Taking the relatively new "Pano-Xtreme" technique into a much more heavily photo manipulated place.

The evening light of this shot suggested a dreamier, more imaginative take on the scene.

© Richard S Warner ( Visionheart ) - 2016. All Rights Reserved. This image is not for use in any form without explicit, express, written permission.

See My Website: visionheartblog.wordpress.com

This dawn photograph captured the attractive Jubilee and Esplanade Bridges, and landmark buildings in Central Business District (CBD).

The photograph was taken near the Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay. It was calm, with relatively still water surface in Marina Bay. The photograph shows the colourful reflections of the bridges and high-rise buildings in the Bay.

Best wishes for the Festive Season!

This night photograph was taken last month at a spot on the Helix Bridge in Singapore during the annual light festival, i-Light 2023. Some of the illuminated landmarks, including the Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands (from left of photograph), ArtScience Museum with colourful i-Light projections, high-rise structures in Central Business District could be seen.

It was a relatively calm evening with the water surface of Marina Bay providing colourful reflections to the landmarks.

Best wishes for a relaxing Sunday.

It was a relatively long wait for this individual to emerge in front of the wetland hide at Calke Abbey Park, though eventually when it did decide to put in an appearance, it popped out quite frequently during late afternoon. However, it never ventured far into the feeder clearing in front of the hide, always lurking on the fringes and very skittish, scuttling back into the undergrowth at the first hint of risk..

A different foray to the first shot I posted, on this occasion it emerged down the narrow path on the far side of the hide clearing, again without straying too far. A squirrel sent it rather rapidly back into the undergrowth.

A relatively small swallow of western North America. Adult males have a white face and show turquoise-green upperparts and a purple rump in good light. Females and immatures are duller on the upperparts, sometimes just dusky-gray. In flight, note the prominent white "saddlebags" extending up from the underparts to the sides of the rump. Fairly common in a variety of open habitats, often foraging over meadows or ponds. Can be seen in large flocks, sometimes mixed with other species of swallow. Breeds as far north as Alaska; winters primarily in Mexico and northern Central America. (eBird)

Same barbed wire fence as the Barn Swallow, but different building as a backdrop. the bold colour really shows off the fabulous colours of this beautiful swallow. This really is its colour - I colour-matched it against other photos on eBird. We had seen these beauties a few times before but never in such good light :-)

Fort St. John, British Columbia, Canada. May 2022.

EagleEye Tours - Utlimate British Columbia.

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.

RELATIVELY bulky but unobtrusive wetland warbler whose loud, explosive song is often the first indication of its presence in the area, and if like above it breaks cover, this is the only time of the year to see it, while looking for a mate. The rest of the time is spent skulking around in deep bramble patches.

Thank God I got lucky !!!! Seen at Stodmarsh N.R Kent U.K.

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THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND, being transported around the world by your amazing images, while sitting in my armchair. Enjoy the rest of the week, keep a smile on your face and love in your heart for everyone......God bless you...Tomx

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"Ask JESUS into your life you will never regret it !"

This is a relatively low-res shot consisting of two iPhone 6 captures just after sunset in upstate South Carolina, USA. The two captures have been stitched together and cropped. Beyond that, this shot has been very minimally edited (as nature provided great conditions that did not require much!). There's some very minor HDR to help the treeline stand out a bit, plus I slightly adjusted shadows faintly darker so the parking lot on the right in the foreground wasn't as noticeable. Other than that, these colors - from the deep purples and reds to the slivers of yellow - are unaltered and are indicative of the beautiful sky that evening.

This worm gear came from my 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth window control mechanism that I had to replace. If you know me, you know I like little motors so I dissected out the motor and found this interesting worm gear. I've posted the complete armature part of the motor before and I even shot this gear once but never posted it. So, with "Screw" for the Macro Mondays theme this week I decided to shoot it again and see what I could come up with after a bit of cleaning. So much for the rusty lag bolt...

