Nature's Landscapes
View allAll Photos Tagged Ensuring
This puma gave us a glance to ensure we were not approaching her cache of a previous kill. (There was no chance of that !)
Puma / Mountain Lion / Cougar - Patagonia Chile
South Luangwa National Park, Zambia
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Thanks so much to all who choose to look at and comment on my images. It's very much appreciated.
Patrolling...
Male lions are responsible for ensuring their territory remains their own. They go to great lengths to mark their parcel of land.
Many thanks to everyone who chooses to leave a comment or add this image to their favorites, it is much appreciated.
©Elsie van der Walt, all rights reserved. Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission. If you are interested in using one of my images, please send me an E-mail (elsie.vdwalt@gmail.com).
The name "vaseux" is French, meaning muddy or murky, which is descriptive of the lake's silty water. The lake was likely named by French Canadian fur traders.
Vaseaux Lake features a variety of wetland and foreshore habitats that support large populations of migratory bird species along the inland portion of the Pacific Flyway. Bird species of note include trumpeter swan, great blue heron, western screech-owl, yellow-breasted chat, and the red-listed Lewis's woodpecker. It is for these reasons that the Canadian Wildlife Service designated the lake and its foreshore a Migratory Bird Sanctuary in 1923.
The semi-arid grasslands and forests surrounding the lake are also of ecological importance, and are protected within several different national and provincial protected areas. In 1956, the provincial government established Vaseux Lake Provincial Park at the northeastern end of the lake to providing space for recreation while also ensuring the ecological integrity of the lake's foreshore in this area is preserved.
In 1979, the Canadian Wildlife Service established Vaseux-Bighorn National Wildlife Area to protect winter rangeland for California Bighorn Sheep.[6] The provincial government added on to this nature preserve by establishing Vaseux Protected Area in 2001. (Wikipedia).
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Looking down the length of Vaseux Lake. It doesn't seem murky to me. We did see plenty of birds, though :-)
Vaseux Lake Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada. June 2022.
Brunnby Church lies in the countryside to the north of Höganäs. It is one of the most popular churches for weddings in the region. The church was built of granite at the turn of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The exterior is whitewashed. It is the interior that provides the main attraction, however. Fifteenth century frescoes cover the walls, ensuring that there are more saints watching over you here than in any other church in Skåne.
For Swedish visitors:
Floating from below
Countless souls rise up
I stretch out my arms
Wanting to escape
Sweet surrender's song
Ensures each ones faith
They pass through my grasp
Leaving me to fate
Hell’s wraith grips me hard
Pulling me below
Heaven slips beyond
God has turned away
- L. Magic
Photo taken @ Dreams Events
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Dreams/152/148/2554
Photo taken of Fiona Fei's interactive display
**I had to reupload this due to issues with Flickr's app. Sorry for losing the original favs and comments
The Passetto di Burgo is an elevated passage from Castel Sant'Angelo to the Vatican. It was built in 1277 to ensure safe passage to and from the castle. This is from the top of the Castel Sant'Angelo. #B&W #Rome #Italy #PassettoDiBurgo #urban #city #イタリア #街
A grainy photo showing an Inuit camp at night on an island in lake Tasiujaq (formerly Richmond Gulf and Lac Guillaume-Delisle), Nunavik, Canada.
Lake (lac) Tasiujaq drains several large rivers and is bordered on its west shore by steep cliffs (Hudsonian Cuestas) that are the highest in the province of Quebec.
Lake Tasiujaq is a vast brackish water lake with a narrow opening (called the Goulet) between cuestas to Hudson’s Bay. A large volume of water surges through this bottleneck and is driven by the rise and fall of the tides. The powerful flow ensures that the waters of the Goulet never freeze in winter. Lake Tasiujaq is one of the largest natural lakes in Quebec and is included in the boundaries of Tursujuq national park.
For more information see: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Tasiujaq
Photo taken 29 August 2018 on a kayaking expedition.
Camera: Olympus EM1 Mark II
Lens: Olympus 12- 40mm f2.8
P8290294
"Port Moody has one of the few remaining large mudflats in Burrard Inlet. It is an environmentally sensitive area that is home to many nesting shoreline species such as purple martins, osprey, and great blue heron. The mudflats are home to a biodiverse community of fish, shellfish, and other significant tidal species that are sensitive to disturbance. The city’s trail system, including wooden boardwalks that wrap the head of the inlet, is designed so visitors can experience and enjoy the wildlife that live there, while staying off the mudflats. Residents and visitors can stay out of danger, and ensure this special place remains for future generations, by remaining on the designated trails and keeping dogs on a leash."
