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The Mallard, or Wild duck (Anas platyrhynchos[1]), probably the best-known and most recognizable of all ducks, is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and sub-tropical Americas, Europe, Asia, New Zealand (where it is currently the most common duck species), and Australia.
The male birds have a bright green head, while the female's is light brown. The Mallard lives in wetlands, eats water plants, and is gregarious. It is also migratory. The Mallard is the ancestor of all domestic ducks, and can interbreed with other species of genus Anas.[2] This interbreeding is causing rarer species of ducks to become genetically diluted.
The Mallard is 56–65 centimetres (22–26 in) long, has a wingspan of 81–98 centimetres (32–39 in), and weighs 0.9–1.2 kilograms (32–42 oz). The breeding male is unmistakable, with a bright green head, black rear end and a yellowish orange (can also contain some red) bill tipped with black (as opposed to the dark brown bill in females), and is also nature's most feared duck. The female Mallard is light brown, like most female dabbling ducks. However, both the female and male Mallards have distinct purple speculum edged with white, prominent in flight or at rest (though temporarily shed during the annual summer moult). In non-breeding (eclipse) plumage the drake becomes drab, looking more like the female, but still distinguishable by its yellow bill and reddish breast.
In captivity, domestic ducks come in wild-type plumages, white, and other colours. Most of these colour variants are also known in domestic Mallards not bred as livestock, but kept as pets, aviary birds, etc., where they are rare but increasing in availability.
A noisy species, the male has a nasal call, the female has a "quack" stereotypically associated with ducks.[3]
The Mallard is a rare example of both Allen's Rule and Bergmann's Rule in birds. Bergmann's Rule, which states that polar forms tend to be larger than related ones from warmer climates, has numerous examples in birds. Allen's Rule says that appendages like ears tend to be smaller in polar forms to minimize heat loss, and larger in tropical and desert equivalents to facilitate heat diffusion, and that the polar taxa are stockier overall. Examples of this rule in birds are rare, as they lack external ears. However, the bill of ducks is very well supplied with blood vessels and is vulnerable to cold.
The Supermarine Spitfire is probably one of the most recognizable and iconic aircraft in history, with a total production number of 20 351. As I have always been fond of it, I decided to give it a try, even though it is my very first propeller aircraft model.
About the aircraft
The history of the Spitfire started in 1934, with the first flight of the famous K5054 prototype taking place on 5th March 1936. After the initial delays, the first Spitfire Mk. Is started to reach the operational units in 1938, and since then the type became a stronghold of RAF fighter forces, with a number of substantial improvements being introduced over the whole duration of WWII. Most of these improvements were directly correlated with the development of another icon, the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. Consequently, 3 generations of Spitfires are commonly recognized: early Merlins (Merlins with a single-stage supercharger, Spitfires Mk. I, II, III, V, VI, and PR XIII), late Merlins (60 and 70 series Merlins with a two-stage supercharger, Spitfires Mk. VII – IX, PR X, PR XI, and Mk. XVI), and the last generation utilizing more powerful and heavier Rolls-Royce Griffon (Mk. IV, XII, XIV, XVIII, PR XIX, XX, 21-24). Among all those Marks, the Mk. IX and XVI were by far the most numerous, and their introduction was a major step in RAF’s capabilities. The idea for Mk. IX came out of necessity, as after the introduction of Focke-Wulf Fw 190 in late 1941 it became obvious that the then-standard Spitfire Mk. V was no match for the newest Luftwaffe addition. As the two-stage Merlin 61 became available, the Supermarine proposed to address this issue with an interim Mk. IX variant, which was basically Mk. V airframe fitted with the new engine. At the beginning, it was planned as just a short-term fix, with the revised Mk. VIII being the “ultimate” late-Merlin variant. However, the Mk. IX proved to be so successful that there was no point in disturbing its production lines, and it remained in production until the end of the war with constant upgrades being added (e.g. Merlin 66 engine). An interesting twist in the history of the Mk. IX is the Mk. XVI variant, which even though gained a new Mark number, differed only by the fact that instead of the British-built Merlin 66, its US licensed-built Packard Merlin 266 variant was utilized.
About the building process
The Spitfire is my very first propeller-driven aircraft, and it was basically an accident that I even started it. I was playing with some trans-clear canopy solutions and after one of the attempts I thought “Well, this looks like a Spitfire canopy”. As it turned out, it was perfectly scaled to my favorite 1:33 scale, so I had no choice but to continue. Still, the idea to make a WWII fighter was not new to me, as for years I’ve been a great fan of a number of different designs by other builders, so I’ve always wanted to have one for myself. As the Spitfire is an extremely common topic, it is impossible to mention all my inspirations. Still, by far the most prominent one was the Spitfire Mk. IX by Ed Diment, which even utilizes the same scale as mine. Another big inspiration was a much bigger Spitfire Mk. I by Lennart Cort. In fact, I had a very hard time deciding on the scale, as his 1:18 Spitfire looks so amazing it gave me second thoughts. Other, smaller designs, which were extremely useful for me, were the Spits by Dierett89, Sydag, BuildArmy, and picardbricks. As I mentioned before, the first part I got together was the canopy, followed by the engine section. Then, I got stuck a bit with the wings, as I really wanted to include the dihedral on them. Finally, I was able to slightly minimize the solution proposed by Nick Goodwin, which fitted nicely with the rest of the plane. The shape of the wings was also a bit painful to get right, but as I decided to go for the “clipped” wings, I didn’t have to make them fully elliptical, which made it much easier. The rest of the fuselage was quite easy. A big challenge overall was the very disappointing variety of dark green pieces, which I had to compensate for with the extensive amount of stickers. Here, the solution proposed by Maks in his Su-24
turned out to be very handy – I just had to use an awful lot of stickers from 76907 Lotus Evija set. I must say that the results look surprisingly good, as the colors match perfectly.
About the model
The model represents a Supermarine Spitfire LF. Mk.XVIe in a 1/33 scale. The camouflage is based on the aircraft currently stored in the Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków. It was produced in 1944 and served in the 421 Squadron of the Canadian Air Force (RCAF). In 1956 it was moved to the RAF museum in Hendon, having a short episode in the 1967 Battle of Britain film. Since 1977 it has been in the possession of the Polish Aviation Museum, where currently it is presented in the camouflage of the Polish 308 Squadron as TB995 ZF-O. The original aircraft of this designation was delivered to 308 Sqn. on 15th March of 1945, and the Squadron was mainly involved in the anti-V1 and V2 operations. As the Mk. XVI was introduced in 1944, there are so misconceptions about its configuration. Similarly to what happened to P-51 Mustang, the late Spitfire variants were fitted with the teardrop “bubble” canopy. Even though it was used in a number of different Marks, including Mk. IX, it is most commonly associated with Mk. XVI, as due to the shorter production, a much higher percentage of them received this upgrade. Still, the “razorback” Mk. XVIs were also quite common, being virtually indistinguishable from the standard Mk. IXs, which is the case for the TB995 ZF-O. As the model is significantly smaller than my usual jets, I wasn’t able to include as many working features as usual. Still, it has movable flaps, a working tail, and working landing gear.
I should advise you that the original photo was not taken by me and in all honesty I have no idea who the photographer was, if he or she comes across this work and does not like what I have done I will delete it, or if they like it I will recognize them.
The Stick-Together Families
The stick-together families are happier by far
Than the brothers and the sisters who take separate highways are.
The gladdest people living are the wholesome folks who make
A circle at the fireside that no power but death can break.
And the finest of conventions ever held beneath the sun
Are the little family gatherings when the busy day is done.
There are rich folk, there are poor folk, who imagine they are wise,
And they're very quick to shatter all the little family ties.
Each goes searching after pleasure in his own selected way,
Each with strangers likes to wander, and with strangers likes to play.
But it's bitterness they harvest, and it's empty joy they find,
For the children that are wisest are the stick-together kind.
