Known as Wattle, it is the national flower of Australia,having its own national day, September 1.

Known as 'The Moseley' this is a trendy on-the-beach Bar and Eatery right next to the jetty at Glenelg, a beach-side suburb 13 km from central Adelaide. It looked very pleasant this day but I expect things could become a little gritty if the wind kicked up.

The Moseley Bar & Café, Glenelg Beach, South Australia

This bird is also known as the King Cormorant or the Phalacrocorax atriceps albiventer in latin... LOL! I am glad I do not have to remember these latin names. It is the larger of the two cormorant resident species of the Falklands. Apparently Rockhopper Penguins like to establish their nests in mixed colonies with Imperial Shags, as the Shags are actively defending their nests from predators and give a hard time to skuas and other birds trying to steal their eggs, something I was able to witness on several occasions and sadly enough sometimes on an ongoing basis... :(

Known in Brazil as "mariquita".

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Passeriformes

Suborder: Passeri

Family: Parulidae

Genus: Setophaga Swainson, 1827

Species: S. pitiayumi (Vieillot, 1817)

Binomial name: Setophaga pitiayumi

Synonyms:

- Setophaga americana pitiayumi

- Parula pitiayumi

Nelumbo nucifera, also known as Indian lotus, sacred lotus, bean of India, Egyptian bean or simply lotus, is one of two extant species of aquatic plant in the family Nelumbonaceae. It is often colloquially called a water lily. Under favorable circumstances the seeds of this aquatic perennial may remain viable for many years, with the oldest recorded lotus germination being from that of seeds 1,300 years old recovered from a dry lakebed in northeastern China. It has a very wide native distribution, ranging from central and northern India (at altitudes up to 1,400 m in the southern Himalayas), through northern Indochina and East Asia, with isolated locations at the Caspian Sea. It has a very long history (c. 3,000 years) of being cultivated for its edible seeds, and it is commonly cultivated in water gardens. It is the national flower of India and Vietnam. The roots of lotus are planted in the soil of the pond or river bottom, while the leaves float on the water's surface or are held well above it. The flowers are usually found on thick stems rising several centimeters above the leaves. The leaf stalks (petioles) can be up to 200 cm long, allowing the plant to grow in water to that depth, and a horizontal spread of 1 m. The leaves may be as large as 80 cm in diameter, while the showy flowers can be up to 30 cm in diameter. 7656

The Crescent Nebula (also known as NGC 6888, Caldwell 27, Sharpless 105) is an emission nebula in the constellation Cygnus, about 5000 light-years away. It was discovered by Friedrich Wilhelm Herschel in 1792. It is formed by the fast stellar wind from the Wolf-Rayet star WR 136 (HD 192163) colliding with and energizing the slower moving wind ejected by the star when it became a red giant around 250,000 to 400,000 years ago. The result of the collision is a shell and two shock waves, one moving outward and one moving inward. The inward moving shock wave heats the stellar wind to X-ray-emitting temperatures.

Details

M: Mesu 200

T: Orion Optics ODK10

C: QSI683 with 3nm Ha and OIII filter, Baader RGB filters

50x1800s in Ha

51x1800ss in OIII

15x300s in each RGB

Totalling 54hrs 15 mins

The Red Avadavats - previously known as Strawberry finches - are at the end of their breeding season which is usually from Jul/Aug - Dec of every year. The birds are in deep rich red color - impossible to miss amidst the browns and greens of the grasslands and lake banks - will slowly lose that color and turn brown over the next month.

I sighted a large flock of around 30-40 of them which were foraging in the dry grasslands on the edge of a large lake. The females too were looking very beautiful in their prime breeding plumage - with golden hues and reddish beak. The birds were busy foraging and I think I sighted a few immature ones / Juveniles - they were brown and didn't have yellow hues in the front side (which females have).

Thank you so much in advance for your views, feedback and faves.

Also known as Japanese cherry blossom, seeing the sakura blossom tree covered in delicate pink blossoms put me in mind of the song "The Flowers That Bloom in the Spring, Tra La" from my favourite Gilbert and Sullivan Operetta, "The Mikado".

"The flowers that bloom in the spring,

Tra la!

Breathe promise of merry sunshine —

As we merrily dance and we sing,

Tra la!

We welcome the hope that they bring,

Tra la!

Of a summer of roses and wine,

Of a summer of roses and wine.

And that's what we mean when we say that a thing,

Is welcome as flowers that bloom in the spring.

Tra la la la la,

Tra la la la la.

The flowers that bloom in the spring."

