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Garrulus glandarius is a widely dispersed species of the crow family (Corvidae) that covers a large geographical region stretching from Western Europe to the eastern seaboard of Asia. The Latinate genus term, Garrulus, means noisy and chattering; the secondary term, glandarious, means “of acorns”, pertaining to the Jay’s habit of favouring acorns as part of its diet, a food the bird habitually stores over winter, although it does take to other common garden bird foods such as peanuts and seed mixes.
It’s exterior is a blend of pink and brown (a pinkish-brown), with an underbelly slightly paler, but of a similar hue; the wings are primarily black with some white patches and a striking blue-black striped feature, making them quite easy to spot in the garden.
They are resident in the UK all year round apart from northern areas of Scotland and the west coast of Ireland, altogether numbering approximately 170,000 breeding pairs (RSPB). Over winter, due to harsher winters and lower stocks of acorns, Jays do sometimes appear in the UK from northern Europe in “irruptions”, or sudden bursts of large flocks.
Jays nest and breed in large shrubs, laying typically between 4 – 6 eggs that have an incubation period of approximately 16 – 19 days. Both male and female Jays feed the young (Courtesy Gardenbird).
Thanks for viewing my photos and for any favourites and comments, it’s much appreciated 👍
RSPB Frampton Marsh 9 Jan 21
Stonechats are robin sized birds. Males have striking black heads with white around the side of their neck, orange-red breasts and a mottled brown back. Females lack the male's black head, but have brown backs and an orange tinge to their chests. Birds are frequently seen flicking their wings while perched, often doing so on the tops of low bushes. As its name suggests, birds utter a sharp loud call that sound like two stones being tapped together. They breed in western and southern parts of the UK, but disperse more widely in winter.
Little Egret - Egretta garzetta
The little egret (Egretta garzetta) is a species of small heron in the family Ardeidae. The genus name comes from the Provençal French Aigrette, egret a diminutive of Aigron, heron. The species epithet garzetta is from the Italian name for this bird, garzetta or sgarzetta.
It is a white bird with a slender black beak, long black legs and, in the western race, yellow feet. As an aquatic bird, it feeds in shallow water and on land, consuming a variety of small creatures. It breeds colonially, often with other species of water birds, making a platform nest of sticks in a tree, bush or reed bed. A clutch of bluish-green eggs is laid and incubated by both parents. The young fledge at about six weeks of age.
Its breeding distribution is in wetlands in warm temperate to tropical parts of Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. A successful colonist, its range has gradually expanded north, with stable and self-sustaining populations now present in the United Kingdom.
It first appeared in the UK in significant numbers in 1989 and first bred in Dorset in 1996
In warmer locations, most birds are permanent residents; northern populations, including many European birds, migrate to Africa and southern Asia to over-winter there. The birds may also wander north in late summer after the breeding season, and their tendency to disperse may have assisted in the recent expansion of the bird's range. At one time common in Western Europe, it was hunted extensively in the 19th century to provide plumes for the decoration of hats and became locally extinct in northwestern Europe and scarce in the south. Around 1950, conservation laws were introduced in southern Europe to protect the species and their numbers began to increase. By the beginning of the 21st century the bird was breeding again in France, the Netherlands, Ireland and Britain. It has also begun to colonise the New World; it was first seen in Barbados in 1954 and first bred there in 1994. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed the bird's global conservation status as being of least concern..
Loving fog. These are some of the deck flowers in one of the half-barrels reaching for the eastern sun. The fog disperses.
This is about as close as I come to a landscape shot ;-)
The Kererū is a key seed disperser in New Zealand as it is the only forest bird large enough (other larger birds are now extinct) to swallow the large fruits of some native trees. These same native trees are entirely dependent on the Kererū for the dispersal of their seeds:
www.facebook.com/loveourbirds/photos/pcb.982232735282316/...
Standing right at the edge of the mighty Dettifoss waterfall in Northeast Iceland is quite an experience. This is a few metres away from the spot where the alien took his alien concoction to disperse life into the waterfall in Ridley Scott's Prometheus :)
Dettifoss is said to be Europe's mightiest waterfall carrying the largest amount of water.
Trees to be green soon, fog will disperse, grey will go away. Black winter ends and more vivid time comes. Soon to warm, soon to fresh, soon too soon...
Scotland
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Taraxacum officinale, the common dandelion (often simply called "dandelion"), is a flowering herbaceous perennial plant of the family Asteraceae (Compositae).
