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Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Aves
Order:Accipitriformes
Family:Cathartidae
Genus:Vultur
Andean Condor
Vultur gryphus
Denver Zoo, Denver, CO
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant. The sea is sometimes considered a part of the Atlantic Ocean, although it is usually identified as a completely separate body of water.
The name Mediterranean is derived from the Latin mediterraneus, meaning "inland" or "in the middle of the land" (from medius, "middle" and terra, "land"). It covers an approximate area of 2.5 million km² (965,000 sq mi), but its connection to the Atlantic (the Strait of Gibraltar) is only 14 km (8.7 mi) wide. In oceanography, it is sometimes called the Eurafrican Mediterranean Sea or the European Mediterranean Sea to distinguish it from mediterranean seas elsewhere.[3][4]
The Mediterranean Sea has an average depth of 1,500 m (4,900 ft) and the deepest recorded point is 5,267 m (17,280 ft) in the Calypso Deep in the Ionian Sea.
It was an important route for merchants and travellers of ancient times that allowed for trade and cultural exchange between emergent peoples of the region. The history of the Mediterranean region is crucial to understanding the origins and development of many modern societies.
Name
The term Mediterranean derives from the Latin word mediterraneus, meaning "in the middle of earth" or "between lands" (medi-; adj. medius, -um -a "middle, between" + terra f., "land, earth"): as it is between the continents of Africa, Asia and Europe. The Greek name Mesogeios (Μεσόγειος), is similarly from μέσο, "middle" + γη, "land, earth").[5]
The Mediterranean Sea has historically had several names. For example the Romans commonly called it Mare Nostrum (Latin, "Our Sea"), and occasionally Mare Internum (Sallust, Jug. 17).
In the Bible, it was primarily known as הים הגדול (HaYam HaGadol), the "Great Sea", (Num. 34:6,7; Josh. 1:4, 9:1, 15:47; Ezek. 47:10,15,20), or simply "The Sea" (1 Kings 5:9; comp. 1 Macc. 14:34, 15:11); however, it has also been called the "Hinder Sea", due to its location on the west coast of the Holy Land, and therefore behind a person facing the east, sometimes translated as "Western Sea", (Deut. 11:24; Joel 2:20). Another name was the "Sea of the Philistines" (Exod. 23:31), from the people occupying a large portion of its shores near the Israelites.
In Modern Hebrew, it has been called HaYam HaTikhon (הַיָּם הַתִּיכוֹן), "the Middle Sea", reflecting the Sea's name in ancient Greek (Mesogeios), Latin (Mare internum) and modern languages in both Europe and the Middle East (Mediterranean, etc.). Similarly, in Modern Arabic, it is known as al-Baḥr [al-Abyaḍ] al-Mutawassiṭ (البحر [الأبيض] المتوسط), "the [White] Medium Sea", while in Islamic and older Arabic literature, it was referenced as Baḥr al-Rūm (بحر الروم), or "the Roman/Byzantine Sea." In Turkish, it is known as Akdeniz,[6] "the White Sea" since among Turks the white color (ak) represents the west.
History
Several ancient civilizations were located around its shores; thus it has had a major influence on those cultures. It provided routes for trade, colonization and war, and provided food (by fishing and the gathering of other seafood) for numerous communities throughout the ages.[7]
The sharing of similar climate, geology and access to a common sea led to numerous historical and cultural connections between the ancient and modern societies around the Mediterranean.
Two of the most notable Mediterranean civilizations in classical antiquity were the Greek city states and the Phoenicians. When[citation needed] Augustus founded the Roman Empire, the Mediterranean Sea began to be called Mare Nostrum (literally:"Our Sea") by the Romans.
Darius I of Persia, who conquered Ancient Egypt, built a canal linking the Mediterranean to the Red Sea. Darius's canal was wide enough for two triremes to pass each other with oars extended, and required four days to traverse.[8]
The western Roman empire collapsed around AD 476. Temporarily the east was again dominant as the Byzantine Empire formed from the eastern half of the Roman empire. Another power soon arose in the east: Islam. At its greatest extent, the Arab Empire controlled 75% of the Mediterranean region.
Europe was reviving, however, as more organized and centralized states began to form in the later Middle Ages after the Renaissance of the 12th century.
Ottoman power continued to grow, and in 1453, the Byzantine Empire was extinguished with the Conquest of Constantinople. Ottomans gained control of much of the sea in the 16th century and maintained naval bases in southern France, Algeria and Tunisia. Barbarossa, the famous Ottoman captain is a symbol of this domination with the victory of the Battle of Preveza. The Battle of Djerba marked the apex of Ottoman naval domination in the Mediterranean. However, as naval prowess of the European powers grew, they confronted Ottoman expansion in the region when the Battle of Lepanto checked the power of the Ottoman Navy. This was the last naval battle to be fought primarily between galleys.
The Barbary pirates of North Africa preyed on Christian shipping in the western Mediterranean Sea.[9] According to Robert Davis, from the 16th to 19th century, pirates captured 1 million to 1.25 million Europeans as slaves.[10]
The development of oceanic shipping began to affect the entire Mediterranean. Once, all trade from the east had passed through the region, but now the circumnavigation of Africa allowed spices and other goods to be imported through the Atlantic ports of western Europe.[11][12][13] The Malta president described the Mediterranean sea as a "cemetery" due to the large amounts of migrants who drown there.
Geography
With its highly indented coastline and large number of islands, Greece has the longest Mediterranean coastline.
The Mediterranean Sea is connected to the Atlantic Ocean by the Strait of Gibraltar in the west and to the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea, by the Dardanelles and the Bosporus respectively, in the east. The Sea of Marmara is often considered a part of the Mediterranean Sea, whereas the Black Sea is generally not. The 163 km (101 mi) long man-made Suez Canal in the southeast connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea.
Large islands in the Mediterranean include Cyprus, Crete, Euboea, Rhodes, Lesbos, Chios, Kefalonia, Corfu, Limnos, Samos, Naxos and Andros in the eastern Mediterranean; Sardinia, Corsica, Sicily, Cres, Krk, Brač, Hvar, Pag, Korčula and Malta in the central Mediterranean; and Ibiza, Majorca and Minorca (the Balearic Islands) in the western Mediterranean.
The typical Mediterranean climate has hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. Crops of the region include olives, grapes, oranges, tangerines, and cork.
Extent
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Mediterranean Sea as follows:[15]
Stretching from the Strait of Gibraltar in the West to the entrances to the Dardanelles and the Suez Canal in the East, the Mediterranean Sea is bounded by the coasts of Europe, Africa and Asia, and is divided into two deep basins:
Western Basin:
On the west: A line joining the extremities of Cape Trafalgar (Spain) and Cape Spartel (Africa).
On the northeast: The West Coast of Italy. In the Strait of Messina a line joining the North extreme of Cape Paci (15°42'E) with Cape Peloro, the East extreme of the Island of Sicily. The North Coast of Sicily.
On the east: A line joining Cape Lilibeo the Western point of Sicily (37°47′N 12°22′E), through the Adventure Bank to Cape Bon (Tunisia).
Eastern Basin:
On the west: The Northeastern and Eastern limits of the Western Basin.
On the northeast: A line joining Kum Kale (26°11'E) and Cape Helles, the Western entrance to the Dardanelles.
On the southeast: The entrance to the Suez Canal.
On the east: The coasts of Syria, Israel, Lebanon, and Gaza Strip.
Oceanography
Being nearly landlocked affects conditions in the Mediterranean Sea: for instance, tides are very limited as a result of the narrow connection with the Atlantic Ocean. The Mediterranean is characterized and immediately recognised by its deep blue colour.
Evaporation greatly exceeds precipitation and river runoff in the Mediterranean, a fact that is central to the water circulation within the basin.[16] Evaporation is especially high in its eastern half, causing the water level to decrease and salinity to increase eastward.[17] This pressure gradient pushes relatively cool, low-salinity water from the Atlantic across the basin; it warms and becomes saltier as it travels east, then sinks in the region of the Levant and circulates westward, to spill over the Strait of Gibraltar.[18] Thus, seawater flow is eastward in the Strait's surface waters, and westward below; once in the Atlantic, this chemically distinct Mediterranean Intermediate Water can persist thousands of kilometres away from its source.
Coastal countries
Twenty-two countries have a coastline on the Mediterranean Sea. They are:
Northern shore (from west to east): Spain, France, Monaco, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Greece and Turkey.
Eastern shore (from north to south): Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Flag of Palestine.svg Palestine (limited recognition).
Southern shore (from west to east): Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt.
Island nations: Malta, Cyprus, Flag of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.svg Northern Cyprus (limited recognition).
Several other territories also border the Mediterranean Sea (from west to east): The British overseas territory of Gibraltar, the Spanish autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla and nearby islands, and the Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus
Major cities (municipalities) with populations larger than 200,000 people bordering the Mediterranean Sea are:
CountryCities
AlbaniaDurrës
AlgeriaAlgiers, Annaba, Oran
CroatiaSplit, Rijeka
EgyptAlexandria, Port Said
FranceMarseille, Nice
GreeceAthens, Patras, Thessaloniki
IsraelAshdod, Haifa, Tel Aviv
ItalyBari, Catania, Genoa, Messina, Naples, Palermo, Rome, Taranto, Trieste, Venice
LebanonBeirut, Tripoli
LibyaBenghazi, Khoms, Misrata, Tripoli, Zawiya, Zliten
MoroccoTétouan, Tangier
SpainAlicante, Badalona, Barcelona, Cartagena, Málaga, Palma, Valencia
State of PalestineGaza City
SyriaLatakia
TunisiaBizerte, Sfax, Tunis
TurkeyAntalya, İskenderun, İzmir, Mersin
Subdivisions
According to the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), the Mediterranean Sea is subdivided into a number of smaller waterbodies, each with their own designation (from west to east):[15]
the Strait of Gibraltar;
the Alboran Sea, between Spain and Morocco;
the Balearic Sea, between mainland Spain and its Balearic Islands;
the Ligurian Sea between Corsica and Liguria (Italy);
the Tyrrhenian Sea enclosed by Sardinia, Italian peninsula and Sicily;
the Ionian Sea between Italy, Albania and Greece;
the Adriatic Sea between Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania;
the Aegean Sea between Greece and Turkey.
Other seas
Although not recognised by the IHO treaties, there are some other seas whose names have been in common use from the ancient times, or in the present:
the Sea of Sardinia, between Sardinia and Balearic Islands, as a part of the Balearic Sea
the Sea of Sicily between Sicily and Tunisia,
the Libyan Sea between Libya and Crete,
In the Aegean Sea,
the Thracian Sea in its north,
the Myrtoan Sea between the Cyclades and the Peloponnese,
the Sea of Crete north of Crete,
the Icarian Sea between Kos and Chios
the Cilician Sea between Turkey and Cyprus
the Levantine Sea at the eastern end of the Mediterranean
Other features
Many of these smaller seas feature in local myth and folklore and derive their names from these associations. In addition to the seas, a number of gulfs and straits are also recognised:
the Saint George Bay in Beirut, Lebanon
the Ras Ibn Hani cape in Latakia, Syria
the Ras al-Bassit cape in northern Syria.
the Minet el-Beida ("White Harbour") bay near ancient Ugarit, Syria
the Strait of Gibraltar, connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Spain from Morocco
the Bay of Gibraltar, at the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula
the Gulf of Corinth, an enclosed sea between the Ionian Sea and the Corinth Canal
the Pagasetic Gulf, the gulf of Volos, south of the Thermaic Gulf, formed by the Mount Pelion peninsula
the Saronic Gulf, the gulf of Athens, between the Corinth Canal and the Mirtoan Sea
the Thermaic Gulf, the gulf of Thessaloniki, located in the northern Greek region of Macedonia
the Kvarner Gulf, Croatia
the Gulf of Lion, south of France
the Gulf of Valencia, east of Spain
the Strait of Messina, between Sicily and the toe of Italy
the Gulf of Genoa, northwestern Italy
the Gulf of Venice, northeastern Italy
the Gulf of Trieste, northeastern Italy
the Gulf of Taranto, southern Italy
The Adriatic Sea contains over 1200 islands and islets.
the Gulf of Salerno, southwestern Italy
the Gulf of Gaeta, southwestern Italy
the Gulf of Squillace, southern Italy
the Strait of Otranto, between Italy and Albania
the Gulf of Haifa, northern Israel
the Gulf of Sidra, between Tripolitania (western Libya) and Cyrenaica (eastern Libya)
the Strait of Sicily, between Sicily and Tunisia
the Corsica Channel, between Corsica and Italy
the Strait of Bonifacio, between Sardinia and Corsica
the Gulf of İskenderun, between İskenderun and Adana (Turkey)
the Gulf of Antalya, between west and east shores of Antalya (Turkey)
the Bay of Kotor, in south-western Montenegro and south-eastern Croatia
the Malta Channel, between Sicily and Malta
the Gozo Channel, between Malta Island and Gozo
Sea temperature
Mean sea temperature (°C)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecØ/Year
Marseille[21]13131314161821222118161416.6
Venice[22]11101113182225262320161417.4
Barcelona[23]13131314172023252320171517.8
Valencia[24]14131415172124262421181518.5
Málaga[25]16151516172022232220181618.3
Gibraltar[26]16151616172022222220181718.4
Naples[27]15141415182225272522191619.3
Athens[28]16151516182124242421191819.3
Heraklion[29]16151516192224252422201819.7
Malta[30]16161516182124262523211819.9
Larnaca[31]18171718202426272725221921.7
Limassol[32]18171718202426272725221921.7
Antalya17171718212427282725221921.8
Alexandria[33]18171718202325262625222021.4
Tel Aviv[34]18171718212426282726232022.1
Geology
The geologic history of the Mediterranean is complex. It was involved in the tectonic break-up and then collision of the African and Eurasian plates. The Messinian Salinity Crisis occurred in the late Miocene (12 million years ago to 5 million years ago) when the Mediterranean dried up. Geologically the Mediterranean is underlain by oceanic crust.
The Mediterranean Sea has an average depth of 1,500 m (4,900 ft) and the deepest recorded point is 5,267 m (17,280 ft) in the Calypso Deep in the Ionian Sea. The coastline extends for 46,000 km (29,000 mi). A shallow submarine ridge (the Strait of Sicily) between the island of Sicily and the coast of Tunisia divides the sea in two main subregions (which in turn are divided into subdivisions), the Western Mediterranean and the Eastern Mediterranean. The Western Mediterranean covers an area of about 0.85 million km² (0.33 million mi²) and the Eastern Mediterranean about 1.65 million km² (0.64 million mi²). A characteristic of the Mediterranean Sea are submarine karst springs or vruljas, which mainly occur in shallow waters[35] and may also be thermal.
Tectonic evolution
The geodynamic evolution of the Mediterranean Sea was provided by the convergence of European and African plates and several smaller microplates. This process was driven by the differential seafloor spreading along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which led to the closure of the Tethys Ocean and eventually to the Alpine orogenesis. However, the Mediterranean also hosts wide extensional basins and migrating tectonic arcs, in response to its land-locked configuration.
According to a report published by Nature in 2009, some scientists think that the Mediterranean Sea was mostly filled during a time period of less than two years, in a major flood (the Zanclean flood) that happened approximately 5.33 million years ago, in which water poured in from the Atlantic Ocean and through the Strait of Gibraltar, at a rate three times the current flow of the Amazon River.[37] However, the sea basins had been filled for many millions of years before the prior closure of the Strait of Gibraltar.
Eastern Mediterranean
In middle Miocene times, the collision between the Arabian microplate and Eurasia led to the separation between the Tethys and the Indian oceans. This process resulted in profound changes in the oceanic circulation patterns, which shifted global climates towards colder conditions. The Hellenic arc, which has a land-locked configuration, underwent a widespread extension for the last 20 Ma due to a slab roll-back process. In addition, the Hellenic Arc experienced a rapid rotation phase during the Pleistocene, with a counterclockwise component in its eastern portion and a clockwise trend in the western segment.
Central Mediterranean
The opening of small oceanic basins of the central Mediterranean follows a trench migration and back-arc opening process that occurred during the last 30 Myr. This phase was characterised by the anticlockwise rotation of the Corsica-Sardinia block, which lasted until the Langhian (ca.16 Ma), and was in turn followed by a slab detachment along the northern African margin. Subsequently, a shift of this active extensional deformation led to the opening of the Tyrrenian basin.
Western Mediterranean[edit]
The Betic-Rif mountain belts developed during Mesozoic and Cenozoic times, as Africa and Iberia converged. Tectonic models for its evolution include: rapid motion of Alboran Domain, subduction zone and radial extensional collapse caused by convective removal of lithospheric mantle. The development of these intramontane Betic and Rif basins led to the onset of two marine gateways which were progressively closed during the late Miocene by an interplay of tectonic and glacio-eustatic processes.
