Not the horror film ! Autumn leaves I shot the other day over a canal bridge near home. The turning of the leaves is here at last, autumn has been slow to start in our warmer than average temperatures.

On The Turning Away - Pink Floyd Live in Venice 1989

I love this music and the words express so much.

~ Edited in Topaz Studio with a texture by PicMonkey ~

Many thanks to all who take a look, for all your faves and comments. I really appreciate you all - thank you !

Not liked by the average person but some species of blow fly can help forensic scientise pin down the time of death of a body by looking at the size of the maggots. Some species can live for several months or even a year if overwintering. Here you can see the extended mouth part called the pseudo trachea and at the end what looks a bit like a mop is a device that consist of many tubes. Through these tubes the fly will gulp its stomach contents over the food to help digest and turn the food into a liquid to be swallowed up. Which reminds me where did I put my last large slice of Victoria Sponge as I'm very hungry now !

The first of only two supermoon of 2021 climbed out of the thick cloud and made its first appearance...

Some nerd facts:

"The April full moon will be about 222,064 miles (357,378 kilometers) away from Earth, that is about 8% closer than the distance of an average full moon (240,000 miles or 384,400 km).

April full moon is also called the Pink Moon, but it has nothing to do with its color. It's named after the herb pink moss, also known as creeping phlox, moss phlox or mountain phlox, which is one of the earliest spring flowers appearing in the United States."

Have a happy day!!!

The Tonnara di Scopello dates back to 1200 and is one of the oldest in Sicily. The activity continued until 1984 and every year, on average, about 500 tuna were caught.

The tonnara rises in a magical inlet, framed by steep cliffs and bathed by clear waters. The stacks emerge from the sea a few meters from the shore and make this small gulf even more fascinating.

The tonnara is located in Sicily, in the western part, in the locality of Scopello.

Scopello is a small fraction of the Municipality of Castellammare del Golfo, in the province of Trapani, which has about 400 inhabitants.

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La Tonnara di Scopello risale al 1200 ed è una delle più antiche di Sicilia. L’attività è proseguita fino al 1984 e ogni anno, in media, venivano catturati circa 500 tonni.

La tonnara sorge in un’insenatura magica, incorniciata da ripide scogliere e bagnata da acque limpide. I faraglioni sbucano dal mare a pochi metri da riva e rendono ancora più affascinante questo piccolo golfo.

La tonnara si trova in Sicilia, nella parte occidentale, in località Scopello.

Scopello è una piccola frazione del Comune di Castellammare del Golfo, in provincia di Trapani, che conta circa 400 abitanti.

one day a Dear Friend of mine asked me "a rose a day"...

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At a trail in Xitou Nature Education Area.

The forest is located within a valley of mountain on its three sides and consists of many bamboos. It also has Ginkgo biloba garden. It is located at an average altitude of 1,150 meters above sea level and spans over an area of 2,500 hectares. The highest mountain peak within the forest reaches 2,025 meters above sea level, which is Mount Lingtou. It has a cool climate all year round with average monthly temperature ranges from 11-28°C and average monthly of 16.6°C. The average annual rainfall is 2,635.18 mm.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xitou_Nature_Education_Area

Lake Seliger is located on the Valdai Hills at an altitude of 205 meters above sea level. The coastline is very intricately cut and, for the most part, covered with coniferous and mixed forest. The area of ​​260 square meters. km (Seliger area in the twenty of the largest lakes in Russia), the average depth of 5-6 meters, maximum 24 meters. There are many islands on the lake, mostly small, but there are two large ones, Hachin and Gorodomlya. Lake Seliger has a maximum size of 70 km from north to south and 40 km from east to west. By origin Seliger is a glacial lake formed 70-11 thousand years ago. Not far from here at the village. Volgoverhove. is the source of the Volga River. Seliger has many islands, the largest of them are Hachin and Gorodomlya.

'Small, average, large...' On White

This variation of Tibouchina is usually found in gardens or city streets.

Tibouchina heteromalla, known by the common name Silverleafed princess flower in English, and Jaguar ear (Orelha de Onça in Portuguese), is a species of evergreen flowering shrub in the genus Tibouchina, also native to Brazil.

