Willow Warbler - Phylloscopus Trochilus

KNNR

Thanks to all who take the time to Comment/fav etc, Always appreciated.

Greylag Goose - Anser anser

The ancestor of most domestic geese, the greylag is the largest and bulkiest of the wild geese native to the UK and Europe. In many parts of the UK it has been re-established by releasing birds in suitable areas, but the resulting flocks (often mixed with Canada geese) found around gravel pits, lakes and reservoirs all year round in southern Britain tend to be semi-tame and uninspiring. The native birds and wintering flocks found in Scotland retain the special appeal of truly wild geese.

Greylag geese are listed in Schedule 2 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, meaning they can be killed or taken outside of the close season.

Population:

UK breeding:

46,000 pairs

UK wintering:

140,000 British-breeding birds and 88,000 from Iceland

Long tailed Duck (f) - Clangula Hyemalis

Diving duck that favors saltwater in winter and Arctic tundra pools in summer. Males are distinctive with black, white, gray, and brown patterns and long pointed tail. Male plumage changes dramatically from winter to summer. Females and immature males are brownish overall with whiter face and large dark cheek patch. Dives frequently to feed mainly on invertebrates.

Bullfinch - Pyrrhula Pyrrhula (M)

The Eurasian bullfinch, common bullfinch or bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) is a small passerine bird in the finch family, Fringillidae. In Anglophone Europe it is known simply as bullfinch, as it is the original bird to bear the name bullfinch.

The bullfinch is a bulky bull-headed bird. The upper parts are grey; the flight feathers and short thick bill are black; as are the cap and face in adults (they are greyish-brown in juveniles), and the white rump and wing bars are striking in flight. The adult male has red underparts, but females and young birds have grey-buff underparts. It moults between July and October, but males do not have the duller autumn plumage that is typical of some other finches. The song of this unobtrusive bird contains fluted whistles, and is often described as 'mournful'.

This bird breeds across Europe and temperate Asia. It is mainly resident, but many northern birds migrate further south in the winter. Mixed woodland with some conifers is favoured for breeding, including parkland and gardens.

This species does not form large flocks outside the breeding season, and is usually seen as a pair or family group.

The food is mainly seeds and buds of fruit trees, which can make it a pest in orchards: in England for centuries every parish paid a bounty for every bullfinch killed. Ash and hawthorn are favoured in autumn and early winter. If wild bird cover is planted for it, kale, quinoa and millet are preferred, next to tall hedges or woodland.

Population:

UK breeding:

190,000

The common whitethroat (Sylvia communis) is a common and widespread typical warbler which breeds throughout Europe and across much of temperate western Asia. This small passerine bird is strongly migratory, and winters in tropical Africa, Arabia, and Pakistan.

This is one of several Sylvia species that has distinct male and female plumages. Both sexes are mainly brown above and buff below, with chestnut fringes to the secondary remiges. The adult male has a grey head and a white throat. The female lacks the grey head, and the throat is duller.

This species may appear to be closely related to the lesser whitethroat, the species having evolved only during the end of the last ice age similar to the willow warbler and chiffchaffs. However, researchers found the presence of a white throat is an unreliable morphological marker for relationships in Sylvia, and the greater and lesser whitethroats are not closely related.

This is a bird of open country and cultivation, with bushes for nesting. The nest is built in low shrub or brambles, and 3–7 eggs are laid. Like most warblers, it is insectivorous, but will also eat berries and other soft fruit.

Population:

UK breeding:

1,100,000 territories

High Brown Fritillary - Argynnis adippe

The Beautiful Rare High Brown!

Thank you to all who take the time to Comment/fav etc..Always appreciated.

霧氷ができる条件は何でしょう。

この日は低い気温、晴れ、無風という条件が揃いました。

もう一つ大事な条件が欠けていたので霧氷はつきませんでした。

身を持ってその条件の必要性を感じました。

後ろの山には北西側に霧氷が付いていますが、東南には霧氷がつきませんでした。

霧氷は太陽が溶かしたのではなく、つかなかったのです。

これがこの地域で霧氷がつく条件の大きなヒントになります。

What are the conditions for rime formation?

On this day, the conditions of low temperature, sunny weather, and no wind were met.

I didn't get hoarfrost because I lacked another important condition.

I felt the need for that condition.

