View allAll Photos Tagged Probability
Her pride she can’t subtract
The pain multiplies
As injury adds variables
The probability of failure increases
The solution would be to stop
But then she adds determination
The count starts 5, 6, 7, 8
1, 2, dip and catch
add the flyer subtract the
weight as two variables work
together
the solution is success, infinite
height, infinite teamwork
the solution is in the proof
(Meg Mack 2013)
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Sunny%20Photo%20Studio/197...
Ein Zug aus neuen Waggons ohne Graffiti, mit einer tschechischen Werbelok so weit im Westen, das hat seinen Reiz. Da Züge im Ruhrgebiet doch hin und wieder einen anderen Laufweg nehmen als geplant, wurde zur Sicherheit Meerbusch-Bösinghoven aufgesucht. Denn:
-hier musste der Zug mit Ziel Neuss Güterbahnhof mit sehr, sehr hoher Wahrscheinlichkeit lang.
-die Stelle war vom Lichtstand am Nachmittag recht unabhängig.
-es bestand keine Gefahr das der Zug zugefahren würde
-und er passte vor allem in ganzer Länge ins Bild.
Abschließend noch Grüße an die drei netten Mitfotografen und an die winzige Schleierwolke die sich nicht bewegen wollte!!
388 010 with grain through the grain
A train made of new wagons without graffiti, with a Czech advertising locomotive so far to the west, that has its charm. Since trains in the Ruhr area occasionally take a different route than planned, Meerbusch-Bösinghoven was visited to be on the safe side. Because:
-here the train to the Neuss freight station had a very, very high probability of being long.
-The location was quite independent of the light level in the afternoon.
-There was no danger that the train would be closed
-and, above all, it fit into the picture in its entirety.
Finally, greetings to the three nice fellow photographers and to the tiny veil cloud that didn't want to move!!
Well it’s well over a decade the new World Trade Center (WTC) Transportation Hub or Oculus opened at the WTC site. It certainly is a unique structure, described by some as a cross between a porcupine and a stegosaurus it is the 4 billion dollar design of Santiago Calatrava with larger interior space the Grand Central Station’s Grand Concourse that replaced the old underground station that was completely destroyed by the tragic events of September 11, 2001. In all probability it is probably the most expensive train station every built at a cost of about 4 billion. A marvelous structure inside and out this image is of the west facing entrance. The US taxpayers via the federal government provided 2.87 billion of the 4 billion dollar cost. Now going to the station during rush hour, my observation is while there is a lot of foot traffic as commuters move across the to the underground walkway to the Fulton Center, it’s not on the same playing field as the traffic of Grand Central Station and the woefully crowed and outdated Pennsylvania Station uptown. Looking at the actual figures the estimate for daily commuters pre COVID 19 pandemic was 46,000 PATH riders a day compared with Grand Central Stations 208,000 daily Metro North riders. So is it more of a 4 billion shopping mall as opposed to a transit hub, with beautiful Italian marble floors, it certainly a beautiful structure but like many structures it is far different from Calatrava’s original design. The cost is double what originally was estimated in 2005 2 billion dollar estimate.
- [ ] #developportdev @gothamtomato @developphotoweek @omsystem.cameras #excellent_america #omsystem @bheventspace
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Kestrel - Falco tinnunculus (Juvenile)
Double click
The common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is a bird of prey species belonging to the kestrel group of the falcon family Falconidae. It is also known as the European kestrel, Eurasian kestrel, or Old World kestrel. In Britain, where no other kestrel species occurs, it is generally just called "the kestrel".
This species occurs over a large range. It is widespread in Europe, Asia, and Africa, as well as occasionally reaching the east coast of North America.
Kestrels can hover in still air, even indoors in barns. Because they face towards any slight wind when hovering, the common kestrel is called a "windhover" in some areas.
Unusual for falcons, plumage often differs between male and female, although as is usual with monogamous raptors the female is slightly larger than the male. This allows a pair to fill different feeding niches over their home range. Kestrels are bold and have adapted well to human encroachment, nesting in buildings and hunting by major roads. Kestrels do not build their own nests, but use nests built by other species.
Their plumage is mainly light chestnut brown with blackish spots on the upperside and buff with narrow blackish streaks on the underside; the remiges are also blackish. Unlike most raptors, they display sexual colour dimorphism with the male having fewer black spots and streaks, as well as a blue-grey cap and tail. The tail is brown with black bars in females, and has a black tip with a narrow white rim in both sexes. All common kestrels have a prominent black malar stripe like their closest relatives.
The cere, feet, and a narrow ring around the eye are bright yellow; the toenails, bill and iris are dark. Juveniles look like adult females, but the underside streaks are wider; the yellow of their bare parts is paler. Hatchlings are covered in white down feathers, changing to a buff-grey second down coat before they grow their first true plumage.
Data from Britain shows nesting pairs bringing up about 2–3 chicks on average, though this includes a considerable rate of total brood failures; actually, few pairs that do manage to fledge offspring raise less than 3 or 4. Compared to their siblings, first-hatched chicks have greater survival and recruitment probability, thought to be due to the first-hatched chicks obtaining a higher body condition when in the nest. Population cycles of prey, particularly voles, have a considerable influence on breeding success. Most common kestrels die before they reach 2 years of age; mortality up until the first birthday may be as high as 70%. At least females generally breed at one year of age; possibly, some males take a year longer to maturity as they do in related species. The biological lifespan to death from senescence can be 16 years or more, however; one was recorded to have lived almost 24 years.
Population:
UK breeding:
46,000 pairs
Kestrel - Falco tinnunculus (Male)
The common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is a bird of prey species belonging to the kestrel group of the falcon family Falconidae. It is also known as the European kestrel, Eurasian kestrel, or Old World kestrel. In Britain, where no other kestrel species occurs, it is generally just called "the kestrel".
This species occurs over a large range. It is widespread in Europe, Asia, and Africa, as well as occasionally reaching the east coast of North America.
Kestrels can hover in still air, even indoors in barns. Because they face towards any slight wind when hovering, the common kestrel is called a "windhover" in some areas.
Unusual for falcons, plumage often differs between male and female, although as is usual with monogamous raptors the female is slightly larger than the male. This allows a pair to fill different feeding niches over their home range. Kestrels are bold and have adapted well to human encroachment, nesting in buildings and hunting by major roads. Kestrels do not build their own nests, but use nests built by other species.
Their plumage is mainly light chestnut brown with blackish spots on the upperside and buff with narrow blackish streaks on the underside; the remiges are also blackish. Unlike most raptors, they display sexual colour dimorphism with the male having fewer black spots and streaks, as well as a blue-grey cap and tail. The tail is brown with black bars in females, and has a black tip with a narrow white rim in both sexes. All common kestrels have a prominent black malar stripe like their closest relatives.
