This photograph captured the Jubilee Bridge (in the foreground), Fullerton Hotel, landmark and high-rise buildings in Central Business District. The photograph was taken near the Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay in Marina Bay.

It was a breezy dawn, with disturbed water surface in Marina Bay. The photograph recorded the colourful light reflections of the landmarks in the Bay.

Best wishes for a great week ahead!

This night photograph was taken from Marina Bay Sands Promenade looking towards the Central Business District (CBD). It was a relatively calm evening, with the water surface slightly disturbed in Marina Bay. The photograph recorded the colourful light reflections of the CBD landmarks and Fullerton Hotel (on the right) in the Bay.

Best wishes for a wonderful weekend.

This blue hour photograph recorded the signature buildings around Central Business District (CBD) and Jubilee Bridge. The photograph was taken from Esplanade. The photograph showed the captivating and colourful reflections of the high-rise buildings and well-lit Jubilee Bridge in Marina Bay.

This night photograph was taken from Marina Bay Sands Promenade looking towards the Central Business District (CBD), Fullerton Hotel, Swissotel Stamford, Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay and Mandarin Oriental. It was a relatively calm evening, with the water surface slightly disturbed in Marina Bay. The photograph recorded the colourful light reflections of the landmarks in the Bay.

This photograph was taken during my trip to London in October this year. It recorded the scene just after sunset, from a spot at the North bank of River Thames near to Millennium Bridge.

The lights on the Blackfriars Pier for river boats, on the right of the photograph, were already switched on. The Blackfriars railway bridge, with its distinctive illuminated and colourful roof panels, could be seen across the photograph. The One Blackfriars apartment building, a 50-storey 170m high tower, stood tall on the South bank.

The long exposure photograph captured the light trails of a river boat approaching the Blackfriars Pier. These light trails provided additional interests to the beautiful urban scape.

This blue hour photograph captured the curvy Jubilee Bridge, Fullerton Hotel and landmark buildings in Central Business District. The photograph was taken near the Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay. It was a windy evening, with disturbed water surface in Marina Bay. The photograph recorded the colourful light reflections of the landmarks in the Bay.

Best wishes for a great weekend.

Le lac Léman est un plan d'eau des superlatifs: climat le plus doux, plus grand lac intérieur et plus grand lac d'Europe centrale par sa masse d'eau. Les Celtes nommaient le lac de Genève «Lem an», ou «grande eau», d’où son nom français de «Léman».

Grand, il l’est en effet: sur ses eaux d’une surface de 580,1 kilomètres carrés de surface mètres carrés naviguent des bateaux en service régulier, des bateaux à aubes historiques et de petits bacs. La navigation sur le Léman détient également quelques records: la Compagnie Générale de Navigation sur le Lac Léman (CGN) fait fonctionner huit bateaux à aubes à vapeur, soit la flotte la plus importante du genre.

Lake Geneva is a superlative body of water: the mildest climate, the largest inland lake and the largest lake in Central Europe in terms of water mass. The Celts called Lake Geneva "Lem an", or "great water", hence the French name "Léman".

It is indeed large: on its 580.1 square kilometres of water, regular boats, historic paddle steamers and small ferries navigate. Lake Geneva navigation also holds some records: the Compagnie Générale de Navigation sur le Lac Léman (CGN) operates eight steam-powered paddle steamers, the largest fleet of its kind.

We record the impressions left upon us by others

The good and the bad, all impressions on the soul

For everyone you meet leaves a little of themselves behind

Some over a long period a daily entwined interaction

Others a chance encounter sometimes but a moment

Yet another notch on that stick of experience

But what of the depth of the cut?

Port de Brest en Février - 19:17 - Brest Harbor in February - 7:17 pm

En écho à la photo de mon ami eric-foto www.flickr.com/photos/82086812@N07/52723880655/in/datepos...

