Bateleur Eagles usually come down to the water in the middle of the day.

They are a colourful species with a very short tail which, together with its white underwing coverts, makes it unmistakable in flight. The tail is so small the bird's legs protrude slightly beyond the tail during flight.

Size: The average adult Bateleur is 55 to 70 cm long with a 186 cm wingspan. The wing chord averages approximately 51 cm. Adult weight is 2 to 2.6kg. (Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Botswana)

Many thanks to everyone who chooses to leave a comment or add this image to their favorites, it is much appreciated.

©Elsie van der Walt, all rights reserved. Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission. If you are interested in using one of my images, please send me an E-mail (elsie.vdwalt@gmail.com).

Red Squirrel - Sciurus Vulgaris

Highlands, Scotland.

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, forming a domed structure about 25 to 30 cm in diameter. This is lined with moss, leaves, grass and bark. Tree hollows and woodpecker holes are also used. The red squirrel is a solitary animal and is shy and reluctant to share food with others. However, outside the breeding season and particularly in winter, several red squirrels may share a drey to keep warm. Social organization is based on dominance hierarchies within and between sexes; although males are not necessarily dominant to females, the dominant animals tend to be larger and older than subordinate animals, and dominant males tend to have larger home ranges than subordinate males or females.

Red squirrels that survive their first winter have a life expectancy of 3 years. Individuals may reach 7 years of age, and 10 in captivity. Survival is positively related to availability of autumn–winter tree seeds; on average, 75–85% of juveniles die during their first winter, and mortality is approximately 50% for winters following the first.

Although not thought to be under any threat worldwide, the red squirrel has nevertheless drastically reduced in number in the United Kingdom; especially after the grey squirrels were introduced from North America in the 1870s. Fewer than 140,000 individuals are thought to be left in 2013; approximately 85% of which are in Scotland, with the Isle of Wight being the largest haven in England. A local charity, the Wight Squirrel Project,[26] supports red squirrel conservation on the island, and islanders are actively recommended to report any invasive greys. The population decrease in Britain is often ascribed to the introduction of the eastern grey squirrel from North America, but the loss and fragmentation of its native woodland habitat has also played a role.

In January 1998, eradication of the non-native North American grey squirrel began on the North Wales island of Anglesey. This facilitated the natural recovery of the small remnant red squirrel population. It was followed by the successful reintroduction of the red squirrel into the pine stands of Newborough Forest. Subsequent reintroductions into broadleaved woodland followed and today the island has the single largest red squirrel population in Wales. Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour is also populated exclusively by red rather than grey squirrels (approximately 200 individuals).

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!!!

At 9 am, the sky had partly cleared up and the sun had melted most of the fresh snow covering the red mountains bordering Laguna Lejia's northwestern shores.

The highest red mountains are Cerro Lámpara (in the center, 5198 m) and Cerro Corona (behind it to the left, 5291 m).

Laguna Lejía (Bleach Lagoon) is a salt lake in the Atacama desert.

It is located in the Chilean Altiplano of the Antofagasta Region,

100 km (62 mi) south-east of San Pedro de Atacama,

at an altitude of 4325 m (14,200 ft).

It is shallow and has no outlet, currently covering an area of

nearly 2 km² (0.77 sq mi) with an average depth of 1.2 m (4 ft).

#308 in Explore on Apr 22, 2023.

© 2021 Jacques de Selliers. All rights reserved.

For reproduction rights, see www.deselliers.info/en/copyright.htm.

Photo ref: j8e_29280-ps2-Atacama

Guillemot /Murre - Uria aalge

The common murre or common guillemot (Uria aalge) is a large auk. It is also known as the thin-billed murre in North America. It has a circumpolar distribution, occurring in low-Arctic and boreal waters in the North Atlantic and North Pacific. It spends most of its time at sea, only coming to land to breed on rocky cliff shores or islands.

Common murres have fast direct flight but are not very agile. They are more manoeuvrable underwater, typically diving to depths of 30–60 m (98–197 ft). Depths of up to 180 m (590 ft) have been recorded.

Common murres breed in colonies at high densities. Nesting pairs may be in bodily contact with their neighbours. They make no nest; their single egg is incubated on a bare rock ledge on a cliff face. Eggs hatch after ~30 days incubation. The chick is born downy and can regulate its body temperature after 10 days. Some 20 days after hatching the chick leaves its nesting ledge and heads for the sea, unable to fly, but gliding for some distance with fluttering wings, accompanied by its male parent. Chicks are capable of diving as soon as they hit the water. The female stays at the nest site for some 14 days after the chick has left.