There are some who seem to fancy that for gladness they must roam,
That for smiles that are the brightest they must wander far from home.
That the strange friend is the true friend, and they travel far astray
they waste their lives in striving for a joy that's far away,
But the gladdest sort of people, when the busy day is done,
Are the brothers and the sisters who together share their fun.
It's the stick-together family that wins the joys of earth,
That hears the sweetest music and that finds the finest mirth;
It's the old home roof that shelters all the charm that life can give;
There you find the gladdest play-ground, there the happiest spot to live.
And, O weary, wandering brother, if contentment you would win,
Come you back unto the fireside and be comrade with your kin.
Edgar A. Guest
Human Family
I note the obvious differences
in the human family.
Some of us are serious,
some thrive on comedy.
Some declare their lives are lived
as true profundity,
and others claim they really live
the real reality.
The variety of our skin tones
can confuse, bemuse, delight,
brown and pink and beige and purple,
tan and blue and white.
I've sailed upon the seven seas
and stopped in every land,
I've seen the wonders of the world
not yet one common man.
I know ten thousand women
called Jane and Mary Jane,
but I've not seen any two
who really were the same.
Mirror twins are different
although their features jibe,
and lovers think quite different thoughts
while lying side by side.
We love and lose in China,
we weep on England's moors,
and laugh and moan in Guinea,
and thrive on Spanish shores.
We seek success in Finland,
are born and die in Maine.
In minor ways we differ,
in major we're the same.
I note the obvious differences
between each sort and type,
but we are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.
We are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.
We are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.
Maya Angelou
With heartfelt and genuine thanks for your kind visit. Have a wonderful and beautiful day, be well, keep your eyes open, appreciate the beauty surrounding you, enjoy creating, stay safe and laugh often! ❤️❤️❤️
Mark Twain is very happy with this sunny day in the snow.
He is a Lagotto Romagnolo dog.
This is the only breed of dog that is officially recognized as specialized in truffle hunting.
Girl Scout Day recognizes and celebrates the Girls Scouts of the USA(GSUSA). This date celebrates the creation of the first Girl Scout group on March 12, 1912. On March 12, 1912 Juliette Gordon Low started the first Girl Scout group in Savannah Georgia with 18 girls. The Girls Scouts became a national organization, and was chartered by the U.S. Congress on March 16, 1950. Today, there are millions of girls involved with Girl Scouts. Americans eagerly await the annual Girls Scout cookie drive. It teaches the girls valuable skills, and generates income to support girl scouting activities. And, you get to munch on a variety of delicious cookies. Most people buy several boxes. I can't stand them, and the girls are relentless.
Happy Girl Scout Day!
We're Here! : Photographic Editing Offences [PHOENIX]
Running out of ideas for your 365 project? Join We're Here!
Now for the offense....... Some people may not realize that many of my photographs are fantasy. I see photographers as falling into two basic groups. Recorders and Constructivists. I am definitely a constructivist. In this image I have deliberately left my edges less than I should so what I do can be seen. We had no girl scout uniforms. I found a couple of them from the web. I had no cookies. Same solution. My hands were turned the wrong way. Easy cut, rotate and paste. My left hand was all wrong so I just flipped the right one and moved it into place. I had no punch line. So I placed a burning house in the background. A little tone adjustment, a little cloning, a little erasing, a little smudging............ Voilà! Art!
Forgive me flickrites, for I have sinned......... again........
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The most emblematic icon of Paris, the Eiffel Tower, as seen from below.
The Eiffel Tower, or La tour Eiffel in French, is an iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It was named after the engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower. Erected in 1889 as the entrance arch to the 1889 World's Fair, it was initially criticised by some of France's leading artists and intellectuals for its design, but has become both a global cultural icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world. The tower is the tallest structure in Paris and the most-visited paid monument in the world.
Gustave Eiffel engraved on the tower seventy-two names of French scientists, engineers, and mathematicians in recognition of their contributions. Eiffel chose this "invocation of science" because of his concern over the artists' protests against the tower. This engraving was painted over at the beginning of the twentieth century but restored in 1986 and 1987 by the Societe Nouvelle d'exploitation de la Tour Eiffel, a company contracted to operate business related to the Tower.
This is probably one of the most iconic, recognizable rock formation in UK (or in the world). They have been featured in many movies, including Prometheus due to its unearth-like shapes, spiked out of the green mountain slope like from nowhere.
Me and my wife was on a trip to UK, without any plan of shooting this location. Actually, when we were driving the Scotland highlands, I didn't plan this spot at all. We just saw a trail that day, and decided to give it a hike. As we climbed higher and higher, the cloud and flog started to roll in, at one point that we could not see beyond 20 metres. Then suddendly, the sun broke out a little, and I was fortunate enough to be at the right angle right place to take this photo.
One of the most prolific and recognizable artists alive today, Ron English has bombed the global landscape with unforgettable images, on the street, in museums, in movies, books, and television. English coined the term POPaganda to describe his signature mash-up of high and low cultural touchstones, from superhero mythology to totems of art history, populated with his vast and constantly growing arsenal of original characters, including MC Supersized, the obese fast-food mascot featured in the hit movie “Supersize Me,” and Abraham Obama, the fusion of America’s 16th and 44th Presidents, an image widely discussed in the media as directly impacting the 2008 election.
With artist Ron English’s Elefanka and Mousezilla mural, the intersection of Erie and 16th streets is anything but boring. This fun pop of color and whimsy depicts cartoon critters at an impressive height of 60 feet.
The Meathook Galaxy, or NGC 2442, is an easily recognizable
spiral galaxy with its bright northern arm and starkly contrasting dust lane. In typical spiral galaxy coloration, it has a warm yellow core with blue outer arms speckled with pink clouds of ionized, glowing hydrogen gas associated with star formation. A small, but conspicuous background galaxy is also peeking through just left of the nucleus.
This was an unlikely mosaic. Since late 2006, Hubble has been looking at this galaxy with its Advanced Camera for Surveys and Widefield Camera 3 in bits and pieces, usually involving supernovas and their progenitors. So the telescope looked here and there, but never at the whole galaxy in one sitting. Last year, enough observations had been made to nearly cover the galaxy in 3 channels. I've gathered them up into what I think is a decent result.
If you zoom in, you may notice some areas that have some odd or no coloration near the edges and dark parts. These are places where fewer observations were taken, and I couldn't generate proper or perfectly matching color. I'm glad most of the galaxy was covered, though, because it's really not noticeable. There is a place in the northeast arm right under that dark, dark dust lane where data were completely absent, and I filled it with a brightness-matching blank patch and some fake noise. Two other less obtrusive blank places are in the lower left and lower right corners. There is also a small spot where only older WFPC2 data were available, so it looks a little blurry. Other than that, nice data!
Special thanks to Bill Keel, who freely offered up his data to try and help fill the gaps. I ended up using his H-alpha data in places where there was none available from HST. Mostly the upper half, and a little on the right side. I also removed the stars and galactic nucleus from his data, leaving (hopefully) just the star-forming regions.
Data from the following proposals were used to create this image:
Detecting the progenitors of core-collapse supernovae
Continuing a Snapshot Survey of the Sites of Recent, Nearby Supernovae: Cycles 25 & 26
The Identification of Failed Supernovae
An archive to detect the progenitors of massive, core-collapse supernovae
Red: ACS/WFC F814W + ACS/WFC F658N + SARA H-alpha + WFPC2 F814W
Green: WFC3/UVIS F555W + WFPC2 F606W
Blue: WFC3/UVIS F438W + ACS/WFC F435W
North is 18.10° counter-clockwise from up.
Perry is proudly recognized as the Tree Capital of the South cozily nestled along Florida's Nature Coast. We are a family friendly community in which to raise your children, work, or simply to stop by and visit. Our historic downtown is lined with friendly home town shops and features our recently restored steam locomotive era train station. Perry is a full-service, low cost place to call home.