Remorqueur Abeille Bourbon 21.743 cv / hp Tug boat fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abeille_Bourbon

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abeille_Bourbon

Maxi-trimaran Banque populaire V - Sails of Change

Le Maxi-trimaran Banque populaire V, également connu par la suite sous les noms de Spindrift 2 et Sails of Change est un trimaran de compétition mis à l'eau en août 2008 à Lorient, par le Team Banque populaire. Il est actuellement le plus grand trimaran de course océanique du monde (40 m de long). Conçu dans le but de battre les plus importants records océaniques en équipage, le bateau détient le Trophée Jules-Verne entre 2012 et 2017, après avoir fait le tour du monde, skippé par Loïck Peyron, en 45 jours, 13 heures, 42 minutes et 53 secondes.fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxi-trimaran_Banque_populaire_V

The Maxi-trimaran Banque populaire V, also later known as Spindrift 2 and Sails of Change, is a competition trimaran launched in August 2008 in Lorient, Brittany, France by the Team Banque populaire. It is currently the largest ocean racing trimaran in the World (length 40 m, 131 ft). Designed with the aim of breaking the most important oceanic crewed records, the boat holds the Jules Verne Trophy between 2012 and 2017, after having made the turn of the World, skipped by Loïck Peyron, in 45 days, 13 hours, 42 minutes and 53 seconds.

www.sailsofchange.org/?lang=fr #30x30

30×30 est une campagne mondiale visant à protéger au moins 30 % des océans du monde d’ici 2030

#30x30 is a global campaign to protect at least 30% of the World’s oceans by 2030

February 2023 - Uploaded 2023/04/23

'......a sundial records the hours but time is measured in centuries at Keld. '

( Alfred Wainwright in ' A Coast to Coast Walk ' )

Upper Swaledale, North Yorkshire.

Taken maybe two minutes after Dawn Fishing; it's often windy here, the sun and the moving clouds were constantly fighting each other and benefited me! :-)

(Since Feb 17, all times are estimated as my X-T20 can no longer record the timestamp.)

Thanks for visiting and I wish you a pleasant day!

Various photographers got ready to record the fog wave. It was cool that we could exchange ideas a bit. My old Mamiya was admired and amazed that people were still working with it.

Camera: Mamiya RB67 SD

Film: Kodak Ektar 100

Scanner: Epson V850 Pro

ScannerSoftware: SilverFast

The Eurojet EJ200 is a military low-bypass turbofan used as the powerplant of the Eurofighter Typhoon. The engine gas temperature drops as it passes through the turbine to 1,013 °F (545 °C) but the afterburner (reheat in the UK) combustor reheats the gas but to a much higher temperature (2,540 °F (1,390 °C)).

An EJ200 engine, together with a rocket engine, will power the Bloodhound LSR for an attempt at the land speed record. The target speed is at least 1000 mph.

Ayer por la tarde, con viento y hojas, nos acercamos hasta el puente romano de Salamanca. En un momento dado, el sol iluminó la catedral. Y con mi móvil quise dejar grabado el momento.

Yesterday afternoon, with wind and leaves, we approached the Roman bridge of Salamanca. At one point, the sun lit up the cathedral. And with my mobile I wanted to record the moment.

Hier après-midi, avec du vent et des feuilles, nous nous sommes approchés du pont romain de Salamanque. À un moment donné, le soleil a illuminé la cathédrale. Et avec mon portable je voulais enregistrer le moment.

Art must reach further than impression or self-revelation.... A true photograph need not be explained, nor can be contained in words.

Ansel Adams

HBW!! HGGT! Ukraine Matters!

japanese camellia, 'October Affair', sarah p duke gardens, duke university, durham, north carolina

The Racetrack Playa — a barren lakebed in Death Valley National Park — is home to one of the world’s natural wonders: “sailing stones” that mysteriously meander across the dried mud, leaving tracks in their wake. Since the 1940s, these rocks have fueled wonder and speculation because no one had seen them in action — until now.

Recently, a team of U.S. scientists recorded the first observation of these boulders in motion, using GPS monitors and time-lapse photography. By meticulously tracking weather data, scientists also explained how these rocks slog across the playa. What was one of the world’s natural wonders now appears to be the perfect combination of rain, wind, ice and sun.

