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A stoop's fowl protection.
DeKalb County (Avondale Estates), Georgia, USA.
25 August 2019
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From my most recent / still in process collection "The Golden Age".
more pictures here: juanpablotavera.blogspot.mx
The Castro Verde is an absolutely magical area. The rolling Steppe habitat comes to life in Spring and a whole range of colours can be seen. The landscapes are open and rolling, making the sky look big and wide. The region does not receive many visitors and are very tranquil. In spring the land comes to life with the sound of Blackbirds, Calandra Larks, Quail too name but a few. I was lucky to see Great Bustard, Little Bustard, Spanish Imperial Eagle, Lesser Kestrel, Lesser-Short-toed Lark, Thekla Lark, Nightingale, Melodious Warbler were just some of the birds I added to my list in this region. I also saw an Iberian Hare. It is a great place to relax in.
1. Special Protection Area (SPA) Castro Verde
This vast area (790 square kms) of rolling steppe land is a complete contrast to the Algarve and highly recommended for a day trip, being only around an hour’s drive north. Comprising the largest expanses of the steppic grassland plains in Portugal that form a mosaic with wide savannah-like open Holm Oak montado woodlands. Throughout the year the whole area is absolutely enchanting, both for its birds and the outstanding scenery that never fails to induce a vow to return. This seemingly never-ending wilderness is lush and liberally coated with wildflowers in the winter and spring, while in the summer and autumn the area becomes extremely arid and often desert-like. The SPA Castro Verde is one of the most important areas in Europe for sought after species like Lesser Kestrel, Great and Little Bustards and Black-bellied Sandgrouse. The area also supports a great diversity and high density of raptors, which includes nearly all of Portugal’s breeding species.
What to see when, around Castro Verde
During spring and early summer the best grasslands resound with the impressionable sound of Calandra Larks and the incredibly abundant Corn Buntings, while Montagu’s Harriers, Lesser Kestrels and Black Kites arrive to breed in quantity and become common birds in these pristine habitats. Great and Little Bustards display in early spring the latter being at its easiest to see at this time of year. Short-toed, Booted and Bonelli’s Eagles all breed in the general area and use the grasslands as regular hunting grounds. Other species that breed in this region include Stone-curlew, Great Spotted Cuckoo, European Roller, European Bee-eater, Pallid Swift, Woodlark, Short-toed, Crested and Thekla Larks, Tawny Pipit, Crag Martin, Black-eared Wheatear, Rufous-tailed Scrub Robin, Cetti’s, Great Reed and Melodious Warblers, Woodchat and Southern Grey Shrikes, Golden Oriole and Spanish Sparrow as well as the omnipresent Azure-winged Magpies and Hoopoes.
Both Collared Pratincole and Gull-billed Terns occur in the area regularly and sometimes breed, depending on the water levels at key sites. In an undisclosed area Spanish Imperial Eagles have recently set up territories and by employing great care and patience they can often be seen soaring over the area. Simon supplies all his observations to the team that is monitoring this exciting re-establishment. Eurasian Black and Eurasian Griffon Vultures use the area almost daily on their searches for carrion, involving birds of a non-breeding age and one cannot help but prophesise the eventual colonisation of the Eurasian Black Vulture in this admirably suitable area.
Outside the breeding season the absence of the summer visitors is compensated by the arrival of an array of winter birds that join the many attractive resident species, including the omni-present bustards, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Calandra Larks and resident raptors. Red Kites occupy in considerable numbers and its not at all unusual to see over 30 individuals are in a day, Hen Harriers hunt over the grasslands in good numbers too while the occasional Peregrine or Merlin add further interest to the raptors. Eurasian Black and Eurasian Griffon Vultures are more regularly seen outside the breeding season, as are Spanish Imperial Eagles due to dispersal of younger birds from Spain. Golden Eagle is more wide ranging at this time of year too and 1st year birds are often recorded. Large numbers of wintering Lapwing and Golden Plover settle here and Skylarks and Meadow Pipits become truly abundant. Around 1000 Common Cranes occur, often feeding on fallen acorns in the open Holm Oak woodlands from late October to March (the highest count in the winter of 2007-8 revealed 1300 inds)
This region is well worth visiting all the year round but during the incredibly hot July and August, when birding is often uncomfortable and the heat-haze can make for frustrating viewing, seriously early starts are recommended. On these days we can include a short afternoon visit to Castro Marim (see “Wetlands”). For the most enthusiastic, a 2-3 day tour is ideal and can be easily arranged together with attractive and economic accommodation in the area. This will give ample time for the more difficult species and permit a deeper appreciation of this superb area.
Access in the SPA Castro Verde
Important information (particularly relevant to the observation of Great Bustard):
It is thanks to the Liga da Proteção da Natureza (LPN www.lpn.pt) for the continued existence of high quality steppic habitats in this region. In 1993 the LPN purchased 5 properties in this area (total: 1700ha.) at a time when the whole region was under imminent threat of becoming forested with non-native eucalyptus forest. This would have meant the loss of one of the most important areas of its kind in Europe. Not only did the LPN manage to prevent this from happening on land they purchased but also, through a successful lobby, actually caused a complete turn around within the government and achieved SPA status for the whole area in 1993. The LPN continue to work with the implementation of wide-ranging nature protection projects, notably a long-term program centred on the conservation of the pseudo-steppe habitats within the SPA; “ O Programa Castro Verde Sustentavel”.
