Polyommatus icarus is the most common and widespread member of the family Lycaenidae and is found throughout Europe, North Africa and Asia. Its habitat includes various environments like flowery meadows, heathland, woodland clearings, grassland and even along railroad tracks. There may be 2 or 3 generations depending on climatic conditions.

LaSalle

Par temps froids, dans les environs des rapides de Lachine, Il se dégage du fleuve une brume qui se cristalise et se dépose en cristaux sur la végétation. Ce qui donne lieu à des paysages féériques, sous un éclairage bien particulier, surtout lorsque le soleil parvient à passer dans la brume dense.

Cold weater and very specific climatic conditions create a type of feathery frost by very cold days, on the river banks in the area of the Lachine rapids. The scenery is magical! especially when the sun makes its way through the fog.

Schluchsee, Baden-Württemberg, Deutschland.

El Schluchsee es el lago más grande de la Selva Negra y un balneario climático situado a una altitud de entre 930 y 1300 m.

Un paraíso para los amantes del senderismo, de los deportes acuáticos, del ciclismo de montaña y, por supuesto, de la naturaleza. Alrededor del lago Schluchsee se encuentran las montañas de la Selva Negra con sus impresionantes abetos. En el mismo Schluchsee encontrará una amplia oferta de ocio con numerosos eventos, una gran zona comercial y una variada oferta de restaurantes. El limpio lago de la Selva Negra es un auténtico El Dorado para los amantes de los deportes acuáticos. Vela, remo, surf e incluso buceo: en Schluchsee encontrarás las mejores condiciones. ¿O le gustaría conocer el lago Schluchsee en un paseo en barco? El sendero junto al lago también es muy popular para pasear en bicicleta o caminar alrededor del lago. A lo largo del camino hay muchos lugares románticos para instalarse en la orilla del lago.

Schluchsee is the largest lake in the Black Forest and a climatic spa located at an altitude of between 930 and 1,300 m.

A paradise for hikers, water sports enthusiasts, mountain bikers, and, of course, nature lovers. The Black Forest Mountains with their impressive fir trees surround Lake Schluchsee. You'll find a wide range of leisure activities at Schluchsee itself, with numerous events, a large shopping area, and a diverse selection of restaurants. The pristine Black Forest lake is a true El Dorado for water sports enthusiasts. Sailing, rowing, surfing, and even diving—you'll find the best conditions at Schluchsee. Or would you like to explore Lake Schluchsee on a boat trip? The lakeside path is also very popular for cycling or walking around the lake. Along the way, there are many romantic spots to settle down on the lakeside.

Siskin - Carduelis Spinus

The Eurasian siskin (Spinus spinus) is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It is also called the European siskin, common siskin or just siskin. Other (archaic) names include black-headed goldfinch, barley bird and aberdevine. It is very common throughout Europe and Asia. It is found in forested areas, both coniferous and mixed woodland where it feeds on seeds of all kinds, especially of alder and conifers.

These birds have an unusual migration pattern as every few years in winter they migrate southwards in large numbers. The reasons for this behaviour are not known but may be related to climatic factors and above all the availability of food. In this way overwintering populations can thrive where food is abundant. This small finch is an acrobatic feeder, often hanging upside-down like a tit. It will visit garden bird feeding stations.

These birds can be found throughout the year in Central Europe and some mountain ranges in the south of the continent. They are present in the north of Scandinavia and in Russia and they over-winter in the Mediterranean basin and the area around the Black Sea. In China they breed in the Khingan Mountains of Inner Mongolia and in Jiangsu province; they spend summer in Tibet, Taiwan, the valleys of the lower Yangtse River and the south east coast.

The Eurasian siskin is occasionally seen in North America. There is also a similar and closely related North America counterpart, the pine siskin, Spinus pinus.

heir seasonal distribution is also marked by the fact that they follow an anomalous migration pattern. Every few years they migrate southwards in larger numbers and the overwintering populations in the Iberian Peninsula are greatly augmented. This event has been the object of diverse theories, one theory suggests that it occurs in the years when Norway Spruce produces abundant fruit in the centre and north of Europe, causing populations to increase. An alternative theory is that greater migration occurs when the preferred food of alder or birch seed fails. This species will form large flocks outside the breeding season, often mixed with redpolls.

It is a bird that does not remain for long in one area but which varies the areas it used for breeding, feeding, over-wintering from one year to the next.

They are very active and restless birds. They are also very social, forming small cohesive flocks especially in autumn and winter. They are fairly trusting of humans, it being possible to observe them from a short distance. During the breeding season, however, they are much more timid, solitary and difficult to observe.

Population:

UK breeding:

410,000 pairs

Siskin - Carduelis Spinus

The Eurasian siskin (Spinus spinus) is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It is also called the European siskin, common siskin or just siskin. Other (archaic) names include black-headed goldfinch, barley bird and aberdevine. It is very common throughout Europe and Asia. It is found in forested areas, both coniferous and mixed woodland where it feeds on seeds of all kinds, especially of alder and conifers.

These birds have an unusual migration pattern as every few years in winter they migrate southwards in large numbers. The reasons for this behaviour are not known but may be related to climatic factors and above all the availability of food. In this way overwintering populations can thrive where food is abundant. This small finch is an acrobatic feeder, often hanging upside-down like a tit. It will visit garden bird feeding stations.

These birds can be found throughout the year in Central Europe and some mountain ranges in the south of the continent. They are present in the north of Scandinavia and in Russia and they over-winter in the Mediterranean basin and the area around the Black Sea. In China they breed in the Khingan Mountains of Inner Mongolia and in Jiangsu province; they spend summer in Tibet, Taiwan, the valleys of the lower Yangtse River and the south east coast.

The Eurasian siskin is occasionally seen in North America. There is also a similar and closely related North America counterpart, the pine siskin, Spinus pinus.

heir seasonal distribution is also marked by the fact that they follow an anomalous migration pattern. Every few years they migrate southwards in larger numbers and the overwintering populations in the Iberian Peninsula are greatly augmented. This event has been the object of diverse theories, one theory suggests that it occurs in the years when Norway Spruce produces abundant fruit in the centre and north of Europe, causing populations to increase. An alternative theory is that greater migration occurs when the preferred food of alder or birch seed fails. This species will form large flocks outside the breeding season, often mixed with redpolls.

It is a bird that does not remain for long in one area but which varies the areas it used for breeding, feeding, over-wintering from one year to the next.

They are very active and restless birds. They are also very social, forming small cohesive flocks especially in autumn and winter. They are fairly trusting of humans, it being possible to observe them from a short distance. During the breeding season, however, they are much more timid, solitary and difficult to observe.

Population:

UK breeding:

410,000 pairs

12 februari 2022

Hair ice, also called ice wool or frost beard, is a rare natural phenomenon in which a hair-like, woolly ice structure develops on dead and wet heartwood, not on the bark, of deciduous trees.

Hair ice can form when the air temperature is slightly below freezing. Fungi occur in the wood and the metabolism of these fungi, among other things, releases water that is forced out through very small openings in the wood. The water squeezed out freezes into a hair-like structure. High humidity is necessary for the successful formation of hair ice so that the water squeezed out cannot evaporate and remains available for freezing. As long as the fungi continue to produce water and the climatic conditions remain favorable, hair ice can continue to grow. If the air temperature becomes too low, the metabolism of the fungi drops to such a low level that insufficient water is produced.

Hair ice is very delicate and melts immediately upon contact. If hair ice is exposed to sunlight, it will quickly sublimate and disappear. Hair ice can therefore be found early in the morning or only in shady places.

----

IJshaar, ook wel haarijs of sneeuwbaard, is een zeldzaam natuurlijk verschijnsel waarbij een haarachtige, wollige ijsstructuur ontstaat op dood en nat kernhout, dus niet op de bast, van loofbomen.

IJshaar kan ontstaan als de luchttemperatuur even onder het vriespunt ligt. In het hout komen schimmels voor en bij de stofwisseling van deze schimmels komt onder andere water vrij dat door zeer kleine openingen in het hout (houtstralen) naar buiten wordt geperst. Het naar buiten geperste water bevriest tot een haarachtige structuur. Een hoge luchtvochtigheid is noodzakelijk voor de succesvolle vorming van ijshaar zodat het naar buiten geperste water niet kan verdampen en voor bevriezing beschikbaar blijft. Zolang de schimmels water blijven produceren en de klimatologische omstandigheden gunstig blijven, kan ijshaar aan blijven groeien. Als de luchttemperatuur te laag wordt, daalt de stofwisseling van de schimmels tot zo'n laag niveau dat er onvoldoende water geproduceerd wordt.