The mountain behind had hoarfrost on the northwest side, but no hoarfrost on the southeast.

The hoarfrost did not melt the sun, but did not.

This is a great hint of the conditions for rime in this area.

Wryneck - Jynx Torquilla

The wrynecks (genus Jynx) are a small but distinctive group of small Old World woodpeckers. Jynx is from the Ancient Greek iunx, the Eurasian wryneck.

Like the true woodpeckers, wrynecks have large heads, long tongues which they use to extract their insect prey and zygodactyl feet, with two toes pointing forward, and two backwards. However, they lack the stiff tail feathers that the true woodpeckers use when climbing trees, so they are more likely than their relatives to perch on a branch rather than an upright trunk.

Their bills are shorter and less dagger-like than in the true woodpeckers, but their chief prey are ants and other insects, which they find in decaying wood or almost bare soil. They re-use woodpecker holes for nesting, rather than making their own holes. The eggs are white, as with many hole nesters.

The two species have cryptic plumage, with intricate patterning of greys and browns. The adult moults rapidly between July and September, although some moult continues in its winter quarters. The voice is a nasal woodpecker-like call.

These birds get their English name from their ability to turn their heads almost 180 degrees. When disturbed at the nest, they use this snake-like head twisting and hissing as a threat display.

Population:

UK passage:

Approx: 280 birds

Thanks to all who take the time to Comment/Fav, it's Always appreciated.

The common whitethroat (Sylvia communis) is a common and widespread typical warbler which breeds throughout Europe and across much of temperate western Asia. This small passerine bird is strongly migratory, and winters in tropical Africa, Arabia, and Pakistan.

This is one of several Sylvia species that has distinct male and female plumages. Both sexes are mainly brown above and buff below, with chestnut fringes to the secondary remiges. The adult male has a grey head and a white throat. The female lacks the grey head, and the throat is duller.

This species may appear to be closely related to the lesser whitethroat, the species having evolved only during the end of the last ice age similar to the willow warbler and chiffchaffs. However, researchers found the presence of a white throat is an unreliable morphological marker for relationships in Sylvia, and the greater and lesser whitethroats are not closely related.

This is a bird of open country and cultivation, with bushes for nesting. The nest is built in low shrub or brambles, and 3–7 eggs are laid. Like most warblers, it is insectivorous, but will also eat berries and other soft fruit.

Population:

UK breeding:

1,100,000 territories

...from lack of being played.

19:52 - Around the house - what's your favourite little nook or cranny?

I think this is probably cheating for the theme, but I photographed all my nooks and crannies, and they just didn't cut it. But I found the guitar and case in one of those crannies (corner of a closet). So I brought it out for a shoot. And I think it really is weeping from lack of being played. I shot this in the living room and the bokeh is our backyard through the window.

Now, here is some of the best guitar work ever, IMO :) And nothing to do with the title or who sang that song....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVjdMLAMbM0

Best viewed large.

💜

**because some people lack it and need to learn it**! .:LAVAROCK POSES:.Fem Bento Pose Set-31

at Mainstore! (Chair prop with av sitter system included)

**pose edited to fit in black dragon**

MP:

marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/105657

Mainstore:

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Outer%20Limits/177/63/1495

Salvadori - Leather So High Peep Toe Pumps

{le fil casse} Hara Set

DOUX - Chill

.:Vegas:. Tattoo Themys

Colours don't lack in the southeast of Bolivia!

After visiting the White and the Green Lagoons, we got to this viewpoint where we could glimpse the red lagoon - Laguna Colorada.

Algae and mineral sediments give the red-blood tones to water when under the direct sunlight. One of these minerals is borax, a sodium compound typical of salt lakes.

The 60 km² lagoon is only 1 meter deep and lies in the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve, embedded in a desolate desert of salt and rock. For flocks of flamingos, the bright-red salt lake offers a rich source of food. Llamas and alpacas are also seen around the lagoon.

The spaces are enormous.

There is a road on the right side of this image where we can see a vehicle and its trails of dust. If you can't see it, don't worry, it's just too small :)

Thanks so much for stopping by :)

Kingfisher - Alcedo Atthis

Double click..

The common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) also known as the Eurasian kingfisher, and river kingfisher, is a small kingfisher with seven subspecies recognized within its wide distribution across Eurasia and North Africa. It is resident in much of its range, but migrates from areas where rivers freeze in winter.

