Bird on a Wire
View allAll Photos Tagged Inclusivity
*Working Towards a Better World
An important quote by Chris Hydes we should all take heed and try and implement this action in each of our societies.
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Thank you for your kind visit. Have a wonderful and beautiful day! ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
Well I am most thrilled to say it’s another first for these pages and boy what a scoop it is!!
What you are looking at there folks is a genuine Sky Harvester, or an Awyr Cynaeafwr as they are called here in greenest Wales. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Wales, this small and sparsley populated land, is not just a world leader in this kind of green technology, but decades ahead of the rest of the field.
The drivers of these high-tech gizmos are locally known as ‘Mad Maxers’ and this one here, he’s about to turn left and head towards those clouds you see there. When he gets directly below, he will extend those telescopic side arms upwards and they will in effect, snag the cloud which is then dragged back down to earth and then towed off to a Cwmwl Ysguboe for storage. These Cwmwl Ysgubors or ‘Cloud Barns” are, as you can imagine, enormous great affairs, but as you would expect from the creators of such advanced tech, great care has been taken to blend them into the countryside by making them look like hills. They can be seen throughout my landscape photos and I could easily point them out, but unless you have a keen trained eye - one like mine, you would mistakenly think you are just looking at an ordinary hill. Sigh. I know, I know ….frustrating right…. What can I say……apart from this is why Wales is so hilly - cloud barns.
In times of severe drought, the cloud barn is opened up and a cloud towed out to the brown and parched field. It is then caused to dissolve in effect through vibrational frequency undulation - but not another hi-tech gizmo, oh no, the method employed here is traditional and hands on. The entire inclusive green community will turn out men, women, children, babes in arms, grandmas and grandpas, and they will sing as one, as only a Welsh choir can sing and as they do they march bravely into the cloud voices undulating as they sing the song “the green green grass of home” which was famously introduced into the world psyche by the Welsh fertility god, boombox, Vegas blue rinse babe magnet, and some might say pop-singing Priapus incarnate, the icon and indisputable true King of all Wales by both birth and deed, the living legend that is - (put your hands together and have your underwear at hand) - Mr ….. Sir …..Tom …… Jones! And, as the inclusive eco friendly community choir close the song down, the cloud in effect melts and hey presto! We have rain, and of course, a very wet inclusive choir and re-greened agricultural field.
And that is why, generally speaking, Welsh people are such unbelievably fabulous singers with voices like angels, because from the earliest age, they have learned to sing in the clouds……
Europe, The Netherlands, Zuid Holland, Rotterdam Zuid, Zuidplen, High rises, Rotterdamse DagenDagen/Bovenop Zuid, People (uncut).
Captured during the Bovenop Zuid roof walk on the roof of the ZuidPlein shopping mall.
The walk is street-at rich and fascinating. The artist(collectives) showcased @ Bovenop Zuid are: here.
Dutch Steigers again realized the scaffolding. The nature of the construction material sometimes adds a fairground type of thrill. The supporting towers are iron, the walkway planks are aluminium, and they sometimes nicely sag a bit while walking on them.
The context: "In modern cities, miles of unused flat rooftops await a new function. Rotterdam alone has over 18 square kilometres of unused flat roofs. That must change, and the rooftops can provide the space to realize the housing challenge, energy transition, climate change and inclusiveness in cities". Text: from the Dakendagen website.
By the way: Hurry, Bovenop Zuid closes on June 30.
This is number 9 of Rotterdamse Daken Dagen 2022 & 2023.
Delicious Food - Bathing Fun - Wonderful Scenery ...
I hope you'll enjoy all that too - TGIF !
African Elephant / Afrikanischer Elefant (Loxodonta africana),
Egrets and Jacanas
in the swamps of Amboseli Game Reserve, Kenya, Africa
🌟✨ Over the weekend, we immersed ourselves in the luxurious escape of Empire Omerta! 🏰✨ In my latest review, I explore newly unveiled Maverick Suite and Entertainment Area.