It can be found growing in temperate regions of the world, in lawns, on roadsides, on disturbed banks and shores of water ways, and other areas with moist soils. T. officinale is considered a weed, especially in lawns and along roadsides, but it is sometimes used as a medical herb and in food preparation. Common dandelion is well known for its yellow flower heads that turn into round balls of silver tufted fruits that disperse in the wind. These balls are called "blowballs"[5] or "clocks" in both British and American English. (Wikipedia)
Garrulus glandarius is a widely dispersed species of the crow family (Corvidae) that covers a large geographical region stretching from Western Europe to the eastern seaboard of Asia. The Latinate genus term, Garrulus, means noisy and chattering; the secondary term, glandarious, means “of acorns”, pertaining to the Jay’s habit of favouring acorns as part of its diet, a food the bird habitually stores over winter, although it does take to other common garden bird foods such as peanuts and seed mixes.
It’s exterior is a blend of pink and brown (a pinkish-brown), with an underbelly slightly paler, but of a similar hue; the wings are primarily black with some white patches and a striking blue-black striped feature, making them quite easy to spot in the garden.
They are resident in the UK all year round apart from northern areas of Scotland and the west coast of Ireland, altogether numbering approximately 170,000 breeding pairs (RSPB). Over winter, due to harsher winters and lower stocks of acorns, Jays do sometimes appear in the UK from northern Europe in “irruptions”, or sudden bursts of large flocks.
Jays nest and breed in large shrubs, laying typically between 4 – 6 eggs that have an incubation period of approximately 16 – 19 days. Both male and female Jays feed the young (Courtesy Gardenbird).
Thanks for viewing my photos and for any favourites and comments, it’s much appreciated 👍
An uncommon passage and winter visitor, seen mainly between October to January.
The breeding season starts from early April mainly around the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea but in Europe it has been spreading north and west and now breeds in Poland and Eastern Germany.
Traditionally, its wintering areas are from the Eastern Mediterranean to the Persian Gulf and Western India but increasing numbers now disperse into Europe, into countries such as Sweden, Norway and Denmark.
Small numbers are now seen in the UK, especially in the South-East, East Anglia and the Midlands. Can be quite difficult to separate from the similar Herring Gull and Yellow-legged Gull.
Attenborough NR, Nottingham
I drove several hours under the rain but, arriving at Jökulsárlón glacial lake, I had this nice gift : the clouds dispersed for the sunset.
The sunrise light illuminates the dispersing fog in this rural scene near Bennington, Vermont.
Thank you for viewing!
After slight shower of rain, water droplets make plants look like Christmas trees glittering on the darkness. Changes in water droplets shape then affected the light reflection of dispersed leaves and spores.
giant rock face with an almost frozen waterfall whose waters have transformed the entire rock wall under the strong breeze dispersing the water everywhere. When I saw this I thought of Norse mythology and its worlds, especially Jotunheim, the frozen place of the ice giants :)
This lovely rose was taken in our garden this late spring/early summer 2025.
A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of plants that can be erect shrubs, climbing or trailing with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers vary in size and shape and are usually large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows and reds. Most species are native to Asia, with smaller numbers native to Europe, North America, and northwest Africa. Species, cultivars and hybrids are all widely grown for their beauty and often are fragrant. Rose plants range in size from compact, miniature roses, to climbers that can reach 7 meters in height. Different species hybridize easily, and this has been used in the development of the wide range of garden roses.
The name rose comes from French, itself from Latin rosa, which was perhaps borrowed from Oscan, from Greek ρόδον rhódon (Aeolic βρόδον wródon), itself borrowed from Old Persian wrd- (wurdi), related to Avestan varəδa, Sogdian ward, Parthian wâr.
The leaves are borne alternately on the stem. In most species they are 5 to 15 centimetres (2.0 to 5.9 in) long, pinnate, with (3–) 5–9 (–13) leaflets and basal stipules; the leaflets usually have a serrated margin, and often a few small prickles on the underside of the stem. Most roses are deciduous but a few (particularly from South east Asia) are evergreen or nearly so.
The flowers of most species have five petals, with the exception of Rosa sericea, which usually has only four. Each petal is divided into two distinct lobes and is usually white or pink, though in a few species yellow or red. Beneath the petals are five sepals (or in the case of some Rosa sericea, four). These may be long enough to be visible when viewed from above and appear as green points alternating with the rounded petals. There are multiple superior ovaries that develop into achenes. Roses are insect-pollinated in nature.
The aggregate fruit of the rose is a berry-like structure called a rose hip. Many of the domestic cultivars do not produce hips, as the flowers are so tightly petalled that they do not provide access for pollination. The hips of most species are red, but a few (e.g. Rosa pimpinellifolia) have dark purple to black hips. Each hip comprises an outer fleshy layer, the hypanthium, which contains 5–160 "seeds" (technically dry single-seeded fruits called achenes) embedded in a matrix of fine, but stiff, hairs. Rose hips of some species, especially the Dog Rose (Rosa canina) and Rugosa Rose (Rosa rugosa), are very rich in vitamin C, among the richest sources of any plant. The hips are eaten by fruit-eating birds such as thrushes and waxwings, which then disperse the seeds in their droppings. Some birds, particularly finches, also eat the seeds.
