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À l’Ouest du Temps - La forêt de Fangorn *
« Les aventures fantastiques ont rarement une fin. Il y a toujours quelqu’un pour en comprendre les fondements et continuer le récit » (Un sage)
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Je suis retourné à l’Ouest du Temps, là où tout a commencé, à l’orée de la forêt de Fangorn.
Des arbres sombres portant de magnifiques fleurs blanches étendaient leurs longues branches, comme pour marquer, d’un geste de bienvenue, le passage vers les profondeurs de la forêt. Ils auraient pu être de lointains ancêtres de nos pommiers, mais, selon l’histoire locale, ils appartenaient à la civilisation des Ents, la plus vieille de la Terre du Milieu. Ces arbres étaient dotés, croyait-on, d’une forme de « conscience » et d’une mémoire collective remontant aux origines. On racontait qu’ils étaient capables de communiquer entre-eux et avec d’autres espèces et même d’agir ensemble dans l’intérêt commun…
Soudainement, je fus submergé par une marée d’impressions insistantes: de la curiosité, une extrême vigilance, l’écho lointain de zones d’ombres, de blessures béantes au coeur des arbres. Puis, un bruissement soutenu des feuilles me figea sur place avec appréhension. Et, d’une manière que je ne saurais expliquer, j’en compris le sens: « Prend garde en traversant la forêt. Fait preuve de respect envers nous. Et nous t’aideront à trouver le courage d’affronter les mystères et les dangers auxquels tu devras faire face dans le Monde.» (Patrice le Hobbit)
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À l’Est du Temps, le rationalisme moderne a relégué, les récits, les contes, les légendes anciennes y compris les écrits de Tolkien et de bien d’autres grands auteurs, aux domaines de l’imaginaire, de la spiritualité, de la magie pure, du folklore et du divertissement. Comme si, rien de ces écrits n’avait une quelconque résonance avec des savoirs utiles tirés de l’expérience humaine…
Or, des découvertes récentes en neurobiologie, en biologie végétale et en écologie appliquée aux arbres et aux forêts tendent à donner un fondement scientifique à plusieurs mythes anciens à leur sujet: les arbres sont des entités sociales et conscientes, capables d’apprendre, d’interagir et d’évoluer. **
Ce que les Anciens savaient, mais qu’ils ne pouvaient pas exprimer par des mots, plutôt avec des images métaphoriques et poétiques, comme Tolkien - deviennent maintenant un champ de recherche scientifique moderne, périphérique certes, mais courageux et prometteur.
Patrice photographiste, Chroniques du Monde de Poësia
*Forêt mythique de la Terre du Milieu dans le récit du Seigneurs des Anneaux (J.R. R. Tolkien)
** Voir notamment : Peter Wohlleben, (La vie secrète des arbres); Suzanne Simard, (Finding the Mother Tree - Discovering the Wisdom of Forest)
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West of Time: Fangorn Forest *
“Fantasy adventures rarely have an end. There is always someone to understand their foundations and continue the story” (A wise man)
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I have returned to the West of Time, where it all began, at the edge of Fangorn Forest.
Dark trees bearing magnificent white flowers stretched out their long branches, as if to mark, with a welcoming gesture, the passage to the depths of the forest. They might have been distant ancestors of our apple trees, but according to local history they belonged to the Ent civilization, the oldest in Middle-earth. These trees were believed to be endowed with a form of “consciousness” and a collective memory going back to the origins. They were said to be able to communicate with each other and with other species and even to act together in the common interest...
Suddenly, I was overwhelmed by a tide of persistent impressions: curiosity, extreme vigilance, the distant echo of shadowy areas, gaping wounds in the heart of the trees. Then, a steady rustle of leaves froze me in place with apprehension. And, in a way that I cannot explain, I understood the meaning: “Be careful while crossing the forest. Show us respect. And we will help you find the courage to face the mysteries and dangers you will face in the World. (Patrice the Hobbit)
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In the East of Time, modern Rationalism has relegated stories, tales, ancient legends including the writings of Tolkien and many other great authors, to the domains of the imagination, spirituality, pure magic, folklore and entertainment. As is, none of these writings had any resonance with useful knowledge drawn from human experience...
However, recent discoveries in neurobiology, plant biology and ecology applied to trees and forests tend to give a scientific basis to several old myths about them: trees are social and conscious entities, capable of learning, interacting and advancing. **
What the elders knew, but could not express in words, rather in metaphorical and poetic imagery, like Tolkien - now becomes a field of modern scientific research, peripheral indeed, but courageous and promising.
Patrice photographer, Chronicles of the Lands of Poësia
* Mythical forest of Middle-earth in the story of Lord of the Rings (J.R. R. Tolkien)
** See in particular: Peter Wohlleben, (The Hidden Life of Trees, The Secret Wisdom of Nature); Suzanne Simard, (Finding the Mother Tree - Discovering the Wisdom of Forest)
Train head no. 310012 of the TGV Duplex train set no. 4706, that had just arrived from Paris Est with only about half an hour delay... (which was probably accrued in the German part of the trip).
The "Duplex" variant of the French TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse = high-speed train) features bi-level carriages, is manufactured by Alstom and was introduced to increase capacity on busy TGV lines (such as Paris Est - Munich).
This here is the "Euroduplex" variant which is multi-system capable and has a top speed of 320 km/h (=200 mph for the "imperialists").
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission..
Elephants are among the most intelligent of the creatures with whom we share the planet, with complex consciousnesses that are capable of strong emotions. Across Africa they have inspired respect from the people that share the landscape with them, giving them a strong cultural significance. As icons of the continent elephants are tourism magnets, attracting funding that helps protect wilderness areas. They are also keystone species, playing an important role in maintaining the biodiversity of the ecosystems in which they live.
During the dry season, elephants use their tusks to dig for water. This not only allows the elephants to survive in dry environments and when droughts strike, but also provides water for other animals that share harsh habitats.