The cere, feet, and a narrow ring around the eye are bright yellow; the toenails, bill and iris are dark. Juveniles look like adult females, but the underside streaks are wider; the yellow of their bare parts is paler. Hatchlings are covered in white down feathers, changing to a buff-grey second down coat before they grow their first true plumage.
Data from Britain shows nesting pairs bringing up about 2–3 chicks on average, though this includes a considerable rate of total brood failures; actually, few pairs that do manage to fledge offspring raise less than 3 or 4. Compared to their siblings, first-hatched chicks have greater survival and recruitment probability, thought to be due to the first-hatched chicks obtaining a higher body condition when in the nest. Population cycles of prey, particularly voles, have a considerable influence on breeding success. Most common kestrels die before they reach 2 years of age; mortality up until the first birthday may be as high as 70%. At least females generally breed at one year of age; possibly, some males take a year longer to maturity as they do in related species. The biological lifespan to death from senescence can be 16 years or more, however; one was recorded to have lived almost 24 years.
Population:
UK breeding:
46,000 pairs
The widowhood effect is the increase in the probability of a person dying during a relatively short period of time after their long-time spouse has died.
The pattern indicates a sharp increase in risk of death for the widower particularly, but not exclusively, in the three months after the death of their spouse. This process has also been called "dying of a broken heart".
Being widowed leads to an increased likelihood of developing severe mental disorder. This can be partially attributed to the unanticipated decisions widows have to make with regards to the death of their spouse. Responses of grief and bereavement due to the loss of a spouse increases vulnerability to psychological and physical illnesses.
Knowing you are not alone doesn't seem to make it any easier. Life does seem to loose a purpose and the feeling of being surplus to requirements is not helped by retirement.
I can see why some widowers "just give up".
Where to go for support, and suggestions for helping yourself and others through grief.
www.mind.org.uk/information-support/guides-to-support-and...
Candid shot at the Mid Devon show 2022.
Kestrel - Falco tinnunculus (M)
(Double click)
The common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is a bird of prey species belonging to the kestrel group of the falcon family Falconidae. It is also known as the European kestrel, Eurasian kestrel, or Old World kestrel. In Britain, where no other kestrel species occurs, it is generally just called "the kestrel".
This species occurs over a large range. It is widespread in Europe, Asia, and Africa, as well as occasionally reaching the east coast of North America.
Kestrels can hover in still air, even indoors in barns. Because they face towards any slight wind when hovering, the common kestrel is called a "windhover" in some areas.
Unusual for falcons, plumage often differs between male and female, although as is usual with monogamous raptors the female is slightly larger than the male. This allows a pair to fill different feeding niches over their home range. Kestrels are bold and have adapted well to human encroachment, nesting in buildings and hunting by major roads. Kestrels do not build their own nests, but use nests built by other species.
Their plumage is mainly light chestnut brown with blackish spots on the upperside and buff with narrow blackish streaks on the underside; the remiges are also blackish. Unlike most raptors, they display sexual colour dimorphism with the male having fewer black spots and streaks, as well as a blue-grey cap and tail. The tail is brown with black bars in females, and has a black tip with a narrow white rim in both sexes. All common kestrels have a prominent black malar stripe like their closest relatives.
The cere, feet, and a narrow ring around the eye are bright yellow; the toenails, bill and iris are dark. Juveniles look like adult females, but the underside streaks are wider; the yellow of their bare parts is paler. Hatchlings are covered in white down feathers, changing to a buff-grey second down coat before they grow their first true plumage.
Data from Britain shows nesting pairs bringing up about 2–3 chicks on average, though this includes a considerable rate of total brood failures; actually, few pairs that do manage to fledge offspring raise less than 3 or 4. Compared to their siblings, first-hatched chicks have greater survival and recruitment probability, thought to be due to the first-hatched chicks obtaining a higher body condition when in the nest. Population cycles of prey, particularly voles, have a considerable influence on breeding success. Most common kestrels die before they reach 2 years of age; mortality up until the first birthday may be as high as 70%. At least females generally breed at one year of age; possibly, some males take a year longer to maturity as they do in related species. The biological lifespan to death from senescence can be 16 years or more, however; one was recorded to have lived almost 24 years.
Population:
UK breeding:
46,000 pairs
I joined the Flickr community back in 2014, and I wish I would have joined years before. Like just about every other aspect of the internet, it can provide information that leads to education. Because it is a photo sharing community, for me, it shares beauty and adventure…not to mention as I see where others are “getting the shot” so I can make plans to eventually go there! I have learned so much from those that I follow on Flickr, they truly have no idea how much they have elevated my passion. The downside to the internet, and Flickr is not immune to those who use it to promote their politics and perversions…easily avoided but sadly still there.
I probably spend an hour a day on Flickr, liking and making comments on others posts and enjoying their kindnesses on mine. I still sit in amazement when I post a photo, and a second or two later someone in India, Holland, Australia and Russia have already liked it. As one (back in my Navy days) who use to wait to hit ports to call home or receive a letter that was mailed in my direction a month earlier, my old man brain just can’t wrap itself around the speed of communication today.
It was probably sometime in early December that I opened Flicker to see what others had posted. One of the first photos to pop up was that of a young lady petting a horse. It was a fantastic photo but something came over me…a chill, a feeling of deja-vu that made me sit forward in my chair and place my face closer to the screen of my computer. It wasn’t the young lady, as she was a stranger and that would make me a pervert…it was the horse…I had seen that horse before. The feeling of familiarity and mild ADHD led me to drop what I was doing as I needed to investigate.
I minimized Flickr and opened my Lightroom program where I still had some 900-1000 photos to edit from Ireland and the second half of Scotland. The horses distinct color, the pasture with the ocean behind it started to drive me crazy! I could remember photographing the same horse, I just couldn’t remember where.
It didn’t take long to find the file. Opening Flickr back up, I did a side-by-side comparison, sitting in amazement that it was in fact the same. At no time in my life has the world felt smaller…someone, a total stranger from Germany that I follow on flicker and I think may follow me was on the same Irish backroad near the Cliffs of Moher just a few days before…photographing the same horse.
I started to research the probability of this happening…I can’t...I hate math. But here are a few Flickr facts:
Number of photos shared daily: 3.5 million
Number of photos shared: over 10 billion since its founding in 2004
Total number of users: over 112 million from 72 countries
Most popular cameras used: iPhone- 54% / Canon- 23% / Nikon- 18%
This makes me wonder just how often that horses photo is taken…
Like it or not, we are all getting closer to knowing Kevin Bacon by the day!