Unfortunately, excessive pressure from visiting birdwatchers in recent years has driven the LPN to prohibit free access onto their land (all entrances have large green gates labelled LPN and usually clear signs depicting a design with a Little Bustard’s head and a tractor). These gates should always be closed but as some local farmers tend to leave them open it encourages un-informed birders to just drive in. (Always close them if you see them open!). Due to the increasing numbers of visiting birdwatchers and the proximity of the tracks to Great Bustard leks some disturbance has been unavoidable. Sadly, a few people have even walked across managed habitats in the breeding season, usually in attempts to get closer photographs. Because of this, the LPN have desperately been trying to halt access onto their land - this has been difficult because of lenient Portuguese laws and also because local farmers need to have access to their land by thoroughfare. There has even been a recent case of attempted egg collecting (not birders), which was investigated by the local police and Interpol.
Great Bustards will just not tolerate approach within at least 500 metres and if they are displaying any disturbance of this nature will cut down display time and consequently, reduce their breeding success. As the LPN is almost solely responsible for the dramatic increase in this, by far the largest Great Bustard population in Portugal, these recent trends have become a cause for concern and are counter-productive to their ongoing habitat management etc. Understandably, some birdwatchers just do not realise the consequences of pushing too close and making these creatures fly - just once a day in the breeding season can have a marked effect on their population. The great majority of birdwatchers don't mean to be selfish but in actual fact one cannot closely approach these birds without disturbance. If you should be lucky enough to encounter Great Bustards outside of the LPN land, please observe the following:
Great Bustard observation code as practiced and encouraged by the LPN
1.Keep to an absolute minimum distance of 5-600 metres when at all possible.
2. Stay part of the car - ie; get out but don’t separate one-self visually.
3. Stay on tracks
4. Keep movements very gentle and be very quiet
5. Keep observations to less than around 20 mins
6. Drive away slowly
In this way one can enjoy the Great Bustards without making them nervous
LPN Castro Verde Environmental Education Centre:
“Centro de Educação Ambiental de Vale Gonçalinho”
Simon strongly suggests to anyone visiting the area for the first time to make a visit to this centre; it’s an ideal way to start the day being only some 10 mins drive north-east from Castro Verde.
Tel: (00351) 286 328 309 (Usually closed on Sundays and Mondays).
One can visit this centre freely from 9am - 5 pm. There are free walking trails here that are very good for Little Bustard, European Roller, Lesser Kestrel and Calandra Lark and to a lesser extent, Great Bustard and Black-bellied Sandgrouse. The charming staff speak excellent English and will give birdwatching advice for the whole region, including details of recent interesting sightings.
Books and T-shirts etc. are available for purchase in the small
shop, as well as a selection of free informative leaflets (donations welcome!).
At the centre one can easily become a member of the non-profit making LPN and help them with their many conservation projects. Through advance booking, the LPN will take small groups (up to 6) to see the wildlife of the region including the Bustards etc. Note that as over the years Simon has led voluntary trips for members of the LPN and SPEA and regularly supplies data from the region, he has a special arrangement for entering some LPN land in the SPA Castro Verde.
To reach the Centro de Educação Ambiental de Vale Gonçalinho:
Take the Beja road (IP2) from Castro Verde - soon one will see an adjacent (the old road) road to the right. Get on this at the first opportunity at around 2.5 kms from Castro Verde. Continue in the Beja direction and after around another 2 kms a well-made track to the right is clearly signposted for the centre. Drive down here for approx 1 km (looking out for Calandra Larks and Little Bustards!)
until you come to a long white building - you are at the centre.
Some conservation dependent species of the SPA Castro Verde
The Castro Verde region is the most important area in Portugal for a number of rare and endangered birds that depend totally or partially on extensive steppic habitats. The sustainability of these depends largely on man’s influence. The major threats are; intensification of agriculture through modern farming methods, the reduction of traditional grazing pastures and afforestation. Below is some general information and up to date facts and figures about the conservation of some of the most important species that are found in the Castro Verde region and its environs.
Great Bustard
According to an extensive and rigorous survey of the Great Bustard population in Portugal in 2005 this fabulous species recently suffered some small extinctions in a couple of areas but had increased overall. This increase is largely due to the existence of one large high-quality area – the SPA Castro Verde. Here the total number of 1,093 individuals counted in 2005 represents nearly 80% of the Portuguese total – a marked increase since the last major census in 2002 when 912 individuals were detected. Countrywide, the major threats to Great Bustard in Portugal were identified as; agricultural intensification, afforestation as well as collision with power lines, illegal hunting and road building. In the Castro Verde region, where the LPN works with local farmers to achieve environmentally sustainable agricultural practices and habitat management, the main cause for concern are power lines – 19 Great Bustards were found to have collided with them between October 2004 and September 2005. Undoubtedly the Castro Verde region is as good as anywhere in the world for observing this shy and vulnerable species although due to its extreme sensitivity, especially during the breeding season it is imperative that visiting birdwatchers respect access rules to private land and follow the observation code set out by the LPN (see above).