When forest elephants eat, they create gaps in the vegetation. These gaps allow new plants to grow and create pathways for other smaller animals to use. They are also one of the major ways in which trees disperse their seeds; some species rely entirely upon elephants for seed dispersal.
On the savannahs, elephants feeding on tree sprouts and shrubs help to keep the plains open and able to support the plains game that inhabit these ecosystems.
Wherever they live, elephants leave dung that is full of seeds from the many plants they eat. When this dung is deposited the seeds are sown and grow into new grasses, bushes and trees, boosting the health of the savannah ecosystem.
Sidenote: (This kind of digital art is certainly not one of my strengths, I don't use photoshop so cutting out the model to place into a background wasn't as easy as I thought. I still have much to learn with this but felt proud enough with what I had achieved to publish this with regards to the subject. Elephants face so many more threats than loss of habitat, as do many more wild life species.)
Thankyou in advance for your support, faves, comments and awards!
I do appreciate you all ❤️
Important to know: Iguanas are capable of severely injuring people, other animals and themselves when their body language alerts are not recognized.
Most iguanas clearly signal that trouble is ahead. They nod their head and wave their dewlap side to side. The dewlap is a fold of loose skin that hangs from the neck or throat. First, an extended dewlap is used to say hello to another creature during mating. Second, a threatened iguana may extend its dewlap to intimidate a predator into thinking it is much larger than it is. Third, an extended dewlap may mean the Iguana is trying to adjust its temperature, to catch more sun to warm up or a breeze to cool off.
Parts of an iguana... www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=Up3IVbC...
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami FL
Great Spotted Woodpecker - Dendrocopus Major
The great spotted woodpecker occurs in all types of woodlands and is catholic in its diet, being capable of extracting seeds from pine cones, insect larvae from inside trees or eggs and chicks of other birds from their nests. It breeds in holes excavated in living or dead trees, unlined apart from wood chips. The typical clutch is four to six glossy white eggs. Both parents incubate the eggs, feed the chicks and keep the nest clean. When the young fledge they are fed by the adults for about ten days, each parent taking responsibility for feeding part of the brood.
The great spotted woodpecker occurs in Eurasia from the British Isles to Japan, and in North Africa from Morocco to Tunisia, and it is absent only from those areas too cold or dry to have suitable woodland habitat. It is found in a wide variety of woodlands, broadleaf, coniferous or mixed, and in modified habitats like parks, gardens and olive groves. It occurs from sea-level to the tree line, up to 2,000 m (6,600 ft) in Europe, 2,200 m (7,200 ft) in Morocco and 2,500 m (8,200 ft) in Central Asia.
The great spotted woodpecker became extinct in the island of Ireland in the seventeenth century, due to deforestation, but the island was naturally recolonised by this species, with the first proven nesting in County Down in 2007. Its expansion in range is continuing, with breeding proven or suspected in at least 10 counties by 2013, with the main concentration in Down and County Wicklow. Genetic evidence shows the birds to be of British, rather than Scandinavian, ancestry, with the populations in Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic having separate origins. The great spotted woodpecker was also found to have been nesting in the Isle of Man from 2009.
Population:
UK breeding:
140,000 pairs
Hasselblad solid platinum body.
Eastman Kodak neutrino Boyer Paris lens.
Holga shutter.
Nikon DR-6 right angle viewer.
Interferometric quantum sensor.
Muon G2 mercuric oxide colloidal film.
I have taken my camera building passion to new heights.
Utilizing high energy proton acceleration I managed to create a camera capable of taking photos beyond the constraints of time and space.
Buckler's Hard is a hamlet on the banks of the Beaulieu River in Hampshire. With its Georgian cottages running down to the river, Buckler's Hard is part of the 9,000 acre (3,600 hectare) Beaulieu Estate. The hamlet is some 2.5 miles south of the village of Beaulieu.
Buckler's Hard, originally called Montagu Town, was built by the second Duke of Montagu and was intended to be a free port for trade with the West Indies. Its geography also favoured the development of shipbuilding, as the hamlet possessed access to a sheltered but navigable waterway with gravel banks capable of supporting slipways for vessel construction and launch. Timber for hulls was also readily available from the surrounding New Forest.
Shipbuilding at Buckler's Hard commenced in the early eighteenth century. A private shipyard adjoining the hamlet was established by James Wyatt, a local entrepreneur and timber merchant from Hythe on Southampton Water. Wyatt & Co. won a contract to build the Navy ship HMS Surprise in 1744 and subsequently another, HMS Scorpion, at Buckler's Hard. Henry Adams, a master shipwright, was sent from Deptford Dockyard to Buckler's Hard in 1744 by the Admiralty to oversee the building of these ships by Wyatt & Co. After the completion of the initial ships by Wyatt, Buckler's Hard grew to national prominence under Henry Adams and won subsequent Royal Navy contracts. Over the following sixty years, Adams would supervise the building of 43 Royal Navy ships at Buckler's Hard, including three that fought at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805: HMS Euryalus, HMS Swiftsure, and HMS Agamemnon.
Shipbuilding at Buckler's Hard declined in the nineteenth century. During World War II, the village was used to build motor torpedo boats and the river was a base for hundreds of landing craft for the Normandy invasion, Operation Overlord. Today the hamlet is given over to tourism, with a maritime museum and a modern yachting marina. Buckler's Hard was where Sir Francis Chichester began and finished his solo voyage around the world in the Gipsy Moth IV.
Le martin-pêcheur est solitaire. Dès les mois de janvier, février, le mâle offre un poisson à la femelle et la saison des amours commence... Après avoir été couvé pendant une vingtaine de jours, les œuf éclosent. Les poussins naissent nus et aveugles. C'est au bout de 10 jours que les oiseaux revêtent leurs plumes. Chaque membre de la nichée est capable d'avaler 15 poissons par jour. Pour les parents, ce n'est pas de tout repos ! 25 jours après éclosion, les petits sont capables de voler. Progressivement, ils sortiront du nid, ne seront plus nourris par leurs parents et comprendront qu'ils ne sont plus les bienvenus sur ce territoire. Ils chercheront donc un nouveau plan d'eau pour s'y installer. Un couple peut élever 2 ou 3 couvées par an.
