View allAll Photos Tagged Outstretched
This poignant photograph captures a moment frozen in time, a heartfelt tribute to the serene beauty that once graced this idyllic coastal landscape. Nestled beside an ancient stone wall, a majestic old pine tree stood tall, its branches reaching out as if to touch the heavens. Taken just last year, this image now serves as a bittersweet testament to the devastating changes that have unfolded.
Tragically, the unforgiving march of progress has left its mark on this cherished sanctuary. The island, once a haven for nature's wonders, fell victim to the intrusive hands of relentless investors armed with bulldozers. Their actions have ravaged the delicate balance of this precious ecosystem, leaving in their wake a trail of destruction that has irreversibly altered the landscape.
As you gaze upon this photograph, spare a moment to mourn the loss of the ancient pine tree that once graced this spot with its grandeur. Its sturdy trunk and outstretched limbs, which had witnessed countless seasons and stood as a guardian to the surrounding wildlife, are no more. Where once there was tranquility and harmony, now lies the remnants of a desolate wasteland, a testament to the cost of neglecting our responsibility to protect and preserve.
Let this image serve as a reminder, a poignant expression of sympathy for the once-vibrant nature and wildlife that thrived in this fragile ecosystem. May it ignite a passion within each of us to stand as stewards of the Earth, valuing the beauty and majesty of our natural world, and taking action to protect it for future generations.
In memory of the old pine tree and the countless other living beings whose homes were needlessly destroyed, we vow to preserve and cherish the remaining fragments of our natural heritage, ensuring that such losses are not in vain. Let this photograph be a call to arms, a testament to the resilience of nature, and a plea for a more mindful and sustainable future.
My outstretched arms is a favourite track by Half Man Half Biscuit, and always makes me laugh.As this is a wide panorama of reflected clouds on Temple Bay, it makes me imagine my outstretched arms welcoming the event.
Taken in Barnes's Grove, Buckinghamshire, I was fascinated by the outstretched branches of this tree reaching out to the near by beech.
Male Satin Bowerbirds are well-known for building a large bower decorated with small blue objects. (eBird)
The male Satin Bowerbird is perhaps the best known and well documented of all the bowerbirds in Australia. This fame partially stems from its practice of building and decorating a bower to attract females. This consists of two parallel walls of sticks, is built on the ground, and is used as a courtship arena during the breeding season. The male decorates it with bright blue coloured objects that it collects; blue clothes pegs, drinking straws and bottle tops are among the favourite stolen items, while bright blue parrot feathers, flowers and brown snail shells, make up the majority of decorations away from human habitation. A mixture of chewed vegetable matter and saliva is used to paint the walls of the bower. The bower owner meticulously maintains it throughout the year. Both mature and immature males build bowers and display to prospective females.
On the arrival of a female, the male Satin Bowerbird leaps into a ritualised display of exaggerated movements, such as strutting and bowing, with wings outstretched and quivering, and accompanied by a variety of mechanical-sounding calls, such as buzzing and rattling interspersed with mimicry. One of the bower decorations is usually carried in the male's bill. If impressed, the female moves into the bower avenue for mating and then leaves to perform the nesting duties on her own, while the male readies himself for courting more prospective females. (Australian Museum)
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I couldn't post photos of the bowerbird pair without the appropriate bower. The little tunnel at the top left of the image is the actual bower where the deed will finally take place. The blue decorations are to attract the female in the first place. I was surprised to see so much blue plastic cutlery scattered among the bottle tops. Perhaps O'Reilly's brings it in especially for the birds. As with other bowerbird bowers, these decorations are valuable and are often stolen from neighbouring bowers. A piece can travel between all the different bowers over the course of the breeding season. Before plastic became available, they would collect blue flowers, feathers and perhaps even stones for the bower.
O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat, Queensland, Australia. October 2022.
Eagle-Eye Tours - Eastern Australia.
Banking as it flies directly toward me, a Ring-billed gull allows me to capture a clear image of its face and outstretched wings.
A child basks in the cool sprays of a flowing fountain on a sultry summer day at a festival in Lisle, Illinois.
Nikon D7500, Sigma 18-300, ISO 400, f/6.3, 300mm, 1/1000s
Young Peregrine Falcon at Malham Cove
Couldn’t quite get the full outstretched wing in the frame… so cropped it in a bit
Today was the first time since February 2020 that I went out on site to a customer meeting. First thing upon arrival, that outstretched hand... Oh jeez, we're still doing that are we 😳 Ummm, I thought handshakes were a thing of the past? At least I was hoping!