Rose thorns are actually prickles - outgrowths of the epidermis. While the sharp objects along a rose stem are commonly called "thorns", they are technically prickles — outgrowths of the epidermis (the outer layer of tissue of the stem). (True thorns, as produced by e.g. Citrus or Pyracantha, are modified stems, which always originate at a node and which have nodes and internodes along the length of the thorn itself.) Rose prickles are typically sickle-shaped hooks, which aid the rose in hanging onto other vegetation when growing over it. Some species such as Rosa rugosa and Rosa pimpinellifolia have densely packed straight prickles, probably an adaptation to reduce browsing by animals, but also possibly an adaptation to trap wind-blown sand and so reduce erosion and protect their roots (both of these species grow naturally on coastal sand dunes). Despite the presence of prickles, roses are frequently browsed by deer. A few species of roses have only vestigial prickles that have no points.
For further information please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose
Universal poetry is one that is read at all times, that excites all readers of all time.
Sessizliğin arasında sesler
karanlığın içinde görüntüler
buluyorum kendime
şiire soruyorum
hiç bilmediğim soruları
kabaran kalbimde köpükler varsa
ad koyuyorum
her birine
bir yumruk gibi
oturduğunda acı
göğsüme acıyı anlatıyorum
—bir dileğim olmalı dünyadan yana—
aşkın berisinde yoksulluk
dışında soğuk
yabancı olmanın kimsesizliğiyle
aradım kendimi insanlar içinde
sıkıca bağlanmış bir halat gibi
-nereye-
çözülmemeye tutuyorum kendimi
bir kalabalık dağılıyor
anılarımdan bir kalabalık
hayallerimden…
Müesser Yeniay
-ben olmadan çöller vardı(2014)-
I find myself voices in the silence,
images in the darkness
I ask poetry, if there are foams in my heart, which swells with
questions I never knew, I name each of them
When you sit like a fist
I tell the pain to my chest
—I must have a wish for the world—
cold outside of poverty
With the loneliness of being a stranger,
I searched for myself among people
like a tightly tied rope
-to-where-
I keep myself from unraveling
a crowd is dispersing
from my memories a crowd
from my dreams...
Male.
Species: Saxicola rubicola.
Stonechats are robin sized birds. Males have striking black heads with white around the side of their neck, orange-red breasts and a mottled brown back. Females lack the male's black head, but have brown backs and an orange tinge to their chests. Birds are frequently seen flicking their wings while perched, often doing so on the tops of low bushes. As its name suggests, birds utter a sharp loud call that sound like two stones being tapped together. They breed in western and southern parts of the UK, but disperse more widely in winter. Info: RSPB.
Many thanks to people who view or comment on my photos.
Male.
Species: Saxicola rubicola.
Stonechats are robin sized birds. Males have striking black heads with white around the side of their neck, orange-red breasts and a mottled brown back. Females lack the male's black head, but have brown backs and an orange tinge to their chests. Birds are frequently seen flicking their wings while perched, often doing so on the tops of low bushes. As its name suggests, birds utter a sharp loud call that sound like two stones being tapped together. They breed in western and southern parts of the UK, but disperse more widely in winter. Info: RSPB.
Many thanks to people who view or comment on my photos.
Male.
Species: Saxicola rubicola.
Stonechats are robin sized birds. Males have striking black heads with white around the side of their neck, orange-red breasts and a mottled brown back. Females lack the male's black head, but have brown backs and an orange tinge to their chests. Birds are frequently seen flicking their wings while perched, often doing so on the tops of low bushes. As its name suggests, birds utter a sharp loud call that sound like two stones being tapped together. They breed in western and southern parts of the UK, but disperse more widely in winter. Info: RSPB.
Many thanks to people who view or comment on my photos.
Sunset behind Cow Pie rock in the Sonoran Desert near Ajo, Arizona. This was the view from where I was camping at Alley Road BLM.
Stonechats are robin sized birds. Males have striking black heads with white around the side of their neck, orange-red breasts and a mottled brown back. Females lack the male's black head, but have brown backs and an orange tinge to their chests. Birds are frequently seen flicking their wings while perched, often doing so on the tops of low bushes. As its name suggests, birds utter a sharp loud call that sound like two stones being tapped together. They breed in western and southern parts of the UK, but disperse more widely in winter. What they eat: Invertebrates, seeds and fruit (e.g. blackberries).
Thanks for viewing my photos and for any favourites and comments, it’s much appreciated 👍
NGC 3293 is an open cluster in the Carina constellation, around 8400 light years from earth.
What we see here is a newly formed (astronomically speaking) star cluster which is still shaping its surroundings. The intense stellar wind from the stars in the center of the image is slowly pushing away the surrounding material, causing it to disperse and in some cases clump together and give birth to even more stars. In another few million years, the material will be spread out enough that it won't be visible anymore from earth.