The theme for "Smile on Saturday" on the 6th of April is "blossoms", so whilst being in the Southern Hemisphere, I am slowly wending my way towards autumn, I do love spring, so I have lots of blossom shots that have yet to make their way up onto Flickr. The theme gives me the perfect excuse to select one and post it! My two favourite seasons are autumn, for its brightly coloured cascades of leaves, and spring for its pastel coloured blooms which are always a delight after the grey winter months. I hope you like my choice for this week’s theme, and that it makes you smile!

(Grus canadensis) Sandhill Cranes are known for their dancing skills. Courting cranes stretch their wings, pump their heads, bow, and leap into the air in a graceful and energetic dance. This one was tossing a leaf continually into the air - presumably to impress the female.

Interesting Facts:

Although some start breeding at two years of age, Sandhill Cranes may reach the age of seven before breeding. They mate for life—which can mean two decades or more—and stay with their mates year-round. Juveniles stick close by their parents for 9 or 10 months after hatching.

The earliest Sandhill Crane fossil, estimated to be 2.5 million years old, was unearthed in the Macasphalt Shell Pit in Florida.

Sandhill Crane chicks can leave the nest within 8 hours of hatching, and are even capable of swimming.

The oldest Sandhill Crane on record was at least 36 years, 7 months old. Originally banded in Wyoming in 1973, it was found in New Mexico in 2010.

Main Control Tower (also known as Gulliver Tower) in Madrid-Barajas Airport Terminal 4 at sunset.

As you can, see the permanence of snow on the landscape is still very noticeable.

I liked the contrast between the warm light of this Wednesday´s sunset and the cold tonality of the snow, creating interesting shadows.

Yesterday, the lowest temperature reached in Madrid-Barajas Airport was 8F (-13ºC), while today it was of 10F (-12ºC), so the snow, already turned to ice, is keeping very well.

Picture taken from home.

Press "L" to enlarge the image.

Wishing you a nice, healthy and optimist Wednesday!

______________________________

Torre de Control Principal (también conocida como Torre Gulliver) en la Terminal 4 del Aeropuerto de Madrid-Barajas al atardecer.

Como se puede ver, la permanencia de la nieve en el paisaje sigue siendo muy notable.

Me gustó el contraste entre la luz cálida del atardecer de este miércoles y la tonalidad fría de la nieve, creando interesantes sombras.

Ayer la temperatura mínima alcanzada en el aeropuerto de Madrid-Barajas fue de -13ºC, mientras hoy fue de -12ºC, por lo que la nieve, ya convertida en hielo, se conserva muy bien.

Foto tomada desde casa.

Presione "L" para ampliar la imagen.

¡Te deseo un miércoles agradable, saludable y optimista!

It is known for certain that a church existed on the site here at Donaghadee in 1622. Although it is highly likely that the site also had a mediaeval church going back several hundred years before, the date of the first church isn't known. The earliest dated gravestones to be found are from 1660 - two of them in fact.

The Bay of Kotor ( known simply as Boka) is about 28 km long with a shoreline extending 107.3 km. It is surrounded by two massifs of the Dinaric Alps: the Orjen mountains to the west, and the Lovcen mountains to the east. The narrowest section of the bay, the 2300 m long Verige Strait, is only 340 m wide at its narrowest point. The bay is a ria of the vanished Bokelj River that used to run from the high mountain plateaus of Mount Orjen. The bay is composed of several smaller broad bays, united by narrower channels. The bay inlet was formerly a river system. Tectonic and karstification processes led to the disintegration of this river. After heavy rains the waterfall of Sopot spring at Risan appears, and Škurda, another well-known spring runs through a canyon from Lovcen.The outermost part of the bay is the Bay of Tivat (Teodo). On the seaward side is the Bay of Herceg Novi (Castelnuovo), at the main entrance to the Bay of Kotor. The inner bays are the Bay of Risan to the northwest and the Bay of Kotor to the southeast. The Verige Strait represents the bay's narrowest section and is located between Cape St. Nedjelja and Cape Opatovo; it separates the inner bay east of the strait from the Bay of Tivat.

Also known as Potentilla recta or Sulphur Cinquefoil, these wildflowers are approximately 3/4" across, grow 12-30" tall, and have five yellow heart-shaped petals.

Thank you so much for your faves and comments. Have a great week!

Please do not use my photos on websites, blogs or in any other media without my written permission.

White-Tailed Deer

The white-tailed deer, also known as the whitetail or Virginia deer, is a medium-sized deer native to North America, Central America, Ecuador, and South America as far south as Peru and Bolivia. Wikipedia

zoom in to appreciate

Thanks to everyone that views and comments on my images - very much appreciated.

© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. On all my images, Use without permission is illegal.

