View allAll Photos Tagged February2018
Another of the Cresties taken a couple of weeks ago whilst up in the Highlands - taken in woodland on the Black Isle.
At Mocoa, Putumayo, Colombia.
The Yellow-rumped Cacique (Cacicus cela) is a large beautiful icterid that is resident east of the Andes and through Amazonia in northern South America. They are about 28 cm long (11.5 inches). The Yellow-rumped Cacique is easily identified by its light colored bill, striking blue eyes, and bright yellow rump and wing epaulets that make strong contrast against the black plumage. It is a colonial breeder with up to 100 individual hanging nests in a single large tree.
. . . Here is another crystal ball photo for a local camera club competition. I did not submit this one in the contest because I thought the two I submitted (including the Christm
as Tree from yesterday) were better shots. This rose (from Lauri Forbes shop in Kalkaska) was just placed behind the ball on the kitchen countertop, with some lights surrounding it.
One of three photos taken from the 34th floor of our building as the fog has begun to lift today in Toronto. Best seen large by clicking on the photo.
Thanks for visiting and sharing my sky photos - free entertainment!
It maybe a bit late and it may not be the full Super Moon, but it's the nearest I got. Plus I was getting very cold hands out there!!
Actually taken at 00:01:52 am this morning!!
Better viewed large and thank you for your favourites. :O)
This is Knock Bay with the ruins of Knock Castle perched up on top the cliff, Knock Castle isn't much to look at, just a three walls left, and crumbling piles of rocks. I only kept the photo because I love the sky, I've always had a thing about clouds and these are pretty splendid.
Knock Castle, also known as Caisteal Chamuis (Castle Camus) is a former stronghold of the MacDonalds. It lies on the east coast of Sleat, approximately 5 miles north of Armadale on the Isle of Skye, south of Cnoc Uaine, on the eastern side of Knock Bay. Currently the castle is in ruins; it consists of an old 15th century keep of which one part, a window, remains to some height with traces of later buildings.
The castle was constructed by the Clan MacLeod and later captured by the Clan MacDonald in the late 15th century. Ownership of the castle passed between the two clans several times. It was remodelled in 1596 by the MacDonalds. By 1689 the castle was abandoned and started to decay. Most of the stones were then used for nearby buildings.
It is claimed by tradition that the castle is haunted by a Green Lady, a gruagach - a ghost associated with the fortunes of the family who occupy the castle. The ghost will appear happy if good news is to come; if there is bad news she will weep. The castle is also said to have had a glaistig, a spirit which is said to have a particular concern with caring for the livestock.
One of three photos taken from the 34th floor of our building as the fog has begun to lift today in Toronto. Best seen large by clicking on the photo.
Thanks for visiting and sharing my sky photos - free entertainment!
Valle del Cauca, Colombia along the old road to Buenaventura,
The Rufous-throated Tanager (Tangara rufigula) has a relatively limited range in the West Andes of Colombia and into northwest Ecuador. It is found in humid forests up to 1,800 meters (6,000 feet) above sea level. It is relatively common over most of its range. It feeds on both insects and small fruits.
. . . This historic farm house and barns are well known to most Michiganders. In my latest attempt to take the viewer right there, here is a 10 shot vertical panorama from east (the open field) to west (Sleeping Bear sand dunes). I am beginning to see some limitations to my pano obsession, in that the combined file size was 517 MB, almost overwhelming Lightroom and my laptop!
Have a great week Facebook, Flickr, and 500px friends!
Disney Cruise Line ~ Key West Harbor
The Florida Keys ~ Key West, Florida U.S.A.
(six more harbor 'cruise-ship photos' in the comments)
*******************************************************************************
"Disney Magic" is a cruise ship owned and operated by the Disney Cruise Line, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. She has 11 public decks, can accommodate 2,700 passengers in 875 staterooms, and has a crew of approximately 950. The interior of Disney Magic is decorated in the Art Deco style. She has twenty bright yellow lifeboats which, along with the black, red, and white colors of the ship itself, match the colors of Mickey Mouse. This change from the standard safety orange took a waiver of international maritime rules. As with other Disney cruise ships, the ship's horn blast plays an excerpt from Disney's famous flagship tune, "When You Wish upon a Star". 984 ft
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney_Magic
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_West,_Florida
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_keys
2nd Place Competition Winner - February 2018
Sitting By The Dock Of The Bay Group
In the Department of Caldas, Colombia in the rain.
