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Distinctive small tanager with mostly black head, orange throat, and bold black spotting on underparts. Upperparts are dark with a scaled look. A foothill species, occurring from around 600–1,500 m on the west slope of the Andes in Colombia and Ecuador. Pairs or small groups forage with mixed-species flocks, in the middle to upper levels of forest and edge.
This one was photographed in Ecuador guided by Neotropic Photo Tours.
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Mudéjar is the name given to the Moors or Muslims of Al-Andalus who remained in Christian territory after the Reconquista but were not converted to Christianity. It also denotes a style of Iberian architecture and decoration, particularly of Aragon and Castile, of the 12th to 16th centuries, strongly influenced by Moorish taste and workmanship.
The word Mudéjar is a Medieval Spanish corruption of the Arabic word Mudajjan مدجن, meaning "domesticated", in a reference to the Muslims who have submitted to the rule of the Christian kings.
After the fall of Granada in January of 1492, Mudéjars kept their status for some time. However, they were forced to convert to Christianity in the mid 16th century, and were known as Moriscos from that time until those who refused to convert to Christianity were expelled in 1610. Their distinctive style is still evident in architecture as well as the music, art, and crafts of the region.
Distinctive warbler with bold black-and-white stripes over entire body. Adult males have black throat and cheek; females and immatures have white throat and paler cheek. Creeps along branches like a nuthatch, searching for insects. Breeds in mature deciduous or mixed forests; winters in a wider variety of wooded habitats as far south as northern South America.
The Chilean Flamingo is closely related to the Caribbean Flamingo and the Greater Flamingo. Generally the Chilean Flamingo lives in colonies and often mixes with the Andean Flamingo and James's Flamingo.
The flamingos’ distinctive pink colour is a product of their diet which contains carotenoids found mainly in brine shrimp and algae. The males’ plumage is pink with black flight feathers covered by red wing coverts. They have a pink and black bill, light yellow eyes, grey legs with pink joints and pink feet. The Chilean Flamingo lays a single egg on a mud mound.
Distinctive large, graceful raptor with a fairly long, forked, rusty-orange tail.
Flies with easy languid wingbeats and lazy glides, circling gracefully over fields and roadsides.
Can be confused with Black Kite; note overall more reddish coloration, paler face, larger white patches on the underwings, and more deeply forked tail.
Inhabits varied semi-open habitats, from woodland to farmland and moorland with hedges and wooded patches; locally in urban areas.
Often scavenges with crows.
The distinctive black markings across an otherwise yellow throat and breast gives this warbler the nickname of "Necklaced Warbler."
If you like this and some of my other images, I invite you to take a look at my wildlife/birding blog, which I try to update every few days. ... grenfell.weebly.com and my web page at www.tekfx.ca
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The distinctively shaped weir, which is 460 feet (140 m) long, helps create a pool of water that can enter the Llangollen Canal via an adjacent valve house and flow meter. Since 2009, the weir has been part of a World Heritage Site, which covers 11 miles (18 km) of the Llangollen Canal from just west of Horseshoe Falls to just beyond Chirk Aqueduct. The canal was awarded World Heritage status because of the bold civil engineering solutions needed to construct a canal with no locks through such difficult terrain.
Striking and distinctive gooselike duck. Plumage bright ruddy overall with contrasting pale creamy head and neck; male has narrow black neck ring. Big white forewing patches striking in flight. Breeds in southeastern Europe and Central Asia, winters in South Asia. Often found around saline lakes; also reservoirs and agricultural fields. (ebird)
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Our best views of this pretty duck. We'd had a few looks earlier in the trip but had not managed to get close enough to photograph them.
Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan, India. February 2015.
Asian Adventures.
🇫🇷 L'église de l'Ascension de Marie est située sur la place principale de Megalochori . Son élément le plus distinctif est le clocher blanc sculpté avec une horloge, qui est également la porte menant à la place Giannakopoulos.
Dommage , nous n'avons pas visité l'intérieur où se trouve un magnifique autel en bois sculpté avec des icônes et de vieilles icônes russes d'Odessa et en particulier le calendrier post-byzantin décoré avec 365 miniatures de saints
L'église originale sur ce site construite en 1600 a été rénovée et agrandie en 1931..
🇬🇧 The Church of the Ascension of the Virgin Mary is located in the main square of Megalochori. Its most distinctive feature is the carved white bell tower with a clock, which is also the gateway to Giannakopoulos Square.
It's a pity we didn't visit the interior, where there is a magnificent wooden altar with carved icons and old Russian icons from Odessa, in particular the post-Byzantine calendar decorated with 365 miniatures of saints.
The original church on this site, built in 1600, was renovated and enlarged in 1931.
🇬🇷 Η εκκλησία της Αναλήψεως της Θεοτόκου βρίσκεται στην κεντρική πλατεία του Μεγαλοχωρίου. Το πιο χαρακτηριστικό της είναι το σκαλιστό λευκό καμπαναριό με το ρολόι, το οποίο αποτελεί και την πύλη εισόδου στην πλατεία Γιαννακόπουλου.
Είναι κρίμα που δεν επισκεφθήκαμε το εσωτερικό του, όπου υπάρχει μια υπέροχη ξύλινη Αγία Τράπεζα σκαλισμένη με εικόνες και παλιές ρωσικές εικόνες από την Οδησσό, ιδιαίτερα το μεταβυζαντινό ημερολόγιο διακοσμημένο με 365 μικρογραφίες αγίων.
Η αρχική εκκλησία σε αυτή τη θέση, που χτίστηκε το 1600, ανακαινίστηκε και διευρύνθηκε το 1931.
🇩🇪 Die Kirche der Mariä Himmelfahrt befindet sich am Hauptplatz von Megalochori. Ihr markantestes Merkmal ist der geschnitzte weiße Glockenturm mit einer Uhr, der gleichzeitig das Tor zum Giannakopoulos-Platz ist.
Schade, dass wir nicht das Innere der Kirche besichtigen konnten, wo sich ein wunderschöner holzgeschnitzter Altar mit Ikonen und alten russischen Ikonen aus Odessa befindet, insbesondere der postbyzantinische Kalender, der mit 365 Miniaturen von Heiligen geschmückt ist.
Die ursprüngliche Kirche an diesem Ort wurde 1600 erbaut, 1931 renoviert und erweitert...
🇪🇸 La Iglesia de la Ascensión de María se encuentra en la plaza principal de Megalochori. Su campanario blanco tallado, con un reloj, es la puerta de entrada a la plaza Giannakopoulos.
Es una pena no haber visitado su interior, donde se encuentra un magnífico altar de madera tallada con iconos y antiguos iconos rusos de Odessa, en particular el calendario postbizantino decorado con 365 miniaturas de santos.
La iglesia original de este emplazamiento, construida en 1600, fue renovada y ampliada en 1931.
🇮🇹 La chiesa dell'Ascensione della Beata Vergine Maria si trova nella piazza principale di Megalochori. Su elemento distintivo più evidente è il campanile bianco con l'orologio, che rappresenta anche la porta d'ingresso alla piazza Giannakopoulos.
Es una pena no aver visitado su interior, donde se halla un magnifico altar de madera tallada con iconos y antiguos iconos rusos de Odessa, en particular el calendario postbizantino decorado con 365 miniaturas de santos.
La primera iglesia de este emplazamiento, construida en 1600, fue remodelada y ampliada en 1931.