Berberis (/ˈbɜːrbərɪs/), commonly known as barberry, is a large genus of deciduous and evergreen shrubs from 1–5 m (3.3–16.4 ft) tall, found throughout temperate and subtropical regions of the world (apart from Australia). Species diversity is greatest in South America and Asia; Europe, Africa and North America have native species as well. The best-known Berberis species is the European barberry, Berberis vulgaris, which is common in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and central Asia, and has been widely introduced in North America. Many of the species have spines on the shoots and all along the margins of the leaves

Also known as Marsh Hen or by its scientific name – Gallinula chloropus.

This medium-sized bird is a migratory bird in some parts of the U.S., Canada, South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa but they love Florida and Mexico and stay year round. The Moorhen, a part of the rail family. spends its life on the water and is usually 12 to 15 inches in size when fully grown. In spite of having no webbing on their feet, they are good swimmers. Of course, you can not miss them with their gray-black feathers, a line of white feathers, and a red bill with a yellow tip.

Moorhens are omnivores and love to eat seeds and other plant material floating on the water. They also eat algae, small fish, tadpoles, insects, aquatic roots, berries, grass, snails, insects, rodents, lizards, and worms. On land, you will see them ‘peck’ like a chicken for their food.

Moorhen pairs are monogamous. Females will lay 4 to 12 eggs, laying only one egg a day. The chicks will fledge within 5 to 7 weeks and Momma Moorhen might have another brood later in the season.

Predators such as foxes, dogs, coyotes, and raccoons are the main predators of the moorhen. Large reptiles and Wildcats may also prey on them.

I found this one along Peavine Road in Osceola County, Florida.

There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception

-- Aldous Huxley

Listen:

The Sounds of Silence - Simon & Garfunkel

Southwest Arizona USA.

Also known as Dune Cat's-Eye. In the Forget-Me-Not family. Very, very tiny flower. See: flic.kr/p/2dWmpnH

Cryptantha ganderi is rare in the United States; it is found only in southwest AZ and CA.

In North America Cryptantha ganderi is listed as Rare Plant.

Full frame. Dedicated Vintage macro film lens. No crop. No post processing.

www.catherinesienko.com

DF, Brazil.

Known locally as "quiriquiri".

DNA analysis shows this species is considerably different to the European and African kestrel clade within the genus Falco. Therefore it's not actually a kestrel. Instead, a process of convergent evolution to fit a similar small prey niche in the ecosystem as the true kestrels have left it with similar physical characteristics and hunting methods.

More information: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_kestrel

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Falconiformes

Family: Falconidae

Subfamily: Falconinae

Genus: Falco Linnaeus, 1758

Species: F. sparverius Linnaeus, 1758

Binomial name: Falco sparverius

Known locally as "McGnarley the Beach Ent" this driftwood sculpture created by Alex Witcombe guards the Esquimalt Lagoon near Victoria, BC.

Known locally as "McGnarley the Beach Ent" this driftwood sculpture created by Alex Witcombe, guards the Esquimalt Lagoon near Victoria, BC.

I am known to be a Northern Bald ibis, and one of the world's most endangered bird species. And also, nearly in extinction, just to let you know you bloody freaked out photographer!

Well, Mr Bald ibis, with a face like yours, in which I must sadly say to you here; you are the most Ugliest Bird that I have clapped my eyes and lens on, around here.

Well, I never? - Got any suggestions or help on this matter, to help me out, on my looks, you bloody freaked out photographer!

Well, Mr Bald ibis; have you ever heard of the story of Ugly Duckling Story:- Which the story tells of a homely little bird born in a barnyard who suffers abuse from the others around him until, much to his delight (and to the surprise of others), he matures into a most beautiful swan and the most beautiful bird of all.

I am a Northern Bald ibis and were Ibis inhabits salt marshes, swamps, areas near the lakes and rivers, tropical mangroves, forests and marshy mountain meadows. Where pollution of the water with pesticides, uncontrolled hunt and habitat destruction are the major threats for the survival of ibises in the wild.

Which is no bloody barnyard were I came from, you bloody freaked out photographer!

Well, Mr Bald ibis; I don't think any Bird Sprouse-up makeover or magic mirror will help you out here, only Plastic Surgery will do the job on you here, Mr Bald ibis and good and proper too - LOL

What? - Plastic Surgery, well I never knew that?

I think I am happy to stay the way I am, with my cool looks.

So, piss-off, you bloody freaked out photographer,

before I extinct you!

Many thanks to you here, for any cool comments, my cool Flickr friends!

Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, is a large sandstone rock formation in the southern part of the Northern Territory in central Australia.

It lies 335 km (208 mi) South West of the nearest large town, Alice Springs, 450 km (280 mi) by road.

Uluru is sacred to the Pitjantjatjara Anangu, the Aboriginal people of the area. The area around the formation is home to an abundance of springs, waterholes, rock caves and ancient paintings.

