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Although very chilly winds were forecasted combined with mostly cloudy skies, I was just hoping to catch sight of the Harlequins. I knew that they tend to stay on the eastern side of the jetty where the waves come smashing into the sides, and given the late arrival, might not have such good light, especially to capture the brilliant colors and the dark eyes. But, in spite of the obstacles, it was a wonderful surprise, at the end of the day, when uploading the photos from the flash drive, and finding that this muted tone appealed to me. I have already captured some very beautiful moments in good sunlight before—SEE the ALBUM on Barnegat Lighthouse SP—so to get this look was a nice addition to the inventory.
The Harlequin Ducks are amongst the very favorites of many photographers and birders, for the patterns and colors are truly quite eye-catching. In addition, it is amazing to see how they enjoy the rough waters by the rocky structures, all while pecking away at barnacles and marine vegetation on the jagged walls.
The Barnegat Lighthouse State Park is truly a splendid landscape, famous mostly for its historic lighthouse (over 100 years old) of architecturally clean lines that accentuate its presence, but also the well-designed structure of the long jetty consisting of huge rocks and boulders sandwiched between the nice sandy beach and the ocean, and finally, the wonderful array of fascinating birds throughout the seasons. Throughout the day, one can expect to see a variety of water vessels, from small one-man fishing boats to larger motorized ones, and even enormous tankers in the far distance. The U.S. Coastguard boats are constantly on the lookout for any potential problems in the water.
All of this is even more beautiful during the breathtaking end-of-the-day sunsets or early morning sunrise period, with the accompanying “Magic/Golden Hour” that exudes the special tones in the air. As nature enthusiasts and photographers, it doesn’t get much better than this.
The last but one time that I visited the Calgary Zoo was on 6 October 2015. I used to go fairly often, but my usual parking lot and Zoo entrance then closed for the winter. Since then, road construction and bridge replacement have been going on, but have now been completed. The drive to the north entrance of the Zoo is definitely out of my driving comfort zone, so I had been waiting for this day for a long time. June 26th 2018 was THE day - for me and for half the people in the city!! It was packed! I had decided to go before schools close for the summer. However, I suspect some schools had end-of-term Zoo visits on this day. Also, when I checked the weather forecast, rain was in the forecast for the next six days, so I knew i needed to go straight away.
My visit only covered about half the Zoo, as I usually spend a lot of time in the Conservatory, enjoying the plants and tropical butterflies. My daughter had taken a photo of a gigantic lily pad, Victoria Water Lily / Victoria amazonica, and I really wanted to see it. There were three or four of these in a tiny pool. I love the pattern on the underside of the upturned edge of each lily pad, I didn't see a huge variety of butterfly species that day, but there were enough to keep me happily clicking for a while. They vary from day to day, as new butterflies emerge from their chrysalises..
My intention had not been to visit the newly arrived Panda family, as I was sure there would be an extremely long line-up. However, I could see that there was no line-up at all and I was able to just walk in, which was great. How lucky we are to have these four amazing animals visit our Zoo. They were in an inside enclosure, full of plants - and Bamboo, of course. I'm not sure how many hours a day these animals sleep, but two of the three that could be seen slept for part of the time I was there. Had to smile at the very uncomfortable positions in which they slept. Part of the enclosure has glass, which made it almost impossible to get photos without the reflections of the crowds of people.
The Bactrian Camel had recently given birth to a baby, named Gobi - such a cute little thing. No sign of the Red Pandas when I passed their enclosure. One of the birds I love to see - though these birds tend to hide! - is the amazing Himalayan Monal. The male, especially, takes my breath away each time I see it.
A few hours well spent happily clicking. Hopefully, it won't be almost three years before my next visit, though the west entrance does close each winter. It felt so good to once again be back in a place full of colour and interest.
That smile was a victory, the first breach of her model exterior, the first sign that we'd get along swimmingly.
The beginning of the first shoot with someone is that delicate time where we find out if we're suiting to shooting together, if my jokes land, if there's common ground, if the odd things I tend to say go down like lead balloons or make perfect sense.
We see if we speak the same language, and then we get to talking, and a good discussion is a good shoot.
We had a fine discussion.