Source: Panagia ton Eisodion in Megalochori | Santorini - santorini-more.com
Distinctive little warblers. Perhaps the zebras of the avian world. Our beautiful world, pass it on.
A distinctive, chunky hummingbird with a very long bill with a very patchy range in mature humid forest in the lowlands and foothills from extreme eastern Panama to northwest Ecuador.
This bird had been present at the excellent Reserva Mashpi-Amagusa near Mindo (Pichincha/Ecuador) for a couple of weeks at least and had been very popular with many local (and visiting!) birders. Not a species we had seen previously (or expected to see) so a real bonus. Presumably a female as there are no sign of tooth-like serrations on bill.
These Ribwort plantain flowers are distinctive and It wasn't until I got closer did I see the Margined Caliligrapher hoverfly. All the rain we've had has insured everything is green although the river and urban flooding isn't good for anything. Extreme weather is becoming more the norm and less unusual.
With some sleuthing, I found this in my alma mater, UCDavis' website: "Consider the common lawn weed Plantago lanceolata, otherwise known as ribwort or buckhorn plantain, which has the longest dormancy in the United States, according to the report. Noxious to livestock and native plants, the plant was introduced in the United States in 1822 and is found widely here. Velvetleaf, which was introduced as a possible fiber crop, can be dormant for 50 years before it expands, threatening corn, soybean and other crops as it sucks up water and nutrients." Evidently the length of time a seed can lie dormant determines its ability to bounce back and become more dominant.
“The greatness of art is not to find what is common but what is unique.” - Isaac Bashevis Singer
Macro Monday project – 09/08/14
"Pale"
Distinctive large, graceful raptor with a fairly long, forked, rusty-orange tail. Flies with easy languid wingbeats and lazy glides, circling gracefully over fields and roadsides.
Could be confused with Black Kite; note overall more reddish coloration, paler face, larger white patches on the underwings, and more deeply forked tail.
Inhabits varied semi-open habitats, from woodland to farmland and moorland with hedges and wooded patches; locally in urban areas.
Often scavenges with crows.
Le Corail, located in Marseille's Euroméditerranée district, is a modern office building designed by Jacques Ferrier and developed by BNP Paribas. Completed in 2020, the building features a distinctive white perforated façade that optimizes natural light and energy efficiency.
The lovely little Elf butterfly – Microtia elva - with its very distinctive colour pattern, is only found from Venezuela up to Mexico with the very occasional stray into the most southern parts of the USA. With a wingspan of only 1 – 1.5 inches (2.5 – 4 cm) and feeding only on flower nectar it prefers fields, hedgerows, scrubland and anywhere flowers, either wild or cultivated, are found. This one was seen near Bucerias, Mexico. Explore #272, 26 August 2015.
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… with a distinctive character.
The name Orchid originates from the Greek world ‘Orchis’ meaning ‘testes’ with the reference to the shape of root tubers (bulbous expansions used for storage of nutrients) seen in some terrestrial species. In many cultures, orchids were praised for their medicinal properties to treat various ailments and often were associated with masculinity and fertility powers. There are 28,000 species of orchids grouped into 850 groups (genus) which thrive in every corner of our planets except in extremes of the Polar regions. Orchids have been the part of folklore and symbolism mainly due to their amazing flowers that came in different shapes, forms and in all colours except black that intrigued people and scientists for many centuries and still fascinate us today.
This macro image of the Venus Slipper orchid, Paphiopedilum x maudiae ‘Femma’, has been converted to B&W to focus on a unique shape the flower can have at a certain angle. I feel it reflects well a magical essence of the world of Orchids. Bath, BANES, England, UK.
Explored 14.01.2025
Thank you for your visit, favours and comments, much appreciated.
A distinctive, small social crow with contrasting, silvery-greay neck shawl and staring whitish eyes; juvenile has duller shawl and eyes. Walks confidently, and can be easy to see where not persecuted; associates readily with crows and Rooks. Flocks can number in the hundreds or thousands in the non-breeding season. Inhabits open and semiopen habitats, from towns and wooded parkland to farmland and sea cliffs; often around stone buildings and chimneys. Nests in cavities. Listen for its distinctive high-pitched “tchaw, tchaw” calls.
(Eurasian) Jackdaw (Corvus monedula) nesting Trujillo Spain_3841_
Distinctive point of view from the middle of the River Seine with Pont d'lena at left. Like most scenes of Paris in the evening there are people wandering about everywhere.
The seed pods of Love-In-A-Mist are as distinctive as the flowers and both are beautiful. The reason this plant was called Love-In-A-Mist is because of the tangle of ferny fennel like foliage that forms a mist around the flowers. Once you see these beautiful flowers you will always remember the name because they are so distinctive. The plant is medium size and grows between 15 to 24 inches high and up to one foot wide. The flowers are bright blue to very pale blue, but sometimes may be white, pink or lavender. When the flowers fade they are followed by lovely attractive, balloon shaped seedpods, in fact the seedpods are an inflated capsule composed of five fused true seedpods, and they are about two inches long, when they dry out they can be used for floral decoration in the home.
Train 121 in VIA's system timetable, ONR's Northlander, departs Toronto for North Bay on 19 March 1989. Custom modified FP7 No. 1984 powers the distinctive former Trans Europe Express train set.
This very distinctive mimid generally remains hidden in the understory of dense thickets in eastern woodlands and residential areas
You'd think it would be the male treecreeper who would have the distinctive orange spot on the cheek but nope, only the female has it.
The distinctive triangular shape of the Flatiron Building, designed by Chicago architect Daniel Burnham and built in 1902, allowed it to fill the wedge-shaped property located at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Broadway. The building was intended to serve as offices for the George A. Fuller Company, a major Chicago contracting firm. At 22 stories and 307 feet, the Flatiron was never the city’s tallest building, but always one of its most dramatic-looking, and its popularity with photographers and artists has made it an enduring symbol of New York for more than a century.(www.history.com/topics/landmarks/flatiron-building)
Distinctive day flying moth with red hindwings. Flies July and August. Larva feeds on greater bird's-foot trefoil. The 6 spot favours drier ground to the damp conditions favoured by the 5-spot.
A distinctive feature visible from Wembury Beach is the Mewstone, a triangular island which is currently uninhabited. In the past it has been host to a prison and a private home, as well as a refuge for local smugglers. Its most infamous resident was Sam Wakeman who avoided transportation to Australia in favour of the cheaper option of transportation to the Mewstone, where he was interned for 7 years. After his internment he remained on the island, paying his rent by supplying rabbits for the Manor House table. It is said Sam Wakeman is responsible for carving the rough stone steps to the summit of the Mewstone.
The island was painted several times by J M W Turner. The Mewstone and Little Mewstone is now a bird sanctuary and access is not permitted to visitors.
Italien / Südtirol - Drei Zinnen
seen from Höhlensteintal
gesehen vom Höhlensteintal
The Tre Cime di Lavaredo (pronounced [ˌtre tˈtʃiːme di lavaˈreːdo]; Italian for '"Three Peaks of Lavaredo"'), also called the Drei Zinnen (pronounced [ˌdʁaɪ ˈtsɪnən]); German for '"Three Merlons"'), are three distinctive battlement-like peaks, in the Sexten Dolomites of northeastern Italy. They are probably one of the best-known mountain groups in the Alps. The three peaks, from east to west, are:
Cima Piccola / Kleine Zinne ("little peak")
Cima Grande / Große Zinne ("big peak")
Cima Ovest / Westliche Zinne ("western peak").