Uluru is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Uluru and Kata Tjuta, also known as the Olgas, are the two major features of the Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park.

Known locally as the chapel in the valley, this building is in fact Cwm Dyli hydro electric power station.

Opened in 1906 it is fed by a mile long pipeline from Llyn Lydaw, and is still active producing power for the national grid.

Sonnenberg Gardens, also known as Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion State Historic Park, Canandaigua, New York, USA, at the North end of Canandaigua Lake, in the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York. The house and gardens are open to the public every day, May through October.

The property was once the summer home of Frederick Ferris Thompson, a prominent banker in New York City, and his wife Mary Clark Thompson, whose father, Myron Holley Clark, was Governor of New York State in 1855. The Clark family was from Canandaigua, NY. Mr. & Mrs. Thompson's main home was in NYC in a large townhouse on Madison Avenue. The Thompsons purchased the Sonnenberg property in 1863, keeping the name, Sonnenberg (which means "sunny hill" in German). In 1887, they replaced the original farmhouse with a forty-room Queen Anne style mansion. The property also had a 100-acre farm to the east. Sonnenberg's gardens were designed and built between 1902–1919, and originally consisted of nine gardens in a variety of styles. 123

NRHP Reference#:73001240

Also known as: Hedgehog Cactus, Mojave Mound Cactus, Kingcup Cactus, That Spiny Thing You’ll Regret Touching

This cactus is the prom queen of the desert—short, spiky, and radiant in red. The flowers look like someone dipped a shot glass in cherry Kool-Aid and dared it to grow on a porcupine.

It thrives in dry, rocky places where most plants say, “Nope,” and curl up to die. Not the Claret Cup. This one digs in, throws shade (literally none), and blooms like it’s starring in a spring fashion show for hummingbirds.

Why do I love it?

Because it’s tough, it’s gorgeous, and it only stabs you if you get too close, which is also how I feel about some relatives.

Couplet:

It blooms like a torch in the desert's embrace,

Just don't try to hug it—it'll scratch up your face.

Peat, also known as turf, is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation or organic matter. It is unique to natural areas called peatlands, bogs, mires, moors, or muskegs.

The peatland ecosystem is the most efficient carbon sink on the planet, because peatland plants capture CO2 naturally released from the peat, maintaining an equilibrium. In natural peatlands, the "annual rate of biomass production is greater than the rate of decomposition", but it takes "thousands of years for peatlands to develop the deposits of 1.5 to 2.3 m [4.9 to 7.5 ft], which is the average depth of the boreal [northern] peatlands".

Sphagnum moss, also called peat moss, is one of the most common components in peat, although many other plants can contribute. The biological features of Sphagnum mosses act to create a habitat aiding peat formation, a phenomenon termed 'habitat manipulation'. Soils consisting primarily of peat are known as histosols. Peat forms in wetland conditions, where flooding or stagnant water obstructs the flow of oxygen from the atmosphere, slowing the rate of decomposition.

Peatlands, particularly bogs, are the primary source of peat, although less-common wetlands including fens, pocosins, and peat swamp forests also deposit peat. Landscapes covered in peat are home to specific kinds of plants including Sphagnum moss, ericaceous shrubs, and sedges (see bog for more information on this aspect of peat). Because organic matter accumulates over thousands of years, peat deposits provide records of past vegetation and climate by preserving plant remains, such as pollen. This allows the reconstruction of past environments and study changes in land use.

Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world. By volume, there are about 4 trillion cubic metres (5.2 trillion cubic yards) of peat in the world, covering a total of around 2% of the global land area (about 3 million square kilometres or 1.2 million square miles), containing about 8 billion terajoules of energy. Over time, the formation of peat is often the first step in the geological formation of other fossil fuels such as coal, particularly low-grade coal such as lignite.

Depending on the agency, peat is not generally regarded as a renewable source of energy, due to its extraction rate in industrialized countries far exceeding its slow regrowth rate of 1 mm per year, and as it is also reported that peat regrowth takes place only in 30-40% of peatlands. Because of this, the UNFCCC, and another organization affiliated with the United Nations classified peat as a fossil fuel.

However, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has begun to classify peat as a "slowly renewable" fuel. This is also the classification used by many in the peat industry. At 106 g CO2/MJ, the carbon dioxide emission intensity of peat is higher than that of coal (at 94.6 g CO2/MJ) and natural gas (at 56.1) (IPCC).

The Salford Quays lift bridge, also known as the Salford Quays Millennium footbridge or the Lowry bridge

Misopates orontium, known as weasel's snout, is a herbaceous annual plant in the family Plantaginaceae. It is a native of disturbed ground in Europe. It is also naturalised as a weed in other parts of the world such as North America. The pink flowers resemble a miniature snapdragon and are followed by a hairy green fruit which is said to resemble a weasel's snout.

