Andrew told me with some excitement last week that there was at least one Tawny Frogmouth chick in the nest at Woodlands Historic Park. It seemed quite late in the season and I was wondering if the clutch had not hatched successfully.

I found some time yesterday afternoon to pop down and have a look. I got a wee bit lost coming in from another direction when the classic silhouette caught my eye. There was dad and the one chick perched on a branch away from the nest. They generally have 2 to three chicks so not sure if some didn't make it but it felt alittle lonely seeing just the one beautiful baby.

My daughter sits her final VCE exam today and I am so looking forward to that weight being lifted!

It is worth celebrating that today is a special day in Victoria with 28 days of no virus, deaths, mystery cases or community transmission and we have officially reached eradication. To all those in other places that are still at the height of the pandemic, my thoughts are with you and I hope that you too can get to a much better place than where you are now.

A brief but timely interlude in our ongoing Gnome Saga. So here we have my great, great, great, great...oh christ some old guy I am related to... He was Vidar Magnus Bjørn Arne Gunnar Mason....or the cool guy in shades...yes, shades, he invented them, known fact. Google it...it's there, if not then those son's a bitches from Ray Ban have screwed with my wikipedia page again!

Anyway, as you can see by this fantastically shot encounter, my great Vidar Magnus Bjørn Arne Gunnar Mason encountered the first known wild bunch of Gnomes, while out looking for English folks to plunder. Instead this happened and since this fateful day, it has been a sworn family tradition to eradicate all and any known feral Gnome.

Well, just thought this would help those who think these vile, wretched wooden vessels of Satan, himself are all cute and cuddly and blah blah...They are NOT!!!! See a wandering Gnome...just leave it be and let me handle it....for I am...the Defender of SL from all Vile Gnomes! (cue music and fireworks now.....NOW!!! I'm losing them...get the music and fireworks...)

Now back to your regularly scheduled Flickr.

We each have our castles, home,work, interests etc,

one of mine has become this Flickr site, (with it's obvious issues aside),

I uploaded this image on a new/temporary site whilst trying to access this one,

A first upload, it was "Explored" a reward, perhaps, for opening a new account,

After regaining access to this one, i had a decision to make, do i... on the one hand keep two accounts, or do i delete one and if so... which one ?

No brainer for me really, in the end, i could hardly eradicate my castle, over a new bungalow no matter how plush the start had been.....

I will never forget.

NYC used to be my home.

Every 11th day of September since 2001, one of the darkest days in our world's history, I make a point to take several moments, if not hours, to reflect on what took place that day and how its aftermath has effected our realities today. (I do mean to say "effected" intentionally as opposed to "affected").

My Master's degree thesis was based on the events of September 11, 2001 in which I hypothesized that not only did the event result in the international campaign to eradicate terrorism, but that the event introduced a "new world order" at large. My research later indicated that the world order hadn't changed. Rather, approximately 90% of nations within the international community revised their foreign policies toward eliminating terrorism to become much more in alignment as a result.

It's rather uncanny to grasp that what occurred was 19 years ago. I remember where I was, what I was doing, and the dread I felt that day and weeks afterwards. Nevertheless, I am inspired about how the people of NYC were able to collectively pull themselves together, rebound, and rebuild -- with virtually all of America in solidarity. That has often been the way of New York when it confronts tragedy.

In my blog, I've updated my brief tribute, via photography and video, to New York City, a modern day example of the resilience of the human spirit: "Taking a Moment to Remember."

TIA OFFICIAL WEBSITE / TIA PHOTO INVENTORY / TIA MASTODON / LA VUE ATYPIQUE (BLOG) / VIMEO

I've been working to eradicate this plant from my yard for the last few years

Location: BBBB Studio

Sitting Paragon: Plain Jane

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

STARGAZING

~Kataleya~

I'm gazing up, I'm gazing high.

Let me watch the stars tonight.

It mightn't give me better grades,

or wash my clothes or clean the plates,

or make me famous, make me rich,

or change the direction of my fate.

And it won't just fix the politics,

or save the falling economy,

or cease these tiring, endless wars

and it won't eradicate poverty.

But even if there's nothing right,

let me watch the stars tonight.

Hitchhiking through the galaxy,

a blazing comet passes by,

and waves to billion specks of light,

those sparkling diamonds in the sky.

Tomorrow I may change the world,

or I might even exercise.

Tonight I'm gazing up and high,

I'm looking at the stars tonight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After having had a meal provided by their mother these two cheetah cubs plonked down and surveyed the area in typical cheetah pose. Photographed in the wild, south of Batulama in the Auob riverbed, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa.

May these two live to adulthood and help to ensure that we have cheetahs for future generations to appreciate.