In Casa Mila, the two atriums ensure ample lighting in all areas on all floors. Structurally, are key as supporting elements of interior facades. In the courtyards, there are traditional elliptical beams and girders, but Gaudí applied an ingenious solution of using two concentric cylindrical beams with stretched radial beams, like the spokes of a bicycle. They form a point outside of the beam to two points above and below, making the function of the central girder a keystone and working in tension and compression simultaneously. This supported structure is about 3,60 meters (12 feet) in diameter and is considered "the soul of the building" with a clear resemblance to Gothic crypts.
*info and adapted text credits: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casa_Mil%C3%A0
Snow Bunting - Plectrophenax Nivalis
Snow buntings are large buntings, with striking 'snowy' plumages. Males in summer have all white heads and underparts contrasting with a black mantle and wing tips. Females are a more mottled above. In autumn and winter birds develop a sandy/buff wash to their plumage and males have more mottled upperparts.
Globally, they breed around the arctic from Scandinavia to Alaska, Canada and Greenland and migrate south in winter. They are a scarce breeding species in the UK, in Scotland, making them an Amber List species. They are more widespread in winter in the north and east when residents are joined by continental birds.
They are listed under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act.
The snow bunting lives in very high latitudes in the Arctic tundra. There is no apparent limit to its northern range, while the southern range is limited by the duration of daylight, which influences their reproductive activity. This species is found in the high Arctic tundra of North America, Ellesmere Island, Iceland, higher mountains of Scotland, Norway, Russia, North Greenland, Siberia, Novaya Zemlya, and Franz Josef Land. During the winter, this bird migrates to the circumglobal northern temperate zone including the south of Canada, north of the United States, north of Germany, Poland, Ukraine, and east to central Asia. During the last ice age, the snow bunting was widespread throughout continental Europe.
During the breeding period the snow bunting looks for rocky habitats in the Arctic Since the vegetation in the tundra is low growing, this bird and its nestlings are exposed to predators, and in order to ensure the survival of its offspring, the snow bunting nests in cavities in order to protect the nestlings from any threat. During this period, buntings also look for a habitat rich in vegetation such as wet sedge meadows and areas rich in dryas and lichens. In the winter, they look for open habitats such as farms and fields where they feed on seeds in the ground.
Population:
UK breeding:
60 pairs
UK wintering:
10,000-15,000 birds
The Krimml Waterfalls (German: Krimmler Wasserfälle), with a total height of 380 metres (1,247 feet), are the highest waterfall in Austria.[1] The falls are on the Krimmler Ache river and are located near the village of Krimml in the High Tauern National Park in Salzburg state.
Krimmler Waterfalls is a tiered waterfall. The waterfall begins at the top of the Krimmler Ache valley, and plunges downward in three stages. The upper stage has a drop of 140 metres, the middle of 100 metres, and the lowest a drop of 140 metres. The highest point of the waterfall is 1,470 metres above sea level.
The Krimmler Ache is a glacial stream whose flow varies greatly with season. Its volumetric flow in June and July is 20,000 m³/h (about 5.28 million gallons per hour), while in February it is only 500 m³/h (about 0.13 million gallons per hour). The greatest measured flow was on 25 August 1987, when it was 600,000 m³/h, or almost 160 million gallons per hour.
After the falls, the river joins the Salzach, which flows to the Inn, then into the River Danube and finally to the Black Sea.
To ensure that tourists could see more of the waterfall without difficulty, Ignaz von Kürsinger, from Mittersill, created a path to the upper part of the waterfall. In 1879, the Austrian Alpine Club improved the road to provide a more panoramic view. About 400,000 people visit the falls annually. The misty spray of the waterfall creates ideal growth condition for hundreds of mosses, lichens and ferns. The surroundings are the habitat for 62 bird species.[3]
There is a negative impact on the local residents due to the high traffic level in a small village, and because of erosion to the road.
The country’s first farmers’ co-operative, built its first shelter for the homeless, and played a key role in the development of democracy by ensuring the elections of William Lyon Mackenzie, and both fathers of responsible government – Robert Baldwin and Louis-Hippolyte LaFontaine – in the formative years before Canadian confederation.
The center piece of their activity was The Temple. Completed in 1832 and restored in 2011, it is now part of the Sharon National Historic Site, which encompasses nine historic buildings in a park like setting
Configuration: Mid-Engine
Engine: 400 C.I. V8 (6.6 L)
Transmission: 3 speed automatic
Original Engine: 4 rotor Wankel
Weight: 2600 lbs
The Aerovette started life as the XP-882, a mid engined Corvette, with a 6.2L Wankel rotary engine with four chambers that developed around 400hp. Under the design team of Bill Mitchell, the car was first unveiled as “The Four Rotor Corvette” during the 1970 New York Auto Show. The car featured bi-folding gull-wing doors and a clear cover showcasing the engine bay. Eventually, GM abandoned their rotary technology and replaced the four rotor with a small block Chevy V8, because they anticipated the gas crisis of the 1970s.