Common names include linearleaf snapdragon,[1] weasel's snout, lesser snapdragon or calf's snout. Past common names have included lesser snapdragon and corn-snapdragon.[2]

Some species of Agapanthus are commonly known as lily of the Nile (or African lily in the UK), although they are not lilies and all of the species are native to Southern Africa (South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique) though some have become naturalized in scattered places around the world (Australia, Great Britain, Mexico, Ethiopia, Jamaica, etc.). Agapanthus is a genus of herbaceous perennials that mostly bloom in summer. The leaves are basal, curved, and linear, growing up to 60 cm long. They are rather leathery and arranged in two opposite rows. The plant has a mostly underground stem called a rhizome (like a ginger 'root') that is used as a storage organ. The roots, which grow out of the rhizome, are white, thick and fleshy. The inflorescence is a pseudo-umbel subtended by two large bracts at the apex of a long, erect scape, up to 2 m tall. They have funnel-shaped or tubular flowers, in hues of blue to purple, shading to white. 1308

also known as Pura Bratan. Built in 1663 and one of the most important water temples in Bali

European Robin (Erithacus rubecula) known simply as the Robin or Robin Redbreast in Ireland.

Robins are found throughout Ireland, and are common in towns and cities as well as in the country.

Unusual among birds the female robin also sings, and the robin is the only bird in Ireland that keeps singing right through the winter. Adult male and female Robins look identical, but immature birds lack the red breast and have spotted brown plumage with a scalloped golden pattern on the breast.

Robins are wonderful opportunists, and take full advantage of their proximity to people to supplement their diet – particularly during the winter months. When the days are cold and short, Robins will be among the first to visit our bird-tables and feeders to boost the meagre pickings available in nature. At any time of the year they will flit restlessly around gardeners feet as they turn the soil, eager to cash in on a free meal of earthworms and insect larvae. Robins get bolder with repeated offers of food, and some become so tame that they will even enter houses or feed from the hand.

Irelands Wildlife by Calvin Jones

The blue-winged parakeet, also known as the Malabar parakeet (Psittacula columboides) is a species of parakeet endemic to the Western Ghats of southern India. Found in small flocks, they fly rapidly in forest clearings while making screeching calls that differ from those of other parakeet species within their distribution range. Their long blue tails tipped in yellow and the dark wings with blue contrast with the dull grey of their head and body. Adult males and females can be easily told apart from the colour of their beak.

Known as the Helmeted Guinea Fowl these birds form large flocks in the Non Breeding season and their calls are what make Africa Beautiful

"The Grévy's Zebra (Equus grevyi), also known as the imperial zebra, is the largest and most threatened of the three species of Zebra, the other two being the plains Zebra and the mountain Zebra...Named after Jules Grévy, the Grévy's zebra is found in Kenya and Ethiopia...Compared with other Zebras, it is tall, has large ears, and its stripes are narrower..."

"The Grévy's Zebra lives in semi-arid grasslands where it feeds on grasses, legumes, and browse; it can survive up to five days without water...It differs from the other zebra species in that it does not live in harems and has few long-lasting social bonds... Male territoriality and mother–foal relationships form the basis of the social system of the Grévy's Zebra...This Zebra is considered to be endangered...Its population has declined from 15,000 to 3,000 since the 1970s. However, as of 2008, the population is stable..."

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All Of My Photographic Images Are Subject To Copyright ! Each Of My Photographs Remain My Intellectual Property ! All Rights Are Reserved And As Such, Do Not Use, Modify, Copy, Edit, Distribute Or Publish Any Of My Photographs ! If You Wish To Use Any Of My Photographs For Any Reproductive Purposes, Or Other Uses, My Written Permission Is Specifically Required, Contact Me Via Flickr Mail !

Known as Georgia's Little Grand Canyon it is one of the 7 Natural Wonders of Georgia. Massive gullies as deep as 150 feet were caused by poor farming practices during the 1800s, yet today they make some of the prettiest photographs within the state. The rare Plumleaf Azalea grows only in this region and blooms during July and August when most azaleas have lost their color. The canyon soil’s pink, orange, red and purple hues make a beautiful natural painting at this quiet park.

Kestrel - Falco tinnunculus (M)

(Double click)

The common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is a bird of prey species belonging to the kestrel group of the falcon family Falconidae. It is also known as the European kestrel, Eurasian kestrel, or Old World kestrel. In Britain, where no other kestrel species occurs, it is generally just called "the kestrel".

This species occurs over a large range. It is widespread in Europe, Asia, and Africa, as well as occasionally reaching the east coast of North America.