Eradicated from 90 percent of their historic range in Africa, cheetahs are listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, and as few as 6,700 remain in the wild. Their numbers have plummeted due to shrinking habitat and growing anthropogenic pressures. Protected areas such as the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and the Kruger National Park - both strongholds for the conservation of this species in South Africa - provide safe spaces that are critical to enabling population growth and range expansion, and to securing a future for the species on the continent.

© Gerda van Schalkwyk - All Rights Reserved

One of my Backyard Friends.

My current neighborhood strikes me as an incredibly sterile place. Most residents employ pest control services to eradicate any trace of insects, and there are even complaints when coyotes, displaced from nearby wildlands, appear on our streets.

When these wildlife concerns are raised, a counter-argument often emerges: these animals were here first; this is their land too. It's certainly a perspective worth pondering 🤔

_________________________________________

The White-breasted Nuthatch:

White-breasted Nuthatches are agile birds that creep along trunks and large branches, probing into bark furrows with their straight, pointed bills. Like other nuthatches, they often turn sideways and upside down on vertical surfaces as they forage. They don’t lean against their tails the way woodpeckers do.

White-breasted Nuthatches are birds of mature woods and woodland edges. They’re particularly associated with deciduous stands, including maple, hickory, basswood, and oak, though they can be found in some coniferous forests.

(Nikon Z8, Nikkor 600/6.3, 1/1600 @ f/6.3, ISO 6400, edited to taste)

“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.”

― Jimi Hendrix

“A message of peace on this day for everyone … you are me and I am you. We are brothers and sisters of the World” - AP

Soundtrack : www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNKu1uNBVkU

RISE UP – ANDRA DAY

Shed the many coats of your forefathers

those whose knowledge passed down through the years

let dust consume those old and fragile manuscripts

listen, really listen to your fears

hearsay is our assumed reality

we act on words of others almost blindly

let's rely upon our instincts that run deeper

like a river flowing through us; speak out kindly

all our needs are met in perfect moments

don't be another witness passing by

lift up your consciousness; I am beside you

I am here for you; I hear you; feel your cry

I am not the sum of all that has befallen me

I will not allow myself to be that so defined

I can rise up high to float amongst the ether

and eradicate all those words that so malign

within you each a light shines ever brighter

yet words of others still snuff out the flame

I urge you now; stop listening to these voices

they're not yet so enlightened; they're not to blame

raise your thoughts to goodness all around you

there are miracles in everything you see

the caterpillar that becomes a lovely butterfly

transition sure; complete and positively

if we are to find peace amid the chaos

we have to metamorphasize ourselves

take this new day and spin good thoughts so golden all around

make a better world for all not just yourselves

yes, words are easy; I don't have all the answers

I often fail; I often doubt myself

but the first day of the rest of my life is in the here and now

and I will try to make my words and actions count

it only takes a random act of kindness

to make a stranger smile and feel complete

a tiny seed is planted for the future

and passed on to the next one he will meet

and so your one small act of goodness

is slowly spread throughout this world of ours

until the hate and wars are left behind us

and love and beauty grows like precious flowers.

- AP - Copyright © remains with and is the intellectual property of the author

Copyright © protected image please do not reproduce without permission

A Common Myna perches on a sunny Plumaria branch on the tropical island of Kauai.

The Common Myna is a species belonging to the Starling family. They originate from Central, South and Southeast Asia and since the late 1800's have been introduce to many other places around the world to eradicate pests. They have adapted so well in many areas that they themselves are known as pests.

Errr. Sunrise Park these days. in the late 1800's till the 1930's there were many a mine claim and digging and blasting going on looking for gold, copper, whatever, but none of them really panned out so to speak. In the 30's the young park service took over with grand schemes of their own starting with a giant lodge that was never completed yet the beginnings of one still remains as a day lodge. They erected cabins to rent, put in a campground and facilities for such and roads...... a bustling oasis of activity with the side effect of destroying the meadows and supremely beautiful land. Then the park service decided that their mandate should be to preserve rather than promote and the arduous task of expunging and eradicating the damage began.

Today, at 6400 feet, it is the highest point that you can drive to, it is remote, home to hundreds of deer and elk, mountain goat and chipmunk and imho, the most amazing section of the park there is. If you come, come here. this is a must see, bring comfy boots and stay on the trails. It is open approximately late June/early July till the first snow, Late September/early October. A very tiny window for a very special place. They measure snowfall at Paradise which is 1000 feet lower and on the south side of the mountain with an average of 53 feet a year (a high of 93 feet) I'm guessing it's a wee bit higher here.

This is a different clump of these that we have in our garden- one that I've no recollection of planting in the first place, This clump is over 1m high and I'm afraid to say that they'll be pulled up when they stop flowering, not that that'll totally eradicate them, because they're so invasive that they're taking over my garden

(Sciurus vulgaris) Although red squirrels have been almost eradicated in the UK by invasive grey squirrels, there are still a few pockets of them scattered around particularly in the south of England and Scotland. This is one of a small population that lives on the Isle of Wight where I was last week.

