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Like many people I've been trying new things in the last couple of weeks including exploring the photographic opportunities in my back garden by reinstating my garden hide, attempting to attract different species and nocmigging (recording birds at night). All have been really successful, although the last one doesn't provide any photos unfortunately! Emperor moths are one species I have always wanted to photograph and so I bought a pheromone lure in the hope they would visit. The day before this one came into the garden I had been walking around some local fields and one flew right in front of me so I knew they were in the area. When this one did come into the garden I initially thought it was a butterfly but then the realisation dawned and I was able to finally get some photos of this stunning moth
An accurate astronomical observatory.
Like other platforms on the island, including the lone moai of the Ahu Huri a Urenga, the Ahu Akivi was built following a precise astronomical orientation. In this way they controlled the change of seasons and the most appropriate times for agricultural tasks.
In Akivi the axis of the platform was oriented from north to south, getting the faces of the moai look exactly at the point where the sun sets during the equinox of the austral spring (September 21st) and their backs face the sun of the dawn during the autumn equinox (March 21st).
***
The best time to visit and take pictures is at sunset, which is when the setting sun illuminates the seven statues and highlights their features.
***
The legend of the seven explorers:
In the recent literature on Akivi, the seven statues of the platform are related with the seven young people who were sent to explore the island before its first colonization by King Hotu Matu’a.
A legend says that Hau Maka, the priest of Hotu Matu’a had a dream in which his soul flew across the ocean when he sighted the island. Next, he sent seven explorers sailing through the sea to locate the island, study its conditions and the best area to disembark.
Although the idea that the legend was remembered in stone is attractive, it seems that it can not be true. The moai statues belong to a quite late sculptural period, after the year 1440 AD and historians consider the hypothesis that the first settlers arrived on the island towards the fifth century, so they rule out a possible relationship between both facts.
The restoration that boosted Rapa Nui:
Ahu Akivi was the first ahu to be restored after a small group of islanders, at the request of Thor Heyerdahl, erected the statue of the Ahu Ature Huki on the beach of Anakena in 1956. As a member of that Norwegian expedition was the American anthropologist William Mulloy, who from then on would devote a large part of his life to studying the mysteries of Easter Island.
The reconstruction work in Ahu Akivi began in March 1960 and continued until October of that year. William Mulloy and his Chilean colleague Gonzalo Figueroa worked with an archeologic team of 25 Rapanui people in various phases of excavation and reconstruction. This was the first serious archaeological excavation and the first complete restoration of a ceremonial site in Rapa Nui.
The works were done with hardly any material means, they only used wooden poles, stones and a pair of oxen. But with perseverance, ingenuity and effort they achieved their goal. To raise and place the first moai, they used a stone ramp and two large wooden levers. This operation took a month. However, after perfecting the technique and with the experience gained, it took less than a week to raise the seventh statue.
When the work was finished, Father Sebastian Englert himself gave the blessing at a very emotional opening ceremony. After 150 years the islanders could observe again several moai standing on an ahu.
The restoration of Ahu Akivi is considered a turning point in Rapa Nui. From that moment, other works of restoration of more platforms began. The Ahu Akivi was followed by the ahu of Hanga Kio’e, Tahai, Anakena and Tongariki. The ancient platforms regained their former glory and the small and remote Easter Island attracted the attention of other researchers and travelers. And what is more important, it unleashed a true cultural renaissance, an economic development and a renewed sense of pride in being Rapanui.
The first genuinely cloudless day from dusk til dawn that we have had in two months sees another adventure south after 925, this time getting all the way to the cliffs at Waitati.
Second loco 5097's paint has held up well, being one of the early KiwiRail repaints from 2008 with the horizontal red/grey colour separation. Many of the paint jobs from
Thanks again for the ride, Mr Jokertrekker.
28 Dec 2022, Train 925, DXBs 5022-5097, Katiki, SIMT-NZ
If you look at other frames from along the coast here (including one from last night) I don't think I've ever captured so many vehicles on the South Island's main road in one shot. There is a van with a trailer behind the coal containers too.
Thank you very much for the visits, faves and comments. Cheers.
Splendid Fairy-wren
Scientific Name: Malurus splendens
Description: The breeding plumage of the male is predominantly blue, varying from cobalt-blue in the east of its range to violet-blue in the west.It has black bands at the base of the tail (absent in the violet-blue birds), across the breast and from the beak, through the eyes to join a band across the back of its neck. Its crown and cheek patches are paler blue. Wings and long tail are brown with a blue wash. His beak is black and his legs and feet are brown-grey. In non-breeding plumage, called eclipse, he is very similar to the female, being pale brown above and buff to white underneath although he retains the blue wash on wings and tail. The female does not have the blue wash on her wings, but does have a reddish-tan line from beak to eye that extends into a ring around her eye. Her beak is reddish-tan.
