oversee and manage the interior 80% of the park's lands, with the National Park Service managing the coastal 20%.[9] In a first-of-its-kind structure, Congress mandated that the Presidio Trust make the Presidio financially self-sufficient by 2013. The Presidio achieved the goal in 2005, eight years ahead of the deadline.[10]
The park has many wooded areas, hills, and scenic vistas overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco Bay, and the Pacific Ocean. It was recognized as a California Historical Landmark in 1933 and as a National Historic Landmark in 1962.[5][4]
Beginning in the 1890s, the Presidio was home to the Letterman Army Medical Center (LAMC), named in 1911 for Jonathan Letterman, the medical director of the Civil War-era Army of the Potomac. LAMC provided thousands of war-wounded with high-quality medical care during every US foreign conflict of the 20th century.
One of the last two remaining cemeteries within the city's limits is the San Francisco National Cemetery. Among the military personnel interred there are General Frederick Funston, hero of the Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War, and commanding officer of the Presidio at the time of the 1906 earthquake; and General Irvin McDowell, a Union Army commander who lost the First Battle of Bull Run.
The Marine Hospital operated a cemetery for merchant seamen approximately 100–250 yards (91–229 m) from the hospital property. Based on city municipal records, historians estimate that the cemetery was used from 1885 to 1912.[12] As part of the "Trails Forever" initiative, the Parks Conservancy, the National Park Service, and the Presidio Trust partnered to build a walking trail along the south side of the site featuring interpretive signage about its history.[13]
Street map of 1937 of the Army Base
The Presidio was the home of the Western Defense Command headquarters during World War II. It was here that Lieutenant General John L. DeWitt signed 108 Civilian Exclusion Orders and directives for the internment of Japanese Americans under the authority of Executive Order 9066 signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on February 19, 1942.[14]
The Presidio sent its few remaining units to war for the last time in 1991 for Desert Storm, the First Gulf War. The role of the Sixth Army was the management of training and coordinating deployment of Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve units in the Western U.S. for Operation Desert Storm.After a hard-fought battle, the Presidio averted being sold at auction and came under the management of the Presidio Trust, a U.S. government corporation established by an act of Congress in 1996.[10][15][failed verification]
The Presidio Trust now manages most of the park in partnership with the National Park Service. The trust has jurisdiction over the interior of 80 percent of the Presidio, including nearly all its historic structures. The National Park Service manages coastal areas. Primary law enforcement throughout the Presidio is the jurisdiction of the United States Park Police.
One of the main objectives of the Presidio Trust's program was achieving financial self-sufficiency by fiscal year 2013, which was reached in 2006. Immediately after its inception, the trust began preparing rehabilitation plans for the park. Many areas had to be decontaminated before being prepared for public use.
The Presidio Trust Act calls for the "preservation of the cultural and historic integrity of the Presidio for public use." The Act also requires that the Presidio Trust be financially self-sufficient by 2013. These imperatives have resulted in numerous conflicts between the need to maximize income by leasing historic buildings and permitting public use despite most structures being rented privately. Further differences have arisen from the divergent needs to preserve the integrity of the National Historic Landmark District in the face of new construction, competing pressures for natural habitat restoration, and requirements for commercial purposes that impede public access.
Crissy Field, a former airfield, has undergone extensive restoration and is now a popular recreational area. It borders on the San Francisco Marina in the east and on the Golden Gate Bridge in the west.
I was stationed here during the late 70's and early 80's in the US Army. My famiily loved it here very much. It is so sad to see what the politics have done to the city since then. I don't have to go into detail because it has been all over the news for years. We returned to visit in October of this year and avoided all the crime and homelessness. We avoided those areas. Did not see one policeman that day. As you can see the tourist still come to see this famous city. There has been lots of changes to the Presidio since we were stationed there. It is now being preserved as a historic site and they lease out the old military family housing and old military facilities to bring in money. It is a great place to see if you have never visited there :) This is a picture of the old parade field overlooking the harbor in which I participated in a lot of parades and I worked in one of the buildings on your left just out of view. It was my best assignment while I was in the Army.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukAhXKkxBwU
Sad to Know your Leaving - Gregory Isaacs
Biesbosch National Park
The Biesbosch National Park is a green maze of several rivers, islands and a vast network of narrow and wide creeks. The area is one of the largest, valuable natural areas in the Netherlands. What’s more, it is one of the few remaining fresh-water tidal areas in Europe. The Nieuwe Merwede canal divides the National Park equally between the provinces of Noord-Brabant and Zuid-Holland. The part in Noord-Brabant is called the Brabantse Biesbosch. The part in Zuid-Holland is divided into the Sliedrechtse Biesbosch and the Dordtse Biesbosch. The National Park covers an area of approximately 9,000 hectares.