Kestrel - Falco tinnunculus (Juvenile)
The common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is a bird of prey species belonging to the kestrel group of the falcon family Falconidae. It is also known as the European kestrel, Eurasian kestrel, or Old World kestrel. In Britain, where no other kestrel species occurs, it is generally just called "the kestrel".
This species occurs over a large range. It is widespread in Europe, Asia, and Africa, as well as occasionally reaching the east coast of North America.
Kestrels can hover in still air, even indoors in barns. Because they face towards any slight wind when hovering, the common kestrel is called a "windhover" in some areas.
Unusual for falcons, plumage often differs between male and female, although as is usual with monogamous raptors the female is slightly larger than the male. This allows a pair to fill different feeding niches over their home range. Kestrels are bold and have adapted well to human encroachment, nesting in buildings and hunting by major roads. Kestrels do not build their own nests, but use nests built by other species.
Their plumage is mainly light chestnut brown with blackish spots on the upperside and buff with narrow blackish streaks on the underside; the remiges are also blackish. Unlike most raptors, they display sexual colour dimorphism with the male having fewer black spots and streaks, as well as a blue-grey cap and tail. The tail is brown with black bars in females, and has a black tip with a narrow white rim in both sexes. All common kestrels have a prominent black malar stripe like their closest relatives.
The cere, feet, and a narrow ring around the eye are bright yellow; the toenails, bill and iris are dark. Juveniles look like adult females, but the underside streaks are wider; the yellow of their bare parts is paler. Hatchlings are covered in white down feathers, changing to a buff-grey second down coat before they grow their first true plumage.
Data from Britain shows nesting pairs bringing up about 2–3 chicks on average, though this includes a considerable rate of total brood failures; actually, few pairs that do manage to fledge offspring raise less than 3 or 4. Compared to their siblings, first-hatched chicks have greater survival and recruitment probability, thought to be due to the first-hatched chicks obtaining a higher body condition when in the nest. Population cycles of prey, particularly voles, have a considerable influence on breeding success. Most common kestrels die before they reach 2 years of age; mortality up until the first birthday may be as high as 70%. At least females generally breed at one year of age; possibly, some males take a year longer to maturity as they do in related species. The biological lifespan to death from senescence can be 16 years or more, however; one was recorded to have lived almost 24 years.
Population:
UK breeding:
46,000 pairs
Kestrel - Falco tinnunculus (Male)
The common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is a bird of prey species belonging to the kestrel group of the falcon family Falconidae. It is also known as the European kestrel, Eurasian kestrel, or Old World kestrel. In Britain, where no other kestrel species occurs, it is generally just called "the kestrel".
This species occurs over a large range. It is widespread in Europe, Asia, and Africa, as well as occasionally reaching the east coast of North America.
Kestrels can hover in still air, even indoors in barns. Because they face towards any slight wind when hovering, the common kestrel is called a "windhover" in some areas.
Unusual for falcons, plumage often differs between male and female, although as is usual with monogamous raptors the female is slightly larger than the male. This allows a pair to fill different feeding niches over their home range. Kestrels are bold and have adapted well to human encroachment, nesting in buildings and hunting by major roads. Kestrels do not build their own nests, but use nests built by other species.
Their plumage is mainly light chestnut brown with blackish spots on the upperside and buff with narrow blackish streaks on the underside; the remiges are also blackish. Unlike most raptors, they display sexual colour dimorphism with the male having fewer black spots and streaks, as well as a blue-grey cap and tail. The tail is brown with black bars in females, and has a black tip with a narrow white rim in both sexes. All common kestrels have a prominent black malar stripe like their closest relatives.
The cere, feet, and a narrow ring around the eye are bright yellow; the toenails, bill and iris are dark. Juveniles look like adult females, but the underside streaks are wider; the yellow of their bare parts is paler. Hatchlings are covered in white down feathers, changing to a buff-grey second down coat before they grow their first true plumage.
Data from Britain shows nesting pairs bringing up about 2–3 chicks on average, though this includes a considerable rate of total brood failures; actually, few pairs that do manage to fledge offspring raise less than 3 or 4. Compared to their siblings, first-hatched chicks have greater survival and recruitment probability, thought to be due to the first-hatched chicks obtaining a higher body condition when in the nest. Population cycles of prey, particularly voles, have a considerable influence on breeding success. Most common kestrels die before they reach 2 years of age; mortality up until the first birthday may be as high as 70%. At least females generally breed at one year of age; possibly, some males take a year longer to maturity as they do in related species. The biological lifespan to death from senescence can be 16 years or more, however; one was recorded to have lived almost 24 years.
Population:
UK breeding:
46,000 pairs
There is no doubt the Aurora Borealis deserves its place amongst the 7 natural wonders of the world.
Having never lived in northern latitudes seeing and photographing the aurora has been on my bucket list for some time. With the sun cycle at solar max Aaron, Alan, Rebecca, and I decided on a venture out to Iceland in hopes of witnessing the northern phenomenon. I figured a full 10 days in Iceland would give us a solid time window and opportunity to capture it. On our third day the sun delivered. A strong solar wind was predicted to buffet earth with a high probability of auroras.
As we waited out the daylight the anticipation began growing. While waiting for dinner people began running outside as the aurora commenced. I too joined the crowds outside and initially only saw a few whitish cloud-like strands. Just as I headed back in a sudden aurora streak ignited overhead. This time it was so bright I could easily see the green color. Excited and impatient, we all finished our dinner quickly and bolted out to our scouted shooting spots. After spending several hours going back and forth between the Jökulsárlón Iceberg lagoons and road turnouts, we decided to head back to our original spot along a stream as the final stop for the night. As we arrived and exited our cars the aurora suddenly exploded all over the sky. It was to the east, to the west, overhead, and simply dazzling all around. The aurora became so bright it was dancing and whipping around changing shapes. According to NOAA the aurora became a Kp5 sparking a G1 geomagnetic storm.
I made sure to focus on the task at hand and setup for this composition along the stream. I opted getting low to maximize the while still capturing foreground ice patterns along with a subtle reflection in the water. While shooting a bolt of aurora streaked through my frame creating a lightning bolt-like pattern. In the end the aurora streaked across the frame almost mirroring the shape of the mountain range. The experience was totally mesmerizing and it was an experience I shall always remember. This shot was focus stacked with 4 frames at 14mm for optimal sharpness from foreground to background.
Sony A7r
Rokinon 14mm f/2.8
Since the temperatures here have risen noticeably in the last few days, the probability of a white Christmas is now close to zero.
So at least start the day here today with some winter forest romance.
This picture was also taken on my trip to Cinovec in the Bohemian Ore Mountains.
But unlike the first motif, there is no single tree here that draws all the attention to itself, but rather a small group, because we are not in a clearing here but in the middle of the "wilderness" (which, by the way, made moving through the deep snow quite a good fitness exercise.