Hair: Discord Designs - Ohana
Makeup: Glamorize - Black Pain tears, Jaded in black eyeshadow, Just Because lips in black
Earrplugs: Moondance Boutique - Tsubasa
Necklace: Moondance Boutique - Angel of My Heart
Sweater, Shirt, Jeans & boots : Prism by Journey - Stevie Cardi, Jeans & Boots
Eyes: Ducle Secrets - Transcendental Silver Honey Eyes
Skin: Dulce Secrets - Tierre special edition - Velveteen
Poses: LA Boss & Corpus
Location: The Keys
BUT WE DO TEND TO SEE THINGS SO DIFFERENTLY WHETHER THRU OUR EYES, OR THE LENSE OF THE CAMERA DON'T WE.
DO WE SEE THEM AS WE WANT, OR AS THEY REALLY ARE?
I TEND TO ALWAYS BE A BIT OUT OF FOCUS MOST OF THE TIME,
OR MAYBE, I AM JUST A DREAMER, WHO LOVES TO SEE THINGS IN A ROSY AND BEAUTIFUL WAY
THRU ROSE COLORED GLASSES, I HAVE BEEN TOLD,
WHAT EVER, I LIKE THE WAY I SEE THE WORLD, IT PLEASES ME MOST OF THE TIME,
BUT EVERY NOW AND THEN I TAKE OFF THE GLASSES, AND STOP THE MERRY GO ROUND, AND LOOK AT THE REAL WORLD, AND STRAIGHTEN MYSELF UP, AND DUST MYSELF OFF, AND DEAL WITH THE WORLD ABOUT ME,
THEN THE ROSE COLORED GLASSES BACK COME BACK ON AGAIN, AND ALL IS BEAUTIFUL WITH MY WORLD ONCE MORE.
HOW DO YOU LOOK AT YOUR WORLD,
ARE YOU A DREAMER LIKE I AM, MOST CREATIVE AND ARTISTIC PEOPLE ARE......
A MUST SEE ONView On Black
I encountered this Blue Tit early in the morning and observed it through my small binoculars. I managed to capture this intriguing pose with a shutter speed of 1/640. Its focused demeanor and acrobatic stances are captivating to witness; sometimes, I observe them listening attentively. During this season, they are busy and incredibly active, hastily collecting materials for their nests. The pair I observed divides the labor and coordinates their efforts. The male gathers the necessary materials and brings them to the nest, while the female likely tends to the nest materials for minutes at a time. I believe the female will begin incubating soon. Judging by its stance and expression, I'm inclined to believe it's a male! I found it fascinating and couldn't resist sharing it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
The Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus), often simply called "blue tit," is a small and colorful bird belonging to the family Paridae, which includes tits, chickadees, and titmice.
Scientific classification: Cyanistes caeruleus
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Paridae
Genus: Cyanistes
Species: C. caeruleus
Physical Description:
Size: Blue Tits are small birds, measuring around 10 to 12 centimeters (4 to 4.7 inches) in length.
Weight: They typically weigh between 9 to 12 grams (0.3 to 0.4 ounces).
Coloration: They have vibrant blue and yellow plumage, with blue wings and tail, a yellow belly, and a distinctive blue cap on the head. The intensity of their colors can vary among individuals and populations.
Distribution: Blue Tits are native to Europe and parts of North Africa and Asia. They are widespread throughout their range.
Habitat: They inhabit a variety of wooded and shrubby areas, including forests, woodlands, parks, gardens, and urban areas. They are adaptable birds and can thrive in diverse habitats.
Diet: Blue Tits are primarily insectivorous, feeding on insects, caterpillars, spiders, and other invertebrates. They also consume seeds, nuts, berries, and occasionally feed on small fruits.
Foraging: They are agile and acrobatic birds, often seen hopping from branch to branch while foraging for food. They may also visit bird feeders, particularly during the winter months.
Breeding: Blue Tits typically breed from late April to June. They nest in tree holes, nest boxes, or other suitable cavities. The female lays a clutch of eggs (usually around 7 to 14 eggs) and incubates them for about two weeks. Both parents participate in feeding the chicks until they fledge, which usually occurs around 16 to 22 days after hatching.
Social Structure: Blue Tits are generally social birds and may form mixed-species flocks, especially during the non-breeding season. They communicate using a variety of vocalizations, including calls and songs.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern. Blue Tits have a large and stable population, and their range extends over a significant geographic area. However, local populations may face threats from habitat loss, pollution, and predation.
Cultural Significance:
Blue Tits are beloved by birdwatchers and are commonly featured in art, literature, and folklore across their range.
