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This one is about 1,5 centimeter.
:-)
The common toad, European toad, Euro toad, is an amphibian found throughout most of Europe (with the exception of Ireland, Iceland, and some Mediterranean islands), in the western part of North Asia, and in a small portion of Northwest Africa. It is one of a group of closely related animals that are descended from a common ancestral line of toads and which form a species complex. The toad is an inconspicuous animal as it usually lies hidden during the day. It becomes active at dusk and spends the night hunting for the invertebrates on which it feeds. It moves with a slow, ungainly walk or short jumps, and has greyish-brown skin covered with wart-like lumps.
Although toads are usually solitary animals, in the breeding season, large numbers of toads converge on certain breeding ponds, where the males compete to mate with the females. Eggs are laid in gelatinous strings in the water and later hatch out into tadpoles. After several months of growth and development, these sprout limbs and undergo metamorphosis into tiny toads. The juveniles emerge from the water and remain largely terrestrial for the rest of their lives.
The common toad seems to be in decline in part of its range, but overall is listed as being of "least concern" in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is threatened by habitat loss, especially by drainage of its breeding sites, and some toads get killed on the roads as they make their annual migrations. It has long been associated in popular culture and literature with witchcraft.
(Nymphalis polychloros)
Once generally distributed throughout England and Wales, the Large Tortoiseshell is now thought to be extinct in the UK, and of the few specimens that are occasionally recorded, most are probably captive-bred releases. It has always been a butterfly whose numbers have fluctuated greatly, but is now more than 60 years since it appeared in large numbers and it seems unlikely the species will ever recover.
A butterfly of woodland edges and hedgerows that abound in elms, willows and poplars, it was already a rarity when Dutch Elm Disease appeared; this could only have worsened its plight. The Large Tortoiseshell is first seen in spring, after hibernating in hollow trees and log piles. A single brood is then produced which is on the wing in July and August. It is a powerful flier that visits a variety of flowers, but it especially likes the sap that oozes from tree wounds.
A small and shy resident goose of the Indian subcontinent, found throughout the year in freshwater lakes and ponds. They are social birds and generally seen in a flock of around 4 to 6. The birds are visibly smaller than the other ducks such as the resident Whistling teals and the Spot Billed Ducks found in our region. I love to shoot them in flight, but they fly fast and are quite wary of humans.
Shot them near a lake full of Jacana's and Coots. These goose stayed for a while and then flew away far from human activity. I sat down on the bank with the sun behind me and several birds like this one came close and flew away. They couldn't see me from afar due to a tree that was blocking the visibility. I had a fantastic time shooting this and the Yellow Bittern which made repeated visits and gave me some amazing shots.
Many thanks for all your views, likes and feedback. Much appreciated.
Throughout this winter a flock of about a hundred Lapwings has remained about a mile from my house in the Pennines. I have also found several other flocks a little further afield. Many Pennine breeding Lapwings move to the coast and lowlands during the winter, but even during the recent snow these Lapwings have remained "toughing it out", appearing to know that the snow will melt soon. But I cannot get near that flock for a photograph because when Lapwings are in a flock they are very skittish. That's because as soon as the most timid member of the flock calls out and flies, it spooks the whole flock. Two days ago I was out walking in the snow (which has all disappeared now) and I saw a single Lapwing flying low over the fields, which alighted in a field with some sheep right next to my footpath. Bizarrely one sheep seemed annoyed by its arrival and chased it off, but I managed a handful of shots before it departed. Being a lone bird it allowed me much closer approach than the local flock.
I'm sure that many of you will realise that the title "Snowy Plover" is the American name for what we call Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus). Lapwing is a plover from a different genus (Vanellus) but I liked the play on words. Lapwings are sometimes known as Green Plovers but you can barely see the green back sheen in this face-on shot. I recall being told that the name comes from the French for rain, but according to the Oxford Dictionary of Bird Names that is wrong. The name has been in use in English since the 14th century and did come via Old French from Late Latin plovarius. The name is simply imitative of the far reaching call (ie plover is a bird that makes a "plo" call). It adds that there have been many attempts to make a connection between plovers and rain, by writers ancient and modern, but all have been in vain.
Anthocharis cardamines, the orange tip, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae, which contains about 1,100 species. A. cardamines is mainly found throughout Europe and temperate Asia
Resident waders found throughout the year around large lakes, shallow rivers and wetland areas and water logged paddy fields. Summer is the nesting time for these waders / reed birds and they contine to nest till the rainy season and through it. This year, we barely had a summer - its raining cats and dogs. The swamphens have started nesting early due to the change in weather, and the birds are in breeding plumage. The colors are more vivid than usual and quite beautiful - like in this picture.
These swamphens are sighted in pretty large numbers (200+) now around reed beds where they usually nest. The birds don't move far away from their nests and prefer to hunt for insects, beetles etc.. around the vicinity. During this period, these birds turn predators and they attack the chicks of Jacanas and snipes and eat them. All these birds share the same habitat and hence become easy prey for these Swamphens and other birds like Black Kites.
Thank you so much in advance for your views, feedback and faves. Much appreciated.
