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The Liberty Bell an iconic symbol of American independence, located in the Old City District of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Once placed in the steeple of the Pennsylvania State House (now renamed Independence Hall), the bell today is located across the street in the Liberty Bell Centre in Independence National Historical Park. The bell was commissioned in 1752 by the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly from the London firm of Lester and Pack and was cast with the lettering "Proclaim LIBERTY Throughout all the Land unto all the Inhabitants Thereof", a Biblical reference.
The bell first cracked when rung after its arrival in Philadelphia and was twice recast by local workmen John Pass and John Stow, whose last names appear on the bell. In its early years, the bell was used to summon lawmakers to legislative sessions and to alert citizens about public meetings and proclamations.
The bell acquired its distinctive large crack sometime in the early 19th century—a widespread story claims it cracked while ringing after the death of Chief Justice John Marshall in 1835. The bell became famous after an 1847 short story claimed that an aged bellringer rang it on July 4, 1776, upon hearing of the Second Continental Congress' vote for independence.
Although the bell did not ring for independence on that July 4, the tale was widely accepted as fact, even by some historians. Beginning in 1885, the city of Philadelphia—which owns the bell—allowed it to go to various expositions and patriotic gatherings. The bell attracted huge crowds wherever it went, additional cracking occurred, and pieces were chipped away by souvenir hunters. The last such journey occurred in 1915, after which the city refused further requests.
After World War II, Philadelphia allowed the National Park Service to take custody of the bell, while retaining ownership. It was used as a symbol of freedom during the Cold War and was a popular site for protests in the 1960s. It was moved from its long-time home in Independence Hall to a nearby glass pavilion on Independence Mall in 1976, and then to the larger Liberty Bell Centre adjacent to the pavilion in 2003. The bell has been featured on coins and stamps, and its name and image have been widely used by corporations.
Information Source:
One from May taken in Bushey Rose Garden! Have a lovely pre-Christmas weekend all my Flickr friends and thank you for all your kind comments and faves throughout 2017.
Ringed Plovers nest on beaches throughout the British Isles and much of northern Europe. But they also nest on tundra in Iceland and Scandinavia. However, a smallish number breed in montane habitats in Britain too, including this one by a gravelly stream in Upper Teesdale at about 1600 feet asl. So the conundrum is that the tundra-nesters of Scandinavia are of the northern subspecies "tundrae", which are distinguished by being smaller and darker than the nominate "hiaticula" which nest around Britain's coast. I had thought that the British high altitude nesters might belong to the tundrae population. But this individual looks paler than usual, not darker. The northern tundrae Ringed Plovers are wholly migratory (wintering in Africa) whereas the British hiaticula are largely resident. There is no way that Ringed Plovers could overwinter high in the Pennines so I thought that migratory tundrae might call in and stop to breed en route between Africa and the Arctic. But this one is too pale to be a tundrae.
The bright orange legs and black tipped orange bill distinguish Ringed Plover from the similar Little Ringed Plover. But Little Ringed Plover can also be identified by a prominent yellow orbital ring (round the eye). Yet this Ringed Plover also has a visible yellow orbital ring, though admittedly it isn't particularly prominent.
The brightest stars embedded in nebulae throughout our galaxy pour out a torrent of radiation that eats into vast clouds of hydrogen gas – the raw material for building new stars. This etching process sculpts a fantasy landscape where human imagination can see all kinds of shapes and figures. This nebula in the constellation of Cassiopeia has flowing veils of gas and dust that have earned it the nickname "Ghost Nebula."
Officially known as IC 63, this nebula is located 550 light-years away in the constellation Cassiopeia the Queen.
Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and STScI/Acknowledgment: H. Arab (University of Strasbourg)
#NASA #MarshallSpaceFlightCenter #MSFC #Marshall #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #astronomy #space #astrophysics #solarsystemandbeyond #gsfc #Goddard #GoddardSpaceFlightCenter #ESA #EuropeanSpaceAgency #galaxy
The domestic yak (Bos grunniens) is a long-haired domesticated bovid found throughout the Himalayan region of the Indian subcontinent, the Tibetan Plateau and as far north as Mongolia and Russia. It is descended from the wild yak (Bos mutus).
The English word "yak" is a loan originating from Tibetan: གཡག་, Wylie: g.yag. In Tibetan, it refers only to the male of the species, the female being called Tibetan: འབྲི་, Wylie: 'bri, or nak. In English, as in most other languages that have borrowed the word, "yak" is usually used for both sexes.
Physiology
Yak physiology is well adapted to high altitudes, having larger lungs and heart than cattle found at lower altitudes, as well as greater capacity for transporting oxygen through their blood due to the persistence of foetal haemoglobin throughout life. Conversely, yaks do not thrive at lower altitudes, and begin to suffer from heat exhaustion above about 15 °C (59 °F). Further adaptations to the cold include a thick layer of subcutaneous fat, and an almost complete lack of functional sweat glands.
It is suggested that there may have been up to about 3000 castles throughout Scotland. There are fortified strongholds almost everywhere, some still standing, some reduced to almost invisible traces in the landscape. So many are tourist magnets: Edinburgh, Stalker, Eilean Donan to mention a few. But what about the one in the picture? Name? Dumbarton, it may look insignificant, but.................
Dumbarton Castle has the longest recorded history of any stronghold in Scotland. It overlooks the Scottish town of Dumbarton and guards the point where the River Leven joins the River Clyde. Its recorded history reaches back 1,500 years. At that time the place was known as Alt Clut, ‘Rock of the Clyde’. Later it became known by the Gaelic name Dun Breatann, ‘Fortress of the Britons’, from which the name Dumbarton is derived.
From the 5th century AD until 1018, Dumbarton Rock was the capital of the British kingdom of Strathclyde. Legend tells of Merlin the magician staying at King Riderch’s court there in the 6th century. The Rock was besieged several times, but the Viking assault in 870 was by far the worst. After a four-month siege, Kings Olaf and Ivar of Dublin carried off the slaves and looted treasure in 200 longships.