The City has been honored to receive the highest national financial reporting award for twenty years in a row. Our taxes are lower than over 170 other cities in Florida. We are home to an "A" scholastically rated high school. We have a variety of festivals throughout the year highlighted by the Florida Forest Festival which includes the "World's Largest Free Fish Fry." Some of the finest fresh and saltwater fishing (including scalloping) is centered here.
Hunters come from all over to experience prime Nature Coast hunting. Many freshwater springs, including the world's largest, are just minutes away. The area's economy is diverse with both manufacturing and agricultural employment opportunities. Our state of the art hospital recently opened a multi-million dollar medical arts facility. We welcome you to learn more, come visit, and experience family friendly Perry!
Perry, Florida was first called Rosehead. It is not known how this name was chosen. In 1875 the name was changed to Perrytown after Madison Stark Perry, Florida's fourth Governor. Later the "town" was dropped and the name became Perry.
The City of Perry is the only incorporated city in Taylor County, Florida. It was incorporated in 1903 and adopted its City Charter on May 12, 1981. The City's population as of 2004 was estimated to be 6,703. (U. S. Census Bureau)
Credit for the data above is given to the following website:
Most recognizable building in Fergus 1833 ~ Fieldstone Architecture . First housed the Merchant Bank and various Jewelry Stores
Now Rafferty Insurance and Ron Wilkins Jewelry 963
Plaza Alfaro plaque recognizing the 200th anniversary of the 1820 Ecuador Revolution.
At the turn of the 18th century, Enlightenment ideas were sweeping across the world, and the inequality and oppression of South America’s native population came under fire from political progressives.
At the same time, the criollo population (those born of Spanish descent in South America) were increasingly frustrated by the privilege given to those born in Spain.
This coincided with a depression in Spain that crippled their economy and weakened their control over their South American colonies.
Jose Joaquin Olmedo took this as a cue to declare Ecuador’s independence at a junta in Guayaquil 09 October, 1820.
While earlier attempts to unshackle their colonial bonds had failed, Olmedo strategically appealed to Simon Bolivar and San Martin, who were already involved in the liberation of other South American nations.
Thanks to their help and the cunning military brilliance of the young general Jose Antonio de Sucre, Ecuador was finally able to win its independence at the victorious Battle of Pichincha in the central Ecuadorian Andes on May 24, 1882.
Perhaps the most recognizable symbol of China and its long and vivid history, the Great Wall of China actually consists of numerous walls and fortifications, many running parallel to each other. The best-known and best-preserved section of the Great Wall was built in the 14th through 17th centuries A.D., during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). I had seen so many different photos of the wall, so I decided to add a creative element to my compositions. It was a long day of hiking, but well worth the effort as we had the wall almost to ourselves.
No Group Invites/Graphics Please.
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The Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) is a distinctive wader bird, easily recognized by its black-and-white plumage, iridescent greenish upperparts, and prominent crest. It is especially known for its spectacular courtship flights in spring, accompanied by its characteristic “pee-wit” call – which also gives the bird its name in some languages. Lapwings prefer open, moist meadows and farmlands for breeding, laying their eggs in simple ground scrapes. Unfortunately, their populations have declined sharply in many areas due to habitat loss and modern agriculture. The lapwing is a protected species and a flagship for the conservation of traditional farmland ecosystems.
A very recognizable symbol of the Pennsylvania Railroad remains in service today in a location far away from a PRR served location. Union Switch & Signal was able to sell a couple of the H-2 pot signals to the Chicago & Illinois Midland for use with crossing warning indicators. This one is at Shops in Springfield, IL at the North Grand Ave crossing. Another one I recall was in Pekin, IL. ETTS may come one day when North Grand becomes a bridge over the NS and I&M diamond.
The pot is displaying the stop indication. Clear is displayed once the crossing warning devices have been activated. This signal does not appear to convey authority across the interlocking.
11-30-2024
Recognized as the oldest surviving train station in Ontario, the King City Station is part of the original track that ran from Toronto to Collingwood and was among the first stations built using local labour. The station became a prototype and template for FW Cumberland, and many other stations were made to this same spec. The station was never replaced and saw continued use under Grand Trunk and Canadian National until 1967 when passenger service ceased. The station fell into disrepair, and King City got a couple of offers to salvage the station, including Black Creek Pioneer Village. Eventually, the local King Twp. Museum rescued the station in 1989, where it remains today.
Nikon D750 - AF-S Nikkor 28-70mm 1:2.8D
Editor: Adobe Lightroom CC
The Mallard, or Wild duck (Anas platyrhynchos[1]), probably the best-known and most recognizable of all ducks, is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and sub-tropical Americas, Europe, Asia, New Zealand (where it is currently the most common duck species), and Australia.
The male birds have a bright green head, while the female's is light brown. The Mallard lives in wetlands, eats water plants, and is gregarious. It is also migratory. The Mallard is the ancestor of all domestic ducks, and can interbreed with other species of genus Anas.[2] This interbreeding is causing rarer species of ducks to become genetically diluted.
The Mallard is 56–65 centimetres (22–26 in) long, has a wingspan of 81–98 centimetres (32–39 in), and weighs 0.9–1.2 kilograms (32–42 oz). The breeding male is unmistakable, with a bright green head, black rear end and a yellowish orange (can also contain some red) bill tipped with black (as opposed to the dark brown bill in females), and is also nature's most feared duck. The female Mallard is light brown, like most female dabbling ducks. However, both the female and male Mallards have distinct purple speculum edged with white, prominent in flight or at rest (though temporarily shed during the annual summer moult). In non-breeding (eclipse) plumage the drake becomes drab, looking more like the female, but still distinguishable by its yellow bill and reddish breast.
In captivity, domestic ducks come in wild-type plumages, white, and other colours. Most of these colour variants are also known in domestic Mallards not bred as livestock, but kept as pets, aviary birds, etc., where they are rare but increasing in availability.
A noisy species, the male has a nasal call, the female has a "quack" stereotypically associated with ducks.[3]
The Mallard is a rare example of both Allen's Rule and Bergmann's Rule in birds. Bergmann's Rule, which states that polar forms tend to be larger than related ones from warmer climates, has numerous examples in birds. Allen's Rule says that appendages like ears tend to be smaller in polar forms to minimize heat loss, and larger in tropical and desert equivalents to facilitate heat diffusion, and that the polar taxa are stockier overall. Examples of this rule in birds are rare, as they lack external ears. However, the bill of ducks is very well supplied with blood vessels and is vulnerable to cold.
(3 photos)
I never recognize this bird when I see it, and never can remember it's name, even a few minutes after someone tells me his name. I don't think I have ever gotten a decent shot of one before. Can I use that as an excuse? Thanks to Conniespixels for identifying it for me. I'll be asking again.
By the way, my excellent "Encyclopedia of North American Birds" couldn't remember his name either. In fact, he's not even in the book. Did this guy come in on a ship?
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Thanks for the wonderful comments, fav's and invites, which I always appreciate. I love to share my vision of the world , through my lens, with my friends.
Perry is proudly recognized as the Tree Capital of the South cozily nestled along Florida's Nature Coast. We are a family friendly community in which to raise your children, work, or simply to stop by and visit. Our historic downtown is lined with friendly home town shops and features our recently restored steam locomotive era train station. Perry is a full-service, low cost place to call home.
The City has been honored to receive the highest national financial reporting award for twenty years in a row. Our taxes are lower than over 170 other cities in Florida. We are home to an "A" scholastically rated high school. We have a variety of festivals throughout the year highlighted by the Florida Forest Festival which includes the "World's Largest Free Fish Fry." Some of the finest fresh and saltwater fishing (including scalloping) is centered here.