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The kingfisher is solitary. As early as January, February, the male offers a fish to the female and the mating season begins ... After being hatched for about twenty days, the eggs hatch. Chicks are born naked and blind. It is after 10 days that the birds put on their feathers. Each member of the brood is able to swallow 15 fish per day. For parents, it's not easy! 25 days after hatching, the young are able to fly. Gradually, they will come out of the nest, will no longer be fed by their parents and will understand that they are no longer welcome on this territory. They will therefore seek a new water to settle there. A couple can raise 2 or 3 broods a year.
The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is a large cat native to Africa and central Iran. It is the fastest land animal, estimated to be capable of running at 80 to 128 km/h (50 to 80 mph) with the fastest reliably recorded speeds being 93 and 98 km/h (58 and 61 mph), and as such has several adaptations for speed, including a light build, long thin legs and a long tail. It typically reaches 67–94 cm (26–37 in) at the shoulder, and the head-and-body length is between 1.1 and 1.5 m (3.6 and 4.9 ft). Adults weigh between 20 and 65 kg (44 and 143 lb). Its head is small, rounded, and has a short snout and black tear-like facial streaks. The coat is typically tawny to creamy white or pale buff and is mostly covered with evenly spaced, solid black spots. Four subspecies are recognised.
More gregarious than many other cats, the cheetah has three main social groups—females and their cubs, male "coalitions" and solitary males. While females lead a nomadic life searching for prey in large home ranges, males are more sedentary and may instead establish much smaller territories in areas with plentiful prey and access to females.
The cheetah is active mainly during the day and hunting is its major preoccupation, with peaks during dawn and dusk. It feeds on small- to medium-sized prey, mostly weighing under 40 kg (88 lb), and prefers medium-sized ungulates such as impala, springbok and Thomson's gazelles.
The cheetah occurs in a variety of habitats such as savannahs in the Serengeti, arid mountain ranges in the Sahara and hilly desert terrain in Iran. The cheetah is threatened by several factors such as habitat loss, conflict with humans, poaching and high susceptibility to diseases. Earlier ranging throughout most of Sub-Saharan Africa and extending eastward into the Middle East up to the Indian subcontinent, the cheetah is now distributed mainly in small, fragmented populations in central Iran and southern, eastern and northwestern Africa. In 2016, the global cheetah population was estimated at around 7,100 individuals in the wild; it is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. In the past, cheetahs used to be tamed and trained for hunting ungulates. They have been widely depicted in art, literature, advertising, and animation.
Kites are large., powerful., Stunningly beautiful
And...
Arguably capable of unequalled aerobatics
For a photographer (even an amteur one like me) capturing that fact in a single shot represents something of a challenge
And just as a by-the-way., no this wasn't taken at any Kite feeding station
Not really: the Commandant Charcot is an icebreaker capable of cruising through 2 meters thick annual ice…
© 2021 Jacques de Selliers. All rights reserved.
For reproduction rights, see www.deselliers.info/en/copyright.htm.
Photo ref: jz6_2437-ps3-Antarctic
Kruger National Park 2022
Sea Eagle is sedentary. It's a fish eagle. It lives in pairs near watercourses. Very lively and agile, it is quite capable of performing bold aerial maneuvers, and will not hesitate to dive completely into the water to catch a fish. It hunts from a perch, usually a tall tree near water from where it can survey the area. It performs a gentle descending approach, and throws its talons forward almost stopping its flight to seize its prey, usually about six inches below the surface. It can catch fish of more than one kg, and sometimes up to 3 kg. But beyond 2.5 kg, it cannot take it in flight. It then glides along the water to the shore, pulling it .
Le pygargue vocifère est sédentaire. C’est un aigle pêcheur. Il vit en couple près des cours d’eau. Très vif et agile, il est tout à fait capable d’effectuer des manœuvres aériennes hardies, et n’hésitera pas à plonger totalement dans l’eau pour capturer un poisson. Il chasse en démarrant d’un perchoir, en général un grand arbre près de l’eau d’où il peut surveiller les lieux. Il effectue une approche en descente douce, et lance ses serres vers l’avant en stoppant presque son vol pour saisir sa proie, habituellement à une quinzaine de centimètres sous la surface. Il peut capturer des poissons de plus de un kg, et parfois jusqu’à 3 kg. Mais au-delà de 2,5 kg, il ne peut pas l’emporter en vol. Il plane alors au ras de l’eau jusqu’à la rive en le tirant.
Professional fishing boat
Motor type
inboard
Length
11.3 m (37'00")
Passenger capacity
4 unit
High Speed, High Capacity & High Quality! The Cleopatra 38 is probably the most capable vessel in it's class. The Cleopatra 38 is a high speed, high quality workboat, designed to meet the exacting standards of professional fisherman working in the harsh conditions of the North Atlantic Ocean. Like her smaller sister, it is built according to the regulations set by the Nordic Boat Standard. Giving stability, comfort, speed, huge weight carrying capacity and superb seaworthiness!
Short: Sport Kalback
Shirt: KARNAK- basketball
Sneakers: Semller - Scallop Black & White
Pose: Basketball 1. Bento
Great Spotted Woodpecker - Dendrocopus Major
The great spotted woodpecker occurs in all types of woodlands and is catholic in its diet, being capable of extracting seeds from pine cones, insect larvae from inside trees or eggs and chicks of other birds from their nests. It breeds in holes excavated in living or dead trees, unlined apart from wood chips. The typical clutch is four to six glossy white eggs. Both parents incubate the eggs, feed the chicks and keep the nest clean. When the young fledge they are fed by the adults for about ten days, each parent taking responsibility for feeding part of the brood.