The Aerovette’s styling was formed through a wind tunnel to give it a streamlined form. The body of the car was constructed with fiberglass along with a steel and aluminum tubular frame. The Aerovette had an advanced rectangular headlight design that allowed the driver to see the road from further away, while remaining aerodynamic and in a low position. The Aerovette’s doors were a bi-folding gullwing
design that allowed the driver and passenger to enter and exit the vehicle quickly. The “V” design on the windshield was angled at 72° and wrapped around the doors to conceal the front pillars of the car. Glass louvers were placed on the rear quarter panel to aid with vision, and allow heat to be dispersed from the engine compartment. Cool air was channeled into the carburetors from the apertures that were located in front of the rear wheels. The engine’s radiator and air conditioning unit were mounted at the front of the car near the wheels to ensure maximum cooling and efficiency.
The technology in the Aerovette was quite advanced for the time. The interior of the car featured a telescopic steering wheel and digital display that allowed the driver to adjust it to their comfort level. The seats of the car were in a fixed position for weight distribution, but could be adjusted up and down. The driver would press a lever to move the pedals further away or closer to them. The Aerovette came with a number of safety and digital features as well. These included, a warning system that alerted the
driver if the doors were open or closed, if the seatbelts were unfastened, and front and rear energy absorbing bumpers that provided protection in car-to-car impacts up to 10 mph. A button could also be pressed to check on the fuel supply, water temperature, oil pressure, and voltage. The dashboard of the car had small lights to indicate what rpm the engine was spinning at, and would change from green to red when the driver was approaching redline. Additionally, the car had a built in lap timer, clock, calendar, and an am/fm radio.
Source: Audrain Auto Museum
#sliderssunday
Laowa C-Dreamer 7.5 F/2
This is the follow-up to my previous photo, the promised glance into the "Beehive". The Reichstag dome isn't at all easy to photograph from the inside. A wide angle lens is strongly recommended, and this was the very first time I was able to use the Laowa C-Dreamer 7.5 F/2 ultra wide-angle lens there. On that day the dome was also very well-patronised, if not to say crowded, which made it even more difficult to photograph. A few things I tried there simply didn't work out because there were always at least one or more persons too close to me which didn't exactly help with the composition, to say the least, and which also looked downright distracting in the photo ;-) The good thing is that I can re-visit this place as often as I wish, and I'm sure that one day I will find an emptier beehive ;-) At the moment the Reichstag roof-top terrace and the dome are still closed for public due to the Corona situation. I've read on the Bundestag website that the roof-top terrace and the restaurant will re-open in early July, and I hope that the dome will follow soon.
The atmosphere inside the beehive is usually very light and airy, even on a rainy day (and then it can also quickly get freezing cold inside, because the dome's top is open which also means that when you've climbed right to the top it will be wet and windy there on such a day). On the right you can see the cone which isn't just an architectural or design element. The cone is cased with 360 movable mirrors and serves as a "light deflecting element (...) which directs diffuse daylight into the plenary hall ten metres below. In addition, the light deflection element ensures that used air is removed from the plenary hall. It makes use of the thermal lift and directs the air upwards via an exhaust nozzle. This air then escapes through a 10-metre wide central opening at the top of the dome." (quote taken from the Bundestag website, bundestag.de).
The cone and its reverse, double-helix-like designed ramps (one is meant for walking up, the other, you've guessed it, for walking down inside the dome) have always reminded me of a whirlwind, albeit a "calm" and benign one. The Raw file was a little on the darker side, so I used several sliders in several editing programs to retrieve that airy, kind of "floaty" atmosphere. I've also slightly blurred the faces of the people standing closest to the cone to avoid recognition.
Happy Sliders Sunday, Everyone, stay safe and healthy, dear Flickr friends!
Howden Reservoir seen from Abbey Bank.
Two images blended together to try to ensure sharpness throughout the whole scene.
A beautiful Lioness we spotted while on a 2023 photo safari in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. She stopped her search for prey just long enough to show me those eyes.
In the savannas of Africa, female lions play a crucial and dynamic role in their familial groups, shaping the social structure and bearing the responsibility for the pride’s survival. Contrary to some common misconceptions, lion prides operate within a matriarchal social structure, where females hold the key roles in decision-making and coordination.
Lionesses are the primary hunters within the pride. Their exceptional teamwork and strategic approach to hunting are essential for the pride’s survival and well-being. Together, they deploy strategic hunting techniques, such as coordinated flanking and ambushing, to outwit their prey. Their synchronized efforts increase the likelihood of a successful hunt to secure food for the entire pride.
Male lions are typically responsible for protecting their pride from other males. However, the females play a vital role in defending the pride’s territory against threats such as leopards, hyenas, neighboring prides, and occasionally other males. The survival of a pride often hinges on the lionesses’ ability to protect their territory.