This is an invasive species on the Seychelles and an eradication process has begun on some of the Islands in order to protect the endemic birds.

and, if he gives it no thought longer, not to give it practically his support. If I devote myself to other pursuits and contemplations, I must first see, at least, that I do not pursue them sitting upon another man's shoulders :-)

Henry David Thoreau, On the Duty of Civil Disobedience

HPPT!! Protest In justice! Resist!! Vote!!!

camellia, 'Pink Icicle', sarah p duke gardens, duke university, durham, north carolina

Shot with the Olympus E-M1, Mark II, 75-300mm.

This is what you see when you carefully look down at your feet in fall and spring before the landscapers arrive. This is nature's diversity and it helps grow our planet organically. A flurry of biological activity is taking place here as decomposing leaves mix with decaying organic matter to enrich the top layer of our soil.

But alas, in our bid to eradicate all vestiges of diversity from our lives, we enlist deafening legions of gas powered, polluting leaf blowers to descend upon our homes each spring and autumn to rid our lives of such messy "blight." Allow not one leaf to remain as winter's blanket. Allow not one blade of grass to be contaminated from suburban lawn perfection.

This cultural obsession is really insane!

In the southeast of Tasmania, separated from that island by the D'Entrecasateaux Channel, lies the isle of Bruny. In fact, it's made up of two island connected by 'The Neck' (see photo). It was first discovered by European explorers - Abel Tasman - at the end of 1642. Since it was repeatedly visited by various expeditions, notably that of Antoine Raymond Joseph de Bruni d'Entrecasteaux (1737-1793). The latter established (1792) that Bruny was an island, and the channel dividing it from Tasmania was named after him. In the photo it's on the right.

On the left is famous Adventure Bay: well-known for Captain Bligh - indeed, he of The Bounty! - and many others such as the famous horticulturalist and agrarian, the Englishman Tobias Furneaux (1735-1781) - the place was named after the ship on which he sailed - who sought to establish an orchard there with European fruit trees (1773). Incidentally, not long ago it's location was discovered and it is now a heritage site.

But the Bay - so pristine today - is infamous as well for the eradication of the native people, the Nuenone. They called their home Lunawanna-alonnah; but they stood in the way of plans of European whalers and timberfolk. Horribly murdered and decimated, their people by the third quarter of the nineteenth century had only a handful of survivors. Most notable among them was Truganini (1812-1876), who is memorialised not far from where I took this photo.

So it was with mixed feeling that I looked upon this marvelous scenery.

The term Convolvolo, also called Villucchio, derives from the Latin Convolvulus, which means to wrap, and means the tendency of the plant to twist. It is an extremely tenacious and difficult plant to eradicate and for this reason it is an emblem of stubbornness and conviction.

Prickly pear is the general term used to describe over ten

members of the Cactaceae family. Most of these cacti

are of the opuntia species, which are indigenous to the

Americas and are characterised by their fleshy, spine-

covered growth. The term ‘prickly pear’ is derived from the

plant’s spiny and pear shaped fruit.

The flowers are fairly large and usually yellow but on

different species can be white, deep orange, red, pink or

purple.

These plants were introduced into Australia with the First Fleet in 1788 and soon became established across rural farmland where they had no natural predators. Eradication proved very difficult until it was brought under control by an introduced beetle. A declared noxious weed, it is rare to see a Prickly pear in the wild. My keen eyes spotted a cactus with a single flower beside a rural road back in 2006, here a shot from above.

My fav Red Squirrel shot/composition of the trip!

Red Squirrel - Sciurus Vulgaris

Highlands, Scotland.

The red squirrel is found in both coniferous forest and temperate broadleaf woodlands. The squirrel makes a drey (nest) out of twigs in a branch-fork, forming a domed structure about 25 to 30 cm in diameter. This is lined with moss, leaves, grass and bark. Tree hollows and woodpecker holes are also used. The red squirrel is a solitary animal and is shy and reluctant to share food with others. However, outside the breeding season and particularly in winter, several red squirrels may share a drey to keep warm. Social organization is based on dominance hierarchies within and between sexes; although males are not necessarily dominant to females, the dominant animals tend to be larger and older than subordinate animals, and dominant males tend to have larger home ranges than subordinate males or females.

Red squirrels that survive their first winter have a life expectancy of 3 years. Individuals may reach 7 years of age, and 10 in captivity. Survival is positively related to availability of autumn–winter tree seeds; on average, 75–85% of juveniles die during their first winter, and mortality is approximately 50% for winters following the first.