Anyway, Happy TMT! Here's some random trees in the White Peak in some mist!
One from last spring. These are immature siblings practicing flying. They would take turns flying for about 5 minutes and landing.
Emigrant Lake - Jackson County - Oregon - USA
Habitat : Lakes and Ponds
Food : Fish
Nesting : Tree
Behavior : Aerial Dive
Conservation : Low Concern
"Unique among North American raptors for its diet of live fish and ability to dive into water to catch them, Ospreys are common sights soaring over shorelines, patrolling waterways, and standing on their huge stick nests, white heads gleaming. These large, rangy hawks do well around humans and have rebounded in numbers following the ban on the pesticide DDT. Hunting Ospreys are a picture of concentration, diving with feet outstretched and yellow eyes sighting straight along their talons." - Cornell University Lab of Ornithology
I've passed this tree numerous times and always liked the almost welcoming hug it seems to offer, or its waiting to ensnare passers by! Either way, its quite a character! Taken near one of the many entrances to Hillock Wood, Buckinghamshire.
Wild South Africa
Kruger National Park
These birds have distinctive long legs and necks which enable them to see over tall grass.
During the breading season the male will exhibit an elaborate courtship ritual to attract females. He begins with a slow display flight, taking to the air with slow wing beats to make himself appear larger than life, then glides down to the ground with outstretched wings to expose his black belly. Within his territory, the male will also stand on an elevated spot like a termite mound to make himself more visible, stretching his neck to expose the black line running down to his belly and making a croaking call before suddenly pulling his neck against his breast and lets out a characteristic popping sound.
Full frame and a lucky shot.
On Gossamer Wings
by Jude Kyrie
My soul has taken flight
from the bonds of the earth
Dancing in the blue skies
inside the laughter of angels
The sun above calls to me
to share the eternal joy
Hearts flying free
in the breath of heaven
The rainbows falling
beneath my gossamer wings’
Never an eagle or bird
have flown so high
Into this bright
and blossoming sky
Into the moonbeams
that grace heaven’s door
Awaiting outside to be blessed
by the grace of Gods
Countless planets lie below
As my outstretched fingers
touch the face of eternity
This is the black boat next to the boat with the wooden hull that I posted a couple of weeks ago. A few people wanted to know what the boat next to the wooden boat looked like (well, one person did). This boat is in the boat hospital for repairs and probably repainting of her hull. She is large and has several enclosed areas, a poop deck, a GPS and a ladder.
I was trying to get a model to stand on the bow pulpit with her arms outstretched, but I could only find older men. I didn’t think it would have the same effect as in Titanic.
This is Yankee Point Marina in the Northern Neck of Virginia.
Bulgaria
It is exclusively found in running waters and seems to be limited to habitats with a stony substrate. Most often it is found in brooks and smaller rivers although it also occurs in small numbers in larger rivers.
The legs are placed in an outstretched position and the abdomen and legs are flattened, both are probably adaptations to living in a strong current. In addition to this they are the only European species with sausage shaped lamellae and gills on the sides of their abdomen, both adaptations for the intake of oxygen.
A large, mostly white stork, with black flight-feathers and conical red bill. Breeds in open farmland and wetlands, with bulky stick nests conspicuous in trees and often on buildings. In non-breeding season forages in open areas such as grasslands and agricultural areas. Flies with neck and legs outstretched, and strong, deep wingbeats interspersed with glides. Also soars on thermals; flocks migrate during daytime, often high overhead.
The Wood Stork.
Large, white Wood Storks wade through southeastern swamps and wetlands. Although this stork doesn't bring babies, it is a good flier, soaring on thermals with neck and legs outstretched. This bald-headed wading bird stands just over 3 feet tall, towering above almost all other wetland birds. It slowly walks through wetlands with its long, hefty bill down in the water feeling for fish and crustaceans. This ungainly looking stork roosts and nests in colonies in trees above standing water.
Bittern - Botaurus Stellaris
Norfolk
The bittern is a thickset heron with all-over bright, pale, buffy-brown plumage covered with dark streaks and bars. It flies on broad, rounded, bowed wings. A secretive bird, very difficult to see, as it moves silently through reeds at water's edge, looking for fish. The males make a remarkable far-carrying, booming sound in spring. It's very small, reedbed-dependent population make it an Amber List species.
