View allAll Photos Tagged Leaping
Salsola tragus - Prickly Russian Thistle, Witch Weed, or Leap the Field. Very tiny wildflower. Maybe 1/8th inch across. The flowers are tiny, petal-less. As the fruit develops, the flower sepals enlarge, thicken, and become cream, pale green, pink, or red membranous wings. A tumbleweed.
Full frame. Dedicated macro lens. No crop. No post processing.
youtu.be/XKXDYMrIqTI HMMM!
Sometimes the only thing you can do is close your eyes and take the leap.
Photo Taken and Tralala's Diner
Dragging out an oldie for 7 Days with Flickr, Crazy Tuesday Theme: Sculptures/Statues
Photo was taken outside the Hunter Museum of Art, Chatt.,Tn. on the bank of the Tn. River.
Sometimes that's just what you need to do, have a little faith and leap into the unknown :) Cheers everyone.
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Portugal - Oeiras
Grey Heron (Ardea Cinerea)
Garça Real (Ardea Cinerea)
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Contact Luis Gaspar:
luis.gaspar.fotografia@gmail.com
A small cascade in the tranquil upper reaches of the Liffey River known as the Leap or Spout Falls (also called Albert Falls). It is the third in a series of five cascades on the upper river. Liffey river was originally known as Tellerpangger by the aboriginal inhabitants of the area, the Panninher tribe. The initial British settlers named it Penny Royal Creek after a plant that grew profusely on its banks, and the Panninher became known as the Pennyroyal Creek Tribe. Subsequently, William Bryan, an early settler in the area used his influence to rename the river to its current name during the early 19th century, after the River Liffey in his homeland Ireland. Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, Great Western Tiers. Tasmania, Australia
www.robertdowniephotography.com
Love Life, Love Photography
Cherry Creek, along its line of departure from the Lone Peak Wilderness, takes one last leap out into the sunshine before entering the Salt Lake Valley. It's a rarity to see it running this high by this time of June. We seriously piled on some rain and snow this year.
www.fluidr.com/photos/dragonflydreams88
original - thanx to Swallowtail Garden Seeds for sharing www.flickr.com/photos/swallowtailgardenseeds/16368051981
Trapped on an island we were with waves coming in fast. My daughter waited till a wave receeded then made the leap. It was more interesting for me with heavy camera bag and a tripod but fortunately that is unrecorded :-)
Below a version with texture by Jill and very short tutorial on how it was done. Initial conversdion to toned monochrome in PS.
Some water left in Witch's Leap, Katoomba courtesy of recent rain. Main reason for the shoot was to test out my new tripod and new NiSi filters. My first long exposure in two years.
Want to see this photograph on your wall? Get in touch via peter@peterhill.au or at peterhill.au/contact/
A sunrise from Bamburgh today, they are filming scenes for the new Indiana Jones movie there at the moment so never took any of the castle as there were cranes, rigging, tents etc dotted around so concentrated on the lighthouse (photos to follow) and the horizon and beyond.
This shot I had a 6 to 8 foot gap to get to a set of rocks to set up this shot, tide was going out but not quick enough to wait so i had to chance getting a welly full of water to get across to my point, and I did water right up over my knees as the jump was too far, but well worth it in the end
It's the time of year when my devotion to keeping the bird feeder filled with black-oil sunflower seeds really pays off.
Evening grosbeaks have started to arrive. Hopefully they'll stick around for a while.
WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre.
What3Words
///trailers.ripen.grownup
The Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) is a medium-sized perching duck famous for being widely regarded as the world's most beautiful duck.
Vibrant Appearance
Mandarin ducks display striking sexual dimorphism, meaning the males and females look completely different:
The Male (Drake):
Highly elaborate and colourful. It features distinctive orange feathers that stick up like "sails" on its back, a purple chest with white bars, orange cheek plumes, and a bright red-pink beak. After the spring breeding season, the male sheds these feathers (moults) into a dull "eclipse" plumage that looks like the female, though he keeps his bright beak.
The Female (Hen):
Intentionally dull and grey-brown to blend into surroundings. She has a grey head, a prominent white ring around her eye with a stripe trailing behind it, and a mottled underside.
Habitat and Global Distribution
Native Range:
Densely wooded wetlands, shallow lakes, and marshes across East Asia, including China, Japan, Korea, and parts of Russia.
Introduced Populations:
They were brought to the UK as decorative birds for private collections in the 18th century. Escaped birds formed a thriving, naturalised wild population across Great Britain.
Behavior:
Despite their loud colours, mandarins are shy, timid birds that prefer hiding under overhanging willows and tree cover. They have long claws that allow them to perch on tree branches and fly through dense forests with incredible agility.
Diet
Mandarins are omnivorous foragers. They eat a varied diet consisting of:
Aquatic plants and seeds
Acorns and grains
Insects, land snails, and small fish
Tree Nesting and "Leaping" Chicks
Mandarin ducks have a unique and dramatic nesting ritual:
High Nesting:
Females lay a clutch of 9–12 eggs during the spring in natural tree cavities or holes, sometimes up to 9 metres off the ground.
The Leap of Faith:
Shortly after hatching, the mother flies down to the ground and calls to her ducklings.
Safe Landing:
The tiny, uninjured ducklings leap from the high tree cavity. Their light weight and fluffy down feathers cushion the impact, allowing them to bounce unharmed and follow their mother straight to the nearest water.
Cultural Symbolism
In traditional East Asian cultures—particularly in China and Japan—mandarin ducks are revered as a symbol of lifelong fidelity, love, and wedded bliss. Pairs are frequently depicted in oriental art and given as wedding gifts, even though wild ducks generally only pair up for a single breeding season.