Although not thought to be under any threat worldwide, the red squirrel has nevertheless drastically reduced in number in the United Kingdom; especially after the grey squirrels were introduced from North America in the 1870s. Fewer than 140,000 individuals are thought to be left in 2013; approximately 85% of which are in Scotland, with the Isle of Wight being the largest haven in England. A local charity, the Wight Squirrel Project,[26] supports red squirrel conservation on the island, and islanders are actively recommended to report any invasive greys. The population decrease in Britain is often ascribed to the introduction of the eastern grey squirrel from North America, but the loss and fragmentation of its native woodland habitat has also played a role.

In January 1998, eradication of the non-native North American grey squirrel began on the North Wales island of Anglesey. This facilitated the natural recovery of the small remnant red squirrel population. It was followed by the successful reintroduction of the red squirrel into the pine stands of Newborough Forest. Subsequent reintroductions into broadleaved woodland followed and today the island has the single largest red squirrel population in Wales. Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour is also populated exclusively by red rather than grey squirrels (approximately 200 individuals).

20303 'Max Joule 1958-1999' and 20305 'Gresty Bridge' approach Crabley Creek while working 3S14, the 1241 Sheffield to Hull railhead treatment train.

One of the largest resignalling schemes (in terms of route miles) in recent years was that from Ferriby to Gilberdyke resignalling in the East Riding. Completing in November 2018, the scheme saw the closure of 8 signal boxes or gate boxes which had previously worked absolute block along the north coast of the Humber towards Hull.

In this view, the distant semaphore for the next box to the east, Cave crossing is visible, but the RHTT is about to pass under the home signal for Crabley Creek.

Crabley Creek is something of an oddity: while the semaphores have been removed the signal box remains but has been downgraded to a gate box, the sole remaining box on the section.

The east of England has benefited particularly from resignalling in recent years. The higher profile scheme south of the Humber from Grimsby, through Barnetby towards Scunthorpe, the 'joint line' from Doncaster to Peterborough and Lincoln itself have all seen semaphore signalling eradicated.

Lincolnshire, a county that was almost 100% semaphore signalled until 2008 when Lincoln was resignalled, has lost all semaphore signalling with the exception of the Sleaford to Skegness route.

A young Peregrine Falcon perches on a cliffside above the Pacific Ocean, patiently waiting for a meal to be delivered; It may or may not come this day because it’s almost time for her to strike out on her own and hunt for food… will it be easy, nope :)

Powerful and fast-flying, the Peregrine Falcon hunts medium-sized birds, dropping down on them from high above in a spectacular stoop. They were virtually eradicated from eastern North America by pesticide poisoning in the middle 20th century. After significant recovery efforts, Peregrine Falcons have made an incredible rebound and are now regularly seen in coastal areas.

Peregrine Falcons are very strong fliers and often reported to be the fastest bird in the world. Their average cruising flight speed is 24 to 33 mph, increasing to 67 mph when in pursuit of prey. When stooping, or dropping on prey with their wings closed, it's been calculated that Peregrine Falcons can achieve speeds of 238 mph.

When hunting, Peregrines start by watching from a high perch or by flapping slowly or soaring at great height. Stoops begin 300–3,000 feet above their prey and end either by grabbing the prey or by striking it with the feet hard enough to stun or kill it. They then catch the bird and bite through the neck to kill it. Peregrine Falcons do have other hunting methods, including level pursuit, picking birds out of large flocks, and occasionally even hunting on the ground.

Though the Peregrine Falcon is an elite predator, it does have its own predators, including Gyrfalcons, eagles, Great Horned owls, and other Peregrines.

The Peregrine Falcon is one of the most widespread birds in the world. It is found on all continents except Antarctica, and on many oceanic islands.

The oldest recorded Peregrine Falcon was at least 19 years, 9 months old, when it was identified by its band in Minnesota in 2012, the same state where it had been banded in 1992.

(Nikon, 500mm +TC 1.4, 1/1600 @ f/8, ISO 280)

Taken at Pt Impossible this morning, on a day that many thought was all but impossible. For 28 days straight Victoria has recorded ZERO cases of COVID 19 - attaining what is considered "elimination" of the virus. This is not eradication, that won't happen until there is a successful vaccinne and there will no doubt be cases again particularly as we re-open our borders to internationals, but it is a remarkable achievement that each and every Victorian and in particular every Melbournian should cherish with pride.

unser erde zugrunde richten

Harbinger Of Fate

▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▀▄▀▄▀▄▀

When I was young I was different

there was more inside of me

so alone yet a sense of purpose

the guiding light of the order nurtured me

daunted by the truth revealed

what am I? what's my destiny?

a million souls, the priest incarnate

I am the one, I am the astral beast

I am the wicked, the dealer of fate

Harbinger of sorrow

I'm the assassin, the dealer of fate

Framing man's tomorrow

I thrive as the lone traveler

Trough the folds of time and space

the chosen one to foreshadow

the hand of god will eradicate this race

I am the past, I'm cure for sorrow

I am the now, I'm the every age

I'm the future ending mans tomorrow

the hand of god, the harbinger of fate

Kingdoms will fall, empires crumble

seizing on the politics of hate

I am the one, the devil in the details

the hand of god, the harbinger of fate

Song and lyrics by Iced Earth

youtu.be/-HWPy1Y9mwY

▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▀▄▀▄▀▄▀

The wolf woman Volume XVI

Wish you all a wonderful weekend my dear friends and followers 💋💐♥♡

While the flower is beautiful the plant is invasive and extremely hard to eradicate, they will reproduce by seed or by root buds. Cattle generally will not graze near them; they can take over a field in just a few years if left uncontrolled.