The vegetation mainly consists of willow-woods that developed out of the willow-shoots of former withy-beds due to decades of neglect. These marshy woods alternate with grasslands and reed-lands that have run wild with weeds. There's also an abundance of fauna to be found too. For example beavers, foxes, deers, hares, pine martens, geese, ducks and various birds of prey.
The Biesbosch is an important area for birds to rest, forage and breed. This watery area is of such international importance to waterfowl and waders that a large area, the Brabantse Biesbosch has been officially recognized as a ‘Wetland’. This high natural value is confirmed by other European agreements like the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive.
My name is Anthony Mazur, and I’m a sophomore at Flower Mound High School. At the start of this school year, I joined yearbook class, and quickly fell in love with photography, particularly sports photography. I’d go to every game I could and learn as much as possible. I never knew that one day it might launch a future career into photojournalism and content creation.
My yearbook class asked me to take a trip down to San Antonio, where the Texas Association of Journalism Educators held a conference, inviting schools from all over Texas to listen to speakers, experts, and professionals give advice during classes and seminars about journalism, photography, and design. For the $100 I was asked to pay to go on the trip, I think it was well worth it. In one of the classes I took at the conference, the speakers, a journalism teacher from Argyle and her student now working as an intern for the Dallas Morning News, told us the student began selling his work to media outlets and organizations, and telling us how photographers own the work that we shoot.
At the end of the class, I approached the teacher confused, and asked that because I was using a school camera, and using a school press pass, do I still own my pictures? She replied that I did. From that day on, that student and teacher from Argyle inspired me. I was filled with joy; I realized fully that this may be something I wanted to do for the rest of my life. It was my passion. So, I started selling my pictures to parents, tried licensing them to news organizations and get internships to learn as much as possible. It felt great to receive such amazing support from parents, players, and friends. I believed I found my place. One day, that all changed…
I was sitting in chemistry class when a blue office slip was delivered to me. A principal wanted to see me. When I entered the principal’s office, he asked me to close the door, and on his computer screen was my Flickr website where I posted all my pictures. Angrily, he told me I had to take it down, that I didn’t own my pictures, that what I was doing was illegal. I told him about Argyle, about the trip, about US Federal Copyright Law, which states whoever takes the picture owns the picture and can sell it. He didn't listen. Instead, he threw stacks of papers in front of me, threatened me with ISS (In-School Suspension), banning me from school activities, games, and from school camera equipment.
In addition, he gave me a concealed threat about asking for any money that I made off the site be returned to the school. He also made reference to reporting me to the IRS. Alone in a room facing him, with him threatening me like this, I’ve never felt so coerced before. In a later meeting with my parents, we were forced to sign an Administrative Directive agreeing to take my website down as to not have In-School-Suspension appear on my record.
My parents and I filed an appeal to the directive, citing Title 17 of US Copyright Law, the Texas Association of School Boards, and even LISD Policy (CY Legal/Local) which states that students own the pictures they take, even when using school equipment and on school assignment. Yet still, the principals of Flower Mound High School refused to listen, insisting that I was working on behalf of the school and that they expected them to be used only for school purposes, and claimed I violated students’ privacy by posting their image, despite the principals themselves posting pictures of the same sporting games I went to, on their social media.
Appeal after appeal, they have refused to listen. They have ruined my efforts to start a career. They have violated my copyright. They have violated my free speech. They have committed Prior Restraint against me. They have misinterpreted and misapplied federal laws and District policies.
I need your help. Now, it is time to stand up. This isn't just about me, or getting my website back up. This is bigger than that. All photographers, musicians, painters, writers, filmmakers- we are all ARTISTS. Our work is our own, and now, more than ever, it is necessary to support one another. Our art is being stolen. Our rights are constantly trampled on, and it is time to say we’ve had enough. I appreciate ANY support you can give. Just sharing this within your social network is a big help. Referring me to ANY lawyers or legal advisers is also appreciated! Flower Mound High School has chosen where they stand. Now, it is time for us. For the rest of history, our names will either be on the side supporting free speech, Title 17, and artists worldwide, or on the side of intimidation and coercion. It’s time for you to make that choice.
Thank you.