The plant reaches an average height of 4–6 feet with a maximum of about 8–10 feet in its native habitat.

The branching stem is woody and the large, silvery green leaves are simple, ovate, velvety in texture, and oppositely arranged.

The branches are composed by several five petals flowers, purple with pinkish center.

It is cultivated as an ornamental for its showy foliage and beautiful flowers, and the blooming occurs during Spring and Summer.

It is sensitive to cold but can tolerate light frost.

2-day trip.

Lake Ladoga. Islands.

(The northern part of the lake)

The lake has an average surface area of 17,891 km² (excluding the islands). Its north-to-south length is 219 km and its average width is 83 km; the average depth is 51 m, although it reaches a maximum of 230 m in the north-western part. Basin area: 276,000 km², volume: 837 km³. There are around 660 islands, with a total area of about 435 km².

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Thanks to everyone for your visit, kind comments and faves! :-)

Much appreciated!

Have a nice day! :-)

The approx.490 kms long Manali-Leh highway connects Manali in the state of Himachal Pradesh to Leh in the state of Jammu & Kashmir in India.This highway is open for only about 4-5 months of the year from May-June till around mid-October.The average elevation of the highway is over 13000 feet and the highest elevation is at Tanglang la Pass (17480 feet).The highway passes through some spectacular mountain scenery and one can see some amazing rock and sand formations along the way.We must have been at an altitude of around 12000 feet when I took this shot.

Withernsea, UK average house price £147000 plus but with a beautiful sea view

The little penguin (Eudyptula minor) is the smallest species of penguin. It grows to an average of 33 cm (13 in) in height and 43 cm (17 in) in length, though specific measurements vary by subspecies. It is found on the coastlines of southern Australia and New Zealand, with possible records from Chile.

Akeley Hall of African Mammals.

The gemsbok, gemsbuck or South African oryx (Oryx gazella) is a large antelope in the genus Oryx. It is native to the arid regions of Southern Africa, such as the Kalahari Desert. Some authorities formerly included the East African oryx as a subspecies.

The gemsbok is depicted on the coat of arms of Namibia, where the current population of the species is estimated at 373,000 individuals.

Gemsbok are the largest species in the genus Oryx. They stand about 1.2 m (3.9 ft) at the shoulder. The body length can vary from 190 to 240 cm (75 to 94 in) and the tail measures 45 to 90 cm (18 to 35 in). Male gemsbok can weigh between 180 and 240 kg (400 and 530 lb), while females weigh 100–210 kg (220–460 lb).

Gemsbok are widely hunted for their spectacular horns that average 85 cm (33 in) in length.

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In 1969, the New Mexico State Department of Game and Fish decided to introduce gemsbok to the Tularosa Basin in the United States. Ninety-three were released from 1969 to 1977, with the current population estimated to be around 3,000 specimens. They thrive because their natural predators, including the lion, are not present.

All the moai statues were carved in volcanic tuff from the quarries of the Rano Raraku volcano, located one kilometer northwest. Despite their relative closeness, it is still not explained how they were able to transport to Tongariki these huge giants that have an average weight of 40 tons.

The moai measure between 5.6 and 8.7 meters, being the highest and heaviest (86 tons) the fifth on the right. If at the height of the moai, we add the 4 meters of the back wall and the almost 2 meters of the pukao or headdresses that adorned the head, the complete monument reaches a maximum height of 14 meters.

Formerly all the moai of the ahu carried a pukao on their head, but during the restoration only one could be placed on the second moai on the right. The others, due to the passage of time and the tsunami, were too eroded. On the right side of the platform I saw seven of these huge cylinders carved in red scoria extracted from the Puna Pau volcano.

Its difficult to gauge how large and powerful these strikes are, but here are some statistics.

According to this website www.weatherimagery.com/blog/lightning-facts/

(which cites the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Weather Service as its primary source):

The average lightning bolt is up to 6 miles long.

Lightning bolts can reach temperatures as high as 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit (27,760 Celsius). Which is approximately 5 times hotter than the surface of the sun.