The worm screw gear is relatively small and measures 0.35 in. x 1.0 in. I used the Nikon 55mm f/2.8 NIKKOR Micro lens w/PK-12&13 Extension Tubes, 41.5mm total extension and a 30 image focus stack at f/5.6 to keep everything sharp. The first time I shot this I found the orange and blue clamps that I used to "suspend" the gear had snuck back into the reflection so I wrapped the clamps with my gold ribbon and taped some to a piece of cardboard that I placed below the gear. I used blue tape to hold the ribbon to the cardboard and it got picked up but I liked the look by the gold. You can also probable guess the color shirt I'm wearing.

The Salt Marshes by Porlock form a relatively new ecosytem. They were formed when the ridge in the pebble beach was breached (behind the tree) during a storm in 1996. Since then new species of flora and fauna have arrived, oftern at the cost of the previous residents. The saline incursion killed all of the trees.

In many ways ( colours, terrain, plants, etc.) these marshes are different from any other ecosystem in the National Park.

I particularly like the layered effect of the image provided by the different plants, then then pebble ridge, the sea and the sky.

PLEASE NO use in any media without my written permission.

Exmoor National Park, Somerset.

Thanks for every view, comment, fave, and encouragement.

Smallest Australian nocturnal bird, primarily gray-brown with large eyes, relatively long tail, and "whiskers" on the face. During the day, usually seen only if one is peering out of a roosting hollow. Small size and near lack of eyeshine make this species also difficult to locate at night; the call, a loud, brief "chew," is the best way to locate one. (eBird)

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Our guide had identified a suitable cavity in a tree that might just house an Owlet-Nightjar, so he went to take a look. As he stood on his toes to look into the hole, he knocked softly on the tree trunk. All of a sudden, he yelled and fell backwards. We all thought he had been bitten by something. Instead, this lovely little bird flew right at him, and then swerved and left the tree through another exit. It then landed on this branch and glared at us as our guide recovered his balance and his dignity :-)

A relatively small salt lake and sand dunes in Central Australia about 330 km northwest of Alice Springs taken from the air. The unvegetated sand is a mobile sand dune.

The smoke in the distance is from fires which have been deliberately lit. Small scale planned burning in the cooler months of the year can reduce the risk of wildfires occurring during the very hot summers.

Thanks for visiting. I am very grateful for the very kind comments and faves which have been left.

Winter has been relatively kind to the people of southwestern Ontario so far this year. But we have had some true Canadian cold, snow bound days, such as this day at the Blue Heron pond on the east side of Windsor. It was a very cold morning just before sunrise, but the dawn sky was literally on fire.

Being a relatively normal human being, I gravitated to the biggest waves when I originally (and subsequently) checked out my storm shots and dumped sub par waves in a separate folder. Well I just went through that folder and there are some shots with the most amazing lighting that I ignored because of the "small" waves, what a complete donut I must have been back then!

Here is one that I particularly liked. I should mention that I have in no way desaturated this image, just the colour of the day - grey.

Porthcawl Lighthouse in stormy weather.

Of relatively insignificant height (232m/761ft), but high in archaeological significance since the summit has two interlocking hill-forts plus cup-and-ring marked rocks a short distance away, It has pretty stunning views to the Cheviots too!

A relatively large and shallow lake in the Deschutes National Forest, it is located toward the south end of the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway, near Oregon Route 58 and U.S. 97. The lake is known as one of Oregon's best bass lakes.

Davis Lake was formed by a lava flow within the nearby volcanic field blocking Odell Creek. The blockage results in the lake, which can cover over 3,000 acres (1,200 ha) acres in the winter months. In the summer, however, the inflow from Odell and Ranger creeks cannot fill up the lake as fast as the water escapes through the lava blockage, resulting in the lake covering a much smaller area. It is unknown where the water goes that escapes through the lava dam.

We have had a great snow melt leading to all of our high lakes being overfilled. By August there will be no water in this area. But it was lovely with the colorful sunrise and the drifting fog.