Hunters come from all over to experience prime Nature Coast hunting. Many freshwater springs, including the world's largest, are just minutes away. The area's economy is diverse with both manufacturing and agricultural employment opportunities. Our state of the art hospital recently opened a multi-million dollar medical arts facility. We welcome you to learn more, come visit, and experience family friendly Perry!
Perry, Florida was first called Rosehead. It is not known how this name was chosen. In 1875 the name was changed to Perrytown after Madison Stark Perry, Florida's fourth Governor. Later the "town" was dropped and the name became Perry.
The City of Perry is the only incorporated city in Taylor County, Florida. It was incorporated in 1903 and adopted its City Charter on May 12, 1981. The City's population as of 2004 was estimated to be 6,703. (U. S. Census Bureau)
Credit for the data above is given to the following website:
Perry is proudly recognized as the Tree Capital of the South cozily nestled along Florida's Nature Coast. We are a family friendly community in which to raise your children, work, or simply to stop by and visit. Our historic downtown is lined with friendly home town shops and features our recently restored steam locomotive era train station. Perry is a full-service, low cost place to call home.
The City has been honored to receive the highest national financial reporting award for twenty years in a row. Our taxes are lower than over 170 other cities in Florida. We are home to an "A" scholastically rated high school. We have a variety of festivals throughout the year highlighted by the Florida Forest Festival which includes the "World's Largest Free Fish Fry." Some of the finest fresh and saltwater fishing (including scalloping) is centered here.
Hunters come from all over to experience prime Nature Coast hunting. Many freshwater springs, including the world's largest, are just minutes away. The area's economy is diverse with both manufacturing and agricultural employment opportunities. Our state of the art hospital recently opened a multi-million dollar medical arts facility. We welcome you to learn more, come visit, and experience family friendly Perry!
Perry, Florida was first called Rosehead. It is not known how this name was chosen. In 1875 the name was changed to Perrytown after Madison Stark Perry, Florida's fourth Governor. Later the "town" was dropped and the name became Perry.
The City of Perry is the only incorporated city in Taylor County, Florida. It was incorporated in 1903 and adopted its City Charter on May 12, 1981. The City's population as of 2004 was estimated to be 6,703. (U. S. Census Bureau)
Credit for the data above is given to the following website:
Italien / Toskana - Chianti
Gaiole in Chianti
Chianti (Italian pronunciation: [ˈkjanti]), in Italy also referred to as Monti del Chianti ("Chianti Mountains") or Colline del Chianti ("Chianti Hills"), is a mountainous area of Tuscany in the provinces of Florence, Siena and Arezzo, composed mainly of hills and mountains. It is known for the wine produced in and named for the region, Chianti.
History
The territory of Chianti was initially limited, in the thirteenth century, by the municipalities of Gaiole in Chianti, Radda in Chianti and Castellina in Chianti and thus defined the "Chianti League" (Lega di Chianti).
Cosimo III de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, even decided in 1716 to issue an edict in which he officially recognized the boundaries of the Chianti district, which was the first legal document in the world to define a wine production area.
The villages of Chianti are often characterized by Romanesque churches and fortified medieval castles, signs of the ancient wars between Siena and Florence or as Monteriggioni, a fortified village north of Siena, on the ancient Via Cassia that leads to Florence.
In 1932, the wine designation specified the production limits for Chianti Classico, which is a DOCG (in Italian "Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita", governed by Italian regulations).
Geography
In addition to the cities already mentioned at the origin of this region, the city of Greve in Chianti radically expresses its connection directly in its name or as Impruneta which claims the name Impruneta in Chianti although it is not an official designation.
Agriculture
Like all rural regions of Tuscany, there is no monoculture and there are vineyards, olive trees, cereals and potatoes.
Silviculture
In the lower hills, there is the exploitation of oak woods, on the higher hills those of chestnut and holm oaks. Everywhere there are cypresses.
Viticulture
The name of Chianti wine refers to a region strictly located in the provinces of Florence, Siena, Arezzo, Pistoia, Pisa and Prato.
Cities in the region with explicit reference in their names:
Greve in Chianti and its hamlets: Panzano in Chianti, San Polo in Chianti
Radda in Chianti
Gaiole in Chianti
Castellina in Chianti
(Wikipedia)
Das Chianti-Gebiet [ˈkjantigəˌbiːt], auch Colline del Chianti (Chianti-Hügel) oder Monti del Chianti (Chianti-Berge) genannt, ist eine Hügelkette (Gebirgskette) im Zentrum der Toskana, in der schon seit Jahrhunderten Chianti-Wein produziert wird. Das Weinbaugebiet macht ca. ein Drittel der gesamten Toskana aus.
Geografie
Das Kerngebiet der Hügelkette teilt sich in die Gebiete Chianti fiorentino und Chianti senese auf. Hierbei liegt der fiorentinische Teil am südöstlichen Rand der Metropolitanstadt Florenz und umfasst die Gemeinden Barberino Val d’Elsa, Greve in Chianti, San Casciano in Val di Pesa und Tavarnelle Val di Pesa. Der senesische Teil liegt im Nordosten der Provinz Siena und umfasst Castellina in Chianti, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Gaiole in Chianti, Poggibonsi und Radda in Chianti. Der sogenannte Chianti aretino ist der westliche Teil der Provinz Arezzo zwischen Arno und Chianti und gehört nicht zum Kerngebiet. Ihm gehören die Gemeinden Cavriglia, Bucine, Pergine Valdarno, Montevarchi und San Giovanni Valdarno an. Diese liegen geografisch gesehen im westlichen Valdarno[ (Arnotal).
Das Chianti-Gebiet umfasst im Westen Teile des Elsatals (Val d’Elsa) und des Pesatals (Val di Pesa), im Norden das Grevetal (Val di Greve), im Osten Teile des Arnotals (Valdarno) und des Ambratals (Val d’Ambra bzw. Valdambra). Im Südosten grenzt der Chianti an die Crete Senesi, im Südwesten an die Montagnola Senese.
In den Hügeln des Chianti entspringen die Flüsse bzw. Torrenti Ambra, Arbia, Bozzone, Greve, Ombrone, Pesa und Staggia. Zudem durchfließt im Westen der Elsa aus Süden und der Montagnola Senese kommend das Gebiet, das im Norden und Nordosten teilweise an den Arno grenzt.
Höchste Erhebung im Chianti-Gebiet ist der Berg Monte San Michele, der im Gemeindegebiet von Greve in Chianti liegt. Er erreicht eine Höhe von 893 Metern.
Geschichte
Das Gebiet wurde zuerst von den Etruskern und danach von den Römern besiedelt. Beide Kulturen hinterließen viele Spuren – auch, was den Weinbau angeht. Erstmals dokumentiert wurde das Gebiet als Clanti im 8. Jahrhundert. Im Mittelalter kämpften Florenz und Siena um die Vorherrschaft in diesem Gebiet. Der Name "Chianti" (Lega del Chianti) stand ursprünglich für einen Militärbund der Städte Radda, Castellina und Gaiole, der im 13. Jahrhundert entstand. Später wurde der Name auf immer größere Gebiete ausgeweitet. Dörfer und Klöster, Burgen und Festungen wurden in dieser Zeit errichtet, die dann später, als es wieder friedlicher wurde, in Landgüter und Villen umgewandelt wurden. In dieser Zeit fanden umfangreiche Waldrodungen statt, um Olivenhaine und Weinberge anzulegen. Diese Veränderungen brachten wirtschaftliche Erfolge und internationalen Ruhm für die Region.