Tre Cime as seen from the foot of Torre di Toblin mountain
The peaks are composed of well-layered dolomites of the Dolomia Principale (Hauptdolomit) formation, Carnian to Rhaetian in age, as are many other groups in the Dolomites (e.g., the Tofane, the Pelmo or the Cinque Torri).
Until 1919 the peaks formed part of the border between Italy and Austria-Hungary. Now they lie on the border between the Italian provinces of South Tyrol and Belluno and still are a part of the linguistic boundary between German-speaking and Italian-speaking majorities. The Cima Grande has an elevation of 2,999 metres (9,839 ft). It stands between the Cima Piccola, at 2,857 metres (9,373 ft), and the Cima Ovest, at 2,973 metres (9,754 ft).
Location and surroundings
The Three Peaks rise on the southern edge of the extensive pinnacle plateau with the Langen Alm (La Grava Longa), an alpine plateau at around 2200 m to 2400 m, which here forms the end of the Rienz Valley (Valle della Rienza). There are three small mountain lakes, the Zinnenseen. This area north of the mountains to the peaks to the municipality of part Toblach in South Tyrol and the Natural Park Three Peaks (up to 2010 Sesto Dolomites Nature Park), the since 2009 is part of the UNESCO World Heritage.
The ridge of the battlements, which runs in a west-east direction, forms the border with the municipality of Auronzo di Cadore in the province of Belluno, which also represents the German-Italian language border. To the northeast, this ridge continues to the 2454 m high Paternsattel (Forcella Lavaredo), where it turns north to the mountains Passportenkopf (Croda di Passaporto, 2719 m) and Paternkofel (Monte Paterno, 2744 m). In the west it sits across the Forcella Col di Mezzo (2315 m) transition to the Zinnenkuppe (Col di Mezzo, 2254 m) and on to the 2252 m high Katzenleiterkopf (Croda d'Arghena).
To the southwest of the Drei Zinnen, the Forcella Col di Mezzo is followed by the Plano di Longeres plateau above the Valle di Rinbianco, a side valley of the Rienz Valley. Immediately south of the western pinnacle, the Forcella di Longeres saddle (2235 m) separates the Plano di Longeres from the Vallone di Lavaredo, a side valley of the Piave valley. To the south lies the Cadini group.
Cortina d'Ampezzo, 17 kilometers southwest, is the largest city in the area. Other larger towns are Toblach 13 kilometers northwest and Innichen 12 kilometers north.
Cabins and access
The most easily accessible support point around Drei Zinnen is Rifugio Auronzo (Auronzo hut, 2320 m). The cottage, which belongs to the Club Alpino Italiano (CAI), is located immediately south of the massif above Forcella di Longeres, and has good road connections to the tourist resort of Misurina (toll road). The cabin can be reached on foot from Lavaredodalen in the southeast.
About one kilometer east of Rifugio Auronzo and from there via a wide hiking trail lies the privately run Rifugio di Lavaredo (2325 m) at the southeast foot of the Kleine Zinne.
Northwest of the peaks is the summer-open, privately run farmhouse Lange Alm (also Lange Alpe) at 2296 m. One hiking trail goes from the Auronzo hut over the Forcella Col di Mezzo, another from the north comes from the Rienztal.
CAI's Dreizinnenhütte (Rifugio Locatelli, 2438 m) is located approximately one kilometer northeast of Drei Zinnen. The cabin, which is well known for its view of the north wall, can be reached from Auronzohytta via Paternsattel on a wide hiking trail. Other access options are from Sexten through Fischleinboden from the east, and also from Sexten from the north through the Innerfeldtal and through the Rienztal from Höhlenstein (Landro) in the Höhlensteintal (Valle di Landro). From the southeast, the cabin can be reached from Lange Alm.
Climate, flora and fauna
The Sexten Dolomites are surrounded by other mountain ranges on all sides, and this sheltered location in the interior of the Alps provides relatively favorable climatic conditions considering the altitude. Nevertheless, when cold fronts pass the area, rapid weather changes with fog, wind and heavy rainfall can occur, even as snow, even in high summer. In shady gorges and under north walls, the snow can lie until late summer, sometimes all year round, even though there are no glaciers here.
The alpine vegetation zone around Drei Zinnen is dominated by the raibl layer's alpine mats. The plateau around Lange Alm is one of the few areas with grazing land in the nature park. Alpines are strikingly flowery; examples of plants that thrive here are beard bell, edelweiss and Gentiana clusii. The alpine marmot is a numerous mammal; there are also hares and chamois. On the other hand, there are no ibex in the Sexten Dolomites. Of birds there are Rock ptarmigan, ravens and golden eagles, and also hubriscan often be found hunting at this altitude. Vipers, especially the black variety, can be found at the unusual (for reptiles) altitude of 2600 m.
The vegetation on the vast clocks and on the southern flanks of the peaks is characterized by plants that are able to adapt to the constant movements of the stone clock. Examples of these are alpine cod mouth (Linaria alpina), French edible acid (Rumex scutatus), Thlaspi cepaeifolium, Potentilla nitida and alpine poppy (Papaver alpinum). In crevices are trickled Saxifraga squarrosa, cruciferous Kernera saxatilis, carnation Minuartia sedoides and the rare Paederota bonarota. In the steep, shady north walls there is hardly anyvascular plants; the most conspicuous vegetation is next to moss and low large carpets with blue-green bacteria, which appear especially on moist rock walls in the form of characteristic «ink lines». A mammal that moves all the way into the cliff areas is the snow field mouse (Chionomys nivalis). Insects (Tichodroma muraria) and alpine quays (Pyrrhocorax graculus) hunt insects here.
First ascents
The first ascent of the Cima Grande (Große Zinne) was on August 21, 1869, by Paul Grohmann with guides Franz Innerkofler and Peter Salcher. The Cima Ovest (Westliche Zinne) was first climbed exactly ten years later, on August 21, 1879, by Michel Innerkofler with G. Ploner, a tourist. The Cima Piccola (Kleine Zinne) was first climbed on July 25, 1881, by Michel and Hans Innerkofler. The routes of these three first ascents are still the normal ascent routes; the Cima Piccola's route is the most difficult of the three. A climbing route, the Dibona Kante, on the Cima Grande is named after Angelo Dibona.
Emilio Comici was the first to climb the north face of the Cima Grande in 1933 in a party of three, after an ascent time of 3 days and 2 nights. This partly overhanging northern face is considered by climbers to be one of the great north faces of the Alps.
Tourism
Tre Cime Natural Park is named after the famous peaks. The visitor centre provides information concerning the trails, natural and man-made landscapes of the Sexten Dolomites and it is located at the former Grand Hotel in Dobbiaco.
Numerous well-marked routes lead from the surrounding communities to and around the peaks. The most common route is from Paternkofel/Monte Paterno to the alpine hut Auronzo at 2,333 m (7,654 ft), over Paternsattel (Patern Pass) to the Locatelli alpine hut (Dreizinnenhütte) at 2,405 m (7,890 ft), and then to the peaks. There are a number of other routes as well.
Nearby communities include Auronzo di Cadore (in the province of Belluno, region of Veneto), Toblach/Dobbiaco, Sexten/Sesto, and the Puster Valley (in the province of Bolzano, region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol).
The area has also staged many finishes in Giro d'Italia.
History
Since the front line between Italy and Austria-Hungary during World War I ran through the Tre Cime peaks, there are a number of fortifications, trenches, tunnels, iron ladders, and commemorative plaques in the area. There was intense fighting throughout the so-called "White War" between 1915 and 1917.