After leaving Valley of Fire, Wayne and I headed to Death Valley for some night photography out on the Playa and when we arrived there it was 114 degrees. We still had a long 3 hr dirt road drive ahead of us and we also wanted to stop off at Ubehebe Crater for a couple of photos. Most of my time here was spent traveling to the Racetrack Playa so I didn't get any time to shoot photography during the day, but what a blast it was to shoot on a dry lake bed under the stars at night. We spent about an hour looking for the famous Sailing Stones when we came across a couple other photographers that were on their way out and pointed us in the right direction. I can't wait to get back here, preferably during sub triple digit temps. :)

Thanks for taking the time to take a look at my photos, and as always, your views, comments, faves, and support are greatly appreciated!! Have a great weekend!! :)

If you have any questions about this photo or about photography in general, I will do my best to help, just post a comment or send me a Flickr mail and I will respond as quickly as possible.

This reflection photo was also taken on New Years Day on a beach as was the previous one of the people and the dog. The big difference apart from the subjects was the other image was shot towards the direction of the sun therefore strong contrast and no detail in the reflection. Some i see thought they were shadows but this is not the case.

This shot was taken with the sun behind me so much less contrast and the detail as been recorded. The magic of light !

Thanks for reading and for all your comments and faves : )

www.robertsyvret.com

😎 A wall covered with old 45 RPM records. The 'Ice Cream Bar/Restaurant/Antiquarian Route 138' in St-Hilarion, Charlevoix region, Quebec. It is a nod to the similar 'vintage' places of the legendary American Route 66.

😎 Un muro cubierto con viejos registros de 45 RPM. 'Heladería / Restaurante / Anticuario Ruta 138' - en St-Hilarion, región de Charlevoix, Quebec. Es un guiño a los lugares 'vintage' similares de la legendaria Ruta 66 estadounidense.

😎 Un mur recouvert de vieux disques 45 tours. ‘Bar Laitier-Resto-Brocante Route 138’ - à St-Hilarion, dans la région de Charlevoix, au Québec. C’est un clin d'œil aux endroits ‘vintage’ semblables de la mythique route 66 américaine.

This photograph of Tangle Creek Falls was taken during our family holidays to Canadian Rockies in May 2014. The Falls was located between Banff and Jasper, near the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre. The Falls was literally at the side of the iconic Icefields Parkway (Highway 93), with the parking lot on the other side of the Highway. It was a slightly cloudy afternoon with few visitors, and a tripod came in handy to record the wonderful landscape surrounding the main and mini waterfalls.

It was another beautiful November morning, and the fall colors and reflections caught my eye. This is the start of the canal locks (far left) used by Bamberg's tour boats on the Regnitz River. The Erlangen-Bamberg Textile Company built their own canal (Werkkanal) around 1850 to get their textiles down to the river. But more recently local authorities rechanneled the river through here. The old canal is now the river. The fellow coming up the stairs (bottom right) had just snapped a few shots with his smart phone. Just moments earlier, I had been down there getting a few shots myself. I think that's what inspired him to stop riding his bike and record the fleeting beauty of this moment. [DSC00378-2_lr_2000]

Thank you all for the clicks, comments & faves.

Thank you for taking the time to visit and comment my images, I am here to enjoy your beautiful works and always appreciate your valuable constructive criticism because it is a healthy means to grow. Photography is self-expression rather than to record the appearance of the external world, it is subjective art rather than exact science, so please honored me with your personal view and style.

I saw this model of this huge battleship while touring the Carrier, USS Lexington, in Corpus Christi, Texas. This ship has an amazing battle record. The american Navy no longer uses these ocean monsters. I believe the last time one was ever used was off the coast of Vietnam. They look awesome pulling into port. Here's a link where you can find out more info: www.militaryfactory.com/ships/detail.asp?ship_id=USS-Sout...

Where it all started, or where you can find out how it started.

There are stories that should not be forgotten... Well, perhaps we should never forget. From memories, from the past and from our history we learn. Today I begin to record the result of my investigations. A task that has taken me a year, a long year of wandering between the shelves of the Carnelian Archive, where all the Fairlands chronicles are kept. The dust, the smell of leather, paper and history have been my faithful companions in this search, which is now over. It was something personal, yes. It has already been lost in time and in the silence of my relatives over the years, but I needed to know the truth. And the truth, like a polished diamond with countless faces, is not as simple as they imagined. There is no good or bad, but a mixture of the two whose balance maintains the Universe. Anyway, this is not the time to ramble. I think I should pick up the scattered fragments, hinted at in these flickr posts, and tell the whole story, though maybe not the whole truth, who knows....