In the Middle Ages, Dumbarton Rock became an important royal castle. The medieval castle was built by Alexander II of Scotland around 1220 as a bulwark against the threat from Norway, whose kings ruled the Hebrides and the islands in the Clyde. When it was first built, the Norwegian frontier lay just 16km downriver, and Dumbarton served as a Border stronghold. The Battle of Largs in 1263 effectively removed the threat from Norway, but it was soon replaced by an even greater menace from England.
In 1305, during the Wars of Independence with England, William Wallace may have been held prisoner here for a short time, before being taken to London for execution. The Wallace Tower is thought to be named in his honour.
The castle’s geographical position, distanced from the political heartland of the country, reduced its importance somewhat, but it also made it a good postern, or back gate, through which her rulers could come and go with comparative ease. David II (in 1333–4) and Mary Queen of Scots (in 1548) both sheltered here until ships could take them to France and safety.
When Mary returned to Scotland in 1561 to begin her personal reign, she landed at Leith, near Edinburgh on the east coast. Dumbarton’s long and distinguished role as ‘gateway’ was over. However, its role as a garrison fortress continued. Substantial new artillery fortifications were built in the 17th and early 18th centuries. These are what the visitor sees today, for nothing survives from the Dark-Age fortress, and precious little from the medieval castle.
In later centuries, the rock became a formidable garrison fortress, its defences bristling with guns. It last saw military action as recently as the Second World War.
The lovely little Azure Damselfly – Coenagrion puella – is very common throughout the UK and found pretty much anywhere there is water, be it small ponds, larger lakes, streams and small rivers. The male is blue and black and is similar to the Common Blue Damselfly whereas the female is green and black. Seen at Pennington Flash.
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Jökulsárgljúfur 20210720
Jökulsárgljúfur or Glacial River Canyon is a 25-kilometer canyon in the northeastern part of Iceland. The canyon is two and a half kilometers wide and in many places, the height of the cliff on both sides is about one hundred meters. The canyon is a product of the river Jökulsá á Fjöllum ( The Glacial River in the Mountains), a powerful river that has its source in the unstable part of Vatnajökull, Bárðarbunga. Throughout thousands of years, the river has shaped its path with water and devastating floods from the melting glacier in times of eruption. Jökulsárgljúfur is truly a natural wonder and carries with it a load of interesting places like powerful waterfalls, fantastic basalt columns formations, cliffs, pillars, unusual rocks, beautiful spring-fed rivers, and a spectrum of vegetation. With all its many beautiful hiking trails and spectacular sites, it is a place where you can stay for days, and you never stop being amazed.
Source Hit Iceland.
Throughout the course of the day and Christmas activities, someone in my house (pets as well as persons) is always napping.
Covershot of "Soviet Union", the English-language magazine published for many years throughout the World.
This one features Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space in Vostok 1, April 12 1961
Portrait of flamingo, taken in the LA Zoo :)
Flamingos are a type of wading bird in the family Phoenicopteridae, which is the only extant family in the order Phoenicopteriformes. There are four flamingo species distributed throughout the Americas (including the Caribbean), and two species native to Afro-Eurasia. Flamingos filter-feed on brine shrimp and blue-green algae as well as insect larvae, small insects, mollusks and crustaceans, making them omnivores. The pink or reddish color of flamingos comes from carotenoids in their diet of animal and plant plankton. Flamingos are very social birds; they live in colonies whose population can number in the thousands. These large colonies are believed to serve three purposes for the flamingos: avoiding predators, maximizing food intake, and using scarce suitable nesting sites more efficiently. Flamingos form strong pair bonds and both, the male and the female contribute to building the nest, and to protecting eggs.
The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens is a 133-acre (54 ha) zoo founded in 1966 and located in Los Angeles, California, United States. The city of Los Angeles owns the zoo, its land and facilities, and the animals. In 2002, the zoo became a certified botanical garden. Throughout the zoo grounds, there are 15 different collections of plants, highlighting over 800 different species, with a total of over 7,400 individual plants. The zoo has been intensively expanding since the 1990s. In 1998, the zoo opened Chimpanzees of the Mahale Mountains, followed by Red Ape RainForest in 2000, the Komodo Dragon Exhibit, the Winnick Family Children Zoo in 2001, the Entry Plaza, Children's Discovery Center and Sea Lion Cliffs (now Sea Life Cliffs) in 2005, Campo Gorilla Reserve in November 2007 and Elephants of Asia in the winter of 2010.
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Portret flaminga pstryknięty w LA Zoo :)
Flamingi - czerwonaki, czerwonakowate (Phoenicopteridae) – rodzina ptaków z monotypowego rzędu flamingowych (Phoenicopteriformes). Rząd flamingów obejmuje gatunki brodzące, zamieszkujące wyspowo strefę klimatów ciepłych i gorących całego świata poza Australią i Oceanią. Środowisko życia stanowią słone i alkaliczne (sodowe) jeziora, nadmorskie laguny, mokradła, panwie solne. Spotykane również w głębi lądu. Dzięki zakrzywionemu dziobowi odfiltrowują drobne skorupiaki, mięczaki, owady oraz ich larwy i roślinność wodną. Różowy kolor upierzenia flamingów jest wynikiem przyjmowania bogatego w karotenoidy pokarmu. Flamingi są zwierzętami stadnymi. Dzięki swojej wysokości łatwo dostrzegają drapieżnika i zaczynają wtedy głośno alarmować inne osobniki. Są to ptaki wędrowne, w locie formują długie, nierówne linie. Łączą się w pary na całe życie.