Setup:
Planewave CDK17
SBIG STXL11002
Paramount ME
Image acquisition details:
17x1200" HA
11x300" Red
11x300" Green
11x300" Blue
Wikipedia: Xylocopa latipes, the tropical carpenter bee, is a species of carpenter bee widely dispersed throughout Southeast Asia. As its name suggests, this bee inhabits forests in warm tropical climates and constructs nests by burrowing into wood. It often makes long deep tunnels in wooden rafters, fallen trees, telephone poles and the like, but is not found in living trees.
Carpenter bees are used commercially in the Philippines to pollinate passion-fruit flowers. They naturally perform the same function in Indonesia and Malaysia and the rest of Southeast Asia. In addition, passion-fruit flowers (Passiflora edulis flavicarpa) have been found to bloom in synchrony with tropical carpenter bee foraging rhythms, indicating an evolving relationship between the two species.
Little Egret - Egretta garzetta
The little egret (Egretta garzetta) is a species of small heron in the family Ardeidae. The genus name comes from the Provençal French Aigrette, egret a diminutive of Aigron, heron. The species epithet garzetta is from the Italian name for this bird, garzetta or sgarzetta.
It is a white bird with a slender black beak, long black legs and, in the western race, yellow feet. As an aquatic bird, it feeds in shallow water and on land, consuming a variety of small creatures. It breeds colonially, often with other species of water birds, making a platform nest of sticks in a tree, bush or reed bed. A clutch of bluish-green eggs is laid and incubated by both parents. The young fledge at about six weeks of age.
Its breeding distribution is in wetlands in warm temperate to tropical parts of Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. A successful colonist, its range has gradually expanded north, with stable and self-sustaining populations now present in the United Kingdom.
It first appeared in the UK in significant numbers in 1989 and first bred in Dorset in 1996
In warmer locations, most birds are permanent residents; northern populations, including many European birds, migrate to Africa and southern Asia to over-winter there. The birds may also wander north in late summer after the breeding season, and their tendency to disperse may have assisted in the recent expansion of the bird's range. At one time common in Western Europe, it was hunted extensively in the 19th century to provide plumes for the decoration of hats and became locally extinct in northwestern Europe and scarce in the south. Around 1950, conservation laws were introduced in southern Europe to protect the species and their numbers began to increase. By the beginning of the 21st century the bird was breeding again in France, the Netherlands, Ireland and Britain. It has also begun to colonise the New World; it was first seen in Barbados in 1954 and first bred there in 1994. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed the bird's global conservation status as being of least concern..
Sparrowhawk - (M) Accipiter Nisus
Double click to view
Though it is a predator which specialises in catching woodland birds, the Eurasian sparrowhawk can be found in any habitat and often hunts garden birds in towns and cities. Males tend to take smaller birds, including tits, finches, and sparrows; females catch primarily thrushes and starlings, but are capable of killing birds weighing 500 g (18 oz) or more.
The Eurasian sparrowhawk is found throughout the temperate and subtropical parts of the Old World; while birds from the northern parts of the range migrate south for winter, their southern counterparts remain resident or make dispersive movements. Eurasian sparrowhawks breed in suitable woodland of any type, with the nest, measuring up to 60 cm (2.0 ft) across, built using twigs in a tree. Four or five pale blue, brown-spotted eggs are laid; the success of the breeding attempt is dependent on the female maintaining a high weight while the male brings her food. The chicks hatch after 33 days and fledge after 24 to 28 days.
The probability of a juvenile surviving its first year is 34%, with 69% of adults surviving from one year to the next. Mortality in young males is greater than that of young females and the typical lifespan is four years. This species is now one of the most common birds of prey in Europe, although the population crashed after the Second World War. Organochlorine insecticides used to treat seeds before sowing built up in the bird population, and the concentrations in Eurasian sparrowhawks were enough to kill some outright and incapacitate others; affected birds laid eggs with fragile shells which broke during incubation. However, its population recovered after the chemicals were banned, and it is now relatively common, classified as being of Least Concern by BirdLife International.
The Eurasian sparrowhawk's hunting behaviour has brought it into conflict with humans for hundreds of years, particularly racing pigeon owners and people rearing poultry and gamebirds. It has also been blamed for decreases in passerine populations. The increase in population of the Eurasian Sparrowhawk coincides with the decline in House Sparrows in Britain. Studies of racing pigeon deaths found that Eurasian sparrowhawks were responsible for less than 1%. Falconers have utilised the Eurasian sparrowhawk since at least the 16th century; although the species has a reputation for being difficult to train, it is also praised for its courage. The species features in Teutonic mythology and is mentioned in works by writers including William Shakespeare, Alfred, Lord Tennyson and Ted Hughes.