Story, style card and credits here

Every Autumn I find the world outside my door changing overnight. This leaf was plucked from a young sapling...but I just had to record the splattered paint effect. Thank you, Mother Nature! "Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower."

Albert Camus

je vous souhaite un bon WeekEnd, I wish you a good WeekEnd

PELARGONIUM ou nommée GÉRANIUM

Actuellement, 280 espèces de Pelargonium sauvages ont été répertoriées, en grande majorité (à 71 %) en Afrique du Sud.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PELARGONIUM or named GERANIUM

Currently, 280 species of wild Pelargonium have been recorded, the vast majority (71%) in South Africa.

I was photographing the 2 connected (mating) dragonflies when I noticed a third flying close to them. Next thing, the third swooped down and tried to interrupt the mating pair. I was fortunate to have recorded the interaction.

For the record, the loco is a BR Standard Class 5, No.73129 at the Midland Railway Centre. 28 12 2014

… I guess I‘ve always been to a certain extent. I remember being around the age of 7 or 8 when I recorded the first 'album' which consisted of a friend of mine and me playing on a small toy piano. It was probably around 25-30 minutes of instrumental music, recorded on a cassette, and the process for each song was me trying to come up with some chords and then telling my friend which keys he could use to improvise a melody over it.

I‘m sure quality varied… but of course the memory is hazy. We even thought of titles for each track, trying to match the mood of the songs and made some cover artwork for it. A couple of years later - when I was a somewhat 'cool kid' with 11 or 12 - I found the cassette again and deleted it, in order to avoid the risk of anyone else finding it and laughing at me…

Decades later I would love to still have it and listen to it, but I guess that‘s the way it is. 😂

One of my attempts at the "Macro Mondays" theme "Music".

It shows a small detail of my acoustic guitar, which I got when I was 6 years old and still play to this day - sometimes even together with my own kids!

Shot with a Noritsu "32 mm F 4" lens on a Canon EOS R5.

This night photograph was taken from a spot along Shanghai Bund to record the well lit historic buildings and light trails. There was relatively heavy traffic, with light trails of different types of vehicles captured in the photograph.

Passengers and crew aboard the 7.15am Pilibhit - Izatnagar service (train 52208) standing at Shahi station keep a watchful eye out for the through express due imminently, and which needs to clear the single line section before they can proceed with their journey.

They shouldn't have long to wait however - the two green signals glowing through the morning mist indicate the train is expected anytime now. And anycase you'll usually hear it well before you see it, the almost continuous sounding horn announcing its presence well in advance of the station.

I crouched down to give the shot a bit more impact, and the tele-lens does its best to emphasise the rickety permanent way - a typical feature of metre-gauge lines, and one of the reasons work is underway to convert to the more capable and higher capacity broad-gauge system. In fact work on the new BG platform face can be seen at right - rather more substantial than the inconsequential step from platform to track out of sight on the left that typifies the MG system.

The member of station staff stood by the steps and post is carrying the obligatory rolled-up red and green flags - he'll wave the green one as the train approaches to indicate the line is clear through the station. It also looks like he's carrying the single line token for the section to Pilibhit, which the train crew will collect as they pass through at ‘speed’ - I'm guessing around 40-45mph.

The other folk walking along the running track, and the gent with the cycle crossing in the distance, all seem pretty relaxed so presumably the express was still some way off! For the record the YDM-4 loco in close up is unit 6515.

Best viewed full-screen. Commenting off for this one, thanks.

7.33am, 12th October 2015

This morning snowflakes began to fall. They are so incredible and delicate. This one is tiny! According to the Guinness Book of World Records the largest snowflake recorded was 15 inches across and fell from the sky in 1887 in Fort Keogh, Montana. I'll have to keep snapping photos over the winter....maybe I can find one that is a bit larger than this one, maybe even a record breaker! :-)

This night photograph of Louis Vuitton (LV) Island Maison was taken from the Singapore Marina Bay Sands (MBS) boardwalk. Some of the high-rise buildings in the Central Business District (CBD) could be seen on the right in the background.