Zoo i Ogrody Botaniczne w Los Angeles – 133-akrowy (54 hektary) ogród zoologiczny założony w 1966 roku, który znajduje się w Los Angeles w stanie Kalifornia. Właścicielem całego zoo, terenów, obiektów oraz zwierząt jest miasto Los Angeles. W 2002 roku zoo stało się także certyfikowanym ogrodem botanicznym. Na terenie zoo znajduje się 15 różnych kolekcji, w których prezentowanych jest ponad 800 gatunków roślin, w sumie ponad 7400 pojedynczych osobników. Od lat 90-tych zoo intensywnie się rozbudowuje. W 1998 roku zostało otwarte Chimpanzees of the Mahale Mountains, następnie Red Ape RainForest w 2000 roku, Komodo Dragon Exhibit, Winnick Family Children Zoo w 2001 roku, Entry Plaza, Children's Discovery Center i Sea Lion Cliffs w 2005 roku, Campo Gorilla Reserve w listopadzie 2007 roku oraz Elephants of Asia zimą 2010 roku.
Throughout most of the 19th century, the wealthy Dent family who were glove makers from Worcester, rebuilt parts of the completely ruined castle and made it into a very comfortable family home. It was done in a remarkably restrained way for its day, in a late medieval style that blended perfectly with the picturesque ruins that they maintained as a wonderful and much admired backdrop to the gardens created by Emma Dent.
This is the Queen's Garden, the main centrepiece of the gardens, although looking rather sad in parts during my visit. The low, presumably box hedging appeared dead (box blight or that vicious pre-Christmas freeze? ) and some of the planting seemed lack lustre. I suspect a major overall is imminent.
The hazy grey cloud that had blighted the afternoon finally beginning to break up, so another dash around the garden with my camera whilst my friend made himself at home in the cafe again. Probably on his third piece of carrot cake by now; risking Type 2 diabetes but has wonderful eyesight!
Throughout reading Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer, I keep reading the term 'heavy boots' and felt so deeply attached to that term that I just needed to photograph what I felt.
Throughout the Somerset Levels are lines of hills and ridges that punctuate the open landscape.
One of the most striking, for me, is the finger of land that pushes out between Glastonbury and Burrow Mump on which you find Aller and Beer Woods.
This shot shows 2 of the reintroduced Common Cranes moving from a spot on Aller Moor towards Southlake, near Burrow Mump with the ancient, and resting, Aller Wood in the background.
I love to see the Cranes, especially in flight, however to hear their "bugling" call is just magical.
Throughout the sunset, the gold of the sun's rays provided a haze over the peaceful scene on Port Phillip Bay. The clouds had been building, presaging more rain for the evening and through yesterday. But tonight was fine and hazy. For the Through the Lens Week 44 theme of "Misty, Foggy or Hazy
Throughout my twenty year effort to climb the Munros I rarely ventured out onto lower hills. One particular day Mark was feeling under the weather so rather than climb the planned munro hike I left him with the car keys and took myself off up the lovely mountain that is Ben Venue. The Trossocks really did look at their best on this winters day.
In this summit view the distant hills are An Caisteal and Cruach Adrain whilst also visible is a corner of Loch Katrine.
Here are a few of my collections on my caribou photos throughout the years that I have been in the park and Alaska.
Way up on the ridgeline I spotted this single caribou - must have to look for the rest of its herd, or just out for a snack by itself
Click HERE for more info about Alaska Caribou.
Came across this rather nice silver birch growing out of a crag. I might have to revisit a few times throughout year.
Photo taken in La Ceja; Central Andes; 2.300 meters above sea level.
The Pyrginae, popularly known as Flats or Spreadwings, are a cosmopolitan subfamily distributed across temperate and tropical habitats throughout the world. In the Americas there are 990 species, of which about 580 are assigned to the tribe Pyrgini.
There are 14 recognised species in the genus Heliopetes. All have a white ground colour. They can be most easily distinguished from each other by examination of the underside markings.
This species occurs from Mexico to Argentina.
Heliopetes alana is found mainly in disturbed woodland and forest. In common with other Heliopetes species the adults normally bask on low foliage, holding their wings half open.
www.learnaboutbutterflies.com/Andes%20-%20Heliopetes%20al...
Throughout the afternoon I watched them there,
Snow-fairies falling, falling from the sky,
Whirling fantastic in the misty air,
Contending fierce for space supremacy.
And they flew down a mightier force at night,
As though in heaven there was revolt and riot,
And they, frail things had taken panic flight
Down to the calm earth seeking peace and quiet.
I went to bed and rose at early dawn
To see them huddled together in a heap,
Each merged into the other upon the lawn,
Worn out by the sharp struggle, fast asleep.
The sun shone brightly on them half the day,
By night they stealthily had stol'n away.
-Claude McKay
I think this is a great field to explore. Spread throughout the frame, you can see many galaxies. Almost all of those small brown funky-shaped smudges are galaxies. There are hundreds, how cool is that? The galaxy in the centre is NGC 7431. A barred spiral galaxy some 65 million years away near the Virgo supercluster. The colours come through fairly well showing the lovely blues where young stars are present in the arms. This galaxy is similar in size, but just a little smaller than our own galaxy, The Milky Way.
This galaxy shares a characteristic of many in the Virgo cluster. The tugging of gravitational forces with nearby galaxies has resulted in the distorted arms seen here. These forces can result in magnificently shaped galaxies, to some peculiarly shaped objects.
Instruments:
Telescope: 10" Ritchey-Chrétien RCOS
Camera: SBIG STL-11000 Mono
Mount: Astro-Physics AP-900
Focal Length: 2310.00 mm
Pixel size: 9.00 um
Resolution: 0.82 arcsec/pix
Exposure Details:
Red 20X600 Bin1
Green 12X600 Bin1
Blue 18X600 Bin1
Lum 48X600 Bin1
Total Exposure: 16.33 Hours
Thanks for looking…
Link to higher resolution: live.staticflickr.com/65535/53023373156_776f33abac_o.jpg
SN/NC: Neomarica Gracilis, Iridaceae Family
Syn: Marica Caerulea, Cypella Caerulea, Galathea Speciosa, Trimezia Caerulea, Neomarica Northiana
One of the most beautiful blooms of spring comes from an unusual member of the Iris family — the walking iris (Neomarica gracilis). Neomarica is a clumping perennial that reaches anywhere from 18 to 36 inches (45-90 cm.). And once you see its flowers, you will appreciate another of its common names—the poor man’s orchid (not to be confused with the Schizanthus poor man’s orchid). This exotic-looking plant with its graceful sword-like foliage has white, yellow or blue flowers that resemble a cross between those of an orchid and an iris. Although they are short lived, lasting only a day, numerous blooms continue to follow over an extended period of time throughout spring, summer and fall. Growing walking iris plants is a great way to enjoy these interesting flowers.