This sparrow-sized bird has the typical short-tailed, large-headed kingfisher profile; it has blue upperparts, orange underparts and a long bill. It feeds mainly on fish, caught by diving, and has special visual adaptations to enable it to see prey under water. The glossy white eggs are laid in a nest at the end of a burrow in a riverbank.

The female is identical in appearance to the male except that her lower mandible is orange-red with a black tip. The juvenile is similar to the adult, but with duller and greener upperparts and paler underparts. Its bill is black, and the legs are also initially black. Feathers are moulted gradually between July and November with the main flight feathers taking 90–100 days to moult and regrow. Some that moult late may suspend their moult during cold winter weather.

The flight of the kingfisher is fast, direct and usually low over water. The short rounded wings whirr rapidly, and a bird flying away shows an electric-blue "flash" down its back.

The common kingfisher is widely distributed over Europe, Asia, and North Africa, mainly south of 60°N. It is a common breeding species over much of its vast Eurasian range, but in North Africa it is mainly a winter visitor, although it is a scarce breeding resident in coastal Morocco and Tunisia. In temperate regions, this kingfisher inhabits clear, slow-flowing streams and rivers, and lakes with well-vegetated banks. It frequents scrubs and bushes with overhanging branches close to shallow open water in which it hunts. In winter it is more coastal, often feeding in estuaries or harbours and along rocky seashores. Tropical populations are found by slow-flowing rivers, in mangrove creeks and in swamps.

Like all kingfishers, the common kingfisher is highly territorial; since it must eat around 60% of its body weight each day, it is essential to have control of a suitable stretch of river. It is solitary for most of the year, roosting alone in heavy cover. If another kingfisher enters its territory, both birds display from perches, and fights may occur, in which a bird will grab the other's beak and try to hold it under water. Pairs form in the autumn but each bird retains a separate territory, generally at least 1 km (0.62 mi) long, but up to 3.5 km (2.2 mi) and territories are not merged until the spring.

Very few birds live longer than one breeding season. The oldest bird on record was 21 years.

They are also listed as a Schedule 1 species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act offering them additional protection.

Population:

UK breeding:

3,800-6,400 pairs

The Pont du Gard is an ancient Roman aqueduct that crosses the Gardon River in southern France. Located near the town of Vers-Pont-du-Gard, the bridge is part of the Nîmes aqueduct, a 50-kilometre (31 mi) system built in the first century AD to carry water from a spring at Uzès to the Roman colony of Nemausus (Nîmes). Because of the uneven terrain between the two points, the mostly underground aqueduct followed a long, winding route that called for a bridge across the gorge of the Gardon River. The Pont du Gard is the highest of all elevated Roman aqueducts, and, along with the Aqueduct of Segovia, one of the best preserved. It was added to UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 1985 because of its historical importance.

The bridge has three tiers of arches, standing 48.8 m (160 ft) high. The whole aqueduct descends in height by only 17 m (56 ft) over its entire length, while the bridge descends by a mere 2.5 centimetres (1 in) – a gradient of only 1 in 3,000 – which is indicative of the great precision that Roman engineers were able to achieve, using only simple technology. The aqueduct formerly carried an estimated 200,000 m3 (44,000,000 imp gal) of water a day to the fountains, baths and homes of the citizens of Nîmes. It continued to be used possibly until the 6th century, with some parts used for significantly longer, but lack of maintenance after the 4th century meant that it became increasingly clogged by mineral deposits and debris that eventually choked off the flow of water.

Lack of water

“L'eau en poudre : il suffit de rajouter de l'eau pour obtenir de l'eau."

(Jean Baudrillard)

Lack-collared Hawk (Busarellus nigricollis) at Rio Piqueri - Pantanal - MT, Brazil.

Have a nice Thursday!

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

© All my images are protected under international authors copyright laws and may not be downloaded, reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without my written explicit permission. All rights reserved. Please contact me at thelma.gatuzzo@gmail.com if you intend to buy or use any of my images.

Common Whitethroat - Sylvia communis

Taken on on local walks!

The common whitethroat (Sylvia communis) is a common and widespread typical warbler which breeds throughout Europe and across much of temperate western Asia. This small passerine bird is strongly migratory, and winters in tropical Africa, Arabia, and Pakistan.