#IAmAnthony
@mazur_anthony
Integrity/Fashion Royalty/The Future.Perfect collection/Jordan/Bionica/Jason Wu
Integrity/Fashion Royalty/The Classic collection/Jordan/Splendid/Jason Wu
Integrity/Fashion Royalty/The Style Directive collection/Jordan/Trust Your Instincts/Jason Wu
Integrity/Fashion Royalty/The Foundation collection/Jordan/Fire Within/Jason Wu
Integrity/Fashion Royalty/The Exclusives collection/Jordan/Platinum/Jason Wu
Ram Island Ledge Light visible in the background
"Portland Head Light is a historic lighthouse in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. The light station sits on a headland at the entrance of the primary shipping channel into Portland Harbor, which is within Casco Bay in the Gulf of Maine. Completed in 1791, it is the oldest lighthouse in Maine. The light station is automated, and the tower, beacon, and foghorn are maintained by the United States Coast Guard, while the former lighthouse keeper's house is a maritime museum within Fort Williams Park.
Construction began in 1787 at the directive of George Washington and was completed on January 10, 1791, using a fund of $1,500, established by him. Whale oil lamps were originally used for illumination. In 1855, following the formation of the Lighthouse Board, a fourth-order Fresnel lens was installed; that lens was replaced by a second-order Fresnel lens, which was replaced later by an aerobeacon in 1958. That lens was replaced with a DCB-224 aerobeacon in 1991. The DCB-224 aerobeacon is still in use.
In 1787, while Maine was still part of the state of Massachusetts, George Washington engaged two masons from the town of Falmouth (modern-day Portland), Jonathan Bryant and John Nichols, and instructed them to take charge of the construction of a lighthouse on Portland Head. Washington reminded them that the early government was poor, and said that the materials used to build the lighthouse should be taken from the fields and shores, materials which could be handled nicely when hauled by oxen on a drag. The original plans called for the tower to be 58 feet tall. When the masons completed this task, they climbed to the top of the tower and realized that it would not be visible beyond the headlands to the south, so it was raised another 20 feet.
The tower was built of rubblestone, and Washington gave the masons four years to build it. While it was under construction in 1789, the federal government was being formed, and for a while, it looked as though the lighthouse would not be finished. Following passage of their ninth law, the first congress made an appropriation and authorized the Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, to inform the mechanics that they could go on with the completion of the tower. On August 10, 1790, the second session of Congress appropriated a sum not to exceed $1500, and under the direction of the President, "to cause the said lighthouse to be finished and completed accordingly." The tower was completed in 1790 and first lit on January 10, 1791.
During the American Civil War, raids on shipping in and out of Portland Harbor became commonplace, and because of the necessity for ships at sea to sight Portland Head Light as soon as possible, the tower was raised 20 more feet. The current keepers' house was built in 1891. When Halfway Rock Light was built, Portland Head Light was considered less important, and in 1883, the tower was shortened 20 feet (6.1 m) and a weaker fourth-order Fresnel lens was added. Following the mariners' complaints, the former height and second-order Fresnel lens were restored in 1885.
The station has changed little except for rebuilding the whistle house in 1975 due to its having been badly damaged in a storm. Today, Portland Head Light stands 80 feet (24 m) above ground and 101 feet (31 m) above water, its white conical tower is connected to a dwelling. The grounds and keeper's house are owned by the town of Cape Elizabeth, while the beacon and fog signal is owned and maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard as a current aid to navigation. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places as Portland Head light (sic) on April 24, 1973, reference number 73000121. The lighthouse was designated as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 2002." (wikipedia)
PLEASE, NO GRAPHICS, BADGES, OR AWARDS IN COMMENTS. They will be deleted.
Sculpture at the Eden Project made from old electrical items - the Wee refers to an Eu directive on electrical waste.
The abundance and diversity of birds in El Fondo has allowed it to be classified as a wetland of international importance. Specifically, it is included in the RAMSAR convention for the protection of wetlands and in the ZEPAs directive (special protection area for birds) of the European Union.
Observación de aves en zonas húmedas.
La abundancia y diversidad de aves de El Fondo ha permitido catalogarlo como humedal de importancia internacional. Concretamente está incluido en el convenio RAMSAR de protección de zonas húmedas y en la directiva ZEPAs (zona de especial protección para las aves) de la Unión Europea.
Elche (Alicante/ Spain)
www.linkalicante.com/ruta-inclusiva-parque-natural-el-hondo/
A longhorn beetle (family Cerambycidae), endemic to the southern Europe. Rosalia alpina lives in beech forests (Fagus sylvatica) and it is endagered in many parts of its range because of the habitat loss (oldest beeches); it is protected according to the Habitats Directive
It's the tiny details that make me love collecting dollies. And it's awesome IT brought back accessories this year. The girls have been going without bags for a couple years now so it's nice to see all of the fierce purses and jewelry this year. So fab.