IJshaar is zeer teer en smelt na aanraking direct weg. Als ijshaar aan zonlicht wordt blootgesteld, zal het snel sublimeren en verdwijnen. IJshaar is daarom 's morgens vroeg of alleen op schaduwrijke plaatsen te vinden.

I really enjoyed the feeling of the mystic place, but it was very hard to transcript it in a small photo.

From here, water is coming out water from the moutain, feeding lagunas and is giving life to all the ecosytems going down, to the 4 climatic sationnaries. I'm still wondering from where is coming this water. This is why also this is a sacred place for the indigenals, base of their religion, as they consider themself as the guardians, the elder Borthers. Water for them is the beginning of everything.

I'm still expermenting new editing techniques, don't hesitate to comment and give critiques ! ;-)

I just released a new galery on my website, with high quality 👉 Pictures of Colombia 🇨🇴i 👈

If you need a photo for your blog or magazine, please write me here : Editorial Use Request 📰

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

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

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

Local Wood, Kent. UK.

Amazingly there were only three records of this species in the UK before 2009 - in 1979, 1992 and 2007.

Numbers have since increased dramatically in South East England, though our climatic conditions offer quite the difference from their more typical Mediterranean habitat.

This recent colonist is now pretty well established in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Kent, though has spread to nearby counties over the last decade, including West Sussex

Siskin - Carduelis Spinus

The Eurasian siskin (Spinus spinus) is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It is also called the European siskin, common siskin or just siskin. Other (archaic) names include black-headed goldfinch, barley bird and aberdevine. It is very common throughout Europe and Asia. It is found in forested areas, both coniferous and mixed woodland where it feeds on seeds of all kinds, especially of alder and conifers.

These birds have an unusual migration pattern as every few years in winter they migrate southwards in large numbers. The reasons for this behaviour are not known but may be related to climatic factors and above all the availability of food. In this way overwintering populations can thrive where food is abundant. This small finch is an acrobatic feeder, often hanging upside-down like a tit. It will visit garden bird feeding stations.

These birds can be found throughout the year in Central Europe and some mountain ranges in the south of the continent. They are present in the north of Scandinavia and in Russia and they over-winter in the Mediterranean basin and the area around the Black Sea. In China they breed in the Khingan Mountains of Inner Mongolia and in Jiangsu province; they spend summer in Tibet, Taiwan, the valleys of the lower Yangtse River and the south east coast.

The Eurasian siskin is occasionally seen in North America. There is also a similar and closely related North America counterpart, the pine siskin, Spinus pinus.

heir seasonal distribution is also marked by the fact that they follow an anomalous migration pattern. Every few years they migrate southwards in larger numbers and the overwintering populations in the Iberian Peninsula are greatly augmented. This event has been the object of diverse theories, one theory suggests that it occurs in the years when Norway Spruce produces abundant fruit in the centre and north of Europe, causing populations to increase. An alternative theory is that greater migration occurs when the preferred food of alder or birch seed fails. This species will form large flocks outside the breeding season, often mixed with redpolls.

It is a bird that does not remain for long in one area but which varies the areas it used for breeding, feeding, over-wintering from one year to the next.

They are very active and restless birds. They are also very social, forming small cohesive flocks especially in autumn and winter. They are fairly trusting of humans, it being possible to observe them from a short distance. During the breeding season, however, they are much more timid, solitary and difficult to observe.

Population:

UK breeding:

410,000 pairs

Schluchsee, Baden-Württemberg, Deutschland.

El Schluchsee es el lago más grande de la Selva Negra y un balneario climático situado a una altitud de entre 930 y 1300 m.

Un paraíso para los amantes del senderismo, de los deportes acuáticos, del ciclismo de montaña y, por supuesto, de la naturaleza. Alrededor del lago Schluchsee se encuentran las montañas de la Selva Negra con sus impresionantes abetos. En el mismo Schluchsee encontrará una amplia oferta de ocio con numerosos eventos, una gran zona comercial y una variada oferta de restaurantes. El limpio lago de la Selva Negra es un auténtico El Dorado para los amantes de los deportes acuáticos. Vela, remo, surf e incluso buceo: en Schluchsee encontrarás las mejores condiciones. ¿O le gustaría conocer el lago Schluchsee en un paseo en barco? El sendero junto al lago también es muy popular para pasear en bicicleta o caminar alrededor del lago. A lo largo del camino hay muchos lugares románticos para instalarse en la orilla del lago.

Schluchsee is the largest lake in the Black Forest and a climatic spa located at an altitude of between 930 and 1,300 m.

A paradise for hikers, water sports enthusiasts, mountain bikers, and, of course, nature lovers. The Black Forest Mountains with their impressive fir trees surround Lake Schluchsee. You'll find a wide range of leisure activities at Schluchsee itself, with numerous events, a large shopping area, and a diverse selection of restaurants. The pristine Black Forest lake is a true El Dorado for water sports enthusiasts. Sailing, rowing, surfing, and even diving—you'll find the best conditions at Schluchsee. Or would you like to explore Lake Schluchsee on a boat trip? The lakeside path is also very popular for cycling or walking around the lake. Along the way, there are many romantic spots to settle down on the lakeside.

Dartford Warbler - Sylvia Undata

Norfolk

The Dartford warbler (Sylvia undata) is a typical warbler from the warmer parts of western Europe and northwestern Africa. It is a small warbler with a long thin tail and a thin pointed bill. The adult male has grey-brown upperparts and is dull reddish-brown below except for the centre of the belly which has a dirty white patch. It has light speckles on the throat and a red eye-ring. The sexes are similar but the adult female is usually less grey above and paler below.

Its breeding range lies west of a line from southern England to the heel of Italy (southern Apulia). The Dartford warbler is usually resident all year in its breeding range, but there is some limited migration.

The Dartford warbler was first described by the Welsh naturalist Thomas Pennant from two specimens that were shot in April 1773 on Bexley Heath near Dartford in Kent.

The species is naturally rare. The largest European populations of Sylvia undata are in the Iberian peninsula, others in much of France, in Italy and southern England and south Wales. In Africa it can be found only in small areas in the north, wintering in northern Morocco and northern Algeria.

In southern England the birds breed on heathlands, sometimes near the coast, and nest in either common gorse (Ulex europaeus) or common heather (Calluna

Dartford warblers are named for Dartford Heath in north west Kent, where the population became extinct in the early twentieth century. They almost died out in the United Kingdom in the severe winter of 1962/1963 when the national population dropped to just ten pairs. Sylvia undata is also sensitive to drought affecting breeding success or producing heath fires, as occurred during 1975 and 1976 in England when virtually all juveniles failed to survive their first year.

However, this species can recover well in good quality habitat with favourable temperatures and rainfall, thanks to repeated nesting and a high survival rate for the young. Indeed, they recovered in some areas of the UK, but numbers are once again on the decline in other regions of their natural range.

The range of the Dartford warbler is restricted to western and southern Europe. The total population in 2012 was estimated at 1.1–2.5 million breeding pairs. The largest numbers occur in Spain where there were believed to be 983,000–1,750,000 pairs. For reasons that probably include loss of suitable habitat, the Spanish population appears to be declining. The species is therefore classed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as being Near threatened.

A period of climatic warming since 1963 has seen the UK population increase to "more than 2,500 pairs in 2006 (Wotton et al. 2009). Expansion into patches of structurally suitable habitat (up to an altitude of 400m), more northerly areas and away from the core of the range, from Dorset and Hampshire to Derbyshire and Suffolk, is likely to have been facilitated by milder winter weather (Wotton et al. 2009, Bradbury et al. 2011)... The Dartford warbler population in the UK is expected to continue to increase. However, future climate-based projections for the European range indicate that by 2080, more than 60% of the current European range may no longer be suitable (Huntley et al 2007). There is evidence that this is happening already, with severe declines in Spain and France (Green 2017). For this reason, the species is classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Global Red List. If the declines in southern Europe continue, the UK will become increasingly important for global conservation of this species".

Population:

UK breeding:

3,200 pairs

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

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

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

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

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

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

Somewhere to park up but I bet not many got out for a walk.

The Snaefellsnes Peninsular in Iceland is a rugged and wonderfully climatic region. From our trip in May 2018 I can't imagine the area receives any settled weather. For me that's one of the things that a makes it so special.