Film and television appearances
Tre Cime has been used as a filming location for:
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles
Solo: A Star Wars Story
(Wikipedia)
Die Drei Zinnen (italienisch Tre Cime di Lavaredo) sind ein markanter Gebirgsstock in den Sextner Dolomiten an der Grenze zwischen den italienischen Provinzen Belluno im Süden und Südtirol im Norden.
Die höchste Erhebung der Gruppe ist die 2999 m s.l.m. hohe Große Zinne (ital. Cima Grande). Sie steht zwischen den beiden anderen Gipfeln, der Westlichen Zinne (Cima Ovest, 2973 m) und der Kleinen Zinne (Cima Piccola, 2857 m). Neben diesen markanten Felstürmen zählen noch mehrere weitere Gipfelpunkte zum Massiv, darunter die Punta di Frida (2792 m) und der Preußturm, auch Kleinste Zinne (Torre Preuß, Cima Piccolissima, 2700 m).
Seit der Erstbesteigung der Großen Zinne im Jahr 1869 zählen die Drei Zinnen bei Kletterern zu den begehrtesten Gipfelzielen der Alpen. Sie sind durch zahlreiche Kletterrouten verschiedener Schwierigkeitsgrade erschlossen und wurden so zu einem Zentrum des alpinen Kletterns, von welchem viele wichtige Entwicklungen in der Geschichte dieses Sports ihren Ausgang nahmen. Darüber hinaus sind sie aufgrund ihrer leichten Erreichbarkeit eine Attraktion für den Massentourismus. Insbesondere die Ansicht der steilen Nordwände gehört zu den bekanntesten Landschaftsbildern der Alpen und gilt als Wahrzeichen der Dolomiten. Während des Gebirgskriegs im Ersten Weltkrieg waren die Drei Zinnen und ihre Umgebungsgebiete als Teil der Front zwischen dem Königreich Italien und Österreich-Ungarn heftig umkämpft.
Lage und Umgebung
Die Drei Zinnen erheben sich am Südrand des weitläufigen Zinnenplateaus mit der Langen Alm (La Grava Longa), einer alpinen Hochfläche auf ungefähr 2200 m bis 2400 m, die hier den Abschluss des Rienztals (Valle della Rienza) bildet. Dort liegen drei kleine Gebirgsseen, die Zinnenseen. Dieses Areal nördlich der Berge bis zu deren Gipfeln gehört zum Gemeindegebiet von Toblach in Südtirol und zum Naturpark Drei Zinnen (bis 2010 Naturpark Sextner Dolomiten), der seit 2009 Teil des UNESCO-Weltnaturerbes ist.
Der in West-Ost-Richtung verlaufende Kamm der Zinnen bildet die Grenze zur Gemeinde Auronzo di Cadore in der Provinz Belluno, die zugleich die deutsch-italienische Sprachgrenze darstellt. Nach Nordosten führt dieser Kamm weiter zum 2454 m hohen Paternsattel (Forcella Lavaredo), wo er nach Norden zu den Bergen Passportenkopf (Croda di Passaporto, 2719 m) und Paternkofel (Monte Paterno, 2744 m) abbiegt. Im Westen setzt er sich über den Übergang Forcella Col di Mezzo (2315 m) zur Zinnenkuppe (Col di Mezzo) (2254 m) und weiter zum 2252 m hohen Katzenleiterkopf (Croda d’Arghena) fort.
Südwestlich der Drei Zinnen schließt sich an die Forcella Col di Mezzo das Plateau Plano di Longeres oberhalb des Valle di Rinbianco, eines Seitentals des Rienztals, an. Unmittelbar südlich der Westlichen Zinne trennt der Sattel Forcella di Longeres (2235 m) den Plano di Longeres vom Vallone di Lavaredo, einem Seitental des Piavetals. Südlich liegt die Cadini-Gruppe.
Über den 2454 m hohen Paternsattel als tiefsten Punkt lässt sich der Zwölferkofel als nächster Gipfel erreichen, der höher als die Große Zinne ist. Damit beträgt die Schartenhöhe der Großen Zinne 545 m, die Dominanz beträgt 4,25 km.
Cortina d’Ampezzo, 17 Kilometer südwestlich gelegen, ist die größte Stadt in der Umgebung. Weitere größere Ortschaften sind Auronzo di Cadore 12 Kilometer südöstlich, Toblach 13 Kilometer nordwestlich und Innichen 12 Kilometer nördlich.
Orte, Stützpunkte und Wege
Der am leichtesten erreichbare Stützpunkt in der Umgebung der Drei Zinnen ist die Auronzohütte (Rifugio Auronzo, 2320 m). Diese Schutzhütte des Club Alpino Italiano (CAI) liegt unmittelbar südlich des Massivs oberhalb des Forcella di Longeres und ist vom südwestlich liegenden, zu Auronzo gehörenden Hotelort Misurina aus durch eine asphaltierte Mautstraße erschlossen. Von Südosten her kann die Hütte vom Lavaredotal über einen Wanderweg erreicht werden.
Etwa einen Kilometer östlich der Auronzohütte und von dort über einen breiten Fahrweg erreichbar liegt am Südostfuß der Kleinen Zinne die privat bewirtschaftete Schutzhütte Rifugio di Lavaredo (2325 m).
Nordwestlich der Zinnen liegt die im Sommer bewirtschaftete Almhütte Lange Alm (auch Lange Alpe, 2296 m). Ein Wanderweg führt von der Auronzohütte über die Forcella Col di Mezzo dorthin, ein weiterer von Norden aus dem Rienztal.
Die im Besitz des CAI befindliche, 2438 m hoch gelegene Dreizinnenhütte nordöstlich der Drei Zinnen ist mit etwa einem Kilometer etwas weiter von dem Massiv entfernt. Sie ist besonders für den Ausblick auf die Nordwände bekannt und kann über einen breiten Wanderweg von der Auronzohütte aus über den Paternsattel erreicht werden. Weitere Zustiegsmöglichkeiten gibt es von Sexten durch den Fischleinboden von Osten, von Innichen aus durch das Innerfeldtal von Norden und durch das Rienztal von Höhlenstein (Landro) im Höhlensteintal (Valle di Landro). Von Südosten ist die Hütte von der Langen Alm her erreichbar.
Die Drei Zinnen
Große Zinne
Die Große Zinne (Cima Grande), die mittlere der Drei Zinnen, ist mit 2999 m der höchste Gipfel der Gruppe. Sie fällt durch ihre 500 Meter hohe, senkrechte bis überhängende Nordwand auf, die manchmal zu den Großen Nordwänden der Alpen gezählt wird, obwohl sie im Gegensatz zu den anderen dieser Wände keine Eispassagen aufweist. Die Südseite ist weit weniger steil und von zahlreichen Bändern und Schuttterrassen durchzogen. Durch diese Südwand führt auch der Normalweg, mit einer Schwierigkeit von III (UIAA) die leichteste Route, die auch als Abstieg vom Gipfel genutzt wird. Weitere bekannte Kletterrouten sind die Nordostkante (Dibonakante, IV+), Dabistebaff (V) an der Nordostwand und Dülfer (V+) an der Westwand. Die Routen durch die Nordwand sind wesentlich schwieriger, hier sind vor allem die Direttissima (auch Hasse/Brandler, VIII+, VI A2), Sachsenweg (auch Superdirettissima, V A2), Via Camillotto Pellesier (X, V+ A2), Comici (VII, V+ A0), ISO 2000 (VIII+), Claudio-Barbier-Gedächtnisweg (IX-A0), Alpenrose (IX-) und Phantom der Zinne (IX+) zu nennen.