Paleoenvironmental analysis
Its semi-enclosed configuration makes the oceanic gateways critical in controlling circulation and environmental evolution in the Mediterranean Sea. Water circulation patterns are driven by a number of interactive factors, such as climate and bathymetry, which can lead to precipitation of evaporites. During late Miocene times, a so-called "Messinian Salinity Crisis" (MSC hereafter) occurred, where the Mediterranean entirely or almost entirely dried out, which was triggered by the closure of the Atlantic gateway. Evaporites accumulated in the Red Sea Basin (late Miocene), in the Carpatian foredeep (middle Miocene) and in the whole Mediterranean area (Messinian). An accurate age estimate of the MSC—5.96 Ma—has recently been astronomically achieved; furthermore, this event seems to have occurred synchronously. The beginning of the MSC is supposed to have been of tectonic origin; however, an astronomical control (eccentricity) might also have been involved. In the Mediterranean basin, diatomites are regularly found underneath the evaporite deposits, thus suggesting (albeit not clearly so far) a connection between their geneses.
The present-day Atlantic gateway, i.e. the Strait of Gibraltar, finds its origin in the early Pliocene. However, two other connections between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea existed in the past: the Betic Corridor (southern Spain) and the Rifian Corridor (northern Morocco). The former closed during Tortonian times, thus providing a "Tortonian Salinity Crisis" well before the MSC; the latter closed about 6 Ma, allowing exchanges in the mammal fauna between Africa and Europe. Nowadays, evaporation is more relevant than the water yield supplied by riverine water and precipitation, so that salinity in the Mediterranean is higher than in the Atlantic. These conditions result in the outflow of warm saline Mediterranean deep water across Gibraltar, which is in turn counterbalanced by an inflow of a less saline surface current of cold oceanic water.
The Mediterranean was once thought to be the remnant of the Tethys Ocean. It is now known to be a structurally younger ocean basin known as Neotethys. The Neotethys formed during the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic rifting of the African and Eurasian plates.
Paleoclimate
Because of its latitudinal position and its land-locked configuration, the Mediterranean is especially sensitive to astronomically induced climatic variations, which are well documented in its sedimentary record. Since the Mediterranean is involved in the deposition of eolian dust from the Sahara during dry periods, whereas riverine detrital input prevails during wet ones, the Mediterranean marine sapropel-bearing sequences provide high-resolution climatic information. These data have been employed in reconstructing astronomically calibrated time scales for the last 9 Ma of the Earth's history, helping to constrain the time of past Geomagnetic Reversals.[38] Furthermore, the exceptional accuracy of these paleoclimatic records have improved our knowledge of the Earth's orbital variations in the past.
Ecology and biota
As a result of the drying of the sea during the Messinian salinity crisis,[39] the marine biota of the Mediterranean are derived primarily from the Atlantic Ocean. The North Atlantic is considerably colder and more nutrient-rich than the Mediterranean, and the marine life of the Mediterranean has had to adapt to its differing conditions in the five million years since the basin was reflooded.
The Alboran Sea is a transition zone between the two seas, containing a mix of Mediterranean and Atlantic species. The Alboran Sea has the largest population of Bottlenose Dolphins in the western Mediterranean, is home to the last population of harbour porpoises in the Mediterranean, and is the most important feeding grounds for Loggerhead Sea Turtles in Europe. The Alboran sea also hosts important commercial fisheries, including sardines and swordfish. The Mediterranean monk seals live in the Aegean Sea in Greece. In 2003, the World Wildlife Fund raised concerns about the widespread drift net fishing endangering populations of dolphins, turtles, and other marine animals.
Environmental threats
Biodiversity
Invasive species
The Reticulate whipray is one of the species that colonised the eastern Mediterranean through the Suez Canal.
The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 created the first salt-water passage between the Mediterranean and Red Sea. The Red Sea is higher than the Eastern Mediterranean, so the canal serves as a tidal strait that pours Red Sea water into the Mediterranean. The Bitter Lakes, which are hyper-saline natural lakes that form part of the canal, blocked the migration of Red Sea species into the Mediterranean for many decades, but as the salinity of the lakes gradually equalized with that of the Red Sea, the barrier to migration was removed, and plants and animals from the Red Sea have begun to colonise the Eastern Mediterranean. The Red Sea is generally saltier and more nutrient-poor than the Atlantic, so the Red Sea species have advantages over Atlantic species in the salty and nutrient-poor Eastern Mediterranean. Accordingly, Red Sea species invade the Mediterranean biota, and not vice versa; this phenomenon is known as the Lessepsian migration (after Ferdinand de Lesseps, the French engineer) or Erythrean invasion. The construction of the Aswan High Dam across the Nile River in the 1960s reduced the inflow of freshwater and nutrient-rich silt from the Nile into the Eastern Mediterranean, making conditions there even more like the Red Sea and worsening the impact of the invasive species.
Invasive species have become a major component of the Mediterranean ecosystem and have serious impacts on the Mediterranean ecology, endangering many local and endemic Mediterranean species. A first look at some groups of exotic species show that more than 70% of the non-indigenous decapods and about 63% of the exotic fishes occurring in the Mediterranean are of Indo Pacific origin,[40] introduced into the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal. This makes the Canal as the first pathway of arrival of "alien" species into the Mediterranean. The impacts of some lessepsian species have proven to be considerable mainly in the Levantine basin of the Mediterranean, where they are replacing native species and becoming a "familiar sight".
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature definition, as well as Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and Ramsar Convention terminologies, they are alien species, as they are non-native (non-indigenous) to the Mediterranean Sea, and they are outside their normal area of distribution which is the Indo-Pacific region. When these species succeed in establishing populations in the Mediterranean sea, compete with and begin to replace native species they are "Alien Invasive Species", as they are an agent of change and a threat to the native biodiversity. In the context of CBD, "introduction" refers to the movement by human agency, indirect or direct, of an alien species outside of its natural range (past or present). The Suez Canal, being an artificial (man made) canal, is a human agency. Lessepsian migrants are therefore "introduced" species (indirect, and unintentional). Whatever wording is chosen, they represent a threat to the native Mediterranean biodiversity, because they are non-indigenous to this sea. In recent years, the Egyptian government's announcement of its intentions to deepen and widen the canal have raised concerns from marine biologists, fearing that such an act will only worsen the invasion of Red Sea species into the Mediterranean, facilitating the crossing of the canal for yet additional species.
Arrival of new tropical Atlantic species
In recent decades, the arrival of exotic species from the tropical Atlantic has become a noticeable feature. Whether this reflects an expansion of the natural area of these species that now enter the Mediterranean through the Gibraltar strait, because of a warming trend of the water caused by Global Warming; or an extension of the maritime traffic; or is simply the result of a more intense scientific investigation, is still an open question. While not as intense as the "lessepsian" movement, the process may be scientific interest and may therefore warrant increased levels of monitoring.
Sea-level rise
By 2100, the overall level of the Mediterranean could rise between 3 to 61 cm (1.2 to 24.0 in) as a result of the effects of climate change.[42] This could have adverse effects on populations across the Mediterranean:
Rising sea levels will submerge parts of Malta. Rising sea levels will also mean rising salt water levels in Malta's groundwater supply and reduce the availability of drinking water.[43]
A 30 cm (12 in) rise in sea level would flood 200 square kilometres (77 sq mi) of the Nile Delta, displacing over 500,000 Egyptians.[44]
Coastal ecosystems also appear to be threatened by sea level rise, especially enclosed seas such as the Baltic, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. These seas have only small and primarily east-west movement corridors, which may restrict northward displacement of organisms in these areas.[45] Sea level rise for the next century (2100) could be between 30 cm (12 in) and 100 cm (39 in) and temperature shifts of a mere 0.05-0.1°C in the deep sea are sufficient to induce significant changes in species richness and functional diversity.
Pollution
Pollution in this region has been extremely high in recent years.[when?] The United Nations Environment Programme has estimated that 650,000,000 t (720,000,000 short tons) of sewage, 129,000 t (142,000 short tons) of mineral oil, 60,000 t (66,000 short tons) of mercury, 3,800 t (4,200 short tons) of lead and 36,000 t (40,000 short tons) of phosphates are dumped into the Mediterranean each year.[47] The Barcelona Convention aims to 'reduce pollution in the Mediterranean Sea and protect and improve the marine environment in the area, thereby contributing to its sustainable development.'[48] Many marine species have been almost wiped out because of the sea's pollution. One of them is the Mediterranean Monk Seal which is considered to be among the world's most endangered marine mammals.[49]
The Mediterranean is also plagued by marine debris. A 1994 study of the seabed using trawl nets around the coasts of Spain, France and Italy reported a particularly high mean concentration of debris; an average of 1,935 items per km². Plastic debris accounted for 76%, of which 94% was plastic bags.
Shipping
Some of the world's busiest shipping routes are in the Mediterranean Sea. It is estimated that approximately 220,000 merchant vessels of more than 100 tonnes cross the Mediterranean Sea each year—about one third of the world's total merchant shipping. These ships often carry hazardous cargo, which if lost would result in severe damage to the marine environment.
The discharge of chemical tank washings and oily wastes also represent a significant source of marine pollution. The Mediterranean Sea constitutes 0.7% of the global water surface and yet receives seventeen percent of global marine oil pollution. It is estimated that every year between 100,000 t (98,000 long tons) and 150,000 t (150,000 long tons) of crude oil are deliberately released into the sea from shipping activities.
Approximately 370,000,000 t (360,000,000 long tons) of oil are transported annually in the Mediterranean Sea (more than 20% of the world total), with around 250-300 oil tankers crossing the Sea every day. Accidental oil spills happen frequently with an average of 10 spills per year. A major oil spill could occur at any time in any part of the Mediterranean.
Tourism
With a unique combination of pleasant climate, beautiful coastline, rich history and diverse culture the Mediterranean region is the most popular tourist destination in the world—attracting approximately one third of the world's international tourists.
Tourism is one of the most important sources of income for many Mediterranean countries. It also supports small communities in coastal areas and islands by providing alternative sources of income far from urban centres. However, tourism has also played major role in the degradation of the coastal and marine environment. Rapid development has been encouraged by Mediterranean governments to support the large numbers of tourists visiting the region each year. But this has caused serious disturbance to marine habitats such as erosion and pollution in many places along the Mediterranean coasts.
Tourism often concentrates in areas of high natural wealth, causing a serious threat to the habitats of endangered Mediterranean species such as sea turtles and monk seals. Reductions in natural wealth may reduce incentives for tourists to visit
Overfishing
Fish stock levels in the Mediterranean Sea are alarmingly low. The European Environment Agency says that over 65% of all fish stocks in the region are outside safe biological limits and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, that some of the most important fisheries—such as albacore and bluefin tuna, hake, marlin, swordfish, red mullet and sea bream—are threatened.[date missing]
There are clear indications that catch size and quality have declined, often dramatically, and in many areas larger and longer-lived species have disappeared entirely from commercial catches.
Large open water fish like tuna have been a shared fisheries resource for thousands of years but the stocks are now dangerously low. In 1999, Greenpeace published a report revealing that the amount of bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean had decreased by over 80% in the previous 20 years and government scientists warn that without immediate action the stock will collapse.
Aquacultur
Aquaculture is expanding rapidly—often without proper environmental assessment—and currently accounts for 30% of the fish protein consumed worldwide. The industry claims that farmed seafood lessens the pressure on wild fish stocks, yet many of the farmed species are carnivorous, consuming up to five times their weight in wild fish.
Mediterranean coastal areas are already over exposed to human influence, with pristine areas becoming ever scarcer. The aquaculture sector adds to this pressure, requiring areas of high water quality to set up farms. The installation of fish farms close to vulnerable and important habitats such as seagrass meadows is particularly concerning.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Struma_(river)
The Struma or Strymónas (Bulgarian Струма, pronounced [ˈstruma], Greek Στρυμόνας [striˈmonas], Turkish (Struma) Karasu 'black water') is a river in Bulgaria and Greece. Its ancient name was Strymōn (Greek: Στρυμών [stryˈmɔːn]). Its catchment area is 10,800 km². It takes its source from the Vitosha Mountain in Bulgaria, runs first westward, then southward, enters Greek territory at the Kula village. In Greece it is the main waterway feeding and exiting from Lake Kerkini, a significant centre for migratory wildfowl. The river flows into the Strymonian Gulf in Aegean Sea, near Amphipolis in the Serres regional unit. The river's length is 415 km (of which 290 km in Bulgaria, making it the country's fifth longest).
Parts of the river valley belong to a Bulgarian coal-producing area, more significant in the past than nowadays. The Greek portion is a valley which is dominant in agriculture, being Greece's fourth biggest valley. The tributaries include the Rila River, the Dragovishtitsa, the Blagoevgradska Bistritsa, the Konska River, the Sandanska Bistritsa and the Angitis.
History
The Ancient Greek city of Amphipolis was founded near the river's entrance to the Aegean, at the site previously known as Ennea Odoi (Nine roads). When Xerxes I of Persia crossed the river during his invasion in 480 BC he buried alive nine young boys and nine maidens as a sacrifice to the river god.[1] The forces of Alexander I of Macedon defeated the remnants of Xerxes' army near Ennea Odoi in 479 BC. In 424 BC the Spartan general Brasidas after crossing the entire Greek peninsula sieged and conquered Amphipolis. The Battle of Kleidion was fought by the river in 1014.
In 1913, the Greek Army was nearly surrounded in the Kresna Gorge of the Struma during the Second Balkan War. The Bulgarians were defeated in the war, however, and the Treaty of Bucharest resulted in significant territorial losses for Bulgaria.
The river valley was part of the Macedonian front in World War I. The ship Struma, which took Jewish refugees out of Romania in World War II and was torpedoed and sunk in the Black Sea, causing nearly 800 deaths, was named after the river.
Etymology
The river's name comes from Thracian Strymón, derived from IE *sru "stream",[2] akin to English stream, Old Irish sruaimm "river", Polish strumień "stream", Lithuanian straumuoe "fast stream", Greek reuma "stream", Albanian rrymë "water flow", shri "rain".
The name Strymón, was a hydronym in ancient Greek mythology, referring to a mythical Thracian king that was drowned in the river.[3] Strymón was also used as a personal name in various regions of Ancient Greece during the 3rd century B.C.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow-legged_Gull
The Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis), sometimes referred to as Western Yellow-legged Gull (to distinguish it from eastern populations of yellow-legged large white-headed gulls), is a large gull of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, which has only recently achieved wide recognition as a distinct species. It was formerly treated as a subspecies of either the Caspian Gull L. cachinnans, or more broadly as a subspecies of the Herring Gull L. argentatus. It is named after the German zoologist Karl Michahelles
Classification
It is now generally accepted that the Yellow-legged Gull is a full species, but until recently there was much disagreement. For example, British Birds magazine split Yellow-legged Gull from Herring Gull in 1993 but included the Caspian Gull in the former,[2] but the BOU in Great Britain retained the Yellow-legged Gull as a subspecies of the Herring Gull until 2007.[3] DNA research however suggests that Yellow-legged Gull is actually closest to Great Black-backed Gull L. marinus and Armenian Gull L. armenicus, while Caspian Gull is closer to Herring Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull L. fuscus, rather than being each other's closest relatives.[4][5]
There are two subspecies of the Yellow-legged Gull:[5]
Larus michahellis michahellis Naumann, 1840. Mediterranean.
Larus michahellis atlantis (Dwight, 1922), syn. Larus fuscus atlantis Dwight, 1922. Macaronesia (Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores).
Birds breeding on the Atlantic coasts of Morocco, Portugal and Galicia (and spreading north from there) are usually also included here, but are sometimes considered to be a third subspecies L. m. lusitanius. Atlantic Ocean birds have darker wings and back by comparison with Mediterranean birds, creating a more pronounced contrast to the white parts.
Distribution
The breeding range is centred around the Mediterranean Sea. In North Africa it is common in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia and increasing in places. Recent breeding has occurred in Libya and Egypt. In the Middle East a few breed in Israel and Syria with larger numbers in Cyprus and Turkey. In Europe there are colonies all along the Mediterranean coast, and also on the Atlantic islands and coasts north to Brittany and west to the Azores. It also breeds on the west side of the Black Sea; here it overlaps with the Caspian Gull but there is a difference in habitat, with the Yellow-legged Gull preferring sea cliffs and Caspian Gull on flatter shores. In recent decades birds have spread north into central and western Europe. One to four pairs have attempted to breed in southern England since 1995 (sometimes hybrid pairs with Lesser Black-backed Gulls), though colonisation has been very slow.[6]
Many birds remain in the same area all year round but others migrate to spend the winter in mild areas of western Europe or head south as far as Senegal, the Gambia and the Red Sea. There is also extensive northward post-breeding dispersal in the late summer, with numbers in southern England high from July to October.[7] It is reported as a vagrant to northeastern North America[8] and Nigeria.