Gesamtes Chianti-Gebiet (Weinbau)
Das gesamte Chianti-Gebiet erstreckt sich von Pisa (im Nordwesten) bis Montalcino (im Südosten) und ist offiziell in neun Untergebiete geteilt:
Chianti Classico (siehe unten)
Chianti Rufina (um Pontassieve)
Chianti Colline Pisane (um Pisa)
Chianti Montalbano (um Carmignano)
Chianti Colli Fiorentini (um Florenz)
Chianti Colli Senesi (um Siena)
Chianti Aretini (um Arezzo)
Chianti Montespertoli
Weinbau im Chianti-Classico-Gebiet
Es ist im Norden begrenzt von den Vororten von Florenz, im Osten von den Chianti-Bergen, im Süden von Siena und im Westen von den Tälern der Flüsse Pesa und Elsa. Es ist das Kernland des Chianti-Gebietes. Eine 70 km lange Weinstraße (die „Via Chiantigiana“, SS 222) verbindet die beiden großen Städte und führt durch eine großartige Kulturlandschaft. An der Straße liegen viele bekannte Weinorte aufgereiht wie an einer Perlenkette. Nur ein Zehntel des sehr waldigen Gebiets (insgesamt ca. 70.000 Hektar) wird für Weinbau verwendet. Der Gallo Nero (= „Schwarzer Hahn“) ist das Kennzeichen der Chianti-Classico-Weine. Das Consorzio del Marchio Storico Chianti Classico wacht über die Einhaltung der Regeln für guten Chianti.
(Wikipedia)
"Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination, full of hope."
- Maya Angelou
An African elephant reaches out towards the Asian rhino.
Philadelphia zoo
After a busy day I have drawn the doorway. 17th century doorways were embellished with a good deal of shallow carving, quite a challenge in a pencil drawing.
A Black-winged Stilt.
Snapped at a Village named ANANTSAGARGAON off National Highway from Sadasivapet -Medak District, Andhra Pradesh, India.
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The Black-winged Stilt, Common Stilt, or Pied Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) is a widely distributed very long-legged wader in the avocet and stilt family (Recurvirostridae). Opinions differ as to whether the birds treated under the scientific name H. himantopus ought to be treated as a single species and if not, how many species to recognize. The scientific name Himantopus comes from the Greek meaning "strap foot" or "thong foot". Most sources today accept 2–4 species.
Adults are 33–36 cm long. They have long pink legs, a long thin black bill and are blackish above and white below, with a white head and neck with a varying amount of black. Males have a black back, often with greenish gloss. Females' backs have a brown hue, contrasting with the black remiges. In the populations that have the top of the head normally white at least in winter, females tend to have less black on head and neck all year round, while males often have much black, particularly in summer. This difference is not clear-cut, however, and males usually get all-white heads in winter.
Immature birds are grey instead of black and have a markedly sandy hue on the wings, with light feather fringes appearing as a whitish line in flight.
Source : Wikipedia.
The Mallard, or Wild duck (Anas platyrhynchos]), probably the best-known and most recognizable of all ducks, is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and sub-tropical Americas, Europe, Asia, New Zealand (where it is currently the most common duck species), and Australia.
The male birds have a bright green head, while the female's is light brown. The Mallard lives in wetlands, eats water plants, and is gregarious. It is also migratory. The Mallard is the ancestor of all domestic ducks, and can interbreed with other species of genus Anas.[2] This interbreeding is causing rarer species of ducks to become genetically diluted.
The Mallard is 56–65 centimetres (22–26 in) long, has a wingspan of 81–98 centimetres (32–39 in), and weighs 0.9–1.2 kilograms (32–42 oz). The breeding male is unmistakable, with a bright green head, black rear end and a yellowish orange (can also contain some red) bill tipped with black (as opposed to the dark brown bill in females), and is also nature's most feared duck. The female Mallard is light brown, like most female dabbling ducks. However, both the female and male Mallards have distinct purple speculum edged with white, prominent in flight or at rest (though temporarily shed during the annual summer moult). In non-breeding (eclipse) plumage the drake becomes drab, looking more like the female, but still distinguishable by its yellow bill and reddish breast.
In captivity, domestic ducks come in wild-type plumages, white, and other colours. Most of these colour variants are also known in domestic Mallards not bred as livestock, but kept as pets, aviary birds, etc., where they are rare but increasing in availability.
A noisy species, the male has a nasal call, the female has a "quack" stereotypically associated with ducks.[3]
The Mallard is a rare example of both Allen's Rule and Bergmann's Rule in birds. Bergmann's Rule, which states that polar forms tend to be larger than related ones from warmer climates, has numerous examples in birds. Allen's Rule says that appendages like ears tend to be smaller in polar forms to minimize heat loss, and larger in tropical and desert equivalents to facilitate heat diffusion, and that the polar taxa are stockier overall. Examples of this rule in birds are rare, as they lack external ears. However, the bill of ducks is very well supplied with blood vessels and is vulnerable to cold.
Paying tribute to WINN on her 102nd birthday,
whose love will never grow old and for whom her family is precious.
Her Centenary came and she sat on her throne
Tiara her crown, the whole town was there,
Even the Mayor; and the Queen had her say.
And we saw her beam, her smile was everywhere
For her love rebounded in a surprising way.
That day relatives reconciled to each other,
And cousins, who now look like their mothers,.
Came in waves, two years ago to pay tribute
with a special flower and a salute,
honouring she who was Queen Mum, that special day.
For years she remembered us all
A card would be sent, $10 inside,
On each birthday inscribed in her book,
To all her family, however wide,
with a prayer and hope that God was on their side.
For her, Mum, Nan, Nanny, Nanna,
her love knows us all to the fifth generation.
Every child, even if occasionally precocious,
is held with esteem in high admiration:
her love knows them all, for her family’s precious.
Now her body grows old, as her memories dim
Her mind, like a stone, skips across the pond,
Oblations to her Lord are a remembered hymn
Whilst her love for her family is a special wand,
Touching also lives of friends, neighbours, young and old.
To her Lord, her church, her town flows devotion;
To her nieces she is their inspiration;
To her Man, “Dearest Darling”, penned with emotion;
To her Mum she was a Rose, while her Dad was biased,
And to her Lord, she gave her ‘Utmost for the Highest’.
Ian
"Lord Jesus, may I never fail to recognize your voice nor lose sight of your presence in your saving word."
Copyright© 2010 Kamoteus/RonMiguel RN
This image is protected under the United States and International Copyright laws and may not be downloaded, reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without written permission.
Ushguli is a community of four villages located at the head of the Enguri gorge in Svaneti, Georgia. Recognized as the Upper Svaneti UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ushguli is one of the highest continuously inhabited settlements in Europe. Ushguli isn't in an accessible location, which has preserved many of the village's most charming characteristics.
Ushguli is located at an altitude of 2,100 metres (6,900 ft) near the foot of Shkhara, one of the highest summits of the Greater Caucasus mountains. About 70 families (about 200 people) live in the area, enough to support a small school. The area is snow-covered for 6 months of the year, and often the road to Mestia is impassable.
Typical Svaneti defensive tower houses are found throughout the village. The Ushguli Chapel located on a hilltop near the village dates back to the 12th century.
King Tamar's castle originally had 4 defensive stone towers, of which one survives, connected by a curtain wall. The castles three other towers were destroyed by the Soviets in the 1930’s. The stones were used to build farms and other buildings.
Queen Tamar, also known as Tamar the Great ruled Georgia from 1184 to 1213, at the summit of the Georgian Golden Age. She was the first woman to govern Georgia in her own right.
A member of Bagrationi Dynasty and the only daughter of George III, King of Georgia, Tamar was born in 1160. Her youth corresponded with a significant outbreak in Georgia. In 1177 George III faced a rebellious group of local nobles, who planned to dethrone him in favor of his nephew Demna.
George III was able to defeat the uprising. Once the revolt was suppressed and eliminated, George started to include Tamar in government and crowned her as a co-ruler in 1178, when she was only 18 years old. This action was intended to stop any controversy after his death and legitimize his family on the throne of Georgia.
Tamar and her father co-ruled for six years, and when George died in 1184, she continued as sole ruler of the country by being crowned for the second time in Gelati Cathedral in Kutaisi.