Similar species: The male in breeding plumage is quite distinct but in eclipse he is similar to the males of other fairy-wrens in eclipse. A faint wash of blue on male wings during eclipse distinguishes this species from others. The female is similar to females of other fairy-wren species, but has a bluer tail than most.
Distribution: These birds are widely distributed across Australia in two areas. One area is from about Shark Bay south through WA, through SA except the coast to about the Flinders Ranges and the southern and central parts of NT. The eastern area include SA from the Flinders Ranges, the far north-western tip of Vic, NSW east to about Moree and Balranald and south central Qld.
Habitat: These birds live in arid to semi-arid areas, in mostly dense shrublands or woodlands of acacia, and mallee eucalypt with dense shrubs.
Seasonal movements: These birds are mostly sedentary, defending a territory all year, but the younger females may disperse to another territory. In some areas they are semi-nomadic, depending on local conditions.
Feeding: Like most of the fairy-wrens, Splendid Fairy-wrens eat mostly insects and forage on both the ground and in shrubs. They live in groups which forage together.
Breeding: The Splendid Fairy-wren female builds an oval domed nest of dry grass, strips of bark and rootlets, with an entrance two thirds of the way up one side. The female is the only member of the group to incubate the eggs, but all members of the group feed the chicks.
Calls: A rapid series of slightly metallic, high-pitched pips that blend into an "undulating" call.
Minimum Size: 12cm
Maximum Size: 14cm
Average size: 13cm
Average weight: 9g
Breeding season: mostly September-December, but can extend from August to April
Clutch Size: 2 to 4, mostly 3
Incubation: 15 days
Nestling Period: 11 days
(Source: www.birdsinbackyards.net)
© Chris Burns 2022
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This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded,
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mechanical, photocopying and recording without my written consent.
Artwork ©jackiecrossley
© All rights reserved. This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying & recording without my written permission. This image is not authorised for use on your blogs, pinboards, websites or use in any other way. You may not download this image without written permission from me. Thank you.
**VIVID SPOOKS!!** Vivid Halloween challenge!~
Halloween Challenge - October / November 2020
.. including their gardens in the foreground.
.. Canon 60D
Thanks for looking in! ~ Have a great day!
Another great walk in the Dales yesterday.
A 13 mile circular from Bainbridge, going across to Semer Water Stalling Busk and including an ascent of Addleborough
Certainly one of my favourite areas of the Dales and so beautiful; yet relatively unknown.
Don't tell anyone.
Willow Warbler - Phylloscopus trochilus
It is a bird of open woodlands with trees and ground cover for nesting, including most importantly birch, alder, and willow habitats. The nest is usually built in close contact with the ground, often in low vegetation. Like most Old World warblers (Sylviidae), this small passerine is insectivorous. In northern Europe, it is one of the first warblers to return in the spring though is later than the closely related chiffchaff.
It is a typical leaf warbler in appearance, 11–12.5 cm long and 7–15 g weight. It is greenish brown above and off-white to yellowish below; the wings are plain greenish-brown with no wingbars. Juveniles are yellower below than adults. It is very similar to the chiffchaff, but non-singing birds can be distinguished from that species by their paler pinkish-yellow legs (dark brown to blackish in chiffchaff), longer paler bill, more elegant shape and longer primary projection (wingtip). Its song is a simple repetitive descending whistle, while the contact call is a disyllabic 'hoo-eet', distinct from the more monosyllabic 'hweet' of chiffchaffs.
Willow warblers prefer young, open, scrubby woodland with small trees, including human-altered habitats such as coppice and young plantations up to 10–20 years old. High amounts of birch, alder and willow, with good lichen amounts, and water features (e.g. streams), fields with large amounts of bracken and mosses, and patches of low bramble (for nest cover) are preferred, but it will use a wide range of other species, including young or open coniferous forests. Incorporating woodland ride edge thickets is beneficial, as is 15 metre woodland edges of varying structure and height. They prefer damp woodland areas. Thicket forming shrubs like blackthorn provide pockets of habitat. Deer browsing can degrade the required low cover.
The Junkers Ju 52 (nicknamed Tante Ju ("Aunt Ju") and Iron Annie) is a German trimotor transport aircraft manufactured from 1931 to 1952. It saw both civilian and military service during the 1930s and 1940s. In a civilian role, it flew with over twelve air carriers including Swissair and Deutsche Luft Hansa as an airliner and freight hauler. In a military role, it flew with the Luftwaffe as a troop and cargo transport and briefly as a medium bomber. The Ju 52 continued in postwar service with military and civilian air fleets well into the 1980s.
