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Sparrowhawk - Accipiter Nisus
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.
Quite a few of these (<40) come to a small rocky beach in Fife every year post breeding, hence the whitish head. They stay for August/September and then depart in early October. This is an adult. I have seen a few juveniles but they don't seem to come to this beach, they tend to disperse at a different time to their parents
"Lovers don't finally meet somewhere. They're in each other all along"
- Rumi
Soundtrack : www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qGbtW1THC8
MICHAEL BALL & IL DIVO
The overhead storm clouds cast their shadows
washing away the pride in me
pride comes before a fall
I learned that at my father's knee
or was it that I just misremembered
perhaps it was pride comes before a fool
it matters less in this definitive moment
it may always remain a mystery
I listen hard for signs of rain
I imagine the coolness on my skin
I thought I heard a rumble of thunder
is it true that rain will wash away our sins
for surely we have taken a wrong turning
this blessed heat without humidity
the dew drops sparkle in the sunlight
a mirage mirroring my humility
rosé rosée like pink champagne
smooth like cultured pearls it seems
like the many facets of a zillion diamonds
have been erased in many sultry dreams
wish that I could stay in this moment
give up the fight for any more
be contented; savour and relish
these small things that should be adored
but in my reverie I am safe
and the waters I paddle are extremely shallow
but that's not me, I must take the plunge
swim out of my depth; the wickless tallow
melts in the hot relentless sun
emerging now beneath it's shroud
the ether smells so strong of ozone
by the sea as dissolving clouds
dissipate and my anticipation
disappears like urban myths
that once seemed honest, true and permanent
but now appear rarified as Scotch mist
I play the music it fills the air
the ivory keys invisibly stained with blood
the ebony hardened like the wounded stare
of civilisations misunderstood
when will we learn to be as one
is it so hard to find harmony
the rhythm of Mendelssohn's fragmented vision
resounds in my ears and soothing me
I pick up the notes with nimble fingers
disperse them into the universe
hoping that someone, somewhere will hear them
and heal our planet, not make it worse
transferring thoughts like transference of scores
of tiny notes that alone have only partial impact
I begin to play a different theme tune to my life
love changes everything; to me that is a fact.
- AP - Copyright © remains with and is the intellectual property of the author
Copyright © protected image please do not reproduce without permission
St Mary Magdalene, East Moors
This tiny church on the North York Moors, 4½ miles north of Helmsley, was built to serve the dispersed farming community.
The area is now sparsely populated but the church is still well cared-for and fills to capacity for its occasional services (Christmas, Easter, Harvest).Built in 1882, when 200 people lived on the moor, it was designed by Temple Moore, his first church, with a characteristic painted wagon roof and stepped bell tower. To quote Pevsner, "the young architect obviously enjoyed this job thoroughly, and his pleasure is still infectious."
Before motorcars were around, clergy would ride there on a Saturday evening and sleep in a hammock in the south aisle to be on time for the Sunday service! The aisle then would accommodate the Sunday school, for whom a 'squint' enabled them to see what was happening at the altar.
St Mary Magdalene,is Somewhat isolated and hidden in a churchyard of rhododendrons, (a red telephone box in the bracken marks the way in), this charming little church delighted and inspired both Sir Nikolaus Pevsner and Sir John Betjeman.
Waiting for the breeze to disperse it's seeds ...........
Thanks for all the views,faves and comments, very much appreciated.
Explored 17th May 2021
A group of Pronghorn ladies in tight formation crossing a prairie dog town in Badlands National Park. For a few minutes, these does moved in unison like a school of fish. When they reached taller grass, they dispersed and started grazing.
Sparrowhawk - Accipiter Nisus
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.
(english follow)
Ces petites maisons multicolores dispersées aux quatre vents
sont situées aux îles de la Madeleine, dans le Golfe St-Laurent. (Québec, Canada)
Elles me font penser à des sourires, à des défis lancés aux vents puissants qui balaient constamment ces îles.
C’est aux habitants des îles de la Madeleine que le vent a confié ses secrets. Et c’est l’accordéoniste Danielle Martineau originaire des Îles qui, dans ce trop court extrait, nous les révèle...(Cliquez sur la pièce 1 : Les secrets du vent)
www.qim.com/albums/description.asp?albumid=2679
--------------------------------
Smiling in the wind
These small colorful houses scattered to the four winds
are located on the Magdalen Islands, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence (Quebec, Canada).