The lionesses’ strong maternal instincts are at the foundation of the pride’s social bonds. As a group, they are responsible for raising and nurturing the cubs. They teach essential survival skills, including hunting techniques and social behaviors, which ensure the continuity of the pride’s legacy. The pride communicates through vocalizations and body language, fostering a strong sense of community. The bonds formed among females contribute to the overall success and stability of the group.
In the lion pride, females emerge as the unsung heroes, weaving together the threads of survival, protection, and legacy. Their role as huntresses, defenders, nurturers, and leaders is integral to the pride’s success.
(Nikon Z8, 100-400/5.6 @ 340 mm, 1/250 @ f/5.6, ISO 1100, edited to taste)
04-May-2022: about turism: my perplexities towards a future with more and more bans and more and more over-taxes.
Lake Bohinj and the much more famous Lake Bled are close (less than 20 km) but the second has a mass tourism now rooted, while the first is expanding its tourist reception in recent years, coming out (unfortunately) from the shadow of Bled, that was a lightning rod for peaceful and symbiotic nature lovers.
I am totally against mass tourism because it transforms a relaxing resort into an area where it is difficult even to access it.
Around Lake Bled, even at a certain distance, there are only paid parking lots, which come to cost 6 euros per hour (about the most decentralized and in May...) that, certainly, leave perplexed about the "tourist selection" that "they" would like to implement (high-end tourism) and, in general, certainly drive away the tourist in search of nature and not restaurants, bars, concrete lake-front and crowd baths.
The naturalist tourist should not feel like a tourist in Nature, which is a single great asset of humanity and that only administratively is divided between various Countries, while in Bled, as in Rimini or Cortina d'Ampezzo, they make you feel not only tourist, but also guest, sometimes unwanted if you spend little.
As tourism increases, so do the bans, because unfortunately mass tourism includes many people who don't know anything about Nature and generally only go to very touristy places to make themselves of...people, sowing dirt and ignorance wherever they move.
The imposition of prohibitions/bans to limit the "damage from mass tourism" affects everyone indiscriminately, including locals and naturalists who have always had a symbiotic relationship with these places, thus making them become inhospitable, at least to those seeking pure contact with nature itself.
Of course this happens all over the world, but it should be condemned.
We already pay State taxes for the maintenance of the slice of Nature that falls within our administration, tourist surcharges, exploiting market laws that should be verified and contained, are for the most part unconstitutional, as well as several prohibitions that deprive access and use of public property.
With the money that the tourist municipalities pocket they could very well implement a targeted prevention (controls by foresters, cameras, ad hoc fences for areas subject to micro-pollution...) rather than closing everything and then de-empowering themself on the maintenance of roads and areas (more and more numerous), thus going to save further, starting from the basic taxes that we pay to also have access to given areas.
I can understand that you tax parking at high altitude to maintain the roads, but the amount of the payment should be directly proportional to the expenses that must be incurred to ensure accessibility, not by putting prices at random and with increases of 200% from one year to the next.
I have always appreciated the fact that Slovenia, thanks also that it is not densely inhabited and has a modest tourism (except precisely Bled, Postojna Caves and the Coast), guarantees a wide accessibility and use of its territories and I hope it can continue, limiting the prohibitions and parking lots everywhere.
Standing 18 metres (59 feet) tall and 200 metres (656 feet) long, the walkway affords a stunning bird’s eye view across the Gardens as well as offering an opportunity to experience the ecosystem of the forest canopy.
Designed by the team behind the London Eye, the construction has been deliberately aged and weathered to blend with its surroundings and to ensure that it enhances the landscape rather than detracting from it. As result, the supporting steel columns with their rust colours take on the form of the surrounding tree trunks.
The walkway itself is designed to move slightly in the wind, so visitors will experience a certain amount of ‘bounce’ as they immerse themselves in the foliage of chestnut, beech and oak trees of different species. Visit in early spring or late autumn and your views are unimpeded by foliage.
visitworldheritage.com/en/eu/the-treetop-walkway/592885ba...
There are 118 steps to the walkway’s platform and a lift is available for the visitors who are unable to use stairs easily, or for customers in wheelchairs. Buggies or strollers are not permitted on the walkway so must be left in the designated area on the ground.
As I walked around the park I saw a number of Mallard ducks resting on the grass.
I found this information about this process:
Moulting is a process of shedding and regrowing feathers. Adult birds are shedding their worn out feathers from this year's breeding season and growing new, strong, warm feathers to see them through the winter. This year's young are losing their first feathers and moulting into their adult coats.
Feathers wear out during a bird's busy year. Flying, rubbing against neighbouring feathers or trees, general weakening due to exposure to sun, along with parasites, such as feather lice, all cause damage to feathers.
A comparison of feather wear shows that pigmented (dark) feathers wear more slowly than white ones.
Feathers grow from follicles in the skin (like hair) and the growth of a new feather from the bottom of the follicle pushes the old one out. The process is a gradual one and occurs in sequence across an area of skin to ensure that there are no ‘bald’ patches.