The Mutawintji National Park is a national park in the Far West region of New South Wales, in eastern Australia. The 68,912-hectare (170,290-acre) national park is situated approximately 880 kilometres (550 mi) west of Sydney and about 130 kilometres (81 mi) north-east of Broken Hill.

The rugged, mulga-clad Byngnano Range is dissected by colourful gorges, rockpools and creek beds lined with red gums. Scattered among the caves and overhangs are Aboriginal rock art and engravings.

In 1979, the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife purchased and fenced 100 square kilometres (39 sq mi), in the Coturaundee Ranges, now part of Mutawintji National Park, for the conservation and protection of the yellow-footed rock wallaby.

Follow-up funding of fox eradication in the reserve ensured the survival of this last population of yellow-footed rock-wallabies in New South Wales. Of the wild animals, wedge-tailed eagle, peregrine falcon, short-billed correllas, zebra finches, budgerigars, apostle birds and magpies can also be found here.

I got a kick out of reading about the Grey-headed Swamphen in Wikipedia: “The grey-headed swamphen was introduced to North America in the late 1990s due to avicultural escapes in the Pembroke Pines, Florida area. State wildlife biologists attempted to eradicate the birds, but they have multiplied and can now be found in many areas of central and southern Florida. Ornithological authorities consider it likely that the swamphen will become an established part of Florida's avifauna.” Well, those authorities were certainly right as these guys are seem pretty much omnipresent in wetland areas in the parts of southern and central Florida that I regularly explore. Fortunately, they are good looking. (Grey-headed or Purple Swamphen – Porphyrio poliocephalus) (Sony a1M2, 400mm lens with 1.4 extender providing 560mm, 1/2000 second, f/4, ISO 1250)

The Common Myna is readily identified by the bare yellow patch behind the eye. The bill and legs are bright yellow. It obeys Gloger's rule in that the birds from northwestern India tend to be paler than their darker counterparts in southern India. Sadly in Australia, the birds are wrongly considered as an invasive pest with the result that there have been attempts to eradicate them.

I spent a day watching these beautiful raptors hunting over the Pacific Ocean and got an appreciation for the Courage, Capability, and Clarity of Purpose exhibited by Peregrine Falcons.

Powerful and fast-flying, the Peregrine Falcon hunts medium-sized birds, dropping down on them from high above in a spectacular stoop.

They were virtually eradicated from eastern North America by pesticide poisoning in the middle 20th century. After significant recovery efforts, Peregrine Falcons have made an incredible rebound and are now regularly seen in many large cities and coastal areas.

Peregrine Falcons are very strong fliers and often reported to be the fastest bird in the world. Their average cruising flight speed is 24 to 33 mph, increasing to 67 mph when in pursuit of prey. When stooping, or dropping on prey with their wings closed, it's been calculated that Peregrine Falcons can achieve speeds of 238 mph.

When hunting, Peregrines start by watching from a high perch or by flapping slowly or soaring at great height. Stoops begin 300 to 3,000 feet above their prey and end either by grabbing the prey or by striking it with the feet hard enough to stun or kill it. They then catch the bird and bite through the neck to kill it.

Peregrine Falcons do have other hunting methods, including level pursuit, picking birds out of large flocks, and occasionally even hunting on the ground. Though the Peregrine Falcon is an elite predator, it does have its own predators, including Gyrfalcons, Eagles, Great Horned Owls, and other Peregrines.

(Sony, 200-600 @ 600 mm, 1/500 @ f/7.1, ISO 125, edited to taste)

Please, no invitations to award/forced comment groups or to those with large/animated comment codes.

The Julia butterfly is a species of brush-footed (or nymphalid) butterfly. The sole representative of its genus Dryas, it is native from Brazil to southern Texas and Florida, and in summer can sometimes be found as far north as eastern Nebraska.

This butterfly is a fast flier and frequents clearings, paths, and margins of forests and woodlands. It feeds on the nectar of flowers, such as lantanas and shepherd's-needle, and the tears of caiman, the eye of which the butterfly irritates to produce tears. Its caterpillar feeds on leaves of passion vines, including Passiflora affinis and yellow passionflower in Texas.