Citation: Leitão, D; Jolivet, C; Rodriguez, M and Tavares, J., eds Bustard Conservation in Europe in the last 15 Years: current trends, best practices and future priorities. Birdlife International, 2006.
Little Bustard
The LIFE-nature funded project: “Project Tetrax – Conservation of Little Bustard in the Alentejo” included intensive surveys of both the breeding and wintering population. Also, and importantly, action plans with the co-operation of local farmers and central administration were developed. The breeding population census (2003-2005) showed that the SPA Castro Verde was by far the most important single area for this species, holding 3440 displaying males. Data collected also revealed densities as high as 9.8 males per 100 hectares, which is the highest recorded anywhere and further highlights the crucial importance the area has for grassland species in general. As this survey forms a baseline for future monitoring it is not yet possible to conclude an actual trend for the Little Bustard population in Portugal, although the initial results indicate a substantial increase in comparison to previous fieldwork. It is likely however, that the increased coverage and the high data quality collected during this project have largely clouded any reliable comparison with the past. As with many steppe-land species the main threats identified during Project Tetrax were agricultural intensification and afforestation. If these changes to land use are not halted it is believed, despite the present large population in Portugal that Little Bustard could be threatened with extinction in the short to medium term.
Citation: Leitão, D; Jolivet, C; Rodriguez, M and Tavares, J., eds Bustard Conservation in Europe in the last 15 Years: current trends, best practices and future priorities. Birdlife International, 2006.
Lesser Kestrel
Due to drastic reductions in the breeding populations of this charming falcon the Lesser Kestrel is considered an endangered species. The LPN has been working closely with this species throughout Portugal since 1993 when the national population had hit a low of less than 150 pairs. Now, thanks to the efforts of the LPN there are over 450 breeding pairs in Portugal and are still increasing. Presently, the SPA Castro Verde holds over 70% of the country’s population. Between 2002 and 2006 the LPN launched a Life-nature project: “Re-establishment of the Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanii) in Portugal”. Among the many actions taken by the LPN the provision of new nesting sites and the improvement of old ones have benefited this colonially nesting species. Meanwhile, ongoing deals with landowners that promote friendly farming practices have substantially increased the amount of insect prey so important to this migratory falcon. During the project’s 4 years the incredible figure of 2797 juveniles were ringed and preliminary understanding indicates that most of these return to their birthplace.
Citation: Henriques, I & Alcazar, R. 2006. Um olhar sobre o Peneiriero-das-torres (Falco naumanii) do projecto LIFE-Natureza Peneiriero-das-torres – “Recuperação de Peneiriero-das-torres (Falco naumanii) em Portugal. LPN, Lisboa, Portugal.
Black-bellied Sandgrouse
This is another scarce species that is entirely restricted to large and undisturbed areas of steppe-type habitats. Again this bird’s stronghold in Portugal is the SPA Castro Verde, which holds more than half of the total national population. There are now believed to be more Black-bellied Sandgrouse than previously thought in Portugal, although the population is almost certainly less than 1000 individuals. It is an extremely difficult species to census – a recent study in the region of Morão in central-east Portugal revealed that over 300 individuals are now known to be resident. A reliable census of their situation in the whole of Portugal is awaited. The Black-bellied Sandgrouse is a notoriously elusive species that demands, maybe more than any other in the region, previous experience in order to be seen. The usual view is of small groups in flight that are flushed unknowingly by the observer, their atmospheric flight calls giving them away. Views on the ground, if at all, are nearly always at great distance as this bird will usually get up and fly on approach to within 1 km. only to settle even further away!
Montagu’s Harrier
The first Montagu’s Harriers return to the SPA Castro Verde to breed from as early as late February where they occupy most of this enormous area. From mid-March this easily seen raptor becomes quite literally abundant and due to its apparent lack of fear, delights observers as they quarter at low level over the grasslands and cereal crops of the region. In a single day it is not unusual to see 20 different individuals. Thanks to LPN’s efforts with the local farmers their habitat has improved in recent years and their nest sites protected from machinery during harvest time, which often coincides with the times that unfledged young are still in the nest. Interestingly, a pair of Marsh Harriers has been breeding in similar cereal-steppe habitats, which is quite normal in Eastern Europe but practically unheard of in the west where they are almost exclusively confined to reedbeds.
European Roller
Only around 100 pairs breed in Portugal, being much more scarce than many visitors imagine. The European Roller has suffered considerable declines over much of its range and once again, the decline of suitable habitat due to modern agricultural practices is the key factor. This much sought after species is a staggeringly colourful migrant and flight views never fail to leave an unforgettable impression on the observer. The SPA Castro Verde has the highest density of breeding pairs in the country, partly due to the placement of nest boxes and breeding walls for Lesser Kestrel by the LPN in suitable habitat and partly because of the ideal conditions that this area presents. It is a fairly late migrant, the first birds tending to arrive around the 1st week of April with occasional sightings considerably earlier. The European Roller, despite its colours is not always easy to see and is absent from many apparently suitable areas. A visit to a known breeding site is the most reliable method!
