winter aconite, is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, native to calcareous woodland habitats in France, Italy and the Balkans, and widely naturalized elsewhere in Europe.

It is a tuberous-rooted herbaceous perennial growing to 15 cm (6 in), with large (2–3 cm (1–1 in)), yellow, cup-shaped flowers held above a collar of 3 leaf-like bracts, appearing in late winter and early spring. The six sepals are bright yellow and petaloid, and the petals are of tubular nectaries.There are numerous stamens and usually six unfused carpels. The fruit are follicles each containing several seeds.

As a spring ephemeral plant, its life cycle exploits the deciduous woodland canopy, flowering at the time of maximum sunlight reaching the forest floor, then completely dying back to its underground tuber after flowering.

❗️❗️❗️❗️❗️❗️❗️❗️❗️❗️❗️❗️❗️❗️❗️❗️

All parts of the plant are poisonous when consumed by humans and other mammals, because it contains cardiac glycosides similar to those present in Adonis vernalis.[citation needed] Glycosides of this type stimulate the heart when administered in small doses, but in very large doses may cause serious, often irreparable heart damage. Poisoning symptoms include colicky abdominal pains, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, disturbed vision, dyspnea, bradycardia, and, in severe cases, cardiac arrest.Specific cardiac glycosides present in E.hyemalis include Eranthin A and B, belonging to the bufadienolide group, also found in (and named for) the toad venom bufotoxin.

Take off at Rodley Nature Reserve

06-March-2025

Cavazzo is a sub-mountain lake located at low altitude (190m above sea level), between the Friuli upper plain and the Carnic pre-Alps, with rather still water and rich in vegetation, but the pre-Alpine surroundings make it fascinating and the color of the water resembles that of Alpine lakes.

Being a lake not particularly oxygenated and rather hot in summer, it is inhabited mainly by cyprinids and it is easy to observe Carps (Cyprinus carpio) and Mirror Carps (Cyprinus carpio specularis) at their maximum size, visible especially in the internal pond and in the reeds where they hide and reproduce.

Fishing is prohibited as it is a site intended for reproduction.

It is in a large valley where there is considerable air exchange between the Alpine valleys, the plain and the Adriatic sea, with very abundant precipitation (over 2000mm/year), especially in autumn, frequent and strong thunderstorms, especially from May to September, average temperatures are similar to those of the upper part of the Friuli plain with very little winter snowfall, as per the Friuli plain.

It is a well-kept and touristic place, pleasant for relaxing and breezy walks.

The Great Gorge - Ruth Glacier,

Thank you very much for your views, faves and comments!

Rock on the left, rock on the right, rock in front, clouds above and ice below! The Great Gorge cliffs rise 5,000 feet above the glacier surface and the depth of the glacier is 3,800 feet for a total of 8,900 ft (2712 m) which is higher than maximum depth of the Grand Canyon,6,093 ft (1,857 m). (Elevation information from Wikipedia)

Generated By Midjourney V6

**PROMPT CINÉMATOGRAPHIQUE ULTRA DÉTAILLÉ (FR)**

Un gigantesque minotaure anthropomorphe surgit d’un ancien labyrinthe de pierre humide, sa masse musculaire luisante de sueur et d’eau stagnante. Sa tête bovine imposante, aux cornes épaisses et asymétriques, est légèrement inclinée vers l’avant dans une posture de traque prédatrice. Ses yeux ambrés brillent d’une lueur menaçante dans la pénombre. Chaque pas écrase les flaques sur le sol pavé, projetant des gouttelettes dans l’air chargé de brume.

À l’arrière-plan, un guerrier héroïque inspiré de la Grèce antique — cape rouge sombre flottant dans un courant d’air souterrain — se tient en haut de quelques marches de pierre usées. Il tient une épée courte à la main droite, lame orientée vers le bas dans une posture tendue mais contrôlée. Son armure de bronze patiné capte la lumière vacillante des torches murales.

**ENVIRONNEMENT & DÉCOR :**

Le labyrinthe est ancien, massif, oppressant, construit en blocs de pierre cyclopéens couverts de mousse humide et de traces d’érosion. Des torches fixées aux murs diffusent une lumière chaude orangée qui contraste fortement avec les ombres froides bleutées de la profondeur. Une légère brume au ras du sol ajoute de la profondeur atmosphérique. Le sol est irrégulier, mouillé, réfléchissant la lumière du feu en reflets dorés.

