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Pretty quiet at Cromwell Bottom although I spotted these Mallard Ducks on a small pond, at first they weren't too keen on my presence but after a short while when they knew I wasn't a threat they carried on there feeding and preening sessions and allowed me to get pretty close.
Cromwell Bottom Nature Reserve.
Our neighbouring horses do a bit of mutual grooming. I find it fascinating how they decide to do this.
This male swan was getting very agitated as he felt the family 'next door' were too close to him and his nesting wife. The fact that a fence divided them made no difference as he tried to bite his way through it
Phill and I quite often split up when we go out photographing as we tend to go for different things. And quite often something unusual will have happened during his absence. So when he returns, I say "you never guess what you missed" and then show him the evidence. This was taken at Dungeness back in the summer and it is the second time he has 'missed' the action when he has been off photographing old buildings and boats down there. This is the second photoshoot I have seen there, so it must be a popular place used by agencies
See below for the last time I witnessed a photoshoot on the beach
I've been stopped and questioned for around 20 mins this morning (01/04/09) under Code D of the PACE act. I received a 5090X form for the Police to "investigate suspected crime/disorder/anti-social behaviour".
My "suspected crime"? Taking this picture of the Royal Bank of Scotland building and a news crew outside. No police visible in the shot. Where's the crime?
Her'es the form they handed me, see if it makes sense to you? www.flickr.com/photos/piersmason/3410180254/
Meeting in the rain ~~~
White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis), also known as white-breasted kingfisher or Smyrna kingfisher.
The white-throated kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) also known as the white-breasted kingfisher or Smyrna kingfisher, is a tree kingfisher, widely distributed in Eurasia from Bulgaria, Turkey, West Asia east through the Indian subcontinent to the Philippines. This kingfisher is a resident over much of its range, although some populations may make short distance movements. It can often be found well away from water where it feeds on a wide range of prey that includes small reptiles, amphibians, crabs, small rodents and even birds. During the breeding season they call loudly in the mornings from prominent perches including the tops of buildings in urban areas or on wires.
Description
This is a large kingfisher, 28 cm in length. The adult has a bright blue back, wings and tail. Its head, shoulders, flanks and lower belly are chestnut, and the throat and breast are white. The large bill and legs are bright red. The flight of the white-throated kingfisher is rapid and direct, the short rounded wings whirring. In flight, large white patches are visible on the blue and black wings. Sexes are similar, but juveniles are a duller version of the adult.
This species forms a superspecies with Halcyon cyanoventris and most major works recognize four geographic races. They vary clinally in size, the shades of blue on the mantle which is more greenish in smyrnensis and fusca and more blue or purplish in saturatior.
- Smyrnensis (Linnaeus, 1758) is found in Turkey, Northern and Central Israel, Egypt, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, northwestern India, China, Taiwan and the Philippines, south of Thailand, West Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra and Java.
- Fusca (Boddaert, 1783) is found in India, Sri Lanka, South China, Taiwan, Sumatra and West Java. Population from Burma to the Greater Sundas were treated under the name perpulchra but are now lumped into fusca. South China and Taiwanese populations are sometimes treated as subspecies fokiensis.
- Saturatior Hume, 1874 is found in the Andaman Islands.
- Gularis (Kuhl, 1820) is found in the Philippines.
H. s. gularis of the Philippines has only the neck and throat white. It is sometimes treated as a distinct species, H. gularis. Race fusca is found in Peninsular India and Sri Lanka and is slightly smaller, bluer and with a darker brown underside than the nominate race found in northwestern India. Race saturatior is found in the Andaman Islands and is larger with darker brown underparts. Race perpulchra (not always recognized) is found in northeastern India and is smaller than fusca with paler underparts. Albinism has been noted on occasion.
The English of white-throated was introduced since the range is large and geographic adjectives would make the name too restrictive, while the older name of white-breasted would not describe the eastern race which has only the throat white.
The call of this kingfisher is a chuckling chake-ake-ake-ake-ake. They are particularly noisy in the breeding season.
Local names include Baluchistan: aspi chidok; Sindhi: dalel; Hindi: kilkila, kourilla; Himachal Pradesh: neela machhrala; Punjabi: wadda machhera; Bengali: sandabuk machhranga; Assamese: masroka; Cachar: dao natu gophu; Gujarati: kalkaliyo, safedchati kalkaliyo; Marathi: khandya; Tamil: vichuli; Telugu: lakmuka, buchegadu; Malayalam: ponman; Kannada: rajamatsi; Sinhalese: pilihuduwa.
Habitat and distribution
White-throated kingfisher is a common species of a variety of habitats, mostly open country in the plains (but has been seen at 7500 ft in the Himalayas) with trees, wires or other perches. The range of the species is expanding.
This kingfisher is widespread and populations are not threatened. Average density of 4.58 individuals per km2. has been noted in the Sundarbans mangroves.
Behaviour and ecology
Feeding and diet
It perches conspicuously on wires or other exposed perches within its territory, and is a frequent sight in south Asia. This species mainly hunts large crustaceans, insects, earthworms, rodents, snakes, fish and frogs. Predation of small birds such as the Oriental white-eye, chick of a red-wattled lapwing, sparrows and munias have been reported. The young are fed mostly on invertebrates. In captivity, it has been noted that it rarely drinks water although bathing regularly.