Description
Adults are similar to Herring Gulls but have yellow legs. They have a grey back, slightly darker than Herring Gulls but lighter than Lesser Black-backed Gulls. They are much whiter-headed in autumn, and have more extensively black wing tips with few white spots, just as Lesser Black-backed. They have a red spot on the bill as adults, like the entire complex. There is a red ring around the eye like in the Lesser Black-backed Gull but unlike in the Herring Gull which has a dark yellow ring.
First-year birds have a paler head, rump and underparts than those of the Herring Gull, more closely resembling first-year Great Black-backed Gulls in plumage. They have a dark bill and eyes, pinkish grey legs, dark flight feathers and a well-defined black band on the tail. They become lighter in the underparts and lose the upperpart pattern subsequently. By their second winter, birds are essentially feathered like adults, save for the patterned feathers remaining on the wing coverts. However, their bill tips are black, their eyes still dark, and the legs are a light yellow flesh colour.
The call is a loud laugh which is deeper and more nasal than the call of the Herring Gull.
Diet
They are omnivores like most Larus gulls, and they will scavenge on rubbish tips and elsewhere, as well as seeking suitable prey in fields or on the coast, or robbing smaller gulls and other seabirds of their catches.
Reproduction
Yellow-legged Gulls usually breed in colonies. Eggs, usually three, are laid from mid March to early May and are defended vigorously by this large gull. The nest is a sometimes sparse mound of vegetation built on the ground or on cliff ledges. In some places such as Gibraltar they have started nesting on buildings. The eggs are incubated for 27–31 days and the young birds fledge after 35–40 days.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Canyon
The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona, United States. The Grand Canyon is 277 miles (446 km) long, up to 18 miles (29 km) wide and attains a depth of over a mile (6,093 feet or 1,857 meters).
The canyon and adjacent rim are contained within Grand Canyon National Park, the Kaibab National Forest, Grand Canyon–Parashant National Monument, the Hualapai Indian Reservation, the Havasupai Indian Reservation and the Navajo Nation. The surrounding area is contained within the Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument. President Theodore Roosevelt was a major proponent of the preservation of the Grand Canyon area and visited it on numerous occasions to hunt and enjoy the scenery.
Nearly two billion years of Earth's geological history have been exposed as the Colorado River and its tributaries cut their channels through layer after layer of rock while the Colorado Plateau was uplifted. While some aspects about the history of incision of the canyon are debated by geologists, several recent studies support the hypothesis that the Colorado River established its course through the area about 5 to 6 million years ago. Since that time, the Colorado River has driven the down-cutting of the tributaries and retreat of the cliffs, simultaneously deepening and widening the canyon.
For thousands of years, the area has been continuously inhabited by Native Americans, who built settlements within the canyon and its many caves. The Pueblo people considered the Grand Canyon a holy site, and made pilgrimages to it. The first European known to have viewed the Grand Canyon was García López de Cárdenas from Spain, who arrived in 1540.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Canyon_National_Park
Grand Canyon National Park is a national park of the United States located in northwestern Arizona, the 15th site to have been named as a national park. The park's central feature is the Grand Canyon, a gorge of the Colorado River, which is often considered one of the Wonders of the World. The park, which covers 1,217,262 acres (1,901.972 sq mi; 4,926.08 km2) of unincorporated area in Coconino and Mohave counties, received more than 4.7 million recreational visitors in 2023. The Grand Canyon was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979. The park celebrated its 100th anniversary on February 26, 2019.
Source: www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm
Entirely within the state of Arizona, the park encompasses 278 miles (447 km) of the Colorado River and adjacent uplands. Located on the ancestral homelands of 11 present day Tribal Communities, Grand Canyon is one of the most spectacular examples of erosion anywhere in the world—a mile deep canyon unmatched in the incomparable vistas it offers visitors from both north and south rims.
Additional Foreign Language Tags:
(United States) "الولايات المتحدة" "Vereinigte Staaten" "アメリカ" "米国" "美国" "미국" "Estados Unidos" "États-Unis" "ארצות הברית" "संयुक्त राज्य" "США"
(Arizona) "أريزونا" "亚利桑那州" "אריזונה" "एरिजोना" "アリゾナ州" "애리조나" "Аризона"
(Grand Canyon) "جراند كانيون" "大峡谷" "גרנד קניון" "ग्रांड कैन्यन" "グランドキャニオン" "그랜드 캐니언" "Гранд-Каньон" "Gran Cañón"
www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/d/dovestone/
A landscape that will take your breath away. Towering hills, sheer rock faces, swathes of open moorland, a picturesque reservoir - that's Dove Stone, the northern gateway to the Peak District National Park.
Walking, climbing, running, playing, cycling and even sailing. If you're into adrenalin-pumping activity or simply want to chill out surrounded by amazing wildlife, streams, waterfalls and woodland, then Dove Stone is a must.
At this stunning site, we're working with United Utilities to bring benefits for people, water and wildlife.
Opening times
Open at all times.
Entrance charges
Entrance to the reserve is free. Parking is free for RSPB members, but there is a parking charge for non-members.
Information for families
There are lots of natural areas to play and explore, but no formal facilities. Some events will include family activities like quizzes or trails.
Information for dog owners
Dogs are allowed anywhere. We would request that they are kept on a lead, as most of the reserve comprises of working sheep farms.
Star species
Our star species are some of the most interesting birds you may see on your visit to the reserve.
Curlew
Curlews are large, brown wading birds with very long, curved bills. In spring, you can hear their gorgeous, 'bubbling' song.
Golden plover
In their breeding plumage, golden plovers look very smart with black undersides and spangled golden backs.
Peregrine
Keep an eye out for a commotion among birds - a peregrine may be making a fly past. They are a regular sight overhead when a pair is nesting in the area.
Raven
You can see ravens' plummeting display flights from late winter, through the spring and hear their gruff, ringing 'kronk' calls throughout the year here.
Red grouse
Listen out for sharp 'go back, go back' of the red grouse, or watch them flying across the heather.
Seasonal highlights
Each season brings a different experience at our nature reserves. In spring, the air is filled with birdsong as they compete to establish territories and attract a mate. In summer, look out for young birds making their first venture into the outside world. Autumn brings large movements of migrating birds - some heading south to a warmer climate, others seeking refuge in the UK from the cold Arctic winter. In winter, look out for large flocks of birds gathering to feed, or flying at dusk to form large roosts to keep warm.
Spring
See ravens and peregrine squabbling on the quarry cliffs. Curlews and lapwings breed on the in-bye fields, wheatears and ring ouzels on the moorland edge with golden plovers on the open moor. Dunlins may also make an appearance.
Summer
Canada geese love to breed on the open moor. Dippers race up and down the brooks and streams, and keep an eye out for water voles on the moorland streams.
Autumn
Watch out for meadow pipits, fieldfares and redwings moving through. You could also see siskins and lesser redpolls.
Winter
Look for mountain hares turning white and red grouse scratching out a living amongst the heather. Mallards don't seem to mind what the weather is like and stay put.
Facilities
Facilities
•Car park : Parking is pay-and-display and costs 60 p for two hours or £1.30 all day. No height restriction and there'll be bike racks soon.
•Toilets
•Disabled toilets
•Picnic area
•Guided walks available
•Good for walking
•Pushchair friendly
How to get here
By train
Greenfield Station near Oldham - outside the station, turn right, walk down the hill following main road (A669), follow sharp left bend, pass Tesco on the left and continue to mini-roundabout with pub on corner. Turn left up Holmfirth Road (A635). Turn right at brown sign for Dove Stone reservoir.
By road
To get to Dove Stone, go through Greenfield village on the A669 towards Holmfirth. At the mini roundabout, turn left up the hill on Holmfirth Road A635. After 500 m, turn right onto Bank Lane. There's a brown signpost for Dove Stone reservoir. Crowden car park is off the A628 Woodhead Road in the Longdendale Valley.
Accessibility
11 February 2013
Before you visit
•Open all year
•Free, apart from car parking charges
•No RSPB visitor centre, café, shop or office but regular RSPB presence on site
•Car park and toilets open from 7 am to 10 pm, April to October; from 7 am to 7 pm, November to March
•Registered assistance dogs and other dogs (on leads from March to July) welcome.
How to get here
•Directions on RSPB website
Car parking
•Main car park just outside Greenfield. 117 spaces plus four Blue Badge bays
•Smaller RSPB car park at Binn Green, off the A635 Greenfield to Holmfirth road. 18 spaces plus three Blue Badge bays
•Charge for both. 60p for three hours or £1.80 for the day. Free to Blue Badge holders and RSPB members.
•No height restrictions.
Nature trails
•Main visitor trail part tarmac, part gravel surfaced 2.5 mile (4 km) circular route around Dove Stone Reservoir. Fairly level but steep in two places. Radar keys are required to access stock gates. Starts about 50m from the Blue Badge bays in main car park
•Wooden benches (most with backs and some with arms) at fairly regular intervals along path
•1.5 mile (2 km) trail around adjacent Yeoman Hey Reservoir. Rough, undulating grassy track and can be muddy
•Part Tarmac/part gravel steep track up to Chew Reservoir, 1.5 miles (2.5 km)
•Access to reservoirs and woodland trails from RSPB car park down a 1.5 mile (2.5 km) steep woodland track with steps and narrow stone stile
•Several informal woodland trails as well as large areas of open access countryside.
Viewing facilities
•Viewpoint at Binn Green car park up short, wide, surfaced track
•Woodland bird feeding zone in both car parks.
Picnic area
•A formal picnic area at Ashway Gap half way round main Dove Stone trail
•Five picnic tables and benches, including two accessible tables
•Wooden benches in main car park and Log benches at Binn Green. No tables at either.
Catering
•Hot food and ice cream van in main car park in good weather
•Variety of pubs and cafes in nearby Greenfield, Mossley and Uppermill.
Public toilets
•Main car park (managed by Oldham Council). Accessible toilet for use with RADAR key and unisex facilities
•Binn Green car park - male and female accessible composting toilets. No RADAR key required
•No baby changing at either.
Future plans
•Plans to improve the gravel surfaces around the site to make them easier for wheelchair access
•Plans to provide way marker signage for the main trails.
For more information
Dove Stone
Telephone:01457 819880
Moorland magic
We all know that the wild, moorland landscape above Dove Stones is breathtakingly beautiful. But did you know that it is incredibly important to both wildlife and people?
These moorlands supply the water that comes out of our taps.
If the moorland is badly managed, regularly burned, or overgrazed by sheep, it exposes the bare peat. The peat is then easily washed away by rain and gets into the streams, turning the water brown, the colour of stewed tea!
But, if we manage the moorlands well and protect the peat by growing sphagnum mosses, bilberry and heather, then the colour of the water is much improved.
On your walks, watch the skies for thrilling aerial displays from the fastest bird in the world - the peregrine
The peat has taken more than 5,000 years to develop. It is made up of dead sphagnum mosses and has locked up thousands of tonnes of carbon.
If the peat loses its cover of vegetation, the carbon is released into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming and climate change.
However, if we can ensure the continued growth of the mosses that form the peat, not only can we reduce the losses, but the bogs can actually soak up additional carbon from the atmosphere, helping buffer both ourselves and wildlife from the effects of a warming climate.
The Dove Stones moors are a special place for wildlife. On your walks, watch the skies for thrilling aerial displays from the fastest bird in the world - the peregrine.
In winter, you might be lucky enough to see snow-white mountain hares racing across the plateau; while spring signals the return of the moorland dawn chorus, with bubbling calls of curlews and the plaintive whistle of a golden plover.
The streams feeding into the reservoir are not only a great place for a paddle, they are also home to endangered creatures like water voles (Ratty from Wind in the Willows) and the delightful dipper. Did you know they keep their eyes open underwater as they search for insects to eat?
So you see, Dove Stone is a wonderful place for people, water and wildlife. We want to keep it that way – will you help us?
Community, youth and education
Access to Nature is a community, youth and education project with both on-site events and outreach sessions. The project is funded by Natural England, through Access to Nature, as part of the Big Lottery Fund's Changing Spaces programme.
What we offer
Keep an eye on the events pages for a wide range of activities and guided walks. For schools and groups we offer tailor made sessions and bespoke training for teachers and leaders with RSPB staff and other experts.
Conservation, wildlife, art, photography, drama, storytelling, debates, walks and skills training are just some of the things the project has provided so far.
Contact
Rachel Downham
Community Engagement Officer
Email: rachel.downham@rspb.org.uk
07825 022 636
Geoff de Boer
Education Officer
Email: geoff.deboer@rspb.org.uk
Tel: 01457 819 884 / 07801 135 106
Contact us
Tel: 01457 819880
Where is it?
Lat/lng: 53.529355,-1.981482
Postcode: OL3 7NE
Grid reference: SE013036
Nearest town: Mossley, Greater Manchester
County: Greater Manchester
Country: England
A typical Mindy smile :)
One of the few shots I have with her collar off, I am always paranoid about her wandering off and being picked-up by the SPCA which would stress her out to no end.
I was going to remove the background, but not adept enough to go around the fur yet!
www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/south-walney.html
The reserve is open daily from 10.00am - 5.00pm (4.00pm in winter).
Spring
Birds: courting eider duck, spring migrants, wheatear, willow warbler, sandwich tern
Plants: flowering thrift and sea campion,
Butterflies: common blue butterfly
Summer
Birds: gull and eider ducks, nesting oystercatcher and ringed plover.
Butterflies and moths: burnet moths and grayling butterfly.
Plants: Shingle flora including viper’s bugloss, yellow horned poppy and henbane. Flowering sea lavender, heartsease pansy.
Orchids: pyramidal orchid
Autumn
Birds: migratory birds including curlew snapper, spotted redshank, redstart, wheatear, and pink footed geese.
Plants: flowering sea lavender and sea aster.
Winter
Birds: High tide roost of wader and wildfowl including knot, dunlin, grey plover and oystercatcher. Barn owl and short-eared owl, pergrine and merlin twite, feeding on salt marsh.
All year
Birds: oystercatcher, large gull roosts/breeding colony. birds of prey
Mammals: grey seals at high tide
General: Amazing views across three counties and across the sea to the isle of man
Location
Walney Island, Barrow in Furness
Map reference
OS 1:50,000
Sheet No. 96
Grid reference SD 225 620
Size
130 hectares
Status
Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Special Protection Area (SPA)
Access
Free admission for Wildlife Trust members. A small admission fee is payable by non-members. There are several waymarked trails on the reserve (Red trail 5km/3 miles, blue trail 3km/2 miles) No dogs are allowed on the reserve (except assistance dogs). The reserve has toilets and a number of birdwatching hides.
Directions
By car From Barrow in Furness follow signs for Walney Island. Cross Jubilee Bridge onto the Island and follow brown signs left at traffic lights, follow this road for about 1km/0.6 miles then turn left down Carr Lane. Pass Biggar Village and follow the road to the South End Caravan Site. Follow the road for a further kilometre until the reserve is reached.
By bicycle The reserve is 5km/ 3 miles from National Route 72 Walney to Wear.
By public transport Buses run from Barrow in Furness to Biggar.
Opening Times
Daily 10.0am - 5.00pm (4.00pm winter)
Overview
South Walney forms the southern tip of a shingle island lying at the end of the Furness Peninsula. During the medieval period it was farmed by the monks of Furness Abbey, whilst during the 19th and 20th centuries salt, sand and gravel were extracted leaving large lagoons and some industrial remains.
What to see
Every spring, large numbers of lesser black backed and herring gulls still return and begin to set up nest territories. Other breeding birds include eider duck, greater black backed gull, shelduck, oystercatcher, mallard, moorhen and coot. Of the 250 bird species recorded, most are passage migrants on their way to or from breeding grounds. These include common species such as wheatear, redstart, willow warbler and gold crest, as well as more unusual species, which may have been blown off their normal migration route. In winter, large numbers of waders and wildfowl feed and roost around the nature reserve both on the gravel pools and the intertidal areas. Vegetated shingle being a highly unusual habitat, and yellow horned poppy, sea campion and biting stonecrop grow on the single beaches.
Small areas of dune grassland survive with pyramidal orchid, Portland spurge, restharrow and wild pansy. The old gravel workings have developed their own communities with striking plants such as viper's bugloss, henbane and alkanet. Saltmarsh occurs in Lighthouse Bay with species such as thrift, glasswort and sea purslane.