The great spotted woodpecker occurs in Eurasia from the British Isles to Japan, and in North Africa from Morocco to Tunisia, and it is absent only from those areas too cold or dry to have suitable woodland habitat. It is found in a wide variety of woodlands, broadleaf, coniferous or mixed, and in modified habitats like parks, gardens and olive groves. It occurs from sea-level to the tree line, up to 2,000 m (6,600 ft) in Europe, 2,200 m (7,200 ft) in Morocco and 2,500 m (8,200 ft) in Central Asia.
The great spotted woodpecker became extinct in the island of Ireland in the seventeenth century, due to deforestation, but the island was naturally recolonised by this species, with the first proven nesting in County Down in 2007. Its expansion in range is continuing, with breeding proven or suspected in at least 10 counties by 2013, with the main concentration in Down and County Wicklow. Genetic evidence shows the birds to be of British, rather than Scandinavian, ancestry, with the populations in Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic having separate origins. The great spotted woodpecker was also found to have been nesting in the Isle of Man from 2009.
Population:
UK breeding:
140,000 pairs
Inspired by roleplay , music and personal interest. :)
Been silent in uploading pictures but we all know how busy things can get next to SL and PS right? I wish I had some telekinesis here!!! ;p
Epic Battle Music : www.youtube.com/watch?v=usVMVjRTMGQ
Passengers and crew aboard the 7.15am Pilibhit - Izatnagar service (train 52208) standing at Shahi station keep a watchful eye out for the through express due imminently, and which needs to clear the single line section before they can proceed with their journey.
They shouldn't have long to wait however - the two green signals glowing through the morning mist indicate the train is expected anytime now. And anycase you'll usually hear it well before you see it, the almost continuous sounding horn announcing its presence well in advance of the station.
I crouched down to give the shot a bit more impact, and the tele-lens does its best to emphasise the rickety permanent way - a typical feature of metre-gauge lines, and one of the reasons work is underway to convert to the more capable and higher capacity broad-gauge system. In fact work on the new BG platform face can be seen at right - rather more substantial than the inconsequential step from platform to track out of sight on the left that typifies the MG system.
The member of station staff stood by the steps and post is carrying the obligatory rolled-up red and green flags - he'll wave the green one as the train approaches to indicate the line is clear through the station. It also looks like he's carrying the single line token for the section to Pilibhit, which the train crew will collect as they pass through at ‘speed’ - I'm guessing around 40-45mph.
The other folk walking along the running track, and the gent with the cycle crossing in the distance, all seem pretty relaxed so presumably the express was still some way off! For the record the YDM-4 loco in close up is unit 6515.
Best viewed full-screen. Commenting off for this one, thanks.
7.33am, 12th October 2015
Sparrowhawk - (M) Accipiter Nisus
Double click to view
Though it is a predator which specialises in catching woodland birds, the Eurasian sparrowhawk can be found in any habitat and often hunts garden birds in towns and cities. Males tend to take smaller birds, including tits, finches, and sparrows; females catch primarily thrushes and starlings, but are capable of killing birds weighing 500 g (18 oz) or more.
The Eurasian sparrowhawk is found throughout the temperate and subtropical parts of the Old World; while birds from the northern parts of the range migrate south for winter, their southern counterparts remain resident or make dispersive movements. Eurasian sparrowhawks breed in suitable woodland of any type, with the nest, measuring up to 60 cm (2.0 ft) across, built using twigs in a tree. Four or five pale blue, brown-spotted eggs are laid; the success of the breeding attempt is dependent on the female maintaining a high weight while the male brings her food. The chicks hatch after 33 days and fledge after 24 to 28 days.
The probability of a juvenile surviving its first year is 34%, with 69% of adults surviving from one year to the next. Mortality in young males is greater than that of young females and the typical lifespan is four years. This species is now one of the most common birds of prey in Europe, although the population crashed after the Second World War. Organochlorine insecticides used to treat seeds before sowing built up in the bird population, and the concentrations in Eurasian sparrowhawks were enough to kill some outright and incapacitate others; affected birds laid eggs with fragile shells which broke during incubation. However, its population recovered after the chemicals were banned, and it is now relatively common, classified as being of Least Concern by BirdLife International.
The Eurasian sparrowhawk's hunting behaviour has brought it into conflict with humans for hundreds of years, particularly racing pigeon owners and people rearing poultry and gamebirds. It has also been blamed for decreases in passerine populations. The increase in population of the Eurasian Sparrowhawk coincides with the decline in House Sparrows in Britain. Studies of racing pigeon deaths found that Eurasian sparrowhawks were responsible for less than 1%. Falconers have utilised the Eurasian sparrowhawk since at least the 16th century; although the species has a reputation for being difficult to train, it is also praised for its courage. The species features in Teutonic mythology and is mentioned in works by writers including William Shakespeare, Alfred, Lord Tennyson and Ted Hughes.
Male Eurasian sparrowhawks regularly kill birds weighing up to 40 g (1.4 oz) and sometimes up to 120 g (4.2 oz); females can tackle prey up to 500 g (18 oz) or more. The weight of food consumed by adult birds daily is estimated to be 40–50 g (1.4–1.8 oz) for males and 50–70 g (1.8–2.5 oz) for females. During one year, a pair of Eurasian sparrowhawks could take 2,200 house sparrows, 600 common blackbirds or 110 wood pigeons. Species that feed in the open, far from cover, or are conspicuous by their behaviour or coloration, are taken more often by Eurasian sparrowhawks. For example, great tits and house sparrows are vulnerable to attack. Eurasian sparrowhawks may account for more than 50% of deaths in certain species, but the extent varies from area to area.
Males tend to take tits, finches, sparrows and buntings; females often take thrushes and starlings. Larger quarry (such as doves and magpies) may not die immediately but succumb during feather plucking and eating. More than 120 bird species have been recorded as prey and individual Eurasian sparrowhawks may specialise in certain prey. The birds taken are usually adults or fledglings, though chicks in the nest and carrion are sometimes eaten. Small mammals, including bats, are sometimes caught but insects are eaten only very rarely.