It is also a Schedule 1 species.
Unlike the similar storks, ibises, and spoonbills, herons, egrets, pelicans, and bitterns fly with their necks retracted, not outstretched.
Eurasian bitterns feed on fish, small mammals, amphibians and invertebrates, hunting along the reed margins in shallow water. British records include eels up to 35 cm (14 in) and other fish, mice and voles, small birds and fledglings, frogs, newts, crabs, shrimps, molluscs, spiders and insects. In continental Europe, members of over twenty families of beetle are eaten, as well as dragonflies, bees, grasshoppers and earwigs. Some vegetable matter such as aquatic plants is also consumed.
Males are polygamous, mating with up to five females. The nest is built in the previous year's standing reeds and consists of an untidy platform some 30 cm (12 in) across. It may be on a tussock surrounded by water or on matted roots close to water and is built by the female using bits of reed, sedges and grass stalks, with a lining of finer fragments. Four to six eggs are laid in late March and April and incubated by the female for about twenty-six days. After hatching, the chicks spend about two weeks in the nest before leaving to swim amongst the reeds. The female rears them without help from the male, regurgitating food into the nest from her crop, the young seizing her bill and pulling it down. They become fully fledged at about eight weeks.
The Eurasian bittern has a very wide range and a large total population, estimated to be 110,000 to 340,000 individuals. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its overall conservation status as being of "least concern because although the population trend is downward, the rate of decline is insufficient to justify rating it in a more threatened category. The chief threat the bird faces is destruction of reed beds and drainage and disturbance of its wetland habitats. It is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies. The southern race has suffered catastrophic decline during the 20th century due to wetland degradation and, unlike the northern race, is of high conservation concern.
In the United Kingdom, the main areas in which the Eurasian bittern breeds have been Lancashire and East Anglia with an estimated 44 breeding pairs in total in 2007. However, the Lancashire population at Leighton Moss RSPB reserve has declined in recent decades, while bitterns have been attracted to new reed beds in the West Country. In Ireland, it died out as a breeding species in the mid-19th century, but in 2011 a single bird was spotted in County Wexford and there have been a number of subsequent sightings. In the 21st century, bitterns are regular winter visitors to the London Wetland Centre, enabling city dwellers to view these scarce birds.
Population:
UK breeding:
80 males
UK wintering:
600 birds
Europe:
21 - 29,000 pairs
The mighty oak in autumn stands
It’s limbs outstretched with arms like hands
Too soon the leaves will shrink and wither
And the oak will sleep till winter is over - CP
A dark body stealthily swims through a lake with only a snakelike head poking above the surface. What may sound like the Loch Ness monster is actually an Anhinga, swimming underwater and stabbing fish with its daggerlike bill. After every dip, it strikes a regal pose on the edges of shallow lakes and ponds, with its silvery wings outstretched and head held high to dry its waterlogged feathers.
Anhinga-African Darter flight_w_9131
The African spoonbill (Platalea alba) is a long-legged wading bird of the ibis and spoonbill family Threskiornithidae. The species is widespread across Africa and Madagascar, including Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
It lives in marshy wetlands with some open shallow water and nests in colonies in trees or reedbeds. They usually don't share colonies with storks or herons. The African spoonbill feeds in shallow water, and fishes for various fish, molluscs, amphibians, crustaceans, insects and larvae. The animal uses its open bill to catch foods by swinging it from side-to-side in the water, which catches foods in its mouth. Long legs and thin, pointed toes enable it to walk easily through varying depths of water.
The African spoonbill is almost unmistakable through most of its range. The breeding bird is all white except for its red legs and face and long grey spatulate bill. It has no crest, unlike the common spoonbill. Immature birds lack the red face and have a yellow bill. Unlike herons, spoonbills fly with their necks outstretched.
The Oblation (Filipino: Pahinungod, Oblasyon) is a concrete statue by Filipino artist Guillermo E. Tolentino which serves as the iconic symbol of the University of the Philippines, my Alma Mater. It depicts a man facing upward with arms outstretched, symbolizing selfless offering of oneself to his country.
Dont ask what year I attended college. It was a looooong time ago. I majored in Political Science and Psychology. Fun times. 😊
There's a parallel universe out there somewhere in which I did not cut off the tips of his wings. Meh. What can you do. At least it was in focus.
