Arctic Terns:-

With its long tail streamers and general shape the Arctic tern deserves the local name of 'sea swallow'. Appearing white with a black cap, it is largely coastal although it can be seen inland on migration. It depends on a healthy marine environment and some colonies have been affected by fish shortages. Arctic terns are the ultimate long distance migrants - summer visitors to the UK and winter visitors to the Antarctic.

Courtesy: RSPB

Bearded Reedling - Panurus Biarmicus

aka Bearded Tit. (M)

This species is a wetland specialist, breeding colonially in large reed beds by lakes or swamps. It eats reed aphids in summer, and reed seeds in winter, its digestive system changing to cope with the very different seasonal diets.

Often having to take grit in order to help digestion.

The bearded reedling is a species of temperate Europe and Asia. It is resident, and most birds do not migrate other than eruptive or cold weather movements. It is vulnerable to hard winters, which may kill many birds. The English population of about 500 pairs is largely confined to the south and east with a small population in Leighton Moss in north Lancashire. In Ireland a handful of pairs breed in County Wexford. The largest single population in Great Britain is to be found in the reedbeds at the mouth of the River Tay in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, where there may be in excess of 250 pairs.

Other Breeding areas include Norfolk and Somerset and Alkborough Flats, lincolnshire.

Population:

UK breeding:

630 pairs

Europe:

232 - 437,000 birds

The station, designed by Otto Wagner, went into operation in June 1899 as part of the Vienna Stadtbahn (Wiener Stadtbahn). Today it is a station on the U4 underground line.

"The Vienna Stadtbahn [...] was a rail-based public transportation system operated under this name from 1898 until 1989. Today, the Vienna U-Bahn lines U4 and U6 and the Vienna S-Bahn (commuter rail) run on its former lines."*

The Stadtbahn "is one of the main works of the architect Otto Wagner, who not only uniformly designed the substructure and all building structures such as retaining walls, lining walls, bridges, viaducts, tunnel portals and stations, but also all the associated ticket and luggage counters, floor coverings, railings, lifts, grilles, gates, furniture, water pipes and heating and lighting fixtures. The infrastructure has been largely preserved and is one of the city's sights as an overall work of art in the transitional style between late historicism and early art nouveau. Today, all the facilities are listed monuments."**

* en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vienna_Stadtbahn

** de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiener_Stadtbahn

Der Eisbär ist eine Raubtierart. Eisbären sind ausschließlich in der Arktis verbreitet in der Polarregion rund um den Nordpol. Die meisten hocharktischen Eisbären halten sich das ganze Jahr über an den Küsten oder auf dem Meereseis auf, um dort Robben zu jagen.

The polar bear is a hypercarnivorous bear whose native range lies largely within the Arctic Circle, encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is predatory carnivore. A boar (adult male) weighs around 350–700 kg (772–1,543 lb), while a sow (adult female) is about half that size.

The Barnacle goose (Branta leucopsis) belongs to the genus Branta of black geese, which contains species with largely black plumage, distinguishing them from the grey Anser species. Despite its superficial similarity to the Brent Goose, genetic analysis has shown it is an eastern derivative of the Cackling Goose lineage.The Barnacle goose was first classified taxonomically by Johann Matthäus Bechstein in 1803. Its specific epithet is from the Ancient Greek leuko- "white", and opsis "faced".

In English, the term "barnacle" originally referred only to this species of goose and only later to the crustacean barnacles. It is sometimes claimed that the word comes from a Celtic word for "limpet", but the sense-history seems to go in the opposite direction.[2]The Barnacle Goose is a medium-sized goose, 60–70 cm long,[3] with a white face and black head, neck, and upper breast. Its belly is white. The wings and its back are silver-gray with black-and-white bars that look like they are shining when the light reflects on it. During flight a V-shaped white rump patch and the silver-gray underwing linings are visible.

Barnacle Geese breed mainly on the Arctic islands of the North Atlantic. There are three main populations, with separate breeding and wintering ranges; from west to east:

Breeding in eastern Greenland, wintering on the Hebrides of western Scotland and in western Ireland. Population about 40,000.

Breeding on Svalbard, wintering on the Solway Firth on the England/Scotland border. Population about 24,000.

Breeding on Novaya Zemlya, wintering in the Netherlands. Population about 130,000.

A new fourth population, derived from the Novaya Zemlya population, has become established since 1975 breeding on the Baltic Sea islands (Estonia, Finland, Denmark, and Sweden), and wintering in the Netherlands. Population about 8,000.

Small numbers of feral birds, derived from escapes from zoo collections, also breed in other north European countries. Occasionally, a wild bird will appear in the Northeastern United States or Canada, but care must be taken to separate out wild birds from escaped individuals, as Barnacle Geese are popular waterfowl with collectors.

The Moss-backed Tanager is typical chunky-bodied Bangsia tanager with a comparatively large-looking head, which is violet-blue, contrasting with the largely dull green body plumage, and the yellow center to the upper breast. It is a group-living bird, which is found just as frequently apart from other species as within mixed-species flocks. Another unusual behavior of the Moss-backed Tanager is the propensity for individuals to perch high on an exposed perch in a clearing or above the forest canopy. The species is distributed from west-central Colombia to northwest Ecuador, and ranges to elevations around 2100 m in wet and mossy cloud forests.

Picture taken at Mindo - Ecuador - for a Peaceful Bokeh Wednesday!

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.

My instagram if you like: @thelmag and @thelma_and_cats

The Externsteine belong to the Teutoburger Wald and are a natural outcropping of five sandstone pillars, the tallest of which is 37 mtr high and form a wall of several hundred metres in length, in a region that is otherwise largely devoid of rocks. The pillars have been modified and decorated by humans over the centuries. The place has been an important location for religion and spiritual activities throughout history.

In warm evening light the beauty performs perfectly.

A largely mountainous, hydrological divide!

Well, really it's a chocolate candy bag!

The good harbor conditions are largely natural and the warm and easily accessible harbor conditions In the area combined with proximity to the Skagerrak, the harbor, first at Flekkerøy, made it important already more than 500 years ago further into the fjord.

The harbor is very well protected from wind and normally has tidal differences of +/- 10 cm.

The first fortifications were built in the 16th century and the naval station for the Danish / Norwegian galley fleet at Lagmannsholmen In the western harbor from the 1680s until 1750. In 1804 a quarantine station was established for shipping in Denmark, Norway and Holstein in the harbor. It was operated until 1814. From 1827, Kristiansand was the last port of call for the Christiania mail route with the DS "Constitution" along the coast via Fredriksvern. In 1872 a ferry connection was established between Kristiansand and Fredrikshavn with DS "Frithjof".

From 1897 the defense had a war station and a marina in Marvika. This facility has in recent years been used as a base for deep-water testing of submarines by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW).

Currently the Strange-tailed Tyrant largely is restricted to southern Paraguay, northeastern Argentina, and western Uruguay, where it occupies tall grasslands, but the distribution formerly extended much farther north and east. In view of this range contraction, primarily due to habitat loss, the Red List conservation status of the Strange-tailed Tyrant is rated as Vulnerable.

Picture taken at Argentina - Esteros de Ibera - Have a Peaceful Travel Tuesday!

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 by any means without my written explicit permission, including the use on websites and similar medias. All rights reserved. Please contact me at thelma.gatuzzo@gmail.com if you intend to buy or use any of my images.

My instagram if you like: @thelmag, @thelma_and_cats and @teg_photo_arts

Member of Nature’s Spirit

Good Stewards of Nature

Pink Footed Goose - Anser Brachyrhynchus

Norfolk

There are two largely discrete populations of pink-footed goose. The Greenland and Iceland population winter in Great Britain, while the Svalbard population winters in the Netherlands and Denmark, with small numbers also in Norway (where it is common on migration), northern Germany, and Belgium.