After having a non-white xmas, we enjoyed some very white-xmas-like New Year holidays in my hometown of Zagreb this season.

Nestled in the central part of Europe, no more than some 300 km away from the sea and the Mediterranean climate, but separated by a high mountain range of Velebit and Dinara, we have been privileged to enjoy all four seasons so far...

Well, with all those el "ninjas" and "ninjos" phenomena having been included in the World's climate map over the last decade or so, if we are lucky enough we may seem to go on being granted some heavy showfalls and other seasonal climatic delights but taking place just slightly "displaced" in time ...:)

Siskin - Carduelis Spinus

The Eurasian siskin (Spinus spinus) is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It is also called the European siskin, common siskin or just siskin. Other (archaic) names include black-headed goldfinch, barley bird and aberdevine. It is very common throughout Europe and Asia. It is found in forested areas, both coniferous and mixed woodland where it feeds on seeds of all kinds, especially of alder and conifers.

These birds have an unusual migration pattern as every few years in winter they migrate southwards in large numbers. The reasons for this behaviour are not known but may be related to climatic factors and above all the availability of food. In this way overwintering populations can thrive where food is abundant. This small finch is an acrobatic feeder, often hanging upside-down like a tit. It will visit garden bird feeding stations.

These birds can be found throughout the year in Central Europe and some mountain ranges in the south of the continent. They are present in the north of Scandinavia and in Russia and they over-winter in the Mediterranean basin and the area around the Black Sea. In China they breed in the Khingan Mountains of Inner Mongolia and in Jiangsu province; they spend summer in Tibet, Taiwan, the valleys of the lower Yangtse River and the south east coast.

The Eurasian siskin is occasionally seen in North America. There is also a similar and closely related North America counterpart, the pine siskin, Spinus pinus.

Their seasonal distribution is also marked by the fact that they follow an anomalous migration pattern. Every few years they migrate southwards in larger numbers and the overwintering populations in the Iberian Peninsula are greatly augmented. This event has been the object of diverse theories, one theory suggests that it occurs in the years when Norway Spruce produces abundant fruit in the centre and north of Europe, causing populations to increase. An alternative theory is that greater migration occurs when the preferred food of alder or birch seed fails. This species will form large flocks outside the breeding season, often mixed with redpolls.

It is a bird that does not remain for long in one area but which varies the areas it used for breeding, feeding, over-wintering from one year to the next.

They are very active and restless birds. They are also very social, forming small cohesive flocks especially in autumn and winter. They are fairly trusting of humans, it being possible to observe them from a short distance. During the breeding season, however, they are much more timid, solitary and difficult to observe.

Population:

UK breeding:

410,000 pairs

6D & 17-40L

Visit my blog

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

-A MB Photography Studio artwork-

© Copyright | All rights reserved

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

-->Comments that are not text only will be removed. Thanks for your understanding!~

In questo angolo di paradiso dell'Umbria, che ancora fa i conti con i danni del sisma, potrete ammirare la fioritura di lenticchie, papaveri, genzianelle, narcisi, violette, asfodeli, trifogli e tanto altro ancora. La zona dove si presenta lo spettacolo è quella del Pian Grande e del Pian Perduto, a pochi chilometri da Norcia; qui ogni anno migliaia di fiori sbocciano spontaneamente regalando un'esplosione di colori che va dal giallo all'ocra e dal verde al viola.

Non c'è una data precisa e un periodo di massima fioritura, tutto dipende dalla situazione climatica.

A dare inizio alla fioritura ci pensa la senape selvatica che dona ai campi le tonalità del giallo mentre a chiudere lo spettacolo invece c'è il fiordaliso, che dona alla piana l’ultimo tocco di colore viola.

In this corner of paradise in Umbria, which still has to deal with the damage caused by the earthquake, you can admire the flowering of lentils, poppies, gentians, daffodils, violets, daffodils, clovers and much more. The area where the show is presented is that of Pian Grande and Pian Perduto, a few kilometers from Norcia; here every year thousands of flowers bloom spontaneously giving an explosion of colors ranging from yellow to ocher and from green to purple.

There is no precise date and period of maximum flowering, it all depends on the climatic situation.

The wild mustard takes care of starting the flowering, which gives the fields the shades of yellow, while the cornflower closes the show, which gives the plain the last touch of purple.

Many thanks to everyone for your views, faves and supportive comments. These are always very much appreciated.

All rights reserved. © ph.p.photography , ph.p.ph.©.

All Rights Reserved Worldwide In Perpetuity.

- No Unauthorized Use. Absolutely no permission is granted in any form, fashion or way, digital or otherwise, to use my images on blogs, personal or professional websites or any other media form without my direct written permission.

This includes Pinterest, FaceBook,Tumblr, Reddit or other websites where one's images are circulated without the photographer's knowledge or permission.

If you recognize yourself in a picture of this gallery and if you don’t want it to be published, let me know and the picture will be removed.

www.paolopaccagnella.com

Paolo Paccagnella. [ph.p.ph.©]

Dartford Warbler - Sylvia Undata

Suffolk

The Dartford warbler (Sylvia undata) is a typical warbler from the warmer parts of western Europe and northwestern Africa. It is a small warbler with a long thin tail and a thin pointed bill. The adult male has grey-brown upperparts and is dull reddish-brown below except for the centre of the belly which has a dirty white patch. It has light speckles on the throat and a red eye-ring. The sexes are similar but the adult female is usually less grey above and paler below.

Its breeding range lies west of a line from southern England to the heel of Italy (southern Apulia). The Dartford warbler is usually resident all year in its breeding range, but there is some limited migration.

The Dartford warbler was first described by the Welsh naturalist Thomas Pennant from two specimens that were shot in April 1773 on Bexley Heath near Dartford in Kent.

The species is naturally rare. The largest European populations of Sylvia undata are in the Iberian peninsula, others in much of France, in Italy and southern England and south Wales. In Africa it can be found only in small areas in the north, wintering in northern Morocco and northern Algeria.

In southern England the birds breed on heathlands, sometimes near the coast, and nest in either common gorse (Ulex europaeus) or common heather (Calluna

Dartford warblers are named for Dartford Heath in north west Kent, where the population became extinct in the early twentieth century. They almost died out in the United Kingdom in the severe winter of 1962/1963 when the national population dropped to just ten pairs. Sylvia undata is also sensitive to drought affecting breeding success or producing heath fires, as occurred during 1975 and 1976 in England when virtually all juveniles failed to survive their first year.

However, this species can recover well in good quality habitat with favourable temperatures and rainfall, thanks to repeated nesting and a high survival rate for the young. Indeed, they recovered in some areas of the UK, but numbers are once again on the decline in other regions of their natural range.

The range of the Dartford warbler is restricted to western and southern Europe. The total population in 2012 was estimated at 1.1–2.5 million breeding pairs. The largest numbers occur in Spain where there were believed to be 983,000–1,750,000 pairs. For reasons that probably include loss of suitable habitat, the Spanish population appears to be declining. The species is therefore classed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as being Near threatened.

A period of climatic warming since 1963 has seen the UK population increase to "more than 2,500 pairs in 2006 (Wotton et al. 2009). Expansion into patches of structurally suitable habitat (up to an altitude of 400m), more northerly areas and away from the core of the range, from Dorset and Hampshire to Derbyshire and Suffolk, is likely to have been facilitated by milder winter weather (Wotton et al. 2009, Bradbury et al. 2011)... The Dartford warbler population in the UK is expected to continue to increase. However, future climate-based projections for the European range indicate that by 2080, more than 60% of the current European range may no longer be suitable (Huntley et al 2007). There is evidence that this is happening already, with severe declines in Spain and France (Green 2017). For this reason, the species is classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Global Red List. If the declines in southern Europe continue, the UK will become increasingly important for global conservation of this species".

Population:

UK breeding:

3,200 pairs

This small warbler is easily identified by its onomatopoeic "chiff chaff" song, after which it was named.

Chiffchaffs breed widely in Britain & Ireland, apart from on the highest ground. In recent years, this species has been expanding its breeding range north into Scotland, with BTO research suggesting it is benefitting from climatic warming in that part of the UK. Breeding Chiffchaff numbers have also risen in the UK in recent decades, especially in Scotland, although there is some indication that this trend is now levelling off. In autumn, many breeding Chiffchaffs depart for southern Europe and North Africa, but increasing numbers are staying for the winter months. They are among the earliest singers in the breeding season, being heard from February onwards.

