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Now isn't that an absolutely heavenly scene inside the forest! I am on a morning jungle walk following a boat ride on the East Rapti river in the Chitwan National Park in Nepal. (see previous pictures earlier in this album). I was surprised at the barren trees at that time of the year- it is the fag end of the monsoon and I was expecting the trees to be pretty lush. Beautiful though the scene may be, I was surprised when the guide told me that the water is not supposed to be there- it is accumulated rain water from last night's heavy downpour. Sadly, most of the fauna had gone deep into the forest thanks to the said thunderstorm, so we saw nothing really, barring a solitary deer (which we will see as we go along- see subsequent pictures in this album) and those couple of critters we saw from the boat. (see previous pictures earlier in this album). (Sauraha, Chitwan, Nepal, Oct/ Nov. 2019)
I am on a morning jungle walk following a boat ride on the East Rapti river in the Chitwan National Park in Nepal. (see previous pictures earlier in this album). I was sometimes finding it difficult to keep up with my guide due to the thick foliage, slippery mud trails and the scores of tree roots which kept getting in the way- trip on one of them and I would have gone sprawling, heavy dSLR camera round my neck and all. Water was also dripping constantly from the trees and I was very wary of encountering snakes on the way- fortunately we didn't see any. The Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands cover about 20% of the area of the Chitwan National Park. More than 50 species are found here including some of the world's tallest grasses like the elephant grass called Saccharum ravennae, giant cane (Arundo donax), khagra reed (Phragmites karka) and several species of true grasses. Kans grass (Saccharum spontaneum) is one of the first grasses to colonise new sandbanks and to be washed away by the yearly monsoon floods. (Sauraha, Chitwan, Nepal, Oct/ Nov. 2019)
Relaxing on the beach on a mandatory 1 hr 20 min halt on the island of Kho Lawa Yai at the end of the Ao Phang Nga National Park speedboat tour- known more popularly as the James Bond tour off Phuket, Thailand. There was really nothing much to do on this pretty long halt, and most of our group members have wandered off anyway. I got talking to a newly wed doctor couple from northern India and was trying to help them bring their brand new Canon camera back to life as it was not focusing. A short while later, I had to leave them alone- newly weds as they are so courtesy demands I let them have their privacy- so after enjoying a corn on the cob and a strong cup of coffee, I sat down to enjoy the fresh air and look at the other people frolicking on the beach. The coffee lady took this picture of me on the beach. Our tour is officially over now- once we leave this place, we will reach Phuket in about an hour. Koh Lawa Yai is part of the Ao Phang Nga National Park, notes about which appeared earlier in this album. (see previous pictures). (Phuket, Thailand, Oct/ Nov. 2019)
Vaso Island is part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway and is national parkland. The photo was taken from the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historic Park, which is a distinct National Park Service unit, not part of the Parkway. Vaso Island is not accessible by land. Photo by Kevin Borland.
A selfie before the majestic tusker in Chitwan. This is actually the 'elephant parking lot' in Sauraha, a town which adjoins the Chitwan National Park, and this magnificent animal (and a handful of others) are used to take visitors on the famous Chitwan elephant-back safari. More and more ethical visitors are fortunately opting out of the elephant back safaris (constant riding by humans permanently damages the elephant's back, leaving it invalid for life) and are opting for the increasing number of jeep safaris instead. I was amazed at the length of this fellow's tusks. Indeed a truly magnificent animal, too bad he is a captive beast. Well, looking at the bright side, that probably saves him from poaching. (Sauraha, Chitwan, Nepal, Oct/ Nov. 2019)
A trophy buck (Blacktailed deer) is spotted through the lush foliage in a temperate rainforest near Vancouver, Canada.
A lot of people already about at Ko Mai Pai island or Bamboo Island, despite our boat seeming to be the only one to have called on the island at the time. This lot has probably been dropped off here already. Bamboo Island, known as Koh Pai in Thai, is the most north-easterly island of Phi Phi Archipelago in the southern Thai province of Krabi. One website says, lying approximately five km off the northern tip of Koh Phi Phi Don, Bamboo Island is a stunning tropical hots pot which is reputed to offer the perfect getaway from the crowds as, despite the fact a few tours from Phuket make a stop here after lunch, the island is most of the time never too crowded. Hmmm, well I beg to differ. looking at the crowd already here. Measuring roughly 600 mtr wide by 700 mtr long, the island is almost shaped like a heart and is entirely surrounded by a strip of white sand. Its central part is covered with lush vegetation, mostly including Casuarinas trees. A couple of blogs do refer to bamboo trees but frankly I could not spot any bamboo, despite the island's name of Bamboo Island. On the north-eastern side of the island, under the shade of the trees, a small bar serves drinks and snacks. I had a coffee at this place- it's not a bar actually, it's just a shack selling tea, coffee and snacks, and some booze. (Phuket, Thailand, Oct/ Nov. 2019)
This Horned Puffin was one of just three we saw near Marble Island, Glacier Bay, Alaska on 19 July 2016.
The team are working together to taking soil samples that shall be used to calculate the carbon stocks.