Outfits, Including Body Suit, SHoes and Jewelry: Eudora3D - Luna
Denna and Allia both wearing heads by Genus Project
125 LINDEN UNTIL TONIGHT
Bens Boutique - Suprema Outfit
including :
- Top
- Jean
- Boots
- Clutch
Demo available @ Mainstore
For Maitreya , Slink All, Belleza All
MP: marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Bens-Boutique-Suprema-Outfit...
STORE: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Heavens%20Gate/151/168/29
Marine life, or sea life or ocean life, is the plants, animals and other organisms that live in the salt water of the sea or ocean, or the brackish water of coastal estuaries. At a fundamental level, marine life affects the nature of the planet. Marine organisms produce oxygen and sequester carbon. Shorelines are in part shaped and protected by marine life, and some marine organisms even help create new land. The term marine comes from the Latin mare, meaning sea or ocean. Most life forms evolved initially in marine habitats. By volume, oceans provide about 90 percent of the living space on the planet. The earliest vertebrates appeared in the form of fish, which live exclusively in water. Some of these evolved into amphibians which spend portions of their lives in water and portions on land. Other fish evolved into land mammals and subsequently returned to the ocean as seals, dolphins or whales. Plant forms such as kelp and algae grow in the water and are the basis for some underwater ecosystems. Plankton forms the general foundation of the ocean food chain, particularly the phytoplankton which are key primary producers. Marine invertebrates exhibit a wide range of modifications to survive in poorly oxygenated waters, including breathing tubes as in mollusc siphons. Fish have gills instead of lungs, although some species of fish, such as the lungfish, have both. Marine mammals, such as dolphins, whales, otters, and seals need to surface periodically to breathe air. There are over 200,000 documented marine species with perhaps two million marine species yet to be documented. Marine species range in size from the microscopic, including phytoplankton which can be as small as 0.02 micrometres, to huge cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises), including the blue whale – the largest known animal reaching 33 metres in length. Marine microorganisms, including protists, bacteria and viruses, constitute about 70% of the total marine biomass. 31227
The Basilica of Saint Dominic & Porto Salvo stands as a beacon of Baroque beauty in the vibrant city of Valletta, Malta. This architectural marvel is a must-visit for any traveler seeking to immerse themselves in the rich tapestry of Maltese history and culture. As you step into the basilica, you are greeted by a breathtaking interior adorned with elaborate frescoes, intricate woodwork, and stunning altarpieces that tell stories of the past. The soft glow of candlelight enhances the spiritual atmosphere, inviting visitors to pause and reflect amidst the artistic splendor.
The basilica is not just a place of worship; it serves as a cultural hub, embodying the historical significance of the Dominican Order in Malta. Here, you can delve into the history of the church and its role in the community, including its dedication to Porto Salvo, the protector of sailors. The serene ambiance makes it an ideal spot for contemplation, and the echoes of prayers and hymns resonate throughout its hallowed spaces.
Your comments and faves are greatly appreciated. Many thanks.
October sunset, Bribie Island looking to Pumistone Passage.
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© Chris Burns 2020
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This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying and recording without my written consent.
*ABSTRAKT*
* maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Crimson%20Heart/121/230/1501 *
💕 KNIFU. x APOTHIC (Collab) 💕
♥ KNIFU. x APOTHIC - * ‘THE 90’s CALLED BEAUTY KIT’ MESH LIPSTICK APPLICATOR AND COMPACT
- INCLUDING 9 BENTO ANIMATION HOLDS / 5 EVOX BOM EYESHADOWS
- 6 EVOX BOM LIPSTICKS
- EVOX BOM VANITY TATTOO *
◘ KNIFU. Store
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Hashira/27/65/3
◘ KNIFU Bloggers
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◘ KNIFU Flickr
www.flickr.com/photos/196296917@N08/ KNIFU.
APOTHIC [ Rebirth ]
Flickr ◘ www.flickr.com/photos/apothicrebirthsl/
Marketplace ◘ marketplace.secondlife.com/fr-FR/stores/108218
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💕 TETRA 💕
♥ TETRA - Cargo pants
♥ TETRA - Off-shoulder leather jacket
♥ Store
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♥ Flickr
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Bindi’s only female kitten. I rescued the litter (including Batman) in March 2014. I Photographed Cleo at 6 weeks old and used this photo to promote “forever” commitments. Bindi and Batman are still with me but the other 3 kittens were adopted by wonderful people and are all thriving. All of my rescues “work” and Batman has just raised $1,660 for the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and he will be a Calendar Boy in their 2016 calendar.
This freshly emerged Antheraea pernyi is known by several common names, including Chinese Tussah Moth, Temperate Tussah Moth and Chinese Oak Silkmoth.
They are originally from southern China. Used for tussah silk (a wild silk) production, they have been distributed more widely across subtropical and tropical Asia. Unlike the domestic silkmoth, which is entirely dependent on human care, tussah silkmoths can survive in the wild if they escape from captivity. The colour and quality of the silk depends on the climate and soil.