As a diurnal species of butterfly that is quite active during the day, Julia butterfly are often found in butterfly houses. One butterfly house in Phuket, Thailand, obtained Julia butterflies, specifically Dryas iulia moderata from an exporter butterfly farm in Costa Rica and released them during Buddhist ceremonies and weddings. The released butterflies have now colonized areas of Thailand and Malaysia and established a wild population. D. iulia are now too widespread in the region to eradicate. They feed on invasive Passiflora species around its invasive range, usually Passiflora suberosa and sometimes Passiflora foetida. (Wikipedia)

-------------------

I admired this lovely butterfly as we walked the trails and took several photos. I was surprised and dismayed though to discover that it was introduced and considered invasive. At least it eats invasive plants in the same region.

Thab Prik-Nong Kok, Krabi, Thailand. February 2025.

Rockjumper Birding Tours.

Denis Island, Seychelles

This is a male. Not the most colourful Fody (a family of birds related to Weavers), but endemic to the Seychelles, only occurring on 6 small islands. It was reintroduced to Denis in 2004 following the eradication of rats.

On July 11-12 1943, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) began a coordinated action to exterminate Polish civilians in the Volhynia, a region which was part of Poland until 1939.

In 1943-1945, around 100,000 Polish people were murdered in what is now Western Ukraine. The anti-Polish actions reached their climax on July 11, 1943, when Ukrainian nationalists attacked Polish citizens living in around 150 towns and villages. People present at houses of worship at that time were killed and around 50 Catholic churches were burnt to the ground.

According to historians, around 200,000 Polish nationals were killed in the massacre, including 40,000-60,000 in Volhynia and 20,000-40,000 in Eastern Galicia, and at least 4,000 on the territory of today's Poland.

The genocide conducted on Poles is remembered also because of severe brutality of the perpetrators. Victims were often tortured, mutilated and maimed by Ukrainians. There are reports of people being cut alive with saws, scythes, murdered with pitchforks and other tools, as well as cases of impalements.

The term “Volhynia massacre” not only concerns mass murders in Volhynia but also in the then Polish provinces of Lwów, Tarnopolskie, Stanisławowskie, Lubelskie and Poleskie. Even though the Volhynia massacre was an act of “ethnic cleansing,” it meets the definition of genocide, because its purpose was to completely eradicate the Polish ethnic group in Volhynia.

The National Day of Remembrance of Victims of Genocide perpetrated by Ukrainian nationalists on citizens of the Second Republic of Poland was established by the Polish parliament in July 2016.

I have spent some considerable time lately on a Buckthorn eradication effort on my property. Buckthorn is a tree species originally introduced as an ornamental (some 40 years ago) which is now widely considered an invasive species in the midwest. It is a hardwood with interesting grain and color. I found this natural heart shape in one of the cut stumps - it is about 3 inches in diameter.

Beauty in all things in nature - even an invasive species.

De Pere, Wisconsin USA

“That we find a crystal or a poppy beautiful means that we are less alone, that we are more deeply inserted into existence than the course of a single life would lead us to believe.”

- John Berger

To my fellow crystal and the jewel in our crown … my Sister and my dearest Friend … my fellow Nikonians … who remind me to always face the sun and let the shadows fall behind me and to my wonderful friend who even on the bluest of my days, brings the warmth of the Summer sun into my heart … to my Family <3 Special dedication to my sister's and my new friend who restores my faith in human nature with his kindness and understanding. All aboard for a fantastic voyage … ; 0))

Soundtrack : www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lyve_egY8o

THESE ARE THE DAYS – VAN MORRISON

The fragility of roses, aconites and poppies too

the fragrance so delicate as memories of you

the perfume wafts through the warm Summer air

and settles in the palm of my hand

another gentle breeze and it is on it's way

maybe to the Pacific, who knows; who can say

to the waters as blue as a Himalayan poppy

to the land where tranquil emerald waterfalls flow

I listen to the silent notes

that exist between your hearts and mine

to the melody that runs through me;

to the tunes that I know

those precious echoes through time and space

no distance can dim their warm and gentle beat

or eradicate the sweet aroma you leave behind

that fills my nostrils with it's heady scent

I crush the petals beneath my bare feet

those velvet-coated ones that fell down

they will return to the soft furrows of this earth

enriching it and waiting for another such precious moment in time

when the seasons change and a chill may be felt

still my memories will keep me warm and icy days will gently melt

and pictures in the log fire will incite my imagination

making vivid all those good times that we had

and all those moments we've still yet to come

Our journey takes us far and wide

the boat docks at many a distant shore

where friends we loved became our Family

and deeper than a blood-tie we are bound together

sailing to the warm Pacific

to the Eastern land of all our dreams

where we will take cups of tea on camomile lawns

where a little rabbit plays happily with many cats

the sharp edges of reality once keenly felt

now softened by the fresh painted sweeps of an apricot dawn

and walk along the shores of a tranquil turquoise sea

with honey-combed rocks and distant mountain peaks

sweet cakes of all kinds and endless cups of tea

where all dreams come true and we no longer need seek

I will sing to you sweet lullabies that will lull you to sleep

and when you awake in the morning

the flowers will smell as sweet as all of our memories

and keepsakes will be tied with silk and velvet ribbons

sprinkled with rose water and wrapped within faded pages of lemon

and brought out when spirits need reviving

so that always when you sip your sweet cups of tea

you will keep me safe in your hearts my friends … my Family

and I will keep you in mine for all of eternity.