They make me think of smiles, of defying the challenges facing the powerful winds that constantly sweep the islands.
It is the people of Magdalen Islands that the wind entrusted with its secrets. And is the accordionist Danielle Martineau, native to these islands, which in this short excerpt reveals them to us (Click on link 1: Les secrets du vent )
Le temps passe vite. Cette femelle réchauffait ses nouveaux-nés. Trois semaines après la ponte, les oisillons étaient déjà sortis du nid. Ils sont nourris deux autres semaines hors du nid et les parents migrent dès la mi-juillet. The youngs are fed during the period corresponding to the maximum insects availability. This species begin to migrate soon. They'll be back at the same nesting area next spring. The youngs tend to disperse to colonise new grounds.
Les cimes dispersées les oiseaux du soir
Au chevet de la rue
Les échos féminins des baisers
Et dans les abris du désir
La grande obscurité éblouissante des rebelles qui s’embrassent.
A pleines mains la pluie
Sous les feuilles sous les lanternes
A plein silence les plâtras des heures
Dans les brouettes du trottoir
Le temps n’est pas le maître
Il s’affaisse
Comme un rire étudié
Qui dans l’ennui ne germe pas.
L’eau ignorante la nuit étourdievont se perdre
La solitude falsifie toute présence
Un baiser encore un baiser un seul
Pour ne plus penser au désert.
Paul Eluard
At distance, Glossy Ibises look uniformly dark, but a close look in good light reveals stunning colors: deep maroon, emerald, bronze, and violet. This long-legged, long-billed bird forages in
flocks through wetlands and wet agricultural fields, searching for insects, small fish, and seeds.
The birds are somewhat nomadic, dispersing widely after the nesting season—a tendency that has aided the species in the past 100 years as it has expanded its range from the southeastern U.S. to include much of eastern North America.
‘Glossy’ is an apt name for a creature whose plumage colour changes with the angle of the light; the dark brown iridescent feathers can reflect a purple bluish or greenish ‘gloss’.The glossy, the most adventurous of the world’s two dozen ibis species, has a nomadic streak; it has established breeding colonies in India, southeast Asia and Australia.
Birds breeding in Europe move to Africa in the Autumn but recently-fledged youngsters may disperse in other directions, travelling as far north as Iceland and Norway.
Ibises crossed the Atlantic in the 19th century and began nesting in central and north America.
Like elephant’s trunks, the bills of curlews and ibises are touch-sensitive but, despite appearances, the two species are not related. The curlew is a sandpiper, a wader, while the ibis’s closest kin are herons, spoonbills and storks.
I loved the way the light was dispersed by the fog as it came through the trees.
For part of the Labor Day Holiday weekend I was in northern Minnesota and revisited the Tamarac NWR at dawn. Mornings here are now in the mid forties (F) so I was hoping to find some mist in the protected areas. It was not as heavy as I had hoped but I was not disappointed by the conditions I encountered. Mid day was in the mid 70s (F) so this mist quickly disappeared once the sun got higher.
Finally got around to modifying my DYI flash diffuser today. My goal was to disperse the light just a little bit more even. I'm pretty happy with the results. It's a subtle difference but I am very particular about my photography.
The early morning sun is rapidly dispersing ground fog that enshrouded the entire area just an hour before.
A few weeks ago on Tawas Point, dozens and dozens of yellow-rumps were refueling as they continued to disperse across the north for their nesting season.
When I arrived at the SEE MONSTER my first stop was just taking shots from the beach, being low tide. A little bit of light as the sun was dipping in and out of the clouds made all the difference as, without that a lot of my shots from here were actually quite flat and uninspiring. Those kites flying nearby added interest,
Sadly as is often the way, those clouds dispersed by the time I queued up and went in just before sunset, as you can see by my previous post,
But I am mainly happy with the shots I got!