Male Eurasian sparrowhawks regularly kill birds weighing up to 40 g (1.4 oz) and sometimes up to 120 g (4.2 oz); females can tackle prey up to 500 g (18 oz) or more. The weight of food consumed by adult birds daily is estimated to be 40–50 g (1.4–1.8 oz) for males and 50–70 g (1.8–2.5 oz) for females. During one year, a pair of Eurasian sparrowhawks could take 2,200 house sparrows, 600 common blackbirds or 110 wood pigeons. Species that feed in the open, far from cover, or are conspicuous by their behaviour or coloration, are taken more often by Eurasian sparrowhawks. For example, great tits and house sparrows are vulnerable to attack. Eurasian sparrowhawks may account for more than 50% of deaths in certain species, but the extent varies from area to area.
Males tend to take tits, finches, sparrows and buntings; females often take thrushes and starlings. Larger quarry (such as doves and magpies) may not die immediately but succumb during feather plucking and eating. More than 120 bird species have been recorded as prey and individual Eurasian sparrowhawks may specialise in certain prey. The birds taken are usually adults or fledglings, though chicks in the nest and carrion are sometimes eaten. Small mammals, including bats, are sometimes caught but insects are eaten only very rarely.
I know. These are ordinary weeds, but no plant is really ordinary.
Thanks for looking. Isn't God a great artist?
These are the first of the breeding Marsh Ducks to arrive here. We often see very large flocks early in the spring before they disperse to the hundreds of small sloughs where they breed.
Beaver County, Alberta.
Winter Queen walks serenely and silently onward,
As if floating across frosted, muted landscapes.
Her floor trailing coat a cool watercolour flash,
Against a backdrop of silhouetted, bare branches and trunks,
Nodding seed heads on stalks,
And pale, grey skies that envelope it all.
Much of her is covered, her face exposed,
Brown skin glowing with beauty and warmth,
From a heart whose fire stays burning ever gently.
Her head turns one way and another to survey,
This precious wintry realm of stark splendour,
She made a promise to Autumn to keep and protect.
Her brilliant crown of snowflakes, stars and Winter roses,
Sits atop her afro of tight, silver curls,
Sparkling as it catches the meek light of the sunshine.
She is regal indeed, with an aura of nobility,
Not by birth, an inflated manmade construct,
But by nature’s hand, by earth’s seasonal wand.
She embraces her purpose with grace and wisdom,
Presiding over the cold and hardened earth.
Much of the natural world lies sleeping and biding,
Until time and warmth signal approaching Spring,
Tingling along patient roots, expectant stems,
Unfurling tendrils and hopeful buds.
She moves through Wintered woods, over snowy mounds,
looking for signs of creatures in hibernation.
Are they safe in their cosy, ecologically friendly homes?
Lying still beneath twiggy, mossy roofs?
Entwined in sleeping bags made of Autumn’s leaves?
Yes, she is satisfied they are biding their time too.
Signs of life remain on chilled earth and air,
Whilst others have sought out more hospitable climes.
Winter Queen has no favourites, but gains much joy and comfort,
From the valiant efforts of her winged and feathered friends.
How they flit and chatter, how they sing and soar,
How they commune and continue from dawn until dusk.
Her predominant responsibility is with the natural world.
However Winter Queen spares many a contemplation,
For the beings that live alongside and beyond hers,
For their world struggles for balance and this imbalances hers.
Love and kindness are in abundance there too,
But there also exists much anguish and injustice.
She sends her good wishes from within to without,
Calling on icy fractals to accept and absorb them,
Chilled, undulating airwaves to disperse and broadcast them.
She yearns for the people to heed the picture of Winter,
To see beyond the oils and pastels of it’s starkness,
For in it’s canvas are woven the themes for survival.
The fabric of love and life exist in their preservation,
In conservation, restoration and their essential protection.
For the continuance of the self, of humanity, of nature,
Of the gifts the universe has bestowed and made plenty.
Time taken to rest and to heal gathers strength,
And energy for future endeavours and strides.
Quiet pensiveness has descended over person, land and tree,
A calm introspection, remembrance and honesty.
But in earth’s stillness is a fruitful dormancy,
A preparation for growth and for challenges ahead,
A continuance of gentle but necessary proaction,
For with action comes hope and hope must survive.
Winter Queen will walk the earth, a beacon of reassurance,
Until the transition is upon her and temperatures begin to rise.
Nature’s excitement will grow and in the distance she will see,
Her sister Queen ready to embrace and to thank her,
To graciously receive the baton of hope and life,
For her task of conducting Spring’s mass awakening.