Populations have risen spectacularly over the last 50 years, due largely to increased protection from shooting on the wintering grounds. Numbers wintering in Ireland and Great Britain have risen almost tenfold from 30,000 in 1950 to 292,000 in October 2004. The numbers wintering in Denmark and the Netherlands have also risen, with about 34,000 in 1993. The most important single breeding site, at Þjórsárver in Iceland (holding 10,700 pairs in 1970), was only discovered in 1951, by Sir Peter Scott and his team who made an expedition to seek the breeding grounds. Within Great Britain, the most important wintering areas are in Norfolk (147,000 in 2004), Lancashire (44,000 in 2004), and Aberdeenshire (primarily on autumn and spring passage). Large to huge wintering flocks graze on farmland; individual flocks can be spectacular, such as the 66,000 at Loch of Strathbeg, Aberdeenshire in early September 2003.

☑️ For a full view screen on black ... Just press L on your keyboard!

Tangara pie / Magpie tanager / Cissopis leverianus

Le tangara pie (Cissopis leverianus) est une espèce de tangara d'Amérique du Sud. C'est le seul membre du genre monotypique Cissopis. Comme le suggère son nom commun, cette espèce bleu-noir et blanc rappelle superficiellement une pie européenne. Avec une longueur totale de 25–30 cm (10–12 in), dont un grand pourcentage est la queue, c'est la plus longue espèce de tanager. Il pèse 69-76 g.

Il est répandu dans les forêts tropicales et subtropicales humides, les plantations, la seconde pousse et les parcs en Amérique du Sud à l'est des Andes. Il est absent des régions plus sèches (par exemple la Caatinga) et de la plupart du nord-est du Brésil. Dans les régions densément boisées, il se produit principalement dans des sections relativement ouvertes (par exemple près des principaux fleuves). Dans ces régions, il se propage avec la déforestation, ce qui ouvre l'habitat. Il est largement limité aux plaines, mais se rencontre jusqu'à une altitude de 2 000 m (6 600 pi) sur les pentes des Andes orientales. Il est commun dans la majeure partie de son aire de répartition, mais plus rare dans les Guyanes.

Se produit généralement en paires ou groupes voyants et bruyants de jusqu'à 10 individus. Participe généralement aux troupeaux mixtes. Déplace souvent la longue queue de haut en bas. Mange des graines, des fruits et des insectes. Le nid en forme de coupe est bordé d'herbe, de feuilles ou d'autres matières végétales et est situé bas dans les arbres près du sol ou dans les arbustes à végétation dense. Les 2 œufs sont brun rougeâtre avec des taches brunes. Le temps d'incubation est de 12 à 13 jours en captivité.

The magpie tanager (Cissopis leverianus ) is a South American species of tanager. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Cissopis. As suggested by its common name, this blue-black and white species is superficially reminiscent of a European magpie. With a total length of 25–30 cm (10–12 in), a large percentage of which is tail, it is the longest species of tanager. It weighs 69-76 g.

It is widespread in humid tropical and subtropical woodland, plantations, second growth, and parks in South America east of the Andes. It is absent from drier regions (e.g. the Caatinga) and most of north-eastern Brazil. In densely forested regions, it mainly occurs in relatively open sections (e.g. near major rivers). In such regions it is spreading with deforestation, which opens up the habitat. It is largely restricted to lowlands, but occurs up to an altitude of 2,000 m (6,600 ft) on the east Andean slopes. It is common throughout most of its range, but rarer in the Guianas.

Typically occurs in conspicuous, noisy pairs or groups of up to 10 individuals. Commonly takes part in mixed-species flocks. Often moves long tail up and down. Eats seed, fruits and insects. The cup-shaped nest is lined with grass, leaves or other plant materials and is located low in trees near the ground or in shrubs in dense vegetation. The 2 eggs are reddish-brown with brown spots. The incubation time is 12–13 days in captivity.

Pousada Trihla dos Tucanos, Tapirai, Sao Paolo, Brazil

Thanks a lot for your visits, comments, faves, invites !

Regards, Serge

Copyright © Serge Daigneault Photography, 2020

All rights reserved. Do not use without my written authorization.

The Cathedral Church of Saints Asaph and Cyndeyrn, commonly called St Asaph Cathedral, is a cathedral in St Asaph, Denbighshire, north Wales. It is the episcopal seat of the Bishop of St Asaph. The cathedral dates back 1,400 years, while the current building dates from the 13th century.

A church was originally built on or near the site by Saint Kentigern in the 6th century (other sources say Saint Elwy in 560). Saint Asa (or Asaph), a grandson of Pabo Post Prydain, followed after this date.

The earliest parts of the present building date from the 13th century when a new building was begun on the site after the original stone cathedral was burnt by soldiers of King Edward I during the Second Welsh War in 1282.

The rebellion of Owain Glyndŵr resulted in part of the cathedral being reduced to a ruin for seventy years. The present building was largely built in the reign of Henry Tudor and greatly restored in the 19th century.

Otavalo, has a population largely made up of the Otavalo indigenous group. They are famous for weaving textiles, usually made of wool, which are sold at the famous market. During the market's peak, almost one third of the town becomes full of stalls selling textiles, tagua nut jewelry, musical instruments, dream catchers, leather goods, fake shrunken heads, indigenous costumes, hand-painted platters and trays, purses, clothing, spices, raw foods and spools of wool.

I largely ignored my side trip to Biltmore as I have been putting up a lot of other photos from Asheville. Well, time to post a few from Biltmore.

Photo taken in Asheville, NC at the Biltmore Estate

Keeps largely on the ground and often close to cover the Dunnock often goes unnoticed .This bird however was singing at the top of his voice

The Barnacle goose (Branta leucopsis) belongs to the genus Branta of black geese, which contains species with largely black plumage, distinguishing them from the grey Anser species. Despite its superficial similarity to the Brent Goose, genetic analysis has shown it is an eastern derivative of the Cackling Goose lineage.The Barnacle goose was first classified taxonomically by Johann Matthäus Bechstein in 1803. Its specific epithet is from the Ancient Greek leuko- "white", and opsis "faced".

In English, the term "barnacle" originally referred only to this species of goose and only later to the crustacean barnacles. It is sometimes claimed that the word comes from a Celtic word for "limpet", but the sense-history seems to go in the opposite direction.[2]The Barnacle Goose is a medium-sized goose, 60–70 cm long,[3] with a white face and black head, neck, and upper breast. Its belly is white. The wings and its back are silver-gray with black-and-white bars that look like they are shining when the light reflects on it. During flight a V-shaped white rump patch and the silver-gray underwing linings are visible.

Barnacle Geese breed mainly on the Arctic islands of the North Atlantic. There are three main populations, with separate breeding and wintering ranges; from west to east:

Breeding in eastern Greenland, wintering on the Hebrides of western Scotland and in western Ireland. Population about 40,000.

Breeding on Svalbard, wintering on the Solway Firth on the England/Scotland border. Population about 24,000.

Breeding on Novaya Zemlya, wintering in the Netherlands. Population about 130,000.

A new fourth population, derived from the Novaya Zemlya population, has become established since 1975 breeding on the Baltic Sea islands (Estonia, Finland, Denmark, and Sweden), and wintering in the Netherlands. Population about 8,000.

Small numbers of feral birds, derived from escapes from zoo collections, also breed in other north European countries. Occasionally, a wild bird will appear in the Northeastern United States or Canada, but care must be taken to separate out wild birds from escaped individuals, as Barnacle Geese are popular waterfowl with collectors.