They are also important in controlling insect populations, making them beneficial to ecosystems and agriculture.
Overall, the Blue Tit is a charming and adaptable bird known for its vibrant colors, agile behavior, and melodious songs.
I've captured some unforgettable moments with my camera, and I hope you feel the same joy viewing these images as I did while shooting them.
Thank you so much for visiting my gallery, whether you leave a comment, add it to your favorites, or simply take a moment to look around. Your support means a lot to me, and I wish you good luck and beautiful light in all your endeavors.
© All rights belong to R.Ertuğ. Please refrain from using these images without my express written permission. If you are interested in purchasing or using them, feel free to contact me via Flickr mail.
Lens - With Nikon TC 14E II - hand held or Monopod and definitely SPORT VR on. Aperture is f8 and full length. All my images have been converted from RAW to JPEG.
I started using Nikon Cross-Body Strap or Monopod on long walks. Here is my Carbon Monopod details : Gitzo GM2542 Series 2 4S Carbon Monopod - Really Right Stuff MH-01 Monopod Head with Standard Lever - Really Right Stuff LCF-11 Replacement Foot for Nikon AF-S 500mm /5.6E PF Lense -
Your comments and criticism are very valuable.
Thanks for taking the time to stop by and explore :)
Me, myself & I - coming out from behind the camera! Tripod, 10 seconds and a fast run to get into place with secateurs.
I tend to like the concept of the boat more than the actual application. I must confess, I've only been on the ocean in a boat on a handful of occasions, and one of those occurrences colored my opinion for life. Not long after our first child was born, I was feeling full of Bwannaish alpha male energy and decided to go out and catch our dinner. I booked an early morning spot on a deep sea fishing boat out of Pillar Point. The winds were gusting at a healthy 40 mph that morning and when the guy behind the counter handed me a fishing pole the size of a small redwood tree I should have known what I was in for. But, I had an ice cooler full of beer and sandwiches, and figured I could weather any storm. Right. The boat left the dock and we pushed through some pretty hefty waves with the wind whipping salt water in our faces. I was feeling optimistic and okay. Then we dropped anchor and let out the lines. The swells were ginormous and the boat lifted up one side and then crashed to the bottom only to immediately lift up the other side of each swell as they endlessly pulsed against the boat. I wasn't the only one who rushed the railings. We were all feeding the fish, and not with the purchased bait. This went on for a few hours. No one caught any fish--not one. Hours later when I finally stumbled ashore I immediately chucked the beer, the sandwiches and all the bait in the nearest garbage can. On the way home I stopped at the local market and bought 3 pounds of filleted red snapper, removed them from the wrapping and smothered them in the ice in my cooler. I tossed them to the wife as I came through the door telling her a whopper of a fishing tale about catching and cleaning them and how she should have seen the one that got away. It took hours until the ground stopped moving underneath me.
Today, I travel on nothing smaller than the largest of cruise ships.
Sausalito, CA
Tristan seems to be the official horse tender of, er, all of Trolliwood. I haven't seen anyone else taking interest in them here yet, anyway.
Explore Apr 7, 2011 #263
See on black... www.flickr.com/photos/jungle_mama/5597983687/#/photos/jun...
Ah, what a privilege to not just to catch a glimpse of this lovely Heron to but to also see the female and male protecting the nest with 2 large blue eggs in it! So well designed for exactly this environment! Such a magnificent job of camouflage. Even the golden eye and its contrasting outline is a match for the tones of the golden leaves.
What an elegant small water bird! Look at the off-white highlighted edges of the wing feathers. And the subtle blue tone around the eye and the head that matches the color of this precious clutch of eggs! The gorgeous male was vigilantly watching on a nearby branch.
The Green Heron (Butorides virescens) is a small heron of North and Central America. It was long considered conspecific with its sister species the Striated Heron (Butorides striata), and together they were called "Green-backed Heron." They are extremely rare in western Europe; individuals from the Pacific coast of North America may similarly stray as far as Hawaii.
The Green Heron is relatively small; adult body length is about 44 cm (17 in). The neck is often pulled in tight against the body. Adults have a glossy, greenish-black cap, a greenish back and wings that are gray-black grading into green or blue, a chestnut neck with a white line down the front, gray underparts and short yellow legs. The bill is dark with a long, sharp point. Female adults tend to be smaller than males, and have duller and lighter plumage, particularly in the breeding season. Juveniles are duller, with the head sides, neck and underparts streaked brown and white, tan-splotched back and wing coverts, and greenish-yellow legs and bill. Hatchlings are covered in down feathers, light gray above, and white on the belly.