The Golden-crowned Tanager is fairly common in thick bushes and borders of low, dense mossy forest and especially near stunted treeline vegetation, usually at altitudes between 2800 and 3800 meters. This image was taken at about 3600 meters.
The Andean Emerald (Amazilia franciae) inhabits forest edges in the Andes Mountains of Colombia, Ecuador and Northern Peru. This species measures about 9 cm (3.6 inches) in length. They are fairly common in Colombia from 1,000 to 2,200 meters (3,280 to 7,200 feet) above sea level. This image was taken near Manizales, Colombia at about 2,200 meters above sea level..
4th February 2018:
So it's Sunday .... Dinner.
We somehow or other ended up having our usual Sunday lunch at dinner time this evening. We used to from time to time, but have been having lunch far more over the last few years.
Not that it mattered as it was still delicious and beautifully cooked by Graham, as usual.
We had roast pork, roast potatoes with leeks and gravy. If you're wondering where the apple sauce is, we had a whoops there. Both of us thought there was some in the freezer ... there wasn't. :0(
Oh, one small point, I tidied the dining table in the week and managed to take this photo without the clutter getting in the way. Now, all I need to do is keep it tidy!
Better viewed large and thank you for your favourites. :O)
I loved driving around Strathaird Peninsula, beautiful scenery, snow-capped mountains, great narrow winding roads, loads of sheep, highland cattle, horses and birds of prey. I think it was my favourite peninsula.
Strathaird is the peninsula on the south coast of the Isle of Skye that lies between Loch Slapin and Loch Scavaig. The smallest and least populated of the main peninsulas, it is reached via the scenic B8083 road which winds its way through the Red Cuillin Hills, around the head of Loch Slapin and through the hamlets of Torrin, Kirkibost and Elgol.
With rocky cliffs, sea caves, the Small Isles offshore and abundant marine wildlife - including White-tailed Eagle and Otter - the coastal scenery is a real attraction. But perhaps even better than this, the west of Strathaird provides the best views possible into the Black Cuillins, Britain's most ferocious mountains.
Spring Flowers. Daffodils in Cabinteely Park, Dublin, Ireland. Cabinteely House is in background
Flickr Explore 20th February 2018 - My 5th Explore of 2018 and Explore number 30 in total, since my first in March 2015
Smell is a potent wizard that transports you across thousands of miles and all the years you have lived. ~Helen Keller
The landlord of the house we rented had a friend with a boat who took us out for the day, we saw 3 pods of dolphins swimming around Le Mourne Brabant Mountain, which came right up to our boat (photos to come), and then we had a freshly caught lunch of lobster on the uninhabited island of Île Aux Bénitiers, on this beach. Such a perfect day. :-)
The Bénitiers Island is found a little off the west coast of Mauritius. To reach it you will need some kind of boat transportation. It is easily reached from Tamarin/Black River, Case Noyale or Le Morne.
The first things you see when you reach the island is usually the rocky formation (Crystal Rock) coming out of the sea, looking like a clam shell (Bénitier) from where the island takes its name. There used to be a second similar one, which is no longer there unfortunately. The most beautiful beach of the island is found facing the ocean. From that beach, there is a beautiful view of Le Morne on the left side. The sea is usually shallow and pleasant to sit or lie into for a relaxing time.
This is the cloesest to land side of the island and the sand is a bit boggy, which means it seems to be completely left to nature and unused by humans, we saw lots of wading birds and there's loads of small fish fry in the shallow waters. It's also stunningly beautiful.
Le Morne Brabant is a peninsula at the extreme southwestern tip of the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius on the windward side of the island. It is highlighted by an eponymous basaltic monolith with a summit 556 metres (1,824 ft) above sea level. The summit covers an area of over 12 hectares (30 acres). There are many caves and overhangs on the steep slopes. It is largely surrounded by a lagoon and is a well-known tourist attraction. It is also a refuge for two rare plants, the Mandrinette and the Boucle d'Oreille.
The peninsula was notorious in the early 19th century as a refuge for runaway slaves. After the abolition of slavery in Mauritius, on 1 February 1835 a police expedition was despatched there ostensibly to inform the slaves that they had been freed. At the time the slaves had been using Le Morne summit for many years as a look-out point to spot military despatches from Port Louis being sent to re-capture them. On previous occasions when these attempts had been carried out they had been spotted by the look-outs, the warning issued to the rest of the slaves who chose to leap to their deaths from the rock, (into the area now known as 'The Valley of Bones'), rather than be recaptured back into slavery. This final expedition was carried out in full knowledge of what had happened previously and can only be understood as an extremely vindictive act by the colonial authorities following abolition. Since then the date is celebrated (particularly by Mauritian creoles) as the Annual Commemoration of the Abolition of Slavery. Le Morne is a World Heritage Site and has a monument to the slaves at the base of the rock which is quite moving and well worth a visit. The monument includes an inscription of this extract from the poem "Le Morne Territoire Marron" by Richard Sedley Assonne; "There were hundreds of them, but my people the maroons chose the kiss of death over the chains of slavery. Never must we forget their noble deed, written in the pages of history for the sake of humanity".