Calandra Lark
This, the largest of all larks is another specialist of the interior arid areas of Portugal where it is rather patchily distributed. The winter flocks can comprise of many 100’s of birds while in late winter these split up to occupy favoured sites. Even in the breeding season Calandra Lark is gregarious – breeding in loose colonies when it is normal to witness the memorable sight and sound of various birds in slow-motion song flight at their favoured spots. Their distinctive sounds are an integral part of the best habitats in the region and one will find that their presence coincides with other sought-after species of the region. Short-toed Larks, Tawny Pipits and Black-eared Wheatears often occupy the same areas as this species.
Common Crane
A large proportion of the European wintering population resides in central-western Iberia with most occupying favoured areas in the Spanish Extramadura. Portugal receives its portion though, confined mainly to central-eastern areas on the Spanish border and around Castro Verde. Well over 1000 Common Cranes winter in the SPA Castro Verde, arriving in numbers around late October and leaving by mid-March. Despite their numbers it is rather difficult to find them in their preferred feeding areas below the extensive Holm Oak montado woodlands, where they feed on fallen acorns. The best strategy for success is to stakeout one of their roosting sites, with care not to cause any interruptions that can cause considerable stress when incoming groups are settling. The sight and sound of wild Common Cranes assembling to roost must be one of the most awe-inspiring spectacles that nature has to offer.
Black-shouldered Kite
The stronghold in Europe for this enchanting raptor are the interior wooded plains of the western Spanish Extramadura and its natural continuation in Portugal’s Alentejo. In winter they can sometimes be seen hunting over the open plains of the Castro Verde region but this is not their breeding habitat. This is a bird of savannah-like Holm Oak montado-type woodland interspersed with cereal crops. This habitat forms a large part of the SPA Castro Verde and well-travelled visitors to the area in the dry season often comment on its uncanny resemblance to the African savannah. Although quite a common resident species it is becoming apparent that after the breeding season, many birds vacate the searing heat of mid-summer. It is then, that they often hunt in the periphery of wetlands and other cooler coastal areas of the Alentejo and especially, in the Lisbon region. By mid-autumn most of the local breeders are back in territory and are usually easily seen from then and to the end of the breeding season.
BITH'S JUKEBOX #139
MASSIVE ATTACK "PROTECTION"
Drop a coin in the slot to hear Tracey Thorn (EBTG) live on Top Of The Pops.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFhICIUBlCk
Massive Attack make their fourth appearance on The Jukebox.
Boone County Fire Protection District volunteers in Columbia, Missouri. Photography by Notley Hawkins. Taken with a Canon EOS R5 camera with a Canon RF24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM lens at ƒ/5.6 with a 1/1000-second exposure at ISO 320. Processed with Adobe Lightroom CC.
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:::EXPLORER::: Thank you friends ☺
♦♦ Highest position: 340 on Friday, December 26, 2008 ♦♦
Happy week to all my friends. Xmas are coming... = D Hope everyone enjoy this Holidays. Hugs and bless.
Dedicated to Carolina ☺ "TQM mi bella amiga".
I know you want to live yourself
But could you forgive yourself
If you left her just the way
You found her
I stand in front of you
I'll take the force of the blow
Protection
dedicated to S and J..
good luck to you both....................xxxx
[+2 inside]
Come quando a una certa età il corpo si allunga e cambia forma e la mente resta un passo indietro, e tanto più il corpo si allunga tanto più la mente resta in basso, in bilico tra la gola e l’esofago. Io mi sono allungata "quel tanto che bastava" e la mente mi è rimasta in bocca e i pensieri uscivano e restavano intatti, così com’erano stati pensati. Io pensavo di essermi opposta per niente, che le mie proteste erano state vane. Io pensavo, pensavo, e forse è questo il mio problema, penso troppo. Avrei voluto una manopola per abbassarmi almeno il volume dei pensieri, ma sulla spalla avevo già il punto in cui mi nasce il desiderio, per la manopola non c’era posto. Ho iniziato a d i v i d e r m i. Una Sara voleva protezioni sui gomiti e sulle ginocchia e sulla testa, per smetterla di sbattere contro ogni spigolo. Una Sara voleva protezioni contro se stessa, ma a volte quello che ti dovrebbe proteggere ti uccide, come in certi incidenti in cui la cintura di sicurezza ti imprigiona all’automobile che affonda, come in certi incidenti in cui l’airbag ti rompe in due punti.
Anche adesso. Sono rimasta alta uguale ma sono cresciuta dentro e mi sto stretta. Io non volevo crescere più di così, mi chiedevo, ma a cosa serve? Crescere più di così vuol dire solo avere più responsabilità, e io riesco a malapena a prendermi cura di me stessa, figuriamoci del resto.