CityCenter (also known as CityCenter Las Vegas) is a 16,797,000-square-foot (1,560,500 m2) mixed-use, urban complex on 76 acres (31 ha) located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The project was started by MGM Resorts International; Dubai World became a joint partner during the project's construction phase. It is the largest privately funded construction project in the history of the United States.[3] The project is connected by a people mover system to adjacent MGM properties Monte Carlo Las Vegas and Bellagio Las Vegas.[4] As of 2015, the "CityCenter" branding has been largely retired, with the focus instead on the Aria brand of the development's centerpiece property in names such as the "Aria Express" (formerly "CityCenter Tram") and "Aria Art Collection" (formerly "CityCenter Art Collection").

The project straddles Harmon Avenue and is bordered by (listed clockwise, starting on the east side): Las Vegas Boulevard, the Park MGM, I-15, the Bellagio, and The Cosmopolitan Resort & Casino. The site was formerly occupied by the Boardwalk Hotel and Casino, the Bellagio employee parking lot, and several standalone commercial structures.

The conceptual master plan for Project City Center, announced on November 9, 2004, was designed by Ehrenkrantz, Eckstut & Kuhn Architects, laying out the project with approximately 2,400 condominium and condo-hotel units and approximately 4,800 hotel rooms, distributed within several high-rise towers around The Crystals, an ultra high-end retail mall. It is designed to have all commodities for daily life, featuring a 4,000-room hotel and casino (Aria), two 400-room boutique hotels (The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, with 227 residential condo units, and The Harmon Hotel and Spa), a purely residential offering (Veer Towers), a condo-hotel (Vdara Condo-hotel) and a 500,000 sq ft (46,000 m2) retail and entertainment district which was intended to house the first grocery store directly on the Strip (though as of July 2011, there is no grocery on the property). The multi-use project makes extensive use of green technologies, such as using reclaimed water and an on-site power plant. The Mandarin Oriental, Aria, and Vdara all received LEED certification in November 2009.

With a total cost of approximately $9.2 billion,[5] CityCenter is the largest privately financed development in the United States. The original cost estimate was $4 billion, but it was pushed up by rising construction costs and design changes. CityCenter opened with approximately 12,000 employees across the different projects. Vdara, Aria, Mandarin Oriental, and The Crystals opened in December 2009. The Veer Towers opened in July 2010.

CityCenter features five water and ice features. These were designed by WET Design, the company responsible for the Bellagio fountain and the Mirage volcano. Three of these features are located at Aria Resort & Casino, entitled Lumia (a musical fountain), Focus (a water wall on the exterior), and Latisse (a water wall inside the casino). The remaining two are located in The Crystals: Halo (freestanding columns of water vortices) and Glacia (ice pillars).

Despite appearances, the cockpit section of this aircraft was constructed largely of wood! During WW2, the de Havilland company devised methods of using plywood and balsa to form light and strong structures suitable for aircraft manufacture, the most famous example being the Mosquito. After the war, as the company workforce still had the skills to work with wood they continued using it (at least to some extent) in the earliest jet aircraft. Early jet engines lost power through the use of long jet pipes, so for the dH Vampire family of designs, the tail plane was extended out on booms either side of the exhaust. Other early jet aircraft designs of the era split the exhaust laterally and exited it just behind the wings on either side, continuing the fuselage back to carry the tailplane (eg the Hawker Sea Hawk). An advantage of jets was that the high ground clearance for large propellers was no longer needed, meaning the undercarriage legs could be shortened, reducing weight and making servicing easier. The pilot's forward visibility was greatly improved by the use of tricycle undercarriage making ground handling much safer.

Vampires first flew in 1943, entered service in 1945 and were finally retired from the RAF in 1955. Over 3,000 of various marks were built, serving in the air forces of more than a dozen countries.

The Dark-throated Seedeater is one of the “capuchino” subgroup of seedeaters, these are largely southern South American species that often appear capped in the breeding male plumage. The group is very closely related, species limits are still being worked out, and several show polymorphisms, some of which have been considered separate species in the past. The male Dark-throated Seedeater is gray above, including the cap, and chestnut below. However, the throat to the upper-breast is a rich rusty-brown, which is definitely darker than either the belly or the cap. As is usually the case in this group, these seedeaters are often found in little groups, and sometimes even in mixed species flocks particularly during migration and the non-breeding season. It is a highly migratory species, breeding from NE Argentina to SC Brazil and migrating to various open country areas south of the Amazon Basin in winter. This is a species that specializes in foraging on unopened grass seeds, so the grass still on the stalk. They are small and light and can perch on larger grass stalks without breaking them, often handing down to retrieve the seeds. Conservation status on Birdlife - Near Threatened due to loss of habitat. doi.org/10.2173/bow.datsee1.01

Picture taken at Barra do Quarai - RS - Brazil.

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 by any means without my written explicit permission, including the use on websites and similar medias. All rights reserved. Please contact me at thelma.gatuzzo@gmail.com if you intend to buy or use any of my images.

My instagram if you like: @thelmag, @thelma_and_cats and @teg_photo_arts

Member of Nature’s Spirit

Good Stewards of Nature

There's a saying that familiarity breeds contempt....well, this scene is one which many pass and stop at, and as we were staying in Shieldaig, we passed it almost twice a day, largely ignoring it....but looking back always helps! Cloud on Ben Damph

This particular trip to Mannum was largely based around the movements of this wonderful paddle-wheeler, the Murray Princess. I had some shots in mind of the Murray Princess on the river near the glorious and spectacular cliffs of Big Bend. The staff of the cruise company were greatly helpful in getting me exact dates, times and positions for my intended shots. Then when we finally arrived in Mannum, it was sadly tied up at the wharf all week. Probably another victim of sudden state border closures and lockdowns. Not to worry, there will always be another time, but it did give me a chance to get up close for a better look at this wonderful river boat.

The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a hypercarnivorous species of bear. Its native range lies largely within the Arctic Circle, encompassing the Arctic Ocean and its surrounding seas and landmasses, which includes the northernmost regions of North America and Eurasia.

It is the largest extant bear species, as well as the largest extant land carnivore. A boar (adult male) weighs around 350–700 kg (770–1,540 lb), while a sow (adult female) is about half that size. Although it is the sister species of the brown bear, it has evolved to occupy a narrower ecological niche, with many body characteristics adapted for cold temperatures, for moving across snow, ice and open water, and for hunting seals, which make up most of its diet.

Although most polar bears are born on land, they spend most of their time on the sea ice. Their scientific name means "maritime bear" and derives from this fact. Polar bears hunt their preferred food of seals from the edge of sea ice, often living off fat reserves when no sea ice is present. Because of their dependence on the sea ice, polar bears are classified as marine mammals.

Because of expected habitat loss caused by climate change, the polar bear is classified as a vulnerable species. For decades, large-scale hunting raised international concern for the future of the species, but populations rebounded after controls and quotas began to take effect.

For thousands of years, the polar bear has been a key figure in the material, spiritual, and cultural life of circumpolar peoples, and polar bears remain important in their cultures. Historically, the polar bear has also been known as the "white bear".[13] It is sometimes referred to as the "nanook", based on the Inuit term nanuq.

This image was taken near the Nordenskioldbreen Glacier in Spitsbergen

With no rain for 12 weeks and temperatures pushing towards 40 degrees at times the New Forest heathland has taken a battering with only patchy colour in the heather - normally transformed to purple, now burnt and dead-looking largely. It has also meant tress and ferns dressing for autumn a couple of months early so where there is summer colour it leads to a strange, but attractive colour palette. More worrying is that I've seen much less birdlife and wildlife than usual - perhaps its just me? It does make you wonder what our seasons are going to become as climate change seems to gather pace.

Serengeti National Park

Tanzania

East Africa

The Tawny Eagle (Aquila rapax) is a large bird of prey. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. It was once considered to be closely related to the migratory Steppe Eagle, Aquila nipalensis, and the two forms have previously been treated as conspecific species.