A lightning bolt can range between 1 million to 1 billion volts.

Hudson, Florida

(Cinclus pallasii)

Mandal

Uttarakhand

Índia

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All my photos are now organized into sets by the country where they were taken, by taxonomic order, by family, by species (often with just one photo for the rarer ones), and by the date they were taken.

So, you may find:

- All the photos for this trip Índia (2023) (213)

- All the photos for this order PASSERIFORMES (3553)

- All the photos for this family Cinclidae (Cinclídeos) (5)

- All the photos for this species Cinclus pallasii (2)

- All the photos taken this day 2023/03/07 (21)

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In camera stack of 9 exposures

(9 Multiple Exposures with average setting)

20 shots @ 8s averaged .

Interestingly, the feathers around the beak are drawn forward signifying a relaxed state. A cockatoo is any of the 21 parrot species belonging to the family Cacatuidae, the only family in the superfamily Cacatuoidea. Along with the Psittacoidea (true parrots) and the Strigopoidea (large New Zealand parrots), they make up the order Psittaciformes. The family has a mainly Australasian distribution, ranging from the Philippines and the eastern Indonesian islands of Wallacea to New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Australia. Cockatoos are recognisable by the prominent crests and curved bills. Their plumage is generally less colourful than that of other parrots, being mainly white, grey or black and often with coloured features in the crest, cheeks or tail. On average they are larger than other parrots; however, the cockatiel, the smallest cockatoo species, is a small bird. Cockatoos prefer to eat seeds, tubers, corms, fruit, flowers and insects. They often feed in large flocks, particularly when ground-feeding. Cockatoos are monogamous and nest in tree hollows. Some cockatoo species have been adversely affected by habitat loss, particularly from a shortage of suitable nesting hollows after large mature trees are cleared; conversely, some species have adapted well to human changes and are considered agricultural pests. 62529

The Marbled Godwit is a shorebird that is speckled in browns with a cinnamon wash that is especially noticeable when it spreads its long and pointed wings to take flight. On average it is the largest of the four godwit species.

This was taken at Frank Lake, Alberta, Canada

-Limosa fedoa

barge marbrée- agachadiza jaspeada- marmorierte Uferschnepfe - 大理石のオグロシギ

The red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus) is a medium-sized hawk. Its breeding range spans eastern North America and along the coast of California and northern to northeastern-central Mexico. Red-shouldered hawks are permanent residents throughout most of their range, though northern birds do migrate, mostly to central Mexico. The main conservation threat to the widespread species is deforestation.

Males are 38 to 58 cm (15 to 23 in) long and weigh on average 550 g (1.21 lb). Females are slightly larger at 47 to 61 cm (19 to 24 in) in length and a mean weight of 700 g (1.5 lb). The wingspan can range from 90 to 127 cm (35 to 50 in). Adult birds can vary in mass from 460 to 930 g (1.01 to 2.05 lb). Among standard measurements, the wing bone is 28–35 cm (11–14 in) long, the tail is 16–24 cm (6.3–9.4 in) long and the tarsus is 7.5–9 cm (3.0–3.5 in).[6] Adults have brownish heads, reddish chests, and pale bellies with reddish bars. Their tails, which are quite long by Buteo standards, are marked with narrow white bars. Red "shoulders" are visible when the birds are perched. These hawks' upper parts are dark with pale spots and they have long yellow legs. Western birds may appear more red, while Florida birds are generally paler. The wings of adults are more heavily barred on the upper side. Juvenile red-shouldered hawks are most likely to be confused with juvenile broad-winged hawks, but can be distinguished by their long tails, crescent-like wing markings, and a more flapping, Accipiter-like flight style. In direct comparison, it is typically larger and longer proportioned than the Broad-wing, though is slightly smaller and more slender than most other common North American Buteos. This bird is sometimes also confused with the widespread red-tailed hawk. That species is larger and bulkier, with more even-sized, broad wings and is paler underneath, with a reddish tail often apparent. The Red-tail is also more likely to soar steadily, with wings in a slight dihedral.

Los Angeles. California.