Vorrei protezione. Sono una testimone senza protezione, non ho segreti se non le cose che non so di me. Vorrei protezione da me stessa, sono pericolosa a me e agli altri e andrei rinchiusa in un abbraccio. Vorrei protezione per quando cadrò dal filo su cui sto camminando, che è fatto di speranze sul punto di infrangersi. Vorrei un recinto elettrificato per proteggermi dalle intrusioni della tristezza. Vorrei un fucile per proteggermi dalle invasioni di chi ti entra sottopelle e poi ti lascia priva di tono e lacerata, esposta all’infezione della mancanza.
Sono cresciuta in fretta una volta e mi si sono smagliate le gambe, sono cresciuta in fretta di nuovo e mi si sono smagliati i pensieri e sono lividi.
Vorrei rifare quello che non ho fatto qualche anno fa, e mi affido al mio viso giovane per ingannare il calendario, me stessa, gli altri.
Korsika - Bonifacio
Bonifacio (/bəˈniːfɑːtʃoʊ/; Italian pronunciation: [boniˈfaːtʃo]; French: [bɔnifasjo]; Corsican: Bunifaziu, [buniˈfatsju]; Bonifacino: Bunifazziu; Gallurese: Bunifaciu) is a commune at the southern tip of the island of Corsica, in the Corse-du-Sud department of France.
Bonifacio is the setting of Guy de Maupassant's short story "Vendetta".
The French leg of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series takes place in Bonifacio.
Bonifacio is located directly on the Mediterranean Sea, separated from Sardinia by the Strait of Bonifacio. It is a city placed on the best and only major harbour of the southern coast and also is a commune covering a somewhat larger region including the offshore Isles Lavezzi, giving it the distinction of being the southernmost commune in Metropolitan France. The commune is bordered on the northwest by the canton of Figari and has a short border on the northeast with the canton of Porto-Vecchio. The combined border runs approximately from the Golfe de Ventilegne on the west to the mouth of the Golfu di Sant'Amanza on the east. The coastline circumscribed by the two points is about 75 kilometres (47 mi). Highway N198 runs north along the east coast and N196 along the west.
The islands are part of the French portion, 794.6-square-kilometre (196,300-acre), of the international Bouches de Bonifacio ("Strait of Bonifacio") marine park, a nature reserve, signed into legal existence by France and Italy in 1993 for the protection of the strait against passage of ships bearing dangerous chemicals, and implemented in France by a ministerial decree of 1999 detailing the land to be included in the réserve naturelle de Bouches de Bonifacio for the preservation of wild birds, other fauna and flora, fish and nature in general.
The southern coast in the vicinity of Bonifacio is an outcrop of chalk-white limestone, precipitous and sculpted into unusual shapes by the ocean. Slightly further inland the limestone adjoins the granite of which the two islands, Sardinia and Corsica, are formed. The port of Bonifacio is placed on the Bay of Bonifacio, a drowned ravine of a fjord-like appearance separated from the ocean by a finger-like promontory 1,500 meters (4,900 ft) long and 200 meters (660 ft) wide. In prehistoric post-glacial times when sea levels were low and the islands were connected, the ravine was part of a valley leading to upland Corsica. The maximum draught supported by the harbour is 3.5 meters (11 ft), more than ample for ancient ships and modern small vessels.
The city of Bonifacio is split into two sections. The vieille ville (old town), or la Haute Ville (the Upper city), on the site of a citadel, is located on the promontory overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The citadel was built in the 9th century with the foundation of the city. The Citadel has been reconstructed and renovated many times since its construction and most recently was an administrative center for the French Foreign Legion. Today it is more of a museum. Historically most of the inhabitants have resided in the Haute ville under the immediate protection of the citadel. The harbour facilities and residential areas below, la marine, line the narrow shelf of the inlet and extend for some distance up the valley, giving the settlement a linear appearance and creating a third residential section limited by St. Julien on the east.
The city and its fortifications also extend for some distance along the cliff-tops, which are at about 70 meters (230 ft) elevation. The cliffs have been undercut by the ocean so that the buildings, which have been placed on the very lip of the precipice, appear to overhang it. The appearance from the sea is of a white city gleaming in the sun and suspended over the rough waters below.
Bonifacio has two prehistoric sites of some importance: the ancient cave shelter of Araguina-Sennola near the village of Capello on Route N96 just north of the city and a chambered tomb of Vasculacciu further north near Figari. The first is the site of the notable Lady of Bonifacio, a female burial carbon-dated to about 6570 BC, which is either late Mesolithic or Early Neolithic, and the second belongs to the Megalithic Culture and is dated to the Middle Neolithic. The alignment of the two and the extensive use of chert from Monte Arci in Sardinia shows that the Bay of Bonifacio was a route to inland Corsica from the earliest times.
The only record of southernmost Corsica in Roman times comes from the geographer Ptolemy. He reports the coordinates of Marianum Promontory and town, which, plotted on a map, turn out to be the farthest south of Corsica. After listing the peoples of the east coast he states that the Subasani (ancient Greek Soubasanoi) were "more to the south."