Small sandpiper with relatively long, droopy bill (longer on females). In breeding plumage, shows rich rufous tones on shoulders, cheeks, and crown. Nonbreeding is plain pale gray above and white below. Juveniles look pale-faced and have a bright strip of rufous feathers on the upper edge of the wings. Most similar to Semipalmated Sandpiper, which averages shorter-billed and duller grayish-brown overall. Extremely difficult to distinguish in winter; note Western is somewhat larger-headed and more front-heavy. Droopy bill might recall Dunlin, but Western is smaller and paler. Breeds on high Arctic tundra in Alaska. In migration and winter, occurs in large flocks on mudflats and beaches. Much more common in western North America; uncommon to rare on the east coast. Occurs in the winter in the U.S., unlike Semipalmated Sandpiper; regularly winters as far south as Peru, rare to Chile. (eBird)

We missed the shorebird migration by a couple of weeks, so were very pleased to come across this Western Sandpiper on the mudflats.

Tofino, British Columbia, Canada. May 2022.

Eagle-Eye Tours - Ultimate British Columbia.

Pine Marten - Martes martes

Pine martens are found in the Scottish Highlands and Grampians, with isolated populations in southern Scotland. In England and North Wales pine martens seem to be on the verge of extinction. They are widespread and relatively common in Ireland. Although they occur in a wide range of habitats, pine martens prefer well-wooded areas with plenty of cover.

Diet: Pine martens are generalist predators, feeding on small rodents, birds, beetles, carrion, eggs and fungi. In autumn, berries are a staple.

General Ecology: Marten dens are commonly found in hollow trees or the fallen root masses of Scots pines, an association that probably earned pine martens their name; cairns and cliffs covered with scrub are frequently used as alternative den sites. Martens have territories that vary in size according to habitat and food availability. For males, these are about 10-25 square kilometres and for females about 5-15 square kilometres. They mark their territories with faeces (known as scats) deposited in places where they are conspicuous to other martens; they are frequently left along forestry trails.

Breeding: Young martens are born blind and hairless, in litters of 1-5, in early spring and stay with their mothers for about six weeks. Their eyes open at the end of May and by mid-June they begin to emerge from their den. Male martens play no direct part in rearing the young.

Conservation Status: Martens and their dens are fully protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981); martens must not be trapped, sold or disturbed except under licence from Scottish Natural Heritage, the Countryside Council for Wales or Natural England. Despite this legal protection, poisoned baits and traps, often set for hooded crows and foxes, still probably account for many marten deaths each year. Others are also shot at hen houses, and some are killed when mistaken for mink.

Until the 19th Century, pine martens were found throughout much of mainland Britain, the Isle of Wight and some of the Scottish islands. Habitat fragmentation, persecution by gamekeepers and martens being killed for their fur, drastically reduced this distribution. By 1926, the main pine marten population in Britain was restricted to a small area of north-west Scotland, with small numbers in N Wales and the Lake District. They have now increased their range in Scotland, and now occur throughout the Highlands, N of the Central Belt but remains one of the rarest native mammals in Great Britain, with a total population of around 3-4,000, but Ireland probably also has as many.

Sitting on 5 eggs.....Fingers x'd!

Great Crested Grebe - Podiceps Cristatus

The great crested grebe has an elaborate mating display. Like all grebes, it nests on the water's edge, since its legs are set relatively far back and it is thus unable to walk very well. Usually two eggs are laid, and the fluffy, striped young grebes are often carried on the adult's back. In a clutch of two or more hatchlings, male and female grebes will each identify their 'favourites', which they alone will care for and teach

Unusually, young grebes are capable of swimming and diving almost at hatching. The adults teach these skills to their young by carrying them on their back and diving, leaving the chicks to float on the surface; they then re-emerge a few feet away so that the chicks may swim back onto them.

The great crested grebe feeds mainly on fish, but also small crustaceans, insects small frogs and newts.

This species was hunted almost to extinction in the United Kingdom in the 19th century for its head plumes, which were used to decorate hats and ladies' undergarments. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds was set up to help protect this species, which is again a common sight.