Additionally, I always had to be careful not to accidentally ruin a composition with footprints by walking around somewhere where I might be able to photograph later.
Da die Temperaturen hier in den letzten Tagen spürbar angestiegen sind, ist die Wahrscheinlichkeit für weisse Weihnachten inzwischen eher nahe Null.
Also starten den Tag heute wenigstens hier mit etwas Winterwaldromantik.
Dieses Bild entstand ebenfalls bei meinem Ausflug nach Cinovec im Böhmischen Erzgebirge.
Doch im Gegensatz zum ersten Motiv gibt es hier keinen einzelnen Baum, der alle Aufmerksamkeit auf sich lenkt, sondern eine kleine Gruppe, denn wir befinden uns hier nicht auf einer Lichtung sondern mitten in der „Wildnis“ (was die Fortbewegung in dem tiefen Schnee übrigens zu einer recht ordentlichen Fitnessübung gemacht hat.
Darüber hinaus musste ich immer aufpassen, dass ich nicht versehentlich eine Komposition mit Fußspuren ruiniere, indem ich irgendwo herum laufe, wo ich später vielleicht noch fotografieren könnte.
more of this on my website at: www.shoot-to-catch.de
A picture from my archives. Taken with my canon870 in all probability but the EXIF data is not here. 10/21/12
The phrase "Scotch Mist" is sometimes used to refer to a figment of the imagination - something that in all probability doesn't really exist. However, in this series of photos from Oban, Scottish Mist is all too real.
This example of Scottish Hills and Scottish Mist was taken on the ferry to Mull.
A cat's hearing apparatus is built to allow the human voice to easily go in one ear and out the other.
-- Stephen Baker
The mathematical probability of a common cat doing exactly as it pleases is the one scientific absolute in the world.
-- Lynn M. Osband
Kestrel - Falco tinnunculus (M)
(Double click)
The common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is a bird of prey species belonging to the kestrel group of the falcon family Falconidae. It is also known as the European kestrel, Eurasian kestrel, or Old World kestrel. In Britain, where no other kestrel species occurs, it is generally just called "the kestrel".
This species occurs over a large range. It is widespread in Europe, Asia, and Africa, as well as occasionally reaching the east coast of North America.
Kestrels can hover in still air, even indoors in barns. Because they face towards any slight wind when hovering, the common kestrel is called a "windhover" in some areas.
Unusual for falcons, plumage often differs between male and female, although as is usual with monogamous raptors the female is slightly larger than the male. This allows a pair to fill different feeding niches over their home range. Kestrels are bold and have adapted well to human encroachment, nesting in buildings and hunting by major roads. Kestrels do not build their own nests, but use nests built by other species.
Their plumage is mainly light chestnut brown with blackish spots on the upperside and buff with narrow blackish streaks on the underside; the remiges are also blackish. Unlike most raptors, they display sexual colour dimorphism with the male having fewer black spots and streaks, as well as a blue-grey cap and tail. The tail is brown with black bars in females, and has a black tip with a narrow white rim in both sexes. All common kestrels have a prominent black malar stripe like their closest relatives.
The cere, feet, and a narrow ring around the eye are bright yellow; the toenails, bill and iris are dark. Juveniles look like adult females, but the underside streaks are wider; the yellow of their bare parts is paler. Hatchlings are covered in white down feathers, changing to a buff-grey second down coat before they grow their first true plumage.
Data from Britain shows nesting pairs bringing up about 2–3 chicks on average, though this includes a considerable rate of total brood failures; actually, few pairs that do manage to fledge offspring raise less than 3 or 4. Compared to their siblings, first-hatched chicks have greater survival and recruitment probability, thought to be due to the first-hatched chicks obtaining a higher body condition when in the nest. Population cycles of prey, particularly voles, have a considerable influence on breeding success. Most common kestrels die before they reach 2 years of age; mortality up until the first birthday may be as high as 70%. At least females generally breed at one year of age; possibly, some males take a year longer to maturity as they do in related species. The biological lifespan to death from senescence can be 16 years or more, however; one was recorded to have lived almost 24 years.
Population:
UK breeding:
46,000 pairs
Cattails sway about madly as extreme winds blow in behind a late autumn cold front. I love experiencing rapid weather changes brought on by storms. There's a feeling of disarray, both in the landscape and sky, as air masses collide. Vast amounts of energy are released in the process, an abundant source of creative motivation just waiting to be tapped.
Out in this open meadow, the gusty wind was whipping everything around me into a continuous blur. Very difficult to focus the eye on any one thing when everything is in motion. Photography truly becomes more of a shoot by feel process rather than one of looking through viewfinder. As is often the case, I'm responding more to how the scene makes me feel rather than how it actually looks.
The cattails delineate an impassable boundary for me. Stems from an irrational fear of snakes. Even as a child, I equated cattails with marshes and wetlands and a high probability of harboring snakes. Even with snakes in hibernation in this freezing cold air, the tangle of overgrowth and the certainty of sinking into mud in the still soft earth was more than enough to deter me. Still I lingered on the verge; the scene almost comically bleak, the sky a dark shade or murder gray.
fortune favours the prepared mind, and fortune favours those who work the hardest.
Michael Kenna
HFF! Science Matters!
water lily, sarah p duke gardens, duke university, durham, north carolina
Bright yellow clusters of Old Man of the Mountain (Hymenoxys grandiflora) bathe in morning light on the slope of Meadow Mountain, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.
The morning began at 5:00 and we reached the trailhead at 8,800 feet elevation just past 7:00. The early rise was to beat the heat so the steep, cross-country route through the forest would not be too insufferably hot for the lower elevation portion. The mountains also demand an early start to avoid being exposed when the probability of afternoon electrical storms begins to rise. Right from the trailhead, the route rises 2,400 feet in 2.2 miles and breaks out above the krummholz on the north slope of Meadow Mountain after 2 miles. At this point, I was delighted to find thick daubs of yellow dotting the alpine tundra, with Longs Peak towering to the north across the great expanse of Wild Basin.
After soaking in this view for a spell, the hour of the day called for sandwiches, a cup of tea, biscuits, and dried fruit before continuing onward and upward to the summit of Mount Saint Vrain (12,150 ft). The trail-less route then proceeds westward along what must be one of the most scenic ridge-walks in the Front Range before descending to meet Cony Creek and the trail back through the forested valley of Wild Basin. All told, the circuit is 13 extraordinary miles and 4,100 feet of climbing, about 7 miles route-finding off trail. Sometimes I do go to church on Sunday.
Mount Rainier is a large active stratovolcano in the Cascade Range of the Pacific Northwest, located in Mount Rainier National Park about 59 miles (95 km) south-southeast of Seattle. With a summit elevation of 14,411 ft (4,392 m), it is the highest mountain in the U.S. state of Washington and the Cascade Range, the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous United States, and the tallest in the Cascade Volcanic Arc.