Una de las flores más hermosas de la primavera proviene de un miembro inusual de la familia Iris: el lirio caminante (Neomarica gracilis). Neomarica es una planta perenne aglomerante que alcanza entre 18 y 36 pulgadas (45-90 cm). Y una vez que veas sus flores, apreciarás otro de sus nombres comunes: la orquídea del pobre (que no debe confundirse con la orquídea del pobre Schizanthus). Esta planta de aspecto exótico con su elegante follaje en forma de espada tiene flores blancas, amarillas o azules que se asemejan a un cruce entre las de una orquídea y un lirio. Aunque son de corta duración, ya que duran solo un día, numerosas floraciones continúan durante un período prolongado de tiempo durante la primavera, el verano y el otoño. Cultivar plantas de lirios andantes es una excelente manera de disfrutar de estas interesantes flores.
Uma das mais belas flores da primavera vem de um membro incomum da família Iris – a íris ambulante (Neomarica gracilis). Neomarica é uma planta perene que atinge de 18 a 36 polegadas (45-90 cm). E ao ver suas flores, você apreciará outro de seus nomes comuns - a orquídea do pobre (não confundir com a orquídea do pobre Schizanthus). Esta planta de aparência exótica com sua graciosa folhagem em forma de espada tem flores brancas, amarelas ou azuis que lembram um cruzamento entre as de uma orquídea e uma íris. Embora tenham vida curta, durando apenas um dia, numerosas flores continuam a ocorrer por um longo período de tempo durante a primavera, verão e outono. Cultivar plantas de íris ambulantes é uma ótima maneira de apreciar essas flores interessantes.
Nomes populares no Brasil: Íris-da-praia, planta conhecida popularmente também como: íris caminhante, planta-dos-apóstolos, doze-apóstolos, lírio-branco-das-pedreiras, falso iris, pseudo iris azul e lírio-branco-das-pedras.
L'une des plus belles fleurs du printemps provient d'un membre inhabituel de la famille Iris - l'iris ambulant (Neomarica gracilis). Neomarica est une plante vivace agglomérante qui atteint de 18 à 36 pouces (45 à 90 cm). Et une fois que vous aurez vu ses fleurs, vous apprécierez un autre de ses noms communs : l'orchidée du pauvre (à ne pas confondre avec l'orchidée du pauvre Schizanthus). Cette plante d'aspect exotique au feuillage gracieux en forme d'épée a des fleurs blanches, jaunes ou bleues qui ressemblent à un croisement entre celles d'une orchidée et d'un iris. Bien qu'elles soient de courte durée, ne durant qu'une journée, de nombreuses floraisons continuent de suivre sur une longue période de temps tout au long du printemps, de l'été et de l'automne. Cultiver des plantes d'iris ambulants est un excellent moyen de profiter de ces fleurs intéressantes.
Een van de mooiste bloemen van de lente komt van een ongewoon lid van de Iris-familie: de wandelende iris (Neomarica gracilis). Neomarica is een klonterende vaste plant die ergens tussen de 18 en 36 inch (45-90 cm) reikt. En als je eenmaal de bloemen ziet, zul je een andere veel voorkomende naam waarderen: de orchidee van de arme man (niet te verwarren met de Schizanthus-orchidee van de arme man). Deze exotisch ogende plant met sierlijk zwaardachtig blad heeft witte, gele of blauwe bloemen die het midden houden tussen die van een orchidee en een iris. Hoewel ze van korte duur zijn en slechts een dag duren, blijven er in de lente, zomer en herfst talloze bloemen volgen gedurende een langere periode. Het kweken van wandelende irisplanten is een geweldige manier om van deze interessante bloemen te genieten.
Una delle più belle fioriture primaverili proviene da un insolito membro della famiglia degli Iris: l'iris ambulante (Neomarica gracilis). Neomarica è una pianta perenne agglomerante che raggiunge ovunque da 18 a 36 pollici (45-90 cm.). E una volta che vedrai i suoi fiori, apprezzerai un altro dei suoi nomi comuni: l'orchidea del povero (da non confondere con l'orchidea del povero Schizanthus). Questa pianta dall'aspetto esotico con il suo grazioso fogliame simile a una spada ha fiori bianchi, gialli o blu che ricordano un incrocio tra quelli di un'orchidea e di un iris. Sebbene siano di breve durata, durano solo un giorno, numerose fioriture continuano a seguire per un lungo periodo di tempo durante la primavera, l'estate e l'autunno. Coltivare piante di iris ambulanti è un ottimo modo per godersi questi fiori interessanti.
Eine der schönsten Frühlingsblüten stammt von einem ungewöhnlichen Mitglied der Schwertlilienfamilie – der Wanderiris (Neomarica gracilis). Neomarica ist eine klumpende Staude, die irgendwo zwischen 18 und 36 Zoll (45-90 cm) erreicht. Und sobald Sie ihre Blüten sehen, werden Sie einen anderen ihrer gebräuchlichen Namen zu schätzen wissen – die Orchidee des armen Mannes (nicht zu verwechseln mit der Orchidee des armen Mannes Schizanthus). Diese exotisch aussehende Pflanze mit ihrem anmutigen, schwertähnlichen Laub hat weiße, gelbe oder blaue Blüten, die einer Kreuzung zwischen Orchidee und Iris ähneln. Obwohl sie nur von kurzer Dauer sind und nur einen Tag dauern, folgen zahlreiche Blüten über einen längeren Zeitraum im Frühling, Sommer und Herbst. Der Anbau von Walking Iris-Pflanzen ist eine großartige Möglichkeit, diese interessanten Blumen zu genießen.