- AP - Copyright © remains with and is the intellectual property of the author

Copyright © protected image please do not reproduce without permission

My artwork is a compilation of 3 of my photographs.

Red Squirrel - Sciurus Vulgaris

Highlands, Scotland.

The red squirrel is found in both coniferous forest and temperate broadleaf woodlands. The squirrel makes a drey (nest) out of twigs in a branch-fork, forming a domed structure about 25 to 30 cm in diameter. This is lined with moss, leaves, grass and bark. Tree hollows and woodpecker holes are also used. The red squirrel is a solitary animal and is shy and reluctant to share food with others. However, outside the breeding season and particularly in winter, several red squirrels may share a drey to keep warm. Social organization is based on dominance hierarchies within and between sexes; although males are not necessarily dominant to females, the dominant animals tend to be larger and older than subordinate animals, and dominant males tend to have larger home ranges than subordinate males or females.

Red squirrels that survive their first winter have a life expectancy of 3 years. Individuals may reach 7 years of age, and 10 in captivity. Survival is positively related to availability of autumn–winter tree seeds; on average, 75–85% of juveniles die during their first winter, and mortality is approximately 50% for winters following the first.

Although not thought to be under any threat worldwide, the red squirrel has nevertheless drastically reduced in number in the United Kingdom; especially after the grey squirrels were introduced from North America in the 1870s. Fewer than 140,000 individuals are thought to be left in 2013; approximately 85% of which are in Scotland, with the Isle of Wight being the largest haven in England. A local charity, the Wight Squirrel Project,[26] supports red squirrel conservation on the island, and islanders are actively recommended to report any invasive greys. The population decrease in Britain is often ascribed to the introduction of the eastern grey squirrel from North America, but the loss and fragmentation of its native woodland habitat has also played a role.

In January 1998, eradication of the non-native North American grey squirrel began on the North Wales island of Anglesey. This facilitated the natural recovery of the small remnant red squirrel population. It was followed by the successful reintroduction of the red squirrel into the pine stands of Newborough Forest. Subsequent reintroductions into broadleaved woodland followed and today the island has the single largest red squirrel population in Wales. Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour is also populated exclusively by red rather than grey squirrels (approximately 200 individuals).

One of my favorite flowers

NZ has a plan to eradicate it, which is an invasive plants.....Yes, it's all over in many fields.

DME 4002 and 6367 are swimming up river with H19 near Lakeview. Up ahead they will stop in town to complete some work. 4002 was painted up for the DME's 20th Anniversary and unfortunately lost its decal not long after CP entered the scene. In less than a handful of years, Blue and Gold would be completely eradicated from CP.

This spot was colloquially known as Ball's Basin; a moniker given for a well-known Twin Cities railfan who frequented this spot. I haven't been up this way in a while, but I'd hedge a bet that this spot has grown in again.

The path our icebreaker had cut in the ice closied seconds after we passed on our way to open seas eradicating traces of our visit.

But being a wildlife photographer is almost as good… gets me out in Nature; nothing better !!

Listening to Toby Keith, who sadly passed this week.

________________________

The Peregrine Falcon:

Powerful and fast-flying, the Peregrine Falcon hunts medium-sized birds, dropping down on them from high above in a spectacular stoop.

They were virtually eradicated from eastern North America by pesticide poisoning in the middle 20th century. After significant recovery efforts, Peregrine Falcons have made an incredible rebound and are now regularly seen in many large cities and coastal areas.

Peregrine Falcons are very strong fliers and often reported to be the fastest bird in the world. Their average cruising flight speed is 24 to 33 mph, increasing to 67 mph when in pursuit of prey.

When stooping, or dropping on prey with their wings closed, it's been calculated that Peregrine Falcons can achieve speeds of 238 mph.

When hunting, Peregrines start by watching from a high perch or by flapping slowly or soaring at great height. Stoops begin 300–3,000 feet above their prey and end either by grabbing the prey or by striking it with the feet hard enough to stun or kill it. They then catch the bird and bite through the neck to kill it.