The Green Heron's call is a loud and sudden" kyow"; it also makes a series of more subdued "kuk" calls. During courtship, the male gives a" raah-rah" call with wide-open bill, makes noisy wingbeats and "whoom-whoom-whoom" calls in flight, and sometimes calls" roo-roo" to the female before landing again. While sitting, an "aaroo-aaroo" courtship call is also given.
Little Green Heron, Butorides virescens
Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Delray Beach, FL
66 105 running light engine is seen in platform 3 on the west curve at Earlestown station while running as 0M36 10.55 Seaforth Docks to Warrington Arpley Depot. This working is booked as a Fridays only cripple trip but rarely conveys wagons for repair these days as the container flats tend to be swapped out for repair at Mossend.
Then again, I tend to think that most waterfalls are worth the effort. This beautiful falls is located near Scotts Mills, Oregon, surprising close to Upper Butte Creek Falls, though I didn't know that until recently (they are even off the same road: Crooked Finger Road). It took a magical photo by Greg Lief to put the thought of visiting this waterfall into my head (this falls doesn't even have a description or image on the "Waterfalls of the Pacific Northwest" database!)
It's not a particularly easy falls to get to - then again, none of the rare gems are. The first sketchy part is relying on a quarry gate to be open (else you park and walk an extra two miles in). The trail from the road and down the hillside is also a bit elusive, and the trip down that hillside is steep and (can be) treacherous. I fell on my backside once or twice on the way down, thoroughly muddying myself (luckily, I learned a long time ago to take a change of clothes when out waterfalling). The trip from the bottom of the hillside to the falls itself is manageable, though it sometimes bleeds in and out of the creek.
But, as the title mentions, it's all worth it. This beautiful falls, lined by gorgeously green mossy rocks, tumbles over basalt rocks into a broad bowl. It's quiet there, and oh-so-beautiful.
Taken with my Nikon FM.
X-ray data from Chandra combined with the visible and near-infrared Hubble mosaic. Light from x-rays tends to occupy the places where voids have formed, likely as a result of hot winds and supernova shock waves impacting the walls of the cavity.
There is an article at the Chandra website regarding this object and what is being illustrated. You may read it here, if you wish:
chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2012/n1929/
The Hubble only version is here:
I would like to thank Jonathan McDowell for showing me that the lowest and highest energy levels must be filtered out using the event file because they are too noisy, and Brian Wolven for tagging him into the Twitter thread that resulted in the discussion. I don't often ask for help because I feel like I am bothering people, but small things like this really make a difference for me.
Data from Observation ID 3356 from Proposal Number 03910326 were used to create the x-ray overlay.
X-ray Emission Mechanisms and Evolution of Superbubbles
Data from Proposal 14689 were used to create the Hubble image.
MYSST: Mapping Young Stars in Space and Time - The HII Complex N44 in the LMC
Violet and Magenta overlay: ACIS .30-7.00 keV
Red: WFC3/UVIS F814W
Green: Pseudo
Blue: WFC3/UVIS F555W
North is NOT up. It is 19.6° counter-clockwise from up.
Give fools their gold, and knaves their power; let fortune's bubbles rise and fall; who sows a field, or trains a flower, or plants a tree, is more than all.
John Greenleaf Whittier
Early morning farming, Skagit Valley.
Las Torres del tendido eléctrico de Cádiz son dos torres de alta tensión eléctrica situadas a ambos lados de la embocadura de la bahía interior de Cádiz (España) que permiten el tendido de cables de conducción eléctrica desde la antigua central térmica de Cádiz hasta la red general peninsular. Están diseñados para dos circuitos por el italiano A. M. Toscano y tienen una construcción muy poco convencional.
Diseño
Este modo poco convencional de construcción fue elegido porque las fábricas de acero españolas no podían producir grandes portadores de acero en aquel entonces, cuando estas torres fueron construidas, y la importación de tales portadores era imposible debido al régimen de Franco. La construcción se llevó a cabo bajo la supervisión y dirección de Remo Scalla, un amigo cercano de Alberto Toscano. El mismo equipo de diseño y construcción de Toscano y Scalla también unió sus fuerzas en las líneas que cruzaron el Estrecho de Mesina en Italia, que unían la península italiana y Sicilia. El proyecto de las Torres de Cádiz comenzó a finales de 1957 y concluyó en 1960.