Oh, and I'll add this here b/c I though it was kind of cool (at least to a self-taught Photoshop goob like me): I layered two of Ash's textures on top of the photo, and when using the layer mask on one to lighten the texture on the gull I really didn't like how it also removed the color. Then I remembered how someone has suggested in this thread to use a gaussian blur to remove the texture, so I gave it a whirl and it worked like gangbusters. Try it out sometime if you ever use colored textures.
#11 in Explore
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
Emigrant Lake - Jackson County - Oregon - USA
Habitat : Lakes and Ponds
Food : Fish
Nesting : Tree
Behavior : Aerial Dive
Conservation : Low Concern
"Unique among North American raptors for its diet of live fish and ability to dive into water to catch them, Ospreys are common sights soaring over shorelines, patrolling waterways, and standing on their huge stick nests, white heads gleaming. These large, rangy hawks do well around humans and have rebounded in numbers following the ban on the pesticide DDT. Hunting Ospreys are a picture of concentration, diving with feet outstretched and yellow eyes sighting straight along their talons."
- Cornell University Lab of Ornithology
MYANMAR,burma - zum Sonnenuntergang auf dem Mandalay -Hill
Die meisten Besucher kommen zum 236 m hohen Mandalay Hill, um von der Terrasse der Wunscherfüllungspagode den Sonnenuntergang zu genießen. Von hier oben hat man einen atemberaubenden Blick auf die Stadt mit ihren vielen Klöstern, den Fluss Ayeyarwady, der die Lebensader des Landes ist, sowie in der Ferne die Shan Berge.
Viele Touristen werden auf den Berg hinaufgefahren. Schöner ist es jedoch,MYANMAR,burma - zum Sonnenuntergang auf dem Mandalay -Hill
die 1700 Stufen vom Südeingang des Berges hinaufzulaufen. Vorbei geht’s an Souvenirläden und Essenständen. Auf halber Höhe erreicht man eine große goldene Buddhafigur, die mit ausgestrecktem Arm auf die Stadt Mandalay zeigt. Der Legende nach sagte Buddha, dass am Fuße dieses Berges, im Jahr 2400 des buddhistischen Kalenders, hier eine große Stadt entstehen werde. König Mingon verlegte aus diesem Grunde im Jahr 1857 die Königsstadt von Amarapura hier an den Fuß des Berges. Immer wieder kommt man bei der Besteigung des Berges an Opferstellen und Buddhafiguren vorbei.
Die Pagode auf dem Gipfel ist eine architektonische Meisterleistung. Sie besteht aus vielen kleinen offenen Räumen, die durch große Rundbögen voneinander getrennt sind. Die Wände sind über und über mit Glas- und Spiegelmosaiken bedeckt. Eine besondere Stimmung entsteht, wenn sich die rote, untergehende Sonne in den Mosaiken spiegelt.
MYANMAR, Burma - Sunset on Mandalay Hill
Most visitors come to the 236 m high Mandalay Hill to enjoy the sunset from the terrace of the Wish Fulfillment Pagoda. From up here you have a breathtaking view of the city with its many monasteries, the Ayeyarwady River, which is the country's lifeline, and the Shan Mountains in the distance.
Many tourists are driven up the mountain. However, it is nicer to walk up the 1700 steps from the south entrance of the mountain. We pass souvenir shops and food stands. Halfway up there is a large golden Buddha figure, pointing at the city of Mandalay with an outstretched arm. According to legend, Buddha said that at the foot of this mountain, in the year 2400 of the Buddhist calendar, a great city would arise here. For this reason, in 1857, King Mingon moved the royal city of Amarapura here to the foot of the mountain. Again and again you come across sacrificial sites and Buddha figures when climbing the mountain.
The pagoda at the top is an architectural feat. It consists of many small open rooms, which are separated from each other by large round arches. The walls are covered all over with glass and mirror mosaics. A special atmosphere is created when the red, setting sun is reflected in the mosaics.
"The scorcerer's apprentice"
Der Zauberlehrling, auch Tanzender Strommast genannt, ist ein dauerhaft installiertes Kunstwerk in Oberhausen, das anlässlich der Ausstellung Emscherkunst 2013 entstand.