Kestrels can hover in still air, even indoors in barns. Because they face towards any slight wind when hovering, the common kestrel is called a "windhover" in some areas.

Unusual for falcons, plumage often differs between male and female, although as is usual with monogamous raptors the female is slightly larger than the male. This allows a pair to fill different feeding niches over their home range. Kestrels are bold and have adapted well to human encroachment, nesting in buildings and hunting by major roads. Kestrels do not build their own nests, but use nests built by other species.

Their plumage is mainly light chestnut brown with blackish spots on the upperside and buff with narrow blackish streaks on the underside; the remiges are also blackish. Unlike most raptors, they display sexual colour dimorphism with the male having fewer black spots and streaks, as well as a blue-grey cap and tail. The tail is brown with black bars in females, and has a black tip with a narrow white rim in both sexes. All common kestrels have a prominent black malar stripe like their closest relatives.

The cere, feet, and a narrow ring around the eye are bright yellow; the toenails, bill and iris are dark. Juveniles look like adult females, but the underside streaks are wider; the yellow of their bare parts is paler. Hatchlings are covered in white down feathers, changing to a buff-grey second down coat before they grow their first true plumage.

Data from Britain shows nesting pairs bringing up about 2–3 chicks on average, though this includes a considerable rate of total brood failures; actually, few pairs that do manage to fledge offspring raise less than 3 or 4. Compared to their siblings, first-hatched chicks have greater survival and recruitment probability, thought to be due to the first-hatched chicks obtaining a higher body condition when in the nest. Population cycles of prey, particularly voles, have a considerable influence on breeding success. Most common kestrels die before they reach 2 years of age; mortality up until the first birthday may be as high as 70%. At least females generally breed at one year of age; possibly, some males take a year longer to maturity as they do in related species. The biological lifespan to death from senescence can be 16 years or more, however; one was recorded to have lived almost 24 years.

Population:

UK breeding:

46,000 pairs

Known, in the native Shoshone as "Kinni"

Seen just East of the Furnace Creek Inn, Death Valley National Park.

This is at least a 50% crop.

once known as a blue grouse...which has been broken into two categories dusky and sooty.....such odd birds with little fear of humans, he was anywhere from 4 to 12 feet away while I was photographing him.....good thing they are well camoflauged from predators...the males on the lek are absolutely beautiful birds....

www.flickr.com/photos/10916465@N05/49840922256/in/photoli...

Well known for its clean water and vast expanse of sand, Adraga Beach (“Praia da Adraga”) is one of the most beautiful beaches in the Lisbon area. It is located near the village of Almoçageme, about 30 kms from Lisbon and 14km from Sintra.

It is a fairly wild spot being located just a few kilometres north of Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point on mainland Europe. Formations of jagged rocks brood just offshore and the beach itself is home to some caves and tunnels resulting from erosion and the sea action.

This shot was taken at sunset, late last summer.

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Praia da Adraga, Almoçageme, Portugal

© All rights reserved Rui Baptista. Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit written permission.

Some facts: The ocelot, also known as the dwarf leopard, is a wild cat distributed extensively within South America including the islands of Trinidad and Margarita, Central America, and Mexico. It has been reported as far north as Texas. North of Mexico, it is found regularly only in the extreme southern part of Texas,although there are rare sightings in southern Arizona.

The ocelot is similar in appearance to a domestic cat. Its fur resembles that of a clouded leopard or jaguar and was once regarded as particularly valuable. As a result, hundreds of thousands of ocelots were once killed for their fur. The feline was classified as a vulnerable species from 1972 until 1996, and is now listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocelot

Photographed at Pousada Santa Teresa, Mato Grosso at the end of the day.

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

Thanks a lot for your visits, comments, faves, invites, etc. Very much appreciated!

©All rights reserved. Do not use without my express consent. Please contact me at thelma.gatuzzo@gmail.com if you intend to buy or use any of my images.

Slains Castle, also known as New Slains Castle to distinguish it from nearby Old Slains Castle, is a ruined castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It overlooks the North Sea from its cliff-top site 1 kilometre east of Cruden Bay. The core of the castle is a 16th-century tower house, built by the 9th Earl of Erroll. Significant reconstruction of the castle has been carried out a number of times, lastly in 1837 when it was rebuilt as a Scots Baronial mansion. At one time it had three extensive gardens but is now a roofless ruin. Plans to restore the castle have been on hold since 2009. It is a Historic Environment Scotland Category B listed building. The castle is linked with the novels of Bram Stoker, including Dracula.

Known as the Kittyhawk in Commonwealth service, the P40 was the 3rd most produced US fighter of WW2 - from 1938 over 13,000 were produced. It served with distinction in North Africa - this example has a desert camouflage scheme.