The peninsula of Le Morne benefits from a micro-climate. Le Morne Brabant Mountain was submitted to the candidate list of the World Heritage sites in 2003. In 2008, the nomination process concluded when UNESCO inscribed the site on the World Heritage List.
The other side of this island.
Red!
Mosaic
Taken and created in Orange County, California. © 2017 All Rights Reserved.
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3rd February 2018:
The other day when I filled my milk jug up I noticed the bubbles and decided then to try for a bubble photo.
Not quite as easy as it looked as the bubbles kept popping too fast!
Better viewed large and thank you for your favourites. :O)
Our first evening in Klamath Falls we took a drive around the Lower Klamath Reserve. When we got to the back and were driving along the Pheasants in the reeds along the road decided to go to the adjacent field. The numbers had to be in the hundreds. It was AMAZING! I tried tirelessly to get a good shot, yet mostly without success even with so many opportunities. We only saw the large numbers one time, but had many others chances when 10 or so would fly out as we drove along. Finally this guy took a different route than the others and I had more time to focus. It was thrilling to finally get one that wasn't a blur.
At long last they've replaced the bench that got destroyed when some idiot drove into the garden wall.
Graham and Rufus are delighted, as it means they can sit down again when out for a walk, and it does look so much better now it's back.
Better viewed large and thank you for your favourites. :O)
When driving to Elgol to passed this beautiful snow-capped mountain and just had to stop and photo it.
Beinn na Caillich (732 metres), west of Broadford on the isle of Skye, is one of the Red Hills, or Red Cuillin. Its name is translated into English as Hill of the Old Woman. It is often referred to locally simply as The Beinn.
The summit is adorned by an especially large cairn, reputedly marking the site where Saucy Mary, a Norwegian princess and former resident of Castle Moil in Kyleakin, is buried. Local legend claims that she was buried at the top of the mountain so that she could face the land of her birth forever. An alternative version of events suggests the monument was dedicated to "a gigantic woman in the days of Fingal". Thomas Pennant climbed the hill while staying with Mackinnon of Corriechatachan (or Corry); Samuel Johnson and James Boswell did not.
The landlord of the house we rented had a friend with a boat who took us out for the day, we saw 3 pods of dolphins swimming around Le Mourne Brabant Mountain, which came right up to our boat (photos to come), and then we had a freshly caught lunch of lobster on the uninhabited island of Île Aux Bénitiers, on this beach. Such a perfect day. :-)
The Bénitiers Island is found a little off the west coast of Mauritius. To reach it you will need some kind of boat transportation. It is easily reached from Tamarin/Black River, Case Noyale or Le Morne.
The first things you see when you reach the island is usually the rocky formation (Crystal Rock) coming out of the sea, looking like a clam shell (Bénitier) from where the island takes its name. There used to be a second similar one, which is no longer there unfortunately. The most beautiful beach of the island is found facing the ocean. From that beach, there is a beautiful view of Le Morne on the left side. The sea is usually shallow and pleasant to sit or lie into for a relaxing time.
Le Morne Brabant is a peninsula at the extreme southwestern tip of the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius on the windward side of the island. It is highlighted by an eponymous basaltic monolith with a summit 556 metres (1,824 ft) above sea level. The summit covers an area of over 12 hectares (30 acres). There are many caves and overhangs on the steep slopes. It is largely surrounded by a lagoon and is a well-known tourist attraction. It is also a refuge for two rare plants, the Mandrinette and the Boucle d'Oreille.
