View allAll Photos Tagged EYECATCHING

That old former farmhouse is very close to my own rather new house a short distance west of the Houton Bay west shoreline. This photo was taken a short time after sunset in Mid-November.

 

By the way the former Farm-Outbuildings {out of sight to the right of this photo) were substantially renovated a few years ago to create two Self-Catering flats. They to my surprise achieved a Five-Star status and have retained it until today!

No#1 in my The Rules of Life addition

I found a list of instructions how to live life, Not saying you must do them, but I think some of them are very true.

 

Sometimes when I'm in my room I imagine a place I can go somewhere beautiful where no one else is, where I can think and enjoy the view. I use this a lot in my photos, I go places in my photos I can only go in my imagination.

I found this barn/shed on the motorway, I was in the car taking random shots of fields as we went along. I didn't appreciate what I can do with outside views before.

oh also I wanted to call this photo escape.

ref. 227

Stop! Stop and think about youself. Stop, take a brake and have some fun. Stop and make some plans for the future. Stop and play a little bit with your dog. Stop and drink a good coffee while you read the newspaper. Stop and feel the energy of your body. Life is short. Enjoy every moment.

ref. 145

Garden Collection

These are such spectacular tropical plants, seen in the ENMAX Conservatory at the Calgary Zoo on 26 June 2018. Their large size and vivid colour are both eyecatching and breathtaking. These large, red, waxy bracts protect the tiny flowers inside them, which are always difficult to see because they are way above my head.

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heliconia

 

Saturday, 2 May 2020: our temperature after noon is +15C (windchill +14C). Sunrise is at 6:06 am, and sunset is at 9:01 pm. Another beautiful, sunny day. Not going anywhere, as I prefer to not add one more person out there, for when those who have to work all week get a chance to go out, if they choose. I just feel that the rest of us are fortunate enough to have the luxury to choose from five other days, if we have to go out.

 

Like many people, I am having to post photos from my archives as I have been basically staying home, away from everyone and everything (apart from food shopping and maybe three or four short drives out of the city over the last few weeks).

 

I can't add any information about the crisis the whole world is in right now, as Flickr has threatened to terminate my account. This is because I was adding information about the present situation in the descriptions under the photos I am posting from my archives! I still don't understand why this was "wrong" and I have not heard back from Flickr after I sent an Appeal email to them. When I post archive photos, I add the descriptions from previously posted photos, taken on the same outings, to remind myself of where I went and what I saw. Stay safe and well, everyone!

 

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"This photo was taken at the Calgary Zoo on 26 June 2018. My visit only covered about half the Zoo, as I usually spend a lot of time in the Conservatory, enjoying the plants and tropical butterflies. My daughter had taken a photo of a gigantic lily pad, Victoria Water Lily / Victoria amazonica, and I really wanted to see it. There were three or four of them in a tiny pool. I love the pattern on the underside of the upturned edge of each lily pad, I didn't see a huge variety of butterfly species that day, but there were enough to keep me happily clicking.

 

My intention had not been to visit the Panda family, as I was sure there would be an extremely long line-up. However, I was able to just walk in, which was great. How lucky we are to have these four amazing animals visit our Zoo. They were in an inside enclosure, full of plants - and Bamboo, of course. I'm not sure how many hours a day these animals sleep, but two of the three that could be seen slept for part of the time I was there. Had to smile at the very uncomfortable positions in which they slept. There was no glass in front of one of the Pandas, but two other Pandas, including the one in the previous photo, were in a glassed-in part of the enclosure. Almost impossible to get photos without the reflections of the crowds of people.

 

The Bactrian Camel had recently given birth to a baby, named Gobi - such a cute little thing, that they have named Gobi. No sign of the Red Pandas when I passed their enclosure. One of the birds I love to see - though these birds tend to hide! - is the amazing Himalayan Monal. The male, especially, takes my breath away each time I see it.

 

A few hours well spent happily clicking. Hopefully, it won't be almost three years before my next visit, though the west entrance does close each winter. It felt so good to once again be back in a place full of colour and interest."

Ei, ei was für ein merkwürdiges Eye! Ein ungewöhnlicher Nestling. Der Gewittersturm hatte das kleine Nest aus einem Baum gworfen, außen aus Halmen, Flechten und Moos geflochten, drinnen mit feinen Daunen und Federn gepolstert, kaum 8 Zentimeter im Durchmesser messend. Die ovale Gestalt regte zur Zweckentfremdung an, ein guter Platz für ein "Rolllauge"!

One of the many beautiful places throughout Yellowstone National Park.

Charcoal, black ink, and fluorescent acrylic paint on paper, about 24" x 17".