See my "About" page on Flickr for the link to support my efforts... just the price of a cup of coffee is appreciated. Thank you. www.flickr.com/people/jax_chile/

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Thanks for your visit, FAVs, and comments, I truly appreciate it.

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© John B Fotografía

© John Edward Bankson

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Cactus flower - Santa Gemita - 013022 - Enhanced-11

I learned why Rainforests are so prevalent in Costa Rica… it rains a lot :-)

Average rainfall in Costa Rica is 100 inches, but the more mountainous rainforest regions can get up to 25 feet of rainfall annually.

Costa Rica is a rugged, rain forested Central American country with coastlines on the Caribbean and Pacific. Costa Rica is known for its beaches, volcanoes, and biodiversity. Roughly a quarter of its area is made up of protected jungle, teeming with wildlife including spider monkeys and quetzal birds.

Costa Rica was inhabited by indigenous peoples before coming under Spanish rule in the 16th century. It remained a peripheral colony of the empire until independence as part of the First Mexican Empire, followed by membership in the Federal Republic of Central America, from which it formally declared independence in 1847. Following the brief Costa Rican Civil War in 1948, it permanently abolished its army in 1949, becoming one of only a few sovereign nations without a standing army.

(Nikon Z6, 24-200/f4.0, 1/80 @ f/22, ISO 220, processed to taste)

With an average body height of four feet and wing length of nine feet, the American White Pelican gives off a dino vibe.

While gangly on land, their soaring abilities are amazing and they know how to use the air currents both in their migrations as well as in daily flight.

This one passed directly over me as I fired off several shots.

Here's a link to 10 Fun Facts About Pelicans :)

www.mentalfloss.com/article/515654/10-fun-facts-about-pel...

HFF!

Captain Gene is out of Rockport, Texas. I researched it as much as possible but ran into a dead in when I found that Gene died in 2011. But, you can see, next to the steps, is a guy holding a kid and getting ready to go aboard. They were both staring at me like they have never seen someone with a camera.

Anyway, here's all I found:

Dimensions

Capt Gene is 61.6 feet in length, which is slightly shorter than the average for all Passenger (Inspected) Barges. It is 5.8 feet in depth, which is average for all Passenger (Inspected) Barges.

Volume

Capt Gene's gross tonnage is 66, which is average for all Passenger (Inspected) Barges. It's net tonnage is 45, which is 29% smaller than the average for all Passenger (Inspected) Barges.

(Hydrornis cyaneus)

Di Linh

Vietname

The Blue Pitta, despite not being endemic to Vietnam, is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful bird species out there. It was one of our top priorities to capture a stunning photograph of this amazing bird. However, we soon discovered that it was one of the most challenging subjects to photograph, especially the male, which was incredibly difficult to spot, unlike the female that made several appearances.

It was interesting to observe that the Blue Pitta and the Bar-bellied Pitta, both males and females, foraged in distinct geographic areas, albeit not too far from each other.

We spent two mornings in a hide waiting for the male to show up. However, the activity level was weak and disappointing in this particular hide.

On the second session, although he was present, he never revealed himself out of the dense vegetation.

During the first session, he was wary and always stayed behind some fallen trunks, exposing only a fraction of his body.

We waited patiently, and when he finally exposed himself, the lighting conditions were at their worst, making it an extremely challenging task. It is also evident, from the photo, that the orientation of the hides did not take into account the trajectory of the sun! I suppose, and I am almost certain, that most of the time photography is done without direct sunlight!

For me it was very interesting to learn that shooting in (sub)tropical forests requires a different approach. The absence of direct sunlight is preferred, as the intense contrast and glare of the leaves can often cause more harm than good. This was unusual for me, having learned that the best shots (at least in Portugal) are taken with direct sunlight on the birds (at golden hour). However, in tropical forests, such type of light can create sharp contrasts and exaggerate shadows, making it difficult to capture the perfect shot.

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All my photos are now organized into sets by the country where they were taken, by taxonomic order, by family, by species (often with just one photo for the rarer ones), and by the date they were taken.