Fondée en 1146 dans la vallée de la Thyle par Bernard de Clairvaux, cette abbaye était l'une des premières filles de l'abbaye de Clairvaux. Elle fut très tôt protégée par les ducs de Brabant et ainsi rapidement féconde. Le XIIIe siècle marque son apogée. Entre les XIVe et XVIIe siècles, l'abbaye a connu une succession de périodes calmes et troublées, durant lesquelles les moines ont quitté les lieux à neuf reprises pour raisons d'insécurité. Au XVIIIe siècle, l'abbaye a connu son second âge d'or, marqué par une grande ébullition architecturale. Après la Révolution française, la communauté monastique a dû se disperser, puis l'abbaye fut vendue comme bien national.
Dès lors, aux XIXe et XXe siècles, le site a connu dégradations et restaurations. L'ancienne abbaye de Villers est devenue un lieu de visite romantique et pittoresque, mais bien que devenu touristique, le site se dégradait. L'État belge a donc procédé à l'expropriation des lieux en 1892 pour y entamer un important chantier de restauration.
Les ruines appartiennent désormais à la Région wallonne, relevant du patrimoine majeur de Wallonie. La gestion du site est confiée à une association sans but lucratif, laquelle organise depuis 1987 des représentations théâtrales, des expositions et autres manifestations.
Founded in 1146 in the valley of the Thyle by Bernard de Clairvaux, this abbey was one of the first daughters of the abbey of Clairvaux. It was very early protected by the Dukes of Brabant and thus quickly fertile. The 13th century marks its peak. Between the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries, the abbey experienced a succession of calm and troubled periods, during which the monks left the premises nine times for reasons of insecurity. In the 18th century, the abbey experienced its second golden age, marked by great architectural turmoil. After the French Revolution, the monastic community had to disperse, then the abbey was sold as national property.
From then on, in the 19th and 20th centuries, the site suffered damage and restoration. The old abbey of Villers has become a romantic and picturesque place to visit, but although it has become touristy, the site is deteriorating. The Belgian State therefore expropriated the premises in 1892 to begin a major restoration project.
The ruins now belong to the Walloon Region, belonging to the major heritage of Wallonia. The management of the site is entrusted to a non-profit association, which has been organizing theatrical performances, exhibitions and other events since 1987.
St Benet's Abbey was a medieval monastery of the Order of Saint Benedict, also known as St Benet's at Holme or Hulme. It was situated on the River Bure within the Broads in Norfolk, England.[1] St Benet is a medieval English version of the name of St Benedict of Nursia, hailed as the founder of western monasticism. At the period of the Dissolution of the Monasteries the abbey's possessions were in effect seized by the crown and assigned to the diocese of Norwich. Though the monastery was supposed to continue as a community, within a few years at least the monks had dispersed. Today there remain only ruins. Wikipedia
HMM Macro Mondays~ Seeds
Well protected Yucca seeds are plentiful and disperse in winter.
Photogrphed on a mirrow in outdoor light!
Fondée en 1146 dans la vallée de la Thyle par Bernard de Clairvaux, cette abbaye était l'une des premières filles de l'abbaye de Clairvaux. Elle fut très tôt protégée par les ducs de Brabant et ainsi rapidement féconde. Le XIIIe siècle marque son apogée. Entre les XIVe et XVIIe siècles, l'abbaye a connu une succession de périodes calmes et troublées, durant lesquelles les moines ont quitté les lieux à neuf reprises pour raisons d'insécurité. Au XVIIIe siècle, l'abbaye a connu son second âge d'or, marqué par une grande ébullition architecturale. Après la Révolution française, la communauté monastique a dû se disperser, puis l'abbaye fut vendue comme bien national.
Dès lors, aux XIXe et XXe siècles, le site a connu dégradations et restaurations. L'ancienne abbaye de Villers est devenue un lieu de visite romantique et pittoresque, mais bien que devenu touristique, le site se dégradait. L'État belge a donc procédé à l'expropriation des lieux en 1892 pour y entamer un important chantier de restauration.
Les ruines appartiennent désormais à la Région wallonne, relevant du patrimoine majeur de Wallonie. La gestion du site est confiée à une association sans but lucratif, laquelle organise depuis 1987 des représentations théâtrales, des expositions et autres manifestations.
Founded in 1146 in the valley of the Thyle by Bernard de Clairvaux, this abbey was one of the first daughters of the abbey of Clairvaux. It was very early protected by the Dukes of Brabant and thus quickly fertile. The 13th century marks its peak. Between the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries, the abbey experienced a succession of calm and troubled periods, during which the monks left the premises nine times for reasons of insecurity. In the 18th century, the abbey experienced its second golden age, marked by great architectural turmoil. After the French Revolution, the monastic community had to disperse, then the abbey was sold as national property.