The Maverick Suite, at 1450L per night, boasts two bedrooms, a living area, and bathroom 💖 Full marks for offering inclusive (FF and MM as well as MF) anims, an area some resorts still fall short in.
The Entertainment Area, adopting a Freemium Model, offers exclusive group-gated spaces like Sushi and Tease, Members Spa, The Pregnant Mermaid cabaret, Movie Room, and The Wager Room for intimate performances. 🎭🍣
On December 31th this year I will be making last post in this site, but will continue my activity on Instagram, we can connect there! www.instagram.com/neotropic_phototours/
Many thanks for your comments and support during my time at Flickr!
Juan Carlos
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©Juan Carlos Vindas 2020, All Rights Reserved.This image is protected by Copyright, and is not available for use on websites, blogs, videos, or any other media without the explicit written permission of the photographer.
Canon EOS 6D - f/16 - 30sec - 100 mm - ISO 320
- for challenge Flickr group: Macro Mondays,
theme: Lit by Candlelight
- width of the fruit, inclusive the calyx leaves: 4.8 cm
- lit with 2 tealights
- Physalis peruviana, a plant species of the genus Physalis, is originally from Peru. The plant and its fruit are most commonly known as Cape gooseberry (South Africa, UK, Australia, New Zealand), or Physalis.
It is indigenous to western South America, but has been cultivated in England since the late 18th century and in South Africa in the region of the Cape of Good Hope since at least the start of the 19th century.
Physalis peruviana is closely related to the tomatillo and to the Chinese lantern, also members of the genus Physalis.
The fruit is a smooth berry, resembling a miniature, spherical, yellow tomato. Removed from its bladder-like calyx, it is about the size of a marble, about 1–2 cm in diameter. Like a tomatillo or tomato, it contains numerous small seeds. It is bright yellow to orange in color, and it is sweet when ripe, with a characteristic, mildly tart flavor, making it ideal for snacks, pies, or jams. It is relished in salads and fruit salads, sometimes combined with avocado. Also, because of the fruit's decorative appearance, it is popular in restaurants as an exotic garnish for desserts.
A prominent feature is the inflated, papery calyx enclosing each berry. The calyx is accrescent until the fruit is fully grown; at first it is of normal size, but after the petals fall it continues to grow until it forms a protective cover around the growing fruit. If the fruit is left inside the intact calyx husks, its shelf life at room temperature is about 30–45 days.
Sabiá-laranjeira: o pássaro dos poetas
Para ouvir seu canto: aves.brasil.nom.br/servlet/searchSounds?action=PREVIOUS
To listen his song: aves.brasil.nom.br/servlet/searchSounds?action=PREVIOUS
Rufous-bellied Thrush
Known as Sabiá-laranjeira in Brazil (Turdus rufiventris) this thrush is pretty common and this one was frantically trying to find its chick after a storm at the weekend had dislodged its nest.
The Sabiá, or Thrush, is known for the beauty of both its plumage and its song and is found all over Brazil, in 12 species, the best known of which is the Rufous-bellied Thrush, or Sabiá-laranjeira, Brazil’s national bird. Like many birds, it migrates north to the warm tropical zone in the winter and returns to the temperate zone when the climate in southern Brazil starts to get warm again. It lives alone or in pairs, in forests, parks, backyards and forested urban areas and can live 25 to 30 years. Hopping along the ground, it feeds on the coconuts from several species of palm tree, spitting out the pits after about an hour and contributing to the distribution of these plants. It also feeds on oranges and mature papayas, as well as insects and spiders. For years, the Sabiá has been celebrated in both writing and music , including in several very famous Brazilian poems and songs. Because of its widespread presence and popularity in Brazilian culture, the Brazilian Wildlife Preservation Association proposed that it be designated as an official national symbol of Brazil, a suggestion first made in 1968 that had gradually gained widespread public support by 1987, when a first (but unsuccessful) attempt was made to declare it Brazil’s national bird. Finally, on October 4, 2002, the Sabiá-laranjeira became the newest official symbol of Brazil, designated as the national bird in a Presidential Decree, which included for the first time its scientific name, “Turdus rufiventris.”