Integrity/Fashion Royalty/The Fashion Royalty collection 2015 /Adele Makeda/Timeless/Jason Wu
Integrity/Fashion Royalty/The Foundation collection/Darius Reid/Staying Power/Jason Wu
Integrity/Fashion Royalty/The Style Directive collection/Jordan/Trust Your Instincts/Jason Wu
In developing news as written on 28th November 2025, EASA (the European Union Aviation Safety Agency) has issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive on recommendation from Airbus which affects all Airbus A320 family aircraft across the world (the Airbus A318 even though not listed is affected by the EAD) which does include the next-generation Airbus A320neo family.
Earlier in the day, reports began emerging from Airbus and various news sources that they were issuing guidance that a new software update must be implemented on affected Airbus A320 family aircraft before their next scheduled flight which will affect numerous airlines across the world.
The guidance comes following a major incident on 30th October 2025 where JetBlue Flight 1230 bound from Cancún to Newark-Liberty, New Jersey suffered an uncommanded sharp loss of altitude in-flight causing injuries to several passengers, whereby the flight was ultimately diverted to Tampa, Florida. Airbus has stated that intense solar radiation could corrupt safety critical flight controls, notably the Airbus A320 family fly-by-wire ELAC system (Elevator & Aileron Computer) for which there are 2.
Since Airbus published the news, EASA have published their EAD which stipulates that all 5,100 aircraft have until 23:59 UTC on Saturday 29th November 2025 to comply with the new software update, any aircraft that does not meet this deadline will ultimately have to be grounded until they have been modified. The software update according to Airbus takes 2 hours, however as stated by BBC News that "the remaining 900 aircraft which are older versions will need new hardware as well and will need to be taken out of service to be modified."
Good on Airbus for swiftly getting information out on a potential safety problem for the Airbus A320 family (now the most popular jet in the world), a fix for the issue plus EASA for the publication of the EAD. There is going to be disruption as many airlines have indicated their fleet are affected, but better to keep everyone safe.
Airbus A320-251N G-TTSD on final approach into Runway 27R at London Heathrow (LHR) on BA653 from Santorini (JTR).
Messberghof / Ballinhaus, Hamburg
Named after the prominent ship owner Albert Ballin, the Ballinhaus was one of the first buildings in the Kontorhaus District, built at the same time as the Chilehaus (1922–1924) and based on plans by the architects Hans and Oskar Gerson. In 1938 it was renamed Messberghof (based on its location) following a directive by the Reich Governor Karl Kaufmann that all streets and buildings called after Jews must be given new names. On the inside the building still contains the original entrance hall with this very impressive round stairwell. The floors are made of polished light sandstone plates and the walls are faced with travertine or coloured tiles.
Messberghof / Ballinhaus, Hamburg
Named after the prominent ship owner Albert Ballin, the Ballinhaus was one of the first buildings in the Kontorhaus District, built at the same time as the Chilehaus (1922–1924) and based on plans by the architects Hans and Oskar Gerson. In 1938 it was renamed Messberghof (based on its location) following a directive by the Reich Governor Karl Kaufmann that all streets and buildings called after Jews must be given new names. On the inside the building still contains the original entrance hall with this very impressive round stairwell. The floors are made of polished light sandstone plates and the walls are faced with travertine or coloured tiles.
Chinese regulators blacklisted 25 more apps associated with the ride-hailing platform Didi Chuxing on Friday, the latest blow to the company as it reckons with a government crackdown at home and litigation overseas. ⠀
⠀
App stores in China, where some 90 per cent of the ride-hailing market is dominated by Didi, were ordered to remove the company’s primary app last week on “national security” grounds, just days after it went public on the New York Stock Exchange. ⠀
⠀
In a notice posted late Friday evening, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) demanded that more than two dozen additional apps tied to Didi be scrubbed from China’s app stores, alleging the illegal collection of user data. ⠀
⠀
In similar language to its original directive, which had been issued against Didi on Sunday, the CAC ordered the 25 apps to “thoroughly rectify the existing problems in strict accordance with the requirements of the law and according to national standards”.⠀
⠀
(20210710 SCMP)
Hatfield Moors is very unusual place and the type of habitat that one would not associate with Britain. However, once upon a time habitats such as peatlands, bogs, heathland and mossland was much more common. They are a great place to visit and one that should not be forgotten.