NECKLACE: Eternity: Mother and Son {for Roxi}~ 100% Donation ~ at Nymphai
copying Duchess’ words, from her blog :
Last weekend we were hit with the devastating news that our beloved Roxi Firanelli lost her son during the night.
Sadness enveloped our little world as the news spread throughout the Ippos family. Luminaries that you can light and send off into the sky have been set up on the dock at Nymphai to help Roxi with funeral expenses. A wonderful creator also designed this delicate mesh Eternity necklace in remembrance of Jeffery, beautifully titled “Eternity: Mother & Son.” The necklace can also be found on the dock near the Luminary Lanterns and 100% of the proceeds will go directly to Roxi......
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Nymphai/148/101/23
White Breasted Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis). Subspecies H.s. fusca is a resident of Sri Lanka. Found throughout the Island. Belongs to Alcedinidae family.
පිළිහුඩුවා උප විශේෂය H.s. fusca ලකාවේ වෙසෙන පක්ෂියෙකි. දිවයින පුරා විසිර ඇත.
Red squirrel in my hometown park :) They already looking for a food after Winter.
The red squirrel or Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) is a species of tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus common throughout Europe and Asia. The red squirrel is an arboreal, primarily herbivorous rodent. In Great Britain, Ireland, and in Italy numbers have decreased drastically in recent years. This decline is associated with the introduction by humans of the eastern grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) from North America. The red squirrel is found in both coniferous forest and temperate broadleaf woodlands. The squirrel makes a drey (nest) out of twigs in a branch-fork. Tree hollows and woodpecker holes are also used. Squirrels are hunted by martens and birds of prey. The red fox, cats and dogs also can prey upon the red squirrel when it is on the ground.
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Wiewióreczka w parku :) Sporo ich tam teraz biega szukając jedzenia.
Wiewiórka pospolita (Sciurus vulgaris) – gatunek gryzonia z rodziny wiewiórkowatych (Sciuridae). Występuje w Europie i Azji na terenach leśnych. Jest pospolita na terenie całej Polski, głównie w parkach oraz lasach liściastych. Zamieszkuje również lasy iglaste. Na Wyspach Brytyjskich oraz w północnych Włoszech wiewiórka pospolita zagrożona jest z powodu ekspansji wiewiórki szarej, inwazyjnego gatunku sprowadzonego z Ameryki Północnej. Pożywienie wiewiórki pospolitej stanowią nasiona (w tym z szyszek, bukwi, żołędzie i orzechy) i pączki drzew, grzyby, owoce, ale także owady, jaja i pisklęta. Jesienią gromadzą zapasy żywności. Wiewiórka pospolita zamieszkuje dziuple, które utyka porostami i mchami, lub gniazda ptaków, dobudowując zadaszenie lub sama buduje gniazda z gałęzi. Na wiewiórki polują kuny i ptaki drapieżne.
These colourful birds are widespread throughout most of Europe. They led very shy, solitary lives. It is usually only by their distinctive 'yaffling' sound, that they make their presence known. They spend much of the time feeding on open ground near woodland, mainly search of ants. Probing the soil with their powerful beaks they extract the ants with long sticky tongues. When it comes to rearing young they hallow out the insides of rotting tree trunks.
Many thanks for viewing the photo. Any comments made are much appreciated!
Looking from Lincoln Castle towards the Grade I Listed Lincoln Cathedral, in Lincoln, Lincolnshire.
Building commenced in 1088 and continued in several phases throughout the medieval period. It was reputedly the tallest building in the world for 238 years (1311–1549) before the central spire collapsed in 1549 and was not rebuilt.
It is highly regarded by architectural scholars; the eminent Victorian writer John Ruskin declared: "I have always held... that the cathedral of Lincoln is out and out the most precious piece of architecture in the British Isles and roughly speaking worth any two other cathedrals we have."
Remigius de Fécamp, the first bishop of Lincoln, moved the Episcopal seat there between 1072 and 1092. Up until then St. Mary's Church in Stow was considered to be the "mother church" of Lincolnshire (although it was not a cathedral, because the seat of the diocese was at Dorchester Abbey in Dorchester-on-Thames, Oxfordshire).
Bishop Remigius built the first Lincoln Cathedral on the present site, finishing it in 1092 and then dying on 9 May of that year, two days before it was consecrated. In 1141, the timber roofing was destroyed in a fire. Bishop Alexander rebuilt and expanded the cathedral, but it was mostly destroyed by an earthquake about forty years later, in 1185. The earthquake was one of the largest felt in the UK. The damage to the cathedral is thought to have been very extensive.
After the earthquake, a new bishop was appointed. He was Hugh de Burgundy of Avalon, France, who became known as St Hugh of Lincoln. He began a massive rebuilding and expansion programme. Rebuilding began with the choir (St. Hugh's Choir) and the eastern transepts between 1192 and 1210. The central nave was then built in the Early English Gothic style.
The cathedral is the 3rd largest in Britain after St Paul's and York Minster, being 484 feet by 271 feet. Until 1549 the spire was reputedly the tallest medieval tower in Europe, though the exact height has been a matter of debate. Accompanying the cathedral's large bell, Great Tom of Lincoln, is a quarter-hour striking clock.