Die etwa 35 Meter hohe Skulptur besteht aus Stahlprofilen und zeigt das von Freileitungen vertraute Bild eines Gittermastes mit einer Traverse. Doch die normalerweise geraden Bauteile fügen sich in dieser Skulptur zu geschwungenen Formen zusammen, als tanze der Mast mit ausgestreckten Armen. Geschaffen wurde die Skulptur von der Berliner Künstlergruppe inges idee. Das Kunstwerk steht auf einer Grasfläche am Rhein-Herne-Kanal in der Nähe von Haus Ripshorst. Sein oberer Teil ist auch von der nördlich vorbeilaufenden A 42 aus sichtbar.
The "sorcerer's apprentice", also known as the dancing electricity pylon, is a permanently installed work of art in Oberhausen that was created on the occasion of the Emscherkunst 2013 exhibition.
The approximately 35 meter high sculpture consists of steel profiles and shows the image of a lattice mast with a crossbar, familiar from overhead lines. But the normally straight components in this sculpture come together to form curved shapes, as if the mast were dancing with outstretched arms. The sculpture was created by the Berlin artist group "inges idee". The artwork stands on a grassy area on the Rhine-Herne Canal near Haus Ripshorst. Its upper part is also visible from the A 42 running north.
Das ist kein Photoshop oder ähnliches.
This is no Photoshop or simiar.
Love the light playing on top of the nettles between the trees as well as the spindly arms of the conifers outstretched as if welcoming the sun rays. Taken in Little Wittenham Wood, South Oxfordshire
Just love the outstretched branches seemingly trying to ensure that this is its space. Also some rare birch make an appearance instead of the more common beech that seem to dominate the local woods. Taken at Whiteleaf Woods, Buckinghamshire.
Red Tail coming off Skirt Mountain Langford.
Most Red-tailed Hawks are rich brown above and pale below, with a streaked belly and, on the wing underside, a dark bar between shoulder and wrist. The tail is usually pale below and cinnamon-red above, though in young birds it’s brown and banded. “Dark-morph” birds are all chocolate-brown with a warm red tail. “Rufous-morph” birds are reddish-brown on the chest with a dark belly.
You’ll most likely see Red-tailed Hawks soaring in wide circles high over a field. When flapping, their wingbeats are heavy. In high winds they may face into the wind and hover without flapping, eyes fixed on the ground. They attack in a slow, controlled dive with legs outstretched – much different from a falcon’s stoop.
These spiders do not spin webs, but instead sit on flowers and hunt by ambushing their prey. They have shorter and broader third and forth legs and longer first and second legs. All crab spiders can hold their legs outstretched and can move in any direction. Males are 2 - 5mm long and always smaller than the female.
Many thanks for your visits, faves and comments. Cheers.
Brolga
Grus rubicunda
Gruidae
One of the most obvious features of the Brolga’s behaviour is its courtship display, an elaborate dance. The dance begins with a pair of birds picking up grass, tossing it into the air and catching it again. This is followed by the birds repeatedly leaping a metre into the air with wings outstretched, followed by stretching their necks upwards, bowing to one another, bobbing their heads, walking about and calling. Sometimes the dance is done alone or in a group, with the birds lining up opposite one another.
Description: The Brolga is a large grey crane, with a featherless red head and grey crown. The legs are grey and there is a black dewlap under the chin. Females are shorter than males. The energetic dance performed by the Brolga is a spectacular sight. Displays may be given at any time of the year and by birds of any age.
Similar Species: The Sarus Crane, G. antigone, another species of crane found in Australia, can be identified by its dull pink legs and the red of its head extending down the neck.
Distribution: The Brolga is found across tropical northern Australia, southwards through north-east and east central areas, as well as central New South Wales to western Victoria.
Habitat: The Brolga inhabits large open wetlands, grassy plains, coastal mudflats and irrigated croplands and, less frequently, mangrove-studded creeks and estuaries. It is less common in arid and semi-arid regions, but will occur close to water.
Feeding: Brolgas are omnivorous (feeding on both vegetable and animal matter), but primarily feed upon tubers and some crops. Some insects, molluscs, amphibians and even mice are also taken.
Breeding: Brolgas probably mate for life, and pair bonds are strengthened during elaborate courtship displays, which involve much dancing, leaping, wing-flapping and loud trumpeting. An isolated territory is established, and is vigorously defended by both partners. The white (blotched with brown and purple) eggs are laid in a single clutch. The nest is a large mound of vegetation on a small island in a shallow waterway or swamp. Both adults incubate the eggs and care for the young birds.
(Source: www.birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/brolga)
__________________________________________
© Chris Burns 2022
All rights reserved.
This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying and recording without my written consent.
