Okay, it's not actually within our backyard, but it's just beyond it. The yard behind our house borders a large park that is just being developed. The park was recently seeded, and the straw was put down as mulch. I took this shot while standing on our backyard deck. I think these Sandhill Cranes must have been eating the grass seed.

I know that there's not a lot going on in this image. But I rather like the repetitive poses of the birds, and I thought it was kind of cool that I could get this shot without leaving home, so I decided to go with it. The abundance of Sandhill Cranes in the area near our new home in Michigan has been one of the pleasant surprises of living here.

The Mute swan actually gets its name from the fact that its is less vocal than other swan species and is one of the heaviest flying birds. A male swan is known as a Cob while the female is known as a Pen and has a lifespan of around 12 years in the wild and can reach 30 years if in an protected environment. One of three species of wild swans to be found in the UK and is the national bird of Denmark. The Mute Swan is unique in making a vibrant throbbing sound with the wings when in flight. A large group of swans can be called, school, ballet and regatta. No swan has ever broken anyone's arm, this is a actually a complete myth.

actually

Besides the buzzard, the kestrel is probably the most common bird of prey in the Netherlands, and you can actually always see them exhibiting religious behavior somewhere above a field where their favorite snack is scurrying around.

I once sat for a while watching a relaxed kestrel sitting in a tree quietly looking around, and then outwitting a mouse. It doesn't seem like a hard life to me.

I have hundreds of photos of kestrels (375 to be exact), and this is probably the last(?). I finally have a view on his upper body in flight and that is the most beautiful part, a beautiful pattern.

Actually not. This is a Douglas C-47 Skytrain mounted above the roof terrace of the Deutsches Technikmuseum (German Museum of Technology).

This particular C-47 was delivered to the USAF in 1945 and was initially used by the weather service based on Jamaica.

From 1962 to 1977 it was used by the Spanish Air Force, in 1986 it went back to the USAF, who displayed it on Tempelhof Airport to remember the Berlin Air Lift.

In 1994 it was handed over to the Deutsches Technikmuseum.

Click here for a different perspective.

© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.

I was actually hiding behind a wooden kissing gate in a dry stone wall, trying to obtain shots of a Stonechat pair ahead of me on the footpath, when this Robin that had been hanging around on the cliff-side fencing and posts, flew down in front and landed on this isolated, dead bramble stem protruding from the bracken field margin. He was quite distant, so this is a huge crop, but at the time it landed, I was immediately taken with his pose and the bracken background, so fired off a quick burst of shots.

Thank you for your faves and comments

Valley de la Luna isn’t actually a valley at all, but a maze of canyons and giant spires. The formations, composed mainly of clay and sandstone, were created by the persistent erosion of mountains by the area’s strong winds and rains.

... actually with full sun and 37°C ... TGIF !

Dahlia 'Bishop of Llandaff'

in our garden - Frankfurt-Nordend

Actually, if you look closer, there are two trees.

Actually, I should say the end of autumn and the beginning of winter.

Aslında sonbaharın sonu, kışın başlangıcı demeliyim..

Well actually it isn't Bonny but a very amusing birthday card sent to my wife from the family! If you want to know more about the people who produced the card please visit www.avantipress.com

Our Bonny Lass was born in Ireland and was originally thought to be a labrador/collie cross - but our dog trainer thought she is a 'Heinz 57 Varieties' with some Lurcher and Staffie thrown in! Whatever she is, she is adorable!

She is now thirteen years old and although she's slowing down she can still give dogs half her age a run for their money in short bursts!

If you are looking for a rescue dog in the UK, please visit www.pupsneedinghomes.co.uk/ as they do such an outstanding job in rehoming unwanted dogs!

The bird is actually being mobbed by a crow, but the latter was a little way behind at this moment, having just made a pass, so I cropped for the buzzard only.

IT came a bit closer than on my first visit on Wedneday, but still middle distance and heavy cropping of the frame.