From then on, in the 19th and 20th centuries, the site suffered damage and restoration. The old abbey of Villers has become a romantic and picturesque place to visit, but although it has become touristy, the site is deteriorating. The Belgian State therefore expropriated the premises in 1892 to begin a major restoration project.
The ruins now belong to the Walloon Region, belonging to the major heritage of Wallonia. The management of the site is entrusted to a non-profit association, which has been organizing theatrical performances, exhibitions and other events since 1987.
These are at least one year old and most likely dispersed their seeds. Some of the needles on this specimen died for some reason.
Mugo Pine named also Pinus Mugo, Jneapan / Jnepeni, Jepi, Mountain Pine, Pinus montana or Latschenkiefer is an atypical dwarf shrub from Pinaceae family of a pine native from the sub-alpine areas of Europe, very popular in Romanian Mountains. The shot is taken at around 2000 meters altitude on Bucegi Mountains Plateau at the Burnt Rock Cabin/ Cabana Piatra Arsa, in the Carpathians Mountains.
The Seychelles fruit bat or Seychelles flying fox (Pteropus seychellensis) is a megabat found on the granitic islands of Seychelles, and on the Comoros and Mafia Island. It is a significant component of the ecosystems for the islands, dispersing the seeds of many tree species. Although it is hunted for meat on some islands, it remains abundant.
The clouds were nice and evenly dispersed, I thought I'd use a longer exposure during late sunset to get some nice movement to go along with the Astoria-Megler bridge connecting Oregon and Washington. It is the westernmost bridge on the Columbia river. its going through a 4 year repainting process at this time, planning to be completed by 2016. i believe its the longest bridge in the northwest, over 4 miles long. Stay cool everyone! It's getting hot here.
Image: single exposure w/ cpol.
With a low clouds cover like this it very seldom disperse enough to let the Sun shine also to lowland areas which are thus forced to spend another gloomy, hazy day under inversion sky. What a joy to escape for a while from the depressing grey down to a warm shiny world up there...
Common dandelion
Scientific name: Taraxacum officinale
Biology:
Dandelion flowers from May to October but most profusely in May and June. A period of low temperature seems to intensify flowering but daylength does not have a great influence. Seedlings that emerge in spring may flower in their first year. Established plants that bloom in spring can flower again in autumn. The time from flowering to seed ripening is about 9-12 days. The fruiting period is from April to June. A flower head can produce up to 400 seeds but the average is 180. A plant may have a total of 2,000 to 12,000 seeds. Cut down flower stems do not produce any viable seed.
Dandelion seeds are wind dispersed and may travel up to 500 miles from the parent. Seeds have been recovered from irrigation water and can survive submergence for 9 months. Viable seeds have been found in cattle and horse droppings. Seedlings have been raised from the droppings of various birds.
As Food and Drink:
Did you know you can make wine out of Dandelions? There are lots of recipes for making Dandelion wine on-line. Or that the young leaves go great in salads? In fact, the family of plants that the Dandelion belongs to also includes lettuce! If you let a lettuce plant go to flower in your garden you'll see what I mean. And the roots of dandelions can serve as a coffee substitute when baked and ground. (Hint: if you are a real coffee aficionado, don't try this.) Hey, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade, or in this case if you have a yard full of Dandelions eat'em and drink'em. Apparently, you can make green and yellow dyes from the flowers, too.
Throughout its range, the larvae feed on a native cycad, Zamia integrifolia (commonly called "coontie palm" or "arrowhead"). Adult butterflies take flower nectar and sometimes roost in trees. Adults fly through much of the year. Males keep close to a site with host plants, which often forms small colonies of a few individuals. The females, however, may disperse in search of more hosts.
Miami Beach Botanical Garden
Small Eggar Moth Caterpillar / eriogaster lanestris. Swaddywell Pit, Cambridgeshire. 07/06/22.
'GOING IT ALONE.'
I was really pleased to encounter this not so small, Small Eggar Moth caterpillar during my time photographing orchids. It's always gratifying to find an additional, attractive subject to point the lens at!