"We can watch the downy woodpecker best in winter when the trees and shrubs are bare. But even in such an exposed situation as a leafless tree, we do not find it a conspicuous bird--one hop and it is hidden behind a branch, seeming almost to glide out of our sight. At the slightest alarm it disappears; it uses a branch as a shield--slipping behind it, safe from observation or attack.
"The bird is at home also in shrubbery, moving easily among the smaller branches, hitching along their slender length, picking at the bark, and leaping from one branch to another with the aid of a flip of the wings. It sits crosswise on a perch scarcely bigger than a twig, leaning forward a little, bill outstretched, suggesting in position and outline a tiny kingfisher.
“Here, at close range, on a level with our eyes, we realize how rapid the bird's motions are. The beak strikes and draws back--the two movements in a single flash. The head turns to one side, to the other side, bringing first one dark shining eye, then the other, to bear on the bark; we see the head in the two positions, although we get only a hint of the motion between."
Birds by Bent, Published in 1939: Smithsonian Institution
www.birdsbybent.com///////ch11-20/downy.html#behavior Thanks, Pekabo
More about Downy Woodpeckers:
1000mm, f/8, 1/640 and slow except for the lack of motion, ISO 1400
The seagulls, wings outstretched, dance with the dawn, their silver silhouettes standing out against the golden sky. Six Fours the Beaches. PACA region
This striking Tricolored Heron was busy chasing down its dinner in the late afternoon sun at Upper Myakka Lake, Florida.
Designated as a threatened species in Florida, it uses a variety of hunting strategies from standing still, waiting for prey to approach, to rapidly running after its prey which is mainly fish but its diet also includes crayfish, prawns, aquatic insects and frogs.
As always, thank you so much for stopping by and for leaving any comments or faves, they are very much appreciated.
An all black ducklike waterbird with a distinctive flattish head and a bill that is sharply hooked at the tip. Smallest of the cormorants found in the region. Breeding adults have white plumes on the sides of the head. Like all cormorants, frequently seen swimming with its body low in the water, head and neck pointing upward, and suddenly disappearing underwater to catch fish. Often perches upright on a rock, drying itself with outstretched wings. Seen singly or in small groups in inland water bodies. Similar to Indian Cormorant, but note smaller size, stouter bill, and shape of the head, flat on Little Cormorant and rounded on Indian Cormorant. (eBird)
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We saw two species of cormorants on our boat ride. They were very similar in size and shape, leading to difficulty in identification. I think (hope) I have the ids correct now and am posting them side-by-side to show how alike they are.
Tram Chim National Park, Dong Thap, Vietnam. January 2025.
An invader from Australia the royal spoonbill is one of six spoonbill species worldwide, and the only one that breeds in New Zealand. This large white waterbird was first recorded in New Zealand at Castlepoint in 1861. Sightings increased through the 1900s, with breeding first recorded next to the white heron colony at Okarito, south Westland, in 1949. In 1977 the New Zealand population was estimated at 52 birds. It is now widespread, breeding at multiple sites on both main islands, and dispersing to coastal sites, such as Waikouaiti Lagoon, across the country after the breeding season. In flight, birds hold their neck outstretched and trail legs behind, looking rather awkward, like a "Dr Seuss" cartoon bird. Their closest relatives are the ibises.
Adapted from: www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/royal-spoonbill
The picture is processed in Nik software kindly provided free by download from Mr Google
Ben Resipol stands like Mount Fuji reflected in Lake Motosu. A heron, wings outstretched stands as if an artfully painted crane on a Japanese sampan. No, this is Loch Shiel again, where you can stand in the silence and dream about being anywhere your mind takes you. I think this is the prettiest loch in Scotland
I love finding trees that appear to be loving life and this conifer is no exception. I can see it singing a happy song with arms outstretched! Another that worked better in B&W as it accentuated the ferns and the textures of the trees. Taken in Barnes's Grove, Buckinghamshire.
Jeremiah 32:17 “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.”
I will post a picture of a telescope from the same observatory that takes pictures of the sun.
White-bellied Sea-eagle, Haliaeetus leucogaster
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I did a bit more research on our singing couple.
It is quite well documented and called, appropriately, "A Duet".
HNZAB notes:
"one of the loudest and fartherest carrying bird calls, in Australia,"
Call most during courtship period.
Pairs perform sustained duets at any time of year but particularly during courting and breeding, and when perched together.