This means that a full moult may be spread out over a considerable time period, which is fine if there is a plentiful food supply, and if the bird is not a migrant.
Most birds will moult completely during a year, sometimes split into two or three moult periods, usually before and after breeding.
Moulting is a drain on a bird’s resources. It takes energy to grow new feathers, there may be heat loss when feathers are shed, affecting insulation, and when flight feathers are lost, more energy may be needed for flight.
Unlike most other birds, ducks, geese and swans lose all their flight feathers at once, rendering them flightless for a period.
In ducks, to provide some protection for the brightly-coloured males, the moult starts with their bright body feathers. These are replaced by dowdy brown ones, making them look much like females.
This eclipse plumage is why in mid- to late summer, it seems that all the drakes have gone. Once the flight feathers have regrown, the birds moult again, and by October the full colours have been regained and the various species of ducks are easily recognisable.
Female ducks lose their flight feathers later, after the young become independent.
This is the time of year when they moult.
(source: RSPB website)
Mit der Apfelblüte hält der Vollfrühling Einzug. Jetzt ist die Zeit der Blütenfülle. Es blühen nicht nur die Obstbäume, sondern auch viele Wildpflanzen und Ziersträucher, z.B. der Flieder. Auch die spät austreibenden Laubbäume entfalten jetzt ihr Laub und Raps und Wintergetreide wachsen schnell in die Höhe. Die steigenden Temperaturen und die längere Sonneneinstrahlung sorgen für eine allgemein stürmische Pflanzenentwicklung. Der phänologische Beobachter muss jetzt sehr aufmerksam sein, damit er die vielen phänologischen Phasen mitbekommt.
Full spring arrives with the apple blossom. Now is the time for blooms. Not only the fruit trees are in bloom, but also many wild plants and ornamental shrubs, e.g. lilacs. The deciduous trees that sprout late are now unfolding their leaves and rapeseed and winter cereals are growing quickly. The rising temperatures and longer periods of sunshine ensure a generally stormy plant development. The phenological observer must now be very attentive in order to notice the many phenological phases.
The Grote Kerk in Dordrecht is a fantastic find for anyone who is interested in religious buildings or medieval architecture. Alternatively known as Dordrecht Minster, the Great Church or the Church of Our Lady, this establishment is the largest church in the city. This church was ranked amongst the top 100 Dutch heritage sites on a list which was created by the department of Conservation in the early 1990s. It is noted for its Brabant Gothic style and its unfinished church tower.
The original plan was to construct an octagonal tower which would be over one hundred meters highs, however half way through the construction, it was noticed that the tower had begun to develop a significant lean. Like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the ground below the tower was too soft to support such a heavy structure, and the tower had begun to tilt. Because of the dangerous incline, the tower was never finished. During the 20th century, restoration work took place on the tower to ensure that the structure would remain safe for visitors. Despite the fact that it remained unfinished, the tower was still the tallest structure in Dordrecht for almost 500 years.
The big church in Dordrecht is a fantastic find for anyone who is interested in religious buildings or medieval architecture. Alternatively known as Dordrecht Minster, the Great Church or the Church of Our Lady, this establishment is the largest church in the city. This church was ranked amongst the top 100 Dutch heritage sites on a list which was created by the department of Conservation in the early 1990s. It is noted for its Brabant Gothic style and its unfinished church tower.
The original plan was to construct an octagonal tower which would be over one hundred meters highs, however half way through the construction, it was noticed that the tower had begun to develop a significant lean. Like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the ground below the tower was too soft to support such a heavy structure, and the tower had begun to tilt. Because of the dangerous incline, the tower was never finished. During the 20th century, restoration work took place on the tower to ensure that the structure would remain safe for visitors. Despite the fact that it remained unfinished, the tower was still the tallest structure in Dordrecht for almost 500 years.
Traveling to new places always ensures my heart will skip a beat faster when I see new sights. I was familiar with Cattle Egrets, as I'd noticed them at a distance on one of our earlier trips to the Hawaiian Islands. However, on our last visit I was stunned to see this beauty creeping slowly through the green grass outside one of the five star resorts. As this bird was moving along just feet away from tourists, I realized that its search for a meal was the only thing on its mind.
Cologne’s extensive public transport network ensures convenient and fast travel around the town. The Kölner Verkehrs-Betriebe (KVB) local transport company moves daily around 800,000 people with almost 60 lines, a good 380 trams and 320 buses. Most local train stations are linked to tram stops and are equipped with live departure boards.
Almost all KVB trams and buses are provided with ticket machines. You can pay with coins or “Geldkarte” money card/e-purse. Besides, tickets are available at ticket machines next to public transport stops and at any KVB travel desk.