The great crested grebe and its behaviour was the subject of one of the landmark publications in avian ethology: Julian Huxley's 1914 paper on The Courtship‐habits of the Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus).

Population:

UK breeding:

4,600 pairs

UK wintering:

19,000 individuals

Relatively large-headed and chunky. Gray and green overall, lacking buffy or orangey tones. Males have shocking magenta head, which appears dark when not catching the light. Females have dingy grayish underparts and often show a dark patch in the center of the throat. Note relatively short, straight bill compared with Black-chinned or Costa’s Hummingbird. Common year-round in the Pacific states of the U.S., mainly in relatively open or scrubby habitats including desert scrub and chaparral. Frequently seen in suburban yards and gardens, often visiting sugar water feeders. Expanding its range northward into British Colombia, even regular in southeast Alaska. Winters to southern Baja and locally elsewhere in Mexico. Listen for male’s scratchy, metallic song, given when perched. (eBird)

Both females and males have a little patch of colour on their throats. Given the time of year, this is more likely an adult female. I could not get an angle that shows her full bill, but the rest of the bird is here.

Delta, British Columbia, Canada. June 2022.

Eagle-Eye Tours - Ultimate British Columbia.

Hoar frost creates delicate pastel colors over an otherwise relatively nondescript forest landscape.

Raureif erzeugt feine Pastellfarben über einer sonst relativ unscheinbaren Waldlandschaft.

Relatively large-headed and chunky. Gray and green overall, lacking buffy or orangey tones. Males have shocking magenta head, which appears dark when not catching the light. Females have dingy grayish underparts and often show a dark patch in the center of the throat. Note relatively short, straight bill compared with Black-chinned or Costa’s Hummingbird. Common year-round in the Pacific states of the U.S., mainly in relatively open or scrubby habitats including desert scrub and chaparral. Frequently seen in suburban yards and gardens, often visiting sugar water feeders. Expanding its range northward into British Colombia, even regular in southeast Alaska. Winters to southern Baja and locally elsewhere in Mexico. Listen for male’s scratchy, metallic song, given when perched. (eBird)

Cypress Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada. May 2022.

Eagle-Eye Tours Ultimate British Columbia.

I liked how relatively cooperative she was that day.

A relatively small diving duck with a tall peaked crown. Males are handsome with glossy black head and back, clean gray sides, and a brighter white spur on the side. Females are grayish-brown, often with a paler patch at the base of the bill and a white eyering. Both sexes have a white band near the tip of gray bill. Also note gray, not white, wingstripe in flight. Usually favors small bodies of water, such as beaver ponds and cattail marshes, but also occurs on larger lakes, rivers, and bays. Can be found in mixed flocks with other diving ducks, although usually in smaller numbers than scaup. Compare with both species of scaup and Redhead (especially females). (eBird)

Presqu'ile Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. April 2022.

Vessel is a relatively recent New York City attraction. It is the centerpiece of Hudson Yards, a major cluster of skyscrapers on the western side of mid-town Manhattan. Vessel consists of 16 levels of interconnected staircases, said to be inspired by stepwells in India. An amazing structure in itself, it also offers great views of Manhattan and the Hudson river, which become better as you climb up.

Unfortunately, it has been closed since last summer. I'm pretty bummed about it. It's been so much fun, while it lasted.

Sorrento was relatively quiet when we were there in Spring 18. Summer is when hordes of tourists descend upon the spectacular Amalfi Coast. My personal preference has always been to travel to the Mediterranean in Spring or Autumn when it is neither too hot nor cold and more importantly less busy :)) I wish you all a splendid weekend. I am really behind in my posts and thank you always for your interest in my shots :))

This relatively small arch is located in a tight slot canyon (this is by far the widest part of the slot) in Arches National Park in Utah, USA. Thanks for the views!

A relatively common summer visitor to our coasts and waterways.Many thanks for looking at my pictures.

These days, when I look outside in the morning, I see several deer and up to 50 turkeys waiting for the deer chow, corn, and sunflower seed that I put out for them. On relatively nice days, they may not show up at all or quickly eat what I put out and move on. But, when it is cold and/or snowing they hang around or come back to see what they can find. That's what these two deer did yesterday afternoon. I believe they are a young doe and her "baby" from last summer.