Breeding
The white-throated kingfisher begins breeding at the onset of the Monsoons. Males perch on prominent high posts in their territory an call in the early morning. The tail may be flicked now and in its courtship display the wings are stiffly flicked open for a second or two exposing the white wing mirrors. They also raise their bill high and display the white throat and front. The female in invitation makes a rapid and prolonged kit-kit-kit... call. The nest is a tunnel (50 cms long, but a nest with a 3 foot tunnel has been noted) in an earth bank. The nest building begins with both birds flying into a suitable mud wall until an indentation is made where they can find a perch hold. They subsequently perch and continue digging the nest with their bills. Nest tunnels in a haystack have also been recorded. A single clutch of 4-7 round white eggs is typical. The eggs take 20–22 days to hatch while the chicks fledge in 19 days.
Movements
Birds have sometimes been seen attracted to lights at night, especially during the monsoon season, suggesting that they are partly migratory.
Mortality
With a powerful bill and rapid flight, these kingfishers have few predators when healthy and rare cases of predation by a black kite and a jungle crow may be of sick or injured birds. An individual found dead with its beak embedded into the wood of a tree has been suggested as an accident during rapid pursuit of prey, possibly an Oriental white-eye. A few parasites have been noted.
In the 1800s these birds were hunted for their bright feathers that were used to adorn hats.
[Credit: en.wikipedia.org/]
We had a ride over to Bempton today......were lucky with the weather...saw lots of sea birds beginning to nest on the cliffs.....the Gannets were not flying up so high today so not many in flight shots.... this has had a crop :))
Not sure of the genus of this crab that protects itself by carrying on its shell, an Upside-down Jellyfish, Cassiopea. sp. It does this by modified rear legs which you see clearly in the adjacent photograph. The jellyfish's normal behaviour is to bounce along the bottom on its "head" with its stinging parts pointing upwards. This is therefore great protection for the crab.
This Robin seemed a little nervous, not sure if it was another rival or a Sparrow Hawk that has been known to visit the area.
The grass is greener on the other side. Actually there is almost no green grass around since we have not had rain for months!!! Anise checks out the sheep that will keep her company while she's at the farm.
Another picture of the squirrel I encountered yesterday. Due to the shade of the tree, this shot was even more difficult to get than the others—hand-held 500mm lens at 1/60s, ISO 800, and still needed to push +1½ stops of exposure when processing the raw. Technical issues aside, I like the cute little ball he makes of himself while eyeing my behaviour suspiciously. =)
Recently i got a call from one of my friend stating that one of my photograph is in website(given below)
www.asiapacifictravel.vn/tours/indochina_travel/india_tou...
I was quite stunned while see that image in a website of a company which is operating from Vietnam, I never expect money for using my photograph but atleast a permission through mail or mobile, even i entered my mobile number in the profile page. I was quite surprised Flickr is almost a giant in web industry don't they have watch dog to monitor such image thefts. I don't know how many of your images are glittering in the websites without your permission.
For you reference find the image below.
Thanks
Raja
Jan 5 005/366
Rassi is a very social cat - He loves attention!!
(I stuck my hand in the picture so I could use it for 365, if I needed to, LOL!!)
Sepp Blatter has a lot to answer for. They say sport is getting competitive, but this is ridiculous. (Seen in Meymott St, Southwark).
Museum of Modern Art De Pont, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
Part of the Museum Behaviour series bit.ly/H0skbp
Behaving to type and following a leader. Sheep are sheared at this time of year to avoid heatstroke and combat parasites. I’m sure ewe knew that already.
Greater Manchester Police has praised the behaviour of visitors to Manchester during a weekend of sport in the city.
On Friday 20 May 2016, the Great City Games saw a number of athletes compete in various events on a purpose-built athletics arena in Albert Square and track on Deansgate.
The following day (21 May 2016) saw Manchester United beat Crystal Palace 2-1 to win the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium, with a number of fans watching the match in public venues throughout Greater Manchester.
The weekend extravaganza concluded on Sunday 22 May 2016 with over 30,000 lining up to take part in the Great Manchester Run before England defeated Turkey 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium in a UEFA Euro 2016 warm-up match in the evening.
The events saw tens of thousands of visitors to the city centre, creating a buzzing and carnival-like atmosphere.
Assistant Chief Constable John O’Hare said: “This has been a fantastic weekend for Manchester and the atmosphere in the city has been superb from start to finish.
“It was great to see so many pictures of smiling faces and people having a good time and I hope everyone who has visited the city this weekend will be going away with some great memories.
“I would like to thank everyone who has played a key role in ensuring that the weekend has been successful.”
For more information about Policing in Greater Manchester please visit www.gmp.police.uk
To report crime call police on 101 the national non-emergency number.
You can also call anonymously with information about crime to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Crimestoppers is an independent charity who will not want your name, just your information. Your call will not be traced or recorded and you do not have to go to court or give a statement.
Museum of Modern Art De Pont, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
More of the Museum Behaviour series bit.ly/H0skbp
I watched a Fries goby dance around the mud in 25m of water in Loch Fyne creating this pattern in an attempt to attract a mate. Its the first time I noticed this unusual behaviour. There is a slender seapen in the bottom right hand corner and at one oclock to act as a sense of scale. The image is a plan view the central bit is slightly raised. Unfortunately the fish noticed I was watching and soon disappeared into a hole
There were lots of bees and wasps on the sunny side of a fountain. I presume they were eating the algae that was growing at the edge of the water rather than drinking the water. Thanks for your comments - so they are drinking the water then.
August 2016
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Here are some photos from my trip to Donna Nook, November 2009. Donna Nook is a place about 20 miles south of Grimsby, Lincolnshire UK on the North Sea coast. Grey Seals come ashore in large numbers to mate and give birth to live young. I've photographed a a few different aspects of seal behaviour.
Aggressive behaviour
This is one of my favourite photos. What do you think of it?