A pleasant day spent with Stuart Allen and nice to meet up with Paul Coombes again back at the cars.

Thanks for viewing and for your faves and comments

Actually after sunset. This is twilight after the very cloudy day.

Actually it's in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon but I couldn't help but think of that great water storage that kept so many invaders outside the walls of Constantinople. You can see it in that great movie Topkapi

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Antiquorum/159/139/22

Actually it marked the fish for this Tricolored Heron.

Actually, I think this lil feline is happy about the spilled ice cream. I’m certainly not going to be eating it now, so he has it all to himself. Clever kitty! I was trying to create a **page from a vintage story book** vibe in this capture. Willing my lackluster creativity back, and “trying” being the operative word! All of my brilliantly artistic friends here in Flickr land, every single one of you inspire me. 😊💕

I’ll anticipate the French fries (with tons of salt!) that I can sense lie ahead at the seaside fish and chips shop while kitty savors his ice cream cone...🐈🍦🍟

Actually I like the round straw bales much more than this one here. But as I recently saw this Lego for farmers close to my house, I could'nt resist. One benefit of this version is, that I could try another perspective, with a better oberview. Foresight never hurt anyone.

Eigentlich gefallen mir die runden Strohballen deutlich besser als diese hier. Als ich kürzlich dieses Lego für Landwirte in der Nähe meines Hauses gesehen habe konnte ich trotzdem nicht widerstehen. Der Vorteil von dieser Variante ist, dass ich hier mal eine andere Perspektive versuchen konnte, eine mit mehr Übersicht. Weitblick hat noch nie geschadet.

Actually, this is the same sunset taken from the same vantage point as the one that I posted last Saturday. But this shot was captured 18 minutes and 30 seconds earlier than last week's shot, and also zoomed closer to catch the best color and reflections at that moment. It's a pretty shot, though not as attractive as last week's image, IMO, when the sky and high clouds above lit up with pinks and purple. It goes to show that it often pays to wait until the sun drops below the horizon to get the best sunset look, methinks.

For anyone interested in the comparison, I've placed last week's shot in the first comments box.

HCS

This was actually taken a couple of weeks ago during a snow storm as I scurried around the valley floor trying to get as many shots as possible before the storm broke up. I was fortunate enough to set up my tripod at the tunnel that morning at 6 AM next to Willie Huang and Aaron Meyers among several others.

More snow covered Yosemite photos and my top 10 tips for shooting Yosemite in the snow may be found at:

The Resonant Landscape: Tips On Shooting Yosemite In The Snow

I will definitely be missing the snowstorm that's moving in today at Yosemite with a snow level down to almost 2000 feet tonight as I will be with my wonderful family. I wish safe travels to all who are out there tonight, and a very Merry Christmas to all of you!

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

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Spotted on a walk through Sarasota's Selby Gardens, this fellow oversees his own pond. I'm guessing he's from Central America, but am completely open to being corrected on that.

EDIT See below for a more accurate attribution.

Actually not a jungle, but the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.

A zoo on the Gold Coast. Queensland, Australia.

I actually worked on this image last year on my return from NZ/Canada. This shot was taken on a wet day re-tracing my steps to my primary school. The tree ferns were all along the pathway and they sheltered me from the rain. I have added the water to this image - i wasn't wading through it!

Posted for Sliders Sunday

Ft. -Narcisse- @ Kinky Event - LB. @ ~uber~ - erratic - @ FLF - [ Kunst ] - FOXCITY.

• ♡ • Blog

•♬• Tune

I actually have a title in mind for this one, but the theme for this week's Looking Close on Friday group is "Title Wanted."

So have at it. :-)

Also for Our Daily Challenge: "In A Box"

HLCoF

Addendum: Thanks to Ben Edge for the title!