Nome científico: Turdos Rufiventris
Família: Turdídeios
Localização geográfica: regiões Centro Oeste, Sudeste e Sul do Brasil e mata atlântica.
O sabiá-laranjeira é uma ave brasileira, das mais populares, citada por diversos poetas como o pássaro que canta no tempo do amor, ou seja, na primavera.
O seu aspecto é de plumagem com cores que variam entre cinza claro a cinza escuro no dorso, o peito é esbranquiçado e o abdome varia de vermelho-ferrugem a marrom escuro na barriga, sendo que as tonalidades mudam conforme a região. Por exemplo, no nordeste brasileiro a cor do abdome é mais clara, amarelada.
Tamanho: 25cm.
Longevidade: em torno de 30 anos.
Na natureza prefere andar em casais, ao invés de em bando. Preferem as beiradas de matas, pomares, capoeiras, beiras de serras e estradas, praças e quintais, sempre por perto de água abundante. É um pássaro territorialista, e demarca uma área geográfica quando está em processo de reprodução e não aceita a presença de outras aves da espécie.
O canto
O sabiá-laranjeira, também conhecido como sabiá amarelo ou de peito roxo, é um dos melhores cantores do mundo. Seu canto é nostálgico e se assemelha ao som de uma flauta. É usado inclusive para conquistar as fêmeas antes do acasalamento.
O macho canta para ensinar os filhotes, ou seja, os pequeninos podem ser treinados e, se conviver desde pequeno com outras espécies, pode ser influenciado pelo canto delas e passar a ter um canto impuro.
Instalação: viveiros de no mínimo 1m de comprimento x 2m de altura x 2m de profundidade. O ninho é sólido, em forma de tigela, formado de ramos e fibras de raízes, com barro na base. Dentro é constituído de raízes finas e macias. Em cativeiro, pode ser um vaso de xaxim pequeno.
A higiene diária do viveiro é fundamental e é bom lembrar que o sabiá-laranjeira gosta de banhar-se com frequência.
Alimentação onívora: na natureza come no chão e nos galhos sementes, insetos, larvas, minhocas e frutas maduras, especialmente mamão e abacate.
Reprodução: os sabiás atingem a maturidade sexual aos 9 meses e se acasalam na primavera, sendo que a postura, que pode ocorrer até 3 vezes por temporada (de Setembro a Janeiro), é de 2 a 3 ovos. O período de incubação é de 15 dias.
Não há dimorfismo sexual, pois, ambos são iguais e a fêmea também canta, mas numa frequência bem menor que o macho.
Para o acasalamento, isola-se o macho num viveiro por 2 semanas. Coloca-se a fêmea e ouça o seu cortejo melodioso e nostálgico para atrai-la e incentivá-la à postura dos ovos.
Os filhotes devem ser mantidos com os pais por até pelo menos um mês, inclusive para aprender a cantar.
No Brasil podem ser encontradas outras espécies de sabiá, tais como:
Sabiá-Una;
Sabiá-Pardo;
Sabiá-Branco;
Sabiá-Coleira.
Crédito:
Texto retirado no site "My Pet", no endereço:
Links
Lei do Direito Autoral nº 9.610, de 19 de Fevereiro de 1998: proíbe a reprodução ou divulgação com fins comerciais ou não, em qualquer meio de comunicação, inclusive na Internet, sem prévia consulta e aprovação do autor.
Law of the Copyright nº 9,610, Febr.19,1998: it forbids to the reproduction or spreading with commercial ends or not, in any media, also in the Internet, without previous consultation and approval it author.
Excerpt from streetsoftoronto.com/city/biidaasige-park-toronto/:
Toronto just opened its biggest new park in a generation—and it’s absolutely stunning
July 22, 2025
Toronto unveiled its largest new park in a generation on Friday and it is a stunner. This expansive park is part of a major flood protection and revitalization effort that is reshaping the city’s eastern waterfront and setting the foundation for future sustainable communities.