This is one of the major producers of tussah silk. It was of commercial importance during the Han Dynasty and early Three Kingdoms era, about 200 BC to 250 AD.
This male has a wingspan of 140mm, is captive bred and emerged on 18.04.2015.
Thanks to everyone who takes the time to view and comment on my photographs – it is greatly appreciated and encouraging!
© Roger Wasley 2015 all rights reserved. Unauthorized use or reproduction for any reason is prohibited.
..especially when she begged and begged me to go outside. (She is the only one of our cats with outdoor privileges.)
It is raining outside, as it was when she ran out. I have opened the door for her to come in a half-dozen times--including immediately after she ran into the rain.
For personal display only !
All other uses, including copying or reproduction of this photograph or its image, in whole or in part, or storage of the image in any medium are expressly forbidden.
Written permission for use of this photograph must be obtained from the copyright holder !
✿Amanda Pose:
Set of 5 poses including a mirror.
✿Hand Pose 01 AD
We also sell hand-only Pose.
This works with the HUD and can be combined
by changing just the hands in other poses.
Personally, it's one of the things I wanted to do after
learning Bento.
✿Nyx Eyes SP AD
Exclusive to the market is the Nyx Eyes SP color set.
Colors are more vibrant than the existing Nyx Eyes
✿Only We Love Roleplay Event
✿TAXI EVENT:http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Riverhunt/129/128/27
✿https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/16105
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✿http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Jokung/237/175/502
✿https://www.flickr.com/photos/30972035@N05/
✿https://www.flickr.com/photos/filomena-quinnell/
Luzzus are essentially traditional Maltese fishing boats. They are typically painted in traditional bright colours including blue,
yellow, red and green. You can normally spot a rather large number of luzzus in Malta’s seaside villages.
There is quite a lot of superstition surrounding the luzzu, the most prominent of them all being the painted or engraved pair of eyes on the front of the boat. These eyes are believed to be a modern survival of an old Phoenician tradition, and are normally referred to as the Eye of Orisis, or the Eye of Horus – the Phoenicians’ god of protection from evil. They are a symbol of protection and good health, and are believed to protect the fishermen from any harm while they are out at sea.
In addition to this, luzzus are normally inherited from a person’s father and grandfather. However, although the exact colours of each luzzu vary from one another, the colours of each luzzu are normally kept exactly the same due to superstitious belief. Therefore, when the old paint is completely stripped off the boat every five years, in order for the fisherman to closely inspect his boat for anything that needs to be replaced, the boat is then re-painted in exactly the same colours that the person’s father and grandfather had used.
~Attire:
Reece Outfit, including Trenchcoat, Top, Pants, 2 Pearl Handbags (2 Holding Poses), Glasses, Pearl Necklace, Heels!
MP: marketplace.secondlife.com/.../hh-PROMO.../20528189
LM: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Chronos/135/124/22
~Hair:
DOUX - Jimena
~Accessories:
(Yummy) Safari Wood Beaded Necklace
In 2024 I was in Cornwall for just one day to get some of GWR's HST's on photo. I thought they would decommission the HST's before I had another chance to get another chance. A year later and they are still around. As I had an invitation from GWR to dine for free on one of their Pullman dining services, I decided to head for Devon for that single HST a day that makes its way up to Exeter. My journey started at 6am in The Netherlands and I ended up leaving London Paddington at 7pm. Normally I'd get to my hotel in Torquay just after 10pm. However Network Rail and GWR got my journey delayed by 2 hours. So luckily the first photo opportunity was quite late in the morning. So after a well deserved night sleep I went from my hotel in the beautiful seaside town of Torquay to another seaside town: Dawlish. I had a lovely day here enjoying the town and the natural beauty along the coast. And of course I got some trains on photo, including the treasured once-a-day round trip to Exeter. Just before noon I got the westbound track from Exeter to Penzance on photo. The sight just makes me wanting to come back. And in fact, the next day I left for Manchester, only to come back a day later.
Sparrowhawk - Accipiter Nisus
Though it is a predator which specialises in catching woodland birds, the Eurasian sparrowhawk can be found in any habitat and often hunts garden birds in towns and cities. Males tend to take smaller birds, including tits, finches, and sparrows; females catch primarily thrushes and starlings, but are capable of killing birds weighing 500 g (18 oz) or more.
The Eurasian sparrowhawk is found throughout the temperate and subtropical parts of the Old World; while birds from the northern parts of the range migrate south for winter, their southern counterparts remain resident or make dispersive movements. Eurasian sparrowhawks breed in suitable woodland of any type, with the nest, measuring up to 60 cm (2.0 ft) across, built using twigs in a tree. Four or five pale blue, brown-spotted eggs are laid; the success of the breeding attempt is dependent on the female maintaining a high weight while the male brings her food. The chicks hatch after 33 days and fledge after 24 to 28 days.
