View allAll Photos Tagged PARTIALLY
The long-eared owl's (Asio otus or Strix otus) breeding season is from February to July. This bird is partially migratory, moving south in winter from the northern parts of its temperate range. Its habitat is forest close to open country. Overall, these owls are secretive, and are rarely seen.
It nests in trees, often coniferous, using the old stick nests of other birds such as crows, ravens and magpies and various hawks. The average clutch size is 4–6 eggs, and the incubation time averages from 25–30 days. It will readily use artificial nesting baskets. An unusual characteristic of this species is its communal roosting in thickets during the winter months. The young have a characteristic call, likened to a rusty hinge.
The long-eared owl hunts over open country by night. It is very long winged, like the similar short-eared owl, and glides slowly on stiff wings when hunting. Its food is mainly rodents, small mammals, and birds. In Europe it faces competition from the tawny owl and is most numerous in localities where the tawny is absent, notably in Ireland, where the long-eared is the dominant owl; it can occasionally be seen even in Dublin city centre.
Males occupy nesting territories first and may begin their territorial calling in winter. Nesting occurs mainly from mid March through May. During courtship, males perform display flights around nests. Display flights involve erratic gliding and flapping through the trees with occasional single wing claps. Females respond by giving their nest call. The female selects a nest by hopping around it, while the male displays above. She then performs display flights as well, and flies repeatedly to the nest. Leading up to mating, the male approaches the female after calling and performing display flights, then waves his wings as he sidles up to her. Mutual preening and courtship feeding also occur. After pairing, adults roost close together, but the female tends to roost on the nest after it has been selected.
Long-eared Owls hunt mainly by ranging over open rangeland, clearings, and fallow fields. They rarely hunt in woodlands where they roost and nest. They hunt mainly from late dusk to just before dawn, flying low to the ground (1-2 m), with the head canted to one side listening for prey. When prey is spotted, the Owl pounces immediately, pinning the prey to the ground with its powerful talons. Smaller prey is usually swallowed immediately, or carried away in the bill. Larger prey is carried in the talons.
Long-eared Owls feed primarily on mammals. In most areas voles are the most common prey, but deer mice are the most important prey in other areas. In southwestern deserts, pocket mice and kangaroo rats are primary foods. Other mammal prey includes squirrels, bats, chipmunks, gophers, shrews, moles, and cottontail rabbits. Birds are also taken, occasionally on the wing. Most bird prey are smaller species that occur on or near the ground. Bird prey includes meadowlarks, blackbirds, juncos, Horned Larks, doves, bluebirds, and thrashers. Larger birds such as grouse and screech-Owls are occasionally taken. Long-eared Owls sometimes eat insects, frogs, and snakes.
Pellets are fairly large, about 5.1x1.9 cm. They are oval or cylindrical, greyish, and compact with many bones, skulls, and teeth. They are regurgitated 3 to 4 hours after eating.
Telephone shot with Samsung S8 Android telephone. The partial phase of the eclipse is visible in the optical artefact image at the bottom, middle-left of the image.
Partial Phase of the Annular Solar Eclipse of 26-Dec-2019 in the Liwa Desert of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Partially obscured by an pyrotechnic explosion, this Bell 212 was performing as part of a bizarre theatrical performance at AIRPOWER24.
Partially awakened arctic fox in winter status at the
Como Zoological Garden.. in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Taken at General's Pond, near Elstead in Surrey, during a brief cold snap.... My poor wee paws were frozen, but the image title refers to the pond, of course...
Camera: Nikon D90
Lens aperture: f/11
Exposure time: 1/40 sec
Focal length: 48mm
ISO: 320
partially frozen.
It may not have been the -20 of Braemar Aberdeenshire but clearly cold enough to form ice on the Lake.
Partially hidden behind a small hill, the little beauty is listening for its favorite meal, earthworms!
folded partially from diagrams for John's classic dragon and partially reverse-engineered from photographs of the finished model. this is one of my favourite origami dragons. the folding sequence is very nice and the model looks great, as though it jumped out of a medieval tale about knights, glory and mythical beasts :D
(not great photos but the best I could do with the sun and through the windows).
I noticed some almost fluorescent white stripes on one of the birds flitting around in the lilac branches and ran for the camera.
Once I saw it through the lens I realized it was a sparrow... but, I've never seen it around previously and now...not since that day although I do watch for it.
I can't believe how white the feathers were. Like I said... almost fluorescent in that they were so bright white. It is a little female... and, she seems not bothered at all by them...and, other than a few perfectly matched feathers, it was all the "leucism" she sported. The others didn't seem to treat her any differently... she was just there hanging out with everybody. Pecking at nuts and seeds in the feeders and jumping in and out of the lilac branches. And, then, she was gone ....
When I see the same size group of sparrows each day I more or less assume they are the same darn group. But, obviously she came from somewhere else... or with a different group..or maybe she is even flitting about by herself. Who knows with birds... as usual.....
Here is some info on leucisim.
Leucistic sparrows are far more prevalent than the Albinos. Spotting a sparrow with a few white parts, you might consider it to be a Partial Albino. However, the correct term for such a species is Leucine.
Whereas Albinos lack all the color pigmentation, resulting in entirely white feathers and white plumage, Leucinos are affected by a partial loss of pigmentation. This deficiency of pigmentation usually occurs in the feathers, while the soft parts remain intact.
In contrast to the Albino Sparrows, Leucistic sparrows appear to live somewhat everyday life, like their other mates. Even if not in massive amounts, the presence of melanin in their bodies aids the bird in better eyesight and stronger feathers than an absolute Albino.