While one see signs of caterpillars around, traces of birds are relatively few, due to wrong hours of the day ?

*

An Overlooked Artist Annie Fischer: Schumann

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjqjPNgf22U

*

Pupils of Rostrropovich:

Karine Georgian plays Tchaikovsky Rococo Variations -- the first time I heard of her. The other pupil Natalie Gutman is perhaps more famous though:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwuXKE5oH08&list=RDdwuXKE5oH0...

Natalie Gutman :

TCHAIKOVSKI -Variation Thème Rococo op 33

www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2fVuZezpkM

Bach Cello Suite No.3

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeq4tQ9cU_Y

Natalia Shakhovskaya, Variations on a Rococo Theme for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 33

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG78L0ZMhZs

*

Daniil Shafran plays Tchaikovsky Rococo Variations Op.33 (1 of 2)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKIW1L38Rt4

Arpeggione Sonata by Franz Schubert

www.youtube.com/watch?v=osBo4xKmLvA

*

Forgotten Pianist : Probably eclipsed by Gilels

Vera Razumovskaya performs Mendelssohn & Brahms (1950's)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yqv3_ahxhbg

Argerich's Last Teacher, Sauer's pupil, Stefan Askenase www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IRJDMOw1XI

Selenidera are small, stocky, relatively short-billed toucans of Central and South America; the Spot-billed Toucanet is the Selenidera that occurs in southeastern Brazil and in adjacent Paraguay and Argentina. The Spot-billed Toucanet is one of several species of Selenidera in which the iris is mostly yellow, except for dark spots just before and behind the pupil; this gives the eerie effect of having a slit-shaped pupil. The plumage of many species of Selenidera are very similar. The plumage of both sexes of the Spot-billed Toucanet is almost identical to that of Gould's Toucanet (Selendera gouldii) of central Amazonian Brazil, but the two species differ in the color pattern of the bill: the bill of Spot-billed Toucanet is mostly pale with a series of large black spots or stripes. The Spot-billed Toucanet usually is in pairs and forages for a variety of fruit in the canopy of humid lowland forest and in adjacent advanced second growth. doi.org/10.2173/bow.spbtou1.01

Taken at Sítio Espinheiro Negro - Wild - For a peaceful bokeh Wednesday!

Thanks a lot for your visits, comments, faves, invites, etc. Very much appreciated!

© All my images are protected under international authors copyright laws and may not be downloaded, reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without my written explicit permission. All rights reserved. Please contact me at thelma.gatuzzo@gmail.com if you intend to buy or use any of my images.

My instagram if you like: @thelmag and @thelma_and_cats

Pine Marten - Martes martes

Pine martens are found in the Scottish Highlands and Grampians, with isolated populations in southern Scotland. In England and North Wales pine martens seem to be on the verge of extinction. They are widespread and relatively common in Ireland. Although they occur in a wide range of habitats, pine martens prefer well-wooded areas with plenty of cover.

Diet: Pine martens are generalist predators, feeding on small rodents, birds, beetles, carrion, eggs and fungi. In autumn, berries are a staple.

General Ecology: Marten dens are commonly found in hollow trees or the fallen root masses of Scots pines, an association that probably earned pine martens their name; cairns and cliffs covered with scrub are frequently used as alternative den sites. Martens have territories that vary in size according to habitat and food availability. For males, these are about 10-25 square kilometres and for females about 5-15 square kilometres. They mark their territories with faeces (known as scats) deposited in places where they are conspicuous to other martens; they are frequently left along forestry trails.

Breeding: Young martens are born blind and hairless, in litters of 1-5, in early spring and stay with their mothers for about six weeks. Their eyes open at the end of May and by mid-June they begin to emerge from their den. Male martens play no direct part in rearing the young.