.
www.gov.uk/government/publications/south-yorkshires-natio...
South Yorkshire's National Nature Reserves (NNRs)
Humberhead Peatlands
The moors are remnants of wetland that occupied the floodplain of the Humberhead Levels thousands of years ago
Main habitats: peatland
Features of interest
The Humberhead Peatlands NNR comprises Thorne, Goole, and Crowle Moors, as well as Hatfield Moors and it represents the largest area of raised bog wilderness in lowland Britain at 2,887 hectares in size.
The site is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) for its habitat. and an internationally important breeding site for the nocturnal, insect-feeding nightjar which was responsible for the area being declared as a Special Protection Area (SPA) under the European Birds Directive.
A wide range of habitats supports the 5,000 species of plants and animals that have been recorded on the reserve of which more than 4000 are insects. There is also a sizable population of adders on the Moors.
More than 200 bird species have been recorded and approximately 75 have bred. Winter visitors include whooper swans, pink-footed geese and short-eared owls. From March-July a very special summer visitor is the diminutive woodlark and oystercatcher, lapwing, ringed plover and great crested grebe can be spotted around the lakes.
Directions
By train
There are train stations at Thorne and Crowle .
By bus
Bus services run to the villages, call 01302 734309 and 01652 657053 for the Tourist Information Centres covering the area.
Call 01709 515151 for South Yorkshire transport.
On foot
Thorne, Hatfield & Crowle are on the route of the 72km circular Peatlands Way which connects with the Trans Pennine Trail.
School and community groups
Humberhead Peatlands NNR offers outdoor learning opportunities for schools. These are aimed at both primary and secondary schools .
Contact
For more information contact Natural England Enquiries, tel. 0300 060 3900 or email enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk
To discuss school visits or volunteering opportunities contact the Community Support Officer on 07766 420290.
Strangford Lough (from Old Norse Strangr Fjörðr, meaning "strong sea-inlet"[1]) is a large sea loch or inlet in County Down, in the east of Northern Ireland. It is the largest inlet in the British Isles, covering 150 km2 (58 sq mi). The lough is almost totally enclosed by the Ards Peninsula and is linked to the Irish Sea by a long narrow channel at its southeastern edge. The main body of the lough has at least seventy islands along with many islets (pladdies), bays, coves, headlands and mudflats. Strangford Lough was designated as Northern Ireland's first Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) under the introduction of the Marine Act (Northern Ireland) 2013. It has also been designated a Special Area of Conservation under the EU Habitats Directive, and its abundant wildlife is recognised internationally for its importance.
In the medieval and early modern period Strangford Lough was known in Irish as Loch Cuan, meaning "sea-inlet of bays/havens".[1]
Strangford Lough is a popular tourist destination noted for its fishing and scenery. Towns and villages around the lough include Killyleagh, Comber, Newtownards, Portaferry and Strangford. The latter two straddle either shore of the narrow channel connecting the lough to the Irish Sea, and are connected by a car ferry.
I hope you'll enjoy the my images as much as I enjoyed taking them.
The Caucasian squirrel lives in the hollows of centuries-old olive trees. The number of Caucasian squirrels in the North Aegean region is decreasing every year, noticeably.
Like most red squirrels, spotting a Caucasian Squirrel is definitely becoming a rare sight. Climate change affects nature differently in every corner of the world.
The Caucasian squirrel - Sciurus anomalus ; The Caucasian squirrel or Persian squirrel, is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus found in temperate broadleaf and mixed forests in south-western Asia.
The species is usually said to have first been described in 1778 by Johann Friedrich Gmelin in the 13th edition of Systema Naturae,and named Sciurus anomalus. However, some authors argue that this work was actually published in 1788, and that the true first description was made by Johann Anton Güldenstädt in 1785.
Description -
Caucasian squirrels are small tree squirrels, with a total length of 32 to 36 cm (13 to 14 in), including the 13 to 18 cm (5.1 to 7.1 in) tail, and weighing 250 to 410 g (8.8 to 14.5 oz). The color of the upper body fur ranges from greyish brown to pale grey, depending on the subspecies, while that of the underparts is rusty brown to yellowish, and that of the tail, yellow brown to deep red. The claws are relatively short, compared with those of other tree squirrels, and females have either eight or ten teats.
Samuel Griswold Goodrich described the Caucasian squirrel in 1885 as "Its color is grayish-brown above, and yellowish-brown below".
Physical Description -
Caucasian squirrels have a dental formula of incisors 1/1, canines 0/0, premolars 1/1, and molars 3/3, totaling 20. They have four fingered fore feet and five fingered hind feet. Sex differences in body length or mass are not evident.