واحدة من أجمل أزهار الربيع تأتي من عضو غير عادي من عائلة Iris - قزحية المشي (Neomarica gracilis). Neomarica عبارة عن نبات معمر متكتل يصل في أي مكان من 18 إلى 36 بوصة (45-90 سم). وبمجرد أن ترى أزهارها ، ستقدر اسمًا آخر من الأسماء الشائعة - أوركيد الرجل الفقير (لا ينبغي الخلط بينه وبين سحلية الرجل الفقير من شيزانتوس). هذا النبات ذو المظهر الغريب بأوراقه الرشيقة التي تشبه السيف لها أزهار بيضاء أو صفراء أو زرقاء تشبه تقاطع أزهار الأوركيد والقزحية. على الرغم من أنها قصيرة العمر ، وتستمر ليوم واحد فقط ، إلا أن العديد من الإزهار تستمر في المتابعة على مدى فترة طويلة من الزمن طوال الربيع والصيف والخريف. تعد زراعة نباتات السوسن طريقة رائعة للاستمتاع بهذه الزهور الممتعة.
春の最も美しい花の 1 つは、アヤメ科の珍しいメンバーである歩くアヤメ (Neomarica gracilis) から来ます。 Neomarica は、18 ～ 36 インチ (45 ～ 90 cm) の範囲に達する群生する多年草です。 そして、その花を見ると、もう 1 つの一般的な名前である貧乏人蘭 (Schizanthus 貧乏人蘭と混同しないでください) に気付くでしょう。 優雅な剣のような葉を持つこのエキゾチックな植物には、ランとアイリスの交配に似た白、黄色、または青の花があります。 開花期間は 1 日と短命ですが、春、夏、秋と長期間にわたって多数の花が咲き続けます。 歩くアヤメの植物を育てることは、これらの興味深い花を楽しむのに最適な方法です.
Throughout the years I have made many panoramas from this point of view but it still fascinates me how the light and atmosphere are so different time after time.
View on Mosset, le Conflent, Valley of the Castellane, Pyrennees Orientales, Languedoc-Rousillion, France.
Panorama, 8 vertical shots.
With a little help of Lee 0,9 soft grad
_MG_7323-30
Palm warblers are migratory birds. They spend their summers throughout much of Canada into the Northwest Territories, and the northern tier of the United States, where they breed, then head south for the winter. They'll arrive here as early as September and October and will stay until April, when they make the journey northward.
Palms can be found throughout Florida, up the Atlantic Coast into the Carolina's, and along the Gulf Coast to Texas. They also winter in the Caribbean, including Cuba, the Yucatan and into Central America. We've seen them as far south as Key West.
Palms are brightly colored in the summer, with a rusty-red cap and a bright yellow belly. However, they're on the dull side during winter when we're most likely to see them. About the only bit of color on them in winter is some yellow near the tail. If you look closely at the top photograph, you'll see a hint of the palm's red cap.
They might be confused with a yellow-rumped warbler, but the yellow on the yellow-rump is mostly on the lower back, while the yellow on the palm is mostly below.
Other key markings include a dark line through the eye and a light line just above. Palm warblers have dark and light chevrons on their back when their wings are folded. They resemble an enlisted soldier's stripes. Often when you spot one palm warbler, there will be several others nearby.
Two behavioral traits also help ID Palm warblers: they tend to spend more time on the ground than other warblers, and they frequently, almost constantly, flick their tails. Palm warblers mostly eat insects, but in winter, they'll also eat seeds and fruit. They frequently forage on the ground.
There are two types, or subspecies, of palm warblers, the Western and the yellow. Both are found in Florida during the winter.
Palm warblers are members of Parulidae, the wood-warbler family.
I found this one in my backyard in Polk County, Florida.
Long-tailed Tit - Aegithalos Caudatus
The long-tailed tit is globally widespread throughout temperate northern Europe and Asia, into boreal Scandinavia and south into the Mediterranean zone. It inhabits deciduous and mixed woodland with a well-developed shrub layer, favouring edge habitats. It can also be found in scrub, heathland with scattered trees, bushes and hedges, in farmland and riverine woodland, parks and gardens. The bird's year-round diet of insects and social foraging bias habitat choice in winter towards deciduous woodland, typically of oak, ash and locally sycamore species. For nesting, strong preference is shown towards scrub areas. The nest is often built in thorny bushes less than 3 metres above the ground.
The nest of the long-tailed tit is constructed from four materials - lichen, feathers, spider egg cocoons and moss, with over 6,000 pieces used for a typical nest. The nest is a flexible sac with a small, round entrance on top, suspended either low in a gorse or bramble bush or high up in the forks of tree branches. The structural stability of the nest is provided by a mesh of moss and spider silk. The tiny leaves of the moss act as hooks and the spider silk of egg cocoons provides the loops; thus forming a natural form of velcro. The tit lines the outside with hundreds of flakes of pale lichens - this provides camouflage. Inside, it lines the nest with more than 2,000 downy feathers to insulate the nest. Nests suffer a high rate of predation with only 17% success.
Outside the breeding season they form compact flocks of 6 to 17 birds, composed of family parties (parents and offspring) from the previous breeding season, together with any extra adults that helped to raise a brood. These flocks will occupy and defend territories against neighbouring flocks. The driving force behind the flocking behaviour is thought to be that of winter roosting, being susceptible to cold; huddling increases survival through cold nights.
From July to February, the non-breeding season, long-tailed tits form flocks of relatives and non-relatives, roosting communally. When the breeding season begins, the flocks break up, and the birds attempt to breed in monogamous pairs. Males remain within the winter territory, while females have a tendency to wander to neighbouring territories.
Pairs whose nests fail have three choices: try again, abandon nesting for the season or help at a neighbouring nest. It has been shown that failed pairs split and help at the nests of male relatives, recognition being established vocally. The helped nests have greater success due to higher provisioning rates and better nest defence. At the end of the breeding season, in June–July, the birds reform the winter flocks in their winter territory.