So, you may find:

- All the photos for this trip Vietname (2022) (206)

- All the photos for this order PASSERIFORMES (3553)

- All the photos for this family Pittidae (Pitídeos) (28)

- All the photos for this species Hydrornis cyaneus (8)

- All the photos taken this day 2022/12/13 (30)

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This vintage Catapiller sits on display at the Guy Goodwin Education Center in Carrizo Plain National Monument, San Luis Obispo County, California. Cattle were brought to the grasslands of the Carrizo Plain by the early 1850s. The next big change came when dryland grain farmers started homesteading in the valley. Eventually vast amounts of the grassland was put to the plow. The farm work was orignally all done with horse drawn euipment but eventually tractors like this one did the heavy work. The Carrizo Plain gets only 8 to 10 inches of rainfall a year on average but the amount during any given year can be highly unpredictable. The risk of crop failure due to insufficient moisture became to great and most of the farming efforts were abandoned. In the last few decades many of the homesteads were bought and became part of the National Monument which is administered by the BLM.

Blunt nose, small eyes, and small hairy ears in contrast to other British species of mice and also much smaller; prehensile tail the same length as the head and body; russet orange fur with a white underside.

Size: 50-70mm.

Weight: 4-6g.

Lifespan: 18 months on average.

Origin & Distribution: The harvest mouse is a native species. The harvest mouse is mainly found from central Yorkshire southwards. Isolated records from Scotland and Wales probably result from the release of captive animals. Areas of tall grass provide favourable habitats, such as cereals, road side verges, hedgerows, reed beds, dykes and salt mashes where nests can be built.

Diet: They eat a mixture of seeds, berries and insects, although moss, roots and fungi may also be taken. Harvest mice sometimes take grain from cereal heads, leaving characteristic sickle-shaped remains. Noticeable damage to cereal crops is extremely rare.

General Ecology: Harvest mice are extremely active climbers and feed in the stalk zone of long grasses and reeds, particularly around dusk and dawn. Their hearing is acute and they will react sharply; they either freeze or drop into cover in response to rustling sounds up to 7m away. Harvest mice have high energy requirements; the cost of being warm blooded and coping with a high surface to volume ratio.

Breeding nests are the most obvious sign indicating the presence of harvest mice. The harvest mouse is the only British mammal to build nests of woven grass well above ground. Nests tend to be found in dense vegetation such as grasses, rushes, cereals, grassy hedgerows, ditches and brambles. They are generally located on the stalk zone of grasses, at least 30cm above ground in short grasses and up to a metre in tall reeds. The size of the nest can vary from only 5cm in diameter for non-breeding nests to 10cm in diameter for breeding nests.

Harvest mice have many predators: weasels, stoats, foxes, cats, owls, hawks, crows, even pheasants.

Breeding: Harvest mice usually have two or three litters a year in the wild, between late May and October, but even into December if the weather is mild. Most litters are born in August. Cold wet weather is a major cause of mortality. There are usually around six young in a litter. The young are born blind and hairless but grow extremely quickly and start to explore outside the nest by the 11th day. The young are abandoned after about 16 days, but continue using the nest which may at then start to look rather dilapidated. A fresh nest is built for each litter.

Kousa Dogwood berries are small fruits, averaging 2 to 4 centimeters in diameter, and have a uniform, globular, to slightly oval shape. The fruits are a type of drupe, comprised of 20 to 40 individual carpels that fuse to form a spherical appearance and are connected to slender, elongated, and fibrous light brown-green stems averaging 7 to 10 centimeters in length. The fruit's skin is semi-thick, rough, and taut, covered in small bumps, creating a pointed, ridged appearance. The surface also ripens from green to orange-red or red-purple and has a gritty and grainy feel with a bitter, astringent taste, making it somewhat unpleasant to consume. Underneath the skin, the bright orange-yellow flesh has a slippery, lightly mealy, sticky, custard-like consistency. The solid, pulpy flesh also encases a few to many small seeds that should be discarded when eaten.