It breeds in most of Africa both north and south of the Sahara Desert and across tropical southwestern Asia to India.

Throughout its range it favors open dry habitats, such as desert, semi-desert, steppes, or savannah.

The Tawny Eagle's diet is largely fresh carrion of all kinds, but it will kill small mammals up to the size of a rabbit, reptiles and birds up to the size of guineafowl.

The call of the Tawny Eagle is a crow-like barking, but it is rather a silent bird except in display. – Wikipedia

Jökulsárlón 20210716

Jökulsárlón is Iceland’s most famous glacier lagoon. Conveniently located in the southeast by Route 1, about halfway between the Skaftafell Nature Reserve and Höfn.

As a glacier lagoon, Jökulsárlón is a lake that is filled with meltwater from an outlet glacier. In this case, it is Breiðamerkurjökull, a tongue of Europe’s largest ice cap, Vatnajökull.

It stands out, however, due to the fact that it also fills with icebergs breaking from the glacier, some of which tower several stories high.

These icebergs, other than their scale, are notable for their colouration. Although they are, as expected, largely white, most are also dyed electric blue in part, with black streaks of ash from eruptions centuries past.

In spite of being a rather recent formation, Jökulsárlón is the deepest lake in the country, with depths of 248 metres (814 feet). With a surface area of 18 square kilometres, it is also growing to be one of the largest.

Source: Guide to Iceland.

Taken Steppe Plains, Toledo Province, Talavera de la Reina, Spain.

Rare eagle breeding only in Spain and Portugal, with some immatures dispersing into North Africa. Very similar to the closely-related Imperial Eagle, but is darker overall and adults have a distinctive white leading wing edge on the shoulders which can been seen from below when flying. Juveniles are rufous and largely unstreaked on the upperwings, underwings, and the breast compared to the heavily streaked Imperial Eagles. Mostly found in remote forested landscapes, especially those with a high density of rabbits. (reference from e.bird )

Vista des de el Albaicín.

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

de/from Wikipedia:

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

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alhambra

La Alhambra es un complejo monumental sobre una ciudad palatina andalusí situado en Granada, España. Consiste en un conjunto de antiguos palacios, jardines y fortaleza (alcazaba, del árabe: القصبة al-qaṣbah ‘ciudadela’) inicialmente concebido para alojar al emir y la corte del Reino nazarí, más tarde como residencia real castellana y de sus representantes. Su singularidad artística radica en los interiores de los palacios nazaríes, cuya decoración está entre las cumbres del arte andalusí, así como en su localización y adaptación, generando un paisaje nuevo pero totalmente integrado con la naturaleza preexistente. Además, alberga un museo de arte andalusí, la pinacoteca principal de la ciudad así como un antiguo convento convertido en Parador nacional.

El complejo es gestionado por la institución Patronato de la Alhambra y el Generalife. En 2016 esta reportó ser el segundo espacio más visitado de España, tras la Sagrada Familia de Barcelona​, con 2 615 1883​ visitantes.

Etimológicamente, «Alhambra» en árabe es «al-Ḥamrāʼ» (اَلْحَمْرَاء, 'la Roja'), procedente del nombre completo «al-Qal'a al-hamra» ('castillo rojo'). En su evolución, el español intercala entre la m y la r una b, como en «alfombra», que en el árabe clásico tenía el significado de 'rojez', escrito como «al-humra». Existen más teorías para explicar el origen del nombre de la Alhambra, pues hay otros autores que arguyen que en la época andalusí la Alhambra estaba encalada y su color era blanco. El nombre de «roja» le vendría porque cuando se construyó se trabajaba de noche, y vista por la noche, desde lejos, debido a la luz de las antorchas, se veía roja. Otros autores defienden que «Alhambra» es simplemente el nombre en femenino de su fundador, Abu al-Ahmar (Muhammad I, reinado 1238-1273), que en árabe significa 'el Rojo', por ser pelirrojo.

La Alhambra se levantó sobre la colina de la Sabika, uno de los puntos más elevados de la ciudad de Gharnata. Este emplazamiento buscaba una situación estratégica defensiva y a la vez transmitir un claro símbolo, donde la cima del poder es muy perceptible para el resto de la ciudad, una ubicación escogida para ser contemplada.

La colina de la Sabika ya era un espacio ocupado con anterioridad, al menos desde tiempo de los romanos y las primeras referencias escritas de un emplazamiento militar en la zona datan del año 666. Así se tiene constancia de los núcleos de Iliberis (Elvira), en el Albaicín y Alcazaba, Castilia, cerca del actual pueblo de Atarfe, y Garnata en la colina frente a la Alcazaba como un barrio de Iliberis en la comarca y en el 756 los núcleos de El Albaicín y La Alhambra. La extensión de la colina permite albergar el complejo ocupando este unos 740 m de longitud y entre 180 m y 40 m de anchura.6

A partir de la muerte de Alhakén II, tercer califa Omeya, en 976, la historia política del califato Omeya se convirtió en un cúmulo de reveses. La reconquista cristiana pasó a ser el impulso dominante dentro de la península. En este contexto, la transformación de Gharnata de pequeña población en ciudad de cierta importancia ocurrió a principios del siglo XI, cuando la dinastía bereber de los Ziríes formó un principado semiindependiente. Bajo los tres gobernantes Habus, Badis y Abdallah (1025-1090) la ciudad aumentó en población.[cita requerida]

Los edificios estaban concentrados en la colina de la Alcazaba y en su entorno inmediato. Para la formación de la Alhambra el acontecimiento más importante es la construcción por el visir Yusuf ibn Nagrela de una fortaleza-palacio en la colina de la Sabika. Un poema de Ibn Gabirol parece indicar que los leones de la fuente de los Leones se hallaban originariamente en el palacio de este visir judío. Puede que haya habido otras construcciones puramente militares en la colina de la Alhambra durante el período zirí, pero es difícil distinguirlas con precisión.

El año 1238 señaló un segundo momento crucial. Muhammad ibn Nasr tomó la ciudad. La paradoja de la Granada nazarí consiste en el hecho de que un poder político y militar decadente, moribundo en realidad, coincidiera con una cultura original y sorprendentemente rica. La Alhambra se creó en un mundo políticamente inestable y económicamente próspero. Así, Muhammad aceptó una relación de vasallaje con la corona de Castilla, y así entró por la Puerta de Elvira para ocupar el palacio del Gallo del Viento (la antigua Alhambra), Mohamed-Ben-Nazar (o Nasr), llamado Al-Hamar el Rojo por el color de su barba.

Ben-Al-Hamar construyó el primer núcleo del palacio, fortificándolo posteriormente su hijo Mohamed II. Con toda probabilidad las murallas exteriores y el acueducto se completaron al final del siglo XIII. Los jardines y pabellones del Generalife datan al parecer del reinado de Isma'il (1314-1325). Pero los emplazamientos más importantes de la Alhambra (el complejo del patio de los Arrayanes y el de los Leones) pertenecen a la época de Yusuf I (1333-1354) y Muhammed V, este estilo granadino es la culminación del arte andalusí. Tras tres siglos de actividad, quedan bien diferenciados los tres sectores en la Alhambra: la alcazaba, el entramado urbano y los palacios.​

En 1492, finalizó la conquista de Granada por los Reyes Católicos. Hernando del Pulgar, cronista de la época, cuenta: "El conde de Tendilla y el Comendador Mayor de León, Gutierre de Cárdenas, recibieron de Fernando el Católico las llaves de Granada, entraron en la Alhambra y encima de la Torre de Comares alzaron la cruz y la bandera". La Alhambra pasa así a ser ciudadela y palacio real de los reyes cristianos y el complejo continúa su desarrollo, se añade el convento de San Francisco en 1494, el palacio de Carlos V en 1527 o la iglesia de Santa María de la Encarnación de la Alhambra en 1581.