Population:
UK breeding:
340,000 territories
Throughout the ages, stories with certain basic themes have recurred over and over, in widely disparate cultures; emerging like the goddess Venus from the sea of our unconscious.
- Joan D. Vinge
Throughout history the monuments in Istanbul have exerted considerable influence on the development of architecture, monumental arts and the organization of space, both in Europe and the Near East. The 6,650 meter terrestrial wall of Theodosius II with its second line of defence, created in 447, is one special example and was one of the leading references for military architecture across Europe in the subsequent centuries.
The historic areas of central Istanbul including this Theodosian Wall are World Heritage listed by UNESCO.
One of the choices we made while in Istanbul was to walk the length of the wall from the Sea of Marmara cost to the Golden Horn, photographing as we went. It was a memorable day.
After hours chasing and waiting trackside throughout the day, the last shot of the day on the BIP I wanted was of the train coming down the steep bridge into the Parkersburg High Yard. The way the bridge comes down while the road angles downwards the opposite way makes for a dramatic effect!
But of course, right as the train rounded the bend on the bridge, a single, small cloud eclipsed the sun. And followed the train all the way until the first few cars had passed me.
Clouds are not my friend, man. Second time of the day, and on the last shot, too! Not the end of the world by any means but still less than ideal to say the least... But it just gives me more reasons to return to the Belpre Industrial Parkersburg Railroad, if I didn't need more already. A very neat shortline to shoot that I will absolutely come back for!
Common throughout much of North America, the White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) does most of its breeding in Canadian forests, where it will nest on the ground. It is a seed eater, devouring morsels of weeds and grasses, and supplementing these with the occasional insect. Interestingly, it will sometimes mate with a the closely-related dark-eyed junco, creating a hybrid that looks similar to a white-throated sparrow, but darker.
This little one is the first of the season for me. Flocks of warblers mustn't be far behind!
Red-tailed Hawks are common throughout most of the United States. Adult birds have a gorgeous red tail and if you look closely you can a little bit of red on the tail. I think this bird may have just taken a bath...
Happy 4th of July!
For my ongoing bird-a-day project for 2017. Thanks all!
Found almost throughout North America and much of South America is this big owl. Aggressive and powerful in its hunting (sometimes known by nicknames such as "tiger owl"), it takes prey as varied as rabbits, hawks, snakes, and even skunks, and will even attack porcupines, often with fatal results for both prey and predator. Great Horned Owls begin nesting very early in the north, and their deep hoots may be heard rolling across the forest on mid-winter nights.Both parents take part in providing food for young owls. Young may leave nest and climb on nearby branches at 5 weeks, can fly at about 9-10 weeks; tended and fed by parents for up to several months.
Throughout the journey of my life, I am a collector. Some might even
call me a hoarder. It’s all a matter of perspective.
I’ve collected many things. Some are still with me, some
are no longer, and there are still more that I continue to collect.
Books, for instance.
And friends.
Because along the way, I meet interesting people I like,
and then I collect companions and friends.
And I always find a good book that interests me and accompanies me.
To both, I enjoy returning: to a good friend and a good book.
And perhaps, after all – books and friends are one and the same?
Collection
Tout au long de mon parcours de vie, je suis un collectionneur. Certains pourraient même
me qualifier d’accumulateur. Tout est une question de perspective.
J’ai collecté beaucoup de choses. Certaines sont encore avec moi, d’autres
ne le sont plus, et il y en a encore que je continue de collectionner.
Des livres, par exemple.
Et des amis.
Car au fil du chemin, je rencontre des personnes intéressantes que j’apprécie,
et alors je collectionne des compagnons et des amis.
Et je trouve toujours un bon livre qui m’intéresse et m’accompagne.
Et aux deux, j’aime revenir : à un bon ami et à un bon livre.
Et peut-être qu’en fin de compte – les livres et les amis, c’est la même chose ?
Some said Monet painted Roen Cathedral at every hour of the day and went from canvas to canvas as the light changed throughout each day to finish his flat pale low contrast depictions all the way through to deep Sun rich yellows into burnt evening reds and ambers. He did paint the Cathedral again and again his pictures portraying the different light upon the same scene. The light brought out detail and it shaded sections, colour changed and it in turn changed the character of the same stone structure. Light gave an atmospheric change that altered the emotive response from the painter and from the viewer.
Artists creating their picture on site outdoors is often termed, “En plein air,” for outdoor painting, but Monet in capturing Sunlight created pictures, “plein soleil,” full Sun images giving acknowledgement to the elemental power within the creation process. Monet from a perspective of the time had in the Cathedral a constant a structure venerated and regulated that held impressions of permanence and a rock steady stone construction exhibiting the finest reverence to God the generator and creative centre of life. The Sun striking and shading, colouring and clouding on the same surface created many impressions, some of which Monet sought to reveal in his works that in turn were mirrors of God’s work. He is said to have made more than Thirty full representations of Roen Cathedral working similar scenes in the different light available over his time there. Twenty of his works from Roen were exhibited together and some of the pictures have been collected together again for exhibitions and now through art in books and online we can see his many images brought together appreciated beside one another.
The light and shadow at Megalithic Monument is a part of the structure. Beyond the flat base levelled in construction of site there is the horizon and the surrounds that determine the position of the structure. The stones chosen and carefully sited create the frame for a tapestry to be woven in light and shadow that creates a physical pattern all around and within the hallow. Several Megalithic Monuments have had their central stones destroyed as these stones created shadow conceptions from the central stone to the waiting encircled stones. The central shadow casting stones in their shadow created an alignment not unlike a sundial and the Megalithic Monuments produced a sign that it was the time for holidays and feasts that were a part of the older calendar fixed on Solar Cycle.
© PHH Sykes 2022
phhsykes@gmail.com
Calanais Standing Stones
12m west of Stornoway off the A859, Isle of Lewis
www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/calanai...