Both male and female common murres moult after breeding and become flightless for 1–2 months. In southern populations they occasionally return to the nest site throughout the winter. Northern populations spend the winter farther from their colonies.

Some individuals in the North Atlantic, known as "bridled guillemots", have a white ring around the eye extending back as a white line. This is not a distinct subspecies, but a polymorphism that becomes more common the farther north the birds breed.

The common murre nests in densely packed colonies (known as "loomeries"), with up to twenty pairs occupying one square metre at peak season.[citation needed] Common murres do not make nests and lay their eggs on bare rock ledges, under rocks, or the ground. They first breed at four to nine years old, but most individuals recruit into the breeding population at ages six or seven, although birds may disperse (permanently depart their natal colony) if space is limited. Annual survival probability for birds aged 6–15 is 0.895, and average lifespan is about 20 years. Breeding success increases with age up to age 9-10 to 0.7 fledglings per pair, then declines in the oldest age birds, perhaps indicating reproductive senesence.

High densities mean that birds are close contact with neighbouring breeders. Common murres perform appeasement displays more often at high densities and more often than razorbills.

Allopreening is common both between mates and between neighbours. Allopreening helps to reduce parasites, and it may also have important social functions. Frequency of allopreening a neighbour correlates well with current breeding success.

Allopreening may function as a stress-reducer; ledges with low levels of allopreening show increased levels of fighting and reduced breeding success.

Alloparenting behaviour is frequently observed. Non-breeding and failed breeders show great interest in other chicks, and will attempt to brood or feed them. This activity is more common as the chicks get older and begin to explore their ledge. There has also been a record of a pair managing to raise two chicks. Adults that have lost chicks or eggs will sometimes bring fish to the nest site and try to feed their imaginary chick.

At time of extreme food stress, the social activity of the breeding ledge can break down.

On the Isle of May colony in 2007, food availability was low. Adults spent more of their time-budget foraging for their chicks and had to leave them unattended at times. Unattended chicks were attacked by breeding neighbour which often led to their deaths. Non-breeding and failed breeders continued to show alloparental care.

In areas such as Newfoundland, the birds, along with the related thick-billed murre, are referred to as 'turrs' or 'tuirs', and are consumed. The meat is dark and quite oily, due to the birds' diet of fish. Eggs have also been harvested.

Eggers from San Francisco took almost half a million eggs a year from the Farallon Islands in the mid-19th century to feed the growing city.

Population:

UK breeding:

950,000 pairs

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

.

Uhu (Bubo bubo) - Eurasian eagle-owl

Amboseli National Park, formerly Maasai Amboseli Game Reserve, is in Kajiado County, Kenya. The park is 39,206 hectares (392 km2; 151 sq mi) in size at the core of an 8,000 km2 (3,100 sq mi) ecosystem that spreads across the Kenya-Tanzania border. The local people are mainly Maasai, but people from other parts of the country have settled there attracted by the successful tourist-driven economy and intensive agriculture along the system of swamps that makes this low-rainfall area (average 350 mm (14 in)) one of the best wildlife-viewing experiences in the world with 400 species of birds including water birds like pelicans, kingfishers, crakes, hamerkop and 47 raptor species.

The park protects two of the five main swamps, and includes a dried-up Pleistocene lake and semiarid vegetation.

About 240 km (150 mi) southeast from the capital city Nairobi, Amboseli National Park is the second-most popular national park in Kenya after Maasai Mara National Reserve.

Amboseli National Park offers some of the best opportunities to see African wildlife because the vegetation is sparse due to the long, dry months. The protected area is home to African bush elephant, Cape buffalo, impala, lion, cheetah, spotted hyena, Masai giraffe, Grant's zebra, and blue wildebeest. A host of large and small birds occur too.

The park has several rules to protect the wildlife: Never leave the vehicle, except at designated spots; do not harass the animals in any way; always keep to the tracks; no off-road driving; and always give the animals the right of way. The roads in Amboseli have a loose surface of volcanic soil that is dusty in the dry season and impassable in the wet season.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amboseli_National_Park

They are amazing.

At an average altitude of 2,400 meters above sea level.

Splendor of ended day floating and filling me,

Hour prophetic, hour resuming the past,

Inflating my throat, you divine average,

You earth and life till the last ray gleams I sing.