The two large stained glass rose windows, the matching Dean's Eye and Bishop's Eye, were added to the cathedral during the late Middle Ages. The former, the Dean's Eye in the north transept dates from the 1192 rebuild begun by St Hugh, finally being completed in 1235.
After the additions of the Dean's eye and other major Gothic additions it is believed some mistakes in the support of the tower occurred, for in 1237 the main tower collapsed. A new tower was soon started and in 1255 the Cathedral petitioned Henry III to allow them to take down part of the town wall to enlarge and expand the Cathedral, including the rebuilding of the central tower and spire.
In 1290 Eleanor of Castile died and King Edward I of England decided to honour her, his Queen Consort, with an elegant funeral procession. After her body had been embalmed, which in the 13th century involved evisceration, Eleanor's viscera were buried in Lincoln cathedral, and Edward placed a duplicate of the Westminster tomb there.
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EXPLORED
!!! חג שמח, החברים שלי
Happy Holiday, my Friends !
The photo is part of my photographic exhibition featuring 21 laminated panels. The images of the exhibit represent the symbols of Jewish festivals throughout the year.
The exhibition has been shown in various places.
See on flickr : "Light and Tradition"
www.flickr.com/photos/studiodobs/albums/72157689952244162
Sukkoth (Hebrew: סוכות or סֻכּוֹת ), Feast of Booths, Feast of Tabernacles, is a biblical Jewish holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Tishri.
The holiday lasts seven days in Israel and eight in the diaspora. The first day is a Shabbat-like holiday, when work is forbidden, followed by intermediate days called Chol Hamoed.
The Hebrew word sukkōth is the plural of sukkah, "booth" or "tabernacle", which is a walled structure, covered with leaves of palm and willow. The sukkah is intended as a reminiscence of the type of fragile dwellings in which, according to the Torah, the Israelites dwelt during their 40 years of travel in the desert, after the Exodus from slavery in Egypt.
Throughout the holiday, meals are eaten inside the sukkah and many people sleep there as well. A sukkah is also for the temporary dwelling in which agricultural workers would live during harvesting.
The festival is closed with another Shabbat-like holiday called Simchat Torah, The Joy of the Torah, that takes place in synagogue.This is the only time of year on which the Torah scrolls are taken out of the Ark. Then, when the Ark is opened, the worshippers leave their seats to dance and sing with the Torah scrolls in a joyous celebration that can last for several hours.
Looking close... on Friday!
September flora
Mon repos Bundaberg
Australia
A beautiful, tall native Grevillea with large showy pale pink coloured brush-like flowers. Flowers appear throughout the year attracting native wildlife
#wppd is celebrated today throughout the world. I pulled down a Pringles can (bbq flavor) I had hanging up for a while in the garden. This is my first with the sun-trails coming out in color. This is a 5x7 black and white photo paper, exposed via a pinhole object, then scanned, inverted and contrast adjusted. This is solargraphy.
From the 1920's and throughout the prohibition years and later, a certain individual named Salvatore Facciacattiva, aka "Sally Southside," ran the rackets in Chicago's South side. All illegal operations whether it was prostitution, drugs, gambling, loan sharking, or bootlegging were run and controlled by him, and control he did. If you happened to have stepped out of line you only did that once. There were no second chances with Sal. I can't say ask the few who tried because they are no longer reachable to ask.
As a young man Sal was a WWI conscript and spent a few months fighting in Europe but all that ended for him when a German mortar round landed within feet of where he was positioned. The shrapnel tore into him badly and his face was permanently scarred from it. By the time he was able to leave the military hospital the war had concluded. He already was a tough street fighter, and his time spent in the military made him even tougher and meaner!
But, in spite of the life he had chosen Sal was Catholic, and he attended 11 o'clock mass at St Barnabas Church every Sunday. You would see his shiny Cadillac sedan parked in the first spot next to the side door of the church. Everyone knew that that was Sal's parking spot, and no one dared park in it on Sunday mornings. And when inside the church he would sit at the end of the pew right next to that side door in case he had to leave in a hurry for "business reasons!" And, like the parking spot, everyone knew that that was Sal's seat, and no one dared sit in it!
It was alleged that Sal had orchestrated the St Valentine's Day massacre where 7 member associates of Chicago's Northside gang were brutally machine gunned and murdered in 1929. Although the police had brought him in for questioning they had no proof that they could link him directly to the crime, and let's say the police "accommodated" him and released him.
Northside revenge did come, but it was in 1938. and nearly ten years after the massacre had occurred on St Valentine's Day. At 2 AM in the morning, on June 12th, Sal was leaving one of his favorite clubs with a female acquaintance when a black sedan rushed by, shots rang out, and both he and she were gunned down and perished from their wounds.
I hope you weren't hoping for a happy ending!