Recent History
South Walney has been leased from Holker Estates since 1963.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-formby-2.htm
Formby
North west coast, between Liverpool and Southport
Stunning coastline with large areas of beaches, sand dunes and pine woods
Don't miss
Stunning stretch of unspoilt coastline
Long, sandy beaches and attractive pine woods
Search for 5,000-year-old red deer footprints on the beach
You may catch a glimpse of a rare red squirrel
Making the most of your day
Environmental artwork on the theme of 'changing coastlines'.
Pine Woods
Enjoy a stroll around the peaceful pine woodlands and look out for the endangered red squirrel. The woods here are one of seventeen red squirrel reserves in northern England; the reds are attracted by the large numbers of conifers, as they feed on the ripe pine cones.
Beach
Wide open skies and an expanse of space make the beach at Formby a fantastic get-away from hectic urban life. Erosion of the sand has revealed footprints from animals and humans dating back to the late Neolithic/early Bronze Age, about 3500 to 7000 years ago.
Asparagus fields
The asparagus grown among the sand dunes at Formby is world-famous. In the 1930s it was so popular that it was served to passengers on the luxury liners leaving from Liverpool. Work is currently underway to develop an 'asparagus trail', which will lead visitors through the heart of this historic landscape
Dunes (through coastal path route)
These beautiful dunes form a part of one of the largest areas of dune habitat within the UK and provide an excellent home for many rare and endangered species such as the Natterjack Toad and the Northern Dune Tiger Beetle. They are under constant threat from erosion, however, and the dunes move inland at a rate of approximately four metres a year.
Get in touch
Victoria Road
Freshfield
Formby
Liverpool L37 1LJ
01704 878591 (General enquiries)
01704 874949 (Learning and educational enquiries)
Email: formby@nationaltrust.org.uk
Facilities
Important Note
WCs close at 5.30pm in summer, 4pm in winter. Coach parking is restricted and must be booked
WCs
At the roadside near to Victoria Road entrance. Open 9am to 5.30pm in summer, closes 4pm in winter. Closed Christmas day
Families & children
Baby-changing facilities in the women's and men's WCs
Dogs
Dogs welcome, but please keep pets under close control at all times and on a lead in the vicinity of the squirrel walk. Please clear up after your pet and take any mess home with you.
Picnic areas
There are three picnic areas close to Victoria Road. The picnic area to the south of Victoria Road is a dog-free area.
Eating and shopping
Ice cream van in car park in suitable weather. Local shops in Formby village centre.
Public houses
Several pubs in local area.
Information for visitors
Welcome leaflet and various Sefton Natural Coast walking, cycling and event guides are all available from the car park entrance kiosk.
Audio guide
Audio guide available from the car park entrance kiosk, please contact us for more information.
Learning
Formby is a unique site for environmental education with a superb range of study options for woodland, beach and dune habitats.
We have a variety of guided and self-guided tours and learning activities on offer, all of which are designed to meet National Curriculum requirements.
Booking is essential and all groups must book at least two weeks in advance. Bookings and enquiries can be made by telephoning 01704 874949.
Getting there
Car-free travel highlight
Easily accessible by public transport, Freshfield train station is ½ mile easy walk from the entrance to Formby along pavements.
For the more energetic, Sefton Coastal Path runs through Formby
By foot
Sefton Coastal Path runs from Crosby in the south to Crossens (north of Southport) in the north and cuts right through the property. There are rail stations along the route with various points of entry.
By bike
National Cycle Route 62 runs within 3 miles of the property at Ainsdale, from here you can follow on-road routes to Formby. Please note, these roads can be busy at times and access to the property is via a busy dual carriageway.
For more information visit Sustrans.
By bus
Arriva 48A, Southport to Formby, frequent service. Alight at Cross Green, then 5 minute walk to Formby.
Cumfy Coaches 160/1/4, Formby station to Freshfield station. Alight end of Harrington Road/Victoria Road, then 10 minute walk to Formby.
For more information visit traveline.
By train
Frequent services from Liverpool and Southport stations to Freshfield station, then ½ mile walk, along pavements, to the entrance of Formby, or 1 mile to Formby beach.
For more information visit Transport Direct .
By road
M62 then M57, or M6 then M58. Follow signs for Southport and central attractions (A565), heading north on the dual carriageway. Continue straight over the 1st roundabout (ignoring the sign for Formby). At the traffic lights, which are at a crossroads, take a left into Formby and follow the National Trust brown signs.
From Southport follow the A565, head south on the dual carriageway, turn right at the BP roundabout and then pick up National Trust signs.
Ordnance Survey maps
Landranger Liverpool 108
Explorer Southport and Chorley 285
Access
Mobility information
Parking
Designated accessible parking spaces on the roadside at Victoria Road. Parking is within 75 metres of WCs.
WC
One accessible WC with RADAR lock. Key is available from the entrance kiosk during normal opening times.
Pathways and open space
Access to the beach is over dunes, which are soft under foot and liable to change in certain weather conditions. Some short sections of paths with a gradient of 1:8. For more information please visit the Sefton Coastal Path website.
All-ability trails
There is an all-ability trail suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs, which runs through the woodland and asparagus fields.
Seating, rest points and shelter
Benches positioned along Sefton Coastal Path, south of Victoria Road. Resting points on Squirrel Walk and Cornerstone Walk.
Visual information
Braille guide available at entrance kiosk.
Sensory highlights
Listsen out for the wind in pine trees, the cry of sea birds and the roar of the tide. Soak in the remote atmosphere and enjoy the sense of being in a wide, open space.
Red squirrel population
Formby red squirrels comeback continues!
Formby is well known as a special place to see red squirrels though numbers fell drastically during 2008 due to an outbreak of squirrel pox virus. Two years on and recovery seems to be well on the way. Signs of red squirrels feeding are widespread in the pine woods, reports of sightings in local gardens are coming in daily and visitors are excited by the increasing frequency of sightings during their woodland walks. Indeed we anticipate the results of Autumn monitoring will show that red squirrel population has recovered to over 50% of the pre squirrel pox level.
The National Trust Formby is at the heart of the Sefton Coast woodlands where a co-ordinated forest plan has been implemented since 2003 to improve the red squirrels habitat. The coastal woodlands provide an ample source of pine cones and seeds which are readily exploited by the red squirrels. But grey squirrels appear in the neighbouring residential areas each year and the National Trust is keen not to attract greys into the red squirrels woodland stronghold. For this reason, feeding of nuts and other food supplements to the red squirrels was abandoned. National Trust wardens want to prevent contact between red and grey squirrels to prevent risk of disease transmission.
If you’re planning a visit to National Trust Formby now, you have a much better chance of seeing a red squirrel than 12 months ago; but expect a different experience – bring your binoculars and follow our woodland trails to track down squirrels feeding in the tree tops. The reds spend much time daily, feeding on natural foods like pine cones which are much better for them than peanuts on the ground!
Formby Red Squirrel Survivors Project
The success of National Trust on-line gift sales in the 2007 Christmas catalogue – which were specifically for red squirrel conservation at Formby – is helping to support vital research along with funding from the Natural Environment Research Council.
In October 2009 pioneering new research into the squirrel pox virus started at Formby. The study, led by researchers at the University of Liverpool, is looking at exactly how the reds become infected by the virus, and whether any of them have survived exposure to squirrel pox virus. The project hopes to provide a better understanding of how an outbreak of squirrelpox develops and what can be done to break the links that allow it to spread.
Professor Mike Begon from the University of Liverpool, said:
'We are working to understand the dynamics of the squirrelpox virus and what might halt its spread. We are starting to see evidence of recovery in the red squirrel population but it is still important that we prevent contact between red squirrels and the greys that carry the virus. We are hopeful that our research will provide us with the knowledge we need to ensure the long term survival of red squirrels across the UK.'
For further information please call the National Trust Formby office on 01704 878591 or e-mail formby@nationaltrust.org.uk
copyright: 2015 © R. Peter 1764.org All rights reserved. Please do not use this image, or any images from my flickr photostream, fb account or g+, without my permission.
De uitlandsche kapellen voorkomende in de drie waereld-deelen, Asia, Africa en America,.
Amsteldam,Chez S. J. Baalde;1779-1782..
www.ywt.org.uk/reserves/flamborough-cliffs-nature-reserve
Flamborough Head has one of the most important seabird colonies in Europe. In summer the cliffs are packed with tens of thousands of breeding auks, gannets and gulls creating a memorable experience. The chalk grassland, especially in Holmes Gut, is rich in flowers attracting butterflies and a number of uncommon moths.
Flamborough Cliffs nature reserve consists of three sections, Breil, Holmes and Thornwick, each with their own character but all important for the seabird colonies nesting on the 100-foot high sheer chalk cliffs.
For a brief period in the summer the cliffs host internationally important numbers of breeding seabirds including fulmars, herring gulls, kittiwakes, guillemots, razorbills and puffins. A small number of shags also breed while gannets, nesting nearby at Bempton Cliffs, can be seen flying past in straggly lines. Landward of the cliff top footpath are grassland fields which host nesting skylark and meadow pipit whose numbers have increased as grazing has improved the habitat.
In Holmes there is an area of gorse scrub which attracts breeding linnet and yellowhammer. At Thornwick the two reed beds, though small, host reed warbler, sedge warbler and reed bunting.
Both the base of the steps into Holmes and near Thornwick cottages are fantastic spots for wildflowers. Growing here in the chalk grassland is bird's-foot trefoil, common spotted orchids and pyramidal orchids. Along the cliff edge there is a beautiful show of delicate pink thrift and occasionally Northern marsh orchid can bloom in profusion.
A number of butterflies are attracted to these flowers including small skipper and ringlet. The nature reserve is also home to the scarce burnet companion moth.
Top Tip:
Catch up with puffins, seen easier here than at any other site in Yorkshire.
In autumn birdwatching interest switches to migration. Out at sea, all four skuas may be seen plus large numbers of common seabirds, divers, grebes and wildfowl. Clifftop fields attract short-eared owl, wheatear and whinchat, whilst berry-laden scrub and wooded areas in Holmes Gut attracts hordes of migrant thrushes, warblers and finches.
Scarce migrants are also frequently seen, including yellow-browned warbler. Throughout the year North Landing provides endless opportunities for rock pooling with starfish, crabs, fish and an array of marine molluscs to be found as well as a rich and varied carpet of seaweeds. Just be careful to watch the tides!
Living Seas Centre
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust's Living Seas Centre at South Landing has information and education facilities.
Discover Yorkshire’s Wildlife
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s Discover Yorkshire’s Wildlife book, which has detailed information on all of Yorkshire Wildlife and Sheffield Wildlife Trust’s reserves, is available to buy now from our online shop.
Public Transport
Regular bus service from Bridlington, closest train station is at Bridlington.
Directions
From Flamborough village follow the B1265 signposted for North Landing. The road terminates above North Landing with a car park on the left.
Reserve information
Location:-
Flamborough Cliffs, North Marine Road
Bridlington
East Yorkshire
YO15 1BJ
Map referenceTA 239 720
Great for...a family day out, birdwatching, geological interest, spring migrant birds, stunning views, wildflowers
Best time to visitApr - Oct
Facilities:-
Cafe
Gift shop
Visitor centre
Picnic facilities
Toilets
Size36.23 hectares
AccessPublic footpath runs through the reserve.
Contact the Trust for disabled access information.
Walking information
Public footpath runs through the reserve.
Please keep all dogs on leads.
ParkingPay and display car park at North Landing, Flamborough.
Toilets and Café located near the car park.
Dogs must be on lead
Grazing animals
Sheep and ponies graze the grassland tops.
Reserve manager
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust
Tel: 01904 659570
info@ywt.org.uk
En Twiter
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Odontella sinensis, una gran diatomea ...¿que vino de Oriente?
Un farolillo chino flota en el agua, tiene cuerpo de barril y rematan sus cuatro esquinas cuatro espinas en adorno de
pagoda. En su interior, pepitas doradas de oro y verde. Son sus cloroplastos pepitas de vida que se abren desde su corazón en radios de sol para captar la luz que le da la vida. Una vida que se enciende en el océano mecida por las olas y que aunque no es faro, es un farolillo de belleza que cuentan que vino de oriente, es la diatomea Odontella sinensis.
Sí, cuentan que Odontella sinensis vino de los mares de Oriente para quedarse y parece ser que ésta es la primera vez que se cita de las costas de la Península Ibérica porque en otras ocasiones, pasó de largo y se instaló en los mares del Norte de Europa donde se ha hecho a vivir cómoda entre sus aguas, cercana a las costas del norte de Francia, navegando por el canal de la Mancha y el propio mar del Norte, haciendo frente a sus bravos temporales. Sin embargo, nunca se la había hallado haciendo escala para asomarse a la ventana hacia el Mediterráneo,y de allí, de las costas del Algarve portugués, la antesala acuática hacia el Mediterráneo, es de donde procede la muestra en la que se ha hallado y fotografiado por vez primera en territorio ibérico.
La historia de la diatomea Odontella sinensis es al menos tan curiosa como ella misma. Se describió por primera vez desde el puerto de Hong Kong, y lo hizo Greville en 1866 como Biddulphia sinensis. Posteriormente esta gran diatomea fue encontrándose también en el Mar Rojo, las aguas costeras de la India, el Golfo de Siam, el Mar Amarillo y el Mar del Este Chino a medida que fueron explorándose nuevos territorios acuáticos. El caso es que ya en el año 1903 fue hallada por vez primera en Europa en las aguas danesas del Skaggerak, e igual que ocurrió en oriente, a partir de este primer hallazgo, se sucedieron otros en cadena en el Mar del Norte o el Canal de la Mancha en 1909 o en el Mar de Irlanda también en este mismo año. Esto hizo sospechar inicialmente que se trataba de una especie invasora que había venido con los barcos que navegaban a oriente, entre otras razones también porque las células vivas se encuentran frecuentemente en muestras de agua de lastre de los grandes barcos, como se sugirió en 1908.
Pero como sugieren Fernando Gómez y Sami Souissi en un detallado estudio publicadoen el año 2010, en género Odontella descrito por Agardh en 1832, cuenta con muchos representantes en los mares del Norte de Europa y aparece en el Canal de la Mancha de la mano de varias especies como O. aurita, O. mobiliensis,O. regia,O. rhombus y O. sinensis. Este último taxón, que es que mostramos aquí se reconoce por su gran tamaño:entre 100-250 μm (eje apical) y extremos que se abren entre las espinas planos o ligeramente cóncavos y es fácil, según sugieren estos autores que se pueda confundir con O. regia que sí es propia de las aguas del norte de Europa.
La incógnita pues queda en el aire ¿se confundieron inicialmente la diatomea china y la regia O. sinensis y O. regia? ¿ Ha venido O. sinensis de oriente ? sea de una u otra forma, vive en estos momentos muy bien en los mares del norte donde prolifera cuando hay más aportes de nutrientes, sobre todo a finales de otoño y principios de invierno
Lo que sí parece estar claro es que de oriente o del norte de Europa O. sinensis llegó a las costas del Algarve y que es la primera vez que se encuentra en el litoral ibérico ¿o ya vivía aquí?
La fotografía realizada a 400 aumentos empleando la técnica de contraste de interferencia, procede de unas muestras tomadas con Miguel Rodrigues, David Salvador y Andrés Blanco el 4 de enero de 2017 en la Lagoa das Garçasy que ahora estudiamos con Isabel López de Munain y proceden de una zona de marisma en la costa de Armação de Pêra, en las inmediaciones de Vila Vita, en el precioso Algarve portugués.
Another bifurcation diagram made over breakfast. This one is for the function f(x) = cos(pi(x-0.5))-0.1sin(16x)(1-x).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_of_Bowland
The Forest of Bowland, also known as the Bowland Fells, is an area of barren gritstone fells, deep valleys and peat moorland, mostly in north-east Lancashire, England. A small part lies in North Yorkshire, and much of the area was historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire. It has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) since 1964, and is used for grouse shooting, walking and cycling, though it is relatively unfrequented by tourists. One of the best known features of the area is Pendle Hill, which is separated from the main part of the Forest of Bowland AONB by the Ribble Valley.
13% of the AONB is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its important areas of heather moorland and blanket bog. The area is nationally and internationally important for its upland bird populations – the hen harrier is the symbol of the AONB. There are over 500 listed buildings and 18 scheduled monuments within the AONB.
The name 'forest' is used in its traditional sense of 'a royal hunting ground', and much of the land still belongs to the British Crown as part of the Duchy of Lancaster. In the past wild boar, deer, wolves, wild cats and game roamed the forest.