The probability of a juvenile surviving its first year is 34%, with 69% of adults surviving from one year to the next. Mortality in young males is greater than that of young females and the typical lifespan is four years. This species is now one of the most common birds of prey in Europe, although the population crashed after the Second World War. Organochlorine insecticides used to treat seeds before sowing built up in the bird population, and the concentrations in Eurasian sparrowhawks were enough to kill some outright and incapacitate others; affected birds laid eggs with fragile shells which broke during incubation. However, its population recovered after the chemicals were banned, and it is now relatively common, classified as being of Least Concern by BirdLife International.
The Eurasian sparrowhawk's hunting behaviour has brought it into conflict with humans for hundreds of years, particularly racing pigeon owners and people rearing poultry and gamebirds. It has also been blamed for decreases in passerine populations. The increase in population of the Eurasian Sparrowhawk coincides with the decline in House Sparrows in Britain. Studies of racing pigeon deaths found that Eurasian sparrowhawks were responsible for less than 1%. Falconers have utilised the Eurasian sparrowhawk since at least the 16th century; although the species has a reputation for being difficult to train, it is also praised for its courage. The species features in Teutonic mythology and is mentioned in works by writers including William Shakespeare, Alfred, Lord Tennyson and Ted Hughes.
Male Eurasian sparrowhawks regularly kill birds weighing up to 40 g (1.4 oz) and sometimes up to 120 g (4.2 oz); females can tackle prey up to 500 g (18 oz) or more. The weight of food consumed by adult birds daily is estimated to be 40–50 g (1.4–1.8 oz) for males and 50–70 g (1.8–2.5 oz) for females. During one year, a pair of Eurasian sparrowhawks could take 2,200 house sparrows, 600 common blackbirds or 110 wood pigeons. Species that feed in the open, far from cover, or are conspicuous by their behaviour or coloration, are taken more often by Eurasian sparrowhawks. For example, great tits and house sparrows are vulnerable to attack. Eurasian sparrowhawks may account for more than 50% of deaths in certain species, but the extent varies from area to area.
Males tend to take tits, finches, sparrows and buntings; females often take thrushes and starlings. Larger quarry (such as doves and magpies) may not die immediately but succumb during feather plucking and eating. More than 120 bird species have been recorded as prey and individual Eurasian sparrowhawks may specialise in certain prey. The birds taken are usually adults or fledglings, though chicks in the nest and carrion are sometimes eaten. Small mammals, including bats, are sometimes caught but insects are eaten only very rarely.
Red Deer - Cervus elaphus
Double click
The red deer (Cervus elaphus) is one of the largest deer species. The red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, Iran, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being the only species of deer to inhabit Africa. Red deer have been introduced to other areas, including Australia, New Zealand, United States, Canada, Peru, Uruguay, Chile and Argentina. In many parts of the world, the meat (venison) from red deer is used as a food source.
The red deer is the fourth-largest deer species behind moose, elk and sambar deer. It is a ruminant, eating its food in two stages and having an even number of toes on each hoof, like camels, goats and cattle. European red deer have a relatively long tail compared to their Asian and North American relatives. Subtle differences in appearance are noted between the various subspecies of red deer, primarily in size and antlers, with the smallest being the Corsican red deer found on the islands of Corsica and Sardinia and the largest being the Caspian red deer (or maral) of Asia Minor and the Caucasus Region to the west of the Caspian Sea. The deer of central and western Europe vary greatly in size, with some of the largest deer found in the Carpathian Mountains in Central Europe.Western European red deer, historically, grew to large size given ample food supply (including people's crops), and descendants of introduced populations living in New Zealand and Argentina have grown quite large in both body and antler size. Large red deer stags, like the Caspian red deer or those of the Carpathian Mountains, may rival the wapiti in size. Female red deer are much smaller than their male counterparts.
The European red deer is found in southwestern Asia (Asia Minor and Caucasus regions), North Africa and Europe. The red deer is the largest non-domesticated land mammal still existing in Ireland. The Barbary stag (which resembles the western European red deer) is the only member of the deer family represented in Africa, with the population centred in the northwestern region of the continent in the Atlas Mountains. As of the mid-1990s, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria were the only African countries known to have red deer.