(Text source: KVB website)
My take on this weeks #hss #sliderssunday. The South Pride Lions from Kwandwe. Lots of work had to be done on the light, contrast and colour. The scene as the lion sat within the tall grasses was just phenomenal.
Some lions are "nomads" that range widely and move around sporadically, either in pairs or alone. Pairs are more frequent among related males who have been excluded from their birth pride. A lion may switch lifestyles; nomads can become residents and vice versa. Interactions between prides and nomads tend to be hostile, although pride females in estrus allow nomadic males to approach them. Males spend years in a nomadic phase before gaining residence in a pride. A study undertaken in the Serengeti National Park revealed that nomadic coalitions gain residency at between 3.5 and 7.3 years of age. In Kruger National Park, dispersing male lions move more than 25 km (16 mi) away from their natal pride in search of their own territory. Female lions stay closer to their natal pride. Therefore, female lions in an area are more closely related to each other than male lions in the same area.
The area occupied by a pride is called a "pride area" whereas that occupied by a nomad is a "range". Males associated with a pride tend to stay on the fringes, patrolling their territory. The reasons for the development of sociality in lionesses—the most pronounced in any cat species—are the subject of much debate. Increased hunting success appears to be an obvious reason, but this is uncertain upon examination; coordinated hunting allows for more successful predation but also ensures non-hunting members reduce per capita calorific intake. Some females, however, take a role raising cubs that may be left alone for extended periods. Members of the pride tend to regularly play the same role in hunts and hone their skills. The health of the hunters is the primary need for the survival of the pride; hunters are the first to consume the prey at the site it is taken. Other benefits include possible kin selection; sharing food within the family; protecting the young, maintaining territory and individual insurance against injury and hunger
SR-71A #61-7972 is on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA. From 1991 until September 2003, #972 was in storage at Washington Dulles International Airport in a building specifically constructed for this aircraft. There, it was under strict surveillance by National Air and Space Museum representatives, who regularly adjusted humidity levels to ensure the best possible preservation conditions. This aircraft is no doubt the best-looking of the remaining SR-71s, along with SR-71A #976.
This aircraft holds many records that were set on 6 March 1990, when it was flown from Palmdale to Dulles in what was intended to be the last USAF flight of the SR-71. It also holds the New York to London record of 1 hour, 54 minutes, 56.4 seconds set in 1974. You may have noted the Skunk Works insignia on the rudders of #972. After SR-71A #955's last flight on 24 January 1985, #972 became the Palmdale test aircraft. This aircraft's assembly started 13 December 1965 and was rolled out on 15 September 1966.
Explore 07 January 2009 # 113
Thank you to Brendaamb and to Liina for letting me know about Explore!!
I am back to photographing this Amaryllis again. There is still one bud to open, so it will last for awhile longer. I've had such fun with this Amaryllis. This is the third stalk of flowers it has graced me with. I'm planning to take extra good care of it to ensure that it will bloom next year as well.
Have been un-able to post an image folks for the last 2 hours and am now finally getting there, a Flickr Thing I hope.
There were a few nests of this species that I was so glad to see this season, not as many as the other species but enough to ensure the population of this beautiful bird here in out wetlands, and there transformation to adulthood.
Thank you so very much for stopping by, commenting, and have a wonderful Sunday and week ahead.
Bunschoten-Spakenburg is a beautiful village with wonderful authentic features, hospitable people and modern shops and catering establishments. There is still plenty of attention for history and culture, but one cannot put back the clock. Plenty of activities and wonderful events are held in this village, in addition to women in traditional costume and ‘old men’ telling their stories in Spakenburg dialect on a bench at the harbour. In short, this is the best of both worlds!
Bunschoten has an agrarian origin, which is evident from the many farms and rural character. Spakenburg was a real fishing village located at the Zuyder Zee, later the IJsselmeer. And this can also be seen in and around the harbours with many fishing boats and other beautiful ships. The centre of Spakenburg is located around the old museum harbour with an active wharf. The lovely shops, the Saturday market, the historical buildings, the museums and friendly cafés and restaurants with their outdoor cafés ensure a wonderful time in an authentic village. Everyone is welcome in Bunschoten-Spakenburg
Majestic River Red Gums at Hattah Lake, Hattah-Kulkyne National Park i
The reduced frequency and duration of floods in the River Murray has degraded the water-dependent vegetation communities across the Hattah Lakes, which has in turn reduced the diversity and abundance of animals that rely on healthy vegetation for habitat. A program of environmental watering is in place to ensure the integrity of the ecosystem is sustained. One of the aims of this is to improve the health of the majestic River Red Gums that require frequent flooding to survive.
The flooding of the Lake meant we couldn't access alot of the park but allowed us to view the Gums in their prime and enjoy the abundance of birds and animals including a giant Murray Cod that leapt out of the water!
Brian ensures he keeps his slime-alcohol level below the Scottish legal limit of 0.05%. Because he always drinks responsibly, he is generally the designated crawler when out with his friends.