For more on this one, you could have a look at my blog: davewhatt.wordpress.com/2023/04/25/ah-another-black-and-w...

Close-up of Chinese Amaranth

Feel free to name this fly I have no idea..

many thanks for all your visits, favs and comments

Looking from near Houton Head towards the Hoy Hills and the low-lying Graemsay Island.

it's better here please :D

 

i didn't really have a makeup plan today, all i know is i wanted to do black and white and play with my new false lashes (i added the little rhinestones for an extra pop)...i SUCK at falsies but it was fun to use them...i still need to upload my 365 for today but i didn't want to use just a makeup shot for it so i'm having a hard time choosing one...panda man better come around soon to help me hehe :D

 

and if you'd like to know what makeup i used, follow this url: flickr.com/photos/pandacat_baby/2844878594/

"JOYEUX NOËL"

"GLEKICKA WIANACHTA"

"FELIZ NAVIDAD"

"WESOLYCH SWIAT"

"MERRY CHRISTMAS"

"FRÖLICHE WEICHNACHTEN"

"FELICE NATALE"

Wax, metal, heat, & rust make this texture. The art department uses these sheets of metal to put out fires on burning wax. The texture created is absolute art!

 

More splatter art may be found here flic.kr/s/aHskrEvgFc

Funny how some old things tend to catch your eye when you walk along, alone. Quiet. Peaceful. Then...oh! Look at that. It's nothing special. But, yeah, ...it kind of is. Click!

www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/s/southstackcliffs/seasona...

 

About South Stack Cliffs

Enjoy a close-up view onto a wonderful cliff-side nesting colony, with binoculars and telescopes provided. You'll be able to watch guillemots, razorbills and puffins all raising their young, while live television pictures give you an even closer view of the nests! Rare choughs can also be seen on the reserve.

 

In spring and summer, the heathland becomes a riot of colour. Look closely and you may see a basking adder, while out to sea there may be porpoises and dolphins.

 

Opening times

The RSPB reserve is open year round; Ellins Tower, the RSPB visitor centre, is open from Easter to September.

 

Entrance charges

Free, but donations to help us continue our work here are welcome.

 

If you are new to birdwatching...

This reserve is good for birdwatching in the summer only.

 

Information for families

Some interactive materials in Ellins Tower Information Centre.

 

Information for dog owners

Some access for dogs. Please contact the reserve office for more information

  

Star species

Our star species are some of the most interesting birds you may see on your visit to the reserve.

 

Chough

The chough is the rarest member of the crow family in the UK. They can be found feeding in fields around South Stack, probing for invertebrates with their curved, red bill.

 

Guillemot

Guillemots look ungainly when they shuffle around on their nesting ledges on the cliffs, but underwater their streamlined shape comes into its own and they become agile and manoeuvrable.

 

Peregrine

Keep an eye out for a commotion among birds on the cliffs - a peregrine may be making a fly past. They are a regular sight overhead when a pair is nesting in the area.

 

Puffin

Enjoy the comical antics of puffins in spring and early summer from the viewing points on the cliffs. Watch the adults returning from fishing forays at sea with sandeels hanging from their colourful beaks.

 

Razorbill

Very similar to guillemots, razorbills spend most of their lives at sea in the Atlantic, only coming to land to breed between March and July.

  

Seasonal highlights

Each season brings a different experience at our nature reserves. In spring, the air is filled with birdsong as they compete to establish territories and attract a mate. In summer, look out for young birds making their first venture into the outside world. Autumn brings large movements of migrating birds - some heading south to a warmer climate, others seeking refuge in the UK from the cold Arctic winter. In winter, look out for large flocks of birds gathering to feed, or flying at dusk to form large roosts to keep warm.

 

Spring

Marvel at the wildflowers including kidney vetch, thrift and scurvey grass amid the cliff top grassland and heathland. Particularly eyecatching is the spring squill, which carpets areas of heathland that have recently been burnt. Look out for stonechats and linnets perched on top of bushes and listen out for the first skylarks. As spring takes hold, watch out for choughs and ravens collecting material to build their nests and don't miss the breeding seabirds crammed onto the narrow ledges on the cliffs in front of Ellins Tower.

 

Summer

Ellins tower provides excellent views of the seabird city with guillemots, razorbills, puffins, fulmars and gulls. Try to spot razorbill and guillemot chicks on the narrow cliff ledges, but don't leave it too late as these seabirds will be leave for the open ocean in July. Listen for the distinctive calls of choughs. They will be active gathering food for their ever growing young. Look out for the endemic spatulate fleawort amongst the cliff top grassland where you might be lucky and see an adder basking in the sun. Search out the rare silver-studded blue butterflies amid the shorter heathland.