The Nankeen Kestrel is one of the smallest falcons in the world. About the size of a pigeon. The only birds of prey capable of hovering.
It’s also one of just two types of raptor in the country to hunt using suspension – not speed.
Instead of beating their wings at hyperspeed like hummingbirds, kestrels face into the wind, and use its power to hold them in place as they scout. They are able to achieve this by developing stiffer feathers to withstand bending than other falcons.
www.australiangeographic.com.au/blogs/creatura-blog/2019/...
I took this image at Winton Wetlands where the sun caught the wing feathers, making them shine like copper. I am lucky enough to have them around where I live due to the presence of remnant grasslands so regularly get to see them hunt and hover.
Pinus canariensis The Canary Island pine is capable of rising from the ashes like a phoenix. Formerly, due to its valuable tea wood, the man exploited the pine forests, but today they are mainly used for recreation.
Pinus canariensis
El pino canario es capaz de resurgir de las cenizas al igual que un ave fénix. Antiguamente, debido a su valiosa madera de tea, el hombre explotó los pinares, pero hoy en día sirven principalmente para la recreación.
Peafowl is a common name for three species of birds in the genera Pavo and Afropavo of the family Phasianidae, the pheasants and their allies. Male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and female peafowl as peahens. Male peafowl are known for their piercing calls and their extravagant plumage, which is especially prominent in the Asiatic species, which have an eye-spotted 'tail' or 'train' of covert feathers, which they display as part of a courtship ritual.
Despite the length and size of the covert feathers, the peacock is still capable of flight. The peafowl lives mainly on the ground in open forests or on cultivable lands where it forages for berries and grains, and also preys on snakes, lizards and small rodents. It makes loud calls, which makes it easier to detect, and are often used to indicate the presence of a predator in the forest areas. It forages on the ground in small groups and usually escapes on foot through undergrowth and avoids flying, though it flies into tall trees to roost. 12769
This is a variation on the previous photo I posted, shot from a higher POV using my drone. I like this better, except for the resolution and dynamic range. I wish my tiny 250 gram drone was capable of carrying my DSLR 😂
The Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) is a member of the dove family (Columbidae). The bird is also called the American Mourning Dove or Rain Dove, and formerly was known as the Carolina Pigeon or Carolina Turtledove. It is one of the most abundant and widespread of all North American birds. In warm areas, one pair may raise up to six broods a year. Its plaintive woo-oo-oo-oo call gives the bird its name. The wings can make an unusual whistling sound upon take-off and landing, and the bird is a strong flier, capable of speeds up to 88 km/h (55 mph).
Happy Bokeh Wednesday everyone!!!
I love to feel the power of nature or just to see and guess what it is capable of. Even if she is quite capable of worrying me a lot at times, because I am aware that I cannot do anything, absolutely nothing, to counter her.
It was the same here on the wet and slippery rocks on the banks of the Hubelj Waterfall in Slovenia, which I had only recently discovered by accident. During a rest I heard his noise from afar and then followed it.
And now I'm standing here and trying to squeeze this unbridled force into a picture while the masses of water raced past me with a loud roar (without slipping or accidentally knocking my camera into the river). An almost hopeless undertaking because you simply have to experience something like this yourself.
Ich liebe es die Kraft der Natur zu spüren oder auch nur zu sehen und zu erahnen wozu sie in der Lage ist. Auch wenn sie durchaus in der Lage ist mich zeitweise sehr zu beunruhigen, da ich mir bewusst bin Ihr nichts, aber auch garnichts entgegen setzen zu können.
So war es auch hier auf den nassen und rutschigen Felsen am Ufer des Hubelj Wasserfalls in Slowenien den ich kurz zuvor nur durch Zufall entdeckt hatte. Bei einer Rast habe ich von Weitem sein Rauschen gehört und bin diesem dann gefolgt.
Und nun stehe ich hier und versuche diese ungebändigte Kraft in ein Bild zu zwängen während die Wassermassen mit lautem Toben an mir vorrüber rassen (ohne abzurutschen oder meine Kamera versehentlich in den Fluß zu stoßen). Ein schier aussichtsloses Unterfangen denn so etwas muss man einfach selbst erleben.
more of this on my website at: www.shoot-to-catch.de
"Do you ever watch the sunset
And just sit and think about things
Just you and the sky and darkness
Giving your thoughts some wings
Sunset beauty makes you feel as though
Your life has meaning after all
To see a sight so extraordinary
Makes you feel capable, strong and tall
The serenity gives you a chance
To put things in perspective
Life can be overwhelming at times
And a sunset can be reflective
So when the sky lights up next time
Let your gaze do some drinking
Soak up all the amazing sights
And do some sunset thinking!
Sunset Thinking"
-Marilyn Lott
A capture I took just as darkness fell across towards the mountains with the lights from the town beyond the trees polluting the sky (but helping me with some extra drama and light).
The Dornier Do 31 is an experimental vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) jet-propelled transport designed and produced by West German aircraft manufacturer Dornier.
The development of the Do 31 was motivated principally by heavy interest expressed by the German Air Force in the acquisition of short take-off and vertical landing aircraft (STOVL)-capable aircraft. Such ambitions received a further boost from the issuing of NATO specification NBMR-4, which called for a VTOL-capable tactical support aircraft that would be operated in conjunction with the EWR VJ 101, a West German VTOL strike aircraft designed under the NATO contract of BMR-3. A total of three aircraft, two flight-capable and one static airframe, were constructed and used for testing. On 10 February 1967, the Do 31 performed its maiden flight; the first hovering flight of the type took place during July 1967.