Interestingly, there is often a variation in the intensity of leucism on the bird’s body, exhibiting alterations in its white feathers. With every new cycle of molding, the spread of white feathers may increase or decrease.
The photo beside this one shows her profile so that you can see she is all sparrow with only the few beautifully white feathers.
A rare sighting of this bird in the backyard setup.
Member of Nature’s Spirit
Good Stewards of Nature
© 2020 - All Rights Reserved
Partially obscured by branches and twigs but I like that wing profile. It'd been calling loudly for awhile (that 'yelping' call) and here it takes off to join its parents who were flying in low from behind a ridge.
Wedge-tailed Eagle, A.C.T.
Enjoying the views in Essaouira
Essaouira is protected by a natural bay partially shielded by wave action by the Iles Purpuraires. A broad sandy beach extends from the harbour south of Essaourira, at which point the Oued Ksob discharges to the ocean; south of the discharge lies the archaeological ruin, the Bordj El Berod.[1] The Canary Current is responsible for the generally southward movement of ocean circulation and has led to enhancement of the local fishery.[2] The village of Diabat lies about five kilometres south of Essaouira, immediately south of the Oued Ksob.
Essaouria connects to Safi to the north and to Agadir to the south via the N1 road and to Marrakech to the east via the R 207 road. There is a small airport some 7-8 km away from the town, which schedules several flights a week to Casablanca.
The Medina of Essaouira (formerly "Mogador") is a UNESCO World Heritage Listed city, as an example of a late 18th century fortified town, as transferred to North Africa.
The fishing harbour, suffering from the competition of Agadir and Safi remains rather small, although the catches (sardines, conger eels) are surprisingly abundant due to the coastal upwelling generated by the powerful trade winds and the Canaries Current.
There are only a handful of modern purpose-built hotels within the walls of the old city. The medina is home to many small arts and crafts businesses, notably cabinet making and 'thuya' wood-carving (using roots of the Tetraclinis tree), both of which have been practised in Essaouira for centuries.
Essaouira is also renowned for its kitesurfing and windsurfing, with the powerful trade wind blowing almost constantly onto the protected, almost waveless, bay. Several world-class clubs rent top-notch material on a weekly basis.
Parasols tend to be used on the beach as a protection against the wind and the blowing sand. Camel excursions are available on the beach and into the desert band in the interior.
Essaouira is the site of an annual pilgrimage to the grave of Rabbi Chaim Pinto, whose home and synagogue are preserved as an historic and religious site, the Chaim Pinto Synagogue. The Simon Attias Synagogue is also still standing.
Partially illuminated frosty feather on ice. Not quite in sharp focus but saving for now. Can't pass up a feather. :)
Recent very cold weather created a thin layer of ice on parts of the park lake. Had to grab a few quick photos. Temps to warm the next several days so most of it will slowly begin to melt.
Sorry for so many photos, just saving memories, no need to comment.
Partially submerged brush near the shoreline on Lake Percy Quin in Southern Mississippi. A great cloud day and lack of wind helped a lot.
Essaouira is protected by a natural bay partially shielded by wave action by the Iles Purpuraires. A broad sandy beach extends from the harbour south of Essaourira, at which point the Oued Ksob discharges to the ocean; south of the discharge lies the archaeological ruin, the Bordj El Berod.[1] The Canary Current is responsible for the generally southward movement of ocean circulation and has led to enhancement of the local fishery.[2] The village of Diabat lies about five kilometres south of Essaouira, immediately south of the Oued Ksob.
Essaouria connects to Safi to the north and to Agadir to the south via the N1 road and to Marrakech to the east via the R 207 road. There is a small airport some 7-8 km away from the town, which schedules several flights a week to Casablanca.
The Medina of Essaouira (formerly "Mogador") is a UNESCO World Heritage Listed city, as an example of a late 18th century fortified town, as transferred to North Africa.
The fishing harbour, suffering from the competition of Agadir and Safi remains rather small, although the catches (sardines, conger eels) are surprisingly abundant due to the coastal upwelling generated by the powerful trade winds and the Canaries Current.
There are only a handful of modern purpose-built hotels within the walls of the old city. The medina is home to many small arts and crafts businesses, notably cabinet making and 'thuya' wood-carving (using roots of the Tetraclinis tree), both of which have been practised in Essaouira for centuries.
Essaouira is also renowned for its kitesurfing and windsurfing, with the powerful trade wind blowing almost constantly onto the protected, almost waveless, bay. Several world-class clubs rent top-notch material on a weekly basis.
Parasols tend to be used on the beach as a protection against the wind and the blowing sand. Camel excursions are available on the beach and into the desert band in the interior.
Essaouira is the site of an annual pilgrimage to the grave of Rabbi Chaim Pinto, whose home and synagogue are preserved as an historic and religious site, the Chaim Pinto Synagogue. The Simon Attias Synagogue is also still standing.
There is one painted turtle here, partially hidden by grass, and three red-eared sliders, considered invasives in our area.
Panorama looking S from the Garnet Lake Shadow Creek Divide, with, left to right, San Joaquin Mtn and the Two Teats on the far horizon, Shadow Lake partially visible nearer, partially bald and pinkish Mammoth Mtn, the toothy Volcanic Ridge at center, Iceberg lake high up in a talus pocket center right, the sharp edged Minarets rising behind and leading right to the high points of Mt Ritter and then Banner Peak, with Nydiver Lakes partially visible below them and slightly left. California, Sierra Nevada Mountains, Ansel Adams Wilderness,Garnet lake Shadow Creek Divide. Off the John Muir Trail near Mile 048.
(All images copyrighted. Copying or otherwise using my photos in any way is not OK w/out my explicitly granted permission. See my Profile for queries regarding any other usage.)