Heather moorland on Clougha, in the north west of the Forest of Bowland, looking towards the Yorkshire three peaks
Bowland remains as the northwestern remainder of the ancient wilderness that once stretched over a huge part of England, encompassing the Forest of Bowland, Sherwood Forest (Nottinghamshire), the New Forest (Hampshire) and Savernake Forest (Wiltshire). While the Trough of Bowland (the valley and high pass connecting the Wyre (at Marshaw) and Langden Brook and dividing the upland core of Bowland into two main blocks) represents the area, to many, on account of its popularity, it is in fact only a small part of the wider Forest of Bowland area.
The hills on the western side of the Forest of Bowland attract walkers from Lancaster and the surrounding area. Overlooking Lancaster is Clougha Pike, the western-most hill. The hills form a large horseshoe shape with its open end facing west. Clockwise from Lancaster the hills are Clougha Pike (413 m), Grit Fell (468 m), Ward's Stone (561 m), Wolfhole Crag (527 m), White Hill (544 m), Whins Brow (476 m), Totridge (496 m), Parlick (432 m), Fair Snape Fell (510 m), Bleasdale Moor (429 m), and Hawthornthwaite fell (478 m).
The area is home to the geographic centre of Great Britain which is close to the Whitendale Hanging Stones, around 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Dunsop Bridge.
The Forest of Bowland is home to an annual challenge event: The Bowland Challenge where teams of walkers navigate around a series of grid references over a ten hour period. Proceeds of the event go to support Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue Team.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London
London is the capital and largest city of both England and the United Kingdom. Standing on the River Thames in the south-east of England, at the head of its 50-mile (80 km) estuary leading to the North Sea, London has been a major settlement for two millennia. Londinium was founded by the Romans. The City of London, London's ancient core − an area of just 1.12 square miles (2.9 km2) and colloquially known as the Square Mile − retains boundaries that follow closely its medieval limits. The City of Westminster is also an Inner London borough holding city status. Greater London is governed by the Mayor of London and the London Assembly.
London is considered to be one of the world's most important global cities and has been termed the world's most powerful, most desirable, most influential, most visited, most expensive, innovative, sustainable, most investment friendly, most popular for work, and the most vegetarian friendly city in the world. London exerts a considerable impact upon the arts, commerce, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media, professional services, research and development, tourism and transportation. London ranks 26 out of 300 major cities for economic performance. It is one of the largest financial centres and has either the fifth or sixth largest metropolitan area GDP. It is the most-visited city as measured by international arrivals and has the busiest city airport system as measured by passenger traffic. It is the leading investment destination, hosting more international retailers and ultra high-net-worth individuals than any other city. London's universities form the largest concentration of higher education institutes in Europe. In 2012, London became the first city to have hosted three modern Summer Olympic Games.
London has a diverse range of people and cultures, and more than 300 languages are spoken in the region. Its estimated mid-2016 municipal population (corresponding to Greater London) was 8,787,892, the most populous of any city in the European Union and accounting for 13.4% of the UK population. London's urban area is the second most populous in the EU, after Paris, with 9,787,426 inhabitants at the 2011 census. The population within the London commuter belt is the most populous in the EU with 14,040,163 inhabitants in 2016. London was the world's most populous city from c. 1831 to 1925.
London contains four World Heritage Sites: the Tower of London; Kew Gardens; the site comprising the Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey, and St Margaret's Church; and the historic settlement in Greenwich where the Royal Observatory, Greenwich defines the Prime Meridian, 0° longitude, and Greenwich Mean Time. Other landmarks include Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Piccadilly Circus, St Paul's Cathedral, Tower Bridge, Trafalgar Square and The Shard. London has numerous museums, galleries, libraries and sporting events. These include the British Museum, National Gallery, Natural History Museum, Tate Modern, British Library and West End theatres. The London Underground is the oldest underground railway network in the world.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Underground
The London Underground (also known simply as the Underground, or by its nickname the Tube) is a public rapid transit system serving London, England and some parts of the adjacent counties of Buckinghamshire, Essex and Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom.
The Underground has its origins in the Metropolitan Railway, the world's first underground passenger railway. Opened in January 1863, it is now part of the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines; the first line to operate underground electric traction trains, the City & South London Railway in 1890, is now part of the Northern line. The network has expanded to 11 lines, and in 2017/18 carried 1.357 billion passengers, making it the world's 11th busiest metro system. The 11 lines collectively handle up to 5 million passengers a day.
The system's first tunnels were built just below the surface, using the cut-and-cover method; later, smaller, roughly circular tunnels—which gave rise to its nickname, the Tube—were dug through at a deeper level. The system has 270 stations and 250 miles (400 km) of track. Despite its name, only 45% of the system is underground in tunnels, with much of the network in the outer environs of London being on the surface. In addition, the Underground does not cover most southern parts of Greater London, with fewer than 10% of the stations located south of the River Thames.
The early tube lines, originally owned by several private companies, were brought together under the "UndergrounD" brand in the early 20th century and eventually merged along with the sub-surface lines and bus services in 1933 to form London Transport under the control of the London Passenger Transport Board (LPTB). The current operator, London Underground Limited (LUL), is a wholly owned subsidiary of Transport for London (TfL), the statutory corporation responsible for the transport network in Greater London. As of 2015, 92% of operational expenditure is covered by passenger fares. The Travelcard ticket was introduced in 1983 and Oyster, a contactless ticketing system, in 2003. Contactless card payments were introduced in 2014, the first public transport system in the world to do so.
The LPTB was a prominent patron of art and design, commissioning many new station buildings, posters and public artworks in a modernist style. The schematic Tube map, designed by Harry Beck in 1931, was voted a national design icon in 2006 and now includes other TfL transport systems such as the Docklands Light Railway, London Overground, Crossrail (which is officially called Elizabeth Line) and Tramlink. Other famous London Underground branding includes the roundel and Johnston typeface, created by Edward Johnston in 1916.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirkstone_Pass
Kirkstone Pass
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Kirkstone Pass is a mountain pass in the English Lake District, in the county of Cumbria. It is at an altitude of 1,489 feet (454 m).
This is the Lake District's highest pass that is open to motor traffic and it connects Ambleside in the Rothay Valley to Patterdale in the Ullswater Valley - the A592 road. In places, the gradient is 1 in 4. Brothers Water provides a picturesque view, on the descent to Patterdale.
The Kirkstone Pass Inn stands close to the summit of the pass. Formerly an important coaching inn, it now caters primarily for tourists. It is the third highest public house in England.
Slate quarrying
As well as Lead and Copper mining, quite a large undertaking of slate mining has been taking place over the years. Pets Quarry, currently being worked by "Kirkstone Green Slate Company" is just before the highest point in the pass, from Ambleside. Caudale slate mine is a few miles further down, on the Ullswater side, and was last worked at the beginning of the 20th century. All adits to the mine are now blocked. Nearby is the Hartsop Hall Lead Mine.
Name
The name of the pass is derived from a nearby stone, the Kirkstone, which stands a few yards from the roadside of the A592 leading to Patterdale, several metres from the Inn. The stone is so named as its silhouette resembles a church steeple, 'kirk' meaning church in old Norse, it is easily spotted coming both ways on the pass.
Cultural references
In Cue For Treason, the best known novel of the children's writer Geoffrey Trease, much of it set in Cumbria, one character adopts the pseudonym "Kit Kirkstone", taken from the Kirkstone Pass.
Fauna Boica oder gemeinnützige Naturgeschichte der Thiere Bayerns /.
Nürnberg :in der E.H. Zeh'schen Buchhandlung,1832..
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasia (I'd like to thank sevgili Sheila in Millstone for the link
she found for me ..Yet another dear friend:)
And here is another link that Sheila has just sent me ...Thank you so very much Sheila !!!
books.google.com/books?id=MoYDAAAAYAAJ&pg=PT203&l...
www.trainsofturkey.com/w/pmwiki.php/RailwayMuseums/Camlik...
My dear Steve,
I've been keeping these for you for quite a while ..I wish I'd known earlier that it was your birthday yesterday..When,after midnight & a terribly tiring day at last,I finally found it out , I did not feel myself ready to organize it all .Sorry for being late my friend !
Now as a teacher,I'm giving you some homework...I know how busy you are at this time of the year , but I'm sure you'll do it in no time :))
OK...here is your homework : FIGURE OUT WHAT THESE THİNGS ARE USED FOR ,will you ,the most inquisitive ..sweetest child on flickr :-))
Here is Steve's link : Don't miss the fantastic orange he posted today :)
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Louis
St. Louis is an independent city and inland port in the U.S. state of Missouri. It is situated along the western bank of the Mississippi River, which marks Missouri's border with Illinois. The Missouri River merges with the Mississippi River just north of the city. These two rivers combined form the fourth longest river system in the world. The city had an estimated 2017 population of 308,626 and is the cultural and economic center of the St. Louis metropolitan area (home to nearly 3,000,000 people), which is the largest metropolitan area in Missouri, the second-largest in Illinois (after Chicago), and the 22nd-largest in the United States.
Before European settlement, the area was a regional center of Native American Mississippian culture. The city of St. Louis was founded in 1764 by French fur traders Pierre Laclède and Auguste Chouteau, and named after Louis IX of France. In 1764, following France's defeat in the Seven Years' War, the area was ceded to Spain and retroceded back to France in 1800. In 1803, the United States acquired the territory as part of the Louisiana Purchase. During the 19th century, St. Louis became a major port on the Mississippi River; at the time of the 1870 Census it was the fourth-largest city in the country. It separated from St. Louis County in 1877, becoming an independent city and limiting its own political boundaries. In 1904, it hosted the Louisiana Purchase Exposition and the Summer Olympics.
The economy of metropolitan St. Louis relies on service, manufacturing, trade, transportation of goods, and tourism. Its metro area is home to major corporations, including Anheuser-Busch, Express Scripts, Centene, Boeing Defense, Emerson, Energizer, Panera, Enterprise, Peabody Energy, Ameren, Post Holdings, Monsanto, Edward Jones, Go Jet, Purina and Sigma-Aldrich. Nine of the ten Fortune 500 companies based in Missouri are located within the St. Louis metropolitan area. The city has also become known for its growing medical, pharmaceutical, and research presence due to institutions such as Washington University in St. Louis and Barnes-Jewish Hospital. St. Louis has two professional sports teams: the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball and the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League. One of the city's iconic sights is the 630-foot (192 m) tall Gateway Arch in the downtown area.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Museum
City Museum is a museum whose exhibits consist largely of repurposed architectural and industrial objects, housed in the former International Shoe building in the Washington Avenue Loft District of St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Opened in 1997, the museum attracted more than 700,000 visitors in 2010.
The City Museum has been named one of the "great public spaces" by the Project for Public Spaces, and has won other local and international awards as a must-see destination. It has been described as "a wild, singular vision of an oddball artistic mind."
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwigsburg
Ludwigsburg is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, about 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) north of Stuttgart city centre, near the river Neckar. It is the largest and primary city of the Ludwigsburg district with about 88,000 inhabitants. It is situated within the Stuttgart Region, and the district is part of the administrative region (Regierungsbezirk) of Stuttgart.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwigsburg_Palace
Ludwigsburg Palace (Residenzschloss Ludwigsburg), also known as the "Versailles of Swabia", is a 452-room palace complex of 18 buildings located in Ludwigsburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Its total area, including the gardens, is 32 ha (79 acres)—the largest palatial estate in the country. The palace has four wings: the northern wing, the Alter Hauptbau, is the oldest and was used as a ducal residence; the east and west wings were used for court purposes and housing guests and courtiers; the southern wing, the Neuer Hauptbau, was built to house more court functions and was later used as a residence.
Eberhard Louis, Duke of Württemberg, appointed Philipp Joseph Jenisch to direct the work and construction began in 1704. In 1707, Jenisch was replaced with Johann Friedrich Nette, who completed the majority of the palace and surrounding gardens. Nette died in 1714, and Donato Giuseppe Frisoni finished much of the palace facades. In the final year of construction, Eberhard Louis died and the Neue Hauptbau's interiors were left incomplete. Charles Eugene's court architect, Philippe de La Guêpière, completed and refurbished parts of the New Hauptbau in the Rococo style, especially the palace theatre. Charles Eugene abandoned the palace for Stuttgart in 1775. Duke Frederick II, later King Frederick I, began using Ludwigsburg as his summer residence in the last years of Charles Eugene's reign. Frederick and his wife Charlotte, Princess Royal, resided at Ludwigsburg and employed Nikolaus Friedrich von Thouret to renovate the palace in the Neoclassical style. Thouret converted much of Ludwigsburg's interiors over the reign of Frederick and later life of Charlotte. As a result of each architect's work, Ludwigsburg is a combination of Baroque, Rococo, Neoclassical, and Empire style architecture.
The constitutions of the Free People's State and Kingdom of Württemberg were ratified at Ludwigsburg Palace in 1919 and 1819, respectively. It was the residence for four of Württemberg's monarchs and some other members of the House of Württemberg and their families. The palace was opened to the public in 1918 and then survived World War II intact. It later underwent periods of restoration in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1990s and again for the palace's 300th anniversary in 2004. The palace had more than 350,000 visitors in 2017 and has hosted the Ludwigsburg Festival every year since 1947.
Surrounding the palace are the Blooming Baroque (Blühendes Barock) gardens, arranged in 1954 as they might have appeared in 1800. Nearby is Schloss Favorite, a hunting lodge built in 1717 by Frisoni. Within the palace are two museums operated by the Landesmuseum Württemberg dedicated to fashion and porcelain respectively.
el.kingdomsalvation.org/God-Himself-the-unique-ix-selecti...
Παντοδύναμου Θεού λέει: «Πρώτον, όταν ο Θεός δημιούργησε τα πάντα, έθεσε όρια για τα βουνά, τις πεδιάδες, τις ερήμους, τους λόφους, τα ποτάμια και τις λίμνες. Στη γη υπάρχουν βουνά, πεδιάδες, έρημοι, λόφοι, καθώς επίσης και διάφοροι υδάτινοι όγκοι. Δεν είναι διαφορετικά εδάφη αυτά; Ο Θεός έθεσε όρια ανάμεσα σε όλα αυτά τα διαφορετικά είδη εδάφους. Όταν μιλάμε για οριοθέτηση, αυτό σημαίνει ότι τα βουνά έχουν τα όριά τους, οι πεδιάδες έχουν τη δική τους οριοθέτηση, οι έρημοι έχουν ένα συγκεκριμένο πεδίο και οι λόφοι έχουν μια συγκεκριμένη έκταση. Υπάρχει επίσης μια συγκεκριμένη ποσότητα υδάτινων όγκων, όπως είναι τα ποτάμια και οι λίμνες. Αυτό σημαίνει ότι όταν ο Θεός δημιούργησε τα πάντα, διαίρεσε τα πάντα ξεκάθαρα. Ο Θεός έχει ήδη καθορίσει πόσα χιλιόμετρα είναι η ακτίνα ενός βουνού και ποιο το πεδίο της. Έχει επίσης καθορίσει πόσα χιλιόμετρα είναι η ακτίνα μιας πεδιάδας και ποιο το πεδίο της. Όταν δημιούργησε τα πάντα, Αυτός επίσης καθόρισε το πεδίο της ερήμου, καθώς και το πεδίο των λόφων και τις διαστάσεις τους, και με τι συνορεύουν. Αυτός τα καθόρισε όλα αυτά. Καθόρισε το πεδίο των ποταμών και των λιμνών όταν τα δημιουργούσε. Όλα έχουν τα όριά τους. Οπότε, τι σημαίνει όταν λέμε «όρια»; Μόλις μιλήσαμε για τον τρόπο που με τη διακυβέρνηση των πάντων από τον Θεό θεσπίζονται νόμοι για όλα τα όντα. Αυτό σημαίνει ότι το πεδίο και τα όρια των βουνών δεν θα επεκταθούν ούτε θα μειωθούν λόγω της περιστροφής της γης ή με το πέρασμα του χρόνου. Αυτό είναι καθορισμένο. Αυτή η έννοια του «καθορισμένου» είναι η διακυβέρνηση του Θεού. Όσον αφορά την έκταση των πεδιάδων, το πεδίο τους, την οριοθέτησή τους, αυτό έχει καθοριστεί από τον Θεό. ... »
από το βιβλίο «Ο Λόγος Ενσαρκώνεται»
σύσταση：Ευαγγέλιο
Excerpt from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choi_Hung_Estate:
Choi Hung Estate (彩虹邨; lit. 'rainbow estate') is a public housing estate in Ngau Chi Wan, Kowloon, Hong Kong. It was built by the former Hong Kong Housing Authority (屋宇建設委員會) and is now managed by the current Hong Kong Housing Authority. It received a Silver Medal at the 1965 Hong Kong Institute of Architects Annual Awards.