Conservation Status: Martens and their dens are fully protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981); martens must not be trapped, sold or disturbed except under licence from Scottish Natural Heritage, the Countryside Council for Wales or Natural England. Despite this legal protection, poisoned baits and traps, often set for hooded crows and foxes, still probably account for many marten deaths each year. Others are also shot at hen houses, and some are killed when mistaken for mink.

Until the 19th Century, pine martens were found throughout much of mainland Britain, the Isle of Wight and some of the Scottish islands. Habitat fragmentation, persecution by gamekeepers and martens being killed for their fur, drastically reduced this distribution. By 1926, the main pine marten population in Britain was restricted to a small area of north-west Scotland, with small numbers in N Wales and the Lake District. They have now increased their range in Scotland, and now occur throughout the Highlands, N of the Central Belt but remains one of the rarest native mammals in Great Britain, with a total population of around 3-4,000, but Ireland probably also has as many.

* Given that Spurn Point is relatively close to Hull I guess it's surprising I do not go there often. It is the oddest and wildest part of East Yorkshire with huge skies. However I find it too desolate to really enjoy, though some of my friends who are serious birders love it . This shot was taken on the narrowest parts of the spit. On the left hand side is the North Sea and on the right the waters of the Humber estuary . The little wooden cabin is a shelter in case a high tide cuts you off from the mainland which is not uncommon. You can see the lighthouse which is about four miles further along the spit.

Its a hard place to describe so I will borrow some text from the Yorkshire wildlife trust .

From the Yorkshire wildlife trust website

Spurn Point (or Spurn Head as it is also known) is a narrow sand spit on the tip of the coast of the East Riding of Yorkshire, that reaches into the North Sea and forms the north bank of the mouth of the Humber estuary. It is over 3 miles long, almost half the width of the estuary at that point, and as little as 50 yards wide in places. The southernmost tip is known as Spurn Head or Spurn Point and is the home to an RNLI lifeboat station and disused lighthouse. It forms part of the civil parish of Easington.

Spurn Head covers 280 acres above high water and 450 acres of foreshore. It has been owned since 1960 by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and is a designated National Nature Reserve, Heritage Coast and is part of the Humber Flats, Marshes and Coast Special Protection Area.

The peninsula is made up from sand and shingle as well as Boulder Clay eroded from the Holderness coastline washed down the coastline from Flamborough Head. Material is washed down the coast by longshore drift and accumulates to form the long, narrow embankment in the sheltered waters inside the mouth of the Humber estuary. It is maintained by plants, especially Marram grass . Waves carry material along the peninsula to the tip, continually extending it; as this action stretches the peninsula it also narrows it to the extent that the sea can cut across it in severe weather. When the sea cuts across it permanently, everything beyond the breach is swept away, only to eventually reform as a new spit pointing further south. This cycle of destruction and reconstruction occurs approximately every 250 years. The now crumbling defences will not be replaced and the spit will continue to move westwards at a rate of 2 metres per year, keeping pace with the coastal erosion further north.

THANKS FOR YOUR VISIT TO MY STREAM.

I WOULD BE VERY GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD NOT FAVE A PHOTO

WITHOUT ALSO LEAVING A COMMENT .

Vestvågøya is one of the islands in the Lofoten. The island lies between the islands of Austvågøya and Gimsøya to the northeast and Flakstadøya to the southwest. The middle part of the island is relatively flat and marshy, while the outer parts in the north and south are mountainous. The highest point on the island is the 964-metre tall mountain Himmeltindan.

I've stayed relatively local in the last week or so and tried a few different locations and I found a couple of wonderful spots for "wild garlic", this being one of them.

It is amazing what you can find if you just look. Even yesterday I spent about 3 hours walking a small area near home and not only did I find some nice scenes, but I got to take a couple of shots of Deer grazing in a small clearing. I think the Ramsons have now reached their nadir and will start to get past their sell by in the next week or so here!

Laika went on a hike around Garrison, NY which is 1.5 hour away from New York City. It's a relatively easy trail and Laika enjoyed running back and forth on the trail because her humans are not walking fast enough. Here she is posing by a small bridge waiting for her humans to catch up.