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

EL LLANTO DE BOABDIL

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

"No llores como mujer lo que no supiste defender como hombre."

Dicen de esta frase que fue pronunciada por Aixa, madre de Boabdil cuando éste rindió Granada. Eran las tres de la tarde del 2 de enero de 1492 cuando Abu Abdallah Muhammad b. Ali, Muhammad XII, Boabdil para los cristianos, salió de la Alhambra por la puerta más cercana al Genil. Allí acongojado y roto por el dolor, el emir se bajó de su caballo e inclinándose ante el Rey Fernando de Aragón y todo su séquito de nobles intentó besarle la mano mientras le entregaba las llaves de la ciudad. El Rey, sosteniéndole, lo incorporó para evitarle la deshonra y tomó las llaves de la Alhambra, se las dio a Isabel, la Reina, y ésta a su vez al Príncipe Juan, quien se las pasó al que sería nombrado alcaide la Alhambra, el conde de Tendilla.

Según las crónicas cristianas, o quien sabe, la propia leyenda surgida de momento tan doloroso, Boabdil montó en su caballo para dirigirse a los feudos que los Reyes Católicos le habían cedido para su disfrute en Adra, y desde el cerro más cercano detuvo su montura. Quiso volver su vista atrás para echar una última mirada a su reino perdido, y desolado, lloró como un niño. A sus espaldas, fue la sultana Aixa, su madre, quien pronunció tan lapidaria frase. El cerro se llama Suspiro del moro.

El Albaicín entero lloró la pérdida. Granada gritó y clamó por la capitulación de su ciudad mora. Hubo unas pocas revueltas, desesperados por el fin de todo un reino, pero finalmente, Granada, la nazarí, quedó rendida.

...

El Sol de Al-Andalus desaparecido quedó,

que la voluntad de Allah se cumpla,

que cada desdichado se encierre con su tristeza.

...

(Al-Maqqarí).

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alhambra

The Alhambra (/ælˈhæmbrə/ (About this soundlisten), Spanish: [aˈlambɾa]; Arabic: الْحَمْرَاء‎, romanized: Al-Ḥamrāʾ, pronounced [alħamˈraːʔ], lit. '"The Red One"') is a palace and fortress complex located in Granada, Andalusia, Spain. It was originally constructed as a small fortress in 889 CE on the remains of Roman fortifications, and then largely ignored until its ruins were renovated and rebuilt in the mid-13th century by the Nasrid emir Mohammed ben Al-Ahmar of the Emirate of Granada, who built its current palace and walls with many beautiful, intricate details. It was converted into a royal palace in 1333 by Yusuf I, Sultan of Granada.[1] After the conclusion of the Christian Reconquista in 1492, the site became the Royal Court of Ferdinand and Isabella (where Christopher Columbus received royal endorsement for his expedition), and the palaces were partially altered in the Renaissance style. In 1526 Charles I & V commissioned a new Renaissance palace better befitting the Holy Roman Emperor in the revolutionary Mannerist style influenced by humanist philosophy in direct juxtaposition with the Nasrid Andalusian architecture, but it was ultimately never completed due to Morisco rebellions in Granada.

Alhambra's last flowering of Islamic palaces was built for the final Muslim emirs in Spain during the decline of the Nasrid dynasty, who were increasingly subject to the Christian Kings of Castile. After being allowed to fall into disrepair for centuries, the buildings occupied by squatters, Alhambra was rediscovered following the defeat of Napoleon, who had conducted retaliatory destruction of the site. The rediscoverers were first British intellectuals and then other north European Romantic travelers. It is now one of Spain's major tourist attractions, exhibiting the country's most significant and well-known Islamic architecture, together with 16th-century and later Christian building and garden interventions. The Alhambra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Moorish poets described it as "a pearl set in emeralds", an allusion to the colour of its buildings and the woods around them.[The palace complex was designed with the mountainous site in mind and many forms of technology were considered. The park (Alameda de la Alhambra), which is overgrown with wildflowers and grass in the spring, was planted by the Moors with roses, oranges, and myrtles; its most characteristic feature, however, is the dense wood of English elms brought by the Duke of Wellington in 1812.[citation needed] The park has a multitude of nightingales and is usually filled with the sound of running water from several fountains and cascades. These are supplied through a conduit 8 km (5.0 mi) long, which is connected with the Darro at the monastery of Jesus del Valle above Granada.

Despite long neglect, willful vandalism, and some ill-judged restoration, the Alhambra endures as an atypical example of Muslim art in its final European stages, relatively uninfluenced by the direct Byzantine influences found in the Mezquita of Córdoba. Most of the palace buildings are quadrangular in plan, with all the rooms opening on to a central court, and the whole reached its present size simply by the gradual addition of new quadrangles, designed on the same principle, though varying in dimensions, and connected with each other by smaller rooms and passages. Alhambra was extended by the different Muslim rulers who lived in the complex. However, each new section that was added followed the consistent theme of "paradise on earth". Column arcades, fountains with running water, and reflecting pools were used to add to the aesthetic and functional complexity. In every case, the exterior was left plain and austere. Sun and wind were freely admitted. Blue, red, and a golden yellow, all somewhat faded through lapse of time and exposure, are the colors chiefly employed. The name Alhambra means the red one or the red castle, which refers to the sun-dried bricks that the outer wall is made of.

The decoration consists for the upper part of the walls, as a rule, of Arabic inscriptions—mostly poems by Ibn Zamrak and others praising the palace—that are manipulated into geometrical patterns with vegetal background set onto an arabesque setting ("Ataurique"). Much of this ornament is carved stucco (plaster) rather than stone. Tile mosaics ("alicatado"), with complicated mathematical patterns ("tracería", most precisely "lacería"), are largely used as panelling for the lower part. Metal was also not present very mainly.[clarification needed] Similar designs are displayed on wooden ceilings (Alfarje).[4] Muqarnas are the main elements for vaulting with stucco, and some of the most accomplished dome examples of this kind are in the Court of the Lions halls. The palace complex is designed in the Nasrid style, the last blooming of Islamic Art in the Iberian Peninsula, that had a great influence on the Maghreb to the present day, and on contemporary Mudejar Art, which is characteristic of western elements reinterpreted into Islamic forms and widely popular during the Reconquista in Spain.

The Barnacle goose (Branta leucopsis) belongs to the genus Branta of black geese, which contains species with largely black plumage, distinguishing them from the grey Anser species. Despite its superficial similarity to the Brent Goose, genetic analysis has shown it is an eastern derivative of the Cackling Goose lineage.The Barnacle goose was first classified taxonomically by Johann Matthäus Bechstein in 1803. Its specific epithet is from the Ancient Greek leuko- "white", and opsis "faced".

In English, the term "barnacle" originally referred only to this species of goose and only later to the crustacean barnacles. It is sometimes claimed that the word comes from a Celtic word for "limpet", but the sense-history seems to go in the opposite direction.[2]The Barnacle Goose is a medium-sized goose, 60–70 cm long,[3] with a white face and black head, neck, and upper breast. Its belly is white. The wings and its back are silver-gray with black-and-white bars that look like they are shining when the light reflects on it. During flight a V-shaped white rump patch and the silver-gray underwing linings are visible.

Barnacle Geese breed mainly on the Arctic islands of the North Atlantic. There are three main populations, with separate breeding and wintering ranges; from west to east:

Breeding in eastern Greenland, wintering on the Hebrides of western Scotland and in western Ireland. Population about 40,000.

Breeding on Svalbard, wintering on the Solway Firth on the England/Scotland border. Population about 24,000.

Breeding on Novaya Zemlya, wintering in the Netherlands. Population about 130,000.