The people do not appear subsequently and the town and promontory have not been identified, nor do any Roman roads point to it. The only official road, the Via Corsica, ran between the Roman castra of Mariana and Aleria on the east coast and further south to Pallas, according to the Antonine Itinerary. Ptolemy places Pallas unequivocally on the east coast north of Marianum. Although unrecorded tracks and paths to the far south are possible, it is unlikely they would have carried any significant Roman traffic.
Maritime traffic through the strait however was significant and it could hardly have neglected the fine harbour at Bonifacio. The most popular choice for Marianum Promontory therefore is Cape Pertusato, southernmost point of Corsica island, about 9 kilometers (6 mi) east of the harbor, with Bonifacio itself as Marianum town. A second possibility would be the first century AD Roman ruins adjoining Piantarella Beach near the village of Ciappili and next to the grounds of Sperone golf course, a recreational suburb to the west of Bonifacio, but those ruins appear to represent a Roman villa and the beach though eminently suitable for recreation is of little value as a port. More likely the villa belonged to a citizen of Bonifacio as Marianum.
Corsica was taken from the Roman Empire in 469 AD by Genseric, king of the Vandals, and recovered by the Eastern Empire in 534. The Lombards having taken it again in 725, Charlemagne cleared them out by 774 and handed the island over to the Papacy, which had been the most powerful complainant of the island's devastation by Germanics. Starting in 806 the Moors of Spain began to contend for the island and held it for a short time but in 828 the Papacy assigned its defense to the margrave of Tuscany, a powerful state of the Holy Roman Empire nominally under the Kingdom of Italy.
The city in evidence today was founded as a fortress by and subsequently named after Boniface II of Tuscany in 828. He had led a naval expedition to suppress the Saracens of North Africa and returned to build an unassailable fortress and naval base from which the domains of Tuscany could be defended at the outermost frontier. Most of the citadel postdates the 9th century or is of uncertain date but Il Torrione, a round tower, was certainly part of the original citadel.
(Wikipedia)
Bonifacio (prononcé en français : [bɔnifasjo], en italien : [boniˈfaːtʃo]; en corse : Bunifaziu ou Bunifazziu selon le dialecte bonifacien) est une commune française située dans la circonscription départementale de la Corse-du-Sud et le territoire de la collectivité de Corse. Elle appartient à l'ancienne piève de Bonifacio dont elle était le chef-lieu.
Bonifacio, située à l'extrême sud de la Corse, est la commune française la plus méridionale de la France métropolitaine.
Au sud, les Bouches de Bonifacio séparent la Corse de la Sardaigne italienne.
Elle constitue après Porto-Vecchio la deuxième agglomération de l'Extrême Sud de la Corse, qui s'étend depuis Bonifacio jusqu'à Sari-di-Porto-Vecchio au nord et Monacia-d'Aullène à l'ouest en passant par Figari et son aéroport.
Dès 1833, les terrains néogènes de Bonifacio sont signalés par J. Reynaud dans une note publiée dans les Mémoires de la Société géologique de France (n° 20). « L'âge des couches de Bonifacio correspondant très probablement au calcaire moellon du Midi et à la mollasse des Martigues, de Cucuron et de Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux ». En 1886, l'îlot de Néogène de Bonifacio est soigneusement étudié par Pérou (n° 114) qui en donne la description suivante :
« Tantôt les premières assises disparaissaient, affleuraient ou étaient supérieures au niveau actuel de la mer ; qu'en de nombreux endroits l'érosion les avait totalement enlevées en ne laissant que le substratum de granite, et cela aussi bien sur les bords de la mer, par exemple, entre les ruisseaux de Canalli et de Balava, qu'à l'intérieur des terres, entre les collines de Sappa et de Finocchio. »
— D. Hollande in Géologie de la Corse, Bulletin de la Société des Sciences historiques et naturelles de la Corse - Éditeur Veuve Ollagnier Bastia, janvier 1917 p. 237-238.
Les sédiments du Néogène de Bonifacio forment à l'extrémité sud de la Corse un plateau élevé entre 60 et 80 mètres, d’une superficie de 60 km2, reposant en plein sol granitique. La mer a fortement rongé, miné à la base cet immense bloc ; les constructions élevées sur le bord des falaises « donnent l'impression d'une chute prochaine, bien qu'un tel état des choses dure depuis des siècles et ne trouble en rien la quiétude des habitants. ». La surface de ce plateau est découpée par des fentes, de petites vallées, qui la transforment en une table mamelonnée à monticules s'élevant jusqu'à 80 mètres au-dessus du niveau de la mer. La falaise que domine le phare de Capo Pertusato comprend essentiellement des mollasses graveleuses et des calcaires blancs.
Les sédiments néogènes de Bonifacio comprennent sept couches avec fossiles identifiés1, qui sont de haut en bas :
De l’Helvétien : 7 - Des calcaires assez tendres, grisâtres ; 6 - Des calcaires blancs subcrayeux ; 5 - Des calcaires durs, jaunâtres ou d'un gris blanc ;
Du Burdigalien : 4 - Des marnes ou des marno-calcaires ; 3 - Des calcaires verdâtres et des marnes sableuses, grises, ocreuses, quelquefois à grains de granite, où les fossiles sont nombreux ; 2 - Des calcaires ou des marno-calcaires ; 1 - Des lits de galets, de gravier et de sable.