In addition to performing test flights, Dornier often demonstrated the Do 31 prototypes to officials and the general public, such as at the 1969 Paris Air Show. Several world records were set by the type during its limited flying career. When the high cost, technical and logistical difficulties of operating such an aircraft were realized, the German Air Force opted to cease trials involving VTOL aircraft, such as the Do 31, VJ101, and the later VFW VAK 191B. In the face of limited sales prospects and a lack of state support, the Do 31 and other VTOL projects lingered as research projects for a time prior to their manufacturers abandoning all activity. The Do 31 remains the only VTOL-capable jet-powered transport aircraft to ever fly.
Lieu : What's lost Spirits maps.secondlife.com/secondlife
/Whats%20Lost%20Spirits/47/...
- Why are you in the shadows?
- we are the different
- the different ones?
- yes, the ones that nobody wants to see, the ugly ones, the dented
ones, the failed, the incomplete ,that are not the right kind
- how sad it is...
- What can I do to help you?
- tell our story, tell them that the difference is not a fatality,
that we too are capable of being among you.
Sparrowhawk - (F) Accipiter Nisus
Double click to view
Though it is a predator which specialises in catching woodland birds, the Eurasian sparrowhawk can be found in any habitat and often hunts garden birds in towns and cities. Males tend to take smaller birds, including tits, finches, and sparrows; females catch primarily thrushes and starlings, but are capable of killing birds weighing 500 g (18 oz) or more.
The Eurasian sparrowhawk is found throughout the temperate and subtropical parts of the Old World; while birds from the northern parts of the range migrate south for winter, their southern counterparts remain resident or make dispersive movements. Eurasian sparrowhawks breed in suitable woodland of any type, with the nest, measuring up to 60 cm (2.0 ft) across, built using twigs in a tree. Four or five pale blue, brown-spotted eggs are laid; the success of the breeding attempt is dependent on the female maintaining a high weight while the male brings her food. The chicks hatch after 33 days and fledge after 24 to 28 days.
The probability of a juvenile surviving its first year is 34%, with 69% of adults surviving from one year to the next. Mortality in young males is greater than that of young females and the typical lifespan is four years. This species is now one of the most common birds of prey in Europe, although the population crashed after the Second World War. Organochlorine insecticides used to treat seeds before sowing built up in the bird population, and the concentrations in Eurasian sparrowhawks were enough to kill some outright and incapacitate others; affected birds laid eggs with fragile shells which broke during incubation. However, its population recovered after the chemicals were banned, and it is now relatively common, classified as being of Least Concern by BirdLife International.
The Eurasian sparrowhawk's hunting behaviour has brought it into conflict with humans for hundreds of years, particularly racing pigeon owners and people rearing poultry and gamebirds. It has also been blamed for decreases in passerine populations. The increase in population of the Eurasian Sparrowhawk coincides with the decline in House Sparrows in Britain. Studies of racing pigeon deaths found that Eurasian sparrowhawks were responsible for less than 1%. Falconers have utilised the Eurasian sparrowhawk since at least the 16th century; although the species has a reputation for being difficult to train, it is also praised for its courage. The species features in Teutonic mythology and is mentioned in works by writers including William Shakespeare, Alfred, Lord Tennyson and Ted Hughes.
Male Eurasian sparrowhawks regularly kill birds weighing up to 40 g (1.4 oz) and sometimes up to 120 g (4.2 oz); females can tackle prey up to 500 g (18 oz) or more. The weight of food consumed by adult birds daily is estimated to be 40–50 g (1.4–1.8 oz) for males and 50–70 g (1.8–2.5 oz) for females. During one year, a pair of Eurasian sparrowhawks could take 2,200 house sparrows, 600 common blackbirds or 110 wood pigeons. Species that feed in the open, far from cover, or are conspicuous by their behaviour or coloration, are taken more often by Eurasian sparrowhawks. For example, great tits and house sparrows are vulnerable to attack. Eurasian sparrowhawks may account for more than 50% of deaths in certain species, but the extent varies from area to area.
Males tend to take tits, finches, sparrows and buntings; females often take thrushes and starlings. Larger quarry (such as doves and magpies) may not die immediately but succumb during feather plucking and eating. More than 120 bird species have been recorded as prey and individual Eurasian sparrowhawks may specialise in certain prey. The birds taken are usually adults or fledglings, though chicks in the nest and carrion are sometimes eaten. Small mammals, including bats, are sometimes caught but insects are eaten only very rarely.
A Goldenrod crab spider (Misumena vatia), missing her two left front appendages, but still able to put food on the table.
3rd Arachtober/21.
PLEASE: Do not post any comment graphics, they will be deleted. See info in my bio.
Small presents are retaining the friendship and strengthen the connection. This is not only applying for us humans but also for this beautiful couple of bee-eaters. Even if the lady is for sure capable to take care for herself, the young man is bringing his beloved a little snack from time to time.
This is reminding me of times when young man were climbing on balconies only to give the woman of their dreams a bunch of self picked wild flowers. Today, You get some emojis at Instagram. I think this is not quite the same.
Kleine Geschenke erhalten die Freundschaft und stärken die Verbindung. Dies gilt nicht nur für uns Menschen sondern auch für dieses wunderschöne Bienenfresser Pärchen. Obwohl die Dame durchaus in der Lage ist selbst für sich zu sorgen, bringt der Jüngling seiner Geliebten von Zeit zu Zeit einen Imiss vorbei.
Das erinnert an Zeiten, als die jungen Männer auf Balkone geklettert sind, nur um der Frau ihrer Träume einen selbst gepflückten Strauß Wildblumen zu überreichen. Heute gibt es ein paar Emojis auf Instagram. Ich finde, dass ist nicht ganz das gleiche.
more of this on my website at: www.shoot-to-catch.de
Eddy's 55-300 PLM lens in the park. A beautifully capable bit of glass in a small package. Lovely to have the chance to try out this one.