A new fourth population, derived from the Novaya Zemlya population, has become established since 1975 breeding on the Baltic Sea islands (Estonia, Finland, Denmark, and Sweden), and wintering in the Netherlands. Population about 8,000.

Small numbers of feral birds, derived from escapes from zoo collections, also breed in other north European countries. Occasionally, a wild bird will appear in the Northeastern United States or Canada, but care must be taken to separate out wild birds from escaped individuals, as Barnacle Geese are popular waterfowl with collectors.

The Barnacle goose (Branta leucopsis) belongs to the genus Branta of black geese, which contains species with largely black plumage, distinguishing them from the grey Anser species. Despite its superficial similarity to the Brent Goose, genetic analysis has shown it is an eastern derivative of the Cackling Goose lineage.The Barnacle goose was first classified taxonomically by Johann Matthäus Bechstein in 1803. Its specific epithet is from the Ancient Greek leuko- "white", and opsis "faced".

In English, the term "barnacle" originally referred only to this species of goose and only later to the crustacean barnacles. It is sometimes claimed that the word comes from a Celtic word for "limpet", but the sense-history seems to go in the opposite direction.[2]The Barnacle Goose is a medium-sized goose, 60–70 cm long,[3] with a white face and black head, neck, and upper breast. Its belly is white. The wings and its back are silver-gray with black-and-white bars that look like they are shining when the light reflects on it. During flight a V-shaped white rump patch and the silver-gray underwing linings are visible.

Barnacle Geese breed mainly on the Arctic islands of the North Atlantic. There are three main populations, with separate breeding and wintering ranges; from west to east:

Breeding in eastern Greenland, wintering on the Hebrides of western Scotland and in western Ireland. Population about 40,000.

Breeding on Svalbard, wintering on the Solway Firth on the England/Scotland border. Population about 24,000.

Breeding on Novaya Zemlya, wintering in the Netherlands. Population about 130,000.

A new fourth population, derived from the Novaya Zemlya population, has become established since 1975 breeding on the Baltic Sea islands (Estonia, Finland, Denmark, and Sweden), and wintering in the Netherlands. Population about 8,000.

Small numbers of feral birds, derived from escapes from zoo collections, also breed in other north European countries. Occasionally, a wild bird will appear in the Northeastern United States or Canada, but care must be taken to separate out wild birds from escaped individuals, as Barnacle Geese are popular waterfowl with collectors.

Steinhummeln sind größtenteils schwarz, das Ende des Hinterleibs ist braunrot. Männliche Steinhummeln haben eine gelbe Binde auf der Brust. Ihre Nester legen sie unter Steinhaufen oder Mauern an, worauf sich der Name bezieht. Sie können sich jedoch auch im Stroh von Ställen oder in verlassenen Vogelnestern befinden. Ein durchschnittlicher Staat besteht aus etwa 100 bis 200 Arbeiterinnen. Steinhummeln bevorzugen den Nektar von verschiedenen Kleearten und Taubnesseln.

Stone bumblebees are largely black, the end of the abdomen is brownish red. Male stone bumblebees have a yellow band on their chest. They lay their nests under piles of stones or walls, which is what the name refers to. However, they can also be found in the straw of stables or in abandoned bird nests. An average state consists of around 100 to 200 women workers. Stone bumblebees prefer the nectar of various species of clover and dead nettle.

A long exposure view of Twofold Bay from the northern end of Bungo Beach. This area is largely sandstone layers which have been uplifted and weathered into jagged lines of rock. The surf this side is usually gentle unless a stormy sea. The locals call this beach, “Keefe’s Pinch”. This location is near Eden on the Far South Coast of NSW.

Beaverville. Largely settled in the 1860's be French Canadian families, it is home to the "Cathedral of the Cornfields" St. Mary's Catholic Church, just a few blocks away. This church was such a landmark that the NYC had a "Sunday-only" stop on it's passenger trains for church attendees. As many as 8 trains per day came through Beaverville, including the James Whitcomb Riley streamliner. By 1977, the line was facing removal when local businessman Fey Orr stepped in and acquired the line. Subsequently the new little railroad was headquartered here. In 2003, a KB&S train returning from Kankakee is passing the Beaverville grain elevator and would stop to set off cars. The venerable ALCo locomotives would continue on for a few months before being supplanted by newer EMD's.

Alnwick's water supplies pre-1850 were largely from the burns (streams) that flowed down through the town from the surrounding higher ground. The townsfolk accessed the water through a number of 'pants' (a northern term for a drinking fountain) which were located at various points in the town. Many of these still exist though no longer in use.

The valve house pictured is not a pant as such but was used to control the flow of one of the water sources which ran down Clayport Bank (the Alnwick-Rothbury road) and is not much more than 100 metres or so from where we live. Some associated pipework is still visible further down the hill.

For those who like a bit of history go to sites.google.com/site/pantsofalnwick/home/history for much more info.

NS TripleCrown Roadrailer 256 heads into downtown Lafayette, Indiana on the former Wabash. With the operating costs, age, and continued used of largely proprietary parts to service the aging trailers on these trains, Ford has decided to officially end the last two remaining Roadrailers on July 1st, 2023, a true end of an era for this region. But at the end of the day, it’s also really hard to believe these trains managed to last for as long as they did (5/9/23).

It is a commercially important plant species of the diverse spurge family (Euphorbiaceae). Indigenous to Central America, it was described as a new species in 1834. It is particularly well known for its red and green foliage and is widely used in Christmas floral displays. It derives its common English name from Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States Minister to Mexico, who is credited with introducing the plant to the US in the 1820s. Poinsettias are shrubs or small trees, with heights of 0.6–4 m. Though often stated to be highly toxic, the poinsettia is not dangerous to pets or children. Exposure to the plant, even consumption, most often results in no effect, though can cause nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Wild poinsettias occur from Mexico to Guatemala, growing on mid-elevation, Pacific-facing slopes. One population in the Mexican state of Guerrero is much further inland, however, and is thought to be the ancestor of most cultivated populations. Wild poinsettia populations are highly fragmented, as their habitat is experiencing largely unregulated deforestation. They were cultivated by the Aztecs for use in traditional medicine. They became associated with the Christmas holiday and are popular seasonal decorations. Every year in the US, approximately 70 million poinsettias of many cultivated varieties are sold in a six-week period. Many of these poinsettias are grown by the Ecke family business, which serves half the worldwide market and 70% of the US market. is a shrub or small tree, typically reaching a height of 0.6–4 metres. The plant bears dark green dentate leaves that measure 7–16 centimetres in length. The colored bracts—which are most often flaming red but can be orange, pale green, cream, pink, white, or marbled—are often mistaken for flower petals because of their groupings and colors, but are actually leaves. The colors of the bracts are created through photoperiodism, meaning that they require darkness (12 hours at a time for at least five days in a row) to change color. At the same time, the plants require abundant light during the day for the brightest color. The flowers of the poinsettia are unassuming and do not attract pollinators. They are grouped within the cyathia (small yellow structures found in the center of each leaf bunch, or false flowers). Nothing is known about pollination in wild poinsettias, though wasps are noted to occasionally visit the cyathia. 31872

Though our day in the Lakes was a largely fine one, the previous few days had been very wet. As a result our walk-in along the River Glenderamackin before heading up to Bannerdale Crags & then Bowscale Fell was more suited to waders than to walking boots,

The path in the top right is our (dry) return path which drops down from the Bannerdale Crags/Bowscale Fell 'plateau' skirting The Tongue (seen in the previous upload flic.kr/p/2qxXPZY).

My last mountain walk on my original left knee. I had a total knee replacement on Tuesday, so no mountain (or even dog) walking for a while!