Choi Hung Estate is located in Ngau Chi Wan and is surrounded by several of eastern Kowloon Peninsula's major roads. To the north is Lung Cheung Road; to the south Prince Edward Road East; to the west Kwun Tong Bypass and to the east Clear Water Bay Road.
The Hong Kong government granted the land to the Hong Kong Housing Authority to build a large housing estate in 1958. The blocks of the estate were completed between 1962 and 1964. An opening ceremony was held in 1963 with the presence of then Hong Kong Governor, Sir Robert Brown Black. A signboard commemorating the ceremony is located in the estate's Lam Chung Avenue.
Accommodating nearly 43,000 people, it was the largest public housing estate at the time.
In November 2023 it was reported that Choi Hung Estate was earmarked for redevelopment meaning that 43,000 residents will require rehoming.
In October 2024, the redevelopment plan was revealed in the Wong Tai Sin District Council. It was proposed to demolish Tan Fung House, Pik Hoi House, Kam Pik House, Market and two former Sheng Kung Hui primary schools buildings in between 2028 and 2029 as the first phase, residents in the three blocks will be settled to the new blocks in Mei Tung Estate. Once the first phase is expected to complete in between 2035 and 2036, the blocks will settle the residents in Pak Suet House, Hung Ngok House, Kam Wan House and Kam Wah House when the next phase begins. The final phase is expected to begin in between 2042 and 2043, the residents in the last remaining blocks (Chi Mei House, Luk Ching House, Chui King House and Kam Hon House) will be settled to the new blocks in the second phase. The number of units will be increased to 9200 once the entire redevelopment plan is completed in between 2048 and 2049.
The estate has 11 residential blocks, one car park, and five schools, with various shops and restaurants on the ground floor of each block. Roads in the estate connect the blocks to each other and to major roads.
According to the 2016 by-census, Choi Hung Estate had a population of 18,435. The median age was 48 and the majority of residents (96 per cent) were of Chinese ethnicity. Cantonese was the predominant usual spoken language (93 per cent), followed by other varieties of Chinese excluding Mandarin (4.5 per cent), non-English and non-Chinese languages (2 per cent), Mandarin (0.5 per cent), and English (0.3 per cent).
The average household comprised 2.5 persons. The median monthly household income of all households (i.e. including both economically active and inactive households) was HK$15,290.
The estate is photogenic and has become a tourism hot-spot. The most photographed view of the estate includes the basketball court and rainbow apartments behind. Some journalists and researchers have been vocal against the growing Instagram popularity of the area, criticising that it is a shallow view of the complex social history of the council estate in Hong Kong, as well as driving away locals who want to use the space. Though some locals have also begun selling photos for profit to tourists. It has been suggested that the location is popular not only for the aesthetics, but also because it allows the photographers and selfie-takers to feel as if they are in the middle of the world - compared to the more detached equally-aesthetic Hong Kong skyline shots. In 2017, a photograph of the building was shortlisted for the Arcaid Award, an architecture photography prize.
Voted as #1 attraction in 2012 ..Sleeping Bear Dunes is an amazing place to visit with kids..just make sure you don't run down the 500 ft steep dune to the lake ..as climbing back up is strenuous and can take up to 2.5 hours..
www.holyspiritspeaks.org/the-creators-authority-never-cha...
The Creator's Authority
Never Changes
I
God is with authority and power;
they are real, not merely words.
Revealed in steps,
shown in His creation
and His control over all things.
Seen in how He guides
and manages man.
Proved by every way, detail
and perspective of His rule,
by His deeds and grasp of all things.
Heaven and earth may change a lot,
but God's authority will stand firm.
All things may vanish and be gone,
but God's authority remains.
This is the essence of it.
Unique to God, the Creator.
II
God's authority and power,
seen in all things,
revealing they are real.
With them, God works,
rules, and makes commands.
No angels nor God's messengers
can wield such power in His stead.
Only God can exert this power.
No one, no thing can escape from it
or change the rules God wields it by.
Such power and rules
will never change.
Heaven and earth may change a lot,
but God's authority will stand firm.
All things may vanish and be gone,
but God's authority remains.
This is the essence of it.
Unique to God, the Creator.
from "God Himself, the Unique I" in The Word Appears in the Flesh
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Dock
The Albert Dock is a complex of dock buildings and warehouses in Liverpool, England. Designed by Jesse Hartley and Philip Hardwick, it was opened in 1846, and was the first structure in Britain to be built from cast iron, brick and stone, with no structural wood. As a result, it was the first non-combustible warehouse system in the world.[1]
At the time of its construction the Albert Dock was considered a revolutionary docking system because ships were loaded and unloaded directly from/to the warehouses. Two years after it opened it was modified to feature the world's first hydraulic cranes.[2] Due to its open yet secure design, the Albert Dock became a popular store for valuable cargoes such as brandy, cotton, tea, silk, tobacco, ivory and sugar. However, despite the Albert Dock's advanced design, the rapid development of shipping technology meant that within 50 years, larger, more open docks were required, although it remained a valuable store for cargo.
During the Second World War, the Albert Dock was requisitioned by the Admiralty serving as a base for boats of the British Atlantic Fleet. The complex was damaged during air raids on Liverpool, notably during the May Blitz of 1941. In the aftermath of the war, the financial problems of the owners and the general decline of docking in the city meant that the future of the Albert Dock was uncertain. Numerous plans were developed for the re-use of the buildings but none came to fruition and in 1972 the dock was finally closed. Having lain derelict for nearly ten years, the redevelopment of the dock began in 1981, when the Merseyside Development Corporation was set up, with the Albert Dock being officially re-opened in 1984.
Today the Albert Dock is a major tourist attraction in the city and the most visited multi-use attraction in the United Kingdom, outside London.[3] It is a vital component of Liverpool's UNESCO designated World Heritage Maritime Mercantile City and the docking complex and warehouses also comprise the largest single collection of Grade I listed buildings anywhere in the UK.[4]
History
Grand beginnings and early history
The Albert Dock's design allowed ships to lay up and be loaded and unloaded directly from the large warehouses
The history of the Albert Dock dates back to 1837, when Jesse Hartley first began the development of plans for a combined dock and warehouse system.[1] The plans drawn up by Hartley and fellow civil engineer Philip Hardwick for the Albert Dock were at the time considered quite 'radical', as they envisioned the loading and unloading of ships directly from the warehouses.[5] However, this idea was not new, and as far back as the 1803 Warehousing Act, legislation had been passed to allow this form of development to occur, whilst the concept was first actually used in the construction of St Katharine's Dock in London, which was opened in 1828.[6] As part of the development process, Hartley was eager to test the fire resistance of any particular design by constructing an 18 ft (5.5 m) by 10 ft (3.0 m) dummy structure, filling it with timber and tar, and setting it alight. After testing several structural designs he settled on the combination of cast iron, brick, sandstone and granite.[7] The design was submitted for planning permission in 1839 although it wasn't until 1841, when the bill authorising the design of the dock was eventually passed by Parliament, that construction was allowed to begin.[8][9]
The site chosen for the dock to be built on was an area of land bordered by Salthouse Dock to the east, the entrance channel to Canning Dock to the north and by Duke's Dock to the south. The land earmarked for the site had to be cleared, with 59 tenants being evicted and numerous premises demolished including a pub, several houses and the Dock Trustee's Dockyard.[7] Upon the clearance of this land both the Salthouse and Canning dock's were drained to allow entrance passages into the Albert Dock to be constructed, whilst hundreds of 'Navvies' were employed to dig out the dock basin and construct the new river wall. The dock basin was completed by February 1845, allowing the first ships to enter the Albert Dock, although with the warehouses still under construction this was merely to allow these boats to 'lay-up'.[10]
The dock complex was officially opened in 1846 by Albert, Prince Consort, husband of Queen Victoria and the man in honour of whom it was named. This event marked the first occasion in Liverpool's history in which a member of the Royal Family had made a state visit to the city and as a result the occasion was marked with a major celebrations.[11] Many thousands of people turned out for the Royal visit with the newspaper The Pictorial Times noting the reception Prince Albert received:
"His reception was most enthusiastic; balconies were erected along the line of procession, and these and the windows of houses were filled with gay and animated parties. There was a most brilliant display of flags, banners & c. [sic]. All business is suspended. There are 200,000 strangers in town, and all the inhabitants are in the streets. All is gaiety and splendour." (The Pictorial Times, 1846).[12]
The Prince was taken on a processional tour through the city, including a visit to the town hall where the royal address was made, before departing aboard the ferry across to the Cheshire side of the Mersey and then northwards towards the Albert Dock.[12][13] Again this stage of the procession route was laden with onlookers with The Pictorial Times describing the Prince's entrance into the Albert Dock:
"From the Cheshire side of the river the Fairy crossed to the Liverpool side, and returned along the line of docks amidst the cheers of assembled thousands and the roar of artillery. The sight was really magnificent, all the ships in the docks were decked out in gayest colours and the river was crowded with boats filled with people. At half-past two the fairy entered the dock, where were assembled two thousand ladies and gentlemen, the elite of the town; they cheered enthusiastically, which his Royal Highness returned, and in order to gratify the crowd sailed round the dock." (The Pictorial Times, 1846).[13]
Despite the official opening occurring in 1846, the construction of the Albert Dock was not fully completed until 1847. In 1848, a new dock office was built and the dock itself was upgraded to feature a hydraulic cargo handling hoist system, the first of its kind in the world.[2] Over the next decade several more buildings where added including houses for the piermaster, his assistant & the warehouse superintendent; and a cooperage. Warehousing in the dock was also expanded to meet the increasing demand by joining together the eastern and western ends of the Southern Stack.[14]
Changing fortunes and role in the Second World War
The enclosed design of the Albert Dock and the direct loading and unloading of goods from warehouses meant that the complex was more secure than other docks within Liverpool. As a result it became a popular store for valuable cargoes including brandy, cotton, tea, silk, tobacco, ivory and sugar. At the same time their openness to natural light and well ventilated stores meant natural goods such as hemp or sugar could be kept fresher, for longer.[5] The dock came to dominate Liverpool's far eastern trade, with over 90% of the city's silk imports from China coming through it and more generally half of all the far eastern trade income.[15]
Despite the great prosperity the dock afforded the city, within 20 years of its construction the Albert Dock was beginning to struggle.[16] Designed and constructed to handle sailing ships of up to 1,000 tonnes, by the start of the 20th century only 7% of ships into the Port of Liverpool were sailing vessels.[9] The development of steam ships in the later 19th century meant that soon the dock simply wasn't large enough, as its narrow entrances prevented larger vessels from entering it.[15] Its lack of quayside was also becoming an issue. Generally steamships could be loaded and unloaded far quicker than sailing ships, and in a cruel twist of irony, the dockside warehouses that had once made the Albert Dock so attractive, were now hindering its future development.[5] Nonetheless the Albert Dock remained an integral part of the dock system in Liverpool and in 1878 the pump house was built as part of redevelopment that saw the majority of the cranes converted to hydraulic use, whilst in 1899, part of the north stack was converted to allow for ice production and cold storage.[17]
By the 1920s virtually all commercial shipping activity had ceased at the dock, although its warehouses did remain in use for the storage of goods transported by barge, road or rail.[17][18] The onset of the Second World War in 1939 saw the Albert Dock being 'requisitioned' by the Admiralty and used as base for the British Atlantic fleet including submarines, small warships and landing craft. During the war the dock was struck on several occasions including a bombing raid in 1940 that damaged ships within it, and more destructively during the May Blitz of 1941 when German bombing caused extensive damage to the south west stack.[18] By the end of the war almost 15% of the Albert Dock's floor space was out of use because of bomb damage.[19]
Post War history and decline
By the time the Second World War had finished the Albert Dock's future looked bleak. The owners of the dock, the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board (MDHB) were in financial crisis and chose not to repair any of the wartime bomb damage, adopting an attitude of 'if it's not broke don't fix it, and if it is broke we still won't fix it'.[20] At the same time a change in geo-political orientation towards Europe, coupled with the advent of containerisation meant the whole docking system in the city of Liverpool suffered as newer, stronger ports emerged elsewhere in the UK.[21] Nonetheless the architectural and technological value of the docks was recognised in 1952 when the Albert Dock was granted Grade I listed building status.[17]
Despite this recognition, the increasing debts of the MDHB meant that by the 1960s the company was eager to get rid of the Albert Dock. Having considered demolishing the buildings and redeveloping the land,[18] the MDHB soon entered negotiations to sell the land to Oldham Estates, a property developer owned by Harry Hyams.[20] Many plans for the site were developed including one that envisioned the development of a mini city that would provide 10m sq feet of letting space, hotels, restaurants, bars and underground parking in the drained dock basin.[22] With the council reluctant to allow such a grandiose development to occur and with the huge public opposition to it (inspired at least in part by the work of Quentin Hughes), Oldham Estates were forced into scaling-down the plan and so in 1970 returned with a new vision known as 'Aquarius City', which had as its centrepiece a 44-storey skyscraper. Once again the plan failed to develop and no sooner had it been announced, than the MDHB's financial problems reached crisis point, Oldham Estates withdrew their deposit and the whole scheme fell through.[20]
With the MDHB on the verge of bankruptcy a decision was taken to shut down and sell off the whole of the south docks system. The warehouses were emptied and in 1972 the Albert Dock finally closed down. The Brunswick Dock gates, which separated the South Docks system from the River Mersey, were opened allowing tidal movements in and the process of the clogging up the docks with sewage polluted silt began.[23][24] In many senses just as the Albert Dock's development had symbolised the prosperity in the Liverpool at the time of its construction, its subsequent decline after the Second World War symbolised the collapse of the local economy as a whole.[25]
Throughout the early 1970s plans continued to emerge for the redevelopment of the Albert Dock site and the whole of the south docks system in general. Many of these plans were quite extreme including Liverpool City Council's suggestion to use the dock basin as a landfill site. The Mersey Docks and Harbour Company (MDHC), the reincarnation of the now defunct Mersey Docks and Harbour Board, however felt it could get more money by filling in the dock basin with sand and selling it as developable land and not derelict land. One plan for the Albert Dock that was taken more seriously was the idea that it become the new home of Liverpool Polytechnic (now John Moores University). The government was even willing to provide £3m in funding but like so many other plans this too fell by the wayside.[26]
The creation of Merseyside County Council (MCC) in 1974 brought new hope that the Albert Dock could be redeveloped, with the MCC placing a high priority on its development. They soon entered negotiations with the MDHC and in 1979 eventually negotiated a deal to take over the running of the south docks.[27] Despite this seeming step forward political wrangling between the MDHC (the dock owners), Liverpool City Council (the local planning authority) and Merseyside County Council (the group now responsible for redeveloping the docks) continued to hinder any development plans.[26] Fed up with the in fighting the newly elected Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher decided that the city was incapable of handling regeneration initiatives itself and under the guidance of the 'Minister for Merseyside' Michael Heseltine, set up the Merseyside Development Corporation in 1981 to take over the responsibility of regenerating and redeveloping Liverpool's south docks.[25][28]
The MDC and regeneration of the Albert Dock[edit]
The creation of the Merseyside Development Corporation (MDC) in 1981 was part of a new initiative launched by the then Conservative government that earmarked the regeneration of some 800 acres (3.2 km2) of Liverpool's south docks, by using public sector investment to create infrastructure within an area that could then in turn be used to attract private sector investment. Thus the MDC was not directly responsible for regeneration programmes but rather acted as a spearhead, guiding the development process. Upon its formation it immediately created an initial strategy for the area placing a high priority on restoring those buildings that could be restored & demolishing the rest, restoring a water regime within the dock system (including the removal of up to 40 ft (12 m) of silt) and general environmental landscaping. As part of the strategy two flagship schemes were set up: the redevelopment of a site in Otterspool for the International Garden Festival and the regeneration of the Albert Dock.[28]
In 1982 the MDC entered into negotiations with London-based developers Arrowcroft in order to secure much needed private sector investment. On a visit to the site, Arrowcroft's chairman Leonard Eppel spoke of how the buildings "talked to him" and upon his return to London set about persuading the company's board to take on the project.[29] In September 1983 a deal was signed between Arrowcroft plc and the MDC leading to the creation of the Albert Dock Company, which could now start the process of regenerating the Albert Dock.[30]