Heliconius comprises a colorful and widespread genus of brush-footed butterflies commonly known as the longwings or heliconians. This genus is distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the New World, from South America as far north as the southern US. The larvae of these butterflies eat Passion flower vines (Passifloraceae). Adults exhibit bright wing color patterns to signal their distastefulness to potential predators.
Heliconius butterflies have been the subject of many studies, due partly to their abundance and the relative ease of breeding them under laboratory conditions, but also because of the extensive mimicry that occurs in this group. From the nineteenth century to the present-day, their study has helped scientists to understand how new species are formed and why nature is so diverse.
Because of the type of plant material that Heliconius caterpillars favor and the resulting poisons they store in their tissues, the adult butterflies are usually unpalatable to predators by bright colors and contrasting wing patterns, a phenomenon known as aposematism.
Heliconius antiochus
Wings of the Tropics, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami, FL
A resident bird in the subcontinent found throughout the year in grasslands and open countryside with brown grass. The bird prefers red soil / sandy areas and camouflages itself so well that its tough to sight many times. Often we see it taking off suddenly right from underneath our feet - and its a very fast flier.
These are insectivores and the size of a rock pigeon always found in flocks of 5-6 and more - sometimes 30-40 as well. Sightings are always prized by birds and photographers.
On this day, we found more than 5 families including several chicks and couple of nests / eggs in the grasslands. They hid openly in grass near a pile of brown rocks. The birds will just sit down in the brown grass and will blend so well with their naturally camouflaged pattern. Add to that, these birds are very challenging to shoot in flight due to their high speed.
Thanks in advance for your views and feedback. Much appreciated.
A Balearic Islands endemic. Formerly found throughout the islands. However, as a result of the introduction of alien species since Roman times Lilford's wall lizard is now restricted to small islands off Mallorca and Menorca and to the Cabrera Archipelago, and is thus classified as an endangered species. On Cabrera I found them to be numerous in low stone walls and very varied in colour and size. There were many melanistic individuals, nearly black, but usually with the same beautiful turquoise underside that you see here. I took many pictures; it was difficult to select the best. Hope you are watching, Lacerta bilineata !
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Balearen-Eidechse
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Mourning Dove.
A 12 inch long bird with a soft, sandy buff color. They have a long pointed tail bordered with white and withblack spots on the wings.
It inhabits open fields, parks, and lawns with many trees and shrubs.
They range throughout the United States and Canada and winters in the northern United States.
Kensington Metropark, Livingston County, Michigan.
The Moon [at 100% illumination] will be visible throughout the night sky rising at sunset in the east and setting with the sunrise the next morning in the west. During a Full Moon the moon is 100% illuminated as seen from Earth and is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun. The point at which a Full Moon occurs can be measured down to a fraction of a second. The time it takes between full moons is known as a Synodic month and is 29.530587981 days long. Moongiant
Guia, Algarve, Portugal
White-Breasted Nuthatch.
Sparrow-sized at between 5-6 inches in length. They are blue-gray above with white underparts and face and a black crown. They are usually seen creeping downward on tree trunks.
They can be found in deciduous and mixed forests.
They range from British Columbia to Nova Scotia and, with the exception of most of the Great Plains, can be found throughout the United States.
Kensington Metropark, Livingston County, Michigan.
The growth and development of flowers occurs over several weeks from the germination of seeds planted in a ground or container to the time in which flowers bloom. The entire process happens in about five stages for most flowers. Although flower species have varying bloom periods, the general growth and development process is basically the same for all flowers. Moderate variations in the length of time of certain stages may differ by flower species. A Sprout Is Born
The seed begins the germination process during the first five days after being planted. During day 3 of the initial growth and development stage, imbibition begins as the dry seed takes in water from the ground. Next, the root emerges from the seed coat on or about day 4. On day 5, the root begins to extend and develops a root system at one end while a stem forms at the other end. The stem starts the process of making its way upward and eventually past the soil's surface. Hey, Bud
Stage 2 is the stage when a flower's leaves develop. Leaf development usually begins on day 6 and continues to day 26. Leaves begin as tiny rosettes (leaf buds). As the stem begins growing leaves, the development of a flower's primary root structure also culminates usually sometime after day 14. Even though leaf growth does not officially happen until stage 3, the first leaf buds may begin growing after day 18 and continue until day 26. A New Leaf on Life
Leaf growth overlaps slightly between stages 2 and 3 as buds evolve into new leaf growth. But stage 3 officially marks the entire leaf growth period at around day 19. During this stage, all of the leaf buds grow until each one reaches full maturity at about day 29. It's also possible for stage 4 to begin during the latter part (day 26) of the leaf growth stage.
Beginning of the Blossom Day 26 is the day in which most flowers experience inflorescence emergence. In other words, flower buds start appearing on the stem, signifying stage 4 of development. It often occurs toward the end of stage 3 leaf growth; however, it is treated as a separate stage because the period indicates the growth and development exclusively of flowers.
Bloom Times
Stage 5 commences the flower production phase. On approximately day 31, the first flower bud opens. Additional flower buds continue opening throughout a roughly 18-day bloom period until day 49 at which point flower production typically ends.
www.hunker.com/13426298/the-stages-of-a-flower-from-seed-...