Chiffchaffs are yellow-olive coloured warblers, that closely resemble a dull Willow Warbler. Luckily, the songs of the two species are very different. Male and female Chiffchaffs look alike. The species favours deciduous woodland and scrub, but can also be found in reedbeds, parks and gardens. It is insectivorous, and can sometimes be spotted catching prey on the wing.

Observés depuis le Belvédère de La Morra, les vignobles des Langhe s'étendent à perte de vue, couvrant les collines jusqu'à l'horizon. Voici ce qu'en dit le site anglophone de Wikipédia :

The Langhe (Italian pronunciation: [ˈlaŋɡe]; Langa is from old dialect Mons Langa et Bassa Langa) is a hilly area to the south and east of the river Tanaro in the province of Cuneo and in the province of Asti in Piedmont, northern Italy.

It is famous for its wines, cheeses, and truffles—particularly the white truffles of Alba. The countryside as it was in the first half of the 20th century features prominently in the writings of Beppe Fenoglio and Cesare Pavese, who was born there, in Santo Stefano Belbo.

On 22 June 2014, a part of the Langhe was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage list for its cultural landscapes, outstanding living testimony to winegrowing and winemaking traditions that stem from a long history, and that have been continuously improved and adapted up to the present day. They bear witness to an extremely comprehensive social, rural and urban realm, and to sustainable economic structures. They include a multitude of harmonious built elements that bear witness to its history and its professional practices.

Its vineyards constitute an outstanding example of man’s interaction with his natural environment. Following a long and slow evolution of winegrowing expertise, the best possible adaptation of grape varieties to land with specific soil and climatic components has been carried out, which in itself is related to winemaking expertise, thereby becoming an international benchmark. The winegrowing landscape also expresses great aesthetic qualities, making it into an archetype of European vineyards.

Crutin cheese is made in Langhe.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langhe

Saint-Raphaël est une commune française située dans le département du Var, en région Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. C’est le chef-lieu du canton de Saint-Raphaël, le siège de la communauté d'agglomération Var Estérel Méditerranée, une station balnéaire et climatique de la Côte d'Azur.

Des villas romaines sur la route de Forum Julii au village de pêcheurs où débarqua Bonaparte en 1799, la commune devint à partir de la seconde moitié du xixe siècle, sous l’influence du maire Félix Martin et de l’écrivain Alphonse Karr, une station balnéaire prisée des artistes, sportifs et hommes politiques. Site secondaire du Débarquement de Provence en 1944, ville sportive et de congrès, Saint-Raphaël est aujourd’hui, avec la commune associée de Fréjus, le pôle économique et culturel du Sud-Est varois.Saint-Raphaël is a French commune located in the Var department, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. It is the capital of the canton of Saint-Raphaël, the seat of the Var Estérel Méditerranée agglomeration community, a seaside and climatic resort on the Côte d'Azur.

From the Roman villas on the road to Forum Julii to the fishing village where Bonaparte landed in 1799, the town became from the second half of the 19th century, under the influence of the mayor Félix Martin and the writer Alphonse Karr, a resort seaside popular with artists, sportsmen and politicians. Secondary site of the Landing of Provence in 1944, sports and congress city, Saint-Raphaël is today, with the associated municipality of Fréjus, the economic and cultural center of the South-East of the Var.

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

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

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

Bordeaux est une ville magnifique. En la découvrant pour une journée, j'étais dépendant des conditions climatiques et devant le miroir d'eau qui est un des lieux d'attraction de la cité , je ne pouvais que déplorer cette immense publicité sur une façade en réfection . Je me console en pensant que dans quelques années, quand ce modèle de voiture sera un objet de collection , ma photo aura un nouveau regain d'intérêt... Je plaisante, bien sûr...

Bordeaux is a magnificent city. By discovering it for a day, I was dependent on the climatic conditions and in front of the reflecting pool which is one of the places of attraction of the city, I could only deplore this immense publicity on a facade in repair. I take comfort in thinking that in a few years, when this model of car becomes a collector's item, my photo will have a new resurgence of interest ... Just kidding, of course ...

"Glacier National Park is not actually in the Rocky Mountains but in the Columbia Mountains which are comprised of the Purcell, Selkirk, Cariboo and Monashee ranges. The Columbia Mountains are geologically and climatically distinct from the Rockies. The region has three different life zones determined by elevation.

The lowest zone, Rainforest, is a unique interior rainforest characterized by dense vegetation and large trees such as Western Red Cedar and Western Hemlock, as well as ferns and mosses. The middle zone, Snowforest, is characterized by Subalpine Fir, Mountain Hemlock and Spruce. The highest zone, No Forest, is above the treeline and provides habitat for much of the area’s wildlife."

Autumn landscape (Bés Corna Piana reserve) 20211192

This photo was taken from the Bés Corna Piana.

The Bés Corna Piana nature reserve extends between 1,500 and 1,700 meters above sea level in southern Trentino.

The reserve stretches along the Monte Baldo chain, between Vallagarina and Lake Garda. Its particular geographical location, characterized by the coexistence of multiple climatic situations, has allowed an incredible botanical richness to develop here. Monte Baldo is universally known for the particular varieties that only here grow luxuriantly. Among the immense floral heritage of Baldo, one particularly fascinating group stands out: the 60 different species of orchids.

Source Scopri il Trentino.

Siskin - Carduelis Spinus

The Eurasian siskin (Spinus spinus) is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It is also called the European siskin, common siskin or just siskin. Other (archaic) names include black-headed goldfinch, barley bird and aberdevine. It is very common throughout Europe and Asia. It is found in forested areas, both coniferous and mixed woodland where it feeds on seeds of all kinds, especially of alder and conifers.

These birds have an unusual migration pattern as every few years in winter they migrate southwards in large numbers. The reasons for this behaviour are not known but may be related to climatic factors and above all the availability of food. In this way overwintering populations can thrive where food is abundant. This small finch is an acrobatic feeder, often hanging upside-down like a tit. It will visit garden bird feeding stations.

These birds can be found throughout the year in Central Europe and some mountain ranges in the south of the continent. They are present in the north of Scandinavia and in Russia and they over-winter in the Mediterranean basin and the area around the Black Sea. In China they breed in the Khingan Mountains of Inner Mongolia and in Jiangsu province; they spend summer in Tibet, Taiwan, the valleys of the lower Yangtse River and the south east coast.

The Eurasian siskin is occasionally seen in North America. There is also a similar and closely related North America counterpart, the pine siskin, Spinus pinus.

heir seasonal distribution is also marked by the fact that they follow an anomalous migration pattern. Every few years they migrate southwards in larger numbers and the overwintering populations in the Iberian Peninsula are greatly augmented. This event has been the object of diverse theories, one theory suggests that it occurs in the years when Norway Spruce produces abundant fruit in the centre and north of Europe, causing populations to increase. An alternative theory is that greater migration occurs when the preferred food of alder or birch seed fails. This species will form large flocks outside the breeding season, often mixed with redpolls.

It is a bird that does not remain for long in one area but which varies the areas it used for breeding, feeding, over-wintering from one year to the next.

They are very active and restless birds. They are also very social, forming small cohesive flocks especially in autumn and winter. They are fairly trusting of humans, it being possible to observe them from a short distance. During the breeding season, however, they are much more timid, solitary and difficult to observe.

Population:

UK breeding:

410,000 pairs

Dartford Warbler - Sylvia Undata

The Dartford warbler (Sylvia undata) iDs a typical warbler from the warmer parts of western Europe and northwestern Africa. It is a small warbler with a long thin tail and a thin pointed bill. The adult male has grey-brown upperparts and is dull reddish-brown below except for the centre of the belly which has a dirty white patch. It has light speckles on the throat and a red eye-ring. The sexes are similar but the adult female is usually less grey above and paler below.

Its breeding range lies west of a line from southern England to the heel of Italy (southern Apulia). The Dartford warbler is usually resident all year in its breeding range, but there is some limited migration.

The Dartford warbler was first described by the Welsh naturalist Thomas Pennant from two specimens that were shot in April 1773 on Bexley Heath near Dartford in Kent.

The species is naturally rare. The largest European populations of Sylvia undata are in the Iberian peninsula, others in much of France, in Italy and southern England and south Wales. In Africa it can be found only in small areas in the north, wintering in northern Morocco and northern Algeria.