Due to its high probability of eruption in the near future, Mount Rainier is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world, and it is on the Decade Volcano list. The large amount of glacial ice means that Mount Rainier could produce massive lahars that could threaten the entire Puyallup River valley. According to the United States Geological Survey, "about 80,000 people and their homes are at risk in Mount Rainier's lahar-hazard zones."
Between 1950 and 2018, 439,460 people climbed Mount Rainier.
Approximately 84 people died in mountaineering accidents on Mount Rainier from 1947 to 2018
Nisqually Vista, Washington, United States
Kestrel - Falco tinnunculus (M)
The common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is a bird of prey species belonging to the kestrel group of the falcon family Falconidae. It is also known as the European kestrel, Eurasian kestrel, or Old World kestrel. In Britain, where no other kestrel species occurs, it is generally just called "the kestrel".
This species occurs over a large range. It is widespread in Europe, Asia, and Africa, as well as occasionally reaching the east coast of North America.
Kestrels can hover in still air, even indoors in barns. Because they face towards any slight wind when hovering, the common kestrel is called a "windhover" in some areas.
Unusual for falcons, plumage often differs between male and female, although as is usual with monogamous raptors the female is slightly larger than the male. This allows a pair to fill different feeding niches over their home range. Kestrels are bold and have adapted well to human encroachment, nesting in buildings and hunting by major roads. Kestrels do not build their own nests, but use nests built by other species.
Their plumage is mainly light chestnut brown with blackish spots on the upperside and buff with narrow blackish streaks on the underside; the remiges are also blackish. Unlike most raptors, they display sexual colour dimorphism with the male having fewer black spots and streaks, as well as a blue-grey cap and tail. The tail is brown with black bars in females, and has a black tip with a narrow white rim in both sexes. All common kestrels have a prominent black malar stripe like their closest relatives.
The cere, feet, and a narrow ring around the eye are bright yellow; the toenails, bill and iris are dark. Juveniles look like adult females, but the underside streaks are wider; the yellow of their bare parts is paler. Hatchlings are covered in white down feathers, changing to a buff-grey second down coat before they grow their first true plumage.
Data from Britain shows nesting pairs bringing up about 2–3 chicks on average, though this includes a considerable rate of total brood failures; actually, few pairs that do manage to fledge offspring raise less than 3 or 4. Compared to their siblings, first-hatched chicks have greater survival and recruitment probability, thought to be due to the first-hatched chicks obtaining a higher body condition when in the nest. Population cycles of prey, particularly voles, have a considerable influence on breeding success. Most common kestrels die before they reach 2 years of age; mortality up until the first birthday may be as high as 70%. At least females generally breed at one year of age; possibly, some males take a year longer to maturity as they do in related species. The biological lifespan to death from senescence can be 16 years or more, however; one was recorded to have lived almost 24 years.
Population:
UK breeding:
46,000 pairs
“King Genius meanwhile offered Trurl a cup of ion mead, wondrously carved with curves of probability and the subtle play of quantum waves. Trurl quaffed it down, then snapped his fingers, whereupon the third machine stepped out into the center of the cave, bowed low and said, in a voice that was tonic, euphonic, and most electronic:
This is the story of how the Great Constructor Trurl, with the aid of an ordinary jug, created a local fluctuation, and what came of it”...
Stanislaw Lem THE CYBERIAD
Mittags werden in Barmstedt Temperaturen von 17° (gefühlt: 20°) erwartet. Es werden Brisen (28km/h) aus Westen mit Böen (43km/h) erwartet. Es kommt zu Niederschlagsmengen von 0,1l/m², die Niederschlagswahrscheinlichkeit beträgt 4% und die Luftfeuchtigkeit 63%.
(mehr dazu bei www.wetter.de)
At noon temperatures of 17 ° (felt: 20 °) are expected in Barmstedt. Breezes (28km / h) from the west with gusts (43km / h) are expected. There is precipitation of 0.1l / m², the probability of precipitation is 4% and the humidity is 63%.
---------------------------------
Dieser Brillenpelikan macht es richtig :-)
This Australian pelican is doing it right :-)
The Hellnar church was built in 1945 on a picturesque site where a church was first raised in 1833.
Hellnar is an ancient fishing village, a cluster of old houses and buildings situated close to Arnarstapi on the westernmost part of the Snæfellsnes peninsula, Iceland.
Although Hellnar village used to be a major port of call for fishing vessels and the largest and busiest centre of fishing and fishing vessels in Snæfellsnes, there were also a few farms in and around Hellnar village along with quite a few semi-permanent and short-stay living quarters for seamen and the migrating workforce. Hellnar village can in all probability trace its function as a major port of call back to the Middle Ages, and the oldest written source of it being describes as a fishing port dates back to 1560.
Kestrel - Falco tinnunculus (Male)
The common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is a bird of prey species belonging to the kestrel group of the falcon family Falconidae. It is also known as the European kestrel, Eurasian kestrel, or Old World kestrel. In Britain, where no other kestrel species occurs, it is generally just called "the kestrel".
This species occurs over a large range. It is widespread in Europe, Asia, and Africa, as well as occasionally reaching the east coast of North America.
Kestrels can hover in still air, even indoors in barns. Because they face towards any slight wind when hovering, the common kestrel is called a "windhover" in some areas.
Unusual for falcons, plumage often differs between male and female, although as is usual with monogamous raptors the female is slightly larger than the male. This allows a pair to fill different feeding niches over their home range. Kestrels are bold and have adapted well to human encroachment, nesting in buildings and hunting by major roads. Kestrels do not build their own nests, but use nests built by other species.
Their plumage is mainly light chestnut brown with blackish spots on the upperside and buff with narrow blackish streaks on the underside; the remiges are also blackish. Unlike most raptors, they display sexual colour dimorphism with the male having fewer black spots and streaks, as well as a blue-grey cap and tail. The tail is brown with black bars in females, and has a black tip with a narrow white rim in both sexes. All common kestrels have a prominent black malar stripe like their closest relatives.
The cere, feet, and a narrow ring around the eye are bright yellow; the toenails, bill and iris are dark. Juveniles look like adult females, but the underside streaks are wider; the yellow of their bare parts is paler. Hatchlings are covered in white down feathers, changing to a buff-grey second down coat before they grow their first true plumage.