Estructura
El aspecto exterior que presentan las torres —de 150,6 metros de altura, la de Cádiz y de 160, la de Puerto Real—, es el de un mástil hueco de forma troncocónica cuyos perfiles dibujan una suave curvatura desde la cúspide, de 6 metros de diámetro, hasta la base, de 20,70 metros. Descansan sobre un basamento de hormigón armado y precomprimido y se coronan por un travesaño de perfil romboidal que sostiene el cableado de alta tensión que corre de torre a torre. Están construidas con un ensamblaje de piezas metálicas galvanizadas que dibujan a partir de líneas verticales, horizontales y diagonales, una retícula de rombos inscritos en rectángulos. En el interior, una escalera helicoidal recorre todo el mástil permitiendo ascender al travesaño superior. Cuando se completó el proyecto fueron adquiridas por el Instituto Nacional de Industria.
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A beautiful view through the trees over lake St. Peter from our campsite in Lake St Peter Provincial Park , Martin’s photographs , town of Lake St.Peter , Hastings Highlands , Ontario , Canada , August 16. 2021
A beautiful view at sunset in the dark
Miles tending our campfire in the dark
beautiful view through the trees over lake St. Peter
our campsite in Lake St Peter Provincial Park
town of Lake St.Peter
Hastings Highlands
Campfire
Pontoon boat
The Kawartha’s
Mushroom looks like a Halloween pumpkin face
Inneskillen
Solina area
stand of trees
Hammocks
Orono
Clarington
pine trees
Anstruther lake
Rocks
Loon lake
Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park
Wild Asters
mushroom
fungi
the woods
Beautiful and colourful mushroom fungi in the woods at Duffins trail
fire in a Tomshoo camp stove fuelled by small sticks
gravely shore of Lake Ontario
Darlington Provincial Park
August 2021
Clarington
Lake Ontario
Sunset
A beautiful sunset
Crescent moon
small rock
Fossil
Fossilized creature
Pebbles on shore of lake Ontario
pebbles on beach
Martin’s photograph
Stones
Pebbles
Ontario parks
Provincial parks
Martin’s photographs
Ontario
Canada
Great pebbles
Gas tank
Canoe’s
Cedar trees
Favourites
IPhone XR
Nice tree line at beach of lake St.Peter
Lake St Peter Provincial Park
Martin’s photographs
Hastings Highlands
beach of lake St.Peter
Lake St Peter
Lake St.Peter in Hastings Highlands
Cloudy sky
Clouds
Park office of Lake St Peter Provincial Park
Long Lake in Kawartha Highlands provincial park
North Kawartha
Long LakeLodge at Long Lake in Kawartha Highlands provincial park
Long Lake Lodge
Beautiful mushrooms very close to the ground you can see the stem below
Lake
Beach
Pontoon boat
Mom is tending to here daffodils which lined Daddy's vegetable garden. She had many varieties of daffodils all around the yard.
She is bent over slightly, perhaps trying to hide from the photographer since she was in her gardening clothes, and wearing a long kitchen apron.
Undoubtedly photographed in the spring as the daffodils are in full bloom
Tonight, to continue my Easter theme, I'm adding a Chinstrap Penguin that's tending to its egg. As you can see, space is at a premium. These nests are all quite close to one another and often in steep areas.