This is one of several Sylvia species that has distinct male and female plumages. Both sexes are mainly brown above and buff below, with chestnut fringes to the secondary remiges. The adult male has a grey head and a white throat. The female lacks the grey head, and the throat is duller.

This species may appear to be closely related to the lesser whitethroat, the species having evolved only during the end of the last ice age similar to the willow warbler and chiffchaffs. However, researchers found the presence of a white throat is an unreliable morphological marker for relationships in Sylvia, and the greater and lesser whitethroats are not closely related.

This is a bird of open country and cultivation, with bushes for nesting. The nest is built in low shrub or brambles, and 3–7 eggs are laid. Like most warblers, it is insectivorous, but will also eat berries and other soft fruit.

Population:

UK breeding:

1,100,000 territories

Ha and OIII

Managed to grab a small amount of OIII last night.

(Still a lot of noise, because of the lack of data ...and UK weather ;-) )

Michael L Hyde (c) 2016

mehr Lackgesichter ↵ und Oliviers Boot ↵

See my "About" page on Flickr for the link to support my efforts... just the price of a cup of coffee is appreciated. Thank you. www.flickr.com/people/jax_chile/

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Thanks for your visit, FAVs, and comments, I truly appreciate it.

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Press 'F11' for Large View then 'L' for a Largest View.

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This image may not be reproduced or used in any form whatsoever without my express written permission.

All rights reserved.

© Fotografía de John B

© John B Fotografía

© John Edward Bankson

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Flores de Santa Gemita - 020222-2

The lake is located at the northern end of the endorheic Altiplano basin high in the Andes on the border of Peru and Bolivia. The western part of the lake lies within the Puno Region of Peru, and the eastern side is located in the Bolivian La Paz Department.

The lake consists of two nearly separate subbasins connected by the Strait of Tiquina, which is 800 m (2,620 ft) across at the narrowest point. The larger subbasin, Lago Grande (also called Lago Chucuito), has a mean depth of 135 m (443 ft) and a maximum depth of 284 m (932 ft). The smaller subbasin, Wiñaymarka (also called Lago Pequeño, "little lake"), has a mean depth of 9 m (30 ft) and a maximum depth of 40 m (131 ft).

The overall average depth of the lake is 107 m (351 ft).

Name:

Neither the protohistoric nor prehistoric name for Lake Titicaca is known. Given the various Native American groups that occupied the Lake Titicaca region, it likely lacked a single, commonly accepted name in prehistoric times and at the time the Spaniards arrived.

The terms titi and caca can be translated in multiple ways. In Aymara, titi can be translated as either puma, lead, or a heavy metal. The word caca (kaka) can be translated as white or gray hairs of the head and the term k’ak’a can be translated as either crack or fissure, or alternatively, comb of a bird.

According to Weston La Barre, the Aymara considered in 1948 that the proper name of the lake is titiq’aq’a, which means gray, discolored, lead-colored puma. This phrase refers to the sacred carved rock found on the Island of the Sun. In addition to names including the term titi and/or caca, Lake Titicaca was also known as Chuquivitu in the 16th century. This name can be loosely translated as lance point. This name survives in modern usage in which the large lake is occasionally referred to as Lago Chucuito.

Stanish argues that the logical explanation for the origin of the name Titicaca is a corruption of the term thakhsi cala, which is the 15th- to 16th-century name of the sacred rock on the Island of the Sun. Given the lack of a common name for Lake Titicaca in the 16th century, the Spaniards are thought to have used the name of the site of the most important indigenous shrine in the region, thakhsi cala on the Island of the Sun, as the name for the lake. In time and with usage, this name developed into Titicaca.

Locally, the lake goes by several names. The small lake to the south is called Huiñamarca. The large lake also is occasionally referred to as Lago Mayor, and the small lake as Lago Menor. In addition, the southeast quarter of the lake is separate from the main body (connected only by the Strait of Tiquina), and the Bolivians call it Lago Huiñaymarca (also Wiñay Marka, which in Aymara means the Eternal City) and the larger part Lago Chucuito. In Peru, these smaller and larger parts are referred to as Lago Pequeño and Lago Grande, respectively.