Data from Britain shows nesting pairs bringing up about 2–3 chicks on average, though this includes a considerable rate of total brood failures; actually, few pairs that do manage to fledge offspring raise less than 3 or 4. Compared to their siblings, first-hatched chicks have greater survival and recruitment probability, thought to be due to the first-hatched chicks obtaining a higher body condition when in the nest. Population cycles of prey, particularly voles, have a considerable influence on breeding success. Most common kestrels die before they reach 2 years of age; mortality up until the first birthday may be as high as 70%. At least females generally breed at one year of age; possibly, some males take a year longer to maturity as they do in related species. The biological lifespan to death from senescence can be 16 years or more, however; one was recorded to have lived almost 24 years.
Population:
UK breeding:
46,000 pairs
planning the august 12, 2026 total solar eclipse in northern spain. using ai to visualize potential scenarios but would love input from people with real eclipse photography experience.
key challenges:
sun only 8-10° above horizon at totality
need elevated position with clear western view
want dramatic foreground (mountains, architecture)
weather probability (august in spain = good, but coastal vs. inland?)
current candidates:
santiago de peñalba (valle del silencio)
león cathedral area
picos de europa
sistema ibérico mountains
coastal locations?
what i'm looking for:
bracketing strategy for corona + landscape
recommended focal lengths (thinking 50mm + 100-400 (teleconverter?) mm)
experiences from 2017/2024 us eclipses?
spanish astro photographers to connect with?
any advice appreciated. 6 months to plan!
I tried to explain to this friendly relative of Bunny Bun Bun that it was quite dangerous to graze on the clover in the yard due to it being out in the open and the high probability of Hawk visitation so eventually it sped off for cover. :)
MacPro was dead. The repair fee was said to be 150,000 yen by Apple japan. Nah I repair at 150,000 JPY, I’ll select iMac 5K. Because I don’t like black trash can. And I chose Skylake i7 6700K and 500 GB of SSD replace it. I don’t place data on the boot drive. Put it on an external HDD. And make a clone with C.C.C. on an external HDD not usually connected. The probability that a drive not connected to a machine, break risk is very low. I also have NAS. However, the data transfer rate is a donkey. Mac / PCs It is not important. It sells without limit in such a thing everywhere sides. The DATA. This is not sold anywhere. Lost, if it crashed, it is game over. You’ll hear 10 counts.
My One drive of Microsoft has 1 TB. My iCloud Is 50 GB, iCloud is too much Violently expensive.
Boot drive is enough 256GB something.
IFIXIT shipped double sided tape and several tools. I’m an old member here.
The old soldier has gone. R.I.P. MacPro…
Nene
[A thousand points of yellow stamens. View large.] Starting with minimalist Monday, this will be a series of the tiny flowers that I've found in the last year (or 23 as the case may be). The tiny flowers are the most difficult to photography: when they're waxy and ill defined, almost impossible. Most, but not all, are in clusters like today's selection, Ceanothus.
Ceanothus is a genus of about 50–60 species of nitrogen-fixing shrubs and small trees in the buckthorn family (Rhamnaceae). Common names for members of this genus are buckbrush, California lilac, soap bush. What I'm posting is, in all probability, the California lilac.
The genus is native to North America with the highest diversity on the western coast.
I have found these in the wild, and the most surprising thing is that, unlike the lilac of my youth, there is no smell to this one. Each flower is about an eighth of an inch, and there are at least 800 in these three clusters.
Forcast: 60% probability of Snow Geese with heavy accumulations, at times. Local squalls of geese will create poor visibility. Urge caution when flying.
Kestrel - Falco tinnunculus (Juv)
Double click
The common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is a bird of prey species belonging to the kestrel group of the falcon family Falconidae. It is also known as the European kestrel, Eurasian kestrel, or Old World kestrel. In Britain, where no other kestrel species occurs, it is generally just called "the kestrel".
This species occurs over a large range. It is widespread in Europe, Asia, and Africa, as well as occasionally reaching the east coast of North America.
Kestrels can hover in still air, even indoors in barns. Because they face towards any slight wind when hovering, the common kestrel is called a "windhover" in some areas.
Unusual for falcons, plumage often differs between male and female, although as is usual with monogamous raptors the female is slightly larger than the male. This allows a pair to fill different feeding niches over their home range. Kestrels are bold and have adapted well to human encroachment, nesting in buildings and hunting by major roads. Kestrels do not build their own nests, but use nests built by other species.
Their plumage is mainly light chestnut brown with blackish spots on the upperside and buff with narrow blackish streaks on the underside; the remiges are also blackish. Unlike most raptors, they display sexual colour dimorphism with the male having fewer black spots and streaks, as well as a blue-grey cap and tail. The tail is brown with black bars in females, and has a black tip with a narrow white rim in both sexes. All common kestrels have a prominent black malar stripe like their closest relatives.
The cere, feet, and a narrow ring around the eye are bright yellow; the toenails, bill and iris are dark. Juveniles look like adult females, but the underside streaks are wider; the yellow of their bare parts is paler. Hatchlings are covered in white down feathers, changing to a buff-grey second down coat before they grow their first true plumage.
Data from Britain shows nesting pairs bringing up about 2–3 chicks on average, though this includes a considerable rate of total brood failures; actually, few pairs that do manage to fledge offspring raise less than 3 or 4. Compared to their siblings, first-hatched chicks have greater survival and recruitment probability, thought to be due to the first-hatched chicks obtaining a higher body condition when in the nest. Population cycles of prey, particularly voles, have a considerable influence on breeding success. Most common kestrels die before they reach 2 years of age; mortality up until the first birthday may be as high as 70%. At least females generally breed at one year of age; possibly, some males take a year longer to maturity as they do in related species. The biological lifespan to death from senescence can be 16 years or more, however; one was recorded to have lived almost 24 years.
Population:
UK breeding:
46,000 pairs
Get your week off to a running start and have a great one.
Immutable law
"Law of Probability
The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act."
Sunshine and shade
More snowdrops. (And in all probability there will be even more.)
I wanted to capture the light playing on this clump of snowdrops. But I also wanted a soft effect for this shot.
So I used a wide aperture (f3.2). This means that a few are in sharp focus, the rest are blurry and dreamy; some are in sunlight, some in dappled shade. Executed as planned.
P103-5090 Taken at: Scouring Burn, Perth, Scotland
Norfolk in the far east of England is renowned for its large skies. When we stayed in Norfolk for a week in April 2022 the skies were full of the sound of jet aircraft, which in all probability were F35s from nearby RAF Marham where there is a pilot training facility.
Norfolk is the fifth largest county in England at over 2,000 square miles, and is primarily rural with only five major towns of which the largest is the city of Norwich. In the centuries before the Norman Conquest the wetlands of the east of the county began to be converted to farmland, and settlements grew in these areas. By the time of the Domesday Book it was one of the most densely populated parts of the British Isles.