The long exposure photograph recorded the breezy conditions that caused motions of the water surface, and led to colourful reflections in Marina Bay.

This night photograph of Budapest Szechenyi Chain Bridge was taken last Sunday from a spot near to Buda Castle during a slightly breezy evening.

According to Wikipedia,the Széchenyi Chain Bridge is a chain bridge that spans the River Danube between Buda and Pest, the western and eastern sides of Budapest, the capital of Hungary. It was the first permanent bridge across the Danube in Hungary, and was opened in 1849.

It was a wonderful feeling to record the nightscape of the bridge, with illuminations and reflections on the River Danube.

I sincerely hope this will pass as a red flower for today's theme. if not, then perhaps as yellow? It's certainly somewhere in between the two. just for the record, the full diameter of the flower head is around 6 cm. I had taken countless photos, focus-stacked some and in the end chose this one (not particularly sharp or rich in detail) because the light and color. You can see the full bouquet here flic.kr/p/2jgcwWR A HMM to all!

This photograph of Tangle Creek Falls was taken during our family holidays to Canadian Rockies in May 2014. The Falls was located between Banff and Jasper, near Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre. The Falls was literally at the side of the iconic Icefields Parkway (Highway 93), with the parking lot on the other side of the Highway. It was a slightly cloudy afternoon with few visitors, and a tripod came in handy to record the wonderful landscape surrounding the main and mini waterfalls.

The Cheshire cat bus services, including a town shuttle for a £1 on a 10 minute circuit.

Hence the Station Bus Stop combination,

For the purely fictional record, the loco is 88011 "Alice"

This blue hour photograph was taken from the top of Blue Tree Premium Faria Lima hotel. The cloud formations retained interesting colours and patterns above the high-rise buildings. The facades of International Plaza building (on the left) reflects some of the vehicular lights, while the light trails recorded the busy traffic along the main avenues.

This photograph was taken during my visit to Dubai Marina in early November.

It was breezy, and thus a long exposure was used to record the blurred reflections around the yacht club. The unique landmarks, including the Cayan Tower with unique twisted shape in the middle of the photograph, and their colourful reflections are captured in this nightscape.

Best wishes for the new week!

Red Deer - Cervus elaphus

Resting Stag - Double Click to view

The red deer (Cervus elaphus) is one of the largest deer species. The red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, Iran, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being the only species of deer to inhabit Africa. Red deer have been introduced to other areas, including Australia, New Zealand, United States, Canada, Peru, Uruguay, Chile and Argentina. In many parts of the world, the meat (venison) from red deer is used as a food source.

The red deer is the fourth-largest deer species behind moose, elk and sambar deer. It is a ruminant, eating its food in two stages and having an even number of toes on each hoof, like camels, goats and cattle. European red deer have a relatively long tail compared to their Asian and North American relatives. Subtle differences in appearance are noted between the various subspecies of red deer, primarily in size and antlers, with the smallest being the Corsican red deer found on the islands of Corsica and Sardinia and the largest being the Caspian red deer (or maral) of Asia Minor and the Caucasus Region to the west of the Caspian Sea. The deer of central and western Europe vary greatly in size, with some of the largest deer found in the Carpathian Mountains in Central Europe.Western European red deer, historically, grew to large size given ample food supply (including people's crops), and descendants of introduced populations living in New Zealand and Argentina have grown quite large in both body and antler size. Large red deer stags, like the Caspian red deer or those of the Carpathian Mountains, may rival the wapiti in size. Female red deer are much smaller than their male counterparts.

The European red deer is found in southwestern Asia (Asia Minor and Caucasus regions), North Africa and Europe. The red deer is the largest non-domesticated land mammal still existing in Ireland. The Barbary stag (which resembles the western European red deer) is the only member of the deer family represented in Africa, with the population centred in the northwestern region of the continent in the Atlas Mountains. As of the mid-1990s, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria were the only African countries known to have red deer.