Im Osten liegen hinter der alpinistisch unbedeutenden Pyramide (ca. 2630 m) die Zinnenscharte und die Kleine Zinne. Im Westen bildet die Große Zinnenscharte die Abgrenzung zur Westlichen Zinne.
Die Erstbesteigung der Großen Zinne erfolgte am 21. August 1869 von Süden.
Der Schweizer Dani Arnold erklomm die Große Zinne 2019 über die klassische Nordwandroute (Comici-Dimai-Route) in nur 46 Minuten und 30 Sekunden.
Westliche Zinne
Die 2973 m hohe Westliche Zinne (Cima Ovest), früher auch Vordere oder Landroer Zinne genannt, ähnelt in ihrer Form der Großen Zinne. Ihre Nordwand weist allerdings noch wesentlich stärker überhängende Passagen auf, die bis zu einer horizontalen Distanz von 40 Metern über den Wandfuß herausragen, so dass die Nordwand der Westlichen Zinne auch als „Größtes Dach der Alpen“ bezeichnet wird. Wegen ihres stufenförmigen Aufbaus wird sie auch häufig als „umgekehrte Riesentreppe“ beschrieben und gilt als eine der markantesten Felsformationen der Alpen.
Der Berg wird west- und südseitig von einem massiven Vorbau umgeben, der mit dem Torre Lavaredo 2536 m, dem Zinnenkopf (Sasso di Landro, 2736 m), Croda di Mezzo (2733 m), Croda del Rifugio, auch Hüttenkofel (ca.2730 m), Il Mulo (ca.2800 m), Croda degli Alpini (2865 m), Croda Longéres und Torre Comici (2780 m) mehrere weitere Gipfelpunkte aufweist. Dieser Vorbau ist von der Westlichen Zinne durch die Westliche Zinnenscharte getrennt, in seinem Westen liegt die Forcella Col di Mezzo. Im Osten ist der Westlichen Zinne zur Großen Zinnenscharte hin der Torre di Forcella della Grande vorgelagert.
Der Normalweg zur Westlichen Zinne führt von der Westlichen Zinnenscharte südwestseitig im Schwierigkeitsgrad II zum Gipfel, er ist heute hauptsächlich als Abstiegsroute von Bedeutung. Wichtige Routen sind der Dülferkamin (IV) in der Südwand, Innerkofler (IV) in der Ostwand, Langl/Löschner (IV) in der Nordostwand, die Demuthkante (Nordostkante, VII, V+ A0), Dülfer (IV+) in der Westwand und die Scoiattolikante (VIII, V+ A2). Durch die Nordwand führen die Schweizer Führe (VIII+, 6 A3), Cassin/Ratti (VIII, VI-A1), Baur-Dach (VI+ A3), Alpenliebe (IX), Jean-Couzy-Gedächtnisführe (auch Franzosenführe, X, 5+ A3), Bellavista (XI-, IX A3), PanAroma (XI-, IX A3) und Pressknödl (7c).
Die Erstbegehung der Westlichen Zinne erfolgte am 21. August 1879 von Süden.
Kleine Zinne, Punta di Frida und Preußturm
Das Massiv der Kleinen Zinne (Cima Piccola, 2857 m) ist im Vergleich zu Großer und Westlicher Zinne wesentlich stärker gegliedert und weist mit der Punta di Frida (2792 m) und dem Preußturm (2700 m) weitere bedeutende Gipfelpunkte auf. Weiterhin zu erwähnen sind die Anticima, ein südlicher Vorgipfel der Kleinen Zinne und die Allerkleinste Zinne (Torre Minor, oft auch nur als „Vorbau“ bezeichnet), ein kleiner Felsturm vor dem Preußturm.
Die Kleine Zinne, die sich durch die schlanke Form ihres Gipfelaufbaus von den anderen Zinnen unterscheidet, gilt mit einem Normalweg im Schwierigkeitsgrad IV (über die Südwestwand) als der am schwierigsten zu erreichende Zinnengipfel. Weitere wichtige Anstiege sind die Gelbe Kante (Spigolo Giallo, VI, V+ A0) an der Südkante, Innerkofler (IV+) und Fehrmannkamin (V+) an der Nordwand, Langl/Horn (V) an der Ostwand und Orgler (VI-), Egger/Sauscheck (VI+, V+ A0), Ötzi trifft Yeti (VIII+) und Gelbe Mauer (auch Perlen vor die Säue, IX-) an der Südwand.
Auf die Punta di Frida führt der Normalweg (III) von Westen sowie mehrere weitere Routen wie Dülfer (IV+) in der Nordwand oder Zelger (IV) in der Südostwand.
Der Preußturm (Torre Preuß), ursprünglich als Kleinste Zinne (Cima Piccolissima) oder Punta d’Emma bekannt, wurde 1928 nach seinem Erstbesteiger Paul Preuß benannt. Während dieser Name in Italien schnell beliebt war, wurde er im deutschsprachigen Raum wegen Preuß' jüdischer Herkunft bald verschwiegen und ausschließlich die (von Preuß selbst geprägte) Bezeichnung „Kleinste Zinne“ gebraucht. Seit den 1960er Jahren findet zunehmend wieder der Name „Preußturm“ Verwendung. Der wichtigste Anstieg ist der nordostseitig gelegene Preußriss (V), weiterhin sind die durch die Südostwand führenden Routen Cassin (VII-, VI A0) und Via Nobile (IX+) zu erwähnen.
Die Erstbesteigung der Kleinen Zinne erfolgte am 25. Juli 1881 von Südwesten.
Geologie
Die Drei Zinnen bestehen aus Hauptdolomit, der in der Trias vor etwa 200 bis 220 Millionen Jahren durch Sedimentation in Flachwasserbereichen des Urmeeres Tethys entstand. Als Fossilien sind daher hauptsächlich marine Lebewesen wie Megalodonten und Gastropoden zu finden. Bedingt durch Gezeiten und andere Schwankungen des Meeresspiegels, die zu abwechselnden Perioden der Überflutung und des Trockenfallens weiter Landstriche führten, und gleichzeitiges stetiges Absinken des Untergrundes kam es zu einer Ablagerung des Gesteins in Form von übereinanderliegenden Schichten. Der Fels der Drei Zinnen weist daher eine deutliche und gleichmäßige Bankung auf, wobei zwischen den einzelnen Dolomitschichten dünne Lagen von Ton zu finden sind.
Im Zusammenspiel mit dieser horizontalen Bankung führten vertikale Klüfte zu Brüchen in rechtwinkligen Formen, die sich deutlich an den häufig würfelförmigen Felsbrocken der ausgedehnten Schutthalden am Fuß der steilen Wände zeigen. Wesentlicher Mechanismus der Erosion ist die Frostsprengung, die neben ständigem Steinschlag häufig auch größere Felsstürze zur Folge hat. So kam es etwa im Jahr 1948 zu einem großen Felssturz aus der Südwand der Großen Zinne, im Juli 1981 stürzte eine Felsbrücke zwischen Allerkleinster Zinne und Preußturm, die bis dahin häufig von Kletterern begangen worden war, in sich zusammen.