During the Middle Ages the county developed arable agriculture and woollen industries. Norfolk's prosperity at that time is evident from the county's large number of medieval churches. Out of an original total of over one thousand some 659 have survived, more than in any other county in Britain and the greatest concentration in the world.
During the Second World War agriculture rapidly intensified, and it has remained very intensive since, with the establishment of large fields for growing cereals and oilseed rape (pictured).
With the signalman poking his head out of the window to get a better look, class 76 no. 76046 eases its train of coal-laden mineral wagons down the grade and into Hadfield station.
The train, for my tastes, was the best of all options - a front-end uncluttered with the connector cables used by those units modified for multiple working, and a rake of the 'old style' 16t mineral wagons with a guard's van - for sure a visual step up from the more economical (from BR's perspective) but more sterile Merry-Go-Round trains.
The third neg from the recently scanned strip of six, I was intrigued as to why I'd only captured the edge of the signal box and can only put it down to either sloppy composition or, in an unusually enlightened moment, deciding I wanted to incorporate more of the village in the frame. A greater probability it was the former but, while it's not the best frame I've ever taken, at least it gives a flavour of the Woodhead in the 70s at this particular spot.
Ilford FP4 rated at 160asa, developed in Acutol.
17th November 1977
Sparrowhawk - Accipiter Nisus
Though it is a predator which specialises in catching woodland birds, the Eurasian sparrowhawk can be found in any habitat and often hunts garden birds in towns and cities. Males tend to take smaller birds, including tits, finches, and sparrows; females catch primarily thrushes and starlings, but are capable of killing birds weighing 500 g (18 oz) or more.
The Eurasian sparrowhawk is found throughout the temperate and subtropical parts of the Old World; while birds from the northern parts of the range migrate south for winter, their southern counterparts remain resident or make dispersive movements. Eurasian sparrowhawks breed in suitable woodland of any type, with the nest, measuring up to 60 cm (2.0 ft) across, built using twigs in a tree. Four or five pale blue, brown-spotted eggs are laid; the success of the breeding attempt is dependent on the female maintaining a high weight while the male brings her food. The chicks hatch after 33 days and fledge after 24 to 28 days.
The probability of a juvenile surviving its first year is 34%, with 69% of adults surviving from one year to the next. Mortality in young males is greater than that of young females and the typical lifespan is four years. This species is now one of the most common birds of prey in Europe, although the population crashed after the Second World War. Organochlorine insecticides used to treat seeds before sowing built up in the bird population, and the concentrations in Eurasian sparrowhawks were enough to kill some outright and incapacitate others; affected birds laid eggs with fragile shells which broke during incubation. However, its population recovered after the chemicals were banned, and it is now relatively common, classified as being of Least Concern by BirdLife International.
The Eurasian sparrowhawk's hunting behaviour has brought it into conflict with humans for hundreds of years, particularly racing pigeon owners and people rearing poultry and gamebirds. It has also been blamed for decreases in passerine populations. The increase in population of the Eurasian Sparrowhawk coincides with the decline in House Sparrows in Britain. Studies of racing pigeon deaths found that Eurasian sparrowhawks were responsible for less than 1%. Falconers have utilised the Eurasian sparrowhawk since at least the 16th century; although the species has a reputation for being difficult to train, it is also praised for its courage. The species features in Teutonic mythology and is mentioned in works by writers including William Shakespeare, Alfred, Lord Tennyson and Ted Hughes.
Male Eurasian sparrowhawks regularly kill birds weighing up to 40 g (1.4 oz) and sometimes up to 120 g (4.2 oz); females can tackle prey up to 500 g (18 oz) or more. The weight of food consumed by adult birds daily is estimated to be 40–50 g (1.4–1.8 oz) for males and 50–70 g (1.8–2.5 oz) for females. During one year, a pair of Eurasian sparrowhawks could take 2,200 house sparrows, 600 common blackbirds or 110 wood pigeons. Species that feed in the open, far from cover, or are conspicuous by their behaviour or coloration, are taken more often by Eurasian sparrowhawks. For example, great tits and house sparrows are vulnerable to attack. Eurasian sparrowhawks may account for more than 50% of deaths in certain species, but the extent varies from area to area.
Males tend to take tits, finches, sparrows and buntings; females often take thrushes and starlings. Larger quarry (such as doves and magpies) may not die immediately but succumb during feather plucking and eating. More than 120 bird species have been recorded as prey and individual Eurasian sparrowhawks may specialise in certain prey. The birds taken are usually adults or fledglings, though chicks in the nest and carrion are sometimes eaten. Small mammals, including bats, are sometimes caught but insects are eaten only very rarely.
Social distancing is a new action in our everyday life just now and is intended to stop or slow down the spread of a contagious disease. As each day goes by and we all adhere to the message, then we will reduce the probability of contact between persons carrying an infection, and others who are not infected, so as to minimize transmission. Stay safe my flickr friends. This is a archive photo taken in Largs on the west coast of Scotland in 2011 as I'm self isolating at the moment.
Le probabili impossibilità sono da preferire alle improbabili possibilità.
Aristotele, IV sec. a.e.c
Non c'è nessuna elaborazione o manipolazione in questa foto: un alberello è riuscito a nascere perpendicolarmente ad un muro di mattoni... e a dimostrare come la tenacia possa superare le probabilità avverse.
Buona serata :)
#ramo #albero #bramch #odds #cielo #sky #muri #case #probability #chaos #caso #probabilità #leaves #foglie #italia
From a trip to Italy, long time before the pandemic.
Leica M6, probability Summicron 35 mm.
FP4 in Rodinal.
Bromoil 24 x 30, on Rollei Retro, matt. (Looks and feels like Foma)
Digital borders.
Last, and by no means least, the Puffin wreck.
SS Kaffir Ayr’s Clyde puffer wreck.
There is plenty of farce, mystery and dubious elements to the tale behind the Clyde puffer which went aground in September 1974.
It was on 22 September that her engineer illegally took her, complete with load of coal, out of Ayr harbour, after dark.
A story in Keith McGinn’s fabulous book Last Of The Puffermen has it that, on that night, the boat’s skipper and deckhand were sitting in the pub waiting on said engineer’s arrival, when the pilot, having finished his duty, came in and was surprised to find them there.
He observed that the Kaffir – whose name, it should be noted, is a racial slur – had been seen with her navigation lights on, maneuvering about the docks.
All three ran down to the on-duty pilot and watched as the puffer zig-zagged around the docks.
READ MORE: Whisky Galore. The true story of the SS Politician
McGinn writes, “The police and coastguard were telephoned. The pilot boat was launched. The pilot, police and skipper went out to try and intercept the puffer. Unfortunately they were too late. The Puffer had run aground.
“The police arrested the only man on board… the engineer. The skipper wanted to try and save the boat but it was a falling tide and a slight swell was running, the probability was that she was holed.”