 

Autumn

The heathland will be ablaze with colour as the mauves and purples of the heather flowers mingle with yellow gorse flowers. Look out for family groups of choughs. You will probably hear them first as the newly-fledged youngsters beg noisily for food from their parents. In the tidal races just offshore, look out for feeding gannets, passing shearwaters, porpoises and dolphins.

 

Winter

Look out for flocks of feeding choughs. These comprise of the newly-independent first year birds along with sub-adult birds from the last couple of years. A good place to search them out is the RSPB managed farmland (from the permissive path). This land is managed to provide foraging opportunities for chough throughout the year. Listen and look out for ravens as they begin to display, a sure sign that spring is round the corner.

 

Facilities

 

Facilities

•Information centre

•Car park : RSPB car park located at SH211818, complete with three marked disabled car parking bays and cycle racks.

•Binocular hire

•Group bookings accepted

•Guided walks available

•Remote location

•Good for walking

•Pushchair friendly

 

Viewing points

Spectacular views of the breeding seabird colonies from Ellins Tower visitor centre (open Easter to September) with binoculars and telescopes provided.

 

Nature trails

The South Stack reserve is very popular with visitors for many reasons. Visitor activity is concentrated around Ellins Tower (the RSPB information centre), where the paths are maintained to a higher standard than elsewhere on the reserve. The heathland areas and their network of paths are open to the public (on foot) at all times. These paths cross a mix of coastal and heathland terrain and some pass close to cliff edges. There are no specific RSPB trails, but the route of the Ynys Gybi circular walk and the Isle of Anglesey Coastal footpath are waymarked along with the routes of the public footpaths. The nature of the terrain makes many of the paths steep and rocky, making access difficult for anyone with impaired mobility. However, a well-surfaced, high-quality 2 m wide track with benches runs from the RSPB car park (complete with three disabled parking bays) into the heathland and onto a viewpoint in front of Ellins Tower. Access to Ellins Tower is via a steep flight of stairs. The permissive path through the farmland connects the two areas of heathland. This path is open to the public (on foot) at all times (except 10 December each year). Grazing animals are present, so please take care and keep dogs under close control. Access to the Isle of Anglesey Council's 'South Stack Island and the Lighthouse' visitor attraction is via approximately 400 steps of variable rise and tread width down the cliff (not part of the RSPB reserve).

 

Tearoom

Fantastic News! We are delighted to announce we have just taken over the ownership of South Stack Kitchen Café. The staff and builders at South Stack have been working furiously over the last 2 weeks since being handed the keys to carry out essential work needed to open the Café with a fresh, vibrant feel and we hope to reopen by the 28 May (sooner if we can) Once open the Café will be serving a range of hot and cold drinks, light bites and snacks for your enjoyment.

 

Refreshments available

•Hot drinks

•Cold drinks

•Hot meals

•Cold meals

•Snacks

  

Accessibility

The majority of visitor activity at the RSPB South Stack nature reserve is concentrated around Ellins Tower, the RSPB information centre, and occurs during the summer months. South Stack reserve comprises a mix of coastal and heathland terrain with steep sea cliffs which support breeding seabirds.

 

Nature trails

The nature of the terrain makes many of the paths steep and rocky making access difficult for anyone with impaired mobility. In view of the visitor pressure, the paths in the vicinity of Ellins Tower are maintained to a higher standard than elsewhere on the reserve.

The most accessible path for people of impaired mobility runs from the RSPB car park into the heathland and onto a viewpoint in front of Ellins Tower. The track is well-surfaced and high quality (2 m wide) with benches and leads from three marked disabled car-parking bays in the RSPB car park.

 

Visitor centre

From Easter to September, Ellins Tower is open daily from 10 am to 5.30 pm. Access to Ellins Tower, which is a Grade 2 Listed castellated folly near to the cliff edge, is via a steep flight of stairs. Views of the dramatic seascape and some of the breeding seabird colony can be gained from the viewpoint by those who are unable to gain access to Ellins Tower.

  

Our work here

Our South Stack reserve on Anglesey comprises heathland, farmland and offshore stacks and caves. The RSPB is managing these habitats for the benefit of their breeding seabirds and choughs, as well as a wide variety of other fauna and flora. We are also working to provide an excellent wildlife and landscape experience for visitors.

 

Chough haven

The reserve is especially important for its breeding choughs, with our nine pairs representing 2% of the UK population. We are maintaining the heathland and farmland to provide suitable nesting and feeding conditions for this rare bird.