Nuthatch - Sitta europaea

The Eurasian nuthatch or wood nuthatch (Sitta europaea) is a small passerine bird found throughout temperate Asia and in Europe, where its name is the nuthatch. Like other nuthatches, it is a short-tailed bird with a long bill, blue-grey upperparts and a black eye-stripe. It is a vocal bird with a repeated loud dwip call. There are more than 20 subspecies in three main groups; birds in the west of the range have orange-buff underparts and a white throat, those in Russia have whitish underparts, and those in the Far East have a similar appearance to European birds, but lack the white throat.

The preferred habitat is mature deciduous or mixed woodland with large, old trees, preferably oak. Pairs hold permanent territories, and nest in tree holes, usually old woodpecker nests, but sometimes natural cavities. If the entrance to the hole is too large, the female plasters it with mud to reduce its size, and often coats the inside of the cavity too. The 6–9 red-speckled white eggs are laid on a deep base of pine or other wood chips.

The Eurasian nuthatch eats mainly insects, particularly caterpillars and beetles, although in autumn and winter its diet is supplemented with nuts and seeds. The young are fed mainly on insects, with some seeds, food items mainly being found on tree trunks and large branches. The nuthatch can forage when descending trees head first, as well as when climbing. It readily visits bird tables, eating fatty man-made food items as well as seeds. It is an inveterate hoarder, storing food year-round. Its main natural predator is the Eurasian sparrowhawk.

It breeds throughout England and Wales and has recently began to breed in southern Scotland. It is a resident, with birds seldom travelling far from the woods where they hatch.

Population:

UK breeding:

220,000 territories

"Il coraggio non è mancanza di paura, piuttosto la consapevolezza che esiste qualcosa di più importante della paura stessa"

With the lack of opportunity to move freely during Covid 19, I decided to take a series of shots of reflections in the local streams, ponds, ditches and a short stretch of the River Thames.

See my "About" page on Flickr for the link to support my efforts... just the price of a cup of coffee is appreciated. Thank you. www.flickr.com/people/jax_chile/

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Thanks for your visit, FAVs, and comments, I truly appreciate it!

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

Press 'F11' for Large View then 'L' for a Largest View.

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

This image may not be reproduced or used in any form whatsoever without my express written permission.

All rights reserved.

© Fotografias de John B

© John Edward Bankson

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Rosas de Santa Gemita - 041621-5