Distribution and habitat -
Caucasian squirrels are native to south-western Asia, where they are found from Turkey, and the islands of Gökçeada and Lesbos in the west, Iran in the southeast, and as far as Israel and Jordan in the south.It is one of only two species of the genus Sciurus to be found on Mediterranean islands,and, although Eurasian red squirrels have been recently introduced to some areas, is the only species of Sciurus native to the wider region.
The species mainly lives in forested areas dominated by oak, pine, and pistachio, up to altitudes of 2,000 metres (6,600 ft).
Biology and behavior -
The squirrels are diurnal, and solitary, although temporary groups may forage where food is plentiful. Their diet includes nuts, seeds, tree shoots, and buds,with the seeds of oak and pine being particularly favored. Like many other squirrels, they cache their food within tree cavities or loose soil, with some larders containing up to 6 kg (13 lb) of seeds. They live in trees, where they make their dens, but frequently forage on the ground, and are considered less arboreal than Eurasian red squirrels. They commonly nest in tree hollows lined with moss and leaves, and located 5 to 14 m (16 to 46 ft) above the ground, but nests are also sometimes found under rocks or tree roots. Their alarm call is high-pitched, and said to resemble the call of the European green woodpecker, and they mark their territories with urine and dung.
Breeding occurs throughout the year, but is more common in spring or autumn. Litters range from two to seven, with three or four being typical, and the young are fully mature by five or six months of age.
Conservation -
A survey in 2008 found that the species remained abundant within Turkey, however declines are noted in population within the Levant region. The guides for a survey in 1993 in Israel stated that they considered the species to be nearly extinct within the area studied. Whilst the Caucasian squirrel is threatened by poaching and deforestation, the declines recorded are not sufficient to qualify them as anything other than "Least Concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.[1] Hunting of the species is banned by the Central Hunting Commission, and the Caucasian squirrel is protected by the Bern Convention and the EU Habitats Directive.
This information is sourced from "Wikipedia".
Thank you so much for visiting my stream, whether you comments , favorites or just have a look.
I appreciate it very much, wishing the best of luck and good light.
© All rights reserved R.Ertug Please do not use this image without my explicit written permission. Contact me by Flickr mail if you want to buy or use Your comments and critiques are very well appreciated.
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 -
Thanks for stopping and looking :)
"Truth is, I'll never know all there is to know about you just as you will never know all there is to know about me. Humans are by nature too complicated to be understood fully. So, we can choose either to approach our fellow human beings with suspicion or to approach them with an open mind, a dash of optimism and a great deal of candour."
Tom Hanks
Rebecka is a very special person i have occasion to meet in my studio, very delicately manner, soft way to talk... she wanted a portrait "simple"
I did feel she was talk to me about... we hare here for fun?
but sometime we may be hurt or we do.
During years i was in sl respecting Star Trek prime directive... never interfere... =P
I find she was one of those who see things...
oh gee just spoil my self ... rrright... blah..
When Joe wandered into town, he was little more than a heap of rusted metal. The kids felt for him though, and with some help from parents and older brothers, they brought him back from the dead. Joe was grateful, and quickly befriended the kids. But he had one directive, and it nagged at the back of his circuit boards. He wanted to work.
24 August 2020: A new dilemma arises… As it enters the final stages of human trials in the development of a vaccine against Covid-19, AstraZeneca has introduced several requests to be protected from future claims of liability. In other words, they do not want to take the risk of being faced with liability claims if in a couple of years from now the vaccine is showing side effects. There is something to be said for the pros and the cons, still I’m surprised… There is a European directive on product liability. Any producer who places a defective product on the market is responsible for that without exceptions. Why would we allow them to escape that? If pharma gets away with this will it not further boost the anti-vaxxer movement and as a consequence further aggravate the problem? The Covid-19 pandemic seems to be fertile ground for all kind of new challenges and that at times that we just want our grandchildren to grow up in a safe and responsible world – Ghent, Belgium
City Hall Alphen aan den Rijn , the Netherlands - Erick van Egeraat architect
The city hall of Alphen aan den Rijn was the first project realised in the new redevelopment plan for the centre of this expanding Dutch city, and set the tone for the ambition of future developments. The building’s open appearance relates directly to the council’s directive to define its communication to the local people as being open and inviting. The facade is treated as a continuous but layered skin, wrapped around and thus connecting the three parts of the building (city hall, service department and offices). The various layers slide over each other, allowing the different parts of the complex to express their own individuality. The main volume (city hall) has a transparent glass façade with an enclosed atrium behind, while the lower volume (service department and offices) is predominantly made of stone. The glass façade has the world’s most complex print. By changing its appearance the design responds to the programmatic and spatial requirements of the complex as well as sensitively reacting to the urban nuances of the location. Without losing itself in monumentality, it refers to the iconic function that the ‘House of the City’ historically has. Open, inviting and accessible for all citizens it can be seen as a contemporary beacon , reflecting the growing community’s image.