A giant tortoise at the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz
Galapagos Giant Tortoise
The Galápagos tortoise or Galápagos giant tortoise (Geochelone nigra) is the largest living tortoise, native to seven islands of the Galápagos archipelago. The Galápagos tortoise is unique to the Galápagos Islands. Fully grown adults can weigh over 300 kilograms (661 lb) and measure 1.2 meters (4 ft) long. They are long-lived with a life expectancy in the wild estimated to be 100-150 years. Populations fell dramatically because of hunting and the introduction of predators and grazers by humans since the seventeenth century. Now only ten subspecies of the original twelve exist in the wild. However, conservation efforts since the establishment of the Galápagos National Park and the Charles Darwin Foundation have met with success, and hundreds of captive-bred juveniles have been released back onto their home islands. They have become one of the most symbolic animals of the fauna of the Galápagos Islands. The tortoises have very large shells (carapace) made of bone. The bony plates of the shell are integral to the skeleton, fused with the ribs in a rigid protective structure. Naturalist Charles Darwin remarked "These animals grow to an immense size ... several so large that it required six or eight men to lift them from the ground.". This is due to the phenomenon of island gigantism whereby in the absence of natural predation, the largest tortoises had a survival advantage and no disadvantage in fleeing or fending off predators. When threatened, it can withdraw its head, neck and all forelimbs into its shell for protection, presenting a protected shield to a would-be predator. The legs have hard scales that also provide armour when withdrawn. Tortoises keep a characteristic scute pattern on their shell throughout life. These have annual growth bands but are not useful for aging as the outer layers are worn off. There is little variation in the dull-brown colour of the shell or scales. Physical features (including shape of the shell) relate to the habitat of each of the subspecies. These differences were noted by Captain Porter even before Charles Darwin. Larger islands with more wet highlands such as Santa Cruz and the Alcedo Volcano on Isabela have lush vegetation near the ground. Tortoises here tend to have 'dome-back' shells. These animals have restricted upward head movement due to shorter necks, and also have shorter limbs. These are the heaviest and largest of the subspecies.Smaller, drier islands such as Española and Pinta are inhabited by tortoises with 'saddleback' shells comprising a flatter carapace which is elevated above the neck and flared above the hind feet. Along with longer neck and limbs, this allows them to browse taller vegetation. On these drier islands the Galápagos Opuntia cactus (a major source of their fluids) has evolved a taller, tree-like form. This is evidence of an evolutionary arms race between progressively taller tortoises and correspondingly taller cacti. Saddlebacks are smaller in size than domebacks. They tend to have a yellowish color on lower mandible and throat. At one extreme, the Sierra Negra volcano population that inhabits southern Isabela Island has a very flattened "tabletop" shell. However, there is no saddleback/domeback dualism; tortoises can also be of 'intermediate' type with characteristics of both. The tortoises are slow-moving reptiles with an average long-distance walking speed of 0.3 km/h (0.18 mph). Although feeding giant tortoises browse with no apparent direction, when moving to water-holes or nesting grounds, they can move at surprising speeds for their size. Marked individuals have been reported to have traveled 13 km in two days. Being cold-blooded, the tortoises bask for two hours after dawn, absorbing the energy through their shells, then becoming active for 8–9 hours a day. They may sleep for about sixteen hours in a mud wallow partially or submerged in rain-formed pools (sometimes dew ponds formed by garua-moisture dripping off trees). This may be both a thermoregulatory response and a protection from parasites such as mosquitoes and ticks. Some rest in a 'pallet'- a snug depression in soft ground or dense brush- which probably helps to conserve heat and may aid digestion. On the Alcedo Volcano, repeated use of the same sites by the large resident population has resulted in the formation of small sandy pits. Darwin observed that: "The inhabitants believe that these animals are absolutely deaf; certainly they do not overhear a person walking near behind them. I was always amused, when overtaking one of these great monsters as it was quietly pacing along, to see how suddenly, the instant I passed, it would draw in its head and legs, and uttering a deep hiss fall to the ground with a heavy sound, as if struck dead." The tortoises can vocalise in aggressive encounters, whilst righting themselves if turned upside down and, in males, during mating. The latter is described as "rhythmic groans". The tortoises are herbivorous animals with a diet comprising cactus, grasses, leaves, vines, and fruit. Fresh young grass is a favorite food of the tortoises, and others are the 'poison apple' (Hippomane mancinella) (toxic to humans), the endemic guava (Psidium galapageium), the water fern (Azolla microphylla), and the bromeliad (Tillandsia insularis). Tortoises eat a large quantity of food when it is available at the expense of incomplete digestion. Its favorite food is grasses. The tortoise normally eat an average of 70 to 80 pounds a day. Tortoises have a classic