--- Walt Whitman

The Coast Mountains are a major mountain range in the Pacific Coast Ranges of western North America, extending from southwestern Yukon through the Alaska Panhandle and virtually all of the Coast of British Columbia south to the Fraser River. The mountain range's name derives from its proximity to the sea coast, and it is often referred to as the Coast Range. The range includes volcanic and non-volcanic mountains and the extensive ice fields of the Pacific and Boundary Ranges, and the northern end of the volcanic system known as the Cascade Volcanoes. The Coast Mountains are part of a larger mountain system called the Pacific Coast Ranges or the Pacific Mountain System, which includes the Cascade Range, the Insular Mountains, the Olympic Mountains, the Oregon Coast Range, the California Coast Ranges, the Saint Elias Mountains and the Chugach Mountains. The Coast Mountains are also part of the American Cordillera—a Spanish term for an extensive chain of mountain ranges—that consists of an almost continuous sequence of mountain ranges that form the western backbone of North America, Central America, South America and Antarctica.

The Coast Mountains are approximately 1,600 kilometres (1,000 mi) long and average 300 kilometres (190 mi) in width. The range's southern and southeastern boundaries are surrounded by the Fraser River and the Interior Plateau while its far northwestern edge is delimited by the Kelsall and Tatshenshini Rivers at the north end of the Alaska Panhandle, beyond which are the Saint Elias Mountains, and by Champagne Pass in the Yukon Territory. Covered in dense temperate rainforest on its western exposures, the range rises to heavily glaciated peaks, including the largest temperate-latitude ice fields in the world. On its eastern flanks, the range tapers to the dry Interior Plateau and the subarctic boreal forests of the Skeena Mountains and Stikine Plateau.

The Coast Mountains are part of the Pacific Ring of Fire—the ring of volcanoes and associated mountains around the Pacific Ocean—and contain some of British Columbia's highest mountains. Mount Waddington is the highest mountain of the Coast Mountains and the highest that lies entirely within British Columbia, located northeast of the head of Knight Inlet with an elevation of 4,019 metres (13,186 ft). (Wikipedia)

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

Our best view of these majestic mountains was from the ferry as we traveled from Victoria, on Vancouver Island, back to the mainland.

Strait of Georgia, British Columbia, Canada. June 2022.

Eagle-Eye Tours - Ultimate British Columbia.

This hoary marmot trio really liked each other, snuggling close and tight. Was rather endearing watching them.

"The word "hoary" refers to the silver-gray fur on their shoulders and upper back; the remainder of the upper parts have drab- or reddish-brown fur.

The marmots hibernate seven to eight months a year in burrows they excavate in the soil, often among or under boulders. Each colony typically maintains a single hibernaculum and a number of smaller burrows, used for sleeping and refuge from predators. Each colony digs an average of five such burrows a year, and a mature colony may have over a hundred. Sleeping burrows and hibernacula are larger and more complex, with multiple entrances, deep chambers lined with plant material, and stretching to a depth of about 3.5 metres (11 ft). A colony may have up to 9 regular sleeping burrows, in addition to the larger hibernaculum." Wikipedia

Enjoy a wonderful weekend,

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

my colour palette!

shot by KHWD, lake geneva, on our way across the border to geneva in switzerland

want to see more images or read the blog?

www.motorhome-travels.net/post/blog-71-french-holiday-2014

Lake Geneva, known as Lac Léman in French, is one of the largest freshwater lakes in Europe. It is located on the border between Switzerland and France, surrounded by the stunning Alps and Jura mountains1. The lake is crescent-shaped, with the longer northern shore in Switzerland and the southern shore in France.

Here are some interesting facts about Lac Léman:

Size: It spans about 73 km (45 mi) in length and 14 km (8.7 mi) in width.

Depth: The average depth is 154.4 meters, with the deepest point reaching 310 meters.

Water Source: The main source of the lake is the Rhône River, which enters near Villeneuve and exits in Geneva.

Scenic Views: The lake offers spectacular vistas, especially from the northern side towards the south and far west, where the Alpine mountains are close to the shores.

It's a popular destination for tourists, offering activities like boating, hiking, and wine tasting in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed vineyards of Lavaux

Beautiful British Columbia

Canada

~C

Pitt Lake is the second-largest lake in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. About 53.5 square kilometres in area, it is about 25 km long and about 4.5 km wide at its widest. It is one of the world's relatively few tidal lakes, and among the largest. In Pitt Lake, there is on average a three foot tide range; thus Pitt Lake is separated from sea level and tidal waters during most hours of each day during the 15 foot tide cycle of the Pitt River and Strait of Georgia estuary immediately downstream.The lake's southern tip is 20 km upstream from The Pitt River confluence with the Fraser River and is 40 km east of Downtown Vancouver.