Size 25,000 m2 - Design in 1999 - Completed in 2002
'Breakfast time on Islay'.
_ View Large _
On a misty rainy morning, at the break of dawn...flocks of White-fronted Geese, Anser, albifons flying in to the fields and scrubland to graze on grass for the day.
Greenland White-fronted Goose Notes and Information:
The White-fronted Goose is a grey goose, bigger than a mallard and smaller than a mute swan. Adults have a large white patch at the front of the head around the beak and bold black bars on the belly. The legs are orange and Siberian birds have pink bills, while Greenland birds have orange bills. This species does not breed in the UK. Two races visit the UK in winter - birds which breed in Greenland and birds which breed in Siberia. The current wintering areas need protection, including avoiding drainage of traditional wintering areas in southern England. RSPB Notes.
What they eat:
Grass, clover, grain, winter wheat and potatoes.
Measurements:
Length:65-78cm
Wingspan:130-165cm
Weight:1.9-2.5kgPopulation:
UK wintering:13,500
Identifying features:
Greenland White fronted goose
Feather colour: Black Brown Cream/buff Grey White
Leg colour: Orange
Beak: Orange Red Long Duck-like Chunky
Natural habitats: Farmland Grassland Marine and intertidal Wetland
Similar birds: Greylag goose, Taiga bean goose,
Pink-footed goose
Where and when to see them:
White-fronted geese can be seen in south England especially the Severn estuary in Gloucestershire and the Swale estuary in Kent for Siberian birds. Ireland and West Scotland for Greenland birds.
'Birdguides' Notes... Goose 'fitness tracker' reveals migration struggles
Greenland White-fronted Geese make a 600-mile round trip each year to overwinter in Scotland but not every bird finds it easy, according to new research from Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT).
Specially designed bird ‘fitness trackers’ have revealed what happens to the birds as they struggle over the sea for long distances, trying to navigate the angry North Atlantic and getting blown off course by unpredictable storms.
Migration is a particularly vulnerable time for Greenland White-fronts. One goose took just 14 and a half hours to fly from Iceland to Greenland, but two others took days to complete the same journey, being forced to spend a lot of the time bobbing on the sea.
The complete migration routes of Greenland White-fronted Geese in spring, as monitored by the WWT (WWT).
WWT researcher Ed Burrell has just returned from the tiny island of Islay, Argyll, where he’s been downloading data from the bird fitness trackers. He said: “We’ve just downloaded all this amazing data from these individual birds to see what they’ve been up to. From studying the leg from Iceland to Greenland in May this year, we see what a difference a day makes.
“We can tell that the weather turned on two birds who left the same evening, as they landed on the sea – so they wouldn’t be blown further, of course. By using an extra gadget called an accelerometer – a bird 'fitness tracker' so to speak – which measures the movement of the tag, we can tell that they bobbed about for a bit. To avoid the terrible conditions, the birds went for a swim.”
The blue-tagged goose left Iceland at 3.30 am on 6 May in calm conditions, arriving in Greenland 14-and-a-half hours later at a speed of 33.5 mph. The green-tagged goose left at 4 pm on 3 May accompanied by a good tailwind that later turned on the bird, blowing it towards the Arctic Ocean and forcing it to hunker down in the sea. It later landed in Greenland 53 hours after its journey began.
The red-tagged goose had it even worse, leaving the same evening as Green, but taking a traumatic 63 hours to complete the trip.
Researchers at WWT have been tracking these birds to find out why they are declining so rapidly. Since the turn of the century, 50 per cent of the population has vanished.
Thanks to support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, Ian Macleod Distillers Ltd and other generous funders, WWT is able to carry out pioneering research using the finest technologies available to try and prevent further loss of these magnificent birds.
White-fronted Goose is one of eight wetland species of birds threatened with extirpation in Britain. Numbers have declined from 35,000 in 1999 to 18,900 in 2016 due to a number of threats at their breeding grounds. People keen to support our drive to save this species can donate here.