This small kingfisher with a truly hefty bill barely makes it into South Texas; otherwise, it ranges throughout Central and South America.
click for details. c:
click here for maggie's (left) post!
look #2 for my wizarding faire series!
wizarding faire is open and running!
The Mallard, or Wild duck (Anas platyrhynchos[1]), probably the best-known and most recognizable of all ducks, is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and sub-tropical Americas, Europe, Asia, New Zealand (where it is currently the most common duck species), and Australia.
The male birds have a bright green head, while the female's is light brown. The Mallard lives in wetlands, eats water plants, and is gregarious. It is also migratory. The Mallard is the ancestor of all domestic ducks, and can interbreed with other species of genus Anas.[2] This interbreeding is causing rarer species of ducks to become genetically diluted.
The Mallard is 56–65 centimetres (22–26 in) long, has a wingspan of 81–98 centimetres (32–39 in), and weighs 0.9–1.2 kilograms (32–42 oz). The breeding male is unmistakable, with a bright green head, black rear end and a yellowish orange (can also contain some red) bill tipped with black (as opposed to the dark brown bill in females), and is also nature's most feared duck. The female Mallard is light brown, like most female dabbling ducks. However, both the female and male Mallards have distinct purple speculum edged with white, prominent in flight or at rest (though temporarily shed during the annual summer moult). In non-breeding (eclipse) plumage the drake becomes drab, looking more like the female, but still distinguishable by its yellow bill and reddish breast.
In captivity, domestic ducks come in wild-type plumages, white, and other colours. Most of these colour variants are also known in domestic Mallards not bred as livestock, but kept as pets, aviary birds, etc., where they are rare but increasing in availability.
A noisy species, the male has a nasal call, the female has a "quack" stereotypically associated with ducks.[3]
The Mallard is a rare example of both Allen's Rule and Bergmann's Rule in birds. Bergmann's Rule, which states that polar forms tend to be larger than related ones from warmer climates, has numerous examples in birds. Allen's Rule says that appendages like ears tend to be smaller in polar forms to minimize heat loss, and larger in tropical and desert equivalents to facilitate heat diffusion, and that the polar taxa are stockier overall. Examples of this rule in birds are rare, as they lack external ears. However, the bill of ducks is very well supplied with blood vessels and is vulnerable to cold.
Resident waders found throughout the year around large lakes, shallow rivers and wetland areas. Summer is the nesting time for these waders / reed birds and they contine to nest till the end of summers to rainy season and through it. This year, our summer is varying between moderate and cool temperatures. The swamphens haven't started nesting yet, but I suspect some of them have started demonstrating the breeding plumage - the colors are more vivid than usual and quite beautiful - like in this picture.
These swamphens are sighted in large numbers now around reed beds where they usually nest. The birds don't move far away from their nests and prefer to hunt for insects, beetles etc.. around the vicinity. During this period, these birds turn predators and they attack the chicks of Jacanas and snipes and eat them. All these birds share the same habitat and hence become easy prey for these Swamphens and other birds like Black Kites.
Thank you so much in advance for your views, feedback and faves.
The Metekhi church is a cross-cupola church. While this style was the most common throughout the Middle Ages, the Metekhi church is somewhat anachronistic with its three projecting apses in the east facade and the four freestanding pillars supporting the cupola within. The church is made of brick and dressed stone. The restoration of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries mostly employed brick. The facade is for the most part smooth, with decorative elements concentrated around the windows of the eastern apses. Horizontal bands below the gables run around all four sides and serve as a unifying element. The north portico of the main entrance is not a later addition but was built at the same time as the rest of the church.
Legend has it also that the Metekhi cliff was a site of the martyrdom of Habo (8th century), Tbilisi’s patron saint. A small church in his honor is now under construction at the foot of the cliff.
The cliff is connected to the opposite, right embankment of the Mtkvari river, via a reinforced concrete bridge, which was constructed in 1951 at the place of the two older bridges. Unfortunately, a unique complex of various structures and buildings dating from the 17th to 19th centuries were destroyed during the construction of the bridge. Recently, the city’s government announced its intention to restore this part of historic Old Tbilisi as it was in the first half of the 20th century.
Londolozi Game Reserve
Kruger National Park
South Africa
The greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) is a woodland antelope found throughout eastern and southern Africa. Despite occupying such widespread territory, they are sparsely populated in most areas, due to a declining habitat, deforestation and poaching.
Their habitat includes mixed scrub woodlands (the greater kudu is one of the few largest mammals that prefer living in settled areas – in scrub woodland and bush on abandoned fields and degraded pastures, mopane bush and acacia in lowlands, hills and mountains.
Their diet consists of leaves, grass, shoots and occasionally tubers, roots and fruit (they are especially fond of oranges and tangerines).
During the day, greater kudus normally cease to be active and instead seek cover under woodland, especially during hot days. They feed and drink in the early morning and late afternoon, acquiring water from waterholes or roots and bulbs that have a high water content. Although they tend to stay in one area, the greater kudu may search over a large distance for water in times of drought.