Peregrine Falcons do have other hunting methods, including level pursuit, picking birds out of large flocks, and occasionally even hunting on the ground. Though the Peregrine Falcon is an elite predator, it does have its own predators, including Gyrfalcons, eagles, Great Horned owls, and other Peregrines.

(Sony, 200-600 @ 600 mm, 1/2000 @ f/6.3. ISO 1600, edited to taste)

Owens dry lake.

Long story short. . .

After extracting ground water from this valley for almost one hundred years (essentially draining this lake) the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power launched a "dust mitigation" project in 2001. This was the result of a lawsuit brought by the people of Inyo County to eradicate the problem of blowing dust in this area.

[there used to live Ivy]

The beautiful Wandi the Dingo, the miracle “Dingo who fell from the sky” was found in a residents backyard in Wandiligong in Northern Victoria, with claw marks in his back, most likely having been dropped after being taken by a bird of prey.

After DNA testing, Wandi was indeed found to be a 100% pure Alpine Dingo, our most vulnerable Dingo, and now lives at the Dingo Discovery Sanctuary near Toolern Vale with his gorgeous partner Hermione.

Wandi’s amazing story has done a lot to help the cause of the Dingo Discovery Sanctuary who are dedicated to saving our country’s apex predator from reckless governments who insist on attempting to eradicate them via cruel shooting and baiting programs.

Wandi can be found on Instagram @wandi_dingo where he now has over 47,000 followers.

Three years ago I posted a photo of this flower still in bud (www.flickr.com/photos/87453322@N00/45799333455/in/photoli...). The darkness of January is today upon us as it was then but this photo shows the flowers more fully. Something of a gift on this first day of the opening of the Hortus after our strict lockdown.

Since 2019 I've learned a bit more about the history of our plant and its first describers. On the basis of their scientific description in 1914, I gathered it had been collected in July 1910 by Perrier de la Bâthie himself; but possibly those words are by Raymond-Hamet, Perrier's co-author. Another source says it had been sent to Perrier by the collector-duo Madame and Monsieur Daigremont; and thus it was named for them.

Joseph Marie Henry Alfred Perrrier de la Bâthie (1873-1958) was indeed an intrepid plant collector himself. He'd made his way to Madagascar in the wake of France's annexation of that island in 1896 (after the long Franco-Hova colonial wars since 1883). Initially he was a geologist ( in search of gold). Later he became an adviser to the colonial authorities about anything to do with nature. He is today known as a naturalist and also a conservationist, But much as he loved nature, he attempted to set it to colonial standards. He went so far as to introduce an insect, a cochinella, Dactylopius sp., to southern Madagascar in 1923 to eradicate Opuntia raketa (Prickly Pear) that made colonial farming difficult. The native population, though, needed that plant as fodder for their cattle. The plant gone, a terrible famine ensued killing half of the indigenous people of the area.

It's a chilling history described in detail by Karen Middleton, 'Who killed Malagasy Cactus?', Ethnohistory 25 (1999), 215-248.

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At the butterfly pavilion, in the hatchery. I wasn't able to spot a tag which denoted the type of moth. Took me a long time to eradicate the artifacts from shooting through glass.

Thank you [https://www.flickr.com/photos/58905205@N07] for finding the genus and species!

Referred to as living fossils, they are the only living genus of a class of plants over 100 million years old, which formed Paleozoic forests so predominant in coal. They reproduce by spores and once established are very difficult to eradicate. A fascinating plant.

Alaskan Lupins were introduced to Iceland to help stabilize the erosion of the poor soils there. The lupins have adapted to their new environment so well, that some now think that they are a weed and should be eradicated! Nonetheless, they are beautiful and enhance the landscape.

For a high resolution full screen view of my photos, please visit: www.pictographica.net

UPDATED: 14th August, 2017

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👫*Pose: "Photolovers" Goodbye Covid!

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It would appear that we are finally eradicating this fucking Covid!

Are you ready to travel free again? We are!

So Goodbye Covid!

I wish you all to return to live a happy life, always carrying with us the memory of the thousands of victims

Not to forget ❤️

A special thank you to these beautiful girls!

Gypsy moth. Our native UK strain went extinct in the early 1900s. A local population of the destructive European species was discovered when they were building Fairford Leys estate around 2003 - eggs were probably imported in on timber. Pheromone traps were used in an unsuccessful attempt to attract and eradicate them.

The caterpillars are incredibly destructive, their hairs can be an irritant...and birds don't like the taste of them. But they look cute!

www.thoughtco.com/how-the-gypsy-moth-came-to-americ…

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asclepias_syriaca

It's hard to believe that Milkweed used to be considered a troublesome WEED in America. For many decades it was eradicated from the sides of railroad tracks and auto routes. It took 50 years or more for authorities to reverse that practice. Now there are big efforts to bring it back, mainly because it was realized that it is the mainstay of Monarch butterlies!! Here, it is being nurtured in a botanical garden.