Pitt Lake is in a typical U-shaped glacial valley in the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains. The overdeepening of the lower end of the valley over the span of the Wisconsin glaciation created a trough over 140 m below current sea level. After initial glacial retreat at around 13,000 years ago a saltwater fjord occupied this basin when relative sea levels were still ca 120 to 140m above current levels in the region. Unlike neighbouring Indian Arm and Howe Sound farther west, this fjord basin became partly cut off from tidal waters by sedimentation of the lower Fraser River ca 10,500 years ago, and Pitt Lake is now considered a tidal fjord lake.

Pitt Lake is the second largest of a series of north-south oriented fjord-lakes incising the southern slopes of the Pacific Ranges, the largest being Harrison Lake located 60 km to the east. The other fjord-lakes include Coquitlam Lake, Alouette Lake, Stave Lake, and Chehalis Lake.

The Pitt River drains into the northern end of Pitt Lake. The western shore of Pitt Lake are protected within Pinecone Burke Provincial Park, while most of the eastern shore are protected within Golden Ears Provincial Park. The southern end of Pitt Lake features an extensive marshland called Pitt Polder. While most of this marshland has since been drained for agricultural use, the northernmost portion is strictly protected in order to provide critical habitat for migratory birds.

Communities

The community of Pitt Meadows and the First Nations reserve of Pitt Lake Indian Reserve 5 are located at the southern end of the lake. Just southwest of the lake is the community of Port Coquitlam, which is across the Pitt River from Pitt Meadows. At the north end of the lake is a locality named Alvin, which is a transport and shipping point for logging companies and their employees.

Wikipedia

A special thanks to all my Flickr friends and visitors, for taking the time to view and acknowledge my photography.

Happy Clicks,

~Christie (happies) by the River

** Best experienced full screen

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/

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

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

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

Press 'F11' for Large View then 'L' for a Largest View.

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

This image may not be reproduced or used in any form whatsoever without my express written permission.

All rights reserved.

© Fotografía de John B

© John B Fotografía

© John Edward Bankson

---

Cactus flower - Santa Gemita - 013022 - Enhanced-11

Vol plané au moment de l'atterrissage.

*****

Est une espèce d'oiseau aquatique piscivore qui appartient à la famille des phalacrocoracidés. Son aire de distribution est très vaste (Europe, Asie, Océanie, Afrique, et une frange orientale de l'Amérique du Nord) ; on y distingue habituellement cinq à huit sous-espèces.

Le mâle est en moyenne plus corpulent que la femelle et son bec plus large. Le plumage du Grand Cormoran adulte est généralement entièrement noir. Le bec de ce cormoran est de couleur blanc-crème ou gris clair ; il comporte une large tache jaune à la commissure des lèvres ce qui le distingue, outre sa plus grande corpulence, des autres espèces. Les yeux sont verts et les pattes palmées sont noires. Les juvéniles ont un plumage plus clair, avec le dos brunâtre et le ventre et la poitrine blancs.

--

Is a species of piscivorous aquatic bird that belongs to the family Phalacrocoracidae. Its area of distribution is very vast (Europe, Asia, Oceania, Africa, and an eastern fringe of North America); there are usually five to eight subspecies.

The male is on average more corpulent than the female and has a wider beak. The adult Great Cormorant's plumage is usually entirely black. The beak of this cormorant is creamy-white or light grey; it has a large yellow spot at the corner of the lips which distinguishes it, in addition to its greater corpulence, from other species. The eyes are green and the webbed feet are black. Juveniles have paler plumage, with brownish back and white belly and breast.

This is the male of the pair at Thursley from a couple of year ago. Taken on the same bit of dead tree the female I posted yesterday was shot on. The male would stick very close to his mate at all times rarely being more than 2 meters away. From photos of the ring, this same male has visited the same spot two years in a row.

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...

B. terrestris are pollen-storing bees that generally feed and forage on nectar and pollen. The queen is between 20 and 22 mm long, males range from 14 to 16 mm, and workers from 11 to 17 mm. Workers have white-ended abdomens, and look just like workers of the white-tailed bumblebee, B. lucorum, a close relative, apart from the yellowish bands of B. terrestris being darker in direct comparison. The queens of B. terrestris have the namesake buff-white abdomen tip ("tail"); this area is white as in the workers in B. lucorum. B. terrestris is unique compared to other bees in that their caste of workers exhibit a wide variation in worker size, with thorax sizes ranging from 2.3 to 6.9 mm in length and masses ranging from 68 to 754 mg.