Predators of the greater kudu generally consist of lions, hyenas, and hunting dogs. Although leopards and cheetahs also prey on greater kudus, they are unable to bring down a bull, and consequently target the more vulnerable cows and offspring.
Greater kudus have a life span of 7 to 8 years in the wild, and up to 23 years in captivity. They are evaluated as low risk in the IUCN Red List of endangered species. Wikipedia
Long-tailed tits form pairs early in spring and remain together throughout the breeding season...this 1 of the pair!!
Throughout the galaxy the probes appeared. Their purpose and origins are unknown.
On the lithium plains of Xerxes 7 the Zindar went mad . . .
Reviver: Dark Days Makeup (exclusive to Men Selected)
Contraption: MS-45 Visor
(available at Fantasy Faire 2023)
L’Emporio&PL: Garion Arm Harness
Shi x Messiah: Scarf, Side-Drape Harem Pants
Volkstone: Kurt Skin, Bryson Hairbase
Belleza: Jake
Lelutka: Jon
Plump, chickenlike bird often found near willows; also resides in more open tundra. Plumage changes throughout the year. In winter, both sexes are pure white with black outer tail feathers. As summer progresses, male develops rich rufous head and neck and brownish back; in winter, lacks black eyeline shown by Rock Ptarmigan. Summer female is paler golden-brown with intricate black and white markings. Female nearly identical to Rock Ptarmigan; look for slightly thicker bill. Female distinguished from White-tailed Ptarmigan by warmer plumage in summer and black outer tail feathers. Also note habitat differences of White-tailed. Vocalizations include a comical nasal chuckle and various clucking notes.
We had stopped in Toronto on our way home from Point Pelee to do some birding. Imagine our surprise when we heard that a Willow Ptarmigan had just been found. We rushed down to the far end of the park, and there was this beauty! It's just getting some of its summer feathers.
Tommy Thompson Park, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. May 2017.
Nijo Castle's legendary Ninomaru Garden and it's koi pond, which is lined with decorative boulders gathered throughout all corners of Japan, were designed in 1626 on the castle grounds for Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa (Edo) shogunate (1603–1867). If you have read James Clavell's novel "Shogun" or watched the Shogun TV series, you're already familiar with Tokugawa Ieyasu because Clavell based the warlord 'Lord Toranaga' on him.)
Lord Tokugawa unified Japan in 1600, following twenty six years of civil war at the end of the 16th century. In 1601 he directed Japan's daimyos (feudal lords) to construct Nijo Castle as his Kyoto residence in a location very close to the Imperial Palace.
The castle grounds, completed in 1603 (amazingly after only two years!), are spectacular, covering 68 acres (27.5 hectares) which include 86,000 sq ft (8,000 sq m) of buildings including two palaces, ponds, rock gardens, and inner- and outer moats. It is now a World Heritage Site.
Upon completion, Tokugawa moved in and hosted a ceremony wherein Japan's Emperor announced to the gathered feudal lords his appointment of Tokugawa as Shogun. Tokugawa's main residence and his new seat of government was in Edo (now called Toyko), so this huge Nijo Castle was akin to his 'country home' used primarily whenever he visited the emperor in the Imperial Capital.
In 1614 the shogun led his samurai army from Nijo Castle on his victorious Siege of Osaka Castle which ended the line of the Toyotomi family, his last political opposition, and established himself as the absolute polical ruler of Japan. His shogunate lasted two hundred sixty four years. In 1857 the 15th Shogun of his line, Tokugawa Yoshinobu, ended shogunate rule and returned political control to the Emperor as Japan opened to the world.
Dancing Don the beautiful, and Stevie Don the shutter tramp wish all Flickr friends a very happy and peaceful Christmas time and New Year, may you know love and kindness and may your days and months be filled with smiles.
Thank you all for your interactions and support throughout 2024, it is richly appreciated.
Many thanks for your visits, faves and comments. Cheers.
New Holland Honeyeater
Phylidonyris novaehollandiae
With long, slender beaks and a tongue which can protrude well beyond the end of their beaks, New Holland Honeyeaters are able to probe for nectar in the deep flowers of Banksias and Grevilleas.
Calls: The voice comprises a loud 'chik', a fainter 'pseet' and some chattering notes. If danger, such as a bird of prey approaches, a group of honeyeaters will join together and give a loud alarm call.
Minimum Size: 18cm
Maximum Size: 18cm
Average size: 18cm
Average weight: 20g
Breeding season: any time of year; mainly summer and winter
Clutch Size: 2 to 3
Incubation: 18 days
Nestling Period: 16 days
Description: The New Holland Honeyeater is mostly black and white, with a large yellow wing patch and yellow sides on the tail. It has a small white ear patch, a thin white whisker at the base of the bill and a white eye. This honeyeater is an active bird, and rarely sits still long enough to give an extended view. Sexes are similar in looks, but females are slightly smaller in size. Young birds are browner and have a grey eye.
Similar species: One very similar species is the White-cheeked Honeyeater,Phylidonyris nigra. This species has a single large white cheek patch and a dark eye. The two species frequently occur together.