In southern England the birds breed on heathlands, sometimes near the coast, and nest in either common gorse (Ulex europaeus) or common heather (Calluna

Dartford warblers are named for Dartford Heath in north west Kent, where the population became extinct in the early twentieth century. They almost died out in the United Kingdom in the severe winter of 1962/1963 when the national population dropped to just ten pairs. Sylvia undata is also sensitive to drought affecting breeding success or producing heath fires, as occurred during 1975 and 1976 in England when virtually all juveniles failed to survive their first year.

However, this species can recover well in good quality habitat with favourable temperatures and rainfall, thanks to repeated nesting and a high survival rate for the young. Indeed, they recovered in some areas of the UK, but numbers are once again on the decline in other regions of their natural range.

The range of the Dartford warbler is restricted to western and southern Europe. The total population in 2012 was estimated at 1.1–2.5 million breeding pairs. The largest numbers occur in Spain where there were believed to be 983,000–1,750,000 pairs. For reasons that probably include loss of suitable habitat, the Spanish population appears to be declining. The species is therefore classed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as being Near threatened.

A period of climatic warming since 1963 has seen the UK population increase to "more than 2,500 pairs in 2006 (Wotton et al. 2009). Expansion into patches of structurally suitable habitat (up to an altitude of 400m), more northerly areas and away from the core of the range, from Dorset and Hampshire to Derbyshire and Suffolk, is likely to have been facilitated by milder winter weather (Wotton et al. 2009, Bradbury et al. 2011)... The Dartford warbler population in the UK is expected to continue to increase. However, future climate-based projections for the European range indicate that by 2080, more than 60% of the current European range may no longer be suitable (Huntley et al 2007). There is evidence that this is happening already, with severe declines in Spain and France (Green 2017). For this reason, the species is classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Global Red List. If the declines in southern Europe continue, the UK will become increasingly important for global conservation of this species".

Population:

UK breeding:

3,200 pairs

Dartford Warbler - Sylvia Undata

The Dartford warbler (Sylvia undata) iDs a typical warbler from the warmer parts of western Europe and northwestern Africa. It is a small warbler with a long thin tail and a thin pointed bill. The adult male has grey-brown upperparts and is dull reddish-brown below except for the centre of the belly which has a dirty white patch. It has light speckles on the throat and a red eye-ring. The sexes are similar but the adult female is usually less grey above and paler below.

Its breeding range lies west of a line from southern England to the heel of Italy (southern Apulia). The Dartford warbler is usually resident all year in its breeding range, but there is some limited migration.

The Dartford warbler was first described by the Welsh naturalist Thomas Pennant from two specimens that were shot in April 1773 on Bexley Heath near Dartford in Kent.

The species is naturally rare. The largest European populations of Sylvia undata are in the Iberian peninsula, others in much of France, in Italy and southern England and south Wales. In Africa it can be found only in small areas in the north, wintering in northern Morocco and northern Algeria.

In southern England the birds breed on heathlands, sometimes near the coast, and nest in either common gorse (Ulex europaeus) or common heather (Calluna

Dartford warblers are named for Dartford Heath in north west Kent, where the population became extinct in the early twentieth century. They almost died out in the United Kingdom in the severe winter of 1962/1963 when the national population dropped to just ten pairs. Sylvia undata is also sensitive to drought affecting breeding success or producing heath fires, as occurred during 1975 and 1976 in England when virtually all juveniles failed to survive their first year.

However, this species can recover well in good quality habitat with favourable temperatures and rainfall, thanks to repeated nesting and a high survival rate for the young. Indeed, they recovered in some areas of the UK, but numbers are once again on the decline in other regions of their natural range.

The range of the Dartford warbler is restricted to western and southern Europe. The total population in 2012 was estimated at 1.1–2.5 million breeding pairs. The largest numbers occur in Spain where there were believed to be 983,000–1,750,000 pairs. For reasons that probably include loss of suitable habitat, the Spanish population appears to be declining. The species is therefore classed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as being Near threatened.

A period of climatic warming since 1963 has seen the UK population increase to "more than 2,500 pairs in 2006 (Wotton et al. 2009). Expansion into patches of structurally suitable habitat (up to an altitude of 400m), more northerly areas and away from the core of the range, from Dorset and Hampshire to Derbyshire and Suffolk, is likely to have been facilitated by milder winter weather (Wotton et al. 2009, Bradbury et al. 2011)... The Dartford warbler population in the UK is expected to continue to increase. However, future climate-based projections for the European range indicate that by 2080, more than 60% of the current European range may no longer be suitable (Huntley et al 2007). There is evidence that this is happening already, with severe declines in Spain and France (Green 2017). For this reason, the species is classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Global Red List. If the declines in southern Europe continue, the UK will become increasingly important for global conservation of this species".

Population:

UK breeding:

3,200 pairs

Siskin - Carduelis Spinus

The Eurasian siskin (Spinus spinus) is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It is also called the European siskin, common siskin or just siskin. Other (archaic) names include black-headed goldfinch, barley bird and aberdevine. It is very common throughout Europe and Asia. It is found in forested areas, both coniferous and mixed woodland where it feeds on seeds of all kinds, especially of alder and conifers.

These birds have an unusual migration pattern as every few years in winter they migrate southwards in large numbers. The reasons for this behaviour are not known but may be related to climatic factors and above all the availability of food. In this way overwintering populations can thrive where food is abundant. This small finch is an acrobatic feeder, often hanging upside-down like a tit. It will visit garden bird feeding stations.

These birds can be found throughout the year in Central Europe and some mountain ranges in the south of the continent. They are present in the north of Scandinavia and in Russia and they over-winter in the Mediterranean basin and the area around the Black Sea. In China they breed in the Khingan Mountains of Inner Mongolia and in Jiangsu province; they spend summer in Tibet, Taiwan, the valleys of the lower Yangtse River and the south east coast.

The Eurasian siskin is occasionally seen in North America. There is also a similar and closely related North America counterpart, the pine siskin, Spinus pinus.

heir seasonal distribution is also marked by the fact that they follow an anomalous migration pattern. Every few years they migrate southwards in larger numbers and the overwintering populations in the Iberian Peninsula are greatly augmented. This event has been the object of diverse theories, one theory suggests that it occurs in the years when Norway Spruce produces abundant fruit in the centre and north of Europe, causing populations to increase. An alternative theory is that greater migration occurs when the preferred food of alder or birch seed fails. This species will form large flocks outside the breeding season, often mixed with redpolls.

It is a bird that does not remain for long in one area but which varies the areas it used for breeding, feeding, over-wintering from one year to the next.

They are very active and restless birds. They are also very social, forming small cohesive flocks especially in autumn and winter. They are fairly trusting of humans, it being possible to observe them from a short distance. During the breeding season, however, they are much more timid, solitary and difficult to observe.

Population:

UK breeding:

410,000 pairs

Celebrity DB 'Tug' 60066 gets a move on down Dentdale running 10E at this stage with 6E97.

Touch and go for the light as you can see in the background, this area seemed to be its own climatic region this morning.

* Many thanks go to my mate Bob Hilton for the heads-up that Network Rail had felled trees here a couple of months ago, once again opening up the shot.

* and to Terry Eyres, graciously letting me know it was 60066 ... the Silver one.

* Pole @ 3m.

Rajasthan (Inde) - Le chamelier, chef de la caravane, s’est imposé la corvée de bois pour le préparation du dîner. Le désert du Thar (230.000 km2) n’est pas qu’une vaste étendue de sable. Malgré les conditions climatiques, les pluies de mousson -de juillet à septembre-, permettent le développement d’une certaine végétation. Certes, les précipitations annuelles sont faibles et très irrégulières. Elles suffisent cependant au développement et à la survie de nombreuses broussailles herbacées et de certaines essences d’arbres adaptées à la sèches prolongée.

Rajasthan (India) - The camel driver, leader of the caravan, has imposed on himself the drudgery of wood for the preparation of dinner. The Thar Desert (230,000 km2) is not just a vast expanse of sand. Despite the climatic conditions, the monsoon rains -from July to September-, allow the development of a certain vegetation. Admittedly, the annual rainfall is low and very irregular. However, they are sufficient for the development and survival of many herbaceous scrubs and certain tree species adapted to prolonged drought.