Garrulus glandarius is a widely dispersed species of the crow family (Corvidae) that covers a large geographical region stretching from Western Europe to the eastern seaboard of Asia. The Latinate genus term, Garrulus, means noisy and chattering; the secondary term, glandarious, means “of acorns”, pertaining to the Jay’s habit of favouring acorns as part of its diet, a food the bird habitually stores over winter, although it does take to other common garden bird foods such as peanuts and seed mixes.
It’s exterior is a blend of pink and brown (a pinkish-brown), with an underbelly slightly paler, but of a similar hue; the wings are primarily black with some white patches and a striking blue-black striped feature, making them quite easy to spot in the garden.
They are resident in the UK all year round apart from northern areas of Scotland and the west coast of Ireland, altogether numbering approximately 170,000 breeding pairs (RSPB). Over winter, due to harsher winters and lower stocks of acorns, Jays do sometimes appear in the UK from northern Europe in “irruptions”, or sudden bursts of large flocks.
Jays nest and breed in large shrubs, laying typically between 4 – 6 eggs that have an incubation period of approximately 16 – 19 days. Both male and female Jays feed the young (Courtesy Gardenbird).
Thanks for viewing my photos and for any favourites and comments, it’s much appreciated 👍
I had hoped to catch our back-acres hawk in flight. Of course it waited to fly until I stopped shooting ;-)
Sharp-shinned Hawk or Cooper's, your choice. Both are small and agile fliers, and disperse all of the birds around it.
850mm, f/6.7, 1.7x teleconverter, 1/800, ISO 1100, stable gimbal-style on sturdy tripod.
Larger view: www.flickr.com/photos/jan-timmons/50993714991/sizes/k/
.Scientific name: Ipomoea Carnea
.Popular Names: Angry Cotton, Swamp's cotton, Majorana
.Family: Convolvulaceae
.Category: Shrubs, Tropical shrubs, weeds, creepers
.Climate: Equatorial, Subtropical, Tropical
.Origin: South America, Brazil
.Height: 1.8 to 2.4 meters, 2.4 to 3.0 meters, 3.0 to 3.6 meters
.Luminosity: Full Sun
.Life Cycle: Perennial
It is a floral, rustic and ornamental bush, but potentially dangerous in cattle creations. Medium, reaches 1 to 4 meters high. Its stem is branched, erect, with herbaceous texture and spongy interior.
The flowers arise abundant for nearly all year round, but mainly in the Spring and Summer. They can be roused, violet or white; the seeds are cottony and disperse by wind and water.
Angry cotton is one of these few plants that has the ability to produce flowers in all seasons.
In the garden it can be planted isolated or in groups, but adapts very well to the aquatic environment, adorning the margins of lakes and other water courses.
Although shrubby, it can also be conducted as a creeper, with due tutoring.
Its flowers are attractive to hummingbirds, bees and butterflies.
Extremely rustic plant, tolerates severe pruning, burnt, prolonged dry and floods, but does not tolerate frost or intense cold.
Its that time of year again - when KIngfishers, especially juveniles, disperse and become more visible. Doesn't last long at this site if previous years is anything to go by. Taken in Oxfordshire.
Les moules doivent être dressées verticalement en spirale sur une planche de bois.
On recouvre ensuite d'une bonne épaisseur d'aiguilles de pin, auxquelles on met le feu, qu'on active à l'aide d'un carton pour également disperser les cendres à la fin de la cuisson. L'opération peut être renouvelée jusqu'à cuisson satisfaisante des moules (environ 10 minutes), c'est-à-dire jusqu'à ce que les moules s'entrouvrent légèrement.
On mange traditionnellement l'éclade avec du pain et du beurre des Charentes, accompagné de vin blanc du pays charentais.
The mussels should be arranged vertically in a spiral on a wooden board.
We then cover with a good thickness of pine needles, which we set on fire, which we activate with a cardboard to also disperse the ashes at the end of cooking. The operation can be repeated until the mussels are cooked satisfactorily (about 10 minutes), that is to say until the mussels open slightly.
The eclade is traditionally eaten with bread and butter from the Charentes, accompanied by white wine from the Charente region.
Sparrowhawk - (F) Accipiter Nisus
Double click to view
Though it is a predator which specialises in catching woodland birds, the Eurasian sparrowhawk can be found in any habitat and often hunts garden birds in towns and cities. Males tend to take smaller birds, including tits, finches, and sparrows; females catch primarily thrushes and starlings, but are capable of killing birds weighing 500 g (18 oz) or more.
The Eurasian sparrowhawk is found throughout the temperate and subtropical parts of the Old World; while birds from the northern parts of the range migrate south for winter, their southern counterparts remain resident or make dispersive movements. Eurasian sparrowhawks breed in suitable woodland of any type, with the nest, measuring up to 60 cm (2.0 ft) across, built using twigs in a tree. Four or five pale blue, brown-spotted eggs are laid; the success of the breeding attempt is dependent on the female maintaining a high weight while the male brings her food. The chicks hatch after 33 days and fledge after 24 to 28 days.