L'origine de la ville actuelle de Bonifacio n'est pas vraiment connue avec précision, mais des dates approximatives indiquent sa refondation entre 828 et 833 par Boniface II de Toscane qui lui donna son nom actuel. L'histoire attestée de Bonifacio remonte en 1195 mais la ville fut colonisée par les Génois qui imposèrent à la ville des modifications militaires structurelles importantes (et qui créèrent la citadelle actuelle).
Comme tous les ports de commerce, son histoire a été relativement mouvementée notamment par un conflit guerrier entre Pise et Gênes, ces deux républiques se disputant avec acharnement sa citadelle qui était un maillon stratégique militaire et un complexe portuaire sans égal en Corse. Dans un premier temps, Pise fut maîtresse des lieux jusqu'à la fin du XIIe siècle.
Le roi Alphonse V d'Aragon, maintint en 1420 un siège pendant cinq mois avant de baisser les armes face à l'intouchable cité qu'était Bonifacio.
Bonifacio a subi au cours des siècles, de multiples attaques ; mais la plus terrible fut celle de la peste qui en 1528 fit plus de 4 300 morts dans la cité qui à cette époque comptait 5 000 habitants. Les murailles imprenables se révélèrent inutiles face à ce fléau. La chapelle Saint-Roch, à l'entrée de la ville, reste un témoignage de la fin de cette sombre période. On y fait toujours une procession qui rappelle que c'est en ce lieu, où est mort le dernier Bonifacien atteint de la maladie, avant la fin de la peste.
En 1553, encore très affaiblie par le passage de la peste, Bonifacio subissait une nouvelle attaque et dut se rendre à Dragut, un ancien corsaire turc dont on dit qu'il avait été commandité par le Maréchal des Thermes. La ville assiégée capitula pour la première fois et fut mise au pillage.
Le roi François Ier de France prend possession d'une ville détruite et dépeuplée que les Français commencent à reconstruire, mais qui, en vertu du traité de paix passé en 1559, est cédée à la République de Gênes.
(Wikipedia)
Bonifacio (korsisch: Bunifaziu) ist eine Hafenstadt an der südlichen Spitze der französischen Mittelmeerinsel Korsika (Département Corse-du-Sud) mit 3118 Einwohnern (Stand 1. Januar 2017). Sie gab der Straße von Bonifacio genannten Meerenge zwischen Korsika und der zwölf Kilometer entfernten Insel Sardinien ihren Namen.
Bonifacio ist die südlichste Gemeinde des Départements Corse-du-Sud und der Insel Korsika. Der Ort teilt sich in zwei Gebiete: die Ville haute (Oberstadt) genannte mittelalterliche Altstadt und die Marina im Hafenbereich. Die Ville haute liegt auf einer 900 Meter langen, schmalen, parallel zur Küste verlaufenden Landzunge aus Kalk- und Sandstein, der Île de Fazio, die an ihrer Seeseite aus einer durchschnittlichen Höhe von 70 Metern faktisch senkrecht zum Meer hin abfällt. An der Landseite der Landzunge ist eine fjordartige Bucht (französisch Calanque) in den Kalkstein eingeschnitten, die einen gut geschützten Naturhafen bildet. Dort fällt das Kalksteinplateau weniger steil zum Wasser hin ab. Der Naturhafen dient gleichzeitig als Fischerei- und Yachthafen. Des Weiteren ist Bonifacio ein Zentrum der Handelsschifffahrt und des Fährverkehrs mit der benachbarten Insel Sardinien sowie des Fremdenverkehrs, insbesondere in den Sommermonaten.
Die offizielle Gründung Bonifacios geht auf das Jahr 828 und den toskanischen Grafen Bonifacio II. zurück. Archäologische Funde belegen allerdings, dass die Gegend bereits in frühgeschichtlichen Zeiten besiedelt war. 1187 gelang es den Genuesern mit einer List die Stadt einzunehmen. Abgesehen von einer Unterbrechung in den Jahren von 1553 bis 1559 (Sampiero Corso) blieb Bonifacio bis 1768 in der Hand Genuas. Seit 1768 ist Bonifacio unter französischer Herrschaft. 1793 bereitete Napoleon hier die gescheiterte Invasion Sardiniens vor. Im Zweiten Weltkrieg wurde Bonifacio 1942 wie ganz Korsika von deutschen und italienischen Truppen besetzt.
Die auf einem halbinselartigen Felsplateau gelegene Altstadt von Bonifacio ist wohl eine der eindrucksvollsten im Mittelmeerraum. Das Plateau ist an seinem Fuß auf der Seeseite stark ausgewaschen, sodass die Häuser darauf fast wie auf einem Balkon stehen.