**ÉCLAIRAGE (STYLE CINÉMA ÉPIQUE) :**

— Key light chaude provenant des torches latérales

— Rim light froide bleutée détachant la silhouette du minotaure

— Volumetric lighting visible dans la fumée

— Fort contraste clair-obscur (style Caravage cinématographique)

— Reflets spéculaires sur la peau humide et l’armure

**CAMÉRA & COMPOSITION :**

— Plan large dramatique (wide cinematic shot)

— Angle légèrement en contre-plongée pour accentuer la taille du minotaure

— Profondeur de champ moyenne, arrière-plan légèrement flou

— Composition en triangle entre le monstre, le héros et les torches

— Perspective immersive au ras du sol avec éclaboussures nettes au premier plan

**STYLE VISUEL :**

— Ultra-réaliste, hyper détaillé

— Dark fantasy mythologique

— Texture peau et pierre en 8K

— Grain cinéma subtil

— Palette couleur : ambre brûlé, bleu nuit, bronze antique

— Atmosphère lourde, humide, dramatique

**AMBiance & ÉMOTION :**

Tension maximale juste avant l’affrontement final. Sensation de danger imminent, souffle retenu, moment suspendu dans le temps. Le monstre avance lentement tandis que le héros reste immobile mais déterminé.

**PARAMÈTRES SUGGÉRÉS :**

— aspect ratio 16:9

— ultra detailed

— cinematic lighting

— volumetric fog

— dramatic shadows

— sharp focus

— photorealistic

— epic dark fantasy

— 8k texture

— high dynamic range

---

**ULTRA-DETAILED CINEMATIC PROMPT (EN)**

A gigantic anthropomorphic minotaur emerges from an ancient, damp stone labyrinth, its massive muscular body glistening with sweat and stagnant water. Its imposing bovine head, crowned with thick asymmetrical horns, tilts slightly forward in a predatory stalking posture. Its amber eyes glow menacingly in the darkness. Each heavy step crushes the puddles on the cobblestone floor, sending droplets scattering through the mist-filled air.

In the background, a heroic warrior inspired by Ancient Greece — dark red cape flowing in the underground draft — stands at the top of a few worn stone steps. He holds a short sword in his right hand, blade angled downward in a tense yet controlled stance. His weathered bronze armor catches the flickering light of the wall torches.

**ENVIRONMENT & SETTING:**

The labyrinth is ancient, massive, and oppressive, built from cyclopean stone blocks covered with damp moss and erosion marks. Wall-mounted torches cast a warm orange glow that strongly contrasts with the cold bluish shadows of the depths. A thin ground fog adds atmospheric depth. The uneven wet floor reflects the firelight in golden highlights.

**LIGHTING (EPIC CINEMA STYLE):**

— Warm key light from the side torches

— Cool bluish rim light separating the minotaur’s silhouette

— Visible volumetric lighting in the smoke

— Strong chiaroscuro contrast (cinematic Caravaggio style)

— Specular highlights on wet skin and bronze armor

**CAMERA & COMPOSITION:**

— Dramatic wide cinematic shot

— Slight low-angle perspective to emphasize the minotaur’s scale

— Medium depth of field, slightly blurred background

— Triangular composition between the monster, the hero, and the torches

— Immersive ground-level perspective with sharp foreground splashes

**VISUAL STYLE:**

— Ultra-realistic, hyper-detailed

— Mythological dark fantasy

— 8K surface textures

— Subtle cinematic film grain

— Color palette: burnt amber, midnight blue, antique bronze

— Heavy, humid, dramatic atmosphere

**MOOD & EMOTION:**

Maximum tension just before the final confrontation. A sense of imminent danger, breath-holding suspense, time frozen in a decisive moment. The monster advances slowly while the hero remains still but determined.

**SUGGESTED PARAMETERS :**

— aspect ratio 16:9

— ultra detailed

— cinematic lighting

— volumetric fog

— dramatic shadows

— sharp focus

— photorealistic

— epic dark fantasy

— 8k texture

— high dynamic range

---

--ar 16:9 --v 6 --style raw --q 2 --s 200 --chaos 8 --seed 777 --uplight

All alight in Bergen in Norway

is a lake in the Central Highlands area of Tasmania. It forms part of the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. It has a maximum depth of 160 metres making it Australia's deepest lake.

Best viewed full screen.

The crew on this CPR Extra 4573 East are bending the rules at bit by having all 6 "Bigs" on line and literally tearing the hill at Racey, Quebec to pieces. 24 operating axles are what the book says, even with maximum 9800 tons, but these guys don't give a damn. They'll make it to Megantic in under 3 hours from Sherbrooke. There must be a party someplace! Besides, rules were made to be broke.

Different evening, different sky. This was taken at maximum fire but was only visible near the sunset point.

Picture of the Day

The MdM Capsule Collection is an exclusive event, that will be sold for a maximum of 7 days.

Each week we will surprise you with a male and female outfit in new designs!

Both outfits are executed with beautiful materials.

(Advanced Lightning is needed to see our garments completely and in all its beauty).

The female set is rigged for maitreya, the male for Gianni and Jake!

The Capsule Collection No.1 is available at the Secret garden!

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Soft%20Voices/57/9/2703

Maximum-Triebwagen 218 der Woltersdorfer Straßenbahn auf dem Weg zur Schleuse am Ortseingang von Woltersdorf

🌆 Havana at Dusk: Beauty, Burden, and the Burnt Sky

As the sun sinks behind the Capitolio’s neoclassical dome, Havana exhales a palette of fire and ash. The sky ignites in surreal hues—orange bleeding into violet, cobalt streaked with soot—casting the city in a cinematic glow that’s both breathtaking and unsettling. This isn’t just tropical sunset magic. It’s the particulate signature of Havana’s power plant, burning low-grade bunker fuel shipped from Venezuelan refineries. The result: a sky that stuns, but stains.

Below, the Hotel Telégrafo anchors the foreground, its colonial bones bathed in amber light. The city’s architecture—ornate, weathered, defiant—stands as both witness and participant in this daily ritual. Tourists marvel. Locals endure. The air carries the scent of salt, diesel, and resilience.

This is Havana in transition: a city where beauty and burden share the same skyline. The Capitolio gleams, but the clouds above it whisper of trade deals, energy scarcity, and environmental compromise. And yet, in this moment, the scene is undeniably poetic—a testament to the layered truths documentary photography seeks to reveal.

Capturing the Capitol: The Edit ️

The architecture of Old Havana is grand, but often the lighting at dusk can leave the city’s most iconic landmarks lost in the shadows. For this shot of the Capitolio, the original capture was moody and heavy with purple tones, but I wanted it to glow with the same energy as the rest of my Havana shifting from day to night series.

The Goal: To reveal the intricate architectural details of the skyline while harmonizing the dramatic sky with a cohesive golden-hour palette.

The Process:

Shadow Recovery: I significantly lifted the shadows on the Hotel Telégrafo and the Capitol dome to bring out the textures of the stone and scaffolding that were previously hidden.

Neutralizing the Purples: By adjusting the white balance tint and temperature, I moved away from the deep magenta cast and toward a more natural, radiant sunset warmth.

Cinematic Color Grading: I used the color wheels to inject a warm orange into the highlights of the clouds while keeping a cool, subtle teal in the deeper sky for maximum "pop".

Targeted Detail: I added a touch of clarity and sharpening specifically to the building facades to ensure the urban density feels sharp against the soft, rolling clouds.

By bringing these details forward, the image now feels like a true companion to the wider skyline view, capturing the majestic transition into the Cuban night.

Wintertime in Borken.

Blog

Skin: ::Midori’s Store:: Aisha Skin - EVOX (VE FATPACK) Mainstore

✨ Features:

• Available in 10 tones from VELOUR.

• Designed for all EVOX heads, offering maximum versatility.

• Comes with 4 brow options: dark, medium, light, and browless, so you can customize to your taste.

• Shape for LeL Avalon included. ♥

West end of Buttermere, the shore littered with "Pink Granite".

Buttermere is a lake in the Lake District in North West England. It has a length of approximately 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) and a maximum width of 0.54 kilometres (0.34 mi), an area of 0.9 square kilometres (0.35 sq mi), a maximum depth of 28.6 metres (94 ft), and a surface elevation of 100.3 metres (329 ft) above sea level. Its primary outflow is Buttermere Dubs, a short stream which connects the lake to Crummock Water. From Crummock Water the River Cocker flows to Cockermouth, where it joins the River Derwent and finally enters the Irish Sea at Workington. The lake is in the unitary authority of Cumberland, and the ceremonial county of Cumbria.hh

↣ [UNORTHODOX x GRAILKAVE], BRABOS, OTHER FACES & HOMINIS MAXIMUM ↢

▶ HAIR- [GK X UNORTHODOX] KEY BRAIDED PONY FLEXI working with UNORTHODOX Scalpz! It's available in the UNORTHODOX Mainstore & GRAILKAVE Mainstore!!!

👉 @Taxi_UNORTHODOX

👉 @Taxi_GRAILKAVE

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▶ BODY SKIN + FACE SKIN- Showing the new body skin BRABOS - Atlas Body Skin, following the new body skin is the [OTHER FACES] Peter Skin EvoX ade specially for the new BRABOS tones!!!!

Both can be found in 👉 HERE!

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▶ SHAPE - HOMINIS MAXIMUM - LELUTKA - FORD - SHAPE NATHANIEL | 👉 BUY IT HERE

======================

SEE MORE IN:

📌 MY BLOG

📌 PRIMFEED POST

📌 X POST

Wild Turkey male, Suamico, Wisconsin USA

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Poster:

Locandina:

pad.mymovies.it/filmclub/2022/09/120/coverlg_home.jpg

pad.mymovies.it/filmclub/2022/09/120/locandina.jpg

www.cinematografo.it/image-service/version/c:M2QyY2FiZTct...

www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/vangelo-seco...

www.nuovodialogo.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/vangelo-s...

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click to activate the small icon of slideshow: the small triangle inscribed in the small rectangle, at the top right, in the photostream (it means the monitor);

or…. Press the “L” button to zoom in the image;

clicca sulla piccola icona per attivare lo slideshow: sulla facciata principale del photostream, in alto a destra c'è un piccolo rettangolo (rappresenta il monitor) con dentro un piccolo triangolo nero;

oppure…. premi il tasto “L” per ingrandire l'immagine;

Qi Bo's photos on Fluidr

Qi Bo's photos on Flickriver

www.fotografidigitali.it/gallery/2726/opere-italiane-segn...

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I propose here, on Flickr, a photographic story, with descriptive text, of a traditional Sicilian popular festival that is always highly anticipated, it takes place in the town of Fiumedinisi (Messina), in the last 18 years what is called the "Great Feast" has been celebrated only 3 times, always on the second Sunday of August, it was celebrated in 2007, in 2016, this year 2025, in all three editions I took photographs, those that I now present are almost all of the "Great Feast" of this year 2025. The town of Fiumedinisi is inextricably linked to her patron saint, Our Lady of the Annunciation, every year a traditional procession is held on March 24th and 25th, on the 24th the procession is made by the faithful on their knees, they carry a large lit candle with which they help themselves to support themselves, it takes place along a straight path in what is called "street of float" (it joins two churches), the next day there is another traditional procession, the two "Sacred Float," that of the Our Lady of the Annunciation and that of the Archangel Gabriel, are carried on the shoulders, followed by the faithful, through the narrow streets of the town. Then comes the "Great Feast" in August, also linked to the Annunciation, which occurs every year after many years. It is on Christmas Eve that it is announced whether that year will be the year of the Great Feast. At Christmas, "the Son of Man" is born, incarnated in Mary's womb. It is the Archangel Gabriel who announces to Mary the conception of the Son of the Most High. The iconography of the Sacred Representations depicts him kneeling before her, offering her a lily, a symbol of Mary's purity. The "Great Feast" in August has ancient origins dating back to the 16th century, the period of Spanish rule in Sicily. It was initially celebrated on March 25th, the religious feast of the Annunciation of the Lord. Later, towards the end of the 19th century, it was moved to August to allow the many emigrants from all over the world to attend. In short, the "Great Feast" includes a "morning procession" led by three young men who will impersonate the three main characters on the "living float"—the Mary, the Archangel Gabriel, and the Eternal Father. Around 11:00 a.m., the "Great Living Float," a very heavy object carried on shoulders, will make its first journey along the "street of float" (the one traveled on one's knees in March, but also on the eve of the Great Feast) with the barefoot bearers in ordinary clothing. In the afternoon, many boys and girls dressed as angels take their places on special seats on the "Great Living Float", the "three characters" (the Mary, the Archangel Gabriel, and the "Eternal Father" at the top) take their places. Now the Great Float will make the same journey in reverse, carried on the shoulders of devotee-bearers dressed entirely in white, barefoot, thus arriving in the square in front of the church-sanctuary dedicated to Maria SS Annunziata. Once the journey has finished and the Float has been placed on the ground, the ceremony includes, and ends, with an ancient dialect song sung by the children, with microphones, who dress up as Mary and the Archangel Gabriel. A curiosity, this "Great Float", an enormous metal and wood structure, extremely heavy, requires perfect coordination between the bearers. It is essential to raise and lower it in perfect synchrony, with all its "inhabitants" atop it. It is therefore crucial to avoid any oscillations that would be transmitted to the children seated at various heights, and to the Eternal Father, seated very high up. The moments preceding the float's departure, and those following its arrival, are of great concentration, silence is absolute, the launch occurs at the third blow of the hammer, all the devotee-bearers rise in perfect synchrony and "the magic comes to life"...! The Great Machine travels the "street of float" upon its arrival, there is maximum silence, and at the third blow of the hammer the devotee-bearers lower themselves, placing the incredible Living Float on the ground, renewing before our eyes an event of beauty and absolute wonder, the unique magic of an ancient Sicilian feast tradition.

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Propongo qui, su Flickr, un racconto fotografico, con testo descrittivo, di una festa tradizionale popolare siciliana sempre molto attesa, si svolge nel paese di Fiumedinisi (Messina), negli ultimi 18 anni quella che è chiamata la “Festa Grande” si è celebrata solo 3 volte, sempre la seconda domenica di agosto, è stata celebrata nel 2007, nel 2016, quest’anno 2025, in tutte e tre le edizioni ho realizzato fotografie, quelle che ora presento sono quasi tutte della “Festa Grande” di quest’anno 2025. Il paese di Fiumedinisi è indissolubilmente legato alla sua santa patrona, Maria SS. Annunziata, ogni anno si tiene una tradizionale processione il 24 e 25 marzo, il 24 la processione viene fatta dai fedeli in ginocchio, essi recano una grossa candela accesa con la quale si aiutano nel sostenersi, si svolge lungo un percorso rettilineo in quella che è chiamata “strada vara” (unisce due chiese), il giorno dopo si ha un’altra processione, classica, le due “Sacre Vare”, quella di Maria SS. Annunziata e quella dell’Arcangelo Gabriele, vengono portate in spalla, seguite dai fedeli, nelle stradine del paese; poi la “Festa Grande” di agosto, legata anch’essa all’Annunciazione, che avviene ogni volta dopo molti anni: è la notte di Natale che si annuncia se quello sarà l’anno della Festa Grande, a Natale nasce “il Figlio dell’Uomo” incarnatosi nel ventre materno di Maria, è l’Arcangelo Gabriele che annuncia a Maria il concepimento del Figlio dell’Altissimo, l’iconografia delle Sacre Rappresentazioni lo raffigura inginocchiarsi al cospetto di Lei porgendole un giglio, simbolo della purezza di Maria. La “Festa Grande” di agosto ha origini antiche che risalgono al XVI secolo, periodo della dominazione spagnola in Sicilia, essa inizialmente veniva celebrata il 25 marzo, con la ricorrenza religiosa dell’Annunciazione del Signore, successivamente verso la fine del XIX secolo venne spostata ad agosto, per consentire ai molti emigrati, provenienti da ogni dove, di potervi assistere. In maniera sintetica, la “Festa Grande” prevede una “processione mattutina” con in testa i tre ragazzi che impersoneranno sulla “vara vivente” i tre principali personaggi, la Maria, l’Arcangelo Gabriele ed il Padre Eterno; verso le ore 11:00 la “Grande Vara Vivente”, pesantissima, portata in spalla farà un primo viaggio lungo la “strada vara” (quella che viene percorsa in ginocchio a marzo, ma anche la vigilia della Festa Grande) con i portatori scalzi, in abiti comuni; il pomeriggio sulla “Grande Vara Vivente” prendono posto su appositi seggiolini tanti bimbi e bimbe, vestiti da angeli, prendono posto i “tre personaggi” (Maria, l’Arcangelo Gabriele, in alto prende posto il “Padre Eterno”), adesso la Grande Vara farà lo stesso percorso inverso, portata sulle spalle dei devoti-portatori vestiti completamente di bianco, scalzi, così giungendo nella piazza davanti la chiesa-santuario dedicata a Maria SS Annunziata, terminato il percorso e deposta a terra la vara, la cerimonia prevede, e termina, con un antico canto dialettale intonato dai ragazzi, microfonati, che vestono i panni di Maria e dell’Arcangelo Gabriele. Una “curiosità”, questa “Vara Ranni” (dialettalmente, Vara Grande), enorme struttura in metallo e legno, pesantissima, necessita di una perfetta coordinazione tra i portatori, è fondamentale alzarla ed abbassarla in perfetto sincronismo, con sopra tutti i suoi “abitanti”, importantissimo quindi evitare qualsiasi oscillazione che si trasmetterebbe sui bimbi seduti a varie altezze, ed al Padre Eterno, seduto molto in alto: gli attimi che precedono la partenza della vara, e quelli che fanno seguito all’arrivo sono di grande concentrazione, il silenzio è massimo, la partenza avviene al terzo colpo di martello, tutti i devoti-portatori si alzano in perfetta sincronia e “la magia prende vita”…! La Grande Macchina percorre la “strada vara”, al suo arrivo, silenzio massimo, al terzo colpo di martello i devoti-portatori si abbassano deponendo a terra quella incredibile Vara Vivente che rinnova davanti ai nostri occhi un evento fatto di bellezza ed assoluta meraviglia, magia unica di una antica tradizione popolare Siciliana.

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FROM WIKIPEDIA:

The Ruby Mountains are a mountain range, primarily located within Elko County with a small extension into White Pine County, in Nevada.

Most of the range is included within the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest.

The range reaches a maximum elevation of 11,387 feet on the summit of Ruby Dome.

The 'Rubies' were named after the garnets found by early explorers. The central core of the range shows extensive evidence of glaciation during recent ice ages, including U-shaped canyons, moraines, hanging valleys, and steeply carved granite mountains, cliffs, and cirques.

A record shot to show how low the pond water level got here this fall before four inches of rain filled it up again. It wasn't quite as bad as last year's drought but still pretty severe.

First, we gonna rock, then we gonna roll

Then we let it pop

Go, let it go...

X gon' give it to ya, he gon' give it to ya

Wearing:

KORPOV. Heroic Suit/Boots

KORPOV. Weapon X Harness/Mask/Katanas

Grailkave - GEE MONEY Freeforms

[TANAKA x TREVOR] - CERBERUS Grave

Background:

The Bearded Guy - World Alone Backdrop

Ultron Standing NPC

[Danielito] - Ultron

*Please view LARGE for maximum detail

We're Here! : Things You Can't Do

Lacking inspiration for your 365 project? Join We're Here!

Mother Nature doodled again and hid it away again. I think she went a little over the top on this one but I'm not complaining :)

(looked up the coordinates so I could map this, the GPS says I'm 475.24 miles away. bummer. I bet there's more good stuff to be found there...)

Many thanks for your visits, faves and comments. Cheers.

Rufous Whistler

Scientific Name: Pachycephala rufiventris

Description: The Rufous Whistler is a stocky bird with a large head, short stubby bill and a narrow, relatively long tail with a square or slightly forked tip. The sexes differ, with the male dark-grey above with a white throat, black breast and a reddish underbody. Many males also have a black face mask (except in northern subspecies). Females are dull grey to brown, with streaked underparts. Young birds are much redder than adults and have heavily streaked underparts.

Similar species: The male Rufous Whistler is quite distinctive with its reddish underparts, grey head and white throat, combined with black mask (over most of range). The female and immature birds can be distinguished from most other whistlers by heavy streaking on the underparts.

Distribution: Found throughout mainland Australia, the Rufous Whistler is also found in New Caledonia.

Habitat: The Rufous Whistler is found in forests, woodlands and shrublands, with a shrubby understorey. Is also found in gardens and farmland with some trees, and in remnant bushland patches.

Seasonal movements: Sedentary, with some seasonal migratory movements in eastern Australia; south during spring and north in autumn.

Feeding: The Rufous Whistler mainly eats insects, and sometimes seeds, fruit or leaves. It usually forages at higher levels than other whistlers, and rarely is seen on the ground.

Breeding: The Rufous Whistler breeds in monogamous pairs, and both sexes incubate the eggs and care for the young. The female builds a fragile, cup-shaped nest from twigs, grass, vines and other materials, bound and attached to a tree fork with spider web. Two broods may be produced in a season.

Calls: A long loud series of ringing notes.

Minimum Size: 16cm

Maximum Size: 18cm

Average size: 17cm

Average weight: 25g

Breeding season: July to February

Clutch Size: Usually 2, sometimes 3

Incubation: 13 days

Nestling Period: 11 days

(Source: www.birdsinbackyards.net)

__________________________________________

© Chris Burns 2020

All rights reserved.

This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying and recording without my written consent.

handheld and in natural light of a metallic green bee (Augochlora spp) covered in the pollen of a Common Spiderwort (Tradescantia ohiensis) please view LARGE

Nachdem die Streckenhöchstgeschwindigkeit zwischen Schwarzenau und Waldhausen nur 60 km/h beträgt und die Züge oft noch langsamer unterwegs sind, hat man bei manchen Motiven sogar problemlos Zeit, zwei Variationen aufzunehmen. So z.B. bei Obernondorf, wo ich am heißen 03. Juni 2015 das Tandem 2016.021 und 003 mit ihrer VG 73145 aufnehmen konnte.

Maximum speed on the track between Schwarzenau and Waldhausen at the northern part of Lower Austria is only 60 km/h (around 40 mph). Trains are often even slower, so you have plenty of time to shoot two variations of one motive. At a warm and sunny 03rd of June 2015 i took this picture of ÖBB's 2016.021 and 003 with its freight train VG 73145 to Schwarzenau, in the background you can see the small village of Obernondorf.

Your comments and faves are greatly appreciated. Many thanks.

Brown Treecreeper

Scientific Name: Climacteris picumnus

Description: The Brown Treecreeper is the largest of Australia's treecreepers. It is mostly pale brown in plumage. Birds of northern Queensland are darker brown. The head, throat and upper breast are pale greyish-brown, while the lower breast and belly are strongly streaked with black and buff. In flight, a buff stripe can be seen in the wing. The sexes are similar, except females have rufous edges to the feathers of the upper breast, while in the male these edges are black. Young Brown Treecreepers resemble the adults, but are duller, have less obvious stripes on the underparts and the lower belly is a pale rufous colour.

Similar species: Other treecreeper species that overlap in range with the Brown Treecreeper include the White-browed Treecreeper, Climacteris affinis, and the White-throated Treecreeper, Cormobates leucophaeus. The White-browed Treecreeper is darker grey-brown with a more distinct white stripe above the eye (edged with red-brown in the female). The eyebrow of the Brown Treecreeper is less distinct and is more buff. The smaller White-throated Treecreeper has much darker upperparts, a contrasting white throat and little or no marks above the eye.

Where does it live?

Habitat: Found in the drier open forests and woodlands, the Brown Treecreeper stays in the same area all year round.

Feeding: The Brown Treecreeper climbs up the trunks and branches of trees in search of food. It probes into cavities and under loose bark with its long downward curving bill. In this way it searches for insects and their larvae. The most favoured insects are ants. Some feeding also takes place on the ground on fallen logs. Sometimes, birds can be seen diving on ground-dwelling prey from a perch in a tree. Feeding normally takes place in pairs or small groups.

Breeding: The nest is a collection of grasses, feathers and other soft material, placed in a suitable tree hollow or similar site. Both sexes build the nest, but the female alone incubates the eggs. Pairs often have two broods during each breeding season. Occasionally, other birds ("helpers") assist the breeding pair with building of nest and feeding the young chicks. Brown Treecreepers are highly sociable birds, living and breeding communally. Each year, the previous year's offspring will remain to help the breeding male feed the female and rear new chicks. Interestingly, it is usually only males which remain to perform this duty.

Calls: The Brown Treecreeper has a loud 'spink' call, which is given either singly or in a series, and normally betrays its presence before the bird is seen.

Minimum Size: 16cm

Maximum Size: 18cm

Average size: 17cm

Average weight: 33g

Breeding season: June to January

Clutch Size: 2 to 3 eggs

Incubation: 17 days

Nestling Period: 26 days

(Source: www.birdsinbackyards.net)

© Chris Burns 2021

__________________________________________

All rights reserved.

This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying and recording without my written consent.

. . . Excuse the small branches and trigs in the way, but this Bald Eagle taking off was a good test for my new camera, and I think even with the distractions it came out a winner!

Have a great week Facebook, Flickr, and 500px friends!

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(From my own archived photos, 2010)

How many millions of photos have been taken of these Abu Simbel temples?

Yet it continues to fascinate us every time we go. And I've been there three times.

It was built by the powerful Pharaoh Ramses II around 1274 BC to celebrate his supposed victory in the Battle of Kadesh over the Hittites, although the Hittites also claim they were the ones who won.

The temples are dedicated to the worship of the great deities of Ancient Egypt: Amun, Ra, and Ptah, as well as Ramses II, since the pharaohs were considered gods.

The four statues that dominate the façade represent Pharaoh Ramses II himself at different ages.

The second from the left collapsed in an earthquake.

They are about 20 meters (65 feet) tall.

A series of solar phenomena occur within the temple 61 days before and after the winter solstice, due to the monument's original alignment.

The rise in the Nile River level due to the construction of the Aswan Dam jeopardized the survival of several temples in the Nubian region, upstream of the dam.

The rescue of the Abu Simbel temples began in 1964 by a multinational team of archaeologists, engineers, and heavy equipment operators working together under the banner of UNESCO.

In total, it cost about $40 million at the time ($336 million adjusting for inflation in 2020).

Between 1964 and 1968, the entire site was carefully cut into large blocks (averaging 20 tons and weighing a maximum of 30 tons each), dismantled, lifted, and reassembled at a new location 65 meters higher and 200 meters farther from the river, in one of the greatest archaeological engineering challenges in history. (Source: Wikipedia)

ABU SIMBEL, 2010

(De mis propias fotos archivadas, 2010)

¿Cuántos millones de fotos se habrán hecho sobre estos templos de Abu Simbel?

Aún así nos sigue fascinando cada vez que vamos. Y eso que yo he estado tres veces.

Fue construido por el poderoso faraón Ramsés II, hacia 1.274 aC para celebrar su supuesta victoria en la Batalla de Qadesh, sobre el reino de los hititas, aunque los hititas también reivindican que fueron ellos los que ganaron.

Los templos están dedicados al culto de las grandes deidades del Antiguo Egipto, Amón, Ra y Ptah, además de Ramsés II, ya que los faraones eran considerados dioses.

Las cuatro estatuas que presiden la fachada representan al propio faraón Ramsés II a diferentes edades de su vida.

La segunda por la izquierda se desmoronó en un terremoto.

Tienen unos 20m (65 ft) de altura.

En su interior se cumplen una serie de fenómenos solares 61 días antes y después del solsticio de invierno, debido a la alineación original del monumento.

La subida del nivel del río Nilo debido a la construcción de la presa de Asuán, puso en peligro la supervivencia de varios templos de la zona de Nubia, aguas arriba de la presa.

El rescate de los templos de Abu Simbel fue iniciado en 1964 por un equipo multinacional de arqueólogos, ingenieros y operadores de equipo pesado que trabajaron juntos bajo el estandarte de la Unesco.

En total, costó unos 40 millones de dólares de la época (336 millones contemplando la inflación al 2020.

Entre 1964 y 1968, todo el sitio fue cuidadosamente partido en grandes bloques (de un promedio de 20 toneladas y un máximo de 30 toneladas cada uno), desmantelado, elevado y reensamblado en una nueva ubicación 65 metros más alta y 200 metros más lejos del río, en uno de los mayores desafíos de la ingeniería arqueológica en la historia. (Fuente: Wikipedia).

From time to time I like to challenge myself. In this case it was about photographing the steam given off by the water kettle.

For this I used a Nikon Z8 camera and a Meyer Optik Görlitz Biotar 75mm F1.5 II lens, which has completely manual operation, both in focus and diaphragm aperture.

Since the room was dark the exposure time was going to be longer than one second, in this case 1.6 seconds, I attached the camera to a tripod, used a remote shutter release and deactivated the IBIS stabilization.

I set the sensitivity to ISO 64

To illuminate the vapor trail beam I used an LED flashlight and opened the diaphragm halfway, at an aperture of F5.6.

At first I had used the maximum aperture (F1.5) but what occurs in many lenses of this type: a chromatic aberration towards a green tone.

The rest is a slight repair with Lightroom and Photoshop.

EL AGUA ESTÁ LISTA PARA EL TÉ, 2023

De vez en cuando me gusta ponerme desafíos. En este caso se trataba de fotografiar el vapor que despide la tetera.

Para he usado una cámara Nikon Z8 y una lente Meyer Optik Görlitz Biotar 75mm F1.5 II, que tiene un manejo totalmente manual, tanto en el enfoque como en la apertura de diafragma.

Dado que al estar la habitación a oscuras el tiempo de exposición iba a ser superior a un segundo, en este caso de 1,6 segundos, acoplé la cámara a un trípode, usé un disparador remoto y desactivé la estabilización del IBIS.

Ajusté la sensibilidad a ISO 64

Para iluminar el haz de la estela de vapor usé una linterna LED y el diafragma lo abrí a medias, a una apertura de F5.6.

Al principio había usado la máxima apertura (F1.5) pero se produce lo que en muchas lentes de este tipo: una aberración cromática hacia tono verde.

El resto es un ligero repaso con Lightroom y Photoshop.

Your comments and faves are greatly appreciated. Many thanks.

Crimson Rosella

Platycercus elegans

Description: There are several colour forms of the Crimson Rosella. The form it is named for has mostly crimson (red) plumage and bright blue cheeks. The feathers of the back and wing coverts are black broadly edged with red. The flight feathers of the wings have broad blue edges and the tail is blue above and pale blue below and on the outer feathers. Birds from northern Queensland are generally smaller and darker than southern birds. The 'Yellow Rosella' has the crimson areas replaced with light yellow and the tail more greenish. The 'Adelaide Rosella' is intermediate in colour, ranging from yellow with a reddish wash to dark orange. Otherwise, all the forms are similar in pattern. Young Crimson Rosellas have the characteristic blue cheeks, but the remainder of the body plumage is green-olive to yellowish olive (occasionally red in some areas). The young bird gradually attains the adult plumage over a period of 15 months

Similar species: The adult Crimson Rosella is similar to male Australian King-Parrots, but differs by having blue cheeks, shoulders, and tail, a whitish, rather than red, bill and a dark eye. Immature Crimson Rosellas also differ from female and immature King-Parrots by having blue cheeks, a whitish bill and a more yellow-green rather than dark green colouring.

Distribution: There are several populations of the Crimson Rosella. Red (crimson) birds occur in northern Queensland, in southern Queensland to south-eastern South Australia and on Kangaroo Island. Orange birds are restricted to the Flinders Ranges region of South Australia, while yellow ones are found along the Murray, Murrumbidgee and neighbouring rivers (where yellow birds meet red birds they hybridise, producing orange offspring). Red birds have been introduced to Norfolk Island and New Zealand.

Habitat: Throughout its range, the Crimson Rosella is commonly associated with tall eucalypt and wetter forests.

Feeding: Crimson Rosellas are normally encountered in small flocks and are easily attracted to garden seed trays. Once familiar with humans, they will accept hand held food. Natural foods include seeds of eucalypts, grasses and shrubs, as well as insects and some tree blossoms.

Breeding: The Crimson Rosella's nest is a tree hollow, located high in a tree, and lined with wood shavings and dust. The female alone incubates the white eggs, but both sexes care for the young. The chicks remain dependent on their parents for a further 35 days after leaving the nest.

Calls: The Crimson Rosella has a range of calls, the commonest being a two-syllabled "cussik-cussik". It also has a range of harsh screeches and metallic whistles.

Minimum Size: 32cm

Maximum Size: 36cm

Average size: 34cm

Average weight: 129g

Breeding season: September to January

Clutch Size: 4 to 8 (usually 5)

Incubation: 20 days

Nestling Period: 35 days

(Source: www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Platycercus-elegans)

__________________________________________

© Chris Burns 2025

All rights reserved.

This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying and recording without my written consent.

Carro tramoggia a carrelli tipo UAFGPPS 33 87 9282 056-9 appartenente alla Società di noleggio Millet, immatricolato F-MISA e adibito al trasporto di granaglie.

Alcune caratteristiche tecniche:

Lunghezza ai respingenti: 18290 mm.

Capacità di carico: 92 m³

Peso a vuoto: 21,75 t.

Peso massimo a pieno carico: 58,2 t.

Velocità massima consentita: 120 Km/h (a vuoto)

Hopper wagon at bogies type UAFGPPS 33 87 9282 056-9 belonging to the rental Company Millet , registred F-MISA and used for the transport of grain.

Maximum allowed speed: 120 km/h (empty)

impressions @ luggage scale

Hero ships of the United Federation of Planets, in the Star Trek Universe.

This scene was created at Naturally Naughty Photography Studio.

Alcatraz