Distribution and habitat

B. terrestris is most commonly found throughout Europe and generally occupies temperate climates. Because it can survive in a wide variety of habitats, there are populations in the Near East, the Mediterranean Islands, and Northern Africa as well. Additionally, it has escaped captivity after being introduced as a greenhouse pollinator in countries where it is not native, so this bee is now considered an invasive species in many of these places, including Japan, Chile, Argentina, and Tasmania. Nests are usually found underground, such as in abandoned rodent dens. Colonies form comb-like nest structures with egg cells each containing several eggs. The queen will lay egg cells on top of one another. Colonies produce between 300 and 400 bees on average, with a large variation in the number of workers.

Eqi Glacier, Greenland

The glacier front is about 3 km, and the average height from the sea bed to the top is approximately 180 meters . It is not as large as Sermeq Kujalleq in the Icefjord, but it is more accessible, and you get closer.

Spectacular and breathtaking are the two adjectives that best describe this road connecting Manali in the state of Himachal Pradesh and Leh(Ladakh) in the state of Jammu & Kashmir.The average altitude of this highway is over 10000 feet above sea level and it crosses some of the highest mountain passes in the world.

And shortly after, an ex-stickleback thanks to this stunning local kingy. He has quite a high success rate compared to many kingies I have seen.

Enjoy the Holiday Season with Friends #8532

As we approach the holiday season, take time to visit with a friend and share a meal. We are social creatures that thrive in the presence of others. Remember, to be thankful for what you have and treasure your friends both near and far.

Pictured above are two Galapagos Tortoises (Chelenoidis Nigra) enjoying a meal at Saint Augustine Alligator Farm. The Galapagos is the largest of all tortoises, which can reach lengths of five feet and weigh over 600 pounds! Characteristics include heavy limbs, long necks, and high domed dark colored (nigra) shells. As herbivores, they eat a wide variety of vegetation, including flowers, grasses, leaves, and even cactus.

The tortoises are endemic to the Galapagos Islands located in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, roughly 600 miles west of Ecuador. Status/ conservation lists them as ‘vulnerable’ while the biggest threats today comes from the introduction of non-native invasive species to the Islands, such as feral dogs, cats, and rats that prey upon young tortoises. Cattle and goats also compete with the larger tortoises for vegetation.

Galapagos tortoises are the longest living vertebrate, with an average life span of 100 years with the oldest living 152 years. This animal can go for nearly a year without food & water!

***Now, can you see the benefits of spending time with a dear friend or family members??? “May you enjoy your friends and family with the approaching Holiday Season!”

Factual information supplied by the Saint Augustine Alligator Farm.

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.

One source says the Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains range is about 1,000 km (620 mi) in length. Its highest point is 7,090 m (23,260 ft) located 100 km (62 mi) to the northwest of Lhasa. The range is parallel to the Himalayas in the Transhimalayas, and north of the Brahmaputra River. [3] Another source says the Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains extend 460 miles (740 km) from Nyêmo County in the west to Ranwu County (the southwestern part of Baxoi County) in the east.

Its highest peak is Mount Nyenchen Tanglha (Nyainqêntanglha Feng) at 7,162 metres (23,497 ft).[4]

The southern side of the Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains is precipitous, and falls by around 2,000 metres (6,600 ft), while the northern side is fairly level and descends about 1,000 metres (3,300 ft). Most of the mountains are below 6,500 metres (21,300 ft).[5] They contain 7080 glaciers covering an area of 10,700 square kilometres (4,100 sq mi).[4]

The Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains have an average latitude of 30°30'N and a longitude between 90°E and 97°E. Together with the Gangdise Shan located further west, it forms the Transhimalaya [a] which runs parallel to the Himalayas north of the Yarlung Tsangpo River.

The Drukla Chu river rises in the Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains, where it is called the Song Chu river, and joins the Gyamda Chu river. The combined rivers run about 100 kilometres (62 mi) southeast to the Yarlung Tsangpo river.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyenchen_Tanglha_Mountains

Many thanks for your visits, faves and comments. Cheers.

Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike

Scientific Name: Coracina novaehollandiae

Description: Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes have a black face and throat, blue-grey back, wings and tail, and white underparts. They are slender, attractive birds. They have a curious habit of shuffling their wings upon landing, a practice that gave rise to the name "Shufflewing", which is often used for this species. This shuffling is also carried out by most other species in this family. Young birds resemble the adults, except the black facial mask is reduced to an eye stripe.

Similar species: Young Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes may be confused with the White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Coracina papuenis, which also has a black eye stripe. However, this species is much smaller (26 - 28 cm).

Distribution: The Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike is widespread and common. Outside the breeding season, large family groups and flocks of up to a hundred birds form.

Habitat: The Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike is found in almost any wooded habitat, with the exception of rainforests. It is also familiar in many suburbs, where birds are often seen perched on overhead wires or television aerials.

Seasonal movements: Partially nomadic; some northwards migrations.

Feeding: Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes feed on insects and other invertebrates. These may be caught in the air, taken from foliage or caught on the ground. In addition to insects, some fruits and seeds are also eaten.

Breeding: Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes may mate with the same partner each year, and may use the same territories year after year. The nest is remarkably small for the size of the bird. It is a shallow saucer of sticks and bark, bound together with cobwebs. Both partners construct the nest and care for the young birds.

Cuckoo-shrikes are neither cuckoos nor shrikes, but are so called because their feathers have similar patterns to those of cuckoos and their beak shape resembles that of shrikes.

Calls: The call most often heard is a soft churring, often being described as a warbling "creearck".

Minimum Size: 32cm

Maximum Size: 34cm

Average size: 33cm

Average weight: 112g

Breeding season: August to February; varies in more arid areas

Nestling Period: 21 days

(Source: www.birdsinbackyards.net)

__________________________________________

© Chris Burns 2021

All rights reserved.

This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying and recording without my written consent.

The island fox (Urocyon littoralis) is a small fox species that is endemic to six of the eight Channel Islands of California. There are six subspecies, each unique to the island it lives on, reflecting its evolutionary history. They are generally docile, show little fear of humans, and are easily tamed. Island foxes played an important role in the spiritual lives of native Channel Islanders. They have been likely semi-domesticated as pets, used as pelts, or for other functions, like pest control.

The island fox is significantly smaller than the related gray fox, and is the smallest fox in North America, averaging slightly smaller than the swift (Vulpes velox) and kit foxes (Vulpes macrotis). Typically, the head-and-body length is 48–50 cm (19–19.5 in), shoulder height 12–15 cm (4.5–6 in), and the tail is 11–29 cm (4.5–11.5 in) long, which is notably shorter than the 27–44 cm (10.5–17.5 in) tail of the gray fox. This is due to the fact that the island fox generally has two fewer tail vertebrae than the gray fox. The island fox weighs between 1 and 2.8 kg (2.2 and 6.2 lb). The species exhibits sexual dimorphism: the male is always larger than the female. The largest of the subspecies occurs on Santa Catalina Island and the smallest on Santa Cruz Island.

The island fox has gray fur on its head, a ruddy red coloring on its sides, white fur on its belly, throat and the lower half of its face, and a black stripe on the dorsal surface of its tail. In general the coat is darker and duller hued than that of the gray fox. The island fox molts once a year between August and November. Before the first molt pups are woolly and have a generally darker coat than adult foxes. A brown phase, with the grey and black fur of the body replaced by a sandy brown and a deeper brown, may occur in the San Clemente Island and San Nicolas Island populations. It is unclear if this is a true color phase, a change that occurs with age, or possibly a change that occurs because of interactions with Opuntia cactus spines that become embedded in the pelt.

Santa Barbara Zoo. California.

Moon canyon, Kazakhstan

No Average Angel...Featuring Swank with Letituier, Oz Design, LIZ, CJ Creations

Blog:

diamondswithjewel.blogspot.com/2018/02/no-average-angelfe...

A very small male common blue (2nd brood) seen here flashing a glimpse of his "blue side". Low numbers seen last Sunday, an this male was tiny, compared to a normal/average sized common blue.

Many thanks for the visits, faves and comments. Cheers

Grey-crowned Babbler

Scientific Name: Pomatostomus temporalis

Description: The Grey-crowned Babbler is the largest of Australia's four babbler species. It is dark brown-grey above, with a distinctive grey crown stripe and a dark face mask that contrasts with a white eyebrow. The chin and throat are white, running into a pale grey lower breast. It has a long, curved bill, short rounded wings with cinnamon brown wing patches and a long tail tipped white. The eye is pale yellow in adults. There is a darker-coloured subspecies, rubeculus, in north-western Australia (often called the Red-breasted Babbler), that has a rufous lower breast and darker crown stripe. The Grey-crowned Babbler is a noisy and gregarious bird, usually found in small groups of four to twelve, and is often seen on the ground or in low trees. It is sometimes called the Yahoo, after one of its calls.