More photos of travels on Laika's Instagram account

05-may-2019: this shot is uncut: it was not more than 6-7m far from...my Jeep.

As in previous encounters with the largest European mammal predator there are always the same weather conditions: strong wind, cold and snow falling.

I think that the wind in particular (Bora was up to 90km/h gusting) can create some "interference" to their radars, otherwise, with good weather and calm wind it is almost impossible to meet them casually in the Forest, they have very refined hearing and smell.

Basically the strong Wind covered the noise of my car (hearing) and my car covered me (smell).

Finally, the snow invites people to stay at home, except me that i'm in love with snow and blizzards: in essence it is only me who disturbs their peace on these days, which were certainly more frequent once...

Once upon a time in winter, in spring, in summer and in autumn.

1,5km / 0,7 miles - 1,5h - moderate

The Al-Madras Trail is a hiking trail located in Petra, Jordan. It is a relatively short trail, taking about half a day to complete, and offers stunning views of the ancient city from a different perspective. The trail is named after the Arabic word for "oil press," as the area was once used for agriculture.

The trail starts just before you reach the Siq, the narrow gorge that leads to the main entrance of Petra. From there, it winds through the Wadi Al Madras, a valley that runs parallel to the Siq. Along the way, you will see a variety of Nabataean tombs and other archaeological features.

The highlight of the trail is the High Place of Sacrifice, a religious complex that sits on a hilltop overlooking Petra. The views from here are truly breathtaking.

Here are some additional things to know about the Al-Madras Trail:

It is not as well-marked as some of the other trails in Petra, so it is a good idea to have a map or guide.

The trail can be quite dusty, so it is a good idea to wear shoes with good traction.

There is no shade on the trail, so be sure to wear sunscreen and bring a hat.

The trail is not suitable for people with mobility issues.

If you are looking for a challenging and rewarding hike with amazing views, the Al-Madras Trail is a great option. Just be sure to be prepared for the heat and dust.

These alderflies are small and mainly brown with a relatively heavy body and forewings reaching a length of 10 to 20 millimeters. Females are usually larger than males. They have wings with large cells forming a network. The upper edge of the front wings consists of almost square cells. The species belonging to the genus Sialis have less than fifteen square cells, while the other Megaloptera have more cells. The adults are diurnal and fly from May to June on the riparian vegetation.

Eggs of Sialis fuliginosa

Females lay on the leaves of the shore plants up to 2000 eggs in groups of about 200. The resulting hatching larvae fall directly into the water. They live in the water at first, and later buried in the mud, up to 18 meters of depth. These larvae feed on larvae of insects, worms and small molluscs. They usually need two years to develop, overwintering as larvae. Pupation takes place on the shore under the soil.

This relatively small gull is native to New Zealand and is found throughout the country. It has a white body and head with an all red bill, red eye ring, red legs and feet with pale grey wings and black wingtips (source: Wikipedia).

(Phoebetria palpebrata). This was one of my favourite albatrosses I saw on my journey South from South Georgia to Elephant Island, (Antarctica) They are not rare but relatively uncommon and I only saw just this one on the whole trip. Their colouring is beautiful and they look very similar to a siamese cat. They are difficult to photograph from the back of a rolling ship and their colouring makes it really hard to get the exposure correct in all the whiteness!

The siskin is a relatively common, small finch of conifer woodlands and some mixed woods. In the winter, they gather in groups with lesser redpolls and feed on seeds in birch and alder woodland, as well as at birdtables. Many of our breeding siskins are residents, but they are joined by birds from Europe in winter. The female siskin builds her neat nest high-up in a conifer tree, using twigs, lichen and feathers. She incubates the eggs alone (usually two to six in a clutch) but both parents feed the chicks.

A relatively small wasp and if I am not wrong it\'s Cerceris - thanks again el.gritche! Early August.Sunny summer...