First Dutch Elm disease devastated our landscape and since 2006 80% of British Ash have succumbed to Ash die-back, Chalara or scientifically Hymenoscyphus fraxineus. This years climatic conditions have been described and the perfect storm weakening the Ash trees and accelerating the fungal disease spread.

The Highland is a Scottish breed of rustic beef cattle. It originated in the Scottish Highlands and the Western Islands of Scotland and has long horns and a long shaggy coat. It is a hardy breed, able to withstand the harsh climatic conditions the region is known for.

The first herd-book dates from 1885; two types – the smaller Island , usually black, and the larger Mainland, usually dun, were registered as a single breed. Highland cattle are reared primarily for beef, and have been exported to several other countries.

Highland cattle were first imported into Canada in the 1880s. The Hon. Donald A. Smith, Lord Strathcona of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Robert Campbell of Strathclair, Manitoba, imported one bull each. There were also Highland cattle in Nova Scotia in the 1880s. However, their numbers were small until the 1920s when large-scale breeding and importing began. In the 1950s cattle were both imported and exported to North America, increasing the blood lines.

The Canadian Highland Cattle Society was officially accredited in 1964 and currently registers all purebred cattle in Canada. Towards the end of the 1990s, there was a large semen and embryo trade between the UK and Canada. However that has stopped, largely due to concerns over Bovine Spongiform Encephalitis (mad cow disease) outbreaks in the United Kingdom.

Today, Highland cattle are mainly found in eastern Canada. In 2001 the population for Canada and the United States of America combined was estimated at 10,000.

El Teide. Yes another shot of the Volcan Teide in Tenerife from the mountains of Gran Canaria. This volcano and its changes, according to the climatic conditions, gives off a unique magic and it is really impossible not to photograph it.

Cannes — [kan] Écouter ou localement [ˈkanə] — (Canas en écriture classique (originelle) du provençal et Cano en écriture mistralienne (phonétique) provençal) est une commune française de la communauté d'agglomération Cannes Pays de Lérins située dans le département des Alpes-Maritimes, en région Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, sur la Côte d'Azur dont elle est une ville phare. Ses habitants sont appelés les Cannois(es) en français et les canenc(a) en provençal (prononcé localement canenc et canenco).

Village de pêcheurs ligure pendant l’Antiquité, liée aux légendes de Saint-Honorat et de l’homme au masque de fer sur les îles de Lérins au large de la baie de Cannes, station climatique et balnéaire de la Côte d'Azur au xixe siècle, la ville prend son essor avec la construction de résidences de villégiature par les aristocrates anglais et russes puis, dès le début du xxe siècle, d'hôtels de luxe destinés aux touristes fortunés, constituant son patrimoine architectural.

Dotée d'une industrie de pointe, d’un petit aéroport d'affaires, de plusieurs ports et d’un palais des congrès, ancrée dans la Baie de Cannes, bordée par le Massif de l'Esterel à l'ouest, le Golfe Juan à l'est et la Mer Méditerranée, Cannes est aujourd’hui mondialement connue pour ses festivals du film et de la plaisance et pour sa Croisette bordée de quelques palaces.

Cannes - [kan] Listen or locally [kanə] - (Canas in Provençal (original) Provencal writing and Cano in Mistralian (phonetic) Provençal writing) is a French commune in the agglomeration community of Cannes Pays de Lérins located in the department Alpes-Maritimes, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, on the Côte d'Azur of which it is a flagship city. Its inhabitants are called Cannois (es) in French and canenc (a) in Provençal (pronounced locally canenc and canenco).

Ligurian fishing village during Antiquity, linked to the legends of Saint-Honorat and the man with the iron mask on the Lérins islands off the bay of Cannes, climatic and seaside resort of the Côte d'Azur in the nineteenth century, the city took off with the construction of holiday homes by English and Russian aristocrats and, from the beginning of the twentieth century, luxury hotels for wealthy tourists, constituting its architectural heritage.

With a high-tech industry, a small business airport, several ports and a convention center, anchored in the Bay of Cannes, bordered by the Esterel Massif to the west, the Gulf Juan to the east and the Mediterranean Sea, Cannes is nowadays world famous for its film and pleasure festivals and for its Croisette lined with some palaces.

Altaussee is a municipality and spa town in the district of Liezen in Styria, Austria. The small village is nestled on the shores of the Altaussee lake. The designated climatic spa is within the Salzkammergut region.

Dartford Warbler - Sylvia Undata

The Dartford warbler (Sylvia undata) iDs a typical warbler from the warmer parts of western Europe and northwestern Africa. It is a small warbler with a long thin tail and a thin pointed bill. The adult male has grey-brown upperparts and is dull reddish-brown below except for the centre of the belly which has a dirty white patch. It has light speckles on the throat and a red eye-ring. The sexes are similar but the adult female is usually less grey above and paler below.

Its breeding range lies west of a line from southern England to the heel of Italy (southern Apulia). The Dartford warbler is usually resident all year in its breeding range, but there is some limited migration.

The Dartford warbler was first described by the Welsh naturalist Thomas Pennant from two specimens that were shot in April 1773 on Bexley Heath near Dartford in Kent.

The species is naturally rare. The largest European populations of Sylvia undata are in the Iberian peninsula, others in much of France, in Italy and southern England and south Wales. In Africa it can be found only in small areas in the north, wintering in northern Morocco and northern Algeria.

In southern England the birds breed on heathlands, sometimes near the coast, and nest in either common gorse (Ulex europaeus) or common heather (Calluna

Dartford warblers are named for Dartford Heath in north west Kent, where the population became extinct in the early twentieth century. They almost died out in the United Kingdom in the severe winter of 1962/1963 when the national population dropped to just ten pairs. Sylvia undata is also sensitive to drought affecting breeding success or producing heath fires, as occurred during 1975 and 1976 in England when virtually all juveniles failed to survive their first year.

However, this species can recover well in good quality habitat with favourable temperatures and rainfall, thanks to repeated nesting and a high survival rate for the young. Indeed, they recovered in some areas of the UK, but numbers are once again on the decline in other regions of their natural range.

The range of the Dartford warbler is restricted to western and southern Europe. The total population in 2012 was estimated at 1.1–2.5 million breeding pairs. The largest numbers occur in Spain where there were believed to be 983,000–1,750,000 pairs. For reasons that probably include loss of suitable habitat, the Spanish population appears to be declining. The species is therefore classed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as being Near threatened.

A period of climatic warming since 1963 has seen the UK population increase to "more than 2,500 pairs in 2006 (Wotton et al. 2009). Expansion into patches of structurally suitable habitat (up to an altitude of 400m), more northerly areas and away from the core of the range, from Dorset and Hampshire to Derbyshire and Suffolk, is likely to have been facilitated by milder winter weather (Wotton et al. 2009, Bradbury et al. 2011)... The Dartford warbler population in the UK is expected to continue to increase. However, future climate-based projections for the European range indicate that by 2080, more than 60% of the current European range may no longer be suitable (Huntley et al 2007). There is evidence that this is happening already, with severe declines in Spain and France (Green 2017). For this reason, the species is classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Global Red List. If the declines in southern Europe continue, the UK will become increasingly important for global conservation of this species".

Population:

UK breeding:

3,200 pairs

Photographed the Black Swan in one of the ponds at the Cedar Meadows Resort and Spa located in the Township of Mountjoy in the City of Timmins in Northeastern Ontario Canada.

The Black Swan (Cygnus atratus) is a large waterbird, a species of swan, which breeds mainly in the southeast and

southwest regions of Australia. The species was hunted to extinction in New Zealand, but later reintroduced. Within

Australia they are nomadic, with erratic migration patterns dependent upon climatic conditions. Black Swans are

large birds with mostly black plumage and red bills. They are monogamous breeders that share incubation duties and

cygnet rearing between the sexes.

Black Swans are popular birds in zoological gardens and bird collections, and escapees are sometimes seen outside their natural range.

©Copyright Notice

This photograph and all those within my photostream are protected by copyright. They may not be reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without my written permission.

Fachwerk-Häuser Stolberg / Harz

Stadt Stolberg (Harz) ist ein Ortsteil der Gemeinde Südharz im Landkreis Mansfeld-Südharz in Sachsen-Anhalt. Der etwa 1400 Einwohner zählende Ort im Harz besaß bis zu seiner Eingemeindung 2010 das Stadtrecht und ist heute bekannt als Luftkurort sowie Historische Europastadt. Markenzeichen sind die vielen Fachwerkhäuser im Renaissancestil.