One of the first priorities of the regeneration was the restoration of the dock system, which had deteriorated rapidly since the Brunswick Dock gates had been left open. Contaminated silt was removed from the dock basin, dock gates were replaced & bridges restored, whilst the dock walls were repaired.[31] The Albert Dock company appointed Tarmac to renovate the dock's vast warehouses and repair war time bomb damage.[32] Structural surveys carried out by the MDC found the brickwork and foundations to be in very good condition and it was considered a testament to the strict build quality of Hartley's design that a building almost 150 years old was still in such good condition.[31]
Development within the Albert Dock was rapid and the newly renovated Edward Pavilion (formerly north east stack) was ready in time for the 1984 Cutty Sark Tall Ship Race. The race was a big success for the city with over one million visitors into Liverpool over a period of four days, of which 160,000 visited the Albert Dock. In total it is estimated that the two flagship regeneration schemes of the MDC, the tall ships race and International Garden Festival, attracted over 3.5 million visitors to Liverpool in 1984. Also completed in 1984 was the renovation of the dock traffic office, which was fitted out and leased to Granada Television.[33]
Spurred by the success of the tall ships race and the International Garden Festival, Arrowcroft pushed on with the Albert Dock's renovation. With the Edward Pavilion refurbishment a success soon the company started on the Britannia and Atlantic pavilions (formerly the south and south east stacks), the latter of which required major structural repairs because of bomb damage it received during World War II. In 1986 the Merseyside Maritime Museum completed its move into the Albert Dock, having moved some exhibitions into the building in 1984. The museum, developed by Merseyside County Council had previously been located in the pilotage building and a salvage shed nearby.[30] Also in 1986 work began on the largest of the dock warehouses, the Colonnades (formerly west stack). Ground floor shops were created with office space on the mezzanine level and apartments on the remaining floors. The first 37 of these apartments were completed by 1988 and the speed with which they sold was likened to 'sales day at Harrods'.[34]
The Albert Dock was officially re-opened in 1988 by The Prince of Wales,[35] the great-great-great-grandson of Prince Albert, the man who had originally opened the docks.[36] It was timed to coincide with the opening of the newly finished Tate Liverpool, which was dubbed the 'Tate of the north' and at the time the only one outside London.[37] The decision to locate a Tate gallery in Liverpool was seen as a major success for the city, as it made Liverpool home to the National Collection of modern art in the North of England.[38]
In 1988 ITV's new morning television show This Morning, hosted by Richard and Judy, began broadcasting from a studio inside the Albert Dock. As part of the show weather presenter Fred Talbot used a floating map of the British Isles to report the forecast.[39] Two years later in 1990 The Beatles Story museum opened, the only Beatles themed visitor attraction in Britain, providing yet another draw to the Albert Dock.[35]
Throughout the 1990s development continued including a new hotel and the conversion of vacant space for use by larger companies such as Telewest (Now Virgin Media).[40] Finally in 2003, some 22 years after the renovation of the Albert Dock started, the last remaining undeveloped space was brought into use with the opening of a new Premier Lodge hotel in the Britannia Pavilion.[35]
Structural design and construction
When it was constructed the Albert Dock was considered a state of the art docking system.[15] Built almost entirely from cast iron, stone and brick, the Albert Dock was designed to be fireproof, and on completion was the world's first non-combustible warehouse system. It provided 1,290,000 square feet (120,000 m2) of warehouse space and its dock basin had a water area of 7.75 acres (3.14 ha). In its construction over 23 million bricks were used and 47,000 tonnes of mortar.[1] In total it cost £782,265 (approximately £41m today),[5] whilst today its estimated to be worth £230 million.[41]
The building's design complements many existing construction techniques with, what were considered at the time, radical solutions. The warehouses are supported by large load-bearing walls that range from being 3 feet (0.91 m) thick at the base to 19 inches (480 mm) on the fourth level. One of the most advanced architectural features is the use of stressed skin roofing, which at the time of construction was virtually unheard of. Huge iron trusses are crossed with rivetted and galvanised wrought iron plates, creating a shape similar to an upturned boat hull that acts to support the roof above.[42] The floors in the warehouses are supported by large iron columns and the spaces between were considered 'highly flexible', as new windows, stairwells and lift shafts could be added without risk to the building's structural integrity.[43]
The advanced design stretches far beyond what can be seen from the ground. The structures are free from wood, but their foundations contain 13,729 piles of timber, which would stretch for 48 miles (77 km) in length if laid end to end. Such heavily supportive foundations were needed because the construction land was reclaimed from the River Mersey to build on. Given the 'quicksand' nature of the Mersey's tidal silt the piles were needed to provide maximum stability. The resultant effect of the dock being constructed where it was is that the north and west stacks (now Merseyside Maritime Museum and Colonnades) rise and fall with every tide.[7]
One of the most notable features of the Albert Dock are the huge cast iron columns that line the quayside.[44] At 15 feet (4.6 m) high and almost 13 feet (4.0 m) in circumference, the columns are based upon the Greek Doric style of architecture.[45] Hartley's decision to use cast iron was an economic one as at the time it was cheaper than granite. Nonetheless, because of the huge dock walls that were built, the Albert Dock's construction required so much granite that the dock trustee's had to open their own mine in Kirkcudbrightshire in Scotland.[5][44] The quality of the build materials used as well as the docks sheer size are considered a strong illustration of the great prosperity that the Port of Liverpool afforded the city at the time and the building's style is described as cyclopean classicism.[45]
Albert Dock today
Today the Albert Dock is one of Liverpool's most important tourist attractions and a vital component of the city's UNESCO world heritage Maritime Mercantile City. As well as being the number one tourist attraction in Liverpool,[46] the Albert Dock is also the most visited multi-use attraction in the United Kingdom outside London, with in excess of four million visitors per year.[3] Amongst the many attractions at the Albert Dock are the Merseyside Maritime Museum, the Beatles Story and the Tate Liverpool. There are also two hotels within the Albert Dock: a Holiday Inn and Premier Inn both located in the Britannia Pavilion.[47] All the five warehouses around the dock, referred to as A, B, C, D and E, are Grade I listed buildings.[48][49][50][51] Also listed Grade I is the former dock traffic office.[52] Other buildings around the dock are listed Grade II; they are the former hydraulic pumping station,[53] and the swing bridge leading from the dock towards the Pierhead.[54]
In the aftermath of the dock's regeneration in the 1980s a policy had been adopted to try to attract retailers into the newly created premises within. However, after many years of struggling to compete with other major shopping areas in the city, the Albert Dock Company Ltd announced in 2007 a shift into attracting more bars and restaurants.[55] As of 2008, bars and restaurants resident in the Albert Dock include Panam Bar & Restaurant, Revolution Bar, Spice Lounge, and Whats Cooking?
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris
Paris is the capital and most populous city of France, with an area of 105 square kilometres (41 square miles) and an official estimated population of 2,140,526 residents as of 1 January 2019. Since the 17th century, Paris has been one of Europe's major centres of finance, commerce, fashion, science, and the arts.
The City of Paris is the centre and seat of government of the Île-de-France, or Paris Region, which has an estimated official 2019 population of 12,213,364, or about 18 percent of the population of France. The Paris Region had a GDP of €681 billion (US$850 billion) in 2016, accounting for 31 percent of the GDP of France, and was the 5th largest region by GDP in the world. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit Worldwide Cost of Living Survey in 2018, Paris was the second-most expensive city in the world, behind Singapore and ahead of Zurich, Hong Kong, Oslo and Geneva.
The city is a major rail, highway, and air-transport hub served by two international airports: Paris-Charles de Gaulle (the second busiest airport in Europe) and Paris-Orly. Opened in 1900, the city's subway system, the Paris Métro, serves 5.23 million passengers daily, and is the second busiest metro system in Europe after Moscow Metro. Gare du Nord is the 24th busiest railway station in the world, and the first located outside Japan, with 262 million passengers in 2015.
Paris is especially known for its museums and architectural landmarks: the Louvre was the most visited art museum in the world in 2018, with 10.2 million visitors. The Musée d'Orsay and Musée de l'Orangerie are noted for their collections of French Impressionist art, and the Pompidou Centre Musée National d'Art Moderne has the largest collection of modern and contemporary art in Europe. The historical district along the Seine in the city centre is classified as a UNESCO Heritage Site. Popular landmarks in the centre of the city include the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris and the Gothic royal chapel of Sainte-Chapelle, both on the Île de la Cité; the Eiffel Tower, constructed for the Paris Universal Exposition of 1889; the Grand Palais and Petit Palais, built for the Paris Universal Exposition of 1900; the Arc de Triomphe on the Champs-Élysées, and the Basilica of Sacré-Coeur on the hill of Montmartre. Paris received 23 million visitors in 2017, measured by hotel stays, with the largest numbers of foreign visitors coming from the United States, the UK, Germany and China. It was ranked as the third most visited travel destination in the world in 2017, after Bangkok and London.
The football club Paris Saint-Germain and the rugby union club Stade Français are based in Paris. The 80,000-seat Stade de France, built for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, is located just north of Paris in the neighbouring commune of Saint-Denis. Paris hosts the annual French Open Grand Slam tennis tournament on the red clay of Roland Garros. Paris hosted the Olympic Games in 1900, 1924 and will host the 2024 Summer Olympics. The 1938 and 1998 FIFA World Cups, the 2007 Rugby World Cup, and the 1960, 1984, and 2016 UEFA European Championships were also held in the city and, every July, the Tour de France bicycle race finishes there.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre-Dame_de_Paris
Notre-Dame de Paris "Our Lady of Paris", also known as Notre-Dame Cathedral or simply Notre-Dame, is a medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité in the fourth arrondissement of Paris, France. The cathedral is widely considered to be one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture. The innovative use of the rib vault and flying buttress, the enormous and colorful rose windows, and the naturalism and abundance of its sculptural decoration all set it apart from earlier Romanesque architecture.
The cathedral was begun in 1160 and largely completed by 1260, though it was modified frequently in the following centuries. In the 1790s, Notre-Dame suffered desecration during the French Revolution when much of its religious imagery was damaged or destroyed. Soon after the publication of Victor Hugo's novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame in 1831, popular interest in the building revived. A major restoration project supervised by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc began in 1845 and continued for twenty-five years. Beginning in 1963, the facade of the Cathedral was cleaned of centuries of soot and grime, returning it to its original color. Another campaign of cleaning and restoration was carried out from 1991-2000.
As the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Paris, Notre-Dame contains the cathedra of the Archbishop of Paris, currently Michel Aupetit. 12 million people visit Notre-Dame yearly, which makes it the most visited monument in Paris.
www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/d/dovestone/
A landscape that will take your breath away. Towering hills, sheer rock faces, swathes of open moorland, a picturesque reservoir - that's Dove Stone, the northern gateway to the Peak District National Park.
Walking, climbing, running, playing, cycling and even sailing. If you're into adrenalin-pumping activity or simply want to chill out surrounded by amazing wildlife, streams, waterfalls and woodland, then Dove Stone is a must.
At this stunning site, we're working with United Utilities to bring benefits for people, water and wildlife.
Opening times
Open at all times.
Entrance charges
Entrance to the reserve is free. Parking is free for RSPB members, but there is a parking charge for non-members.
Information for families
There are lots of natural areas to play and explore, but no formal facilities. Some events will include family activities like quizzes or trails.
Information for dog owners
Dogs are allowed anywhere. We would request that they are kept on a lead, as most of the reserve comprises of working sheep farms.
Star species
Our star species are some of the most interesting birds you may see on your visit to the reserve.
Curlew
Curlews are large, brown wading birds with very long, curved bills. In spring, you can hear their gorgeous, 'bubbling' song.
Golden plover
In their breeding plumage, golden plovers look very smart with black undersides and spangled golden backs.
Peregrine
Keep an eye out for a commotion among birds - a peregrine may be making a fly past. They are a regular sight overhead when a pair is nesting in the area.
Raven
You can see ravens' plummeting display flights from late winter, through the spring and hear their gruff, ringing 'kronk' calls throughout the year here.
Red grouse
Listen out for sharp 'go back, go back' of the red grouse, or watch them flying across the heather.
Seasonal highlights
Each season brings a different experience at our nature reserves. In spring, the air is filled with birdsong as they compete to establish territories and attract a mate. In summer, look out for young birds making their first venture into the outside world. Autumn brings large movements of migrating birds - some heading south to a warmer climate, others seeking refuge in the UK from the cold Arctic winter. In winter, look out for large flocks of birds gathering to feed, or flying at dusk to form large roosts to keep warm.
Spring
See ravens and peregrine squabbling on the quarry cliffs. Curlews and lapwings breed on the in-bye fields, wheatears and ring ouzels on the moorland edge with golden plovers on the open moor. Dunlins may also make an appearance.
Summer
Canada geese love to breed on the open moor. Dippers race up and down the brooks and streams, and keep an eye out for water voles on the moorland streams.
Autumn
Watch out for meadow pipits, fieldfares and redwings moving through. You could also see siskins and lesser redpolls.
Winter
Look for mountain hares turning white and red grouse scratching out a living amongst the heather. Mallards don't seem to mind what the weather is like and stay put.
Facilities
Facilities
•Car park : Parking is pay-and-display and costs 60 p for two hours or £1.30 all day. No height restriction and there'll be bike racks soon.
•Toilets
•Disabled toilets
•Picnic area
•Guided walks available
•Good for walking
•Pushchair friendly
How to get here
By train
Greenfield Station near Oldham - outside the station, turn right, walk down the hill following main road (A669), follow sharp left bend, pass Tesco on the left and continue to mini-roundabout with pub on corner. Turn left up Holmfirth Road (A635). Turn right at brown sign for Dove Stone reservoir.
By road
To get to Dove Stone, go through Greenfield village on the A669 towards Holmfirth. At the mini roundabout, turn left up the hill on Holmfirth Road A635. After 500 m, turn right onto Bank Lane. There's a brown signpost for Dove Stone reservoir. Crowden car park is off the A628 Woodhead Road in the Longdendale Valley.
Accessibility
11 February 2013
Before you visit
•Open all year
•Free, apart from car parking charges
•No RSPB visitor centre, café, shop or office but regular RSPB presence on site
•Car park and toilets open from 7 am to 10 pm, April to October; from 7 am to 7 pm, November to March
•Registered assistance dogs and other dogs (on leads from March to July) welcome.
How to get here
•Directions on RSPB website
Car parking
•Main car park just outside Greenfield. 117 spaces plus four Blue Badge bays
•Smaller RSPB car park at Binn Green, off the A635 Greenfield to Holmfirth road. 18 spaces plus three Blue Badge bays
•Charge for both. 60p for three hours or £1.80 for the day. Free to Blue Badge holders and RSPB members.
•No height restrictions.
Nature trails
•Main visitor trail part tarmac, part gravel surfaced 2.5 mile (4 km) circular route around Dove Stone Reservoir. Fairly level but steep in two places. Radar keys are required to access stock gates. Starts about 50m from the Blue Badge bays in main car park
•Wooden benches (most with backs and some with arms) at fairly regular intervals along path
•1.5 mile (2 km) trail around adjacent Yeoman Hey Reservoir. Rough, undulating grassy track and can be muddy
•Part Tarmac/part gravel steep track up to Chew Reservoir, 1.5 miles (2.5 km)
•Access to reservoirs and woodland trails from RSPB car park down a 1.5 mile (2.5 km) steep woodland track with steps and narrow stone stile
•Several informal woodland trails as well as large areas of open access countryside.
Viewing facilities
•Viewpoint at Binn Green car park up short, wide, surfaced track
•Woodland bird feeding zone in both car parks.
Picnic area
•A formal picnic area at Ashway Gap half way round main Dove Stone trail
•Five picnic tables and benches, including two accessible tables
•Wooden benches in main car park and Log benches at Binn Green. No tables at either.
Catering
•Hot food and ice cream van in main car park in good weather
•Variety of pubs and cafes in nearby Greenfield, Mossley and Uppermill.
Public toilets
•Main car park (managed by Oldham Council). Accessible toilet for use with RADAR key and unisex facilities
•Binn Green car park - male and female accessible composting toilets. No RADAR key required
•No baby changing at either.
Future plans
•Plans to improve the gravel surfaces around the site to make them easier for wheelchair access
•Plans to provide way marker signage for the main trails.
For more information
Dove Stone
Telephone:01457 819880
Moorland magic
We all know that the wild, moorland landscape above Dove Stones is breathtakingly beautiful. But did you know that it is incredibly important to both wildlife and people?
These moorlands supply the water that comes out of our taps.
If the moorland is badly managed, regularly burned, or overgrazed by sheep, it exposes the bare peat. The peat is then easily washed away by rain and gets into the streams, turning the water brown, the colour of stewed tea!
But, if we manage the moorlands well and protect the peat by growing sphagnum mosses, bilberry and heather, then the colour of the water is much improved.
On your walks, watch the skies for thrilling aerial displays from the fastest bird in the world - the peregrine
The peat has taken more than 5,000 years to develop. It is made up of dead sphagnum mosses and has locked up thousands of tonnes of carbon.