Die Altstadt, deren enge, kopfsteingepflasterte Straßen von vier- bis fünfstöckigen Häusern gesäumt werden, ist über eine Zugbrücke und einen im Zickzack angelegten Tunnel zur Zitadelle zu erreichen. Das Panorama, das sich von den zahlreichen Aussichtspunkten bietet, verdeutlicht, warum Bonifacio stets als Schutzhafen vor den unberechenbaren Witterungs- und Strömungsbedingungen in der Straße von Bonifacio angesteuert wurde. Es gibt ebenfalls den Blick auf die mit Häusern bebauten weißen Kalk- und Sandstein-felsen frei, an denen das Meer seit Jahrtausenden ununterbrochen nagt, so dass sich Grotten bildeten, die ein beliebtes Ausflugsziel sind. Im Westen der Altstadt liegt der alte Meeresfriedhof (Cimetière marin de Saint-François), der beinahe den Charakter einer eigenen kleinen Stadt aus unzähligen Mausoleen und Familiengruften aufweist.
Die einzigartige Lage machte die Stadt immer wieder zum Zentrum kriegerischer Auseinandersetzungen, weshalb sie im Laufe der Zeit zu einer Festung ausgebaut wurde.
Die Grotten sind Ziel der vom Hafen aus organisierten Bootsfahrten, während der auch die Klippen vom Meer aus bewundert werden können. Von dort gut zu sehen ist auch die sogenannte Treppe des Königs von Aragon, deren Stufen in den Stein gehauen von der Oberstadt bis zum Meer führen.
Entlang der Klippen bietet sich eine Wanderung von Bonifacio aus in Richtung Südosten bis zum südlichsten Punkt Korsikas an, dem Capo Pertusato. Von dort eröffnet sich eine schöne Aussicht auf die Stadt.
Die Gastronomiebetriebe im Hafen sind auf die Zubereitung fangfrischen Fisches spezialisiert.
Das bei jedem Wetter gut geschützte Hafenbecken liegt am Ende der schmalen „Calanque“ und bietet daher Segelyachten keine Gelegenheit zum Kreuzen. Die Einfahrt selbst ist schwer auszumachen, die Häuser der Altstadt auf dem Plateau im Osten sind gut zu erkennen.
Gut erkennbar ist der weiße, viereckige Turm mit dem Wohngebäude des Leuchtturms auf Cap Pertusato, der von Süden und Westen zu sehen ist. Aus Norden kommend, ist der weiße Leuchtturm mit schwarzer Galerie auf Cap de Feno die beste Landmarke. An den Klippen unterhalb der Altstadt sind der restaurierte Wachturm und in den Fels gehauenen Treppen (Treppe des Königs von Aragon) zu sehen.
(Wikipedia)
Strobist: AB800 open behind panel of white faux suede. AB800 with HOBD-W @ 1/4 power camera right. Reflector at 6:00. Triggered by Cybersync.
** View On Black** (Please Press "L")
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fl4q2WBCywg
When I'm feeling weak
And my pain walks down a one way street
I look above
And I know I'll always be blessed with love
And as the feeling grows
She breathes flesh to my bones
And when love is dead
I'm loving angels instead
And through it all she offers me protection
A lot of love and affection
Whether I'm right or wrong
And down the waterfall
Wherever it may take me
I know that life won't break me
When I come to call, she won't forsake me
I'm loving angels instead
© All rights reserved Anna Kwa. Please do not use this image on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit written permission.
I'm glad we ate and drank elsewhere. Don't know how the folk at the nearby cafés & bars could listen to this chap and his caterwauling. You wouldn't hear yourself drink.
Somormujo lavanco, Great crested grebe, Cabusó emplomallat, Podiceps cristatus. Adulto portando un pollo. We could see up to three chicks inside the parents plumage
Paxson, Chas., -1880,, photographer.
"Our protection"
[New York] : [Charles Paxson], [1864]
1 photograph : albumen print on card mount ; mount 11 x 7 cm (carte de visite format)
Notes:
Photograph shows freed slave children Rosina Downs, Charles Taylor, and Rebecca Huger, each wrapped in a portion of the U.S. flag.
Photographer's and children's names from another copy processed as LOT 14022, no. 139. DLC
Title from item.
Printed on verso: "The nett [sic] proceeds from the sale of these photographs will be devoted to the education of colored people in the Department of the Gulf, now under the command of Maj. Gen Banks" ; "All orders must be addressed to H.N. Bent, Station D, New York." DLC
Tax stamp on verso. DLC
Gift; Tom Liljenquist; 2016; (DLC/PP-2017:171, formerly deposit D072)
Forms part of: Liljenquist Family Collection of Civil War Photographs (Library of Congress).
Subjects:
African Americans--Children--1860-1870.
Freedmen--Louisiana--New Orleans--1860-1870.
Girls--1860-1870.
Boys--1860-1870.
Flags--American--1860-1870.
Format: Albumen prints--1860-1870.
Portrait photographs--1860-1870.
Group portraits--1860-1870.
Cartes de visite--1860-1870.
Rights Info: No known restrictions on publication.
Repository: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA, hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print
Part Of: Liljenquist Family collection (Library of Congress) (DLC) 2010650519
Higher resolution image is available (Persistent URL): hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ppmsca.41752
Call Number: LOT 14043-2, no. 187