The probability of a juvenile surviving its first year is 34%, with 69% of adults surviving from one year to the next. Mortality in young males is greater than that of young females and the typical lifespan is four years. This species is now one of the most common birds of prey in Europe, although the population crashed after the Second World War. Organochlorine insecticides used to treat seeds before sowing built up in the bird population, and the concentrations in Eurasian sparrowhawks were enough to kill some outright and incapacitate others; affected birds laid eggs with fragile shells which broke during incubation. However, its population recovered after the chemicals were banned, and it is now relatively common, classified as being of Least Concern by BirdLife International.
The Eurasian sparrowhawk's hunting behaviour has brought it into conflict with humans for hundreds of years, particularly racing pigeon owners and people rearing poultry and gamebirds. It has also been blamed for decreases in passerine populations. The increase in population of the Eurasian Sparrowhawk coincides with the decline in House Sparrows in Britain. Studies of racing pigeon deaths found that Eurasian sparrowhawks were responsible for less than 1%. Falconers have utilised the Eurasian sparrowhawk since at least the 16th century; although the species has a reputation for being difficult to train, it is also praised for its courage. The species features in Teutonic mythology and is mentioned in works by writers including William Shakespeare, Alfred, Lord Tennyson and Ted Hughes.
Male Eurasian sparrowhawks regularly kill birds weighing up to 40 g (1.4 oz) and sometimes up to 120 g (4.2 oz); females can tackle prey up to 500 g (18 oz) or more. The weight of food consumed by adult birds daily is estimated to be 40–50 g (1.4–1.8 oz) for males and 50–70 g (1.8–2.5 oz) for females. During one year, a pair of Eurasian sparrowhawks could take 2,200 house sparrows, 600 common blackbirds or 110 wood pigeons. Species that feed in the open, far from cover, or are conspicuous by their behaviour or coloration, are taken more often by Eurasian sparrowhawks. For example, great tits and house sparrows are vulnerable to attack. Eurasian sparrowhawks may account for more than 50% of deaths in certain species, but the extent varies from area to area.
Males tend to take tits, finches, sparrows and buntings; females often take thrushes and starlings. Larger quarry (such as doves and magpies) may not die immediately but succumb during feather plucking and eating. More than 120 bird species have been recorded as prey and individual Eurasian sparrowhawks may specialise in certain prey. The birds taken are usually adults or fledglings, though chicks in the nest and carrion are sometimes eaten. Small mammals, including bats, are sometimes caught but insects are eaten only very rarely.
Two photos of our "Canário-da-terra" / Saffron Finch (Sicalis flaveola) a bird admired for its strong, cracked song and for this reason it is often imprisoned as a captive bird, which is considered a federal crime.
Thanks to the action of the authorities and the awareness of the population, records of this bird have become more frequent in recent years, including in urban areas.
Approximate size: 13.5 centimeters. Average weight: 20 grams. Olive-yellow color with blackish streaks on the back and near the legs. At 4 to 6 months of age, male birds are already singing, and it takes about 18 months to acquire adult plumage.
It feeds on seeds on the ground. It is a predominantly granivorous species (eats seeds). The shape of the beak is efficient in crushing and sectioning the seeds, and is therefore considered a predator and not a seed disperser. Occasionally it feeds on insects, but it usually frequents feeders with seeds and corn husks.
It makes covered nests, in the shape of a basket, in places ranging from an ox skull to perforated bamboo. It frequently uses abandoned nests of other birds, especially of João de Barro (Rufous Hornero). It can make basket-shaped nests in epiphytic plants (orchids and bromeliads), in tile holes and other places that offer protection. The female lays an average of 4 eggs, which are hatched for 14 or 15 days.
It lives in dry fields, fields of culture, edges of forests, areas of savanna, natural fields, abandoned pastures, plantations and grassy gardens, being more numerous in arid regions.
It is present from Maranhão to the south to Rio Grande do Sul and to the west to Mato Grosso, as well as on the islands off the coast of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Found locally also in Guyana, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina.
Informations from: www.wikiaves.com.br
Sparrowhawk - (F) Accipiter Nisus
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Though it is a predator which specialises in catching woodland birds, the Eurasian sparrowhawk can be found in any habitat and often hunts garden birds in towns and cities. Males tend to take smaller birds, including tits, finches, and sparrows; females catch primarily thrushes and starlings, but are capable of killing birds weighing 500 g (18 oz) or more.
The Eurasian sparrowhawk is found throughout the temperate and subtropical parts of the Old World; while birds from the northern parts of the range migrate south for winter, their southern counterparts remain resident or make dispersive movements. Eurasian sparrowhawks breed in suitable woodland of any type, with the nest, measuring up to 60 cm (2.0 ft) across, built using twigs in a tree. Four or five pale blue, brown-spotted eggs are laid; the success of the breeding attempt is dependent on the female maintaining a high weight while the male brings her food. The chicks hatch after 33 days and fledge after 24 to 28 days.