Similar species: The Grey-crowned Babbler lacks the dark crown of other babblers and has a yellow rather than a dark eye.

Distribution: The Grey-crowned Babbler is widespread throughout north-western, northern, central and eastern Australia. It is also found in Papua New Guinea.

Habitat: The Grey-crowned Babbler is found in open forests and woodlands, favouring inland plains with an open shrub layer, little ground cover and plenty of fallen timber and leaf litter. May be seen along roadsides and around farms. In south-east Melbourne, small populations survive on golf courses.

Seasonal movements: Sedentary.

Feeding: Grey-crowned Babblers feed on insects and other invertebrates and sometimes eat seeds. They forage in groups of two to fifteen birds on the ground among leaf litter, around fallen trees and from the bark of shrubs and trees (they tend to use trees more than other babblers).

Breeding: Grey-crowned Babblers live and breed in co-operative territorial groups of two to fifteen birds (usually four to twelve). Groups normally consist of a primary breeding pair along with several non-breeding birds (sometimes groups may contain two breeding pairs or two females that both breed). Most members of the group help to build nests, with the primary female contributing the most effort. Two types of nest are built: roost-nests (usually larger and used by the whole group) and brood-nests (for the breeding females), and often old nest sites are renovated and re-used from year to year. The large domed nests are placed in a tree fork 4 m - 7 m high and are made of thick sticks with projections that make a hood and landing platform for the entrance tunnel. The nest chamber is lined with soft grass, bark, wool and feathers. The brooding female (sometimes more than one) is fed by the other group members and all help to feed the nestlings. Larger groups tend to raise more young, and two broods are usually raised per season.

Calls: Loud scolding and chattering calls: 'wee-oo'. Also distinctive 'ya-hoo' duet by breeding female ('yah') and male ('ahoo') repeated six to eight times.

Minimum Size: 25cm

Maximum Size: 29cm

Average size: 27cm

Average weight: 81g

Breeding season: July to February

Clutch Size: Usually two to three, up to five if more than one female.

Incubation: 23 days

Nestling Period: 23 days

(Source: www.birdsinbackyards.net)

© Chris Burns 2023

__________________________________________

All rights reserved.

This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying and recording without my written consent.

You can only reach this view of the reservoir by negotiating the inhumane 'Devil’s Staircase' road (!) with 21% ramps and completely blind summits. It is a series of hairpin turns, reaching a maximum gradient of 20.1% It is an old drover's track stretching for about 20 miles between the small hamlet of Abergwesyn and the town of Tregaron. It is a single-track metalled road, extremely narrow and twisty. The road surface deteriorates considerably at times, with the center section covered in gravel. If you are scared to drive on narrow mountain roads impassable for two average cars at the same time, it's better to avoid it! It was pretty hairy I have to say but the view was pretty spectacular despite the grey, drizzly day!!

ice Storm, Ellenville, NY.

Men Say Brown

On the radio this morning: The average woman knows

275 colors-and men know eight. Women say coffee,

mocha, copper, cinnamon, taupe. Men say brown........

Henry M. Seiden

Source: Poetry ( January 1999 )

A stunning little beast. Quite fascinating creatures. As ever, Stephen Falk has documented them rather well - www.flickr.com/photos/63075200@N07/collections/7215763704...

A single frame shot taken handheld in a field in Pitstone, UK

In an uncharacteristic stroke of better-than-average luck, I finally catch an eastbound Rock & Rail train at CP RG130 Swallows on UP's (ex-D&RGW) Tennessee Pass subdivision, after many years of infrequent trips to West Pueblo. And, I got the new-paint leader I've only ever seen parked behind the yard "office" in Portland. Guess I've used up all my karma for 2023.

The 401 was reportedly built in 1968 as Penn Central GP40 3128, and repainted from RRRR's older red-yellow scheme in 2021.

The Brodten cliff is a so-called active cliff, which recedes by an average of around 50 to 100 cm per year due to the influence of the Baltic Sea. The demolition occurs mostly in the winter months due to the impact of waves during storms and after heavy rains due to the sliding of parts of the cliffs when they are destabilized by the water escaping from individual layers.