I originally noticed it crawling purposefully over my photography mat and after making a few images, I carefully transferred it back among the grasses. It was a good size and I'm pretty sure, fully developed. It will have started its life living gregariously in a silken 'tent' with others. Now it was ready to disperse, go it alone and find somewhere to pupate in dense vegetation.
BEST VIEWED LARGE.
“Planets come and go. Stars perish. Matter disperses, coalesces, forms into other patterns, other worlds. Nothing can be eternal.” Sixth Doctor (The Trial of a Time Lord, Season 23)
The Sixth Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who. He is portrayed by Colin Baker.
The same pair of CP SD40-2s lead J42 back across the Mississippi River into Northeast Minneapolis after the clouds dispersed.
Spent a wild weekend dispersed camping, patiently waiting for the stars to appear. Several awesome locations were chosen to shoot the stars, the plans had been in the works for years. Mother Nature almost didn't cooperate (we WON'T complain about the rain) but she pulled through at the last minute of the trip. It was an amazing weekend with some of my favorite photogs and I am so glad we were able to make it happen.
The fading fog gives a clear view of the Lägern ridge and Hochwacht
Canon EOS 5DSR © 2022 Luc Legrand. Photos are copyrighted. All rights reserved. Pictures can not be used without explicit permission by the creator.
More fantastic Pic's:You can buy picture's like this as a Poster or Print: www.pictrs.com/travel-pics?l=de
Many thanks to all visitors of my photo stream for your kind comments and criticisms, invitations and favourites.
all visitors and friends of my photostream, a big thank you for your comments and reviews, invitations and favorites.
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All my images are protected under international authors copyright laws and may not be downloaded, reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without my written explicit permission.
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Sorbus intermedia, the Swedish whitebeam, is a species of whitebeam found in southern Sweden, with scattered occurrences in easternmost Denmark (Bornholm), the far southwest of Finland, Estonia, Latvia and northern Poland.
It is a medium-sized deciduous tree growing to 10–20 m tall with a stout trunk usually up to 60 cm, but sometimes as much as 2–3 m diameter,
The flowers are 15–20 mm diameter, with five white petals and 20 yellowish-white stamens; they are produced in corymbs 8–12 cm diameter in late spring. The fruit is an oval pome 15 mm long and 10 mm diameter, orange-red to red, maturing in mid autumn. The fruit is dryish, and eaten by thrushes and waxwings, which disperse the seeds.
7086 2019 03 15 file
Prismatic Light Colors created by light
dispersed from Chandeliers.
RH Gallery, Leawood, KS
In trying to disperse a couple of black bugs from inside the flower, I activated several more - so here they are - included in
Smile on Saturday: think pink
Sparrowhawk - Accipiter Nisus
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.
Red pouch fungus is a species in the family Strophariaceae. This fungus, like the truffles, entices animals to consume them for their dispersal. Only, instead of creating pungent aromas to be located, the fungus visually attracts its main disperser mimicking red fruits that evolved to utilize bird dispersers. By looking so similar to small red fruits, these fungi also get dispersed extremely far by birds. Unlike the revealed gills in its closely related cousins and ancestors, Leratiomyces erythrocephalus has an enclosed cap morphology that keeps spores within the fungal structure until consumption. This recent evolutionary development has its similarities and differences with truffle fungi too. They both entice animals to disperse them, but Leratiomyces erythrocephalus does it visually, tapping in to the amazing eyesight of birds, while truffles tap in to the nostrils and taste buds of their mammalian counterpart. (Source: www.forestfloornarrative.com/blog/2018/10/12/mimicry-in-l... ) The red pouch fungus is found in New Zealand. Birds had already eaten a few holes into this fungus and knocked it over in the process.
...learn to be exclusive, not out of arrogance, but out of wisdom. Do not disperse yourself in every corner or allow anyone who crosses your path to have access to your inner space. Your time, your energy, your essence, are treasures that deserve to be guarded with care. For to be selective is not to close yourself off from the world, but to take care of your own inner self by watering it only with what truly nourishes and flourishes. Not everyone walks with the same light that you emit. ♥
Wearing:
➛RichB. Cassius Gloves // By RichB. // Mancave Event
➛RichB. Bart Earrings