The probability of a juvenile surviving its first year is 34%, with 69% of adults surviving from one year to the next. Mortality in young males is greater than that of young females and the typical lifespan is four years. This species is now one of the most common birds of prey in Europe, although the population crashed after the Second World War. Organochlorine insecticides used to treat seeds before sowing built up in the bird population, and the concentrations in Eurasian sparrowhawks were enough to kill some outright and incapacitate others; affected birds laid eggs with fragile shells which broke during incubation. However, its population recovered after the chemicals were banned, and it is now relatively common, classified as being of Least Concern by BirdLife International.
The Eurasian sparrowhawk's hunting behaviour has brought it into conflict with humans for hundreds of years, particularly racing pigeon owners and people rearing poultry and gamebirds. It has also been blamed for decreases in passerine populations. The increase in population of the Eurasian Sparrowhawk coincides with the decline in House Sparrows in Britain. Studies of racing pigeon deaths found that Eurasian sparrowhawks were responsible for less than 1%. Falconers have utilised the Eurasian sparrowhawk since at least the 16th century; although the species has a reputation for being difficult to train, it is also praised for its courage. The species features in Teutonic mythology and is mentioned in works by writers including William Shakespeare, Alfred, Lord Tennyson and Ted Hughes.
Male Eurasian sparrowhawks regularly kill birds weighing up to 40 g (1.4 oz) and sometimes up to 120 g (4.2 oz); females can tackle prey up to 500 g (18 oz) or more. The weight of food consumed by adult birds daily is estimated to be 40–50 g (1.4–1.8 oz) for males and 50–70 g (1.8–2.5 oz) for females. During one year, a pair of Eurasian sparrowhawks could take 2,200 house sparrows, 600 common blackbirds or 110 wood pigeons. Species that feed in the open, far from cover, or are conspicuous by their behaviour or coloration, are taken more often by Eurasian sparrowhawks. For example, great tits and house sparrows are vulnerable to attack. Eurasian sparrowhawks may account for more than 50% of deaths in certain species, but the extent varies from area to area.
Males tend to take tits, finches, sparrows and buntings; females often take thrushes and starlings. Larger quarry (such as doves and magpies) may not die immediately but succumb during feather plucking and eating. More than 120 bird species have been recorded as prey and individual Eurasian sparrowhawks may specialise in certain prey. The birds taken are usually adults or fledglings, though chicks in the nest and carrion are sometimes eaten. Small mammals, including bats, are sometimes caught but insects are eaten only very rarely.
I spent four outings with this second family of NPO fledglings. The first family stayed really high and they were very mature already. This second family of a whopping 5 fledglings stayed in an area with nice low structure. This was taken on the first day. I never did see the parents feed so I'm assuming I just found them as they were weaned off. They eventually moved to a different area where I followed them. My first and fourth day gave me many amazing shots. I thought I'd warm up the series with this youngster begging. Lots of begging from all five constantly. There were only 2 left by the fourth outing and I'm sure they are completely dispersed now.
Female.
Species: Saxicola rubicola.
Stonechats are robin sized birds. Males have striking black heads with white around the side of their neck, orange-red breasts and a mottled brown back. Females lack the male's black head, but have brown backs and an orange tinge to their chests. Birds are frequently seen flicking their wings while perched, often doing so on the tops of low bushes. As its name suggests, birds utter a sharp loud call that sound like two stones being tapped together. They breed in western and southern parts of the UK, but disperse more widely in winter.
Info: RSPB.
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A sensational sunset a couple of evenings ago, overlooking Rannerdale Farm and Crummock Water from Rannerdale Knotts.
I'd actually climbed up Fleetwith Pike earlier in the evening hoping for a sunset, but as I reached the summit the clouds totally dispersed revealing a bland blue sky as far as the eye could see. I waited around for a little while, but decided to head back down as it didn't look promising (blue skies are not my thing). However, as I was driving back along the shore of Crummock Water I noticed a moody bank of cloud heading back inland over the moutains, so I quickly parked up and made a dash up Rannerdale Knotts. I made it just in time to this viewpoint as the sun made an appearance through a gap in the clouds.
At this time of year, the setting sun reaches round enough to illuminate the pastures directly beneath Rannerdale Knotts, and combining with the atmospheric clouds it looked absolutely stunning. I'm actually glad I made the decision to leave Fleetwith Pike early as I'm really pleased with this result at this location
Morning sun with fog dispersing in the back forty, as flowers on the deck reach for the light. We planted the flowers in one of the half-barrels to avoid feeding critters...much as we love wild critters ;-)
Yes, I posted a similar photo on my other account, with less fog and part of the barrel showing.