Le Grèbe huppé niche entre avril et juillet. À cette époque, les adultes portent une double huppe et des oreillettes brunes encadrant la tête. Lors de la parade nuptiale complexe, le mâle et la femelle se font face et dressent le cou. Il nagent de concert, se frottent le cou tout en émettant des cris sonores, plongent puis réapparaissent, l'un des deux présentant des algues à l'autre. Le couple s'immobilise, poitrine contre poitrine, et chaque oiseau tourne la tête d'un côté puis de l'autre. Ce manège peut se perpétuer même lorsque les grèbes sont occupés à la construction du nid. Ce dernier est constitué principalement d'algues . Il peut reposer sur un fond vaseux mais il est conçu en principe pour affleurer la surface. Il peut également flotter mais il est alors arrimé à une souche ou à un paquet de végétaux entremêlés. Les adultes en garnissent la coupe peu profonde de végétaux qui servent à recouvrir les œufs si les adultes s'absentent du nid. La ponte est composée de 3 à 6 œufs blancs qui virent ensuite au brun et deviennent de ce fait plus discrets. Les adultes couvent en se relayant toutes les quelques heures. L'éclosion intervient au bout de 28 jours. Les jeunes sont capables de nager aussitôt mais ils restent dépendants de leurs parents plusieurs semaines.
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The Great Crested Grebe nestles between April and July. At this time, adults wear a double crest and brown atria framing the head. During the complex courtship, the male and the female face each other and raise the neck. They swim together, rub their necks while emitting loud cries, dive and then reappear, one of them having algae to another. The couple stands still, chest to chest, and each bird turns its head on one side then the other. This ride can continue even when grebes are busy building the nest. The latter consists mainly of algae. It can rest on a muddy bottom but it is designed in principle to be flush with the surface. It can also float but is then stowed to a stump or a bundle of plants intermingled. Adults fill the shallow cut of plants that cover the eggs if adults are absent from the nest. The egg is composed of 3 to 6 white eggs which turn brown then become more discreet. Adult convent by taking turns every few hours. The hatching occurs after 28 days. The young are able to swim immediately but remain dependent on their parents for several weeks.
Backwater Reservoir is a reservoir in north west Angus, Scotland. The reservoir's sole purpose is to provide drinking water, and as such, it supplies Angus, Dundee, and parts of Perth and Kinross. Backwater, together with the smaller Lintrathen Reservoir 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) to the south, is capable of supplying some 300,000 people with drinking water.
The project was initiated by the Dundee Corporation Waterworks in 1964 and absorbed into the newly created East of Scotland Water Board in 1968, before final completion and the official opening by Queen Elizabeth II on 9 October 1969.
Scottish Water are the present owners and operators of the reservoir, following the amalgamation of the East of Scotland Water Authority with the West of Scotland and North of Scotland Water Authorities to form a single company. Scottish Water is owned by the Scottish Government.
The dam is an embankment type, measuring 42.6 metres high by 570 metres long. The reservoir extends for 3 kilometres behind the dam and has a peak capacity of 24.55 million cubic metres (867×106 cu ft). An unclassified road runs across the spillway and embankment before following the east bank of the reservoir. This road runs for a further 2 kilometres before coming to an end. The dam was the first in Britain to use chemical grouting to create a waterproof barrier below the embankment.
Balfour Beatty constructed the embankment and ancillary works. Soil Mechanics and Bachy Soletanche were responsible for the chemical grouting and for tunnelling work. Consulting engineer was Babtie, Shaw and Morton.
Backwater Reservoir is located within Glen Isla.
Peafowl is a common name for three bird species in the genera Pavo and Afropavo of the family Phasianidae, the pheasants and their allies. Male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and female peafowl as peahens. Male peafowl are known for their piercing calls and their extravagant plumage, which is especially prominent in the Asiatic species, which have an eye-spotted 'tail' or 'train' of covert feathers, which they display as part of a courtship ritual.
Despite the length and size of the covert feathers, the peacock is still capable of flight. The peafowl lives mainly on the ground in open forests or on cultivable lands where it forages for berries and grains, and also preys on snakes, lizards and small rodents. It makes loud calls, which makes it easier to detect, and are often used to indicate the presence of a predator in the forest areas. It forages on the ground in small groups and usually escapes on foot through undergrowth and avoids flying, though it flies into tall trees to roost. 12715
25th September 2014 - Hawker Hurricane Mk IIB BE505 of the Hangar 11 Collection performs a flighpast in the capable hands of Tony Ditheridge at the annual Southport Airshow.
This is the only flying example of the 'Hurri-bomber' and is one of only 12 Hurricanes in flyable condition throughout the world.
The history of this aircraft is one which begins at the Canadian Car & Foundry Company factory in 1942 as construction number: CCF/R20023. CCF produced some 1,451 Hurricanes under license in the early years of World War II. On completion this Hurricane joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and served as a home based fighter for the duration of the war. At the end of her military service she was refurbished to 'as new' condition and then sold off to the private sector, as were most surviving RCAF Hurricanes at that time. Many became much needed 'hardware stores' donating their parts to keep the tractors and machinery running on the many enormous farms of the Canadian prairie. Our aircraft was lucky and remained substantially whole, re-discovered by Tony Ditheridge in Canada in the 1990's with most major components intact. Returning to the UK, restoration work began in earnest in 2005 at Hawker Restorations facility in Suffolk. The comprehensive restoration was completed in January 2009 and saw this rare Hurricane rolled out in her fighter-bomber configuration resplendent in the markings of BE505, a Manston based Mk IIB operated by 174 (Mauritius) Squadron in spring, 1942. Her first post-restoration flight took place from North Weald on January 27, 2009.
This one let me get closer!
Important to know: Iguanas are capable of severely injuring people, other animals and themselves when their body language signals are not recognized. Most iguanas clearly sign that trouble is ahead. They nod their head and wave their dewlap side to side. The dewlap is a fold of loose skin hanging from the neck or throat of an animal, such as a cow.