However, her reign wasn’t met with full support. Another opposition came, perceiving her gender as weakness. As the country had never had a female ruler before, the nobles questioned her legitimacy and tried to use her age against her. The young queen was pushed into making important concessions to the nobility, including the removal of King George’s appointees. Thus, the aristocracy came into the center of power again.
Slowly Tamar started to gain confidence in her rights as a queen. The death of the persuasive Catholicos-Patriarch Michael, who was not a big supporter of Tamar played a big role in her future governance. She appointed her advocate Anton Gnolistavisdze as a chancellor and gradually increased her own power-base to high positions at the court.
After an unsuccessful arranged first mariage to Prince Yuri, son of the assassinated prince Andrei I Bogolyubsky of Vladimir-Suzdal, Tamar divorced Yuri and sent him off to Constantinople.
She then chose her second husband herself – David Soslan, an Alan prince and a great military commander, who became Tamar’s primary advocate and was effective in crushing the rebellious aristocracy united behind Yuri.
King Tamar and David had two children; Lasha-Giorgi, the future King George IV; and Rusudan, who later replaced her brother as a monarch of Georgia.
Tamar’s kingdom extended from the Greater Caucasus to Erzurum, and from the Zygii to the proximity of Ganja building a pan-Caucasian empire. The royal title increased and reflected not only her power over the regular subdivisions of the Georgian Kingdom but also introduced new elements that highlighted the Georgian crown’s authority over the neighboring lands.
Besides expanding Georgian territories, her governance brought a golden age in culture. Locals continued to identify themselves with the Byzantine West, rather than Islamic East. This period brought architectural development to the country when a great number of impressive domed cathedrals were built.
Tamar continued to be identified among Georgia’s ‘King of the Kings’, as the language has no grammatical genders, unlike ‘king’ in English, it does not significantly imply a male connotation.
The fruit, which looks like a plum, with a greenish tart pulp and a recognizable aroma - this is blackthorn. What is it good for and can it be dangerous to your health?
If we have never seen a blackthorn or tried its fruit, we are familiar with the plant from childhood. In "Uncle Remus Tales" by Joel Harris, Brother Rabbit shows us an example of reverse psychology and asks Brother Fox not to throw him into a blackthorn bush. He falls for the bait of the big-eared manipulator and throws him. That's what Rabbit needs - he hides among the sharp thorns and laughs mockingly. But today we will talk not about fairy tales or manipulators, but about the blackthorn itself. After all, it certainly deserves it.
So, blackthorn is a bush or a small tree with thorny branches, it blooms beautifully and is often used for decorative purposes. In autumn, it is covered with round fruits with a black-blue waxy coating on the skin and green pulp, in which the stone sits tightly. The taste is tart, sourish, and in order for the taste to “open up”, it is better to leave the fruits on the branches until frost. Blackthorn grows in Asia Minor, Western Europe, the Mediterranean, the European part of Russia, the Caucasus and Western Siberia.
Raw blackthorn is rarely eaten. But it is quite suitable for jams, compotes, liqueurs and pastilles. It can also be added to pie filling and used in sauces.
Blackthorn contains a lot of vitamins B, C, E, potassium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus and calcium. The fruits also contain organic acids, tannins, fiber (including pectin), flavonoids, catechins and antioxidants.
First of all, blackthorn is famous for its benefits for the gastrointestinal tract - it stimulates digestion, improves intestinal peristalsis, fights constipation and helps reduce gas formation.
Also, due to the high content of vitamin C, blackthorn is useful for the immune system. In addition to supporting the body's defenses, vitamin C helps to better absorb iron, strengthen blood vessels and stimulate collagen production. B vitamins are necessary for many processes in the body, but they play the greatest role in the functioning of the nervous system. Potassium and magnesium contained in blackthorn have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system, working to prevent atherosclerosis, heart attacks and strokes. Potassium also helps to remove excess fluid, relieve swelling and reduce blood pressure.
It has been proven that eating blackthorn helps to reduce cholesterol in the blood, normalize the functioning of the kidneys and liver, and blackthorn fruits also have an antibacterial effect. In folk medicine, not only the fruits are used, but also the leaves and even flowers of blackthorn. All benefits and no harm? Unfortunately, it's not that simple.
Blackthorn is contraindicated for people suffering from gastrointestinal diseases. If you have a stomach or duodenal ulcer, gastritis, pancreatitis, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, or just a tendency to diarrhea, you shouldn't eat it. And a healthy person shouldn't get carried away either - due to the abundance of fiber, it will be very easy to get diarrhea.
Blackthorn fruits contain a lot of acids that can damage tooth enamel. Because of the acids, people with inflammatory gum diseases should not eat blackthorn either. In addition, blackthorn can cause allergic reactions. And also, when eating fresh blackthorn, do not try to eat the seeds - they contain the poisonous glycoside amygdalin. It can cause severe poisoning.
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Терн: чем полезен и кому нельзя.
Плоды, внешне напоминающие сливу, с зеленоватой терпкой мякотью и узнаваемым ароматом - это терн. Чем он полезен и может ли быть опасен для здоровья?
Если мы никогда не видели терновник и не пробовали плодов, с растением мы заочно знакомы с детства. В «Сказках дядюшки Римуса» Джоэля Харриса Братец Кролик показывает нам пример обратной психологии и просит Братца Лиса не бросать его в терновый куст. Тот попадается на удочку ушастого манипулятора и бросает. Кролику того и надо — прячется среди острых колючек и издевательски хохочет. Но речь сегодня пойдет не о сказках и не о манипуляторах, а о самом терне. Ведь он этого, бесспорно, достоин.
Итак, терн представляет собой кустарник или небольшое дерево с колючими ветками, цветет красиво и часто используется в декоративных целях. Осенью покрывается округлыми плодами с черно-синим восковым налетом на кожуре и зеленой мякотью, в которой плотно сидит косточка. Вкус терпкий, кисловатый, а чтобы вкус «раскрылся» плоды лучше оставить на ветках до заморозков. Растет терновник в Малой Азии, Западной Европе, Средиземноморье, европейской части России, на Кавказе и в Западной Сибири.
Сырым терн едят редко. А вот на варенья, компоты, настойки и пастилу он вполне годится. Также его можно добавлять в начинку для пирогов и использовать в соусах.
В терне много витаминов группы В, С, Е, калия, магния, натрия, фосфора и кальция. Также плоды содержат органические кислоты, дубильные вещества, клетчатку (в том числе пектин), флавоноиды, кахетины и антиоксиданты.
В первую очередь терн славится своей пользой для желудочно-кишечного тракта — он стимулирует пищеварение, улучшает перистальтику кишечника, борется с запорами и помогает снизить газообразование.
Также за счет высокого содержания витамина С терн полезен для иммунитета. Кроме поддержки защитных свойств организма, витамин С помогает лучшему усвоению железа, укреплению сосудов и стимуляции выработки коллагена. Витамины группы В необходимы для многих процессов в организме, но наибольшую роль они играют в работе нервной системы. Содержащиеся в терне калий и магний благотворно влияют на работу сердечно-сосудистой системы, работая на профилактику атеросклероза, инфарктов и инсультов. Калий также способствует выводу лишней жидкости, снятию отеков и снижению давления.
Доказано, что употребление терна помогает уменьшению холестерина в крови, нормализации работы почек и печени, а еще плоды терна обладают антибактериальным действием. В народной медицине используют не только плоды, но и листья и даже цветки терна. Сплошная польза и ноль вреда? К сожалению, все не так просто.
Терн противопоказан людям, страдающим заболеваниями ЖКТ. При язве желудка или двенадцатиперстной кишки, гастрите, панкреатите, колите, синдроме раздраженного кишечника и просто склонности к диарее есть его не стоит. Да и здоровому человеку не стоит увлекаться — из-за обилия клетчатки получить понос будет очень просто.