For Macro Mondays theme 'Beverage'.
No snails were harmed or became inebriated in the making of this photograph.
Introducing another of my wild friends, Pancake, the dunnock.
Pancake is one of an enthusiastic and animated troup of dunnocks among the larger flock of different species that hang around our garden. I can't tell the dunnocks apart, except for Charlie (uploaded previously: www.flickr.com/photos/pogspix/52476354419) and Pancake, who both take food from my hand.
Pancake is recognizabe because of her beautiful markings ... and her habit of being right at, and nearly under, my feet in her quest to be at the front of the queue for food---I have to be extremely careful as I walk around the driveway, to ensure she doesn't live up to her name!
Here she is, waiting a bit more patiently, on a snow-glazed log a few weeks ago.
Bundar is a 6 year old male Malayan tiger. With only about 250 remaining in the wild Malayan tigers are the most at risk tigers for going extinct. Without managed care to boost their numbers, and to ensure genetic diversity, they will most likely go extinct.
Time consuming, but it ensured he left no evidence behind.
No body, no crime.
The bits of viscera that fall away due to his messy eating fall into the water, drawing in several fish that happily swallow down his crumbs.
Taking the bodies, he finally descends into the depths. His magic is released, a sudden pulse that pings out to the dangers that lurk in the deep.
It’s not long before there’s an answer to his call.
Within a matter of minutes, the monster is surrounded by a group of Short fin Mako Sharks, circling, curious. Magic amplifies his thoughts, his will. For a moment their silence leaves him hanging, believing they do not wish to share his meal.
Sharks do not consider humans as part of their diet. At least there is no record of it. Whenever an attack happens it’s mainly due to other reasons.
Yet, this type of shark is known to devour their own siblings.
Survival of the fittest.
They shoot forward with incredible speed, their mouths eagerly tearing into the bodies he’s provided. His own maw parts, reflecting those around him before another bit of flesh is torn off and swallowed.
Having dinner with others makes it more enjoyable.
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Coccinellidae is a widespread family of small beetles ranging in size from 0.8 to 18 mm. The family is commonly known as ladybugs in North America, and ladybirds in Britain and other parts of the English-speaking world. Entomologists prefer the names ladybird beetles or lady beetles as these insects are not classified as true bugs. The majority of coccinellid species are generally considered useful insects, because many species prey on herbivorous homopterans such as aphids or scale insects, which are agricultural pests. Many coccinellids lay their eggs directly in aphid and scale insect colonies in order to ensure their larvae have an immediate food source.Coccinellids are often conspicuously coloured yellow, orange, or red with small black spots on their wing covers, with black legs, heads and antennae. There is, however, great variation in these colour patterns. For example, a minority of species, such as Vibidia duodecimguttata, a twelve-spotted species, have whitish spots on a brown background. Coccinellids are found worldwide, with over 6,000 species described. 6878
Une matinée passée avec ce magnifique merle d'eau. Ambiance assurée par ses prouesses de pêcheur.
A morning spent with this magnificent water robin. Atmosphere ensured by his prowess as a fisherman.
Insekten sind bei Blumen stets gern gesehene Gäste.
Insects ensure the existence in the plant world. Just because they are not petting animals, we shouldn't neglect them.
Taken during a fleeting moment of colour down at Vermillion Lakes the other morning. This location is one of the most popular owing mainly to the fact that it is positioned so closely to the town of Banff.
This small section of lake alongside another small section nearby never freezes due to it being a hot spring. This gives us photographers the perfect opportunity to capture mirror reflections of Mt Rundle while the sun rises to its left. We arrived on location a good hour or so before sunrise to ensure that we bagged our spots ahead of any other photographers.
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ISO100
Kase 0.6 Medium ND Grad Filter
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A hidden gem where nature flourishes amidst the busy urban is located in the center of Dubai. Greetings from Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary, a sanctuary for both environment lovers and animal aficionados. Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary, which is situated at the mouth of the ecologically significant Dubai Creek, is essential to the restocking of the fishing grounds for the neighboring communities of Deira, Shindhaga, and Bur Dubai. This sanctuary was created in 1985 and was formally designated as a protected area in 1998. Its ecological significance has won it acclaim on a global scale.
In 2007, it was designated as a Ramsar Site under the Ramsar Convention, highlighting its importance on a global scale. Additionally, Birdlife International has identified it as a Globally Important Bird Area (IBA), further solidifying its status as an exceptional wetland within the UAE. (DubaiTourVisa.com)
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We had a two day layover in Dubai on our way home from New Zealand and Singapore. So of course, we went birding. This is the view from the Mangrove Hide, one of three luxurious hides situated at the Sanctuary. These hides are the only access points for viewing and are managed carefully to ensure that the birds are not disturbed. We saw 31 species in just one morning, including one lifer and many flamingoes. An easy visit for any birder with a few hours to spare when visiting Dubai.