-Wolfgang Langewiesche

I had some fun today. I was thinking of something to do for my MM shot and started crafting up an egg. I somehow got the egg to become a hot air balloon (which I can take a picture of later if people want?) and then realized maybe it was too big for a MM shot. Sooooo with the idea of a hot air balloon fresh in my mind, I made these little guys. I had a blast. I was thinking, wouldn't these be cute as a mobile in a baby's room? :)

Bexhill or Bexhill-on-Sea is a seaside town situated in the county of East Sussex in South East England. An ancient town and part of the local-government district of Rother, Bexhill is home to a number of archaeological sites, a Manor House in the Old Town, an abundance of Edwardian and Victorian architecture, and the famous De La Warr Pavilion: today a centre for contemporary art – which has featured the work of Andy Warhol, Cerith Wyn Evans and Richard Wilson amongst others – and an auditorium, where Bob Marley had his first UK appearance and has since seen performances by Elvis Costello, Goldfrapp, Ray Davies, Years & Years, Patti Smith and Laurie Anderson.

The first reference to Bexhill, or Bexelei as it was originally called, was in a charter granted by King Offa of Mercia in 772 AD. It is recorded that King Offa had 'defeated the men of Hastings' in 771 AD. At this time, the term Hastings would have referred to this whole area rather than the town itself as it does today. In the charter, King Offa established a church and religious community in Bexhill.

During the Norman Conquest of 1066 it appears that Bexhill was largely destroyed. The Domesday survey of 1086 records that the manor was worth £20 before the conquest, was 'waste' in 1066 and was worth £18 10s in 1086. King William I used the lands he had conquered to reward his knights and gave Bexhill manor to Robert, Count of Eu, with most of the Hastings area. Robert's grandson, John, Count of Eu, gave back the manor to the bishops of Chichester in 1148 and it is probable that the first manor house was built by the bishops at this time. The later manor house, the ruins of which can still be seen at the Manor Gardens in Bexhill Old Town, was built about 1250, probably on the instructions of St. Richard, Bishop of Chichester. St Richard's Catholic College, the local Catholic school, was duly for said bishop. The Manor House was the easternmost residence owned by the bishops and would have been used as a place to stay while travelling around or through the eastern part of their diocese. There were often disputes between the Bishops of Chichester and the Abbots of Battle Abbey, usually about land ownership in this area. In 1276 a large portion of Bexhill was made into a park for hunting and in 1447 Bishop Adam de Moleyns was given permission to fortify the Manor House.

In 1561 Queen Elizabeth I took possession of Bexhill Manor and three years later she gave it to Sir Thomas Sackville, Earl of Dorset. The Earls, later Dukes, of Dorset owned Bexhill until the mid 19th century. Their main residences were Buckhurst Place in Sussex and Knole House in Kent.

In 1804 soldiers of the King's German Legion were stationed in barracks at Bexhill. These troops were Hanoverians who had escaped when their country was overrun by Napoleon's French Army. As King George III was also the Elector of Hanover, he welcomed them and they fought as part of the British Army. At about this time, defensive Martello Towers were built along the south east coast, some near Bexhill, in order to repel any French invasion. In 1814 the soldiers of the King's German Legion left Bexhill, eventually playing an important part in the Battle of Waterloo the following year. The German troops had been here to protect Bexhill from the French. However, many of the local people were actively trading with the enemy by way of smuggling. The best known of the local smugglers were in the Little Common Gang and the most famous incident was the infamous Battle of Sidley Green in 1828.

In 1813 Elizabeth Sackville had married the 5th Earl De La Warr, and when the male line of the Dukes of Dorset died out in 1865 she and her husband inherited Bexhill.

It was the 7th Earl De La Warr who decided to transform the small rural village of Bexhill into an exclusive seaside resort. He contracted the builder, John Webb, to construct the first sea wall and to lay out De La Warr Parade. Webb, in part payment for his work, was given all the land extending from Sea Road to the Polegrove, south of the railway line. Opened in 1890, the luxurious Sackville Hotel was built for the 7th Earl De La Warr and originally included a house for the use of his family. In 1891 Viscount Cantelupe, his eldest surviving son, married Muriel Brassey, the daughter of Sir Thomas and the late Annie, Lady Brassey of Normanhurst Court near Bexhill. The Manor House was fully refurbished so that Lord and Lady Cantelupe could live in style as Lord and Lady of the Manor. Finally, the 7th Earl De La Warr transferred control of his Bexhill estate to Viscount Cantelupe. When the 7th Earl De La Warr died in 1896

Viscount Cantelupe became the 8th Earl De La Warr. At this time he organised the building on the sea front of the Kursaal, a pavilion for refined entertainment and relaxation. He also had a bicycle track made, with a cycle chalet, at the eastern end of De La Warr Parade. These amenities were provided to promote the new resort. Meanwhile, many independent schools were being attracted to the expanding town due to its health-giving reputation. The railway came through Bexhill in 1846, the first railway station being a small country halt situated roughly where Sainsbury's car park is today. This was some distance from the village on the hill. A new station, north of Devonshire Square, was opened in 1891 to serve the growing resort. In 1902 the current railway station was opened and a Bexhill West Station was built for the newly built Crowhurst Branch Line.

1902 was the year that Bexhill became an Incorporated Borough. This was the first Royal Charter granted by Edward VII. Bexhill was the last town in Sussex to be incorporated and it was the first time a Royal Charter was delivered by motorcar. To celebrate the town's newfound status and to promote the resort, the 8th Earl De La Warr organised the country's first ever motorcar races along De La Warr Parade in May 1902. The town was scandalised at this time by the divorce of Earl De La Warr.

Muriel had brought the action on the grounds of adultery and abandonment. She was granted a divorce and given custody of their three children. Muriel, with her children, Myra, Avice and Herbrand, went back to live with Earl Brassey at Normanhurst Court. The 8th Earl De La Warr remarried but was again divorced for adultery. He also suffered recurrent and well-publicised financial difficulties. At the start of the First World War in 1914 the Earl bought a Royal Naval commission. He died of fever at Messina in 1915.

Herbrand Edward Dundonald Brassey Sackville became the 9th Earl De La Warr. He is best known for championing the construction of the De La Warr Pavilion, which was built and opened in 1935. The 9th Earl also became Bexhill's first socialist mayor. He died in 1976.

The Second World War caused the evacuation of the schools and substantial bomb-damage to the town. Many schools returned to Bexhill after the war but there was a steady decline in the number of independent schools in the town. The break-up of the British Empire and in particular the Independence of India in 1947 hastened the process. Most of the schools were boarding and catered largely for the children of the armed forces overseas and of the colonial administration. Although the number of schools decreased, many of the parents and former pupils had fond memories of the town and later retired to Bexhill.

For further information please visit

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bexhill-on-Sea and www.discoverbexhill.com/

The adult little egret is 55–65 cm long with an 88–106 cm wingspan, and weighs 350–550 g. Its plumage is normally entirely white, although there are dark forms with largely bluish-grey plumage a vagrant in iceland.

Tso Moriri or Lake Moriri Tibetan: ལྷ་མོའི་བླ་མཚོ, Wylie: lha mo bla mtsho) or "Mountain Lake", is a lake in the Ladakhi part of the Changthang Plateau (literally: northern plains) in Jammu and Kashmir in northern India. The official name of the land and water reserve here is the Tso Moriri Wetland Conservation Reserve.

The lake is at an altitude of 4,522 m (14,836 ft). It is the largest of the high altitude lakes entirely within India and entirely within Ladakh in this Trans-Himalayan biogeographic region. It is about 16 miles (26 km) north to south in length and two to three miles (3 to 5 km) wide. The lake has no outlet at present and the water is brackish though not very perceptible to taste.[2]

The lake is fed by springs and snow-melt from neighboring mountains. Most water enters the lake in two major stream systems, one entering the lake from the north, the other from the southwest. Both stream systems include extensive marshes where they enter the lake. It formerly had an outlet to the south, but this has become blocked and the lake has become a endorheic lake. The lake is oligotrophic in nature, and its waters are alkaline.