In the Netherlands, a large herd (ca. 3000 animals counted in late 2012) lives in the Oostvaarders Plassen, a nature reserve. Ireland has its own unique subspecies. In France the population is thriving, having multiplied fivefold in the last half-century, increasing from 30,000 in 1970 to approximately 160,000 in 2014. The deer has particularly expanded its footprint into forests at higher altitudes than before. In the UK, indigenous populations occur in Scotland, the Lake District, and the South West of England (principally on Exmoor). Not all of these are of entirely pure bloodlines, as some of these populations have been supplemented with deliberate releases of deer from parks, such as Warnham or Woburn Abbey, in an attempt to increase antler sizes and body weights. The University of Edinburgh found that, in Scotland, there has been extensive hybridisation with the closely related sika deer.
Several other populations have originated either with "carted" deer kept for stag hunts being left out at the end of the hunt, escapes from deer farms, or deliberate releases. Carted deer were kept by stag hunts with no wild red deer in the locality and were normally recaptured after the hunt and used again; although the hunts are called "stag hunts", the Norwich Staghounds only hunted hinds (female red deer), and in 1950, at least eight hinds (some of which may have been pregnant) were known to be at large near Kimberley and West Harling; they formed the basis of a new population based in Thetford Forest in Norfolk. Further substantial red deer herds originated from escapes or deliberate releases in the New Forest, the Peak District, Suffolk, Lancashire, Brecon Beacons, and North Yorkshire, as well as many other smaller populations scattered throughout England and Wales, and they are all generally increasing in numbers and range. A census of deer populations in 2007 and again in 2011 coordinated by the British Deer Society records the red deer as having continued to expand their range in England and Wales since 2000, with expansion most notable in the Midlands and East Anglia.
as including our own ;-(
G. C. Lichtenberg
Climate Change Matters! Resist!
Inside Passage, Viking Alaska cruise
The Inside Passage is a coastal route for ships and boats along a network of passages which weave through the islands on the Pacific Northwest coast of the North American Fjordland. The route extends from southeastern Alaska in the United States, through western British Columbia in Canada, to northwestern Washington state in the United States. Ships using the route can avoid some of the bad weather in the open ocean and may visit some of the many isolated communities along the route. The Inside Passage is heavily travelled by cruise ships, freighters, tugs with tows, fishing craft, pleasure craft, and ships of the Alaska Marine Highway, BC Ferries, and Washington State Ferries systems. Coast Guard vessels of both Canada and the United States patrol and transit in the Passage.
Hibiscus syriacus is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is native to areas of east Asia, but widely introduced elsewhere, including much of Europe and North America. It was given the epithet syriacus because it had been collected from gardens in Syria.
Common names include the rose of Sharon, (especially in North America), Syrian ketmia, shrub althea (or simply althea), and rose mallow (in the United Kingdom). It is the national flower of South Korea and is mentioned in the South Korean national anthem.
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Sorry, to me is very difficult to reciprocate your visit if you only leave a fav without commenting...
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Do not use any of my images on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit written permission.
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Eastbound NS train 120 (Kansas City-to-Detroit autoracks) approaches Tolono, IL on Pearl Harbor day. A late fall storm has coated everything in a thin coat of frost, including C40-9W #9424, which now sports white highlights.
Beneath The Boats
Burano Venezia - Venice - Venedig@all rights reserved
This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying and recording without my written consent
Including a photo of a rose hip and not a flower is going to be controversial. But, after pollination and sufficient time this is what the flower will become.
The roses in my garden are not in flower now and I could not resist this beautifully cracked rose hip, the winter weather has taken its toll.
#LookingCloseOnFriday #Roses
The Cattle Egret is a small, white heron that is native to Africa but has been introduced to many other parts of the world, including the Americas, Asia, Australia, and Europe. It is often seen near grazing animals, such as cattle, horses, and goats, and is known to feed on insects and other small animals that are disturbed by the grazing activity.
The Cattle Egret has a compact body and short, thick bill that it uses to capture its prey. It has white plumage and yellow legs, and during the breeding season, it develops a distinctive orange-brown patch of feathers on its head, neck, and back.
Cattle Egrets are social birds and often nest in large colonies, building their nests out of sticks and other materials in trees, bushes, or on the ground. Both parents take turns incubating the eggs and feeding the chicks, which are born with downy feathers and open eyes.
Cattle Egrets are found in a variety of habitats, including grasslands, wetlands, and agricultural fields. They are known for their adaptability and have successfully expanded their range to many new areas, where they have become a common sight near farms and ranches.
Cattle Egrets play an important ecological role by feeding on insects and other small animals that can damage crops and pastures. They are also a popular species among birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts due to their distinctive appearance and interesting behavior.
Featuring: Vezzo Ink Tattoo - Feruse
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Facebook: www.facebook.com/VezzoInkTattoo
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Backdrop: Synnergy// White Roses
Pose: : ::WetCat:: Flower
Wearing
Tattoo: Vezzo Ink - Feruse (details above)
Lingerie: [Eternus] - Tired
Hair: [monso] Misaki
A large falcon that is endemic to South Asia including parts of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. This is as large as a Peregine Falcon and taller than Saker Falcon, but more leaner unlike the bulky build of Saker Falcon or Peregrine Falcon. We sighted them on two days in action - they were hunting in the area and one of them was fighting with the Saker Falcon.