Gefördert wird das Wegbrechen großer Felsteile durch die Instabilität des Untergrunds. Das weitläufige Zinnenplateau, das die Basis der Gruppe bildet, ruht auf einem Sockel aus Schlerndolomit. Dieser wird von Moränen aus der Würmeiszeit, vor allem aber von relativ leicht verwitterbaren Gesteinen der Raibler Schichten überlagert. Die Erosion dieser Schichten entzieht den auf ihnen liegenden Felstürmen allmählich die Basis und führt zum Wegbrechen exponierter Felspartien. Diese bis heute anhaltenden Prozesse führten zur Entwicklung der steilen Formen der Zinnen und insbesondere der stark überhängenden Felsdächer der Nordwände.
Massentourismus und Vermarktung
Im Bewusstsein der ansässigen Bevölkerung scheinen die Drei Zinnen bis ins 19. Jahrhundert kaum eine besondere Rolle gespielt zu haben. So ist etwa im Gegensatz zu vielen anderen markanten Felsformationen in der Umgebung keine Sage über die Zinnen bekannt. In Reiseberichten aus dem frühen 19. Jahrhundert sind nur grobe Beschreibungen aus großer Entfernung zu finden. Ab der zweiten Hälfte des 19. Jahrhunderts wurde das Hochpustertal zu einem Ziel für Sommerfrischler. Reiseberichte, die die internationale Bekanntheit der Drei Zinnen wesentlich steigerten, waren The Dolomite Mountains von Josiah Gilbert und George Cheetham Churchill 1864 und Untrodden peaks and unfrequented valleys. A midsummer ramble in the Dolomites von Amelia Edwards im Jahre 1873. Darüber hinaus waren die zu dieser Zeit in Mode gekommenen Ansichtskarten Grundlage für die bald steigende Popularität der Drei Zinnen auch außerhalb von Alpinistenkreisen. In Höhlenstein, dem einzigen Talort mit Blick auf die Zinnennordwände, entstand eine Kolonie von Luxushotels.
Der Erste Weltkrieg brachte zwar den Tourismus zum Erliegen, die Bilder von den Kämpfen am Zinnenplateau steigerten jedoch den Bekanntheitsgrad der Berge. In der Kriegspropaganda dienten die Zinnen auf beiden Seiten als Sinnbilder für das Gebirge schlechthin. Sie wurden dabei als Grenzmarkierung und Festung inszeniert. Bekannt wurde etwa ein Bild von der Bergung der Leiche des 1915 am Paternkofel gefallenen Sepp Innerkofler im Jahr 1918. Die Darstellung des Leichenzugs vor dem Hintergrund der Zinnen diente zur Verklärung Innerkoflers als Märtyrer und verfestigte den Mythos der Berge. Während der folgenden Zeit des Faschismus stilisierten südtirolpatriotische Bewegungen die Drei Zinnen zu einer Ikone Gesamttirols, wobei das Bild der Berge mit religiöser und politischer Symbolik aufgeladen wurde. So symbolisierten die Drei Zinnen auf Postkarten und Plakaten die ehemalige Gesamttiroler Grenze, indem sie etwa bei der Darstellung kämpfender Tiroler als Hintergrund dienten. Besonderen Anteil an der Popularisierung der Ansicht der Drei Zinnen hatte die Landschaftsfotografie, die zu dieser Zeit in Südtirol eine Blüte erlebte. Die vordergründig ideologiefreien Gebirgsaufnahmen transportierten in verdeckter Form politische Botschaften, die den Repressionen des faschistischen Staates kaum zugänglich war.
Bereits aus dem Jahr 1900 sind erste Verwendungen der Drei Zinnen in der Werbung bekannt, bis heute wird ihr Name häufig als Werbeträger genutzt. Insbesondere Gastronomiebetriebe der näheren Umgebung verwenden die Drei Zinnen gern als Namensbestandteil: so wird Toblach als „Gemeinde der Drei Zinnen beworben“. Seit 1998 wird ein knapp 20 Kilometer langer Berglauf von Sexten zur Dreizinnenhütte ausgetragen, der als „Drei-Zinnen-Lauf“ bezeichnet wird. In der Tourismuswerbung Südtirols stellen die Drei Zinnen ein häufig verwendetes Sujet dar. Der NS-Schriftsteller Karl Springenschmid nannte die Gipfelgruppe „Gottes eigenwilligste Schöpfung der Alpen“. Die italienische Post gibt seit 24. Juli 2008 eine Briefmarke mit einer Zeichnung der Berge im Rahmen der Serie Tourismus heraus. Stilisierte Darstellungen der Zinnen sind in den Logos mehrerer Unternehmen zu finden. Ihre Form wurde auch von einer Fruchteissorte namens Dolomiti nachempfunden, die in den 1980er Jahren populär war.
Der Wandertourismus erlebte zu Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts einen ersten Höhepunkt. Im Jahr 1908 besuchten bereits mehr als 2000 Menschen die 1881 erbaute Dreizinnenhütte. In der Zwischenkriegszeit nahm der Tourismus weiter zu. Nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg wurden viele alte Kriegswege, darunter auch die Auronzostraße, für touristische Zwecke ausgebaut, was einen neuerlichen Anstieg der Besucherzahlen zur Folge hatte. Eine Verlängerung der Autostraße bis zur Dreizinnenhütte wurde bereits des Öfteren in Erwägung gezogen, bislang aber verhindert.
Die Umrundung der Drei Zinnen gilt als eine der beliebtesten Wanderstrecken der Dolomiten, da das Gebiet durch die mautpflichtige Straße zur Auronzohütte leicht erreichbar ist. Der Weg von der Auronzohütte zum Paternsattel und zur Dreizinnenhütte ist darüber hinaus sehr breit ausgebaut und weist nur geringe Steigungen auf. Er ist daher auch für ungeübte Wanderer leicht begehbar, sodass es an manchen Tagen durch den hohen Andrang zu regelrechten Staus kommt. Die Dreizinnenhütte bietet 140 Übernachtungsplätze an, mit den zahlreichen Tagesgästen hat sie bis zu 2000 Besucher täglich zu verzeichnen.
(Wikipedia)
La Ceja, Colombia; Central Andes; 2.300 meters above sea level.
A young male in transitional plumage to adult. Young males acquiring adult plumage are patched with red and yellow.
The only completely red bird in North America, the strawberry-colored male Summer Tanager is an eye-catching sight against the green leaves of the forest canopy. The mustard-yellow female is harder to spot, though both sexes have a very distinctive chuckling call note. Fairly common during the summer, these birds migrate as far as the middle of South America each winter.
This small to medium sized saprobic fungus fruits in dense clusters during winter on both exotic and indigenous fallen or standing wood. Has a sticky pale yellow to rosy-orange brown cap darker in the centae; with a distinctively velvety stem that darkens from the base upward; without a ring and having attached, close gills.
Common name: Velvet foot; Winter mushroom.
Found: Podocarp Forest
Substrate: Wood
Spore: WhiteHeight: 40 mm
Width: 30 mm
Season: Autumn to early winter
Edible: Yes, commercially cultivated
A pretty boy showing off his colors...
The Wood Duck is one of the most stunningly pretty of all waterfowl. Males are iridescent chestnut and green, with ornate patterns on nearly every feather; the elegant females have a distinctive profile and delicate white pattern around the eye. These birds live in wooded swamps, where they nest in holes in trees or in nest boxes put up around lake margins. They are one of the few duck species equipped with strong claws that can grip bark and perch on branches. (Cornell).