Actually, I wanted to photograph dew-wetted insects, but at this time of day it doesn't work out so well. At least the lavender is still glittering a little (probably it hadn't moved enough yet as it was fixed with the spider's thread). Happy weekend everybody ☀️

Olympus E-M1 Mark II + Olympus 60mm F2.8 Macro

Thanks to everyone who stopped by to watch or leave a comment or award :)

All my photos are © All Rights Reserved. The pictures are for viewing, not to be downloaded and shared on any other site or for personal use without my explicit permission. And definitely do not post ads in my photos!!! Thank you! :)

- Living Jewels of Nature 14, Precious Living Jewels of Nature 12, Members Choice 11

- Nature's Carousel 10, Nature's Golden Carousel 10, Nature's Platinum CArousel 13

Actually it was a little warm on this late summer evening by the river ... but the cool tones of blue hour were quite soothing. A pretty place to sit and enjoy the sounds of the flowing river ... and nothing else.

I actually liked the hut better last year when it was still really old and rickety (see pic in first comment). But it probably wasn't very safe any more... When you cross the small bridge to the left, you will reach Lake Langsee (2.384 m) and then continue up into the mountains. Our way down leads straight ahead.☀️ Have a fantastic and peaceful Travel Tuesday everybody ☀️

The Spronser Lakes (German: Spronser Seenplatte; Italian: Laghi di Sopranes) is the largest group of high elevation lakes in the Alps, located in South Tyrol, Italy. Here you can find some information:

de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spronser_Seen

Thanks to everyone who stopped by to watch or leave a comment or award :)

All my photos are © All Rights Reserved. The pictures are for viewing, not to be downloaded and shared on any other site or for personal use without my explicit permission. And definitely do not post ads or your pics in my photos!!! Thank you! :)

- Lovers of Landscapes 11, Best of Lovers of Landscapes 10, Members Choice 11

Actually he is a bison; but most people call them buffalo. I took this image in Yellowstone National Park on a sunny beautiful day and he just stood there contemplating life I suppose and gave me ample opportunity to capture his picture. (Edited in Lightroom, Photoshop and Topaz).

Actually they're two bridges here - the Brooklyn and the Manhattan bridge.

* addition - one more in the comments...

Have a wonderful Friday!

© All rights reserved, don't use my pictures without permission.

Actually there is a nice pile of rusty junk out front and on the porch. Anyone need a wheel barrow? I think someone ran into the left side of this house with a lawn tractor. HWW

Actually, these are love- locks on the Ponte Scaligero - a bridge reconstructed in 1949 after its destruction in WWII. The original bridge dates to 1354.

I'm not so sure about the love locks, but they are now appearing on bridges the world over, even when they are built with bricks.

When I'm not exploring Verona, you can find me on Twitter

actually, I was going to go to sleep ... :-)

good night!

Bryce Canyon National Park was actually the second park we went to but the last Utah National Park represented in my Photostream.

Since I missed sunrise, I knew I really only had one chance to catch some nice light. There is an overlook called Sunset Point but figured it would be packed so I decided to find Bryce Point overlook which turned out to be just as good in my opinion.

The order of parks in our itinerary was Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Arches and Canyonlands.

Per www.brycecanyoncountry.com, At 8,300 feet, Bryce Point offers one of the most sweeping views of the hoodoo-filled red rock amphitheater. Famous for its astonishing sunrise as the sunlight floods the top of the hoodoos with a brilliant burst of light and then works its way down into all but the deepest crevices, this north-facing viewpoint is also beautiful throughout the day. Catch a great view of Boat Mesa and the rich colors of the Claron Formation. Bryce Point is the trailhead for Peek-a-Boo Loop, a strenuous 5.5-mile trail which winds among the majestic red rock hoodoos such as the Wall of the Windows and Three Wise Men formations. Bryce Point is also a popular birding spot; keep an eye out for a rare glimpse of the California condor. The viewpoint is named for Ebenezer Bryce, who settled the area in 1870.

I do have more pictures from each park but wanted to represent one from each. I might slip in others before posting all my Utah pictures so you don't get bored with all the rocks.