Select Kousa Dogwood berries that are bright red and feel soft to the touch. The fruits should be slightly squishy, which signifies that the flesh has converted most of its starch into sugars for a sweeter eating experience. Ripe Kousa Dogwood berries are consumed for their flesh, discarding the skin and seeds. The flesh has a sweet, tropical, and earthy taste with a unique blend of pumpkin, mango, and persimmon-like nuances. Kousa Dogwood berries are available in the late summer through fall.

Kousa Dogwood berries, botanically classified as Cornus kousa, are the fruits of a deciduous flowering tree belonging to the Cornaceae family. [...]. Kousa is derived from the Hakone dialect on Honshu Island in Japan, where the fruiting dogwood tree was once called "Kusa," eventually being altered to "Kousa." The Asian varieties are also known as Japanese dogwood, Chinese dogwood, Korean dogwood, and Japanese Flowering dogwood. [...].

Kousa Dogwood berries are a source of calcium to build strong bones and teeth and carotene to produce vitamin A in the body.[...]. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the fruits are used as an anti-inflammatory, an aid to cleanse the liver, and as an ingredient to help improve energy levels.

specialtyproduce.com/produce/Kousa_Dogwood_Berries_18370.php

(Eumyias thalassinus)

Studio Point - Sattal

Uttarakhand

Índia

==================***==================

All my photos are now organized into sets by the country where they were taken, by taxonomic order, by family, by species (often with just one photo for the rarer ones), and by the date they were taken.

So, you may find:

- All the photos for this trip Índia (2023) (213)

- All the photos for this order PASSERIFORMES (3553)

- All the photos for this family Muscicapidae (Muscicapídeos) (454)

- All the photos for this species Eumyias thalassinus (3)

- All the photos taken this day 2023/03/13 (25)

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Cuenca, Castilla-La Mancha, España.

Cuenca es un municipio y ciudad española perteneciente a la comunidad autónoma de Castilla-La Mancha y capital de la provincia homónima. Está situada algo al norte del centro geográfico de la provincia, a una altitud media de 946 m sobre el nivel del mar y su extenso término municipal, de unos 911 km², es uno de los mayores de España.​ El municipio cuenta con una población empadronada de 53 389 habitantes (INE 2022).

Aunque en los alrededores de la ciudad se tiene constancia de población desde el Paleolítico Superior,​ no es hasta la conquista musulmana cuando se construye la fortaleza de Qūnka, que dio origen a la ciudad actual.​ Esta se contaba, en origen, entre las otras tantas de la cora de Santaver (Ercávica), pero fue ganando importancia paulatinamente.​ El rey cristiano Alfonso VIII la conquistó en 1177 y le otorgó el Fuero de Cuenca, uno de los más prestigiosos de la historia de Castilla.​ Su economía se centró en la industria textil, de gran renombre durante los siglos XV y XVI, lo que produjo una gran actividad constructiva. Sin embargo, la pañería se hundió en el siglo XVII, conllevando una drástica pérdida de población, que fue recuperándose a lo largo del siglo siguiente. En 1833 se convirtió en la capital de la nueva provincia de Cuenca, aunque las agitaciones del periodo hicieron que la ciudad se mantuviera en estado precario hasta bien entrado el siglo XX.​ En la actualidad, la economía se centra sobre todo en el turismo, potenciado desde que en 1996 su casco antiguo fuese declarado Patrimonio de la Humanidad.​

Cuenca conserva un importante patrimonio histórico y arquitectónico en toda la ciudad antigua, donde destacan edificios como la catedral o las Casas Colgadas, que se han convertido en el icono de la ciudad.​ Se caracteriza también por poseer un buen número de museos (más de diez) en el reducido espacio del casco antiguo. Destacan el Museo de Arte Abstracto Español, el Museo de las Ciencias de Castilla-La Mancha, el Museo Paleontológico de Castilla-La Mancha y el Museo de Cuenca.​ Entre los principales eventos culturales se encuentran la Semana Santa​ y la Semana de Música Religiosa.

Cuenca is a Spanish municipality and city belonging to the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha and capital of the homonymous province. It is located somewhat to the north of the geographic center of the province, at an average altitude of 946 m above sea level and its extensive municipal area, of about 911 km², is one of the largest in Spain. The municipality has a population registered with 53,389 inhabitants (INE 2022).