Distribution: The New Holland Honeyeater's range extends throughout southern Australia, from about Brisbane, Queensland, to just north of Perth, Western Australia.
Habitat: The New Holland Honeyeater is common in heath, forests, woodland and gardens, mainly where grevilleas and banksias are found. It is inquisitive and approaches humans. It also mixes with other types of honeyeaters.
Feeding: New Holland Honeyeaters are active feeders. They mostly eat the nectar of flowers, and busily dart from flower to flower in search of this high-energy food. Other food items include fruit, insects and spiders. Birds may feed alone, but normally gather in quite large groups. Most feeding takes place in lower areas of bushes and thickets.
Breeding: The New Holland Honeyeater's cup-shaped nest is made of bark and grasses, bound together with spider web. It is lined with soft material and is placed in a bush or tree, anywhere from ground level up to 6 m. Both sexes feed the chicks. A pair of adults may raise two or three broods in a year.
(Source: www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Phylidonyris-novaehollan...)
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A striking, medium-sized bird found along the Pacific coast from southern British Columbia through California and into Baja California. About 27–31 cm long with a 39 cm wingspan, it is an easy to sight bird, active throughout the day in the countryside and even in the suburbs.
These birds are commonly found in dry shrublands, oak woodlands, chaparral, and suburban yards, often in proximity to oaks. Omnivorous, they feed on insects and fruit in spring and summer and shift to nuts and seeds, especially acorns, in fall and winter.
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Merry Christmas, everyone! May you all have a blessed day with family and friends and keep Christmas in your hearts throughout the new year!
The Glittering-bellied Emerald is entirely shiny green throughout, although the throat and mid-belly are blue. As is typical the bill is orange-red with a dark tip. Males have an iridescent blue tail that is noticeably forked. Females are entirely different, showing green upperparts and off white to pale grayish underparts. Most distinctive is that the face is dark (sooty grey) and is outlined above by a white supercilium which curls down towards the neck sides, in the field it gives the impression of looking masked. As in the male, the bill is orange at the base and dark at the tip, although the orange is duller and more restricted. The tail of the female is broadly tipped white on the outer two rectrices, unlike that of the males; this is a typical pattern in many hummingbirds that the tail shape and pattern is often radically different between males and females. Females have a notched, rather than forked tail, but as in the males it shows a blue iridescence.
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Yueh Hai Ching Temple is a Chinese temple in Singapore.
The current structure of this shrine dates back to 1850 and was substantially renovated in 1895. Since then, it has undergone several restorations.
The temple exemplifies a Taoist temple in traditional Chinese architecture.
The roofs of the temple feature highly unusual ornaments, consisting of intricate arrangements of one- and two-story mini-structures and human figurines. These elements are arranged to depict clusters of buildings within a Chinese town.
In this temple, not only is the ridge densely adorned with dragons and miniature models of dwellings, but the copings, gable ends, and hips are also embellished with various structures, including pagodas, sheds, dwellings, and niches. Human figurines are displayed throughout, depicting scenes from Chinese operas that illustrate the courageous and meritorious deeds of gods and ancient heroes from Chinese legend.
This highly attractive building was constructed in 1929 for the German Motor Company, an automobile dealership which had long roots in Jacksonville selling the Buick, Marquette, and Oldsmobile lines of motor cars, with Pontiac added before World War II. During the war years, the property also saw use as the Black Louis Filling Station.
In 1947, the Longstaff Motor Company took the property and were selling Pontiac and Packard automobiles. Later, in the 1950s, the building was the home to an automotive supply company.
It was after mid-century that the automotive use of the building ended and it was repurposed as Boyd Music, a popular business throughout central Illinois for their band instruments (including our daughter's). Since I took this photo, Boyd has moved into one of the old garage bays and now focus on instrument repair. Today the main part of the building is BLH Computers, a central Illinois business who sell and repair PCs.
Founded in 1825, the City of Jacksonville is the seat of Morgan County. The city had a population of 17,616 at the 2020 census.
A large bird of prey that has an extensive range stretching from South Eastern Europe, parts of Africa, parts of South Asia and throughout South East, North Asia and Russia. It is large dark colored Eagle and larger most other Eagles in India (Except for the Golden eagle maybe).
They measure about 80-90 cms with a wingspan of 5-5-7.5 feet and weigh about 3.5 - 4.5 Kg. The bird is an opportunistic predator and our guide informed us that this raptor often claims prey from other raptors like the Falcon. It hunts waterbirds, reptiles like the Monitor / Spiny lizards and there is a recent picture of it hunting a fox as well.
We sighted several Imperial Eagles roosting in the desert in sighted a few of them later in the day flying in circles probably targeting some prey. The area has a big population of desert rat which many of these raptors target.
Thank you very much in advance for your views, faves and feedback.
A common beautiful starling found in our region pretty much everywhere in the countryside throughout the year. They are social birds and always seen in flocks often on trees, sometimes foraging on the ground or chasing each other. These, along with Myna and Pied Starlings are a regular sighting in all the seasons.