Accessibility to the lake is largely limited to summer season, though Karzok on the northwest shore and the military facilities on the eastern shores have year-round habitation.or Lake Moriri Tibetan: ལྷ་མོའི་བླ་མཚོ, Wylie: lha mo bla mtsho) or "Mountain Lake", is a lake in the Ladakhi part of the Changthang Plateau (literally: northern plains) in Jammu and Kashmir in northern India. The official name of the land and water reserve here is the Tso Moriri Wetland Conservation Reserve.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsomoriri_Wetland_Conservation_Reserve

The Barnacle goose (Branta leucopsis) belongs to the genus Branta of black geese, which contains species with largely black plumage, distinguishing them from the grey Anser species. Despite its superficial similarity to the Brent Goose, genetic analysis has shown it is an eastern derivative of the Cackling Goose lineage.The Barnacle goose was first classified taxonomically by Johann Matthäus Bechstein in 1803. Its specific epithet is from the Ancient Greek leuko- "white", and opsis "faced".

In English, the term "barnacle" originally referred only to this species of goose and only later to the crustacean barnacles. It is sometimes claimed that the word comes from a Celtic word for "limpet", but the sense-history seems to go in the opposite direction.[2]The Barnacle Goose is a medium-sized goose, 60–70 cm long,[3] with a white face and black head, neck, and upper breast. Its belly is white. The wings and its back are silver-gray with black-and-white bars that look like they are shining when the light reflects on it. During flight a V-shaped white rump patch and the silver-gray underwing linings are visible.

Barnacle Geese breed mainly on the Arctic islands of the North Atlantic. There are three main populations, with separate breeding and wintering ranges; from west to east:

Breeding in eastern Greenland, wintering on the Hebrides of western Scotland and in western Ireland. Population about 40,000.

Breeding on Svalbard, wintering on the Solway Firth on the England/Scotland border. Population about 24,000.

Breeding on Novaya Zemlya, wintering in the Netherlands. Population about 130,000.

A new fourth population, derived from the Novaya Zemlya population, has become established since 1975 breeding on the Baltic Sea islands (Estonia, Finland, Denmark, and Sweden), and wintering in the Netherlands. Population about 8,000.

Small numbers of feral birds, derived from escapes from zoo collections, also breed in other north European countries. Occasionally, a wild bird will appear in the Northeastern United States or Canada, but care must be taken to separate out wild birds from escaped individuals, as Barnacle Geese are popular waterfowl with collectors.

Stephansdom

is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna

The current Romanesque and Gothic form of the cathedral, seen today in the Stephansplatz, was largely initiated by Duke Rudolf IV (1339–1365) and stands on the ruins of two earlier churches, the first a parish church consecrated in 1147.

Wikipedia

Largely due to their rareness around the areas I spend most of my birding time, I've used the infrequent shot of a Goldfinch as the yard stick for how my photography skills develop. There's generally enough time in between each observation that I see a marked difference in how close i'm able to get, lighting, composition, colour rendition and of course, there's also a little luck to factor into the mix!

On this occasion, I observed a small group of 5 Goldfinches picking away at a thistle bush, doing a sterling job of dispersing the seeds as they went about their business. Easy come; easy go, but there was just enough time for a few shots of the feeding action.

Sabile is largely known for its lovely wine-growing hill, but near this well-known landmark, is a small and strange garden filled with hundreds of pale straw dolls.

All the dolls look rather similar in appearance and the garden has over 200 dolls with more appearing each year. Most of the dolls are set about different everyday situations like cooking a meal, cutting down a tree, or even walking up to altar. The dolls are all the creation of one woman who tends to knock around the garden. She doesn’t seem to have any set explanation for the garden, simply saying, “They are just dolls.”

The straw figures of policemen, singers, children, and parents all have a face that has been painted or drawn on their blank, fabric heads.

Real people are free to walk around in between these everyday settings and take pictures

FREE ALL HEALTHY WILDLIFE THEY HAVE RIGHTS.

This is the place where I just missed the trout jumping beneath the rainbow. When it came out the camera it wasn't what I saw on the day and I am very disappointed with it. I cant put my finger on it but I just don't like it. It seems to messy to me , maybe there are to many elements to it and it looks unbalanced. Feel free to say what you think good or bad .

The loch is now under the care of the National Trust for Scotland of which I am a member. Small brown trout and better quality Sea-Trout inhabit its depths.

The loch is fed by the river Coe which eventually enters the sea in Sea-loch Leven, It is easily accessed via the A82 road.

To the north are the mountains of Sgorr nam Fiannaidh and Stob Coire Leith and to the south the 3 Sisters of Glencoe are not far away, I've climbed all.

The glen was recently voted the most romantic in Europe although many folks swear they can sense a presence in the area, largely due to the infamous Massacre of Glencoe which took place here.

Augustijnenrei in the Ezelstraat Quarter, in northern Bruges, Flanders, Belgium.

It is a watercourse which runs as an extension of the Speelmansrei, from the Ezelbrug to the Torenbrug, from where it continues as the Gouden-Handrei. A street of the same name is located on the northern bank and runs from the Vlamingbrug to the Oost-Gistelhof.

The name "Augustijnenrei" refers to the lost Augustinian monastery founded around 1276. Located in one of the wealthiest districts of the city, the monastery church became the religious center of the Spanish and Italian nations, as well as of the Chamber of Commerce. The merchants of Genoa, Lucca, Pisa, Venice, the nations of Castile and Navarre had their chapel there.

Guilds and craftsmen also came to the Augustinians via the Commerce Chamber, among whom the skippers, the tapestry weavers, the gray workers, the barbers and surgeons, as well as the fencers, had their altars there. They brought wealth and prosperity to this monastery.

The church, monastery and school were sold in 1797 and largely demolished in the following years. The space where the monastery used to be was occupied by a brewery, a garage and a few houses. Until 1950, parts of the closing wall still existed. Until about 1980 relics of the monastery building were still present along the Augustijnenrei.

On the site of the former monastery church there is now a parking lot and a small square with lime trees along the Augustijnenrei. What remains of the former abbey is the large garden, the farm in Jan Miraelstraat and a former part of the college in Hoedenmakersstraat. In 1987, excavation works were carried out and 14th-century burial vaults with paintings were uncovered, as well as foundations of some parts of the monastery.

The Augustijnenrei lied at the foot of the first city walls of Bruges and was dug in 1127-1128 together with the Smedenrei, the Speelmansrei and the Gouden-Handrei. In 1270 the Augustijnenrei, together with the other inner canals, was deepened to allow shipping on it.

Information source:

nl-m-wikipedia-org.translate.goog/wiki/Augustijnenrei?_x_...

This is a largely ground-dwelling species, a member of the tyrant-flycatcher family. It follows cattle in grasslands and feeds on the insects they disturb.

150821 230

Cadillac Mountain was largely shaped by glaciers. You can see the scratches deep in the granite. This is shortly after the sunrise during the autumn of mid-October. (image M1A4954) Please also visit: acadiamagic.com.

NOTE: All images are Copyrighted by Greg A. Hartford. No rights to use are given or implied to the viewer. All rights of ownership and use remain with the copyright owner.

Sorry for being largely absent from Flickr these past few days... Heidi had a few vet appointments and is still recovering from today's general anesthesia. Also there's a leak in my roof and the roofer my landlord hired is maximum unreliable. I hope he'll eventually show up and fix my roof before winter arrives.

It's no wonder I'm looking through my vacation photos again, right?