The peninsula was notorious in the early 19th century as a refuge for runaway slaves. After the abolition of slavery in Mauritius, on 1 February 1835 a police expedition was despatched there ostensibly to inform the slaves that they had been freed. At the time the slaves had been using Le Morne summit for many years as a look-out point to spot military despatches from Port Louis being sent to re-capture them. On previous occasions when these attempts had been carried out they had been spotted by the look-outs, the warning issued to the rest of the slaves who chose to leap to their deaths from the rock, (into the area now known as 'The Valley of Bones'), rather than be recaptured back into slavery. This final expedition was carried out in full knowledge of what had happened previously and can only be understood as an extremely vindictive act by the colonial authorities following abolition. Since then the date is celebrated (particularly by Mauritian creoles) as the Annual Commemoration of the Abolition of Slavery. Le Morne is a World Heritage Site and has a monument to the slaves at the base of the rock which is quite moving and well worth a visit. The monument includes an inscription of this extract from the poem "Le Morne Territoire Marron" by Richard Sedley Assonne; "There were hundreds of them, but my people the maroons chose the kiss of death over the chains of slavery. Never must we forget their noble deed, written in the pages of history for the sake of humanity".
The peninsula of Le Morne benefits from a micro-climate. Le Morne Brabant Mountain was submitted to the candidate list of the World Heritage sites in 2003. In 2008, the nomination process concluded when UNESCO inscribed the site on the World Heritage List.
The other side of this island.
This is St Michael in the East Yorkshire village of Skidby, A rather small village church made from various materials tells a story of alterations, repairs and rebuilds over the years. It occupies a small plot of land with the main village road laid around the grave yard.
25th February 2018:
It's Sunday so it's Sunday lunch. We had roast chicken, roast potatoes served with Asian stir fry, which is delicious.
Better viewed large and thank you for your favourites. :O)
First Daffodils of Season
Chesterfield County, Virginia
Continuing along the path to early spring marked three weeks ago with a photo of our first crocuses of 2018, we now daffodils in bloom. Actually, the several clumps of daffodils at the corner or our lot have been in bloom for a couple of days. It was nearing the sunset hour on an overcast day, so I used a UV filter rather than a CPOL, and used the 100-400mm lens hand-held. Perhaps I didn't go out for photos earlier because I didn't want to be reminded that leaves have continued to accumulate since they were raked and bagged earlier.
Press "L" for larger image, on black
Photographed in our rented accommodation’s garden in Mauritius. This bird had us in stitches of laughter every day with his antics. He was fascinated by his reflection in the car windscreen and spent many an hour a day flying up and attacking the windscreen, and then sliding back down again, then flying around to the wing mirrors and attacking them too. His territory was our accommodation garden and he’d attack any small bird that tried to come into his garden. He was a joy to watch. I miss him.
The Red Fody (Foudia Madagascariensis), sometimes known as the Madagascar fody, red cardinal fody or common fody, is a small bird native to Madagascar and introduced to various other islands in the Indian Ocean.
The red fody is about 5 inches (13 cm) in length and weighs 14–19 grams (0.49–0.67 oz). The male of the species is bright red with black markings around each eye. Its wings and tail are olive-brown. Its underparts are also red, which distinguishes it from other fodies in areas where it has been introduced. The female fody's upper parts are olive-brown and its underparts are greyish brown.
The red fody feeds largely on seeds, especially grass seeds, and insects, but several other foodstuffs are also taken; these include fruit, nectar, household scraps and copra.
Outside the breeding season, this bird is gregarious. As the breeding season approaches, males establish territories, about 30 m (100 ft) in diameter. The birds are monogamous, and the male starts building the nest in the centre of the territory before courtship commences, with nests being stered together in loose colonies. The nest is globular with a side entrance and porch or short tube. It is constructed, mostly by the male, out of rootlets, tendrils, grasses and other long strands of vegetation, woven together. The nest takes around eight days to build, and many get abandoned if the male fails to attract a mate.
Mount Baker near Bellingham, WA as seen across the border in White Rock, BC. Taken on the White Rock Pier.
February 2018
078 passes the 11 3/4 milepost while approaching Beauparc with the 09:20 Tara Mines-North Wall laden Zinc Ore train. Beauparc, located on the Drogheda-Navan Branch was opened on the 1st of September 1850 by the Dublin and Drogheda Junction Railway. It lost its passenger service in 1958 but Gypsum trains from Kingscourt kept the line opened. Zinc Ore trains started to operate in 1977 from Tara Mines in Navan to Dublin Port. There are 3 Laden trains per day scheduled Monday to Friday, but usually only one Laden train runs on fridays. The Tara Mines are the heaviest trains to operate in Ireland ,each wagon when Laden weighs about 75 tonnes which can make a full Laden train over 900 tonnes. Today these trains are the only reason the line has remained opened.
This was taken on Foggy morning in February, 2018. The refuge is located within the towns of Ayer and Shirley, Massachusetts. Within half an hour, the fog in the area had lifted.