In the Netherlands, a large herd (ca. 3000 animals counted in late 2012) lives in the Oostvaarders Plassen, a nature reserve. Ireland has its own unique subspecies. In France the population is thriving, having multiplied fivefold in the last half-century, increasing from 30,000 in 1970 to approximately 160,000 in 2014. The deer has particularly expanded its footprint into forests at higher altitudes than before. In the UK, indigenous populations occur in Scotland, the Lake District, and the South West of England (principally on Exmoor). Not all of these are of entirely pure bloodlines, as some of these populations have been supplemented with deliberate releases of deer from parks, such as Warnham or Woburn Abbey, in an attempt to increase antler sizes and body weights. The University of Edinburgh found that, in Scotland, there has been extensive hybridisation with the closely related sika deer.

Several other populations have originated either with "carted" deer kept for stag hunts being left out at the end of the hunt, escapes from deer farms, or deliberate releases. Carted deer were kept by stag hunts with no wild red deer in the locality and were normally recaptured after the hunt and used again; although the hunts are called "stag hunts", the Norwich Staghounds only hunted hinds (female red deer), and in 1950, at least eight hinds (some of which may have been pregnant) were known to be at large near Kimberley and West Harling; they formed the basis of a new population based in Thetford Forest in Norfolk. Further substantial red deer herds originated from escapes or deliberate releases in the New Forest, the Peak District, Suffolk, Lancashire, Brecon Beacons, and North Yorkshire, as well as many other smaller populations scattered throughout England and Wales, and they are all generally increasing in numbers and range. A census of deer populations in 2007 and again in 2011 coordinated by the British Deer Society records the red deer as having continued to expand their range in England and Wales since 2000, with expansion most notable in the Midlands and East Anglia.

Free heads!!! One for the girls - Lilly, on this pict- and one for the boys. You read right, we want to spoil you with these two little gifts. This is just another way of showing you how much we love you and to thank you for giving us support this year!

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS CLICK THE OBJECT and you will receive it. Lelutka have scripted it to record the transaction, so you can receive future updates and re-delivery. They wanted to be sure their group members felt special; therefore, Lilly and Alain will be available to group members ONLY and set to a regular price (L$3990) on December 26th.

These heads come with all of the features you have come to love. With all addons and skins, they left nothing out. So with that said, enjoy and thank you for being with Lelutka yet another year.

Taxi to free head : here.

This photograph was taken during my visit to Dubai Marina in last November.

It was breezy, and thus a long exposure was used to record the blurred reflections around the yacht club, with yachts seen in the foreground. The unique landmarks, including their colourful reflections are captured in this nightscape.

2006 October: The completion and opening date of a major expansion, the Frederic C. Hamilton building, designed as a joint venture by Studio Daniel Libeskind and Denver firm Davis Partnership Architects(architect of record). The new building opened on October 7, 2006, and is clad in titanium and glass. The project was recognised by the American Institute of Architects as a successful Building Information Modeling project

Civic Center Historic District

A slower shutter speed would have recorded the wind a little better but I didn't have my tripod and wanted to capture mother natures artwork.

This night photograph of Louis Vuitton (LV) Island Maison was taken from the Singapore Marina Bay Sands (MBS) boardwalk. Some of the high-rise buildings in the Central Business District (CBD) could be seen on the right in the background.

The long exposure photograph recorded the breezy conditions that caused motions of the water surface, and led to colourful reflections in Marina Bay.

These steps at Mt Frankland are used today by tower people who record the weather and report smoke from fires over the drier months between December and April.

#SouthCoast 032 – Walpole

This blue hour photograph was taken at Salford Quays two days ago. It was a breezy evening, with drifting clouds.

The photograph recorded the Media City Bridge (with its distinctive fan-shaped columns) and BBC Quay House.

Best wishes for a relaxing Sunday.

DMIR 212, 211, CN 6013, and DMIR 408 pull Minorca Limestone up and around Spirit Mountain Curve on September 21, 2021. This is CN's 1600 Proctor Switch (R922) making its first move up Proctor Hill late in the day.