Although there is evidence of population in the surroundings of the city since the Upper Paleolithic, it was not until the Muslim conquest when the fortress of Qūnka was built, which gave rise to the current city. This was originally among the many others from the Santaver (Ercávica) cora, but gradually gained importance. The Christian king Alfonso VIII conquered it in 1177 and granted it the Fuero de Cuenca, one of the most prestigious in the history of Castile. focused on the textile industry, of great renown during the 15th and 16th centuries, which produced a great construction activity. However, the drapery collapsed in the 17th century, leading to a drastic loss of population, which gradually recovered over the following century. In 1833 it became the capital of the new province of Cuenca, although the upheavals of the period kept the city in a precarious state until well into the 20th century. Today, the economy is mainly focused on tourism, strengthened since its old town was declared a World Heritage Site in 1996.

Cuenca preserves an important historical and architectural heritage throughout the old city, where buildings such as the cathedral or the Hanging Houses stand out, which have become the icon of the city. It is also characterized by having a good number of museums (more than ten) in the reduced space of the old town. The Museum of Spanish Abstract Art, the Science Museum of Castilla-La Mancha, the Paleontological Museum of Castilla-La Mancha and the Museum of Cuenca stand out. Among the main cultural events are Holy Week and Music Week Religious.

Moon canyon, Kazakhstan

Melittis melissophyllum (Lamiaceae) 126 23

Melittis melissophyllum is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is the only species in the monotypic genus Melittis.

It is native to central and southern Europe from the British Isles + Portugal east to Turkey + Ukraine + the Baltic States.

The plant grows in shady deciduous woods, often with oak, beech, and chestnut. It can also be found among pines and junipers. It is common at altitudes of 0–1,400 meters above sea level.

Melittis melissophyllum reaches on average 30–50 centimeters in height. It is a strongly aromatic plant with erect hairy stems. This species is quite variable in the shape of leaves and colors. The leaves reach 5–9 centimeters in length. They are oval, bluntly-toothed, and quite hairy. They have a short petiole and are in opposite pairs up the stems. The inflorescence is composed of large pedunculated lowers (two to six, or more) growing in the axils of the leaves. The flowers are labiate, arranged in pairs, and one-sided (all flowers "look" simultaneously). They are usually white or pale pink with a large pinkish-purple blotch on the lower lip. The flowering period extends from May through August.

Source: Wikipedia.

Thank you very much for the visits, faves and comments. Cheers.

Splendid Fairy-wren

Scientific Name: Malurus splendens

Description: The breeding plumage of the male is predominantly blue, varying from cobalt-blue in the east of its range to violet-blue in the west.It has black bands at the base of the tail (absent in the violet-blue birds), across the breast and from the beak, through the eyes to join a band across the back of its neck. Its crown and cheek patches are paler blue. Wings and long tail are brown with a blue wash. His beak is black and his legs and feet are brown-grey. In non-breeding plumage, called eclipse, he is very similar to the female, being pale brown above and buff to white underneath although he retains the blue wash on wings and tail. The female does not have the blue wash on her wings, but does have a reddish-tan line from beak to eye that extends into a ring around her eye. Her beak is reddish-tan.

Similar species: The male in breeding plumage is quite distinct but in eclipse he is similar to the males of other fairy-wrens in eclipse. A faint wash of blue on male wings during eclipse distinguishes this species from others. The female is similar to females of other fairy-wren species, but has a bluer tail than most.

Distribution: These birds are widely distributed across Australia in two areas. One area is from about Shark Bay south through WA, through SA except the coast to about the Flinders Ranges and the southern and central parts of NT. The eastern area include SA from the Flinders Ranges, the far north-western tip of Vic, NSW east to about Moree and Balranald and south central Qld.

Habitat: These birds live in arid to semi-arid areas, in mostly dense shrublands or woodlands of acacia, and mallee eucalypt with dense shrubs.

Seasonal movements: These birds are mostly sedentary, defending a territory all year, but the younger females may disperse to another territory. In some areas they are semi-nomadic, depending on local conditions.