Northern Ireland Notes:
Anser albifrons flavirostris Dalgety & P. Scott, 1948
Family: Anatidae
While it may graze with other geese on manicured pastures, this goose is also a bird of wild boglands and marshes, returning faithfully each year to favoured areas. It breeds on the coastal fringes of western Greenland and winters almost entirely in Ireland and Scotland. Its eastern counterpart, the European white-fronted goose, winters in England.
In brief...
Scarce wintering bird to traditional sites in the west of Northern Ireland
Prefers blanket bog with pools or agricultural grassland
It is a winter visitor found from late October to early April
The Greenland white-fronted goose is Amber listed in both Irish and UK Birds of Conservation Concern
Threats include habitat loss from drainage, inappropriate development and disturbance.
Species description:
The white-fronted goose is a medium-sized, grey-brown goose, which is slightly smaller than the more familiar greylag goose. It has bold black bars across its belly. Its name derives from the white forehead blaze above its beak. The Greenland race is distinctive in being rather dark and having an orange bill and legs. Young birds can be distinguished early in the winter by their reduced white forehead and lack of bars on the belly.
Life cycle
Greenland white-fronted geese breed entirely in the arctic coastal fringe of western Greenland, up to 700m above sea level. They nest amongst hummocks in the tundra, and the timing of egg laying is determined by the thaw of snow. The young geese are tended by both parents and remain as a family through the first autumn and winter. They migrate to Ireland together via south-west Iceland. During the winter months the geese form flocks which remain at traditional sites. These are often improved grasslands where protein-rich shoot tips are grazed. Some small flocks remain faithful to blanket bog feeding sites where they eat the tubers of bog cotton and sedges.
Similar species:
The greylag goose is much more numerous in Northern Ireland. It is a bigger, heavier bird with a larger orange bill and pink legs and lacks the white forehead and black bars on the belly. In flight the greylag has broad pale forewings which contrast with the rest of the plumage. The pink-footed goose is a scarce migrant with pink legs, a noticeably dark head and neck and small, stubby bill. The eastern race of white-fronted goose, which is rare in Ireland, differs in having a pinkish bill.
How to see this species:
There are only a few sites where they winter regularly. On Lough Foyle they can be found feeding on the fields around the southern part of the lough. These birds are not always present, and are more often at Lough Swilly which lies just to the west in Donegal. The other flocks can be difficult to track down, leading to many real wild goose chases! The small flock at Annaghroe on the River Blackwater (County Tyrone) can often be viewed from a public road. Occasionally, flocks or single birds are seen on migration at other sites such as Strangford Lough.
Current status:
The wintering population in Northern Ireland seems to have decreased since the 1960s when around 500 wintered. Several traditional sites have been lost to drainage, peat cutting and afforestation. In recent years, numbers at Lough Foyle have been very variable, with usually between 40-50 birds present. Over 1,000 winter nearby at Lough Swilly in County Donegal. Lower Lough Macnean in County Fermanagh supports the largest regular flock of about 100 birds, while there are smaller numbers on the Pettigo Plateau bogs (Fermanagh/Donegal) and at the River Blackwater (County Tyrone). The most important site in Ireland is the Wexford Slobs which supports a spectacular 10,000 geese each winter.
This is not a quarry species and is protected under the Wildlife (NI) Order 1985. It is also listed in Annex I of the EU Birds Directive as a species which must be the subject of special conservation measures.
Why is this species a priority in Northern Ireland?
The Greenland race is Amber listed in the UK and Irish Birds of Conservation Concern lists because both UK and Ireland support more than 20 per cent of the NW European population in winter.
Threats/Causes of decline
Some traditional sites in Northern Ireland have been lost because of drainage (Downpatrick Marshes) or the encroachment of forestry. Inappropriate siting of wind turbines could also threaten some flocks and the geese are also very vulnerable to human disturbance. The world population increased following a ban on hunting in their wintering grounds in 1982, although there is evidence of a recent decrease in numbers.
Conservation of this species:
Current action
Some sites visited by this species are designated as Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSIs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs)
Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s (DARD) Countryside Management Scheme and Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme include measures designed to protect and enhance habitats for wintering geese
Some key sites are surveyed each winter by a combination of conservation bodies and volunteer counters as part of the nationally co-ordinated Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS).
Proposed objectives/actions
The status of the Greenland white-fronted goose will continue to be monitored and appropriate conservation action undertaken if required.
What you can do
Volunteer as a Wetland Bird Survey counter by contacting EHS or RSPB
Report incidents of illegal shooting to PSNI or EHS
Report any sightings to Northern Ireland Birdwatchers’ Association Flightline. Tel: 028 9146 7408.