example of a mutualistic symbiotic relationship with some species of Galápagos finch. The finch hops in front of the tortoise to show that it is ready and the tortoise then raises itself up high on its legs and stretches out its neck so that the bird can pick off ticks that are hidden in the folds of the skin (especially on the rear legs, cloacal opening, neck, and skin between plastron and carapace), thus freeing the tortoise from harmful parasites and providing the finch with an easy meal. Other birds, including Galápagos Hawk and flycatchers, use tortoises as observation posts from which to sight their prey. Mating occurs at any time of the year, although it does have seasonal peaks between January and August. When two mature males meet in the mating season they will face each other, rise up on their legs and stretch up their necks with their mouths open to assess dominance. Occasionally, head-biting occurs, but usually the shorter loser tortoise will back off, leaving the other to mate with the female. In groups of tortoises from mixed island populations, saddleback males have an advantage over domebacks. Frustrated non-dominant males have been observed attempting to mate with other males and boulders. The male sniffs the air when seeking a female, bellows loudly, and bobs his head. The male then rams the female with the front of his shell and bites her exposed legs until she withdraws them, immobilizing her. Copulation can last several hours with roaring vocalisations from the males. Their concave shell base allows males to mount the females from behind. It brings its tail which houses the penis into the female's cloaca. After mating (June-December), the females journey up to several kilometres to reach nesting areas of dry, sandy ground (often near the coast). Nest digging can last from hours to days and is elaborate and exhausting. It is carried out blindly using only the hind legs to dig a 30 cm deep hole, into which she lays up to sixteen hard-shelled eggs the size of tennis balls. The female makes a muddy plug for the nest hole out of soil mixed with urine and leaves the eggs to incubate. In rocky areas, the eggs are deposited randomly into cracks. The young emerge from the nest after 120 to 140 days gestation later (December-April) and may weigh only 80 grams (2.8 oz) and measure 6 centimetres (2.4 in). Temperature plays a role in the sex of the hatchling: if the nest temperature is lower, more males will hatch; if it is high, more females will hatch. When the young tortoises emerge from their shells, they must dig their way to the surface, which can take up to a month. All have domed carapaces, and subspecies are indistinguishable. Galápagos Hawk used to be the only native predator of the tortoise hatchlings, as Darwin remarked: "The young tortoises, as soon as they are hatched, fall prey in great numbers to buzzards". Sex can be determined only when the tortoise is 15 years old, and sexual maturity is reached at 20 to 25 years old. The tortoises grow slowly for about 40 years until they reach their full size. Reproductive prime is considered to be from the ages of 60–90. The shape of the carapace of some subspecies of the tortoises is said to have reminded the early Spanish explorers of a kind of saddle they called a "galápago," and for these saddle-shaped tortoises they named the archipelago. Up to 250,000 tortoises inhabited the islands when they were discovered. Today only about 15,000 are left.
The inhabitants...state that they can distinguish the tortoise from different islands; and that they differ not only in size, but in other characters. Captain Porter has described those from Charles and from the nearest island to it, namely Hood Island, as having their shells in front thick and turned up like a Spanish saddle, whilst the tortoises from James Island are rounder, blacker, and have a better taste when cooked.---Charles Darwin 1845
There were probably twelve subspecies of Geochelone nigra in the Galápagos Islands, although some recognise up to 15 subspecies. Now only 11 subspecies remain, five on Isabela Island, and the other six on Santiago, Santa Cruz, San Cristóbal, Pinzón, Española and Pinta. Of these, the Pinta Island subspecies is extinct in the wild and is represented by a single individual (Lonesome George). In the past, zoos took animals without knowing their island of origin. Production of fertile offspring from various pairings of tortoises largely confirmed that they are subspecies and not different species. All the subspecies of giant tortoise evolved in Galápagos from a common ancestor that arrived from the mainland, floating on the ocean currents (the tortoises can drift for long periods of time as they are buoyant and can stretch head upwards to breathe). Only a single pregnant female or breeding pair needed to arrive in this way, and then survive, for Galápagos to be colonised. In the seventeenth century, pirates started to use the Galápagos islands as a base for resupply, restocking on food, water and repairing vessels before attacking Spanish colonies on the South American mainland. The tortoises were collected and stored live on board ships where they could survive for at least a year without food or water, providing valuable fresh meat, whilst their diluted urine and water stored in their neck bags could also be used as drinking water. Of the meat, Darwin wrote: "the breast-plate roasted (as the Gauchos do 'carne con cuero'), with the flesh on it, is very good; and the young tortoises make excellent soup; but otherwise the meat to my taste is indifferent." In the nineteenth