 

Healthy heath

The reserve’s heathland is part of the largest area of maritime heath in North Wales. Besides choughs, this important habitat supports the endemic plant spatulate fleawort, and the uncommon silver-studded blue butterfly, plus adders, common lizards and a range of other flora and fauna. Controlled burning helps us to manage this habitat for the benefit of all its wildlife.

 

Seabird spectacular

The sea cliffs provide nest sites for around 4,000 seabirds, including puffins, guillemots, razorbills and fulmars. Other birds to use this habitat include peregrines and ravens. We are monitoring our seabird populations and working to minimise any disturbance to the colony.

 

Visitor value

The scenic beauty of the reserve, together with its seabird spectacle, operational lighthouse, and many sites of geological and archaeological interest, make it very popular with visitors. Around 35,000 people visit our information centres each summer.

We are maintaining and enhancing our facilities, including our visitor centre at Ellins Tower and our network of paths. We are also providing more information to help people to get the most from their visit, while promoting the aims of the RSPB. We run seven events per year and encourage an active volunteer programme.

 

Community care

South Stack is a major tourist attraction on Anglesey and plays a significant part in the local economy. We will continue to advertise the site to enhance the flow of tourist income to the island and, where possible, will support local communities and business in developing the reserve.

 

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background picture by Dominik Kraner

Oil-based ink on Japanese paper, about A4 in size.

For more on this one, you could have a look at my blog: davewhatt.wordpress.com/2022/07/17/yes-so-it-does-have-a-...

This photo was taken in late May - so technically still during Spring!

Oil-based ink on Japanese paper, about A4 in size.

For more on this one, you could click here: davewhatt.wordpress.com/2022/12/18/your-new-lino-print-lo...

Polymer Clay, Mystery Stone-Bead

 

This turned out to be quite the skyscrapper! Although a little lengthy, the center is very eyecatching. I'm not sure exactly what type of stone this is, just one of many scores from a bead show :)

Morecambe England.

by Stijn de Koning (1963)

located at the Miffy House in Utrecht.

Look up, and you keep watching :-)

choices are what we make when presented with various situations.... The choices we make given the situation reflect's us as human being................

  

www.ipernity.com/home/314643 If any of you are on here please add me as I don't know how to add people xxx

Join me on Instagram and Soundcloud

 

More photos HERE and more info here.

My Website : Twitter : Facebook : Instagram : Photocrowd

 

A couple walking past an eyecatching mural by Spanish Street Artist Jay Kaes at the eastern end of Hanbury Street, just off Brick Lane.

 

Not sure of the name of this piece but I'm pretty sure it's from his 'Dopamine' series which higlight the addictive nature of social media and it's impact on peoples mental health.

 

More info here : www.instagram.com/p/CRa1Y4uKc9K/

 

Click here for more street art : www.flickr.com/photos/darrellg/albums/72157628800256941

 

From Wikipedia, "Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes, its name comes from the face book directories often given to American university students. Membership was initially limited to Harvard students, gradually expanding to other North American universities and, since 2006, anyone over 13 years old. As of July 2022, Facebook claimed 2.93 billion monthly active users, and ranked third worldwide among the most visited websites as of July 2022. It was the most downloaded mobile app of the 2010s.

 

Facebook can be accessed from devices with Internet connectivity, such as personal computers, tablets and smartphones. After registering, users can create a profile revealing information about themselves. They can post text, photos and multimedia which are shared with any other users who have agreed to be their "friend" or, with different privacy settings, publicly. Users can also communicate directly with each other with Facebook Messenger, join common-interest groups, and receive notifications on the activities of their Facebook friends and the pages they follow."

 

© D.Godliman

Harrington Point - Dunedin - Otago - New Zealand

 

Canon 5D MKII - Canon EF L 17-40mm Lens

 

This was taken close to sunset as i drove around Portobello Bay in Dunedin New Zealnd. I was headed up to the Harrington Point Headland, and as i drove around the lake there was endless eyecatching landscapes. This opportunity i came across was just instinct. I had driven about 1 km further up the road and thought to myself .......... "That's a cracker of a shot" ........... so did a u-turn and headed back. This is actually i shot i have had in my head for some time. I didn't have a location in mind, just the concept of the shot. What made this even more magical on the day, was a very soft slight fog was rolling across the lake. It is barely noticable in the long exposure unfortunately, but the fog has contributed to the muted peach colours to the left where the sun was setting.

 

Dunedin is a beautiful part of the world. The people are super friendly, i found that everywhere we went while we were there. Our trip to dunedin was completely unintended due to my wifes health. As a result we missed nearly all our planned trip, and although Dunedin wasn't planned, it was certainly a welcome surprise.

 

This image is dedicated to Dunedin Hospital and all it's wonderful nurses and Doctors. They were incredibly caring and comforting. Thank you ...........

  

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