Tate Britain, known from 1897 to 1932 as the National Gallery of British Art and from 1932 to 2000 as the Tate Gallery, is an art museum on Millbank in the City of Westminster in London, England. It is part of the Tate network of galleries in England, with Tate Modern, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives. It is the oldest gallery in the network, having opened in 1897. It houses a substantial collection of the art of the United Kingdom since Tudor times, and in particular has large holdings of the works of J. M. W. Turner, who bequeathed all his own collection to the nation. It is one of the largest museums in the country. The museum had 391,595 visitors in 2020, a drop of 78 per cent from 2019 due to COVID-19 pandemic closures, but still ranked 52nd on the list of most-visited art museums in the world.

Known locally as "Whalley Arches", Whalley Viaduct is a 48 span railway bridge crossing the River Calder and a listed structure.

It was built between 1846 and 1850 under the engineering supervision of Terrence Wolfe Flanagan and formed part of the Bolton, Blackburn, Clitheroe and West Yorkshire Railway. It is a red brick arch structure and the longest and largest railway viaduct in Lancashire.[4] It carries the railway, now known as the Ribble Valley Line, 21.3m over the river for 620m.

Whalley Arches, east side, from the road

Over 7 million bricks and 12,338 cubic metres of stone were used in construction. 3,000m of timber were used for the arch centring, temporary platforms and the permanent foundation piles. During construction on 6 October 1849, two of the 41 arches then completed collapsed, with the loss of three lives.

The east side of the bridge, nearest the remains of the Abbey, has the only decorative treatment

Also known as the snake bird or water turkey, the anhinga is a year-round resident of Florida. It is also found from coastal sections of South Carolina westward to Texas and Mexico, and even south to Argentina.

Like cormorants, anhingas do not have oil glands for waterproofing their feathers and the feathers get wet when they are swimming.

You can often spot the anhinga perched on a branch with wings outstretched, drying feathers. They feed on small fish, shrimp, amphibians, crayfish and young alligators and snakes. The fact that their feathers are less water resistant than other birds helps them to swim underwater, where they often spear fish with their long neck and sharp beak. They surface in order to flip their catch into their mouth for consumption.

Mating generally occurs in February with egg-laying occurring throughout the spring and early summer. Nests are built in shoreline trees 15 to 20 feet high.

I found this one along Peavine Road in Osceola County, Florida.

Commonly known as moth orchids, is a genus of about seventy species of orchids in the family orchid. Orchids in this genus are monopodial epiphytes or lithophytes with long, coarse roots, short, leafy stems and long-lasting, flat flowers arranged in a flowering stem that often branches near the end. Orchids in this genus are native to India, China, Southeast Asia, New Guinea and Australia with the majority in Indonesia and the Philippines. A few to many, small to large, long-lasting, flat, often fragrant flowers are arranged on erect to hanging racemes or panicles. The sepals and petals are free from and spread widely apart from each other. The lateral sepals are usually larger than the dorsal sepal and the petals much wider than the sepals. The labellum is joined stiffly to the column and has three lobes. The side lobes are erect and more or less parallel to each other and the middle lobe sometimes has a pair of appendages or antennae. 21409

Dunham Massey Hall, usually known simply as Dunham Massey, is an English country house in the parish of Dunham Massey in the district of Trafford, near Altrincham, Greater Manchester. It is now a National Trust property, open to the public. During World War I it was the Stamford Military Hospital.

The stately home was designated a Grade One listed-building on 5 March 1959. It has been owned by the National Trust since the death of the 10th and last Earl of Stamford in 1976 Over 340,000 people visited the house in 2014/15, placing it in the ten most popular National Trust houses.

Dunham Massey was built in the early 17th century by the Earls of Warrington, passing to the Earls of Stamford by inheritance; the family still live in part of the house. There were significant alterations, especially internally, at the start of the 20th century. It has historic formal gardens and a deer park. It was formerly in the ancient parish of Bowdon, Cheshire. Wikipedia

Rhizostoma pulmo, commonly known as the barrel jellyfish, the dustbin-lid jellyfish or the frilly-mouthed jellyfish, is a scyphomedusa in the family Rhizostomatidae. It is found in the northeast Atlantic , and in the Adriatic, Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and Sea of Azov. It is also known from the southern Atlantic off the western South African coast and into False Bay.

It is common in the Irish Sea. It typically is up to 40 cm (16 in) in diameter, but can exceptionally reach 150 cm (59 in) or larger, making it the largest jellyfish in British waters (Cyanea capillata reaches an even larger size, but is generally smaller in Britain). On 13 July 2019, wildlife biologist Lizzie Daly dived off the coast of Cornwall in the United Kingdom, along with the underwater cinematographer Dan Abbott. The two divers shared their encounter with a human-sized barrel jellyfish, Rhizostoma pulmo. The species could typically grow up to one meter (3.2 feet) and weigh up to 25 kilograms (55 lbs). However, they are not larger than the lion's mane jellyfish.