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The little black cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris) is a member of the cormorant family of seabirds. It is common in smaller rivers and lakes throughout most areas of Australia and northern New Zealand, where it is known as the little black shag. It is around sixty centimetres long, and is all black with blue-green eyes. The little black cormorant is a small cormorant measuring 60–65 cm with all black plumage. The back has a greenish sheen. In breeding season, white feathers appear irregularly about the head and neck, with a whitish eyebrow evident. The plumage is a more fade brown afterwards. Males and females are identical in plumage. The long slender bill is grey, and legs and feet black. The iris of the adult is green and the juvenile brown. Immature birds have brown and black plumage. The little black cormorant ranges from the Malay Peninsula through Indonesia (but excluding Sumatra) and New Guinea (including the D'Entrecasteaux Islands) and throughout Australia. It is found in New Zealand's North Island. It is a predominantly freshwater species, found in bodies of water inland and occasionally sheltered coastal areas. It is almost always encountered in or near water. The little black cormorant feeds mainly on fish, and eats a higher proportion of fish than the frequently co-occurring little pied cormorant, which eats more decapods. 55546
Throughout 2018 I have been busy working on a new photographic project using my miniature figurines (the 'Little People').
My main hope is that this new series of photographs will help highlight the plastic / litter epidemic our country (and planet) is suffering from. Littering in general has always sickened me, and the 'Blue Planet II effect' really made me feel like I too could help highlight the issue using my own unique approach.
Earlier this year, I spent several days collecting bags full of plastic and rubbish that had been discarded (or washed up) next to beaches and lochs on the west coast of Scotland, mostly 'beauty' spots. I kept some of this plastic to make my work (recycling the rest) and returned to the banks of Loch Lomond a couple of months ago to photograph my latest series - LIFE IN PLASTIC.
I'll upload more work later in the week. Thanks for looking.
David
Eml: hello@davidgilliver.com
Throughout the centuries, the existence of the castle was repeatedly threatened. After different successive owners, it was bought by Mister Vaïsse, the great-uncle of the present owner, in 1911. A great art lover, he contributed to the restoration and enrichment of the castle until his death when his successor and nephew, the duke of Dalmatia, opened the castle to the public in 1955. Today, his descendants take care of preserving its authenticity and family character.
Eurasian Sparrowhawk (accipiter nisus) flight_w_1958
If there's one thing that defines the Eurasian Sparrowhawk, apart from its skills and dexterity during flight, it's its loyalty to its partner throughout its life.
The Eurasian sparrowhawk may not be a 100% monogamous bird. Sometimes in the life of the sparrowhawk there may be situations where one member of the pair disappears, for whatever reason.
According to studies, every year, established sparrowhawk pairs remain steady, as long as the richness of their territory is maintained. If the prey is scarce, both partners look for a new territory nearby in which to settle together and build the nest.
The main reason why a pair of hawks separates is because of the lack of offspring. First, when a pair fails to have chicks, the first thing they do is change territory.
If the following year the couple also fails to conceive, it’s usually the female that goes in search of a new territory and a new partner. The male tends to stay in the old territory and look for a new female to reproduce with there.
The Eurasian sparrowhawk isn’t one of the fastest birds of prey, as it’s outpaced by birds such as the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), which can travel at up to 240 miles per hour. However, the 75 miles per hour that sparrowhawks can reach are nothing to laugh at.
Like all birds of the Falconidae family, these animals are extremely fast and agile in flight. Their capacity makes them skillful predators of small, fast prey.
And here's something else:
We know that weaker and sicker animals are easier prey in nature. If a mammal limps, a bird flies poorly or demonstrates changes in its behavior that expose it more to predation, it’s very likely that it’ll be hunted rather than a healthy and strong animal. However, this isn’t always the case, as healthy animals are also often preyed upon.
Sparrowhawks feed mainly on passerines or songbirds. In addition, there’s a marked difference in the diet of the female and male Eurasian sparrowhawk. They hunt birds that weigh between 1.4 to 1.8 ounces. At most, they may hunt birds weighing up to 4.25 ounces. Their favorite prey are finches, sparrows, and great tits.
On the other hand, females have a predilection for larger prey. In general, the average weight of the birds hunted by a female sparrowhawk is between 1.75 and 2.5 ounces, but they’re able to capture animals weighing up to a little over a pound.
The most interesting thing about this is that, according to one study, these birds are able to select prey infected with blood parasites, such as Leucocytozoon or malaria. Infected birds are 16 to 25% more likely to be caught than those that aren’t.
Status
Resident at wetlands throughout Ireland.
Identification
A secretive and skulking species which is more often heard than seen. Can sometimes be seen when it emerges from dense wetland vegetation briefly before disappearing again. A small bird with a rounded rear to its body, which is slender and laterally compressed in order to help it slip through dense vegetation such as reeds. Has a long bill which is red on the adult bird. Legs are long with very long toes which help spread its weight on wet ground. The upperparts are dark brown with black spotting. In the adult the body and 'face' are blue-grey, the flanks and belly are barred black and white and the under-tail coverts (which are easy to see on the cocked tail) are whitish. The juvenile bird is similar to the adult but is whitish underneath (not grey), has a pale bill and a stronger patterning on the head. Has short rounded wings and when flying into cover dangles its legs.
Voice
A distinctive call like a pig squealing coming from dense vegetation is a sure sign that a Water Rail is close by.
Diet
Eats both plant and animal matter. Feeds on land or in shallow water, will some times swim and will even, though rarely, dive. Food includes fish, insects, frogs, seeds and roots.
Breeding
Breeds in emergent vegetation such as marshes and reed beds. Most nesting territories recorded in Britain have a number of common elements:- static or slow moving fresh water, often open mud and invariably tall, emergent vegetation. The vegetation is often tall reeds, sedges, reedmace or rush, but they can also be found in damp field corners. Nest is built close to the ground, near or on water, usually in thick vegetation. Widespread in both inland and coastal areas. Ireland has a great abundance of Water Rail, which is no doubt due to our great number of wetlands.