Biidaasige Park sits on Ookwemin Minising, a new island formed through the re-routing and naturalization of the Don River. The name Ookwemin Minising means “place of the black cherry trees” in Anishinaabemowin and reflects the landscape’s Indigenous roots. The creation of the island and park was driven by the need for flood protection in the Port Lands, one of the largest urban renewal efforts in North America.
The Port Lands Flood Protection project, which involved rebuilding the mouth of the Don River, was designed not just to safeguard over 174 hectares of land from future flooding, but to create new natural environments and accessible public space. Biidaasige Park is the first completed public amenity on this reimagined terrain.
Biidaasige Park sprawls over 50 acres.
Biidaasige (pronounced bee-daw-sih-geh) means “sunlight shining toward us,” and the park lives up to its name with bright, open spaces, extensive native plantings, and dynamic features for recreation and play. The park space is spread over a whopping 50 acres (20 hectares) today—with another 10 acres (4 hectares) coming in 2026—the park includes:
•An incredible and huge naturally contoured playground with larger-than-life animal sculptures representing Indigenous dodems (clans)
•The city of Toronto’s first-ever ziplines, which are modest but super fun
•The Badlands Scramble, a waterplay and climbing area
•Picnic grounds and two dog off-leash zones
•A pebble beach-style landing area for launching kayaks and canoes
•Fishing platforms and step-downs to the river for nature access
•Trails for walking and cycling
•Wetlands and native vegetation for birdwatching, including the Don Greenway wetland corridor
This first phase alone features over 5,000 trees, 77,000 shrubs, and two million herbaceous plants—all part of a carefully restored riverine ecosystem.
What makes the new park so impressive, beyond the playground and the amazing spaces designed for people to congregate and enjoy the area, is that it sprawls and you can explore much further afield than one might think up a first visit.
The trails actually run on the other side of the new Don River and stretch all the way to the shipping channel south of the park, which provides an incredible experience for visitors. An area rarely seen up close by anyone who lives here.
Any active types, joggers, cyclists, paddle boarders and kayakers will love this new play space, especially when combined with Cherry Beach for an epic loop option.
While Biidaasige Park is the first completed piece of public space on Ookwemin Minising, the broader vision is ambitious. At 98 acres (39 hectares), the island is expected to eventually support more than 15,000 residents, nearly 3,000 jobs, and 15 additional acres of parkland. Mixed-use developments and sustainable housing are already in planning, made possible by the foundational flood protection work.
The naturalization of the Don River and the creation of Biidaasige Park represent a significant environmental milestone. Where once stood a neglected industrial floodplain, there is now a living river valley with new habitat, green infrastructure, and public access to water—all designed to withstand the climate-related challenges of the future.
The next phase of development will see the expansion of the island community and additional parks and public amenities. The Lassonde Art Trail will open in 2026 alongside the park’s final section. And with plans to accelerate housing construction on both Ookwemin Minising and the adjacent Quayside lands, this newly accessible stretch of the Toronto waterfront is poised to become a model of sustainable and inclusive urban growth.
It's the job of the staff to make us feel like royalty here. They do it with polished warmth, efficiency and style from the moment you arrive at reception. Any attempt to manoeuvre your own suitcase is a non-starter, even though it’s on castors and could be pulled along by a four year old with breathless ease. Try draping a beach towel over your sunbed and watch the attendant come sprinting over the hot sand to take over the job, followed by an eager waiter taking your drinks order. Nothing is too much for the people who work at the Cleopatra. Accidentally mention you’re going to the coffee machine for a cappuccino and Ahmed has raced off to fetch one before you’ve even got up from the table. The young waiters fuss and fawn over Ali, who in many cases is just about old enough to be their grandmother, with a fondness that finds me asking myself searching questions. The almost exclusively male workforce don’t quite understand your average western relationship though. Why are they calling me “boss” when it’s clear to anyone that she's in charge? Some British men correct their Egyptian hosts, pointing at their wives and explaining who really pulls the strings. “She says jump, and I ask “how high” mate,” they guffaw at our bemused hosts.