В плодах терна много кислот, которые могут повредить зубную эмаль. Из-за кислот не стоит есть терн и людям с воспалительными заболеваниями десен. Кроме того, терн может вызывать аллергические реакции. А еще, поедая свежий терн, не покушайтесь на косточки — в них содержится ядовитый гликозид амигдалин. Он способен вызвать тяжелое отравление.
The common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), also known as the Eurasian kingfisher and river kingfisher, is a small kingfisher with seven subspecies recognized within its wide distribution across Eurasia and North Africa. It is resident in much of its range, but migrates from areas where rivers freeze in winter.
This sparrow-sized bird has the typical short-tailed, large-headed kingfisher profile; it has blue upperparts, orange underparts and a long bill. It feeds mainly on fish, caught by diving, and has special visual adaptations to enable it to see prey under water. The glossy white eggs are laid in a nest at the end of a burrow in a riverbank.
This species has the typical short-tailed, dumpy-bodied, large-headed, and long-billed kingfisher shape. The adult male of the western European subspecies, A. a. ispida has green-blue upperparts with pale azure-blue back and rump, a rufous patch by the bill base, and a rufous ear-patch. It has a green-blue neck stripe, white neck blaze and throat, rufous underparts, and a black bill with some red at the base. The legs and feet are bright red. It is about 16 centimetres (6.3 in) long with a wingspan of 25 cm (9.8 in), and weighs 34–46 grams (1.2–1.6 oz). The female is identical in appearance to the male except that her lower mandible is orange-red with a black tip. The juvenile is similar to the adult, but with duller and greener upperparts and paler underparts. Its bill is black, and the legs are also initially black. Feathers are moulted gradually between July and November with the main flight feathers taking 90–100 days to moult and regrow. Some that moult late may suspend their moult during cold winter weather.
The flight of the kingfisher is fast, direct and usually low over water. The short, rounded wings whirr rapidly, and a bird flying away shows an electric-blue "flash" down its back.
In North Africa, Europe and Asia north of the Himalayas, this is the only small blue kingfisher. In south and southeast Asia, it can be confused with six other small blue-and-rufous kingfishers, but the rufous ear patches distinguish it from all but juvenile blue-eared kingfishers; details of the head pattern may be necessary to differentiate the two species where both occur.
The common kingfisher has no song. The flight call is a short, sharp whistle chee repeated two or three times. Anxious birds emit a harsh, shrit-it-it and nestlings call for food with a churring noise.
The common kingfisher is widely distributed over Europe, Asia, and North Africa, mainly south of 60°N. It is a common breeding species over much of its vast Eurasian range, but in North Africa it is mainly a winter visitor, although it is a scarce breeding resident in coastal Morocco and Tunisia. In temperate regions, this kingfisher inhabits clear, slow-flowing streams and rivers, and lakes with well-vegetated banks. It frequents scrubs and bushes with overhanging branches close to shallow open water in which it hunts. In winter it is more coastal, often feeding in estuaries or harbors and along rocky seashores. Tropical populations are found by slow-flowing rivers, in mangrove creeks and in swamps.
Common kingfishers are important members of ecosystems and good indicators of freshwater community health. The highest densities of breeding birds are found in habitats with clear water, which permits optimal prey visibility, and trees or shrubs on the banks. These habitats have also the highest quality of water, so the presence of this bird confirms the standard of the water. Measures to improve water flow can disrupt this habitat, and in particular, the replacement of natural banks by artificial confinement greatly reduces the populations of fish, amphibians and aquatic reptiles, and waterside birds are lost. It can tolerate a certain degree of urbanization, provided the water remains clean.
This species is resident in areas where the climate is mild year-round, but must migrate after breeding from regions with prolonged freezing conditions in winter. Most birds winter within the southern parts of the breeding range, but smaller numbers cross the Mediterranean into Africa or travel over the mountains of Malaysia into Southeast Asia. Kingfishers migrate mainly at night, and some Siberian breeders must travel at least 3,000 km (1,900 mi) between the breeding sites and the wintering areas.
The common kingfisher hunts from a perch 1–2 m (3.3–6.6 ft) above the water, on a branch, post or riverbank, bill pointing down as it searches for prey. It bobs its head when food is detected to gauge the distance and plunges steeply down to seize its prey usually no deeper than 25 cm (9.8 in) below the surface. The wings are opened underwater and the open eyes are protected by the transparent third eyelid. The bird rises beak-first from the surface and flies back to its perch. At the perch the fish is adjusted until it is held near its tail and beaten against the perch several times. Once dead, the fish is positioned lengthways and swallowed head-first. A few times each day, a small greyish pellet of fish bones and other indigestible remains is regurgitated.
The food is mainly fish up to 12.5 cm (4.9 in) long, but the average size is 2.3 cm (0.91 in). In Central Europe, 97% of the diet was found to be composed of fish ranging in size from 2 to 10 cm with an average of 6.5 cm (body mass range from 10 g, average 3 g). Minnows, sticklebacks, small roach and trout are typical prey. About 60% of food items are fish, but this kingfisher also catches aquatic insects such as dragonfly larvae and water beetles, and, in winter, crustaceans including freshwater shrimps. In Central Europe, however, fish represented 99.9% of the diet (data from rivers, streams, and reservoirs from years 1999 to 2013). Common kingfishers have also been observed to catch lamprey. One study found that food provisioning rate increased with brood size, from 1498 g (505 fishes for four nestlings) to 2968 g (894 fishes for eight nestlings). During the fledging period each chick consumed on average 334 g of fish, which resulted in an estimated daily food intake of 37% of the chick's body mass (average over the entire nestling period). The average daily energy intake was 73.5 kJ per chick (i.e., 1837 kJ per 25 days of the fledging period).
A challenge for any diving bird is the change in refraction between air and water. The eyes of many birds have two foveae (the fovea is the area of the retina with the greatest density of light receptors), and a kingfisher can switch from the main central fovea to the auxiliary fovea when it enters water; a retinal streak of high receptor density which connects the two foveae allows the image to swing temporally as the bird drops onto the prey. The egg-shaped lens of the eye points towards the auxiliary fovea, enabling the bird to maintain visual acuity underwater. Because of the positions of the foveae, the kingfisher has monocular vision in air, and binocular vision in water. The underwater vision is not as a sharp as in air, but the ability to judge the distance of moving prey is more important than the sharpness of the image.
Each cone cell of a bird's retina contains an oil droplet that may contain carotenoid pigments. These droplets enhance color vision and reduce glare. Aquatic kingfishers have high numbers of red pigments in their oil droplets; the reason red droplets predominate is not understood, but the droplets may help with the glare or the dispersion of light from particulate matter in the water.
For more information, please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_kingfisher
Cliquez pour agrandir \ Click to enlarge
Un mâle prenant la pose devant des teintes automnales. On reconnait le mâle à sa calotte noire.
A male posing in front of autumn shades. The male is recognized by its black cap.
...is easily recognizeable by its prominent eyespots that probably help protect them against inexperience birds. Their wing span varies between 1 5/8 - 2 3/4 inches (4.2 - 7 cm). Buckeye's favorite nectar sources are composites including aster, chickory, gumweed, knapweed, and tickseed sunflower. Dogbane, peppermint, and other flowers are also visited for nectar.
Buckeyes prefer open, sunny areas with low vegetation and some bare ground.
ISO200, aperture f/5.6, exposure .002 seconds (1/500) focal length 240mm
Perry is proudly recognized as the Tree Capital of the South cozily nestled along Florida's Nature Coast. We are a family friendly community in which to raise your children, work, or simply to stop by and visit. Our historic downtown is lined with friendly home town shops and features our recently restored steam locomotive era train station. Perry is a full-service, low cost place to call home.
The City has been honored to receive the highest national financial reporting award for twenty years in a row. Our taxes are lower than over 170 other cities in Florida. We are home to an "A" scholastically rated high school. We have a variety of festivals throughout the year highlighted by the Florida Forest Festival which includes the "World's Largest Free Fish Fry." Some of the finest fresh and saltwater fishing (including scalloping) is centered here.