Quelle: Wikipedia

Half-timbered houses Stolberg / Harz

City of Stolberg (Harz) is a district of the municipality of Südharz in the district of Mansfeld-Südharz in Saxony-Anhalt. The town in the Harz Mountains, which has about 1400 inhabitants, had the town charter until its incorporation in 2010 and is now known as a climatic health resort as well as Historic European Town. Trademarks are the many half-timbered houses in Renaissance style.

Source: Wikipedia

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

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

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

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

25-march-2022: Lake Cerknica (now only Cerknica Basin/Cerkniško polje), although with variations in water level, in the past was present for most of the year (there have been many years in which it has always been present), often reaching the dimensions that make it, temporarily, the largest lake in the State, while the periods of emptying were very rare and short (from a few days to a maximum of 2-3 weeks), resulting, at least until the 1990s, the ONLY EXAMPLE in the World of fish adaptation to survive in the aquifers in complete darkness for even 15-20 days; the fish re-emerged, alive, when the rains returned, together with the water coming out of the sinkholes that become resurgences.

So, a symbol of life.

But...

For about twenty years now, and more and more markedly year after year, the water disappears for ever longer times (now we are talking about months, not days or a couple of weeks) and with great frequency, even in the wettest seasons, such as spring and autumn, naturally fish fauna that ends up in the sinkholes today, dies.

So, what was a miracle of life has turned into a no-return tunnel of death and all this in front of my eyes, in my short life.

More in general...

Nature has altered its weather patterns and now the change has become climatic, it is no longer a matter of single, local, episodes or anomalies, but of a now full-blown "new normal".

This has a series of consequences on the environment that will become progressively more serious and will lead to a real economic crisis to try to pay for the damages (I would no longer speak of prevention, that phase, highly ignored, is now over) and water, in many places in the world it will become much more expensive than oil or gas.

Surface desertification has many faces and they all converge in that direction, especially in the Mediterranean area, as far as Europe is concerned.

It must be known that rain also contributes to desertification, with an irregular distribution in time, space and quantity and often with extreme phenomena, heavy rains "wash away" the soil, depleting it in full harmony with the long dry periods, they work together.

The areas that in the past lived on precarious natural balances are now the first (of a long series) that show clear signs of change...already happened once it became evident!

I don't know how much it affects man, I'm only interested in people being aware of the real situation.

What is certain is that the changes are evident even to a blind person and sincerely, although frequently harmful, rains of any kind, for the water tables, are absolutely necessary and I don't want to hear more people complain if they have to open the umbrella, they are blasphemies for Nature!!!

photo rights reserved by B℮n

It will be k-k-cold this weekend. The temperature can drop to -15 degrees celcius and that means of course only one thing: skating! After a few nights of good frost we could skate on February 11, 2021 in Waterland. In Broek in Waterland, Zuiderwoude and at the Gouwsea. Waterland in the winter is a real skater’s paradise. As temperatures plunge across Europe, many are cursing the cold. But not in the Netherlands. Many are hoping for further frigid conditions. Photo taken of two skaters skating in direction of Amsterdam till sunset on the vast frozen Kerk Ae. A historical moment since skating in Waterland is such a rare occurrence. Today I skate in Zuiderwoude and from Uitdam to Marken and back, such a beautiful sea of ice to enjoy. An infinitely beautiful sight on this icy sea in 2021. It was a pleasure. The meadows here are white, the Gouwzee completely frozen and the breath comes out of my mouth in small gray puffs. Put your hands behind your back. Breathe calmly. I enjoy the sound of the irons over the ice and the beautiful view of the snowy landscape . The ice surface is great here. I stop for a moment to take a photo. Many skaters enjoy the beautiful ice until sunset. It provides a beautiful picture.

Today 11th of February 2021 we got the opportunity to go ice skating on real ice instead of going to an ice rink. A good freeze only comes from a win in the climatic lottery. Thus the chance for our Dutch to be wild adventurers on their own land comes only every few years. We glide across solidified, frosted lakes with fish frozen into the ice. Waterland near Amsterdam in the winter is a real skater’s paradise. Photo taken in Zuiderwoude at the Kerk Ae. Two Dutch speed skaters enjoying the natural ice. It was getting late and the sun was almost down. It was also getting colder. Photo taken while I was skating too.

Het wordt k-k-koud dit weekend. De temperatuur kan dalen tot wel -15 graden en dat betekent natuurlijk maar één ding: schaatsennn! Na een paar nachten goede vorst konden we op 11 februari 2021 schaatsen in Waterland. Na een extra nacht van vorst ligt het ijs er redelijk goed bij. Eindelijk weer heerlijk ijs om voor schaatsliefhebbers de ijzers onder te binden. Er kan heerlijk kilometers geschaatst worden in Broek en Waterland, Zuiderwoude en tussen Uitdam en Marken. Je beleeft de natuur op plekken waar je normaal niet kan komen. De Gouwzee is een paradijs voor schaatsers uit het westen van Nederland, omdat het meestal het eerste grootschalige gebied is waar men goed kan schaatsen op natuurijs. Maar het blijft een historische gebeurtenis. Vele schaatsenrijders zoeken vandaag de bevroren oppervlakte van de Gouwzee op en elders in Waterland. Op de Gouwzee voor een schaatsrit langs de dijk van Uitdam naar Marken. Een oneindig mooi gezicht op deze ijszee anno 2021. Het was genieten. De weilanden zijn hier wit, de Gouwzee totaal bevroren en de adem komt in kleine grijze pufjes uit mijn mond. Handen op de rug. Rustig ademen. Ik geniet van het geluid van de ijzers over het ijs en het prachtige uitzicht over de besneeuwde landschap. Het ijs is geweldig hier. Ik stop nog even voor het maken van foto. Vele schaatsers genieten tot zonsondergang hier van het mooie ijs. Het levert een prachtig plaatje op.

The village of Falkenstein is located in the district of Cham. From the town's landmark, Falkenstein Castle, the view from the tower extends as far as the Großer Arber in the east on a clear day. The town was granted market rights as early as 1496. Falkenstein has been a state-approved climatic health resort since 1961 and forms the center for the surrounding communities.fog around Falkenstein Castle

Falkenstein is located in the district of Cham. From the town's landmark, Falkenstein Castle, the view from the tower extends as far as the Großer Arber in the east on a clear day. The town was granted market rights as early as 1496. Falkenstein has been a state-approved climatic health resort since 1961 and forms the center for the surrounding communities.

Der Ort Falkenstein liegt im Landkreis Cham. Vom Wahrzeichen der Gemeinde, der Burg Falkenstein reicht bei guter Sicht der Blick vom Turm bis zum Großen Arber im Osten. Bereits im Jahr 1496 besaß der Ort die Marktrechte. Seit 1961 ist Falkenstein ein staatlich anerkannter Luftkurort und bildet das Zentrum für die umliegenden Gemeinden.Nebel um Burg Falkenstein

Der Ort Falkenstein liegt im Landkreis Cham. Vom Wahrzeichen der Gemeinde, der Burg Falkenstein reicht bei guter Sicht der Blick vom Turm bis zum Großen Arber im Osten. Bereits im Jahr 1496 besaß der Ort die Marktrechte. Seit 1961 ist Falkenstein ein staatlich anerkannter Luftkurort und bildet das Zentrum für die umliegenden Gemeinden.

Text from Wikipedia. Modified and translated.

This common year-round resident of the deciduous and mixed forests of eastern North America is also found in older urban and suburban areas with mature trees and vegetation. The Tufted Titmouse's gray-crested head, rust-colored flanks, black forehead and large eyes make it easily identifiable, even for casual birders. It is a frequent visitor to bird feeders during fall and winter where individuals prefer sunflower seeds and suet, and often cache many of those seeds throughout their territories. This is an active bird, moving along branches, and often searching under them, for arthropods. It is also a vocal species, frequently uttering contact calls and chick-a-dee calls and, in spring and summer, singing its ‘peter-peter-peter' songs.

Tufted Titmice and chickadees are ‘nuclear' species, often joined in winter flocks by a variety of ‘satellite' species. As a ‘nuclear' species, titmice influence the paths that flocks follow, are aggressive mobbers of potential predators, and often take the lead during mobbing events. The calls that titmice utter when mobbing provide information about the presence of predators for heterospecifics as well as conspecifics

During the past 70 years, the range of this species has expanded northward into New England and southern Canada, with climatic warming likely the most important factor, but bird feeders also a factor. The northern distribution of titmice is likely limited by average minimum temperature rather than food availability.