The 2nd day, we sighted 3 of them - most likely a family and this one is the immature one judging by the size and plumage. The adult - likely a female was teaching the bird how to hunt and they both stuck together for almost an hour or more after which they disappeared together.
This immature one tried to hunt on its own, but wasn't successful, so it landed back on this perch briefly. The fog was so thick and heavy that it was challenging to shoot. We enjoyed the experience of watching them in action though.
Many thanks in advance for your views, faves and feedback - very much appreciated.
© All rights reserved.
This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying and recording without my written consent.
Many thanks to everyone for the visits, comments and favorites. Much appreciated!
Studley Royal Park including the ruins of Fountains Abbey is a designated World Heritage Site in North Yorkshire, England. The site features an 18th-century landscaped garden, some of the largest Cistercian ruins in Europe, a Jacobean mansion and a Victorian church. It was developed around the ruins of the Cistercian Fountains Abbey.
Fountains Abbey was founded in 1132 by Benedictine monks of the Cistercian order. After the dissolution of the monasteries in 1539 by Henry VIII, the Abbey buildings and land were sold by the Crown.
Die Maginot-Linie war eine massive Verteidigungslinie, die in den 1930er Jahren von Frankreich entlang seiner Ostgrenze gebaut wurde, um eine deutsche Invasion abzuschrecken. Sie wurde nach dem französischen Kriegsminister André Maginot benannt und bestand aus einem Netzwerk von Bunkern, Festungen, Tunneln und Verteidigungsmauern. Die Linie war mit modernster Technologie der damaligen Zeit ausgestattet, darunter unterirdische Eisenbahnen und Artilleriesysteme.
Allerdings umgingen die deutschen Streitkräfte im Zweiten Weltkrieg die Maginot-Linie, indem sie Frankreich über Belgien angriffen – ein strategisches Versäumnis, das zur Niederlage Frankreichs beitrug.
The Maginot Line was a massive series of fortifications constructed by France along its eastern border in the 1930s, intended to deter a German invasion. Named after French Minister of War André Maginot, the line featured a network of bunkers, forts, tunnels, and defensive walls with cutting-edge technology of the time, including underground railways and artillery systems. However, during World War II, German forces bypassed the Maginot Line by invading France through Belgium, a strategic oversight that contributed to its eventual fall. (Quelle: Internet)
Most living species including humans, are diploid, with two sets of chromosomes. Most Dahlias are octoploids with eight sets of chromosomes which results in far variable offspring.
So because I used seeds for some of the Dahlias I will end up with pot luck. I have the chance of getting a really fantastic Dahlia or something like the one here.
I also have a yellow Dahlia that is as big as my thumb nail.
Its interesting but I am not going to keep them if they are too weird and too taller plant.
Have a great new week
The mystery of Lake Gormire is that it has no major inflow or outflow of water, baffling people who wondered how the lake was fed. Modern scientists believe the water supply comes from an underground spring, but hundreds of years ago it’s existence was magical. Gormire translates as ‘filthy swamp’ and It’s dark appearance gave rise to several myths, including that it is bottomless and conceals the submerged remains of a sunken village. At least the deepest lake in Yorkshire. The lake is also known as the White Mere.
This highly attractive building was constructed in 1929 for the German Motor Company, an automobile dealership which had long roots in Jacksonville selling the Buick, Marquette, and Oldsmobile lines of motor cars, with Pontiac added before World War II. During the war years, the property also saw use as the Black Louis Filling Station.
In 1947, the Longstaff Motor Company took the property and were selling Pontiac and Packard automobiles. Later, in the 1950s, the building was the home to an automotive supply company.
It was after mid-century that the automotive use of the building ended and it was repurposed as Boyd Music, a popular business throughout central Illinois for their band instruments (including our daughter's). Since I took this photo, Boyd has moved into one of the old garage bays and now focus on instrument repair. Today the main part of the building is BLH Computers, a central Illinois business who sell and repair PCs.
Founded in 1825, the City of Jacksonville is the seat of Morgan County. The city had a population of 17,616 at the 2020 census.
All ticks live on blood and body fluids of vertebrates. Prey animals include: reptiles, birds and mammals such as rodents, ungulates, felines, canines, bats and primates, including humans.
I hope this sparrow survives the tick, poor little guy !