And what was the engineer’s explanation, when he was questioned? That he had arrived on board early, made a cup of tea and fallen asleep, woken two hours later and assumed the skipper and deckhand must be on board and turned in, and set off. Once he did so, though, he didn’t have a clue, on leaving the harbour, what direction to go in, and when he found the skipper was absent, panicked.
Clearly he was not believed – for he was charged with piracy, found guilty and given a jail sentence.
Nevertheless he always maintained his innocence, saying, it was not his “job to go round the pubs looking for the skipper”.
Despite efforts to refloat her the following day, her stern gear had been damaged and she was eventually written off as a total loss, though 118 tons of coal was salvaged. Pounded by the sea for nearly four decades, she is now split in two. The puffer’s plating has deteriorated and the wheelhouse no longer survives, but she remains now as a much-photographed landmark in the sea.
Taken from The Herald, By Vicky Allan
Off on another adventure... sometimes we catch light, sometimes we don't. My general rule is explore when the probability is high, and relax when it's low.
If you search "Valencia Cathedral" on Google, the first suggestion of a query will be "Is the Holy Grail in Valencia?". Well, apparently, yes. The Vatican even confirmed that with a high probability the cup stored in the Cathedral served Jesus.
All rights reserved
___________________
More about this image sumfinity.com/hdr-photos/spain/valencia/cathedral-spain/
Under the ceasefire agreement, Israel would allow 600 aid trucks into Gaza per day, but Israel has now reduced it to 300 trucks per day, citing delays in retrieving bodies of Israeli captives buried under the rubble by Israeli attacks.
--- www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2025/10/16/on-world-food-day-i...
16/10/2025
▪️▪️▪️▪️
Eglwys Fair, Dinbych-y-pysgod - gwaith Karl Parson,/ St Mary's, Tenby - the work of Karl Parson
"This window fulfils the dual functionality of a tender memorial to Lieut-Col H.M. Henderson yet one that ‘lives’ thus imbuing the church with light and hope.[1] Redeeming the unknown, and in all probability, unpleasant nature of the soldier’s premature death, Parsons creates a window riffing on the themes of promise, resurrection and paradise." www.visitstainedglass.uk/location/church-of-st-mary-tenby...
Den Titel der meist von mir fotografierten Werbelok hält die 193 555 von Alpha Trains inne. Der für TXLogistik fahrende Vectron in seinem roten Camouflage-Design gefällt mir außerordentlich gut und fährt mir - nach anfänglichen Anlaufschwierigkeiten - auch außerordentlich oft vor die Linse. Hier gibt es noch weitere Kandidaten, wie die "Oma Liesel" und neuerdings der "Wald", die mir gefühlt bei jeder Tour begegnen, während andere Werbeloks anscheinend einen großen Bogen um mich machen. Statistiker und Berechner von Wahrscheinlichkeiten hätten bei Betrachtung der Thematik vermutlich große Freude. Gefreut habe ich mich jedenfalls auch am 01. März 2022, als die 193 555 mit dem komplett beladenen DGS 43155 nach Verona Q.E. aus dem Waldstück zwischen Reischenhardt und Brannenburg gefahren kam und von mir fotografisch umgesetzt werden konnte.
The 193 555 from Alpha Trains holds the title of the most photographed advertising locomotive. The Vectron in its red camouflage design, which runs for TXLogistik, appeals to me extraordinarily well and - after initial difficulties - is also in front of my lens extraordinarily often. There are other candidates here, such as "Oma Liesel" and, more recently, the "Wald", which I seem to encounter on every tour, while other advertising locomotives seem to give me a wide berth. Statisticians and calculators of probabilities would probably have a lot of fun looking at this topic. In any case, I was also pleased on 01 March 2022, when the 193 555 came out of the woods between Reischenhardt and Brannenburg with the fully loaded DGS 43155 to Verona Q.E. and could be photographed by me.
In the Kenroku-en Garden Kanazawa, 'one of the most beautiful landscaped gardens in Japan'. The garden was teeming with visitors at this time the probability of capturing a moment like this was minuscule. But there we are. The image shows Kenroku-en Garden itself was scintillating.
I've been desperate to get out with my camera over the holiday but when I've had the opportunity the weather has been so flat and grey. This morning was looking promising though and checking the tide times for the Thames, low tide was almost exactly at the same time as sunset so the probability of a slack tide was looking good. Wasn't expecting to have the photography gods smile on me quite so well though :-)
Kestrel - Falco tinnunculus (m)
The common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) is a bird of prey species belonging to the kestrel group of the falcon family Falconidae. It is also known as the European kestrel, Eurasian kestrel, or Old World kestrel. In Britain, where no other kestrel species occurs, it is generally just called "the kestrel".
This species occurs over a large range. It is widespread in Europe, Asia, and Africa, as well as occasionally reaching the east coast of North America.
Kestrels can hover in still air, even indoors in barns. Because they face towards any slight wind when hovering, the common kestrel is called a "windhover" in some areas.
Unusual for falcons, plumage often differs between male and female, although as is usual with monogamous raptors the female is slightly larger than the male. This allows a pair to fill different feeding niches over their home range. Kestrels are bold and have adapted well to human encroachment, nesting in buildings and hunting by major roads. Kestrels do not build their own nests, but use nests built by other species.
Their plumage is mainly light chestnut brown with blackish spots on the upperside and buff with narrow blackish streaks on the underside; the remiges are also blackish. Unlike most raptors, they display sexual colour dimorphism with the male having fewer black spots and streaks, as well as a blue-grey cap and tail. The tail is brown with black bars in females, and has a black tip with a narrow white rim in both sexes. All common kestrels have a prominent black malar stripe like their closest relatives.
The cere, feet, and a narrow ring around the eye are bright yellow; the toenails, bill and iris are dark. Juveniles look like adult females, but the underside streaks are wider; the yellow of their bare parts is paler. Hatchlings are covered in white down feathers, changing to a buff-grey second down coat before they grow their first true plumage.
Data from Britain shows nesting pairs bringing up about 2–3 chicks on average, though this includes a considerable rate of total brood failures; actually, few pairs that do manage to fledge offspring raise less than 3 or 4. Compared to their siblings, first-hatched chicks have greater survival and recruitment probability, thought to be due to the first-hatched chicks obtaining a higher body condition when in the nest. Population cycles of prey, particularly voles, have a considerable influence on breeding success. Most common kestrels die before they reach 2 years of age; mortality up until the first birthday may be as high as 70%. At least females generally breed at one year of age; possibly, some males take a year longer to maturity as they do in related species. The biological lifespan to death from senescence can be 16 years or more, however; one was recorded to have lived almost 24 years.
Population:
UK breeding:
46,000 pairs