Actually the lighting in the 5th floor waiting room at Jovan Bea Hospital in Loves Park, IL. HSS everyone!

Actually the lighting looks like sails and its inside the Oculus--a transportation hub!

I am holding an online photo exhibition. For details, check the Photo exhibition venue. I was planning to actually exhibit it at a gallery in Tokyo in April, but it was postponed at the request of the government.

Photo exhibition venue → kyoto-muse.jp/web-exhibit/110790

playlist→ music.apple.com/jp/playlist/%E5%80%8B%E5%B1%95/pl.u-38oWZ...

COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 is attacking all over the world. Japan is no exception, and everyday is becoming more difficult. As a photographer, I also thought about life and postponed the exhibition according to the government's request. The Japanese government does not support artists. So I decided to hold an online photo exhibition. This is free to watch.

The photo exhibition should be in the dark in the room at night, preferably with the playlist. Look at the brightness of mobile terminals at 1/3.

*My planet, My Life.*

*Simple reason, Simple stories, Planet is circulate and “Life” is a season. *

* SONY ILCE‑7M2 / Lomography New Jupiter 3+ 1.5/50 L39/M *

・Link: Official photo gallery.

shinikegami.com

・Work - `work`

shinikegami.com/work

・Street - `Street wark`

shinikegami.com/street

Official Photo gallery, Art/snap works Updates every Monday.

this is actually the young shoot or fiddlehead of a huge fern i found in the botanical gardens in washington dc! it looked like an alien creature and at the same time reminded me of ursula, the octopus ifn the little mermaid cartoon! lol!!!

if you have time, see the rest of the photos in my washington dc set: www.flickr.com/photos/doctony/sets/72157600264872206/show/

thank you for you visits and kind comments my friends!!!

I actually photographed this fence for the first time in April 2010 for one of my first ever Fence Fridays. See that picture here.

Happy Fence Friday! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. :)

I actually wanted to go to sleep, but then the light from outside shone very brightly. I could not resist and took my camera, but since our balcony is currently somewhat crowded, I had no place for the tripod. So this is a freehand capture.

“Actually, they didn't have chocolate in Ancient Greece, but Aphrodite was fond of apples. That was her sacred fruit, maybe because it was pretty and sweet, just like her. ”

― Rick Riordan, Percy Jackson's Greek Gods

Credits . . .

Actually a yard bird, that time of year, spring is here ,,,and he didn't shut up..lol !

Thank you very much for your kind comments, favorites and looking and please stay safe !

actually this is only

of a 2p peice, tiny

Actually, it was a quartet -- see the one in the upper left?

Beautiful roses, beautifully colored. Isn't God a great artist?

Thank you for looking.

I was actually there earlier that day to take pictures but every single spot of this infamous palace which was made more famous by the famed "The Last Emperor" was cramped with local tourists. So I decided to return later that afternoon hoping that people have dwindled as admission closes. Had to find a place where crowd was less and was lucky enough to get a bonus from this setting sun.

Built from 1406 to 1420, The Forbidden City was the home for he Emperors of Ming and Qing Dynasties. For almost five centuries, of course, it was also the home of the Emperors' household and also served as the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government.

It consists of 980 surviving buildings with 8,707 bays of rooms that covers 720,000 square meters. The palace complex exemplifies traditional Chinese palatial architecture that influenced cultural and architectural developments in East Asia and elsewhere.

Well, actually it's a little Eastern Amberwing dragonfly. They are very small and like most dragonflies, lightening fast.

There were lots of them zipping about and luckily this tiny branch seemed to be a favorite landing spot. Still not the most accessible spot being way down at the water's edge, but I watched and waited - hoping one would land long enough for me to grab a shot or two.

Seen during a recent visit to a nearby arboretum. *** And yes, it's still facing the wrong way and too far away, but beggars can't be choosers.

This is actually a reflection on our pond while pink clouds were in the sky. The image was flipped and processed to bring out the color and detail.

HSS!

Actually a museum exhibit!