Rhizostoma pulmo is moderately venomous but not as deadly as other species. However, there have been cases when the jellyfish has stung a human. The effects were a burning sensation on the skin, dermatitis, and ulcers which confirms it is toxic to humans. However, it does not pose a serious threat to humans. It is a favourite food of the leatherback turtle.

Rhizostoma pulmo washed ashore at Bournemouth in southern England Orifice of a barrell jellyfish

In European populations, barrel jellyfish evoke unpleasant or disgusting feelings[citation needed] but in Asia, they are a source of bioactive compounds used in traditional food and medicine. One study indicates that washing in aqueous solutions and the separation of high molecular weight proteins from the extract, e.g., by membrane filtration, could be a way to remove possible toxic compounds from jellyfish extracts and to concentrate potentially bioactive soluble compounds. The potentially active soluble components may have uses as nutraceutical and cosmeceutical ingredients.

🌊 შავი ზღვის საქართველოს აკვატორიაში შეხვდებით ორი სახეობის მედუზას, ძირპირასა და აურელიას. ორივე სახეობას გააჩნია შხამი, მაგრამ მათი შხამი ადამიანებისთვის საფრთხეს არ წარმოადგენს.

🔹 მედუზა ძირპირა (Rhizostoma pulmo) მალთაყვის სანაპიროზე

მედუზის ამ სახეობას აქვს მოლურჯო, ქოლგისმაგვარი სხეული, რომლის კიდეები ბოლოვდება მუქი ლურჯი, იისფერი შეფერილობის პატარა ჯიბეებსმაგვარი ქსოვილით, რომელიც გრძნობის ორგანოებს შეიცავს. აქვს საშუალოდ რვა ორალური საცეცი. „ქოლგის“ დიამეტრი საშუალოდ 40 სმ-ა, თუმცა, აღწერილია 150 სმ-იანი ინდივიდებიც.

ძირპირა ზომიერად შხამიანი სახეობაა, თუმცა, მისი შხამი ადამიანისთვის მომაკლვდინებელი არ არის. დასუსხვის შემთხვევაში კანზე იწვევს დამწვრობის მსგავს შეგრძნებას.

ხშირია ნაპირზე ამ მედუზების მასიური გამორიყვის ფაქტები. წყლის დინებისა თუ ქარის გავლენით ისინი დიდ გუნდებად შეიძლება შეჯგუფდნენ. ამ დროს ძლიერი ქარი ან ძლიერი დინება დიდი რაოდენობის ინდივიდების გამორიყვას იწვევს. წყლის ტემპერატურის უეცარი ვარდნაც შეიძლება იყოს მასიური გამორიყვის მიზეზი.

ძირპირები ხშირად გვხვდება წყლის ზედაპირთან ახლოს.

მათი ნახვა ყველაზე მარტივია მაისიდან ოქტომბრამდე.

Heemstede Castle, locally known as Kasteel Heemstede, lies in a field west of the town of Houten, in the Utrecht province in the Netherlands.

Heemstede Castle is not a real medieval castle. It was built in 1645 as a manor in Dutch Baroque style by Hendrick de Pieck. Its medieval predecessor, also called Heemstede Castle, was situated some 500 meters to the west/south west, in what is now the Vuilcopse Polder.

When Heemstede Castle was built everything was focused on comfort and luxury and it became one of the most famous estates in the province of Utrecht. It is characterized by its severe symmetrical exterior. The four corner towers gave the castle a feudal appearance and the castle can be seen as a 17th century variant of a medieval tower house.

After Hendrick de Pieck several other owners followed. Between 1680 and 1695 Heemstede Castle was owned by Diederick van Veldhuysen who embellished the interior and laid out the large baroque gardens. In 1720 the castle again changed hands. Its new owner however destroyed the gardens; most of the trees were cut down and the lead of the fountains was sold.

In 1919 L.J. Heijmeijer, coming from an Amsterdam family of corn merchants, bought the dilapidated castle which had been standing empty for several years. He restored the castle and the gardens and used it as a summer residence. During World War II the castle was inhabited by friars from Zeist and after 1968 the castle stood empty again. In 1972 the castle was sold by the Heijmeijer family and under the new owner restorations were carried out in 1974. On January 10th, 1987 however the castle was destroyed by a large fire.

In 1999 the castle was bought by a building company who rebuilt the castle. This restoration was finished in 2002. The castle is now used as an office for a real estate company and there is a restaurant with 1 Michelin Star in the basement. It can only be visited as a guest of the restaurant.