Feeding: Like most of the fairy-wrens, Splendid Fairy-wrens eat mostly insects and forage on both the ground and in shrubs. They live in groups which forage together.

Breeding: The Splendid Fairy-wren female builds an oval domed nest of dry grass, strips of bark and rootlets, with an entrance two thirds of the way up one side. The female is the only member of the group to incubate the eggs, but all members of the group feed the chicks.

Calls: A rapid series of slightly metallic, high-pitched pips that blend into an "undulating" call.

Minimum Size: 12cm

Maximum Size: 14cm

Average size: 13cm

Average weight: 9g

Breeding season: mostly September-December, but can extend from August to April

Clutch Size: 2 to 4, mostly 3

Incubation: 15 days

Nestling Period: 11 days

(Source: www.birdsinbackyards.net)

© Chris Burns 2022

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The Himalayan marmot lives in colonies and excavates deep burrows that colony members share during hibernation.The species hibernates from the late autumn to the early spring, on average for 7​1⁄2 months. Burrows are between 2 and 10 m (6.6–32.8 ft) deep, given that the upper soil layer is sufficiently light and deep such as fluvioglacial, deluvial and alluvial deposits. Where soil conditions are ideal on alluvial terraces, marmot colonies comprise up to 30 families, with up to 10 families living in an area of 1 km (0.6 mi). The marmot eats plants growing on pastures, in particular the soft and juicy parts of grassy plant species like Carex, Agrostis, Deschampsia, Koeleria and flowering species like Euphrasia, Gentiana, Halenia, Polygonum, Primula, Ranunculus, Saussurea, Taraxacum Iris potaninii.

Always love to photograph these. The seem to have a personality. This one was patrolling the top of a sawn off tree stump at Ockham. It had attacked a much larger garden spider as I arrived but I hadn't got my camera setup at that point. I always seem to miss those moments.

Time to say goodbye to these for another year. The skies seem empty over my house without the screams.

Before knowing the weather condition of the Himalayan region we should understand its geography. The Himalayan region covers an area of 2,250 km with an average width of 200 km.

The forest belt of the Himalayan region consists of Oak, Rhododendron, Birch, Pine, Deodar, and Fir. And the monsoon season in this region lasts for mid June till the end of September. The Himalayas influences the meteorological conditions in the Indian subcontinent to the south and in the Central Asian highlands to the north to a great extent. It acts a climatic divider circulating the air and water system to a great extent. Because of its altitude and location it blocks the passage of the cold winds coming from the north to the Indian sub continent thereby making India's climate much more moderate. It also influences the rainfall pattern in India. The combined effect of rainfall, latitude and altitude largely influences the forests belts in the Himalayan region. The rainfall is mostly recorded during the monsoon time of June to September but it decreases as you travel from east to west. The snow-capped ranges of the Himalayas stretch 2, 250 km from the Namcha Barwa to Nanga Parbat on the Indus. The range extends from east to west up to central-Nepal and then takes a southeast to northwest direction.

www.himalaya2000.com/himalayan-facts/climate-of-himalayas...

Vatnajökull (meaning Glacier of Lakes), also known as the Vatna Glacier, is the largest and most voluminous (3,100 km³) ice cap in Iceland, and one of the largest in area in Europe.

It is located in the south-east of the island, covering more than 8 percent of the country.

The average thickness of the ice is 400 m with a maximum thickness of 1,000 m.

Under the ice cap there are several volcanoes.

Vatnajökull has around 30 outlet glaciers flowing from the ice cap and one of them is the Fjallsjökull, flowing into the Fjallsárlòn (glacial lake).

I love see and hear Canada geese. This is 37 of a huge flock that flew in this morning. They certainly woke up the neighbourhood with their honking. Canada geese fly at an average speed of about 40 miles per hour when migrating, but may increase their speed to 70 miles per hour if they catch a strong tailwind. They typically fly at an altitude of 2,000 to 8,000 feet, although pilots have reported sightings of Canada geese at altitudes of up to 9,000 feet. Amazing birds!

I just love trying to photograph these in flight simply for the challenge.

Lonely girl standing alone on her house