Wintering
Widespread
Monitored by
Countryside Bird Survey
The amount of food moose eat changes throughout the year. In the summer, when there is plenty of lush food available, the moose eat large amounts of catkins and tall grasses living in the water. They even eat the leaves of water lilies
Throughout this journey, we thank everyone who has been with us in every design we’ve created, every bit of support we’ve received, and in building this amazing community together. We couldn't have made it here without your love and support. Thank you! 🙏
Over the years, thousands of people have joined our family, embraced our style, and even stood up to defend the Diaboli spirit. Today, we proudly have more than 250 unique products and have reached thousands in the Second Life community. 🌟 This achievement is as much yours as it is ours.
✨ What sets us apart is our creativity and passion. We may be imitated, but we can never be replicated. ✨
In these 4 years, we haven’t just survived, we’ve grown stronger. Creatively and professionally, we’ve constantly developed ourselves, pushing our limits to bring you the best designs. The growth we’ve shown from our first steps to today is incredible, and we’ve achieved it together.
Of course, these 4 years haven’t been without their challenges. We’ve encountered people who hated us for no reason, "FANCY" event groups who only promoted their own circles. We’ve been imitated by "FANCY" stores that ran out of creativity, and some even tried to directly steal our products. 💪 But alongside these struggles, there have also been event groups that believed in us, trusted us. We’ve had creator and blogger friends who, have been proud of us as we’ve grown. instead of being jealous or imitating. Despite all these challenges, I can proudly say that we have never been a boosted store.
With innovative projects and boundary-pushing designs, we’re moving forward. 🚀 You didn’t give up on us, and we won’t give up on you. ❤️ Here’s to many more years together!
We thank everyone who has been with us on this journey, believed in us, and supported us. Here’s to many more years together! 💖
Throughout the winter, I photograph hundreds of snowflakes, but many of them never get properly edited, as 4-6 hours of work typically goes into each one. This one didn’t make my Snowflake-a-Day project, but it did catch my attention a few days ago when I noticed snow in the forecast again. View large and zoom in! (Press the "L" key to view in Lightbox mode)
Late April might occasionally see a snowfall, and we’re in the middle of some nasty weather at the moment. The temperatures are too warm to take any useful photographs, and I know most people are cursing the white stuff when the flowers have already begun to bloom, so I present this snowflake to make up for the dismal state of the weather. It’s not all bad.
Snowflakes like this only fall a few times a year, when the conditions allow for stable and slow growth. Calm weather, cold temperatures (around -10 to -16C or so in the sky) and relatively high humidity can create beautiful crystals like this. The growth conditions were not completely stable however, resulting in a broader design at the beginning and faster growth as the snowflake grew bigger.
You can make an interesting observation from snowflakes like this. Notice how all of the outer branches have rounded and pointed tips, but the inner branches toward the center have rigid edges that contain roughly 60-degree angles? Faster-growing branches result in rounded tips, and slower-growing branches result in rigid tips. The inner areas of a snowflake will continue to grow even after the crystal has expanded outward, but with less water vapour reaching the inner branches, their growth slows and transforms the style of their growth in the process.
This image is created from 54 separate frames, each containing a tiny slice of focus. The snowflakes are photographed on an angle to reveal the fascinating surface detail and reflective properties of ice, but these features come at the cost of depth of field. Using focus stacking techniques and exhaustive editing to make sure the combination of frames is perfect, the entire snowflakes comes into focus after many hours of editing. This crystal took 6 hours to complete.
If you want to learn more about the exact photographic techniques in a step-by-step tutorial, or you find the science behind these winter wonders fascinating, check out Sky Crystals: www.skycrystals.ca/ - you won’t find a better book on the subject that caters to both photographers and science-minded people alike. :)
It is found throughout Europe, Asia, and parts of North Africa.These birds are adaptable and can be found in a variety of habitats, including woodlands, forests, urban areas, and gardens. They are often seen near areas with high concentrations of smaller birds, which they prey upon. Sparrowhawks are skilled hunters and have developed techniques for catching their prey. They often employ a strategy known as "fast hunting," where they make sudden, rapid flights to surprise and catch their target. Their agility and speed are essential for capturing small, maneuverable birds.
White herons are widespread and abundant throughout Asia and Australia, where they are generally known as eastern great egrets. The New Zealand population is small (150-200 birds) but apparently stable.
The only New Zealand breeding colony is on the Waitangiroto River, just north of Okarito Lagoon, Westland. About 30 pairs of white herons breed here. The Whangamarino Wetland east of Te Kauwhata in the Waikato is also home to the rare White Heron.
It is 'He kotuku rerenga tahi' or the bird of single flight, implying something seen perhaps once in a lifetime. When seen in close proximity it is a magnificent bird, with its large size and clean white plumage.
I was lucky enough to find this particular bird on Lake Hakanoa, Huntly which I walked around to get some fresh air whilst under the Covid-19 lockdown.
Because Gdansk is one of the great port cities of Europe, the architecture throughout the city is representative of the many European cities their sailings took them. The Great Armory (aka the Great Arsenal) is no exception, as the 17th century masterpiece was inspired by Vleeshal (meat market) in the Netherlands. From the 16-1800s, this building was used to store military weapons and even had an elevator to transport canon balls and gunpowder to and from the basement. The 1800s saw the facility demilitarized and it became a trade hall and fine art museum. Unfortunately the armory suffered a massive fire during WWII, but it was meticulously rebuilt and remains one of the most impressive sights of the city.
© LMGFotography 2015; please do not use without permission.
Throughout early 2021, CN reactivated a vast amount of their Dash 8 fleet and used them all over the system. During this time they were a near daily occurrence on the Kingston Sub. For many of these units, this would be the last time they were put in service. On a chilly February afternoon, I was surprised by this C40-8W leader on 271 seen passing a mostly abandoned yard next to Oshawa's GM plant. In a year's time the plant was reactivated and is once again served by rail, but 2141 and the rest of the C40-8W fleet have been retired.