[Topaz Studio 2]

~~~ Thank you all for viewing, kind comments, favs and awards - much appreciated! ~~~

In parecchi posti nevica, invece qui si è vista pochissima acqua e ancora meno ne avremo prossimamente...

Let It Rain - Eric Clapton from the first album

or

Let It Rain - Eric Clapton Live @ Royal Albert Hall 2015

The rain is falling through the mist of sorrow that surrounded me.

the sun could never thaw away the the bliss that lays around me.

Let it rain, let it rain,

let your love rain down on me.

let it rain, let it rain,

let it rain, rain, rain.

Her life was like a desert flower burning in the sun.

until i found the way to love, it's harder said than done.

...

Now i know the secret; there is nothing that i lack.

if i give my love to you, you'll surely give it back.

Sorry, to me is very difficult to visit people that always only leave a fav without commenting...

Do not use any of my images on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit written permission.

All rights reserved - Copyright © fotomie2009 - Nora Caracci

It's taken ten days to get a close up shot of this little fella, and he's not in the slightest bit glossy... I don't know if that's all the egret poo, his age, the total lack of sun today or what... :@(

Here's one from 2018, www.flickr.com/photos/cosperwosper/31987167708

Catcott

Parque Nacional Las Tablas de Daimiel, Villarrubia de los Ojos, Ciudad Real, Castilla-La Mancha, España.

El parque nacional de las Tablas de Daimiel es un espacio natural protegido español que protege el humedal homónimo. Se encuentra situado en los términos municipales de Daimiel y Villarrubia de los Ojos, en la provincia de Ciudad Real, comunidad autónoma de Castilla-La Mancha. Es además una zona de especial protección para las aves (ZEPA) y parte de la Reserva de la Biosfera La Mancha Húmeda. Con 192 025 visitantes anualmente (2015), las Tablas de Daimiel es el decimotercer parque nacional más visitado de España.

Las Tablas son uno de los últimos representantes de un ecosistema denominado tablas fluviales que se forman al desbordarse los ríos en sus tramos medios, favorecidos por fenómenos de semiendorreísmo y la escasez de pendientes. El humedal se forma en la confluencia del río Guadiana y su afluente Cigüela y es uno de los ecosistemas acuáticos más importantes de la península ibérica por la variedad y calidad de la fauna y flora que habitan en ella, así como por aquellas aves que la emplean en los pasos migratorios. Las Tablas sirve de refugio a más de 2.000 especies (plantas, aves, insectos, peces, réptiles... ).

Las Tablas son el último representante de un ecosistema denominado tablas fluviales que se forman por los desbordamientos de los ríos en sus tramos medios, favorecidos por fenómenos de semiendorreísmo y por la escasez de pendientes.

El parque cuenta con unos humedales formados a partir de la confluencia del río Guadiana y su afluente Gigüela y es uno de los ecosistemas acuáticos más importantes de España debido a la fauna y flora que habitan en ella. También es importante por el gran número de aves migratorias que pasan por la zona como los ánades y los ánsares.

Las Tablas de Daimiel pueden considerarse, dentro de una clasificación hidrológica-estructural de los humedales, como un "hidrohumedal de recarga"; en teoría, con disposición plurianual de agua superficial, que recarga constantemente el acuífero infrayacente. Aunque en los tiempos actuales, a veces se asemeja más a un "higrohumedal", de recarga temporal.

Las Tablas de Daimiel están formadas por las aguas de dos ríos de diferente naturaleza, lo que las convierte en un ecosistema privilegiado: el agua del río Gigüela que procede de los páramos de Cabrejas en la serranía conquense aporta aguas salobres, mientras que el río Guadiana aporta aguas dulces que surgen de sus ojos aproximadamente a unos 15 km al norte del parque nacional, en el término municipal de Villarrubia de los Ojos.

The Tablas de Daimiel National Park is a protected natural area in Spain that protects the wetland of the same name. It is located in the municipalities of Daimiel and Villarrubia de los Ojos, in the province of Ciudad Real, autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha. It is also a special protection area for birds (ZEPA) and part of the La Mancha Húmeda Biosphere Reserve. With 192,025 visitors annually (2015), the Tablas de Daimiel is the thirteenth most visited national park in Spain.

The Tablas are one of the last representatives of an ecosystem called river tables that are formed when rivers overflow in their middle sections, favoured by semi-endorrheism phenomena and the lack of slopes. The wetland is formed at the confluence of the Guadiana River and its tributary Cigüela and is one of the most important aquatic ecosystems in the Iberian Peninsula due to the variety and quality of the fauna and flora that inhabit it, as well as the birds that use it for migratory passages. Las Tablas serves as a refuge for more than 2,000 species (plants, birds, insects, fish, reptiles...).

Las Tablas is the last representative of an ecosystem called river tables, which are formed by the overflow of rivers in their middle sections, favoured by semi-endorheism phenomena and by the lack of slopes.

The park has wetlands formed from the confluence of the Guadiana River and its tributary Gigüela and is one of the most important aquatic ecosystems in Spain due to the fauna and flora that inhabit it. It is also important because of the large number of migratory birds that pass through the area, such as ducks and geese.