There isn't much use for the 200s outside of Proctor Yard with no PTC, no straight air, and their dynamic brakes disabled but they found their way down to Duluth to lead this one hill trip up. Last time I shot SD38-2s on the hill was back in 2013 as they normally stay in yard limits working the E Lead Switch.

Many fans were out to shoot and literally record the original Missabe SD38-2s on Proctor Hill. The 212-211 pair didn't disappoint and put on quite the sound and smoke show (mainly 211's exhaust).

This photo was taken in 2010, five years ago, hard to believe.

About this album: I adore surfing old photos. Each of them tells a good story, a great experience. That's why I like photography. It records the outstanding memories and makes them unforgettable. I can recommend photography, this thankful passion to everybody.

Managed a quick trip to the beach in order to see if California is OPEN yet. Most coastal access remains closed, with all parking areas blocked.

But I found this Guy racing around a rest stop, and managed to get a shot before he raced off.

For a generation of viewers, the familiar “beep, beep” of Warner Brothers’ cartoon Roadrunner was the background sound of Saturday mornings.

(Although commonly quoted as "meep meep", Warner Brothers, the current owner of all trademarks relating to the duo, lists "beep, beep" as the Road Runner's sound, along with "meep, meep." )

Despite the cartoon character’s perennial victories over Wile E. Coyote, real-life coyotes present a real danger to Roadrunners; Coyotes can reach a top speed of 43 miles an hour—more than twice as fast as roadrunners.

Roadrunner can outrace a human, kill a rattlesnake, and thrive in the harsh landscapes of the Desert Southwest. Roadrunners reach two feet from sturdy bill to white tail tip, with a bushy blue-black crest and mottled plumage that blends well with dusty shrubs. As they run, they hold their lean frames nearly parallel to the ground and rudder with their long tails.

Roadrunners have evolved a range of adaptations to deal with the extremes of desert living. Like seabirds, they secrete a solution of highly concentrated salt through a gland just in front of each eye, which uses less water than excreting it via their kidneys and urinary tract. Moisture-rich prey including mammals and reptiles supply them otherwise-scarce water in their diet. Both chicks and adults flutter the un-feathered area beneath the chin (gular fluttering) to dissipate heat.

Roadrunners eat poisonous prey, including venomous lizards and scorpions, with no ill effect, although they’re careful to swallow horned lizards head-first with the horns pointed away from vital organs. Roadrunners can also kill and eat rattlesnakes, often in tandem with another roadrunner: as one distracts the snake by jumping and flapping, the other sneaks up and pins its head, then bashes the snake against a rock. If it’s is too long to swallow all at once, a roadrunner will walk around with a length of snake still protruding from its bill, swallowing it a little at a time as the snake digests.

Based on banding records, the oldest roadrunner was at least 7 years old.

- The Cornell Lab of Ornithology

(600 mm, 1/2000 @ f/9.0, ISO 1000)

Red Breasted Merganser - Mergus Serrator (m)

These handsome diving ducks belong to the sawbill family, so called because of their long, serrated bills, used for catching fish. Their diet of fish such as salmon and trout has brought them into conflict with game fishermen.

At home on both fresh- and saltwater, red-breasted mergansers are most commonly seen around the UK's coastline in winter. They are gregarious, forming flocks of several hundred in the autumn.

The adult red-breasted merganser is 51–62 cm (20–24 in) long with a 70–86 cm (28–34 in) wingspan. It has a spiky crest and long thin red bill with serrated edges. The male has a dark head with a green sheen, a white neck with a rusty breast, a black back, and white underparts. Adult females have a rusty head and a greyish body. The juvenile is like the female, but lacks the white collar and has a smaller white wing patch.

Its breeding habitat is freshwater lakes and rivers across northern North America, Greenland, Europe, and Asia. It nests in sheltered locations on the ground near water. It is migratory and many northern breeders winter in coastal waters further south.

Interesting fact:

Speed record

The fastest duck ever recorded was a red-breasted merganser that attained a top airspeed of 100 mph while being pursued by an airplane. This eclipsed the previous speed record held by a canvasback clocked at 72 mph.