Shot this bird on a dam next to a reservoir. The bird hunted some insects and was waiting to head to its nest. I suppose the nest is close to the other side (water side) of the dam. I believe the nest could be in the dam wall which had some small holes in it. It didn't want us to where the nest is, so it waited for a brief time and then headed into its nest. There were several Starlings and Mynas which were busy carrying food - it was great to see so many birds nesting.
Thanks in advance for all your views and feedback. Much appreciated.
Resident birds of the subcontinent and found throughout the year, but not so common here. This was shot last winter near a dry lake on the outskirts of the city. That lake hosted 1000's of birds including a few species of ducks, godwits, swallows, stints, sandpipers and a variety of other waders. The place had amazing activity and was an excellent place for bird photography.
During one of those days, around 7-8 Spoonbills landed there and were foraging in the shallow lake scooping up the various aquatic creatures like worms, crustaceans, insects etc.. These spoonbills - I suspect - are locally migratory since their sightings are not that regular or predictable. And it is one of those large birds that many of us enjoying sighting and watching.
Thank you so much in advance for your views, feedback and faves.
Looking from the Observatory Tower of Lincoln Castle towards the Grade I Listed Lincoln Cathedral, the seat of the Bishop of Lincoln, in Lincoln, Lincolnshire.
Building commenced in 1088 and continued in several phases throughout the medieval period. It was reputedly the tallest building in the world for 238 years (1311–1549) before the central spire collapsed in 1549 and was not rebuilt.
Remigius de Fécamp, the first bishop of Lincoln, moved the Episcopal seat there between 1072 and 1092. Up until then St. Mary's Church in Stow was the "mother church" of Lincolnshire (although it was not a cathedral, because the seat of the diocese was at Dorchester Abbey in Dorchester-on-Thames, Oxfordshire).
Bishop Remigius built the first Lincoln Cathedral on the present site, finishing it in 1092 and then dying on 9 May of that year, two days before it was consecrated. In 1141, the timber roofing was destroyed in a fire. Bishop Alexander rebuilt and expanded the cathedral, but it was mostly destroyed by an earthquake about forty years later, in 1185.
The earthquake was one of the largest felt in the UK. The damage to the cathedral is thought to have been very extensive: The Cathedral is described as having "split from top to bottom"; in the current building, only the lower part of the west end and of its two attached towers remain of the pre-earthquake cathedral.
After the earthquake, a new bishop was appointed. He was Hugh de Burgundy of Avalon, France, who became known as St Hugh of Lincoln. He began a massive rebuilding and expansion programme. Rebuilding began with the choir and the eastern transepts between 1192 and 1210. The central nave was then built in the Early English Gothic style. Until 1549 the spire was reputedly the tallest medieval tower in Europe, though the exact height has been a matter of debate.
The two large stained glass rose windows, the matching Dean's Eye and Bishop's Eye, were added to the cathedral during the late Middle Ages. The former, the Dean's Eye in the north transept dates from the 1192 rebuild begun by St Hugh, finally being completed in 1235.
After the additions of the Dean's eye and other major Gothic additions it is believed some mistakes in the support of the tower occurred, for in 1237 the main tower collapsed. A new tower was soon started and in 1255 the Cathedral petitioned Henry III to allow them to take down part of the town wall to enlarge and expand the Cathedral.
In 1290 Eleanor of Castile died and King Edward I of England decided to honour her, his Queen Consort, with an elegant funeral procession. After her body had been embalmed, which in the 13th century involved evisceration, Eleanor's viscera were buried in Lincoln cathedral, and Edward placed a duplicate of the Westminster tomb there.
Information Source:
Fazenda Grotão - Brasilia, DF, Brazil.
The species is found throughout Central and northern South America, where it is one of the most common butterfly species.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Superfamily: Papilionoidea
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Tribe: Victorinini
Genus: Siproeta Hübner, 1823
Species: S. stelenes (Linnaeus, 1758)
Subspecies: S. s. meridionalis
Scientific name: Siproeta stelenes meridionalis
A common resident kingfisher found throughout the country and apparently the most commonly found kingfisher in the world. Shot this picture on the banks of a nearly dry lake and there wasn't much bird activity. There were two of these, male and female which were actively hunting in the water - they made maybe around 5-6 dives each, and one of them had a bit of luck catching a fish.
The birds were at the beginning of nesting season and the birds had clearly coupled - they were together much of the time. The female was clearly dominating and setting the tone, while the male was hunting. I don't think the nest is ready yet - the birds tend to set up a nest on the mud walls of the banks. And that area had plenty of them.
Thank you very much in advance for your views, feedback and faves.
Argiope bruennichi (wasp spider) is a species of orb-web spiders distributed throughout Central and Northern Europe, North Africa, parts of Asia, and the Azores archipelago. Like many other members of the genus Argiope (including St Andrew's Cross spiders), it has striking yellow and black markings on its abdomen. The spider builds a spiral orb web at dawn or dusk, most often in long grass just above ground level. When prey gets trapped in the web, the spider immobilizes it by wrapping it in silk. The prey is then bitten and injected with a paralyzing venom and a protein-dissolving enzyme.
Montenaken, Belgium.
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