The Tablas de Daimiel can be considered, within a hydrological-structural classification of wetlands, as a "recharge hydro-wetland"; in theory, with a multi-year supply of surface water, which constantly recharges the underlying aquifer. Although in current times, it is sometimes more similar to a "hygro-wetland", with temporary recharge.

The Tablas de Daimiel are formed by the waters of two rivers of different nature, which makes them a privileged ecosystem: the water of the Gigüela river that comes from the Cabrejas moors in the Cuenca mountain range provides brackish water, while the Guadiana river provides fresh water that emerges from its springs approximately 15 km north of the national park, in the municipality of Villarrubia de los Ojos.

The female, as seen here, lacks the bright colours of the male. The bird is a common resident breeder in southern India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and is found in a variety of habitats with trees, including gardens where they forage for nectar. In the monsoons it is a joy to watch them dew-bathing (bathing in rain collected on large leaves).

Nuthatch - Sitta europaea

The Eurasian nuthatch or wood nuthatch (Sitta europaea) is a small passerine bird found throughout temperate Asia and in Europe, where its name is the nuthatch. Like other nuthatches, it is a short-tailed bird with a long bill, blue-grey upperparts and a black eye-stripe. It is a vocal bird with a repeated loud dwip call. There are more than 20 subspecies in three main groups; birds in the west of the range have orange-buff underparts and a white throat, those in Russia have whitish underparts, and those in the Far East have a similar appearance to European birds, but lack the white throat.

The preferred habitat is mature deciduous or mixed woodland with large, old trees, preferably oak. Pairs hold permanent territories, and nest in tree holes, usually old woodpecker nests, but sometimes natural cavities. If the entrance to the hole is too large, the female plasters it with mud to reduce its size, and often coats the inside of the cavity too. The 6–9 red-speckled white eggs are laid on a deep base of pine or other wood chips.

The Eurasian nuthatch eats mainly insects, particularly caterpillars and beetles, although in autumn and winter its diet is supplemented with nuts and seeds. The young are fed mainly on insects, with some seeds, food items mainly being found on tree trunks and large branches. The nuthatch can forage when descending trees head first, as well as when climbing. It readily visits bird tables, eating fatty man-made food items as well as seeds. It is an inveterate hoarder, storing food year-round. Its main natural predator is the Eurasian sparrowhawk.

It breeds throughout England and Wales and has recently began to breed in southern Scotland. It is a resident, with birds seldom travelling far from the woods where they hatch.

Population:

UK breeding:

220,000 territories

Dartford Warbler - Sylvia Undata

The Dartford warbler (Sylvia undata) iDs a typical warbler from the warmer parts of western Europe and northwestern Africa. It is a small warbler with a long thin tail and a thin pointed bill. The adult male has grey-brown upperparts and is dull reddish-brown below except for the centre of the belly which has a dirty white patch. It has light speckles on the throat and a red eye-ring. The sexes are similar but the adult female is usually less grey above and paler below.

Its breeding range lies west of a line from southern England to the heel of Italy (southern Apulia). The Dartford warbler is usually resident all year in its breeding range, but there is some limited migration.

The Dartford warbler was first described by the Welsh naturalist Thomas Pennant from two specimens that were shot in April 1773 on Bexley Heath near Dartford in Kent.

The species is naturally rare. The largest European populations of Sylvia undata are in the Iberian peninsula, others in much of France, in Italy and southern England and south Wales. In Africa it can be found only in small areas in the north, wintering in northern Morocco and northern Algeria.

In southern England the birds breed on heathlands, sometimes near the coast, and nest in either common gorse (Ulex europaeus) or common heather (Calluna

Dartford warblers are named for Dartford Heath in north west Kent, where the population became extinct in the early twentieth century. They almost died out in the United Kingdom in the severe winter of 1962/1963 when the national population dropped to just ten pairs. Sylvia undata is also sensitive to drought affecting breeding success or producing heath fires, as occurred during 1975 and 1976 in England when virtually all juveniles failed to survive their first year.

However, this species can recover well in good quality habitat with favourable temperatures and rainfall, thanks to repeated nesting and a high survival rate for the young. Indeed, they recovered in some areas of the UK, but numbers are once again on the decline in other regions of their natural range.

The range of the Dartford warbler is restricted to western and southern Europe. The total population in 2012 was estimated at 1.1–2.5 million breeding pairs. The largest numbers occur in Spain where there were believed to be 983,000–1,750,000 pairs. For reasons that probably include loss of suitable habitat, the Spanish population appears to be declining. The species is therefore classed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as being Near threatened.