Duets given when birds are perched side by side or in flight.
After landing lengthy bout of loud calls increasing in volume and frequency.
D. Hollands in his excellent book on Eagles and Falcons, says on p 101.
"There... they sit side by side like two montorous Kookaburras, necks outstretched and open beaks pointed to heaven while their echoing cries break the silence....
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Sea-eagles have never nested at this location, that I know of, but sources say they do nest further down the coast.
It is not unusual to find a juvenile Sea-eagle at work over the environmental ponds at the Tretatment Plant.
Breeding seems to be from June-Dec
Personally, I hope they breed away from the site as the amount of human attention they'd attract here would be deleterious.
The crackling of fire continued to deteriorate the wood. As time passes, both continue to loose each others form. Fire diminishing along with the wood that turns to soot until there is nothing left but smoke. But the journey of both brought warmth to a now cold home. Without their partnership, the beauty of feeling heat on a cold winter night or a rainy day would have never been experienced.
Their differences are surely vast that it could be difficult to coexist sometimes. Fire needs to spread, burn and devour all in its path, quite self aware, fierce and yet it knows how to survive in that manner. It also knows when to stop and remain but a small flicker. Earth is always warm, calculating, observant and just still. Nurturing and silent, slow and steady. Allowing life to exist, emitting empathy and giving birth to new opportunities. The possibilities of its care are endless.
Fire and Earth may not be an ideal combination due to the ultimate power both can produce if they worked together. They can make a whole nation collapse if unleashed. It was then that the two realized they could create even more wonders together. Gold coming from the earth could easily be melted with fire and turned into something precious. Without earth's elements, fire cannot exist and similarly without fire's involvement, earth's form cannot change.
The gold flame is a promise that both precious hearts will always belong to each other. Despite the obstacles of their union, the distance between their outstretched hearts and the burning strength in their souls to always be there for each other.
Torre Gropallo or Torre del fieno is part of the small fortifications commonly called "Saracen" because they were born to defend the incursions of pirates and Saracen Muslim corsairs, also called Turks or Barbareschi, because they came from the Berber states of North Africa. The current construction was begun in 1547 and is positioned on a rock outstretched where it is easy to see the approach of boats from the west and east. The Gropallo Tower is located in the "Anita Garibaldi" promenade
Sending out a positive message of love, forgiveness and peace … and missing my Mum … who always taught me the right thing to do … she lives on through me <3
“How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours.”
- Wayne Dyer
Soundtrack : www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8QJmI_V3j4
BY YOUR SIDE - SADE
A MOTHER'S LOVE
In silent fields I feel your hand resting gently within my own
in still waters I see your face reflecting all the love you feel
on solid bridges I feel your strength supporting me
in lichen curled and yellowed by the test of time
I feel your warmth like the sun has kissed my skin
in the fences of the fields I feel no division
I can climb the tallest fence; climb the highest tree
reach up my arms outstretched and touch the heavens
shed tears of joy as golden as the Autumn leaves
The hand that first held mine when I was just a child
was filled with my Mother's love
and though the loss of her will always be so keenly felt
as the cold November wind blows straight through me
and bends me to kneel so gently at my Mother's knee
still I feel her presence and see her face
in everything I do and say
and she is with me now; watching with a mother's grace
and directing me towards the right thing I should do
walking into light from dark shadows
my eyes had grown accustomed to the dark
but now they are all-seeing and I am all-knowing
that no-one can harm me all the while I walk my chosen path
of truth; of goodness and feel the solid ground beneath my feet
no-one can break me all the while
I bend with the wind and not against it
I walk the path that feels best beneath my feet
and I am comfortable within my own skin
and those that seek to harm me
will one day see that what they do is their karma
and with all the goodness my heart can muster
I pray for them and forgive their words that try to cut me down
I stand so tall within the protection of my Mother's eternal love
that bridges all eternity and keeps me safe
within the circle of her ever loving arms.
- AP - Copyright remains with and is the intellectual property of the author
Copyright © protected image please do not reproduce without permission'
Yet another Black-tailed Prairie Dog jump-yip - sort of a spasmodic leap upward with front paws outstretched, accompanied by a barking call. It may have several meanings, from a warning to an all-clear signal. Or maybe they really are playing air piano. I now have quite a large collection of jump-yip shots, but it's such interesting and cool behaviour that I'll keep shooting them.
Photographed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2020 James R. Page - all rights reserved.