Then there’s Ibrahim the towel origami king, who services our room and rubs his stomach in genuine concern as each morning he asks us whether we’re feeling better after that unfortunate spell with the pharaoh’s revenge that's dogged the last few days. During our stay the creations he’s left in the apartment for us to discover after an afternoon down at the beach or by the pool have become ever more ambitious. Courting swans, a dog (or was it a pig?), a perfectly formed elephant, a cat with a long tail and an octopus. Although Ali said it looked like something else. Best not to dwell on that. To finish off, we’ve been treated to a monkey suspended from a coat hanger in the doorway, and finally a crocodile, six feet long, with a banana wedged between its wide open jaws. For each of these he’s used two plastic bottle tops to animate his fluffy white menagerie and given them eyes to see with. Ibrahim has earned a generous tip.
We aren't used to service like this and in truth we're not entirely comfortable with it. Wealthy ninety year old widows carrying tiny poodles in their arms at the Negresco in Nice are treated like this. Russian oligarchs richer than Croesus on their superyachts at Puerto Banus are treated like this. It's a big culture shift for a pair of country bumpkins like us. Normally we pick up a small economical car at the airport, drive to the resort and quietly assimilate into the background with as little fuss as possible. We go to the local supermarkets for supplies, just like at home. We take lunch at unfussy restaurants and cafes and sit anonymously at the edges looking in. Independence is our thing, and you can’t watch glowing sunsets on the beach if you’re supposed to be queuing up in the dining hall and filling up on the all inclusive buffet while Ahmed fetches you a glass of red wine.
Getting used to the all inclusive formula is a bit strange too. Neither of us have ever done this before. You could spend the entire day eating if you wanted to. In fact some of the clientele seem to be doing exactly that. People keep bringing us drinks, and apparently we’ve paid for them already. In other resorts we’ve seen the coloured wristbands worn by almost everyone else except for ourselves. The trouble is you risk becoming a slave to the place, tied to mealtimes, not daring to go out for fear of missing what you’ve paid for. Here in Egypt it seems the obvious thing to do, and it's a big success. Perfect for holidaymakers who want to lounge by the pool. The food is far better than we had expected it to be. But I’m not sure we’d do it again.
It’s a regular melting pot here, in a place where even the continents are blurred. I assumed we were in Africa, so it came as a bit of a surprise to be told that this part of Egypt is in Asia. Guests from seemingly every corner of the world, all rubbing along happily together, despite the differences the people who lead the countries they’ve come here from may have with one another. Maybe everyone should move to Sharm el-Sheikh in a bid for world peace. Well, everyone apart from the overly loud and drunken Bristolian who’ll happily tell anybody who happens to be within audible range about his errant brother, currently a guest elsewhere in the world, courtesy of His Majesty’s Prison Service. I suppose at least he’s drowning out the evening entertainment on the stage by the bar, which at this particular moment happens to be the Birdie Song, for which someone has devised lyrics. In French. Just because somebody tells you something’s fun, it doesn’t mean it’s fun. We ask the waiter for four lumps of cheese to insert into our ears. I suppose in this place of relentless luxuries you can’t have it all, can you?
This is the final image from the Egypt series. Many thanks for taking the time to view and comment. And if you're still reading, that especially means you.
Der unverbaute Balkonblick nach Süden ins Cuxhaven-Hinterland – hier im Mietpreis inbegriffen.
Die freie Aussicht ist in Cuxhaven nicht selbstverständlich. Die Zahl großer mehrgeschossiger Gebäude ist in den Touristenzentren von Döse und Duhnen beachtlich. Und an etlichen Stellen sieht man aktuell Bauaktivitäten erheblicher Größenordnungen.