I found this one in Lake Wales, Polk County, Florida.

Valle de Estós, La Ribagorza, Huesca, Aragón, España.

El valle de Estós (en aragonés benasqués Vall d'Estós o Ball d'Estós) es un valle pirenaico situado en la comarca aragonesa de La Ribagorza.

Se ubica en la zona noroccidental del valle de Benasque (noreste de la provincia de Huesca) y dentro del parque natural Posets-Maladeta. Al norte de este valle, que es de origen glaciar, está el macizo del Perdiguero (3.221 m), y al sur el macizo del Posets (3.375 m). Este valle, orientado de oeste a este, tiene una longitud aproximada de 12 km y en el fondo de él transcurren las aguas del río Estós, afluente del río Ésera. Clarabides, Gías, Oô, son picos que también superan los 3.000 m y hacen frontera con Francia. La altitud del valle oscila entre los 1.400 m y los 3.375 m.

Desde el año 1994 forma parte del parque natural de Posets-Maladeta por sus importantes valores ecológicos. El paisaje predominante es el de la alta montaña pirenaica con buena representación de los pisos climáticos alpino, subalpino y montano. La flora predominante son los pastizales de montaña y los bosques, de coníferas (pino negro y abeto), de caducifolios (haya, álamo temblón, abedul, sauce, arce y avellano) y como principales arbustos el boj, enebro y rododendro. También se encuentran algunos endemismos pirenaicos. En cuanto a la fauna, encontramos a todos los animales presentes en los ecosistemasde la alta montaña pirenaica destacando una importante población de sarrios y corzos y como aves más representativas el urogallo, la perdiz nival y el quebrantahuesos.

El río Estós, al que afluyen múltiples barrancos y torrentes procedentes de los numerosos ibones (lagos de origen glaciar), de las nieves perpetuas y de algunos de los glaciares más meridionales de Europa, recorre el fondo del valle.

El valle tiene un gran atractivo turístico para los amantes de las excursiones de montaña, de la escalada, el esquí de montaña y el alpinismo. También se practica la pesca de la trucha y la caza mayor (sarrios, corzos y jabalíes). En la época veraniega sus laderas son lugar de pasto de un gran rebaño de vacas.

El acceso al valle se realiza preferentemente a pie a través de una red de senderos bien señalizados, aunque hay una pista forestal restringida al tránsito de vehículos autorizados. A lo largo del camino encontramos numerosas cabañas de pastores y un refugio de montaña guardado (1.895 m) gestionado por un guarda de la Federación Aragonesa de Montaña.

The Estós Valley (in Aragonese Benasqués Vall d'Estós or Ball d'Estós) is a Pyrenean valley located in the Aragonese region of La Ribagorza.

It is located in the northwestern area of the Benasque valley (northeast of the province of Huesca) and within the Posets-Maladeta natural park. To the north of this valley, which is of glacial origin, is the Perdiguero massif (3,221 m), and to the south the Posets massif (3,375 m). This valley, oriented from west to east, has an approximate length of 12 km and at its bottom runs the waters of the Estós river, a tributary of the Ésera river. Clarabides, Gías, Oô, are peaks that also exceed 3,000 m and border with France. The altitude of the valley ranges between 1,400 m and 3,375 m.

Since 1994 it has been part of the Posets-Maladeta natural park due to its important ecological values. The predominant landscape is that of the high Pyrenean mountains with a good representation of the alpine, subalpine and montane climatic zones. The predominant flora is mountain grasslands and forests, coniferous (black pine and spruce), deciduous (beech, aspen, birch, willow, maple and hazel) and the main shrubs are boxwood, juniper and rhododendron. Some Pyrenean endemisms are also found. As for the fauna, we find all the animals present in the ecosystems of the high Pyrenean mountains, highlighting a significant population of sarrios and roe deer, and the most representative birds are the capercaillie, the ptarmigan and the bearded vulture.

The Estós River, into which multiple ravines and torrents flow from the numerous ibones (lakes of glacial origin), the perpetual snows and some of the southernmost glaciers in Europe, runs along the bottom of the valley.

The valley has a great tourist attraction for lovers of mountain excursions, climbing, mountain skiing and mountaineering. Trout fishing and larger game (suckers, roe deer and wild boar) are also practiced. In the summer season its slopes are grazed by a large herd of cows.

Access to the valley is preferably on foot through a network of well-marked trails, although there is a forest track restricted to authorized vehicle traffic. Along the way we find numerous shepherds' huts and a guarded mountain refuge (1,895 m) managed by a ranger from the Aragonese Mountain Federation.

The YAKS at Hellabrunn Zoo are domestic yaks (Bos grunniens). The domesticated species are mainly found in the Himalayas, Mongolia and southern Siberia. They evolved from the wild yak (Bos mutus) that lives in the Tibetan highlands. Yaks are able to thrive in the extreme climatic conditions that exist in these high altitude regions and are frugal eaters. In their often inhospitable habitats, they can survive without food or water for several days at a time. Domestic yaks play an important role in these regions, especially in agriculture. The animals supply milk and meat as well as wool and leather – and their dried manure is used as an important source of fuel. Yaks are also kept as pack animals.

Taken in #TierparkHellabrunn / Munich Zoo using my

Canon EOS 450D EF70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM

ƒ/ 5.0

176 mm

1/200

ISO 640

Dedicated to CRA (ILYWAMHASAM)

Rencontre avec un animal exceptionnel. Photo #1

Ce cerf de 18 cors irrégulier, est le plus bel animal que j’aie jamais rencontré en plus de 20 saisons d’observations. Toutes les photos présentées ont été réalisées en milieu ouvert, exaltant sa beauté sauvage. Sa ramure impressionnante dégage une puissance, une taille, une harmonie, lui conférant une majesté exceptionnelle.

Les photos obtenues sont le résultat de beaucoup de patience, d'une analyse précise des habitudes de l’animal et de la configuration de la place de brame, de la discrétion et du positionnement des affûts le plus judicieusement possible en fonction des conditions climatiques, de l’heure d’observation, de maîtrise de soi (lorsque l’animal sort du bois et se positionne à une vingtaine de mètres, il faut garder son sang-froid ce qui n’est pas si simple).

Il ne s’est montré qu’à la nuit tombante et à la pointe du jour, rendant encore plus difficile la quête d’images. Mes plus chaleureux remerciements à Vincent, mon ami photographe animalier, avec qui j’ai partagé cette expérience inoubliable.

Nous espérons pouvoir la revivre l’année prochaine s’il arrive à déjouer les intentions mortifères de quelques chasseurs. 🙏

Encounter with an exceptional animal. Photo #1

This 18-point irregular red stag, is the most beautiful animal I have ever encountered in more than 20 seasons of observations. All the photos presented were taken in an open environment, exalting its wild beauty. Its impressive antlers exude power, size and harmony, giving him exceptional majesty.

The photos obtained are the result of a lot of patience, a precise analysis of the animal's habits and roaring place configuration, discretion and positioning of the blinds as judiciously as possible depending on the climatic conditions, the time of observation, and self-control (when the animal comes out of the woods and positions itself about twenty meters away, you have to keep your cool, which is not so simple).

He only showed up at nightfall and at daybreak, making the search for images even more difficult. My warmer thanks to Vincent, my wildlife photographer friend, with whom I shared this unforgettable experience.

We hope to be able to relive it next year if he manages to thwart the hunters' deadly intentions. 🙏

Merci beaucoup pour votre visite, vos favoris et commentaires.

Ils sont toujours très appréciés.

Many thanks for your visit, favs and comments. There are always very appreciated.

Sensitively embracing the existing landscape and its ecology, the design responds to current and future climatic conditions with inspiration drawn from rural Australia’s trestle flood bridges. The facilities are housed within a new 160-metre-long by 9-metre-wide structure that at one end abuts the Art Museum within the sloping hillside, continuing along to bridge an existing gully.

SULMAN MEDAL FOR PUBLIC ARCHITECTURE

In July 2022 Kerstin Thompson Architects was awarded the highest honour that can be bestowed in the public architecture category of the NSW Architecture Awards, the Sulman Medal for public architecture.

Read more about the award.

SIR ZELMAN COWEN AWARD FOR PUBLIC ARCHITECTURE

Kerstin Thompson Architects was recognised in 2022 in the National Australian Architecture Awards, receiving the the Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture.