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The speckled bush-cricket (Leptophyes punctatissima) is a flightless species of bush-cricket belonging to the family Tettigoniidae. The species was originally described as Locusta punctatissima in 1792.
This species mainly occurs in dry shrubby environments, in open woodland, in scrub, hedgerows and in gardens, with birch, bramble and gorse.
Just the other day when I witnessed this little wren taking a shower instead of a bath, it occurred to me that I never see these little guys take a bath. They really seem to enjoy taking showers in the micro sprinklers throughout the day though. The micro sprinklers run on timers and go off several times a day. The butterflies also enjoy that garden feature.
Yesterday I watched a little wren go to a glass bath in the flowerbed near the window, he would lite on the edge, turn and dip his tail to splash water on the vine where he is in this image, then he would go to the vine rub all around in the water he managed to splash on the vine.
Perhaps the wrens would like a more shallow birdbath in a location that makes them feel comfortable. I am going to re-purpose a stone flower pot base as a wren bath. I have one that is small and shallow. I will place it near their preferred micro sprinkler shower and see how they like it.
I will leave the other birdbath because the catbirds like to use that one when they are here and Dunbar (resident mockingbird) likes to drink from that one.
The catbirds are here right now, they are vacationing in the fern bed where Happy the dino statue sits. The catbirds usually stay about 4 weeks or so when they arrive.
La Ceja, Colombia; 2300 meters above sea level.
Black-capped Tanagers (Tangara heinei) are vividly-colored tropical birds that occur from Venezuela to Colombia and Ecuador. This species is primarily found in montane forest edges, at forest clearings (natural as well as man-made), and in tall second-growth forest. Black-capped Tanagers often occur in pairs and sometimes in mixed-species flocks, foraging in bushes and trees for insects and fruit.
It is one of the few species in the genus that shows obvious sexual dichromatism, with males primarily gray-blue in color with a distinctive black cap, and females yellow-green without a black cap.
neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p...
Diphelypaea (Nicholson) occur in the Caucasus, Crimea and Western Asia ( Turkey and Iran). D. coccinea is an achlorophyllous obligately parasitic perennial herbaceous plant up to 30-50 cm in height. The stem is unbranched, red to reddish brown, ending in a single flower of a bright red color. D. coccinea parasitizes the roots of plants of the genus Psephellus.
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პირიმზე (ლათ. Diphelypaea coccinea) — ბალახოვანი მცენარე კელაპტარასებრთა ოჯახისა. პარაზიტია, მეტწილად გვირილებზე და რთულყვავილოვანთა ოჯახის სხვა მცენარეებზე სახლობს. მისი ფოთლები დაკნინებულია და ღეროს ქვედა ნაწილში გადაქცეულია ყავისფერ ქერქლებად, ფესვები კი — მისაწოვრებად.
15-40 სმ სიმაღლის ჩხირის მსგავს და ამართულ დაუტოტავ ღეროზე ყოველთვის მზისკენ მიმართული მხოლოდ ერთი ლალისფერი ყვავილი ზის.
გავრცელებულია ქართლსა და კახეთში, მთის ქვედა სარტყლიდან შუა სარტყლამდე. გვხვდება კლდეზე, ველზე და ზოგჯერ ბუჩქნარებში. თბილისის მიდამოებში ჩიბუხას ეძახიან.
სწორედ ეს არის პირიმზე ვაჟას ამ ცნობილი ლექსიდან:
„ბუნება მბრძანებელია,
იგივ მონაა თავისა,
ზოგჯერ სიკეთეს იხვეჭავს,
ზოგჯერ მქმნელია ავისა,
ერთფერად მტვირთველი არის
საქმის თეთრის და შავისა;
საცა პირიმზეს ახარებს,
იქვე მთხრელია ზვავისა…“
პოემა „სტუმარ-მასპინძლის“ ფინალშიც გვხვდება ეს ყვავილი იმ ადგილას, სადაც ჯოყოლა მოკლეს:
„მხოლოდ მდინარის ხმა ისმის,
დაბლა მიქანავს ხველითა
და უფსკრულს დასცქერს პირიმზე
მოღერებულის ყელითა…“
La Ceja, Colombia; Central Andes, 2300 meters above sea level.
The genus Perisama comprises 32 known species. They are medium-sized butterflies with blackish uppersides, marked with diagonal bands of turquoise or green on the forewings. Many species also have a band of the same colour around the hindwing margins. Perisama species are found mostly in the Andean cloudforests at altitudes between 1200-2400m.
P. oppelii occurs as 10 named subspecies distributed from Colombia and Venezuela to Bolivia and Argentina. This species is normally seen singly, when imbibing mineralised moisture from seepages, boulders, sandy riverbanks etc.
www.learnaboutbutterflies.com/Andes%20-%20Perisama%20oppe...
Globularia bisnagarica (Plantaginaceae) 094 22
Globularia bisnagarica, the common ball flower, is a species of plant belonging to the family Plantaginaceae.
This species can be found in Central and Southern Europe. It occurs in meadows at an elevation of 0–1,500 meters above sea level.
Globularia bisnagarica grows to 10–30 centimeters in height. It is a perennial plant with bright blue spherical flower heads and dark green, leathery, spathulate leaves, veined beneath. The flowering period extends from March to June.
Source: Wikipedia.
The bee-eaters have an Old World distribution, occurring from Europe to Australia. The centre of diversity of the family is Africa, although a number of species also occur in Asia. Single species occur in each of Europe, (the European bee-eater), Australia (the rainbow bee-eater) and Madagascar (the olive bee-eater, also found on mainland Africa). Of the three genera, Merops, which has the majority of the species, occurs across the entirety of the family's distribution. Nyctyornis is restricted to Asia, ranging from India and southern China to the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Borneo. The genus Meropogon has a single species restricted to Sulawesi in Indonesia.
Bee-eaters are fairly indiscriminate in their choice of habitat. Their requirements are simply an elevated perch from which to watch for prey and a suitable ground substrate in which to dig their breeding burrow. Because their prey is entirely caught on the wing they are not dependent on any vegetation type. A single species, the blue-headed bee-eater, is found inside closed rainforest where it forages close to the ground in poor light in the gaps between large trees. Six other species are also closely associated with rainforest, but occur in edge habitat such as along rivers, in tree-fall gaps, off trees overhanging ravines or on emergent tree crowns above the main canopy
Kestrel - Falco tinnunculus (M)
(Double click)
The common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is a bird of prey species belonging to the kestrel group of the falcon family Falconidae. It is also known as the European kestrel, Eurasian kestrel, or Old World kestrel. In Britain, where no other kestrel species occurs, it is generally just called "the kestrel".
This species occurs over a large range. It is widespread in Europe, Asia, and Africa, as well as occasionally reaching the east coast of North America.
Kestrels can hover in still air, even indoors in barns. Because they face towards any slight wind when hovering, the common kestrel is called a "windhover" in some areas.
Unusual for falcons, plumage often differs between male and female, although as is usual with monogamous raptors the female is slightly larger than the male. This allows a pair to fill different feeding niches over their home range. Kestrels are bold and have adapted well to human encroachment, nesting in buildings and hunting by major roads. Kestrels do not build their own nests, but use nests built by other species.
Their plumage is mainly light chestnut brown with blackish spots on the upperside and buff with narrow blackish streaks on the underside; the remiges are also blackish. Unlike most raptors, they display sexual colour dimorphism with the male having fewer black spots and streaks, as well as a blue-grey cap and tail. The tail is brown with black bars in females, and has a black tip with a narrow white rim in both sexes. All common kestrels have a prominent black malar stripe like their closest relatives.
The cere, feet, and a narrow ring around the eye are bright yellow; the toenails, bill and iris are dark. Juveniles look like adult females, but the underside streaks are wider; the yellow of their bare parts is paler. Hatchlings are covered in white down feathers, changing to a buff-grey second down coat before they grow their first true plumage.
Data from Britain shows nesting pairs bringing up about 2–3 chicks on average, though this includes a considerable rate of total brood failures; actually, few pairs that do manage to fledge offspring raise less than 3 or 4. Compared to their siblings, first-hatched chicks have greater survival and recruitment probability, thought to be due to the first-hatched chicks obtaining a higher body condition when in the nest. Population cycles of prey, particularly voles, have a considerable influence on breeding success. Most common kestrels die before they reach 2 years of age; mortality up until the first birthday may be as high as 70%. At least females generally breed at one year of age; possibly, some males take a year longer to maturity as they do in related species. The biological lifespan to death from senescence can be 16 years or more, however; one was recorded to have lived almost 24 years.
Population:
UK breeding:
46,000 pairs
The small wasp beetle occurs in Europe, Asia Minor and Russia and is a fairly common species in the Benelux that lives mainly in deciduous forests and is mainly found on tree bark and leaves. It belongs to the family of longhorn beetles and has an elongated body, fairly long antennae and spiky legs. The colour is black with yellow transverse stripes, although other colour patterns also occur such as yellow with black stripes and spots.
This longhorn beetle looks like a wasp and that is not a coincidence. The reason is that many birds and other predators leave the innocent beetle alone because most animals, just like people, hate wasps. This imitation of dangerous or poisonous species by non-dangerous species is called mimicry and is common in nature. The small wasp beetle has imitated the wasp in various areas.
De kleine wespenboktor komt voor in Europa, Klein-Azië en Rusland en is in de Benelux een vrij algemene soort die vooral leeft in loofbossen en voornamelijk op boomschors en bladeren wordt aangetroffen. Hij behoort tot de familie boktorren en heeft een langwerpig lijf, vrij lange antennes en sprietige poten. De kleur is zwart met gele dwarsstrepen, hoewel er ook andere kleurpatronen voorkomen zoals geel met zwarte strepen en vlekken.
Deze boktor lijkt op een wesp en dat is niet toevallig. De reden is dat veel vogels en andere predatoren de onschuldige kever met rust laten omdat de meeste dieren net als mensen een hekel hebben aan wespen. Dit imiteren van gevaarlijke of giftige soorten door niet-gevaarlijke soorten heet mimicry en komt veel voor in de natuur. De kleine wespenboktor heeft de wesp op diverse gebieden geïmiteerd.
Diphelypaea (Nicholson) occur in the Caucasus, Crimea and Western Asia ( Turkey and Iran). D. coccinea is an achlorophyllous obligately parasitic perennial herbaceous plant up to 30-50 cm in height. The stem is unbranched, red to reddish brown, ending in a single flower of a bright red color. D. coccinea parasitizes the roots of plants of the genus Psephellus.
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პირიმზე (ლათ. Diphelypaea coccinea) — ბალახოვანი მცენარე კელაპტარასებრთა ოჯახისა. პარაზიტია, მეტწილად გვირილებზე და რთულყვავილოვანთა ოჯახის სხვა მცენარეებზე სახლობს. მისი ფოთლები დაკნინებულია და ღეროს ქვედა ნაწილში გადაქცეულია ყავისფერ ქერქლებად, ფესვები კი — მისაწოვრებად.
15-40 სმ სიმაღლის ჩხირის მსგავს და ამართულ დაუტოტავ ღეროზე ყოველთვის მზისკენ მიმართული მხოლოდ ერთი ლალისფერი ყვავილი ზის.
გავრცელებულია ქართლსა და კახეთში, მთის ქვედა სარტყლიდან შუა სარტყლამდე. გვხვდება კლდეზე, ველზე და ზოგჯერ ბუჩქნარებში. თბილისის მიდამოებში ჩიბუხას ეძახიან.
სწორედ ეს არის პირიმზე ვაჟას ამ ცნობილი ლექსიდან:
„ბუნება მბრძანებელია,
იგივ მონაა თავისა,
ზოგჯერ სიკეთეს იხვეჭავს,
ზოგჯერ მქმნელია ავისა,
ერთფერად მტვირთველი არის
საქმის თეთრის და შავისა;
საცა პირიმზეს ახარებს,
იქვე მთხრელია ზვავისა…“
პოემა „სტუმარ-მასპინძლის“ ფინალშიც გვხვდება ეს ყვავილი იმ ადგილას, სადაც ჯოყოლა მოკლეს:
„მხოლოდ მდინარის ხმა ისმის,
დაბლა მიქანავს ხველითა
და უფსკრულს დასცქერს პირიმზე
მოღერებულის ყელითა…“
Nilgiri Tahr in Eravikulam National Park occurs in two types of groups; (The mixed groups and All male groups). The mixed group consists primarily of adult females and their sub adult off springs. Adult males join these groups during the rut and keep away at other times of the year. The male group consists of adult males of various classes. The maximum size of the mixed group is 150 animals and that of all male groups is 20 individuals. The rutting season occurs during monsoon (July and August) and the main birth season is January to mid February. Estimated gestation period is nearly 179 days. The predators of Nilgiri Tahr in Eravikulam National Park include Tiger, Leopard, Wild Dog and Jackals.. etc .An estimated 700-800 Nilgiri Tahr inhabit Eravikulam National Park, making it the largest wild population in the world. The Nilgiri tahr known locally as the Nilgiri ibex or simply ibex (Varayadu), is an ungulate that is endemic to the Nilgiri Hills and the southern portion of the Western Ghats in the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in Southern India. It is the state animal of Tamil Nadu.The Nilgiri tahr known locally as the Nilgiri ibex or simply ibex (Varayadu), is an ungulate that is endemic to the Nilgiri Hills and the southern portion of the Western Ghats in the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in Southern India. It is the state animal of Tamil Nadu. ( Source www.eravikulam.org )
Sympetrum danae occurs in central and northern Europe, Asia and North America. It flies from July to September, sometimes even until November depending on the temperature. They are locally abundant, but they have unfortunately disappeared here in the Palatinate Forest. This is one of the last Black Meadowhawks I saw back in 2015!
The Indian Peafowl occurs from eastern Pakistan through India, south from the Himalayas to Sri Lanka. Though once common in Bangladesh, it may now be extinct in that country. Its highly ornamental appearance motivated early seafarers to transplant the peafowl to their homelands in other parts of the western world. Phoenician traders in the time of King Solomon (1000 B.C.) introduced the birds to present-day Syria and the Egyptian Pharaohs. Alexander the Great imported more of the birds into his Mediterranean domains and severely penalized anyone caught harming them. Domesticated peafowl remained a popular status symbol through Roman times and the Middle Ages, ensuring their establishment and survival throughout Europe.
In its native India, the peafowl is a creature of the open forests and riparian undergrowth. In southern India, it also prefers stream-side forests but may also be found in orchards and other cultivated areas.
Peafowl from Los Angeles Arboretum and Botanic Gardens. Arcadia. California.
It occurred to me last summer after years of shooting the Milky Way with my wide landscape lens that I could zoom in bit tighter and see what happens. I aimed at the core of our galaxy in this one. That light has been traveling a long time to get here. Looking forward to some more dark sky photography this summer.
The fork-tailed flycatcher occurs in a wide variety of habitats including pastures, riparian forests, and open residential areas with scattered trees. Its breeding range is from central Mexico to central Argentina.
The fork-tailed flycatcher has the longest tail relative to body size of any bird on earth. The tail in adult males is 2–3 times longer than the length of the bird from the bill to the base of the tail.
This species is primarily an insectivore, but will switch to berries and small fruits if insects become scarce.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fork-tailed_flycatcher
Photo taken at the AVIARIO NACIONAL DE COLOMBIA, Barú.
Colombia is the number one country in the world to have the largest varieties of birds, having about 1,876 species and almost 70 kinds that belong specially to Colombia. AVIARIO NACIONAL DE COLOMBIA has done an amazing job to show that. You see some of birds free and others in beautiful habitats. Peacocks, Toucans, Pink Flamingos, Crane Corona, Guacamayas, Pelicanos, Ducks, all types of little colorful birds Colombia is most famous for it, every imaginable birds are here.
This place is so well design, and so well taking care of, that you think some times you are in paradise!"
www.tripadvisor.com.au/Attraction_Review-g1507145-d982271...
This bird occurs in the western half of Texas and well as Southern New Mexico and Arizona. I have photographed it before in southeast AZ, but this shot is far better than any previous images I have taken. I love how the rising morning sun clocked the front of the bird without lighting up the background. One of my favorite images from the summer.
While I am impressed by the additional mask capabilities of Lightroom I would say the Sky selection masking needs some work IMHO, on every image where I have used it has left a halo when I bring the image into Photoshop for final tweaking. Oct and early November are great times of the year to capture lake mist or more technically radiation fog, this occurs because the water has absorbed and retained the suns heat as air that has been cooled by the night temperatures that is moisture laden passes over warmer water of the lake. This scene is of my favorite places to welcome the morning and take in the light show as the sun rises at least when I don’t have a camera in hand and a cup of steaming coffee instead.
I took this on Oct 23rd, 2021 with my D850 and Tamron 15-30 f2.8 G2 Lens at 30mm, 1/5s, f8 ISO 64 processed in LR, PS +Topaz ,and DXO
Disclaimer: My style is a study of romantic realism as well as a work in progress
Painted Lady Butterfly: -
This species is a migrant to our shores and, in some years, the migration can be spectacular. The most-recent spectacle, in 2009, is considered to be one of the greatest migrations ever, with sightings from all over the British Isles that are definitely on a par with previous cardui years.
This species originates from north Africa, and it has been suggested that the urge to migrate is triggered when an individual encounters a certain density of its own kind within a given area. This theory makes perfect sense, since this species can occur in high densities that result in food plants being stripped bare on occasion with many larvae perishing as a result.
Unfortunately, this species is unable to survive our winter in any stage. This is a real shame, for not only does this species often arrive in large numbers, but is a welcome sight as it nectars in gardens throughout the British Isles in late summer. This butterfly has a strong flight and can be found anywhere in the British Isles, including Orkney and Shetland. An interesting fact is that this butterfly is the only butterfly species ever to have been recorded from Iceland.
Courtesy: UK Butterflies website
Pompeius pompeius (Latreille, [1824]) (Pompeius Skipper)
Pompeius pompeius occurs from Colombia to Brazil and Peru.
There are at least 1038 known species of Grass Skippers ( Hesperiinae ) found in the neotropical region. Many of them are dull brown in colour, and virtually devoid of recognisable markings. Some genera however such as Pompeius are easy to recognise due to strongly patterned undersides, or because they have a distinctive configuration of pale spots at the apex of the forewing.
www.learnaboutbutterflies.com/Amazon%20-%20Pompeius%20pom...
Taken in La Ceja, Colombia; 2.300 meters above sea level.
The "American" Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus) is wholly confined to the Americas since 2021 when the African Crested (Royal) Tern (T. albididorsalis) was elevated from a subspecies of Royal Tern to a full species. Royal Tern is found on both coasts of North America but generally in the warmer, southern parts, and it has occurred as a vagrant in Britain a few times. It is the second largest species of Tern in the world after Caspian Tern. The wingspan is up to 145cm and they weigh up to 450g, which is about three times heavier than a Common Tern. I photographed this adult in breeding plumage at San Ignacio lagoon where they breed, and occur year-round.
A recent visitor to the back yard. Just back from a week away where the birds were very quiet or have not yet arrived back in that particular region.
The Newfoundland subspecies, percna, are listed as endangered under both provincial and federal endangered species legislation. Red Crossbill are associated with conifer forests, with the highest numbers of observations occurring in the older, mature forests of western Newfoundland. The island of Newfoundland may be the only location where this rare subspecies breeds.
Londolozi Game Reserve
South Africa
The Hamerkop occurs in Africa south of the Sahara, Madagascar and coastal southwest Arabia in all wetland habitats, including irrigated land such as rice paddies, as well as in savannas and forests.
Most remain sedentary in their territories, which are held by pairs, but some move into suitable habitat during the wet season only. Whenever people create new bodies of water with dams or canals, Hamerkops move in quickly.
There are many legends about Hamerkop. In some regions, people state that other birds help it build its nest. Some people said that when a Hamerkop flew and called over their camp, they knew that someone close to them had died. It is known in some cultures as the lightning bird, and the Kalahari Bushmen believe or believed that being hit by lightning resulted from trying to rob a Hamerkop's nest.
They also believe that the inimical god Khauna would not like anyone to kill a Hamerkop. According to an old Malagasy belief, anyone who destroys its nest will get leprosy, and a Malagasy poem calls it an "evil bird". Such beliefs have given the bird some protection. – Wikipedia
Winter migrant from high-Arctic Canada. Most occur in Ireland between October and April. The brent goose is the smallest goose which occurs regularly in north-west Europe.This population winters almost entirely in Ireland, with small numbers in parts of Britain and France.
During the winter, it feeds mostly on eel-grass, which grows on muddy estuaries, and also on grasslands, usually when coastal supplies have been depleted at estuarine sites.
The Dark bellied Brent is a rare winter visitor to Ireland from Siberia from October to March. Very similar to the much commoner Light-bellied Brent Goose and care is needed to separate the two species. Dark-bellied Brent can identified by the darker and much more extensive grey colouring on the flanks and back. The white flank patch that is very obvious in Light-bellied Brent Goose is reduced to a stripe along the flanks. The majority of Dark-bellied Brent Geese winter in the Netherlands, northern France and the United Kingdom.
The Black Brant is a rare winter visitor to Ireland usually associating with Light-bellied Brent Geese. Black Brant breeds in Arctic Canada, Alaska and east Siberia. Siberian birds are annual winter visitors to south-east England with Dark-bellied Brents, whereas Canadian birds reach Ireland with Pale-bellied Brents. Very similar to Light-bellied Brent Goose and care is needed to distinguish the two species.
Black Brants can be identified by the overall much darker appearance, with very little contrast between the colour of the neck and that of the back and belly. The white flank patch is also much more extensive in comparison to Dark-bellied Brent.
Black Brants also have a much larger white neck patch than either Light-bellied or Dark-bellied Brent forming almost a complete collar.https://www.birdguides.com/articles/identification/brent-geese-photo-id-guide/
Im Herbst 2014 kam es vor, dass Lokomotion einige Autotransportzüge über die Mittenwaldbahn (KBS 960) via Innsbruck zum Brenner/Brennero und weiter nach Verona beförderte. Bei Garatshausen, nehe Tutzing am Starnberger See, konnte das Tandem bestehend aus 185.665 KombiVerkehr und 185.661 "Paul" fotografiert werden.
Back in 2014 it was possible to take this picture that could only occur on a Sunday afternoon. Lokomotion was hauling car transporter trains from Munich to Brennero (and thus Italy) via Mittenwald and Innsbruck. On 2nd November 185.665 and 185.661 were pulling the train along Lake Starnberg towards Italy.
A solar eclipse occurs when a portion of the Earth is engulfed in a shadow cast by the Moon which fully or partially blocks sunlight. This occurs when the Sun, Moon and Earth are aligned. Such alignment coincides with a new moon (syzygy) indicating the Moon is closest to the ecliptic plane. In a total eclipse, the disk of the Sun is fully obscured by the Moon. In partial and annular eclipses, only part of the Sun is obscured.
It is a member of the plant family Cactaceae. Cacti occur in a wide range of shapes and sizes. Most cacti live in habitats subject to at least some drought. Many live in extremely dry environments, even being found in the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on earth. Cacti show many adaptations to conserve water. Almost all cacti are succulents, meaning they have thickened, fleshy parts adapted to store water. Unlike many other succulents, the stem is the only part of most cacti where this vital process takes place. Most species of cacti have lost true leaves, retaining only spines, which are highly modified leaves. As well as defending against herbivores, spines help prevent water loss by reducing air flow close to the cactus and providing some shade. In the absence of leaves, enlarged stems carry out photosynthesis. Cacti are native to the Americas, ranging from Patagonia in the south to parts of western Canada in the north. Cacti have a variety of uses: many species are used as ornamental plants, others are grown for fodder or forage, and others for food (particularly their fruit). 4359
"The hearts and souls look up
at the muddied sky, praying
for the end to come around..
When a ray of sunshine
appeared lighting the road
to heaven leaving behind legacies
for us to remember them by
no age or bravery was needed
to join and die, there they laid
listening to the silence and blue
skies after their camarade followed
the deafening marching orders
to liberate a country that might not
even be theirs by birth, but orders
they had to follow no matter the
outcome......"
Do not pity or judge me
for what I missed,
but judge yourselves for
what you can do today,
a simple "thank you" will
suffice all year round.
What will you (today's generation) think about TODAY?
The Indian Peafowl occurs from eastern Pakistan through India, south from the Himalayas to Sri Lanka. Though once common in Bangladesh, it may now be extinct in that country. Its highly ornamental appearance motivated early seafarers to transplant the peafowl to their homelands in other parts of the western world. Phoenician traders in the time of King Solomon (1000 B.C.) introduced the birds to present-day Syria and the Egyptian Pharaohs. Alexander the Great imported more of the birds into his Mediterranean domains and severely penalized anyone caught harming them. Domesticated peafowl remained a popular status symbol through Roman times and the Middle Ages, ensuring their establishment and survival throughout Europe.
In its native India, the peafowl is a creature of the open forests and riparian undergrowth. In southern India, it also prefers stream-side forests but may also be found in orchards and other cultivated areas.
Peafowl from Los Angeles Arboretum and Botanic Gardens. Arcadia. California.
*Moselle Apollo butterfly, one of the last of its kind*
Many years ago this species, which only occurs on the Moselle, was considered almost extinct.
After many vineyard terraces on the Lower Moselle were no longer cultivated and fewer sprays were therefore used, this magnificent butterfly species recovered for a few years.
Last year only very few of them were seen; official counts at the known locations came to around 20 specimens in total.
In the meantime, knapweed, the butterflies' food plant (see picture), has even been cultivated in order to preserve the species. In dry years, these otherwise wild-growing flowers are even regularly supplied with water by nature lovers.
Vor vielen Jahren galt diese Spezies, die nur an der Mosel vorkommt, fast als ausgestorben.
Nachdem viele Weinberg-Terrassen an der Untermosel nicht mehr bewirtschaftet und deshalb weniger Spritzmittel eingesetzt wurden, erholte sich diese prächtige Schmetterlingsart für einige Jahre.
Letztes Jahr hat man nur sehr wenige davon gesehen, offizielle Zählungen an den bekannten Stellen kamen auf ca. 20 Exemplare insgesamt.
Inzwischen hat man sogar Flockenblumen, die Futterpflanze der Falter (siehe Bild), kultiviert, um die Art zu erhalten. In trockenen Jahren werden diese sonst wild wachsenden Blumen von Naturliebhabern sogar regelmäßig mit Wasser versorgt.
Lion hunting has occurred since ancient times and was often a royal pastime; intended to demonstrate the power of the king over nature. The earliest surviving record of lion hunting is an ancient Egyptian inscription dated circa 1380 BC that mentions Pharaoh Amenhotep III killing 102 lions "with his own arrows" during the first ten years of his rule. The Assyrians would release captive lions in a reserved space for the king to hunt; this event would be watched by spectators as the king and his men, on horseback or chariots, killed the lions with arrows and spears. Lions were also hunted during the Mughal Empire, where Emperor Jahangir is said to have excelled at it. In Ancient Rome, lions were kept by emperors for hunts, gladiator fights and executions.
The Maasai people have traditionally viewed the killing of lions as a rite of passage. Historically, lions were hunted by individuals, however, due to reduced lion populations, elders discourage solo lion hunts. During the European colonisation of Africa in the 19th century, the hunting of lions was encouraged because they were considered as vermin and lion hides fetched £1 each. The widely reproduced imagery of the heroic hunter chasing lions would dominate a large part of the century. Trophy hunting of lions in recent years has been met with controversy; notably with the killing of Cecil the lion in mid-2015.
Disaster occurred on the night of 30 January 1925 at around 8pm at the Owencarrow Viaduct, Donegal. Winds of up to 120mph derailed carriages of the train off the viaduct causing it to partially collapse. The roof of a carriage was ripped off throwing four people to their deaths.creeslough county donegal
Another shot from Govetts Leap for sunrise which was only 5 minutes from the hotel. The previous shot was at 120mm so easy to compare the difference of a 10x zoom ;-)
The sun rays came out nicely at f/16.
The trees in left foreground lit up nicely in the early morning sunlight!
Victor and I were hoping for the sky to go crazy with the high level cloud but there must have been too much cloud on the horizon unfortunately. Still a great a sunrise though.
Govetts Leap lookout is right at the carpark so no hiking required.
Why are the Blue Mountains blue? Wikipedia tells us
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Mountains_(New_South_Wales)
....the tinge is believed to be caused by mie scattering which occurs when incoming ultraviolet radiation is scattered by particles within the atmosphere creating a blue-greyish colour to any distant objects, including mountains and clouds. Volatile terpenoids emitted in large quantities by the abundant eucalyptus trees in the Blue Mountains may cause mie scattering and thus the blue haze for which the mountains were named...
or that we really don't know but the blue can be easily seen at 120mm.
Masai Mara National Reserve
Kenya
East Africa
Happy Caturday!!
The leopard (Panthera pardus) is one of the five species in the genus Panthera, a member of the Felidae. The leopard occurs in a wide range in sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia and is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List because leopard populations are threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation and are declining in large parts of the global range.
Contemporary records suggest that the leopard occurs in only 25% of its historical global range. Leopards are hunted illegally, and their body parts are smuggled in the wildlife trade for medicinal practices and decoration.
Compared to other wild cats, the leopard has relatively short legs and a long body with a large skull. It is similar in appearance to the jaguar, but generally has a smaller, lighter physique. Its fur is marked with rosettes similar to those of the jaguar, but the leopard's rosettes are smaller and more densely packed, and do not usually have central spots as the jaguar's do. Both leopards and jaguars that are melanistic are known as black panthers.
The leopard is distinguished by its well-camouflaged fur, opportunistic hunting behavior, broad diet, and strength (which it uses to move heavy carcasses into trees), as well as its ability to adapt to various habitats ranging from rainforest to steppe, including arid and montane areas, and its ability to run at speeds of up to 58 kilometres per hour (36 mph). – Wikipedia
As I was observing this Eurasian Hummingbird Hawkmoth, it occurred to me that it could be a female, overpositing onto the Valerians. Still awaiting confirmation from iNaturalist.
The BTGW is one of about ten Western Warblers--that is to say warblers that occur in the American West, without any attention paid to vagrancy.
In other words they breed in the Western states, so that is where I had to go to photograph them.
I had gotten shots of this bird four years ago in Arizona, but the bird was quick to flit about and didn't give me a good photo. So The BTGW went on my target list for the summer out West.
The BTGW has a kind of enviable life: It breeds in the mountainous areas of the Four Corner states and up the west coast as far north as southern BC. It then flies down to central Mexico for the winter--a quick up and down trip, the ultimate summering Experience: fly up north for the pleasant weather in the mountains to the north, then back down to the warm weather to the south for the cold months.
I romanticize their existence, but their lives are hard migrating and then raising young during the brief window of summer time.
The species occurs in most of Europe except the British Isles, the Near East and from Siberia to north-western China. It can be found on lawns and meadows from May to July.
There is a transformation that occurs for me when the weight of my camera gear is added to my back or when the tension of the camera strap is felt on my body that seems to click a filter in place over my eyes and a mindful way of looking at things that allows me to see the way things could be.
I personally think the more one opens themselves to the world the more the world opens itself to them, simplified, keep your head out of your ass and the world will show you things you have never noticed previously.
This re-editing visit to the Netherlands is taking place in reverse chronological order for no other reason than that’s the way I am perusing the vaults of my Lightroom catalogue.
Today we begin an exploration of Amersfoort another laid back easy feeling town on our quest to experience as much of the northern Netherlands as we could in one adventure starting with this scene in someone’s side yard that was only 20 steps from my parking area along a canal stroll.
Amersfoort is the second largest city in the province of Utrecht at 150,000 residents founded in the 11th century it was named after its location of a shallows on the river Amer (now called the Eem river) and Foort which means ford or crossing.
I took this on September 21, 2017 with my D750 and Nikon 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens at 105mm 1/3s, f/11 ISO 100 processed in LR, PS +Lumenzia, Topaz Denoise, Luminar and DXO
Disclaimer: My style is a study of romantic realism as well as a work in progress.
The sedimentary rocks formed in the Upper Cretaceous that occur in the region of Torotoro, Bolivia, belong to the El Molino Formation, which can be divided into three members due to their distinct lithologic characteristics. The lower member consists of carbonate rocks, the intermediate member by siliciclastic and mixed rocks, and the upper, by carbonate rocks. These association of rocks occur as the upper strata of the Torotoro Syncline, a 45 km long and 9.5 km wide feature well preserved in the dynamic of Andean tectonic.
Source: Menegat R; et al
This native usually occurs as a small to medium, rounded shrub growing 0.3 to 2 m in height.
Commonly known as rosemary grevillea as the leaves resemble rosemary. Narrow-linear, stiff and prickly.
Leaves are up to 35 mm in length and 3 mm wide. The flowers occur in clusters from the ends of the branches and are mainly red or pink, often with cream.
Flowering occurs from winter through to spring and occasionally at other times.
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V. cardui occurs in any temperate zone, including mountains in the tropics. The species is resident only in warmer areas, but migrates in spring, and sometimes again- explored, best # 154 on Dec, 08, 2022 in autumn. It migrates from North Africa and the Mediterranean to Britain and Europe in May and June, occasionally reaching Iceland, and from the Red Sea basin, via Israel and Cyprus, to Turkey in March and April. The occasional autumn migration made by V. cardui is likely for the inspection of resource changes; it consists of a round trip from Europe to Africa.