Hunters come from all over to experience prime Nature Coast hunting. Many freshwater springs, including the world's largest, are just minutes away. The area's economy is diverse with both manufacturing and agricultural employment opportunities. Our state of the art hospital recently opened a multi-million dollar medical arts facility. We welcome you to learn more, come visit, and experience family friendly Perry!
Perry, Florida was first called Rosehead. It is not known how this name was chosen. In 1875 the name was changed to Perrytown after Madison Stark Perry, Florida's fourth Governor. Later the "town" was dropped and the name became Perry.
The City of Perry is the only incorporated city in Taylor County, Florida. It was incorporated in 1903 and adopted its City Charter on May 12, 1981. The City's population as of 2004 was estimated to be 6,703. (U. S. Census Bureau)
Credit for the data above is given to the following website:
Watermarking is tricky business and a rough territory. On one hand, you want your photos to be recognized as YOUR work and traceable back to your name and skill. On the other hand, and the reason I suspect not more photos are being watermarked, you want your photos to maintain its aesthetic look, because let's face it - nothing can be more distracting sometimes than a watermark on a fantastic photo. It's like going to prom with a giant zit on your face - you're dressed head to toe in the finest garments, you've gotten your hair professionally done... and blam! That blaring red pimple screams for everyone's attention. I might be digressing a bit, but sometimes that's how I feel about watermarked photos, especially watermarks that are just simply "So-and-so Photography" in big bold Times New Roman font. Even if the watermark is dressed up with a logo or presented in some kind of business-casual outfit, it's still a little distracting. Sometimes when I'm on Flickr, a watermark can nearly destroy the entire aesthetic or atmosphere of a photo that I don't want to favorite it. "I'd favorite that photo if only there wasn't that watermark... ." I say "sometimes" because very rarely, a watermark is so nicely designed and discreet that it actually fits in with the aesthetic of that particular photo. It's very rare. But I can't imagine someone designing a different watermark for every single photo solely for the sake of keeping aesthetics. That is not, and never will be, the point of a watermark.
I completely understand watermarking in various situations such as client proofing or for the intention of protecting your precious work, but when you watermark every single one of your photos that you post on facebook (like your hamster or that salad you just ate), doesn't that kind of give an air of pretentiousness? It's like saying, "I took this and it's so good that people might want to steal it so I have to watermark it..." What if (dun dun dun) you post a picture that everyone thinks is absolutely horrendous (that salad looks disgusting!) and it's got your name and reputation on it?
But what about when you just want some credit when you know people don't care as much as you do? Let's say you're at a small party or gathering. You take a bunch of photos, post them online, and get people using your photos as their profile pictures. They get tons of comments on it, saying "Sweet picture!" "Looks so professional!" Yada yada yada.. how do you feel? Do you feel like you should have stuck a "Your Photography" on the picture so that people would say "You took that picture, nice job!" and perhaps a bit of a stretch, maybe "Hey I need some professional photos done too!" Honestly, sometimes I do feel that way.
I was once hired to be a photographer for an event. I gave them the CD full of pictures, full-resolution and un-watermarked, explaining to them that I'd like to credited on whatever website they'd be posting the images on because I didn't want "Annie Hall Photography" invading John and Jane's gorgeous pose together. I saw the album on Facebook. I had to contact them again because they didn't put my name anywhere.
But hey, let's look at the dynamics of facebook or whatever popular social networking site:
1. Most people will crop the photos so that their face is dead center in the newly formed 4x3 composition. Because facebook gave us that option. Your original composition is dead. Whatever watermark you put there might have, and probably will have, been cropped out too.
2. I will safely say that a LOT people think that photos are photos. Nobody cares who took the picture. People will admire the actor but will hardly pay attention to the cinematographer, and that's why you want that watermark there, to claim your existence in the picture, quite literally.
3. Someone saw your magnificent photo floating around in cyberspace, but it had no collar on it to lead it back to its owner. Bummer, you just lost a potential client.
4. "Relax, it's just Facebook."
However bit of a stretch I could be making with the "potential client" or "grotesque scratch on that beautiful car," I'm just trying to make a point that it's a tough call, and it's extremely tricky to find some common ground between aesthetics and credits. I myself am still trying to decide - when do I watermark an image? Do I want to imply that these photos are "sooo awesome" that people might want to steal it? It's tough stuff. And with the onset of all these social networking sites and photo sharing sites, it doesn't get easier.
(c) Annie Hall! AHHH!!!!!
Paragon_Madison - Contemporary Dance is out now at EBENTO.
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Product Description
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5 contemporary freestyle dance performance captured by former multi-champion Madison Cubbage recognized as one of the strongest competitors of her time. Contemporary dance is a expressive technical dance that has grown to be a dominant dance genres for formally trained dancers. The focus of it's technique typically combines the strong but controlled legwork of ballet with the emphasis of torso movements of modern dance. These were originally danced to a series of slow songs.
Dance 01 - Originally danced to "Confidently Lost" by Sabrina Claudio. Tempo = 114 BPM
Dance 02 - Originally danced to "Someone You Loved" by Lewis Capaldi. Tempo = 110 BPM
Dance 03 - Originally danced to "At My Weakest" by James Arthur. Tempo = 100 BPM
Dance 04 & 5 - Originally danced to "Train Wreck" by James Arthur. Tempo = 74.89 BPM
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About Madison Cubbage
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- Dancer for Todrick Hall (Forbidden World Tour), Ariana Grande (7 Rings MV), Calvin Harris, Little Mix, Forever in Your Mind, and DNCE.
- Elite Protege with The Pulse On Tour.
- Top contemporary dancer recognized as one of the strongest competitors of her time.
- 230,000+ instagram followers.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/madison.cubbage.35
Instagram: www.instagram.com/madisoncubbage/
Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/cubbagemadison
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws7qq7NKs8I&t=4s
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWmrPZQU5fg
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Dance Pack Contents
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Paragon_Madison - Contemporary Freestyle 01
Paragon_Madison - Contemporary Freestyle 02
Paragon_Madison - Contemporary Freestyle 03
Paragon_Madison - Contemporary Freestyle 04
Paragon_Madison - Contemporary Freestyle 05
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Product Features
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◘ Bento hands/fingers (detailed finger articulation)
◘ Motion-captured on a 24-camera optical motion capture system for the smoothest and natural flowing animations.
◘ Authentically danced/choreographed and mocap recorded by Madison Cubbage.
*Licensed by Madison Cubbage*
☒ This product only contains animations with no audio supplied. Music used in our videos are for demonstration purposes only.
♀ Disclaimer: Female Avatars - This dance is not curvy friendly due to the size of the dancer and the expressive upper body and arm movements. Although adjustments to the arms have been made to accommodate female avatars, we aren't able to accommodate all shapes without compromising the natural aesthetics of the arm movements. Therefore, hand/arms clipping into the breast may still occur depending on your shape affected by a combination of several factors: shoulder broadness, breast size, breast buoyance, cleavage separation, and arm length.
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Customer Support///Store Policy///Product Redelivery
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We value our reputation as a brand with a high quality product and pride ourselves with a responsive and caring customer support. Therefore, we value your feedback. If you feel your purchase or experience with us isn't solid gold, then please tell us what we can do to make it solid gold.
For dance pack redelivery, go to the main store and use the caspervend redelivery terminal or the dance pack vendor.
For any issues with purchases, you can message us on Facebook (see link below) or in-world @jnakagawa
Send a notecard stating your issue and a copy of your transaction history. Please be mindful of our store policy:
◘ Try the animation demos in-world and double check before clicking "Buy."
◘ No Refunds, except on a double purchase.
◘ No exchanges. All products are copy, modify, no transfer.
◘ We don't do custom work, but are open to suggestions and will try to accommodate requests based on demand.
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