A period of climatic warming since 1963 has seen the UK population increase to "more than 2,500 pairs in 2006 (Wotton et al. 2009). Expansion into patches of structurally suitable habitat (up to an altitude of 400m), more northerly areas and away from the core of the range, from Dorset and Hampshire to Derbyshire and Suffolk, is likely to have been facilitated by milder winter weather (Wotton et al. 2009, Bradbury et al. 2011)... The Dartford warbler population in the UK is expected to continue to increase. However, future climate-based projections for the European range indicate that by 2080, more than 60% of the current European range may no longer be suitable (Huntley et al 2007). There is evidence that this is happening already, with severe declines in Spain and France (Green 2017). For this reason, the species is classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Global Red List. If the declines in southern Europe continue, the UK will become increasingly important for global conservation of this species".

Population:

UK breeding:

3,200 pairs

Norfolk.

Thanks for looking!!

Large owl, mottled brown and white. Rounded head lacks ear tufts. Black eyes. Listen for its instantly recognizable “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all” call. Favors large, mature forests with deciduous and coniferous trees, often near water. Hunts small animals at night; however, is more active during the day than other owls. (eBird)

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We were out with a group of friends when we heard the chickadees and jay go nuts and an owl flew out of a tree just ahead of us. Our first view of the owl was its backside but surprisingly it let us walk right under it to get this great full view. For our friends, it was the first time they had ever seen an owl.

This will be my last post for a while as I am scheduled for eye surgery this week and will have an undetermined recovery period. I need to finish a few other projects before so my visits to Flickr will be reduced for a bit. See you all on the other side :-)

UPDATE: Surgery went well and eye is healing. Should have some vision in about a month. Will take up to 6 months for full recovery. Will have to take it easy for a while still :-)

Stony Swamp, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. August 2024.

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Eher in den Lack gefallen!

Die 218 435 erstrahlt seit ein paar Wochen im schönsten Verkehrsrot und ist daher trotz ihren LED Lichtern ein gern gesehener Gast an den IC Zügen im Allgäu.

Am 24.10.21 zog die Ulmer Glanzkiste den IC2084/85 und konnte von uns am Ruderatshofener Weiher festgehalten werden.

Auch im Allgäu wird es inzwischen langsam aber sicher Winter, was an dem Baum rechts im Bild schwer zu übersehen ist.

Lacks quality because of distance and heating ground.

Rost und alter Lack auf Container . Beitrag zum Exff-Award : WASSER

Once again I apologize for my absence and lack of contact over the last couple of weeks. My father, still in the hospital, needed me. I returned last night and now am trying to get caught up. I hope you have all been well and I look forward to catching up to all of you wonderful work.

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alternative view photography blogspot

© 2007- 2011 John Salisbury All rights reserved

Charles Bridge in darkness before the sun rose. The lamps reflecting their light onto the cobbles. The distant buildings silhouetted against the dark sky.

Don't be fooled by the lack of people. Had I turned the camera in the opposite direction, there were an awful lot of togs.

Charles Bridge is one of a number of bridges in Prague, which spans the river Vitara.

Some beautiful sculptures adorn the sides of the bridge.

Dreaming of the Lighthouse Beach in the Bahamas tonight. Been looking back through my hundreds of photos of this beach. The white sand, lack of people, color of water, and the reefs teeming with fish make this an ideal place to visit.

Vale of Glamorgan.

Thank you for looking at my images!!

Crested Tit - Lophophanes cristatus

Double Click

The European crested tit, or simply crested tit (Lophophanes cristatus) (formerly Parus cristatus), is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common resident breeder in coniferous forests throughout central and northern Europe and in deciduous woodland in France and the Iberian peninsula.

In Great Britain, it is chiefly restricted to the ancient pinewoods of Inverness and Strathspey in Scotland, and seldom strays far from its haunts.

A few vagrant crested tits have been seen in England. It is resident, and most individuals do not migrate.

It is an easy tit to recognise, for besides its erectile crest, the tip of which is often recurved, its gorget and collar are distinctive. It is, like other tits, talkative, and birds keep up a constant zee, zee, zee ,similar to that of the coal tit.

It makes a nest in a hole in rotting stumps. This bird often feeds low down in trees, but although not shy, it is not always easily approached. It will join winter tit flocks with other species.

Like other tits it is found in pairs and it feeds on insects (including caterpillars) and seeds.

Population:

UK breeding:

1,500 pairs

UK wintering:

5,200-9,500 birds

This one I did edit in Photoshop to obtain the desired lack of light on the back of the subject. The photo was taken in a background at Naturally Naughty. It's a cool place for backgrounds. Pose made with AnyPose HUD.

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Coast%20of%20Passion/56/14...

I made a visit to the Gwash Trout Farm Osprey hide at Rutland this morning leaving home at 2 am for a 4 am start so a real early one. Its a great set up but unfortunately we only had one visit from Osprey 28 so photographically it was a bit disappointing given the lack of action/visits. We did however have a real treat with some squabbling male Kingfishers right in front of the hide throughout the morning which relieved the boredom a tad.