To learn more please visit - www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Wood_Duck/
All comments are appreciated. TIA.
Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The distinctive shape of Bennachie is a landmark that’s meant ‘home’ for thousands of years. People have lived in a fort carved into the hill top, and in radical farming settlements on its slopes. They’ve quarried its stone to build houses, and spun yarns about devils and giants who built its tracks or threw its giant boulders in fits of anger. Bennachie Centre is the perfect place to start exploring this much-loved hill and the forests that surround it. Trails vary from a gentle route though the woodland to demanding treks in open country, and in the visitor centre you can find out all about Bennachie’s history and wildlife. The centre is one of four sites around Bennachie, each with their own distinctive character and different trails to try. Our guide map of Bennachie shows them all, with details of the trails you can follow. scotland.forestry.gov.uk/visit/bennachie-centre
Milkcaps
Lactarius is a genus of mushroom-producing, ectomycorrhizal fungi, containing several edible species. The species of the genus, commonly known as milk-caps, are characterized by the milky fluid they exude when cut or damaged. Like the closely related genus Russula, their flesh has a distinctive brittle consistency.
Building's up for sale in Brockton, Massachusetts. Looks like someone managed to whisk away the facade of the letters: S T R I P P I N G.
Distinctive with its red “shanks” (or legs) this noisy wader is both a common breeder and a winter visitor.
In the breeding season Redshank mostly breed in lowland wet grassland sites, with pairs nesting close together to gain benefits from communal territorial defence. Once widespread across the country, BTO monitoring shows their distribution is becoming increasingly fragmented as numbers have fallen rapidly in response to changing agricultural practices.
In common with all waders, Redshank chicks are able to walk and feed almost as soon as they leave the nest. However, this makes them vulnerable to predators and they need areas of tall vegetation to hide in, close to damper patches where they can find invertebrate food.
The Florida redbelly can be distinguished from the other turtles by its distinctive red-tinged plastron (belly) and two cusps (like teeth) on its upper beak. It has an olive-brown to blackish top shell, patterned with wide faded reddish markings. The underside of the top shell is red or orange. The head, feet and tail are black with bright yellow stripes. The bottom shell is orange or rusty red. There is a single yellow stripe from nose down middle of head, no other yellow stripes on top.
The Florida Redbelly can be found from the Okefenokee Swamp in southern Georgia west to Apalachicola, Florida, and south through peninsular Florida.
The Florida Redbelly is closely related to the Peninsula cooter (Pseudemys peninsularis) and can often be found basking on logs together. It reaches particularly high densities in spring runs, and occasionally can be found in brackish water. In Florida, female red-bellied turtles often lay their eggs in alligator nests. This behavior has several potential advantages for the turtles. Alligator nests provide stable temperature and humidity for both turtle and alligator eggs, and while protecting her own eggs, the female alligator protects the turtle eggs against raccoons and other would-be egg predators. However, laying eggs in an alligator nest is risky – alligators have been seen to attack red-bellied turtles. Biologists believe the thick high-domed shell of this turtle is an adaptation that helps it survive alligator attacks. Close examination of the carapaces of red-bellied turtles often show tooth marks and deep gouges, evidence of unsuccessful attacks by alligators.
I found this one along Peavine Road in Osceola County, Florida.
The distinctive scars on a dolphin are the easiest ways to identify individuals.
Scars are caused by interaction with other dolphins, humans and even sharks
Bottlenose dolphin -
Tursiops
Firth Of Lorn nr Mull - Scotland
Many thanks as always to all those kind enough to stop by and comment, fave or even just look at my photos. It is very much appreciated.
DSC_5217
Distinctive and handsome orange-breasted finch. Note black head of males (solid in breeding season, patchy in non-breeding) and gray-and-brown head of females. Complex wing patterns and white rump patches create a wondrous show when a flock rises up in flight. Breeds in northern woodlands, especially in and around birches; winters in varied wooded habitats (especially with beech trees), semiopen country, and farmland with hedges; sometimes visits gardens and parks with feeders or fruiting trees. Song is surprising and almost ugly for such a well-marked finch, a strange ringing buzz: “eerRRRRNnnn.” Gives a rising “qweee”, a higher-pitchd “tsi, tsi”, and various twittering and nasal flock calls.
The Rumps is a distinctive twin-headland located near Padstow in North Cornwall, known for its dramatic cliffs and archaeological significance. This headland is the site of an Iron Age promontory fort, featuring a series of ramparts and ditches that were once used for defence. The area is rich in wildlife, particularly seabirds, and offers stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean.
Adjacent to The Rumps is Mouls Island, a small, rocky island that serves as a nesting site for seabirds like puffins (although I have never seen one) and razorbills. It is also known for its rugged natural beauty and can be viewed from various vantage points along the coastal path.
The area is accessible via a scenic coastal walk from Pentire Point, providing visitors with breathtaking vistas and the opportunity to explore the remnants of ancient fortifications. This walk also commemorates the poet Laurence Binyon, who wrote his famous poem "For the Fallen" while inspired by the views from the cliffs between Pentire Point and The Rumps
The distinctive peak of The Black tusk mountain in Black and White from the summit of Whistler mountain in winter. Sea to Sky corridor between Squamish and Whistler resort, British Columbia, Canada
PRINTS: pierre-leclerc.pixels.com/products/the-black-tusk-pierre-...
WEBSITE: pierre-leclerc.pixels.com
The most distinctive feature of Herero women's dress is their horizontal horned headdress, the otjikaiva, which is a symbol of respect, worn to pay homage to the cows that have historically sustained the Herero. The headdresses can be formed from rolled-up newspaper covered in fabric. They are made to match or coordinate with dresses, and decorative brooches and pins attached to the centre front.
The main Herero group in central Namibia (sometimes called Herero proper) was heavily influenced by Western culture during the colonial period, creating a whole new identity. The missionaries considered the shape of the traditional headdress Ekori, which symbolized the horns of cows (the main source of wealth of the people), as a symbol of the devil and rejected it. The dress of the Herero proper, and their southern counterparts the Mbanderu, incorporates and appropriates the styles of clothing worn by their German colonizers. Though the attire was initially forced upon the Herero, it now operates as a new tradition and a point of pride.
During the 1904-07 war, Herero warriors would steal and wear the uniforms of German soldiers they had killed, believing that this transferred the dead soldiers' power to them. Today, on ceremonial occasions, Herero men wear military-style garb, including peaked caps, berets, epaulettes, aiguillettes and gaiters, "to honour the fallen ancestors and to keep the memories alive."
Herero women adopted the floor-length gowns worn by German missionaries in the late 19th century, but now make them in vivid colors and prints. Married and older Herero women wear the dresses, locally known as ohorokova, every day, while younger and unmarried women wear them mainly for special occasions. Ohorokova dresses are high-necked and have voluminous skirts lavishly gathered from a high waist or below the bust, incorporating multiple petticoats and up to ten metres of fabric. The long sleeves display sculptural volume: puffed from the shoulders or frilled at the wrists. Coordinating neckerchiefs are knotted around the neck. For everyday wear, dresses are ingeniously patchworked together from smaller pieces of fabric, which may be salvaged from older garments. Dresses made from a single material are reserved for special occasions.