This is a two-image panorama.
Dubai, UAE. March 2024.
Dancersend Nature Reserve is a site of Special Scientific interest managed by BBOWT. One part of the Rothschild family estate the Reserve was established din 1939 in memory of Charles Rothschild who set up the Society for the promotion of Nature Reserves, regarded as the launch of the wildlife Trust movement in Britain. The soil at Dancersend ranges from acid to alkaline, ensuring a wide variety of flora and fauna.
© Leanne Boulton, All Rights Reserved
Street photography from Glasgow, Scotland.
Captured in September 2019 during an exercise I gave to my Street Photography Workshop for them to look for different angles and perspectives as we walked around. Of course I ensured that the person begging in the shot was suitably anonymised so that the image is for narrative and is not in any way exploitative.
I'm thinking of the millions of people currently displaced across Ukraine. Over 2 million displaced out of the country but countless millions more ran out of their homes to another part of the country, all while being under artillery and rocket fire. I cannot begin to imagine the depths of pain, despair and loss that they are feeling.
I'm also thinking of those displaced and homeless throughout the United Kingdom as a result of poverty driven by the cost of living crisis and Government policy over the past decade. My own energy prices have risen 129% overnight.
I'm also thinking of those displaced out of their homes, steadings and traditional nomadic routes in Ethiopia right now. Years and years of lower than average rainfall are now leading to a famine of the levels not seen since 1985. The building humanitarian disaster is expected to be worse than that thanks, in no small part, to the climate emergency.
We all need water, food and shelter - these basics that are essential for life should be a given in our modern world.
Today I am thinking of those who have been or are being displaced from their homes. I wish I could help more.
In this photo, a male and female dragonfly are seen connected after mating. The male remains attached to the female, a behavior called mate guarding. This ensures his sperm has the highest chance of fertilizing her eggs while they search for an ideal spot to lay them.
In much a similar way to a long walk off a short pier. Beaumaris has just one of these. I ensured i did not exceed its limits.
Snowdonia lurks beyond its extremes
Hexham to Gleneagles
No 14 a Vauxhall driven by Charles Bishop co pilot Nellie Bishop both from Great Britian.
As ERA’s blue riband Flying Scotsman event smoothly glides into a second decade of outstanding vintage motoring, timetabling for the 12th edition in 2022 is already at an advanced stage.
Following an enforced absence, the UK’s premier rally designed exclusively for Vintage motorcars returns for 2022 with a Northumberland start. Our route then takes us through the very best scenery and roads that the area has to offer before heading into new territory with an overnight halt at St Andrews. Day 2 sees crews covering some famous ‘Flying Scotsman’ roads as they head into the Cairngorms and a halt in Aviemore. The final day will take a less than direct route to ensure crews are kept busy before arriving at the world famous Gleneagles Hotel for the final control and post event festivities.
Our Route Designers have been busy crafting another first-class journey. This combines scenic Regularities on remote country roads with exciting Special Tests where you can enjoy your fine vintage cars to their full. The competition will be suitable for all levels of experience with three days of exclusive vintage motoring and great camaraderie in prospect.
“It’s one of the best, there is something for everyone” John Lomas, Riley driver
“I love the comradeship between the competitors who gather from all over the world to participate” Willy Van Loon, Bentley driver.
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Unless we step into the uncharted territory of the gender revolution, we know exactly where we will be regressing. An all-powerful State that infantilises us, interferes in all our decisions for our own good and—under the pretext of protecting us—keeps us in a childish state of ignorance, fear of punishment and exclusion. The special treatment until now reserved for women, with shame as the primary tool for ensuring their isolation, passivity and lack of protest, could now be extended to all. To understand the mechanics of how women have been made to feel inferior, and induced to willingly maintain themselves in this state, is to understand how the entire population is kept under control. Capitalism is an egalitarian religion, in the sense that it demands general submission, making everyone feel trapped—as all women are.
Virginie Despentes, King Kong Theory
HSS 😊😊😍
I know that AI has some beneficial qualities, and those I am delighted with. However, I am apprehensive about the harm it may cause.
With heartfelt thanks for your kind visit. Have a wonderful day, stay healthy, stay alert, appreciate the beauty around you, enjoy your creativity, stay safe, and laugh often! ❤️❤️❤️
I enjoy participating in Macro Mondays challenges each week. Usually it takes a while to find a subject; sometimes I don't succeed.
But this week for 'corner' I have too many ideas.
Three in my triptych:
1 of 6 corners of a hexagonal small pottery coaster with leaf motif made by Clare
a book corner of a slim volume: Irène Némirovsky's 'Ida'
a corner of a flowery birthday gift bag
posted for Sliders Sunday -- Post Processed To The MAX!
My entries always need much processing, including a disproportionate amount to ensure that the macro fits within a strict size.