century, whaling ships and fur-sealers collected tortoises for food and many more were killed for high grade 'turtle oil' from the late 1800s onward. Darwin described this process thus: "beautifully clear oil is prepared from the fat. When a tortoise is caught, the man makes a slit in the skin near its tail, so as to see inside its body, whether the fat under the dorsal plate is thick. If it is not, the animal is liberated and it is said to recover soon from this strange operation." A total of over 15,000 tortoises is recorded in the logs of 105 whaling ships between 1811 and 1844. As hunters found it easiest to collect the tortoises living round the coastal zones, the least decimated populations tended to be those in the highlands. Population decline accelerated with the early settlement of the islands, when they were hunted for meat, their habitat was cleared for agriculture and alien mammal species were introduced. Feral pigs, dogs, cats and black rats are effective predators of eggs and young tortoises, whilst goats, donkeys and cattle compete for grazing. In the twentieth century, increasing human settlement and urbanisation and collection of tortoises for zoo and museum specimens depleted numbers even more. The Galápagos giant tortoise is now strictly protected. Young tortoises are raised in a programme by the Charles Darwin Research Station in order to bolster the numbers of the extant subspecies. Eggs are collected from places on the islands where they are threatened and when the tortoises hatch they are kept in captivity until they have reached a size that ensures a good chance of survival and are returned to their original ranges. The Galápagos National Park Service systematically culls feral predators and competitors where necessary such as the complete eradication of goats from Pinta. The conservation project begun in the 1970s successfully brought 10 of the 11 endangered subspecies up to guarded population levels. The most significant recovery was that of the Española Tortoise, whose breeding stock comprised 2 males and 11 females brought to the Darwin Station. Fortuitously, a third male was discovered at the San Diego Zoo and joined the others in a captive breeding program. These 13 tortoises gave rise to over 1000 tortoises now released into their home island. In all, 2500 individuals of all breeds have been reintroduced to the islands. However, persecution still continues on a much smaller scale; more than 120 tortoises have been killed by poachers since 1990 and they have been taken hostage as political leverage by local fishermen.
Santa Cruz
With the largest human population in the Galapagos archipelago, Isla Santa Cruz is the most important of the Galapagos Islands. Meaning Holy Cross in Spanish, this island is also known as Indefatigable, after the HMS Indefatigable landed here long ago. The second largest island terms of land area at 986 sq km, Isla Santa Cruz is home to the key town of Puerto Ayora, the Charles Darwin Research Station and the headquarters of the Galapagos National Park Service. With its own airport on Isla Baltra a few miles away, Isla Santa Cruz is where most visitors who come to the Galapagos Islands usually stay. With a number of bars, hotels, restaurants and shops in Puerto Ayora, most tours of the Archipelago also usually begin from here.
Galapagos Islands
The Galápagos Islands (official name: Archipiélago de Colón; other Spanish names: Islas de Colón or Islas Galápagos) are an archipelago of volcanic islands distributed around the equator in the Pacific Ocean, some 900 km west of Ecuador. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site: wildlife is its most notable feature. Because of the only very recent arrival of man the majority of the wildlife has no fear of humans and will allow visitors to walk right up them, often having to step over Iguanas or Sea Lions.The Galápagos islands and its surrounding waters are part of a province, a national park, and a biological marine reserve. The principal language on the islands is Spanish. The islands have a population of around 40,000, which is a 40-fold expansion in 50 years. The islands are geologically young and famed for their vast number of endemic species, which were studied by Charles Darwin during the voyage of the Beagle. His observations and collections contributed to the inception of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection.
Other than the exorbitantly overpriced Dipper (see my previous post and blog), I have realized that I don't tend to photograph that many songbirds. However, when I'm sitting in a blind and one happens to pose beautifully in front of my lens I'm more than happy to capture the moment. At Brick Pond, while photographing Wood Ducks, I really didn't see that many Song Sparrows. So it was a surprise to me on this April afternoon when this one perched on a log in front of me. They probably do nest in those woods, but I was always too busy looking out toward the pond rather than the other direction. I often wonder what I miss passing right behind me when I'm sitting in my blind. April 12, 2015
An adult stork (Ciconia ciconia) is closing its eyes enjoying the caresses of its offspring.
Ein erwachsener Storch (Ciconia nigra) genießt die Streicheleinheiten von seinem Nachwuchs.
MUCH PRETTIER DAYLIGHT PHOTO. ♥︎
It's actually storming here (again) and the wind speed is 70km/h (the trees outside my window sound really scary in the wind D:) but that's okay because the muted light is better for photos~~ You'll think I've learnt my lesson not to take photos at midnight, but apparently not.