This dress style continues to evolve. In urban Windhoek, fashion designers and models are updating Herero dress for modern, younger wearers, including glamorous sheer and embellished fabrics. "Change is difficult, I understand, but people need to get used to the change," says designer McBright Kavari. "I'm happy to be a part of the change, to be winning souls of people and making people happy when they are wearing the Herero dress." Kavari has won the Best Herero Dress competition three times in a row, but has been criticised for raising the hem of the garment to the knee
The distinctive marking and wing shape make this easy to identify when the wings are closed(and in black and white). Colour version tomorrow :-)...............view large maybe.
The Great Tit is a lovely bird and has distinctive markings, with a black head and neck, white cheeks, olive upper body and yellow lower body. The Great Tit nests in cavities and the female lays around 12 eggs, its the female that incubates the eggs but when the eggs hatch both parents feed the young birds and they usually have two broods a year. The nest can get raided by woodpeckers, squirrels etc and the nest is usually infested with fleas. These birds are very vocal and have up to 40 types of calls and songs, the songs are generally the same within the sexes but the male is much more vocal.
08629 is about to cross Dirft Drive with 325015 and 325011 in tow running the units back to the main line and back on the juice for the run back to Scotland. With Royal Mail due to ditch rail transport as early as September 20th the sight of an 08 being used to tow these distinctive units will be history ironically a RM truck heads for the M1. The working was 1S05 15:34 Daventry to Shieldmuir.
I clambered up the hill above the beach. Loads of honey bees on the clover there but i couldnt track down the location of the hives.
Muckish has such a distinctive shape - pig's back is the meaning in Irish
Canon EOS 7D Mark II
EF600mm f/4L IS USM +1.4x III
The common starling (Sturnus vulgaris), also known as the European starling, or in the British Isles just the starling, is a medium-sized passerine bird in the starling family, Sturnidae. It is about 20 cm (8 in) long and has glossy black plumage with a metallic sheen, which is speckled with white at some times of year. The legs are pink and the bill is black in winter and yellow in summer; young birds have browner plumage than the adults. It is a noisy bird, especially in communal roosts and other gregarious situations, with an unmusical but varied song. Its gift for mimicry has been noted in literature including the Mabinogion and the works of Pliny the Elder and William Shakespeare.
The common starling has about a dozen subspecies breeding in open habitats across its native range in temperate Europe and western Asia, and it has been introduced to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United States, Mexico, Peru, Argentina, the Falkland Islands, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, South Africa and Fiji. This bird is resident in southern and western Europe and southwestern Asia, while northeastern populations migrate south and west in winter within the breeding range and also further south to Iberia and North Africa. The common starling builds an untidy nest in a natural or artificial cavity in which four or five glossy, pale blue eggs are laid. These take two weeks to hatch and the young remain in the nest for another three weeks. There are normally one or two breeding attempts each year. This species is omnivorous, taking a wide range of invertebrates, as well as seeds and fruit. It is hunted by various mammals and birds of prey, and is host to a range of external and internal parasites.
Large flocks typical of this species can be beneficial to agriculture by controlling invertebrate pests; however, starlings can also be pests themselves when they feed on fruit and sprouting crops. Common starlings may also be a nuisance through the noise and mess caused by their large urban roosts. Introduced populations in particular have been subjected to a range of controls, including culling, but these have had limited success except in preventing the colonisation of Western Australia. The species has declined in numbers in parts of northern and western Europe since the 1980s due to fewer grassland invertebrates being available as food for growing chicks. Despite this, its huge global population is not thought to be declining significantly, so the common starling is classified as being of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The common starling is 19–23 cm (7.5–9.1 in) long, with a wingspan of 31–44 cm (12–17 in) and a weight of 58–101 g (2.0–3.6 oz). Among standard measurements, the wing chord is 11.8 to 13.8 cm (4.6 to 5.4 in), the tail is 5.8 to 6.8 cm (2.3 to 2.7 in), the culmen is 2.5 to 3.2 cm (0.98 to 1.26 in) and the tarsus is 2.7 to 3.2 cm The plumage is iridescent black, glossed purple or green, and spangled with white, especially in winter. The underparts of adult male common starlings are less spotted than those of adult females at a given time of year. The throat feathers of males are long and loose and are used in display while those of females are smaller and more pointed. The legs are stout and pinkish- or greyish-red. The bill is narrow and conical with a sharp tip; in the winter it is brownish-black but in summer, females have lemon yellow beaks while males have yellow bills with blue-grey bases. Moulting occurs once a year- in late summer after the breeding season has finished; the fresh feathers are prominently tipped white (breast feathers) or buff (wing and back feathers), which gives the bird a speckled appearance. The reduction in the spotting in the breeding season is achieved through the white feather tips largely wearing off. Juveniles are grey-brown and by their first winter resemble adults though often retaining some brown juvenile feathering, especially on the head. They can usually be sexed by the colour of the irises, rich brown in males, mouse-brown or grey in females. Estimating the contrast between an iris and the central always-dark pupil is 97% accurate in determining sex, rising to 98% if the length of the throat feathers is also considered. The common starling is mid-sized by both starling standards and passerine standards. It is readily distinguished from other mid-sized passerines, such as thrushes, icterids or small corvids, by its relatively short tail, sharp, blade-like bill, round-bellied shape and strong, sizeable (and rufous-coloured) legs. In flight, its strongly pointed wings and dark colouration are distinctive, while on the ground its strange, somewhat waddling gait is also characteristic. The colouring and build usually distinguish this bird from other starlings, although the closely related spotless starling may be physically distinguished by the lack of iridescent spots in adult breeding plumage.
Like most terrestrial starlings the common starling moves by walking or running, rather than hopping. Their flight is quite strong and direct; their triangular-shaped wings beat very rapidly, and periodically the birds glide for a short way without losing much height before resuming powered flight. When in a flock, the birds take off almost simultaneously, wheel and turn in unison, form a compact mass or trail off into a wispy stream, bunch up again and land in a coordinated fashion. Common starling on migration can fly at 60–80 km/h (37–50 mph) and cover up to 1,000–1,500 km (620–930 mi).
Several terrestrial starlings, including those in the genus Sturnus, have adaptations of the skull and muscles that help with feeding by probing. This adaptation is most strongly developed in the common starling (along with the spotless and white-cheeked starlings), where the protractor muscles responsible for opening the jaw are enlarged and the skull is narrow, allowing the eye to be moved forward to peer down the length of the bill. This technique involves inserting the bill into the ground and opening it as a way of searching for hidden food items. Common starlings have the physical traits that enable them to use this feeding technique, which has undoubtedly helped the species spread far and wide.
In Iberia, the western Mediterranean and northwest Africa, the common starling may be confused with the closely related spotless starling, the plumage of which, as its name implies, has a more uniform colour. At close range it can be seen that the latter has longer throat feathers, a fact particularly noticeable when it sings.
The common starling is a noisy bird. Its song consists of a wide variety of both melodic and mechanical-sounding noises as part of a ritual succession of sounds. The male is the main songster and engages in bouts of song lasting for a minute or more. Each of these typically includes four varieties of song type, which follow each other in a regular order without pause. The bout starts with a series of pure-tone whistles and these are followed by the main part of the song, a number of variable sequences that often incorporate snatches of song mimicked from other species of bird and various naturally occurring or man-made noises. The structure and simplicity of the sound mimicked is of greater importance than the frequency with which it occurs. Each sound clip is repeated several times before the bird moves on to the next. After this variable section comes a number of types of repeated clicks followed by a final burst of high-frequency song, again formed of several types. Each bird has its own repertoire with more proficient birds having a range of up to 35 variable song types and as many as 14 types of clicks.