Canon 450D + Helios-44M4 58mm f/2 + Macro Extension Tubes (21mm) f/5.6 - 1/800 sec - ISO 400

The trout has a spindle-shaped, muscular body that is slightly flattened on the sides. He has a relatively large wedge-shaped head, with a deeply split and wide mouth. Strong jaws have small teeth. It has rounded abdominal and dorsal fins that are relatively short. A fat fin is typical of trout. Trout comes in many forms. There are individuals with a tall and short body, oval or flattened in cross-section, or individuals with an elongated and low body, but they usually have a shape between the two variants. The back is usually colored green or yellow, but there are other color variants. The abdominal part is always lighter, with shades of yellow or off-white. There are red spots on the back, sides and on the dorsal and fatty fins, which are usually light-edged on the sides. Sometimes these stains may be missing or have a different shade. Males have a longer head than females, in older individuals there is a hooked curvature of the lower jaw.

THANK YOU for stopping by and all your faves, and comments :-)

Relatively recently hatched praying mantis on day lily.

Howard County, Missouri

Hansestadt Lübeck GER

The Salzspeicher (salt storehouses), of Lübeck, Germany, are six historic brick buildings on the Upper Trave River next to the Holstentor (the western city gate).

Built in the 16th–18th centuries, the houses stored salt that was mined near Lüneburg and brought to Lübeck over the Stecknitz Canal. The salt was then shipped to several ports in the Baltic region, where the commodity was relatively rare, but was in high demand for the preservation of food. The salt trade from the late Middle Ages onward was a major reason for the power of Lübeck and the Hanseatic League.

The Harlequin Duck is a small, relatively uncommon sea duck. It gets its English name from characters in Italian comedy that wear masks and have oddly painted costumes. The colourful male, or drake, is one of the most attractive of sea ducks. [...] the adult male is striking and brightly coloured. It is characterized by slate blue plumage, chestnut flanks, and streaks of white on its head and body. The most distinctive markings on the head are a crescent-shaped white patch at the base of the short bill and a round white ear patch. The belly is slate grey. [...].

The female has plain, brownish-grey colouring that is darkest on its head, a white patch extending below and in front of each eye and a prominent white ear patch. The belly is white with brown speckles. [...].

Harlequin Ducks have an unusual life history. During most of the year, these birds are found in coastal marine environments. However, in spring they leave the salt water to ascend fast-flowing rivers and streams to breed. [...].

NB.

Their lifestyle is rough on their bodies, and many Harlequin Ducks endure broken bones from a lifetime of being tossed around in the rough water. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology: All About Birds

Porteau Cove, BC, Canada

Still relatively recent after the Conrail split, train #TV-24 rolls east for "Tower Tuesday" passing the old "QD" tower as it arrives at the west end of Collinwood Yard. Bringing this now CSX train into town are two ex-Conrail SD-70MAC units wearing my favorite Conrail paint scheme. I could have been very happy with Conrail staying around wearing this image.

Flying relatively low this afternoon and caught on camera when it tried to land on my desk (three LED lights and the Mitakon Speedmaster manual lens at F0.95). I don't think Flappityquack's eyesight is very good and its wingspan is also not really convincing. But who am I to criticise - I can't even fly.

Episyrphus balteatus, sometimes called the marmalade hoverfly, is a relatively small hoverfly (9–12 mm) of the Syrphidae family, widespread throughout the Palaearctic region, which covers Europe, North Asia, and North Africa. The upper side of the abdomen is patterned with orange and black bands. Two further identification characters are the presence of secondary black bands on the third and fourth dorsal plates and faint greyish longitudinal stripes on the thorax. Its color patterns may appear wasp-like to other animals, such as birds, protecting it from predation.

Episyrphus balteatus can be found throughout the year in various habitats, including urban gardens, visiting flowers for pollen and nectar. They often form dense migratory swarms, which may cause panic among people for their resemblance to wasps. It is among the very few species of flies capable of crushing pollen grains and feeding on them.[citation needed] The larva is terrestrial and feeds on aphids.

As in most other hoverflies, males can be easily identified by their holoptic eyes, i.e., left and right compound eyes touching at the top of their heads. Montenaken, Belgium