Iguanas use their dewlap to communicate. First, an extended dewlap can simply be a greeting, away to say hello to another creature during mating but most generally as a territorial sign. Second, it can be a form of protection. A threatened iguana may extend its dewlap to intimidate a predator into thinking it is much larger than it is. Third, an extended dewlap may be a sign that the iguana is trying to adjust its temperature. An extended dewlap on an iguana basking in the sun is quite normal. It may be catching more sun to warm up or a breeze to cool off. So it's important to see "the big picture" when reading Iguana body language.
Parts of an iguana... www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=Up3IVbC...
Biscayne Park FL
Important to know: Iguanas are capable of severely injuring people, other animals and themselves when their body language alerts are not recognized.
Most iguanas clearly signal that trouble is ahead. They nod their head and wave their dewlap side to side. The dewlap is a fold of loose skin that hangs from the neck or throat. First, an extended dewlap is used to say hello to another creature during mating. Second, a threatened iguana may extend its dewlap to intimidate a predator into thinking it is much larger than it is. Third, an extended dewlap may mean the Iguana is trying to adjust its temperature, to catch more sun to warm up or a breeze to cool off.
Parts of an iguana... www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=Up3IVbC...
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami FL
The Dornier Do 31 is an experimental vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) jet-propelled transport designed and produced by West German aircraft manufacturer Dornier.
The development of the Do 31 was motivated principally by heavy interest expressed by the German Air Force in the acquisition of short take-off and vertical landing aircraft (STOVL)-capable aircraft. Such ambitions received a further boost from the issuing of NATO specification NBMR-4, which called for a VTOL-capable tactical support aircraft that would be operated in conjunction with the EWR VJ 101, a West German VTOL strike aircraft designed under the NATO contract of BMR-3. A total of three aircraft, two flight-capable and one static airframe, were constructed and used for testing. On 10 February 1967, the Do 31 performed its maiden flight; the first hovering flight of the type took place during July 1967.
In addition to performing test flights, Dornier often demonstrated the Do 31 prototypes to officials and the general public, such as at the 1969 Paris Air Show. Several world records were set by the type during its limited flying career. When the high cost, technical and logistical difficulties of operating such an aircraft were realized, the German Air Force opted to cease trials involving VTOL aircraft, such as the Do 31, VJ101, and the later VFW VAK 191B. In the face of limited sales prospects and a lack of state support, the Do 31 and other VTOL projects lingered as research projects for a time prior to their manufacturers abandoning all activity. The Do 31 remains the only VTOL-capable jet-powered transport aircraft to ever fly.
Well he / she looks a bit angry to me.
Short Eared Owl taken in very low light on a cloudy day after a long and mostly fruitless search. Then the gods smiled on me - briefly.
Pushing the RF800mm lens to the limit of what it is capable of (as I coudln't face lugging the 600/4 round all day). Had the shutter speed as low as humanly possible to try and keep the ISO down, also underexposing. The purple tinge in the background is not me being judicious with Photoshop - just the colour change in late afternoon and low light.
Thankfully the R5 silent shutter mode didn't scare the owl away, but it was still keeping an eye on me, probably wondering what I was doing hiding in the undergrowth.
I have used Topaz on the background noise, but no sharpening on the bird itself (as it looked nasty when I tried it). Sometimes you need to know when not to sharpen!
The plumage of most kingfishers is bright, with green and blue being the most common colours. The brightness of the colours is neither the product of iridescence or pigments, but is instead caused by the structure of the feathers, which causes scattering of blue light (the Tyndall effect).
The kingfishers have long, dagger-like bills. The bill is usually longer and more compressed in species that hunt fish, and shorter and more broad in species that hunt prey off the ground. The largest and most atypical bill is that of the shovel-billed kookaburra, which is used to dig through the forest floor in search of prey. They generally have short legs, although species that feed on the ground have longer tarsi. Most species have four toes, three of which are forward-pointing.
The irises of most species are dark brown. The kingfishers have excellent vision; they are capable of binocular vision and are thought in particular to have good colour vision. They have restricted movement of their eyes within the eye sockets, instead using head movements to track prey. In addition, they are capable of compensating for the refraction of water and reflection when hunting prey underwater, and are able to judge depth under water accurately. They also have nictitating membranes that cover the eyes to protect them when they hit the water; the pied kingfisher has a bony plate which slides across the eye when it hits the water.
*Just BECAUSE* Genevieve Dress @Uber maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Uber/158/159/22
fitted mesh for Maitreya Lara, Legacy, and Reborn.
Important to know: Iguanas are capable of severely injuring people, other animals and themselves when their body language signals are not recognized. Most iguanas clearly sign that trouble is ahead. They nod their head and wave their dewlap side to side. The dewlap is a fold of loose skin hanging from the neck or throat of an animal, such as a cow.
Iguanas use their dewlap to communicate. First, an extended dewlap can simply be a greeting, away to say hello to another creature during mating but most generally as a territorial sign. Second, it can be a form of protection. A threatened iguana may extend its dewlap to intimidate a predator into thinking it is much larger than it is. Third, an extended dewlap may be a sign that the iguana is trying to adjust its temperature. An extended dewlap on an iguana basking in the sun is quite normal. It may be catching more sun to warm up or a breeze to cool off. So it's important to see "the big picture" when reading Iguana body language.
Parts of an iguana... www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=Up3IVbC...
Biscayne Park FL
Long Eared Owl - Asio Otus
Double click to view
Long-eared owls inhabit dense vegetation close to grasslands, as well as open forests shrub lands. They are common in tree belts along streams of plains and even desert oases. They can also be found in small tree groves, thickets surrounded by wetlands, grasslands, marshes and farmlands,
It nests in trees, often conifers using old sticks from other nest. Breeding season is from February to July, average clutch 4-6 eggs and the incubation time averages 25-30 days. Owlets begin to explore the nest and close branches around 3 weeks and are capable of flight from 5 weeks, they still rely on being fed for up to 2 months. Long-eared owls usually begin breeding at 1 year.