If the peat loses its cover of vegetation, the carbon is released into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming and climate change.
However, if we can ensure the continued growth of the mosses that form the peat, not only can we reduce the losses, but the bogs can actually soak up additional carbon from the atmosphere, helping buffer both ourselves and wildlife from the effects of a warming climate.
The Dove Stones moors are a special place for wildlife. On your walks, watch the skies for thrilling aerial displays from the fastest bird in the world - the peregrine.
In winter, you might be lucky enough to see snow-white mountain hares racing across the plateau; while spring signals the return of the moorland dawn chorus, with bubbling calls of curlews and the plaintive whistle of a golden plover.
The streams feeding into the reservoir are not only a great place for a paddle, they are also home to endangered creatures like water voles (Ratty from Wind in the Willows) and the delightful dipper. Did you know they keep their eyes open underwater as they search for insects to eat?
So you see, Dove Stone is a wonderful place for people, water and wildlife. We want to keep it that way – will you help us?
Community, youth and education
Access to Nature is a community, youth and education project with both on-site events and outreach sessions. The project is funded by Natural England, through Access to Nature, as part of the Big Lottery Fund's Changing Spaces programme.
What we offer
Keep an eye on the events pages for a wide range of activities and guided walks. For schools and groups we offer tailor made sessions and bespoke training for teachers and leaders with RSPB staff and other experts.
Conservation, wildlife, art, photography, drama, storytelling, debates, walks and skills training are just some of the things the project has provided so far.
Contact
Rachel Downham
Community Engagement Officer
Email: rachel.downham@rspb.org.uk
07825 022 636
Geoff de Boer
Education Officer
Email: geoff.deboer@rspb.org.uk
Tel: 01457 819 884 / 07801 135 106
Contact us
Tel: 01457 819880
Where is it?
Lat/lng: 53.529355,-1.981482
Postcode: OL3 7NE
Grid reference: SE013036
Nearest town: Mossley, Greater Manchester
County: Greater Manchester
Country: England
www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/m/marshside/index.aspx
www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/m/marshside/about.aspx
There's something for everyone all year round at this delightful coastal reserve. In the spring you can see brown hares boxing in the fields, while in the early summer you'll spot nesting birds like avocets and lapwings. During the winter months the skies fill with visiting waterfowl such as pink-footed geese and wigeons, not to mention birds of prey that can set flocks wheeling over the marshes.
There are two hides, a viewing platform and three viewing screens. If you're new to birdwatching, why not come on one of our special event days?
Opening times
8.30 am to 5 pm every day.
Entrance charges
Free, but donations to help us continue our work here are welcome.
If you are new to birdwatching...
Extensive events programme and ABB events take place - all aimed at beginners. Birds all-year and plenty of them.
Information for dog owners
Some access for dogs - please contact reserve for details
Star species
Our star species are some of the most interesting birds you may see on your visit to the reserve.
Avocet
Watch elegant avocets 'scooping up' microscopic, aquatic life in their amazing, sickle-shaped beaks. They nest in mini colonies on the islands.
Black-tailed godwit
Flocks of black-tailed godwits can be seen on in spring - when they rest and feed here before heading north to Iceland to breed - they are resplendent in their 'tomato soup-red' breeding attire. On their return in autumn, you can pick out the scaly-backed juvenile birds if you look closely. Some birds also spend summer here.
Lapwing
Watch the nesting lapwings here chasing predators that may come too close to their nests or show too much of an interest in their chicks. The protective parents regularly give chase to crows and do not stop their 'mobbing' attacks until the danger has passed.
Pink-footed goose
Many pink-footed geese assemble here from late September through to March. They roost on the mudflats and fly inland at dawn to feed in nearby fields.
Wigeon
During winter, flocks of wigeons are a daily sight, with several thousand often on the reserve. Wintering birds arrive from early September and numbers build up to a peak, usually in January.
Seasonal highlights
Each season brings a different experience at our nature reserves. In spring, the air is filled with birdsong as they compete to establish territories and attract a mate. In summer, look out for young birds making their first venture into the outside world. Autumn brings large movements of migrating birds - some heading south to a warmer climate, others seeking refuge in the UK from the cold Arctic winter. In winter, look out for large flocks of birds gathering to feed, or flying at dusk to form large roosts to keep warm.
Spring
Lapwings tumble in excitable displays over the nesting areas. Early morning is the best time to see the hares 'boxing'. Watch out for the first wheatears and swallows to arrive from Africa. The flood-waters are retreating, leaving muddy edges - look out for migrating waders like common sandpipers and ruffs. There are still large numbers of wigeons, teals, black-tailed godwits and other water birds biding their time or passing through on their way north.
Summer
Redshanks and avocets scold you from a distance as they watch over their chicks. The grass is peppered with the colours of wildflowers. Wall brown and common blue butterflies are found along the paths on warm, sunny days. Grey herons stalk the ditches. Summering black-tailed godwits can be found in the wetter spots.
Autumn
A dashing falcon at this time of year could be a merlin just in from Iceland. Look for skeins of pink-footed geese flying to and from their roost out on the mudflats at dusk and dawn. Migrant hawker dragonflies patrol the ditches on sunny days. Wigeon and teal numbers begin to build up.
Winter
You will be sure to see huge flocks of wigeons, teals, lapwings and golden plovers wheeling and turning over the marshes. Look out for the bird of prey that has caused the panic. It could be a kestrel, merlin, peregrine or sparrowhawk or perhaps one of the voracious great black-backed gulls that patrol these marshes.
Facilities
Facilities
•Information centre
•Car park : Free car park (local authority). Bicycle rack at Sandgrounders Hide.
•Toilets
•Disabled toilets
•Group bookings accepted
•Guided walks available
•Good for walking
•Pushchair friendly
Viewing points
Two hides - both glazed, one heated. One viewing platform and three viewing screens.
Nature trails
Trail to Sandgrounders Hide from car park 200 m, wheelchair/pushchair-suitable. Trail from Nel's Hide to car park 550 m wheelchair/pushchair-suitable. Footpaths along old sea-wall and coast road make round trips of 1.8 miles (3 km), 2.5 miles (4 km) and 4.3 miles (7 km) possible for able-bodied.
Accessibility
This is a natural site with unimproved paths and trails - the access around this site may not be suitable for all visitors. If you have concerns, please contact the reserve or regional office before your visit to discuss your requirements.
How to get here
By train
Southport (Chapel Street Station) - follow London Street till it joins Lord Street and then go straight across Lord Street and on down Nevill Street to the Promenade; turn right to follow Marine Lake to its northern end; turn left onto Fairway and then right on to Marine Drive. Reserve begins at Hesketh Road after 0.6 mile (1 km; first turning on right). Total distance 1.8 miles (3 km).
By bus
Southport (War Memorial, Lord Street) to Crossens via Marshside Road. No.44 every 15 minutes. Get off at Elswick Road junction. Walk north 200 m along Marshside Road to start of reserve.
By road
From Southport, follow coast road north (1.5 miles or 2.5 km from Southport Pier) to small car park by sand works.
Our work here
Marshside protects 94 ha of coastal grassland and pools on the shores of the Ribble estuary.
The RSPB is managing the reserve to protect important populations of breeding waders and wintering wildfowl, plus other wildlife such as brown hares and wintering birds of prey. We are also developing the reserve as a popular visitor attraction.
Top targets
We are working towards five-year mean targets for key breeding birds. These include 80 pairs of lapwings, 10 pairs of avocets and 30 pairs of redshanks. We will also ensure that black-tailed godwits remain present through the breeding season and that breeding wildfowl numbers are stable.
Meanwhile, our October-March targets for non-breeding birds include at least 900 black-tailed godwits, 300 pink-footed geese, 6,000 wigeons, 1,500 teals, 100 shovelers and 750 golden plovers.
Grassland gains
We are improving our grassland for breeding waders, using summer grazing with cattle and topping, where necessary, to create suitable sward heights. We will retain a tussocky structure, and will ensure that up to 33 ha of grassland holds permanent surface water in winter. We will also increase our small area of ungrazed grassland and preserve the extent of our ‘dune-slack’ grassland, which is rich in wildlife.
Water and swamp
We will ensure that all permanent water bodies are at least 10 cm deep from the start of June. We will also increase the extent of open water in pools and ditches, by rotationally cleaning and re-profiling ditches. We will dig new ditches and create small pools to break up waterless ‘plain’ areas, and will excavate to create 1 ha of open water and an additional 1 ha of swamp.
Keeping tabs
Constant monitoring helps us to manage the site and contribute to research projects elsewhere. We focus on breeding waders, lapwing nest productivity and wintering wildfowl, as well as water voles, natterjack toads and butterflies. We also monitor sward height, cattle numbers, the levels and quality of water, and the extent and quality of grassland.
People
We are continuing to improve visitor facilities, making our hides, nature trails and footpaths accessible to all. We also run a varied events programme and will keep developing our volunteer scheme.
Contact us
•Tel: 01704 226190
Where is it?
•Lat/lng: 53.67694,-2.98096
•Grid reference: SD353205
•Nearest town: Southport, Merseyside
•County: Merseyside
•Country: England
LARGE ON BLACK (press F11 for full screen view)
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I finally got to meet my flickr buddy eyespash Mikul, (pictured below) on my recent trip to Vancouver. We took the four hour hike around Stanley Park. By the time it was over, I was hobbling around like an old man. haha! It was certainly worth it though. We had a blast joking around, and I even learned a few things along the way.
www.flickr.com/photos/eyesplash/
The photo above is of Siwash Rock. Here is what the plaque reads below the rock:
Indian legend here tells us that this 50 foot high pinnacle of rock stands as an imperishable monument to "Skalsh the Unselfish," who was turned into stone by q'uas the transformer, as a reward for his unselfishness.
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© 2009 Brandon Godfrey
Not for profit bloggers are welcome. I can always use the free publicity.
I do not use Getty Images. If you would like to use any of my photos, please contact me by flickrmail, or e-mail.
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www.lancswt.org.uk/places-to-see/freshfield-dune-heath
SD298081, Landranger 108
35ha; mixture of lowland dune heath, acidic grassland, woodland and scrub. The single largest lowland heath site in Lancashire.
History: Agricultural land in the 19th century; became a golf course in 1908 then requisitioned to create RAF Woodvale in 1941 and subsequently used for army training. Purchased from the MoD by the Wildlife Trust in 2004.
Habitats: Freshfield's 17ha of dune heath comprise 9% of the national total of this very rare habitat. Heather, Sand Sedge, Wavy Hair-grass and Sheep's Fescue are the dominant vegetation but a number of other specialist plants occur, including Heath Grass, Heath Rush, Bird's-foot, Heath Bedstraw and Narrow Buckler-fern. 250 plant species recorded. Gorse forms an integral part of the heathland landscape; willow scrub is scattered throughout. Woodland predominantly birch and pine. The ancient Wham Dyke drains the site, flowing inland into Downholland Brook.
Insects and other invertebrates: Almost 1000 species recorded, including 300 types of moth. Notable species include Northern Dune Tiger Beetle and Goat Moth. The spectacular Emperor Moth can be seen flying during the day in late May and early June.
Reptiles: Common Lizards are frequent; the rare Sand Lizard has been recorded close by and almost certainly occurs on the site.
Birds: 75 species recorded. Typical heathland breeding birds include good numbers of Whitethroats and Linnets; woodland breeding species include Woodcock, Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler. Kestrels and Buzzards hunt the heath. Rarities recorded include Sardinian Warbler, Barred Warbler and Firecrest.
Mammals: Large numbers of Short-tailed Field Voles occur, along with shrews, Stoats, Weasels and Foxes. Red Squirrels are frequently sighted in the woodland and a small colony of Water Voles lives in the Wham Dyke.
Location
From Freshfield Railway Station walk north along Montagu Road (strictly no vehicle access) towards the Fisherman's Path. The first area of the dune heath encountered, known as the 'Montagu Road Triangle', is in private ownership but enjoys open access. At the northern end of the Triangle the Fisherman's Path heads to the west, across the railway to Formby Golf Course towards the Ainsdale Sand Dunes National Nature Reserve. Freshfield Dune Heath lies to the east, surrounding RAF Woodvale.
Access
Pedestrian access only from Freshfield Railway Station along Montagu Road. Entrance opposite level crossing access to Fisherman's Path. Special arrangements can be made for group vehicles (contact details above). Waymarked circular route on site. Dogs should be kept under control at all times, especially when sheep are present.
Status
Site of Special Scientific Interest; Special Area of Conservation.
It was once a fishing village when it was found, sentosa island has now developed into a recreation resort world. The new theme park "universal studio" and the first casino in Singapore (opened during chinese new year 2010) has make it a must-visit destination for the tourists to enjoy their holiday in Singapore. It is also a good place to visit for local residents on weekend.
Go to wikipedia sentosa for more information.
Attractions:
Imbiah look out, resort world sentosa, dolphin lagoon, animal and bird encounters, butterfly park, insect kingdom, under water world, fort siloso, sentosa cineblast, magazip adventure park, azzura beach club, merlion walk and etc.. More than 10 attractions you can enjoy in sentosa island.
Click the linklink for more information.
Getting to sentosa:
Te easier and cheapest way is to take a sentosa express (a train) or sentosa bus from Vivo City. It is just S$3.
Check out this link for more choices on how to get to there.
www.sentosa.com.sg/useful_info/getting_to.html
我们每天都用很多心思去找别人的缺点，那么我们还有时间去做好自己的工作吗？
Every day we spend a lot of thought to look for the faults of others, then do we still have time to do get our job done?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolton_Abbey
Bolton Abbey is an estate in Wharfedale in North Yorkshire, England, which takes its name from the ruined 12th-century Augustinian monastery now generally known as Bolton Priory. It is adjacent to the village of Bolton Abbey.
Bolton Priory
The monastery was originally founded at Embsay in 1120. Led by a prior, Bolton Abbey was technically a priory, despite its name. It was founded in 1154 by the Augustinian order, on the banks of the River Wharfe. The land at Bolton, as well as other resources, were given to the order by Lady Alice de Romille of Skipton Castle in 1154.[1] In the early 14th century Scottish raiders caused the temporary abandonment of the site and serious structural damage to the priory.[2] The seal of the priory featured the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Child and the phrase sigillum sancte Marie de Bolton.[3]
The nave of the abbey church was in use as a parish church from about 1170 onwards, and survived the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
Building work was still going on at the abbey when the Dissolution of the Monasteries resulted in the termination of the priory in 1539. The east end remains in ruins. A tower, begun in 1520, was left half-standing, and its base was later given a bell-turret and converted into an entrance porch. Most of the remaining church is in the Gothic style of architecture, but more work was done in the Victorian era, including windows by August Pugin.
Bolton Abbey Estate
The Domesday Book lists Bolton Abbey as the caput manor of a multiple estate including 77 carucates of ploughland (9240 acres/3850ha) belonging to Earl Edwin. The estate then comprised Bolton Abbey, Halton East, Embsay, Draughton; Skibeden, Skipton, Low Snaygill, Thorlby; Addingham, Beamsley, Holme, Gargrave; Stainton, Otterburn, Scosthrop, Malham, Anley; Coniston Cold, Hellifield and Hanlith. They were all laid waste in the Harrying of the North and were granted first to The Clamores of Yorkshire [4] until c1090 when transferred to Robert de Romille who moved its center to Skipton Castle. The Romille line died out c1310 so Edward II granted his estates to Robert Clifford.[5] In 1748 Baroness Clifford married William Cavendish so Bolton Abbey Estate therafter belonged to the Dukes of Devonshire until a trust was set up by the 11th Duke of Devonshire turning it over to the Chatsworth Settlement Trustees to steward. The 12 000 hectare/30 000 acre/120 km². Estate has five areas designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest, including Strid Wood, an ancient woodland (mainly oak), which contains the length of the River Wharfe known as The Strid.
The Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway currently terminates at Bolton Abbey station one and a half miles/2.5 km from Bolton Priory.
Bolton Abbey in popular culture
The remains of the priory can still be seen, and the setting is immortalised in both in art and poetry. These include a painting by Edwin Landseer and watercolours by J. M. W. Turner one of which, Bolton Abbey, Yorkshire (1809), is held at the British Museum.[6] William Wordsworth's poem The White Doe of Rylstone was inspired by a visit to Bolton Abbey in 1807.[7] In episode 6 of the BBC series The Trip, Bolton Abbey is visited.[8] A blurred photo of the Abbey is on the cover of Faith by The Cure, an album from 1981. The 1985 music video for the Love and Rockets song "If There's A Heaven Above" was filmed at Bolton Abbey