Kitty (left) :
Outfit : !gO! Mara Gacha, including stockings, pumps, jumpsuit, shoes. New!! ❥ @ Arcade🐾
Tentacio : Muffin love. Eat, cream on nose
Choker : Axix:: Faithful Lover choker and earing
Hair : {Limerence} Kristy @ Tres Chic
Kynne (right) :
Outfit : !gO! Mara Gacha, including stockings, pumps, coat , shoes. New!! ❥ @ Arcade🐾
Hairflower : *LODE* Head Accessory - Oleander Branch [pink]
Hair : Doe . Saturna New!! ❥ @ Arcade🐾
Tentacio Muffin love. Box held
Skin : Glam Affair - Tera Skin [leLutka Evo] Sand. At Skin Fair.
HEAD and Elf Ears : Lelutka - lel EvoX AVALON 3.0. New at Skin Fair.
Decor :
22769 Cafe Gacha. At The Arcade.
Serenity Style- Spring Colors Breakfast Table Deco(c)rate!
DECO(C)RATE SPRING EDITION NOW ON
The crate is still available for its normal price 3000L until April 15th
HISA - Flora wildflower grass
JIAN Cuddly Corgis
+Half-Deer+ Bunting Garland
Centaurium erythraea is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family known by the common names common centaury and European centaury.
This centaury is a widespread plant of Europe (including Scotland, Sweden and Mediterranean countries, and parts of western Asia and northern Africa. It has also naturalised in parts of North America, and throughout eastern Australia, where it is an introduced species.
This is an erect annual or biennial herb which reaches half a meter in height.. The triangular leaves are arranged oppositely on the stem and the erect inflorescences emerge from the stem and grow parallel to it, sometimes tangling with the foliage. Each inflorescence may contain many flowers. The petite flower is pinkish-lavender and about a centimeter across, flat-faced with yellow anthers. The fruit is a cylindrical capsule.
It flowers from June until September (from Wikipedia).
Many thanks for your visits, faves and comments. Cheers.
Sacred Kingfisher
Scientific Name: Todiramphus sanctus
Description: The Sacred Kingfisher is a medium sized kingfisher. It has a turquoise back, turquoise blue rump and tail, buff-white underparts and a broad cream collar. There is a broad black eye stripe extending from bill to nape of neck. Both sexes are similar, although the female is generally lighter with duller upper parts. Young birds are similar to the female, but have varying amounts of rusty-brown edging to feathers on the collar and underparts, and buff edges on the wing coverts.
Distribution: The Sacred Kingfisher is common and familiar throughout the coastal regions of mainland Australia and less common throughout Tasmania. The species is also found on islands from Australasia to Indonesia and New Zealand.
Habitat: The Sacred Kingfisher inhabits woodlands, mangroves and paperbark forests, tall open eucalypt forest and melaleuca forest.
Seasonal movements: In Australia, Sacred Kingfishers spend the winter in the north of their range and return south in the spring to breed.
Feeding: Sacred Kingfishers forage mainly on the land, only occasionally capturing prey in the water. They feed on crustaceans, reptiles, insects and their larvae and, infrequently, fish. The birds perch on low exposed branch on the lookout for prey. Once prey is located, the Sacred Kingfisher swoops down and grasps it in its bill, returning to the perch to eat it.
Breeding: For most of the year Sacred Kingfishers are mainly solitary, pairing only for the breeding season. Usually two clutches are laid in a season. Both sexes excavate the nest, which is normally a burrow in a termite mound, hollow branch or river bank. The nest chamber is unlined and can be up to 20m above the ground. Both sexes also incubate the eggs and care for the young.
Calls: The voice of the Sacred Kingfisher is a loud "ek ek ek ek" repeated continuously throughout breeding season. Birds also give a "kee kee kee" in excitement and a series of chirring, scolding notes when alarmed.
Minimum Size: 19cm
Maximum Size: 24cm
Average size: 21cm
Average weight: 45g
Breeding season: September to December; occasionally extended to March, if conditions are favourable.
Clutch Size: 3 to 6
Incubation: 18 days
Nestling Period: 26 days
(Sources: www.birdsinbackyards.net and "The Slater Field Guide to Australian Birds - Second Edition")
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© Chris Burns 2021
All rights reserved.
This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying and recording without my written consent.
A large falcon that is endemic to South Asia including parts of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. This is as large as a Peregine Falcon and taller than Saker Falcon, but more leaner unlike the bulky build of Saker Falcon or Peregrine Falcon. We sighted them on two days in action - they were hunting in the area and one of them was fighting with the Saker Falcon. They seem to be quite common in the desert regions and as a fan of falcons was delighted to be sighting them and seeing them in action.
This was sighted in Pokhran, again a desert region. The bird was hunting in the area possibly targeting the many small birds like Pipits, Larks, Crested Larks, Wheatears etc.. There was no dearth of prey. Unfortunately, we didn't see it with any catch though and we were in a rush to see the Indian Bustards, so had to move along.
Many thanks in advance for your views, faves and feedback - very much appreciated.