(Cracticus torquatus)

Koomba Park - Melbourne

Austrália

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

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 Austrália (2024) (309)

- All the photos for this order PASSERIFORMES (3553)

- All the photos for this family Artamidae (Artamídeos) (13)

- All the photos for this species Cracticus torquatus (1)

- All the photos taken this day 2024/11/03 (23)

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

Who couldn't love a rodent named the Fat Sand Rat?

The Fat Sand Rat is a terrestrial mammal from the gerbil subfamily that is mostly found in North Africa and the Middle East, ranging from Mauritania to the Arabian Peninsula. This species usually lives in sandy deserts, but may also be found in rocky terrain or saline marsh areas. Fat Sand Rats are very selective in their diet, only eating stems and leaves of plants from the amaranth family. In captivity, Fat Sand Rats can become obese and rapidly develop diabetes-like symptoms when fed the diet typically given to other rodents. They have an average lifespan of 14 months in the wild and 3–4 years in captivity.

Boumalne Dades, Morocco. March 2019.

Die Postalm ist ein Almgebiet in der Gemeinde Strobl im Bundesland Salzburg. Mit 42 Quadratkilometern ist es das größte Almengebiet in Österreich. Das Hochplateau besitzt eine mittlere Höhe von über 1300 m.

The Postalm is an alpine pasture area in the municipality of Strobl in the province of Salzburg. With 42 square kilometers it is the largest alpine pasture area in Austria. The plateau has an average altitude of over 1300 meters.

Noblex Pro 6/150 UX

Kodak TMY 400

Lithprint auf Kentmere Kentona (2007)

1) SE5 1+7, +1,5 f-stops, 2:20 min

2) Siena 25 + NH4Cl 8 + Carbonat 15 + H2O 800, 1:20 min

Lichter gebleicht

MT1 Selentonung 1+20, 1 min

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

Black-fronted Dotterel

Scientific Name: Elseyornis melanops

Description: The Black-fronted Dotterel is a small wader with a distinctive black face-mask and breast-band and prominent chestnut scapulars (shoulder feathers). In juveniles, the breast-band is initially absent but a brown band slowly appears as the bird develops. Legs are pink orange, and the bill is red with a black tip. The dark eye is ringed with red. In flight the wings look broad and the tail short, while the black and white contrast is striking. Flight is slow with almost hesitant wing beats. This species is also called the Black-fronted Plover.

Similar species: The adult and immature Black-fronted Dotterel are unmistakable, though the juvenile could be confused with the juvenile and immature Red-capped Plover.

Distribution: The Black-fronted Dotterel is widespread throughout Australasia.

Habitat: The Black-fronted Dotterel is found in the shallow margins of wetlands, lakes, rivers, sewage farms, storm drains and marshes. It is normally always near freshwater and is not often seen on the coast.

Seasonal movements: Breeding resident.

Feeding: The Black-fronted Dotterel eats small molluscs as well as aquatic and terrestrial insects. When it forages, it keeps its body horizontal while bobbing its head to look for food, often running then stopping suddenly to peck at food items.

Breeding: The Black-fronted Dotterel lays its eggs in a shallow scrape, often on pebbly ground and quite close to water. It may have more then one brood per year. Both parents incubate the eggs and look after the young.

Calls: Sharp 'tip' call, singular or repeated three or four times.

Minimum Size: 16cm

Maximum Size: 18cm

Average size: 17cm

Average weight: 32g

Breeding season: September to February

Clutch Size: 2 to 3 eggs

Incubation: 27 days

Nestling Period: 25 days

(Source: www.birdsinbackyards.net)

See flic.kr/p/2nMMJZD and flic.kr/p/2nYE4dd

© Chris Burns 2022

__________________________________________

All rights reserved.

This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying and recording without my written consent.

It was sunset at Seal Rock Beack, OR. Nothing really all that specatular as far as this particular beach is concerned. But to the average flat-lander, it was a scene from the movies - a dramatic backdrop of volcanic rocks being torn asunder by tghe powerful Pacific Ocean; of the clouds aligning themselves with the wind to paint the sky with streaming colors or magic and gold; of the glowing volcanic sand shined glassy smooth by a million waves caressing each grain as if it was the most important thing on the earth, all in an effort to make sure that the sky was adequately reflected in it's amazing grandure. Well, maybe a bit over-done, but you get the point. #clouds #ocean #oregon #pacificocean #sand #sealrock #sky #sunset #water #waves

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