Photo by Aulia Erlangga/CIFOR
If you use one of our photos, please credit it accordingly and let us know. You can reach us through our Flickr account or at: cifor-mediainfo@cgiar.org and m.edliadi@cgiar.org
I am on the Ao Phang Nga National Park speedboat tour, known more popular as the James Bond Islands tour, out of Phuket, Thailand. We have just made our second halt of the day at Ko Hong, for a spot of kayaking. In fact sea kayaking at Phang Nga Bay is considered to one of the not to be missed activities in Phuket. Today's speedboat tour has a bit too rough and ready for my liking as there were many spots where getting off and onto the boat was difficult, especially this one here, where you have to transfer from your speedboat onto an incredibly unstable and rocking rubber kayak and then find your balance and sit down without tumbling into the sea! Ouch! Fortunately, I live to tell the tale. There are several low caves at Ko Hong like the ones you see in the distance, so part of the thrill of kayaking here is to go through some of those caves. With three pax per kayak, including the boatman, it's actually quite unnerving to be in the middle of the sea and gliding gently on the turquoise waters, knowing fully well that one wrong move and down into the sea you go. (Phuket, Thailand, Oct/ Nov. 2019)
This is where the Gulf Branch meets the Potomac along the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Hikers can follow Gulf Branch down a steep descent to reach the Potomac Heritage Trail. Photo by Kevin Borland.
This photograph is of one of the best restored Mayan pyramids at Tikal, Guatemala.
Background Information
Tikal was one of the major cultural and population centers of the Maya civilization. Though monumental architecture at the site dates to the 4th century BC, Tikal reached its apogee during the Classic Period, ca. 200 AD to 900 AD, during which time the site dominated the Maya region politically, economically, and militarily while interacting with areas throughout Mesoamerica, such as central Mexican center of Teotihuacan. There is also evidence that Tikal was even conquered by Teotihuacan in the 4th century A.D. Following the end of the Late Classic Period, no new major monuments were built at Tikal and there is evidence that elite palaces were burned. These events were coupled with a gradual population decline, culminating with the site’s abandonment by the end of the 10th century.
Photo by Kevin Borland. Text from Wikipedia.
AI-Generated Photography Critique: Technical Clarity/Focus (4); Composition (5); Color (5); Interestingness (7); Overall Satisfaction (5); Total = 26
Misión cumplida
Olympus E-3
ZD 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 ED SWD
Aperture Priority Mode
f/5.6
ISO 400
112mm
1/60
Metering: Spot
White Balance: Cloudy
No HDR
Marbled Murrelet, Glacier Bay, Alaska. 19 July 2016.
Marbled Murrelet is abundant on Glacier Bay, and is a very close relative of the less-common Kittlitz's.
CIFOR scientists and partners from the Indonesian Ministry of Marine and Fisheries install a sedimentation and carbon stock measurement tool called the Rod Surface Elevation Table Marker Horizon (RSET-MH) in various sites along the Pulau Dua coastline.
Photo by Aulia Erlangga/CIFOR
If you use one of our photos, please credit it accordingly and let us know. You can reach us through our Flickr account or at: cifor-mediainfo@cgiar.org and m.edliadi@cgiar.org
Apparently I'm not the only one sick and tired of the large crowd on Ko Mai Pai or Bamboo Island, near Phuket, Thailand! Rather pissed at the number of tourists on the island, I decided to take a walk around the island just to get away from it all. I am on the Phi Phi Islands speedboat tour out of Phuket, Thailand and this is our first post lunch stop- the penultimate one on the trip before we conclude the tour a couple of hours later. So walking around after stopping for a coffee at the shack elsewhere on the island, I noticed these two people, secluded in a quiet corner, far away from the crowds. At first glance I thought they were meditating, and so not to disturb them, I kept as quiet as possible. Turned out they were texting. Not wanting to intrude into their privacy, I took this quick shot and move on. Notes about the Ko Mai Pai or Bamboo Island as well as detailed notes about the Phi Phi Islands National Park appeared earlier in this album. (see previous pictures). (Phuket, Thailand, Oct/ Nov. 2019)
The team are working together to taking soil samples that shall be used to calculate the carbon stocks.
Photo by Aulia Erlangga/CIFOR
If you use one of our photos, please credit it accordingly and let us know. You can reach us through our Flickr account or at: cifor-mediainfo@cgiar.org and m.edliadi@cgiar.org
Other than measuring sedimentation and elevation changes, scientists are also tasked to compile data regarding vegetation of surrounding area so that they could also learn about vegetation colonization within the area.
Photo by Aulia Erlangga/CIFOR
If you use one of our photos, please credit it accordingly and let us know. You can reach us through our Flickr account or at: cifor-mediainfo@cgiar.org and m.edliadi@cgiar.org
Clear turquoise waters of the Andaman Sea at Pi Leh Bay which is close to Maya Bay in the Phi Phi islands cluster. Sadly, these waters and the general marine environment here are at great risk due to over tourism- in fact thanks to over tourism, the beaches at Maya Bay have already been closed to tourists till at least 2021, though scores of boats still call there to let tourists swim in those islands- sun screen and other chemicals and all. (see previous pictures earlier in this album). Notes about the Pi Leh Bay and the Phi Phi Islands national park appeared earlier in this album. (see previous pictures). Thanks to the long halt at Maya Bay, this halt at Pi Leh was fortunately a relatively short one and so it's time to move on again onwards to the next destination. (Phuket, Thailand, Oct/ Nov. 2019)
Mangroves, sandy beach and sedimentation soil.
Photo by Aulia Erlangga/CIFOR
If you use one of our photos, please credit it accordingly and let us know. You can reach us through our Flickr account or at: cifor-mediainfo@cgiar.org and m.edliadi@cgiar.org
Prosper Sabongo a PHD student measures the circumference of a Funtunia Africana in the forest reserve near the village of Masako. Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Photo by Ollivier Girard/CIFOR
If you use one of our photos, please credit it accordingly and let us know. You can reach us through our Flickr account or at: cifor-mediainfo@cgiar.org and m.edliadi@cgiar.org