Many thanks to everyone who will pass by visiting my shots. Comments are appreciated. You are welcome. Sergio
copyright Sergio Presbitero 2023, All Rights Reserved
This work may not be copied, reproduced, republished, edited, downloaded, displayed, modified, transmitted, licensed, transferred, sold, distributed or uploaded in any way without my prior written permission
This if for you, Barbara. It had occurred to me to try flipping it, but I didn't get around to it. I think I like it better this way ... it looks as though I'm looking at 'real' trees, while standing between a haystack and a snow dirft!
Blue Ice (Glacial)
occurs when snow falls on a glacier, is compressed, and becomes part of the glacier. Air bubbles are squeezed out and ice crystals enlarge, making the ice appear blue.
Small amounts of regular ice appear to be white because of air bubbles inside them and also because small quantities of water appear to be colourless. In glaciers, the pressure causes the air bubbles to be squeezed out increasing the density of the created ice. Large quantities of water appear to be blue, as it absorbs other colours more efficiently than blue. Therefore, a large piece of compressed ice, or a glacier, would appear blue.
The Bat Falcon is a widespread small falcon of forest and clearings in the Neotropics. It occurs from Mexico south to northwestern Peru and, east of the Andes, northern Argentina. It is dark slate gray above, with an obvious white throat, black-and-white barred breast, and orange lower belly and thighs. Bat Falcons can be distinguished from the similar and sympatric (but much rarer) Orange-breasted Falcon (Falco deiroleucus) by their smaller size, more compact structure, narrower white barring on the lower breast, and more restricted orange on the upper breast. Bat Falcons generally hunt around dawn and dusk at forest edge or over the canopy, often along rivers or road cuts, or at the edges of small crop fields. As the name implies, they feed on bats, but also prey on birds and insects (mostly aerial). They nest in adopted cavities, on cliffs, or on man-made structures and defend their territory aggressively. doi.org/10.2173/bow.batfal1.01
Picture taken at Legado das Aguas - SP
Thanks a lot for your visits, comments, faves, invites, etc. Very much appreciated!
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occurring or discovered by chance in a happy or beneficial way.
I believe everything happens for a reason and in the time you need it most. Bad things happen to you so better things can be set into alignment.
Female Pied Wagtail at Stutton Mill. Every year a pair nest in the wall of the cottage Garden.Two races occur in Europe, Yarrellii here in the UK and Alba the rest of Europe.
Bochum - 28.9.2015 Lunar eclipse 03.50 - 04.46 h
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly behind Earth and into its shadow.[1] This can occur only when the Sun, Earth, and the Moon are aligned (in syzygy) exactly or very closely so, with the planet in between. Hence, a lunar eclipse can occur only on the night of a full moon. The type and length of an eclipse depend on the Moon's proximity to either node of its orbit.
During a total lunar eclipse, Earth completely blocks direct sunlight from reaching the Moon. The only light reflected from the lunar surface has been refracted by Earth's atmosphere. This light appears reddish for the same reason that a sunset or sunrise does: the Rayleigh scattering of bluer light. Due to this reddish color, a totally eclipsed Moon is sometimes called a blood moon.
Unlike a solar eclipse, which can be viewed only from a certain relatively small area of the world, a lunar eclipse may be viewed from anywhere on the night side of Earth. A total lunar eclipse lasts a few hours, whereas a total solar eclipse lasts only a few minutes as viewed from any given place, due to the smaller size of the Moon's shadow. Also unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are safe to view without any eye protection or special precautions, as they are dimmer than the full Moon.
Bartolomé Island
Galapagos
Ecuador
South America
The Galápagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) is a penguin endemic to the Galápagos Islands. It is the only penguin that lives north of the equator in the wild. It can survive due to the cool temperatures resulting from the Humboldt Current and cool waters from great depths brought up by the Cromwell Current.
While ninety percent of the Galápagos penguins live among the western islands of Fernandina and Isabela, they also occur on Santiago, Bartolomé, northern Santa Cruz, and Floriana. The northern tip of Isabela crosses the equator, meaning that some Galápagos penguins live the northern hemisphere, the only penguins to do so.
The species is endangered, with an estimated population size of around 1,500 individuals in 2004, according to a survey by the Charles Darwin Research Station. The population underwent an alarming decline of over 70% in the 1980s but is slowly recovering. It is therefore the rarest penguin species (a status which is often falsely attributed to the yellow-eyed penguin).
Population levels are influenced by the effects of the El Niño Southern Oscillation, which reduces the availability of shoaling fish, leading to low reproduction or starvation. However, anthropogenic factors (e.g. oil pollution, fishing by-catch and competition) may be adding to the ongoing demise of this species. On Isabela Island, cats, dogs, and rats attack penguins and destroy their nests. When in the water, they are preyed upon by sharks, fur seals, and sea lions. – Wikipedia