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“When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everyone will respect you.”
- Lao Tzu -
“When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everyone will respect you.”
- Lao Tzu -
Au nord du 49 e parallèle. Une journée sombrinette. Bien contente de ce lifer. Merci mon chum et merci la vie!!!!!
Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
My best photos are here: www.lacerta-bilineata.com/ticino-best-photos-of-southern-...
More TICINO/TESSIN Wildlife Photos (all taken in my garden in Monteggio/Ti, Switzerland): it.lacerta-bilineata.com/ramarro-occidentale-lacerta-bili...
If you're interested, you'll find a more detailed closeup here (it's the 8th photo from the top): www.lacerta-bilineata.com/western-green-lizard-lacerta-bi...
My latest ANIMAL VIDEO (it's very brief but pretty unusual: a tiny wall lizard attacks two young great tits): www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQqkSsyrm7E
THE STORY BEHIND THE PHOTO: MY LONG AND ARDUOUS JOURNEY TO BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY
If you've set yourself the challenge of exclusively shooting the wildlife in your own back yard, you might find - as I did - that bird photography is really, really hard.
It's not that reptiles are easy to photograph either, mind - but at least the ones in my garden stay (for the most part) on the ground, and one can learn how to carefully approach them with a camera. They're also clearly egoists, which from a photographer's point of view is is a great character trait: if a lizard detects a human in its vicinity, it's only interested in saving its own skin, and it won't alarm its buddies.
But birds... oh man. Over the years, my feathered friends and I have developed a lovely routine that now defines our peaceful co-existence. As soon as I as much as open a window (let alone the door), I'm instantly greeted by an eruption of panicky fluttering and hysterical shouts from my garden: "SAVE YOUR WOMEN AND CHILDREN AND FLY FOR YOUR LIVES: THE HAIRLESS, PINK MONSTER IS COMING!!! (Yes, I speak bird, and I know that this is exactly what they are shouting 😉).
Needless to say, with the exception of the redstart I already showed here, all my efforts to get the kind of detailed shots I usually strive for with my nature photography ended in complete failure and utter disillusionment. I was ready to give up on stalking the winged misanthropes in my garden altogether, but then winter came - and changed everything.
One day this past January I observed my neighbor Signora P - a kind, elderly Italian lady - putting something on the low garden wall in front of my house. At first I thought she was just putting some treat there for her cat Romeo; the young tom patrols that wall constantly (it's his favorite spot in the garden, and during the warmer months he usually lurks in the thick foliage next to it to prey on lizards).
But once I detected a lot of movement on that wall through my window, I understood she had put a little pile of bread crumbs there; she was feeding the birds who soon arrived in flocks. This was certainly well-intended on my neighbor's part, but her noble action came with a catch, and I'm afraid quite literally.
When I took a stroll through my garden the next day I discovered a suspicious amount of feathers on the ground next to the wall. Romeo had apparently switched from his low-calorie summer diet (lizard) to more energy-rich meals consisting of "fowl" (it was winter after all, so from a nutritionist's point of view this made sense).
I would find fresh traces of Romeo's victims (mostly feathers, but also the odd wing) in my garden over the following days; so my first intuition that my neighbor was feeding her cat hadn't been that far off after all, as Romeo was now clearly being "served" fresh birds on a daily basis. And although the hungry visitors seemed to be aware of the danger and became slightly more prudent, they just couldn't resist the tasty snacks Signora P put on that wall - and neither could Romeo.
It was obvious that I had to act, but talking to my neighbor - who is as stubborn as she is kind - would have been futile, I knew that much. I pondered the matter long and hard - until a light bulb went off in my head. The idea was genius. If successful, what I had in mind would not only increase the birds' chances of surviving Romeo's appetite, but also greatly benefit my own photographic endeavors.
I started to enact my master plan the very next day by buying a giant bag of bird feed (consisting mainly of sunflower seeds) from the store. Then I dragged a huge piece of a tree trunk (approx. 120 cm in height) that we normally chop firewood on in the shed out into the garden and emptied almost half of the bag's content on top of it. Signora P's buffet for birds (and cats) was about to get some serious competition 😊.
My reasoning was as follows: not only would the birds be lured away from the fatally low garden wall to a place where they were safe from the cat - there was nothing around that tree trunk that provided cover for a predator, and the birds had a nice 360° view around it at all times - but I was also able to photograph them while hiding in the shed.
However, in order for my plan to work there was one little extra measure I had to take, and it was one that risked lowering my own life expectancy considerably once the owner of the property - my mom - discovered it. You see, our shed is completely windowless, so if I wanted to use it as a blind, I had no choice but to cut a hole into one of its wooden walls... which I promptly did (I figured all's fair in love - and photography 😉).
Granted, I have absolutely zero carpentering skills, and it showed. That hole was an ugly mess: the shed's wall seemed to have had an encounter with Jack Nicholson's ax-wielding lunatic character from the film 'The Shining'. Needless to say, I was incredibly proud of my work (I mean, come on: there now was a hole where before there wasn't a hole, and it was big enough for the lens of my camera to peek through, so it was mission accomplished as far as I was concerned).
Now all I had to do was wait for the birds to discover the tree trunk. In the meantime I started to mentally prepare myself for the inevitable confrontation with my mom and go through possible explanations for that splintering hole in the wall (it was either gonna be a rabid woodpecker attack or an emergency rescue mission with a feeding tube for a little kid that had accidentally locked himself inside the shed - both seemed valid options, though I slightly preferred the locked-in kid due to the involved drama and heroism 😉).
A whole day went by, and not a single bird visited the sunflower seeds. I had expected that it might take a few hours until the first of the ever curious great tits or blue tits would show up, but given how tiny my garden is, an entire day seemed excessive. Then another day came and went: the birds kept flocking to the bread crumbs on the wall, and my tree trunk kept collecting dust. To add injury to insult, a few fresh feathers on the ground were proof that Romeo was still feasting.
It was incredibly frustrating: I provided my winged guests with a much better view - plus a higher chance of surviving the cuisine - than Signora P's place; I risked (almost) certain death at the hands of my own mother (OK, the act of vandalism on the shed I had committed for my own benefit, but still), yet the birds kept ignoring me.
Then, after three days, just before sunset, I spotted a single blue tit on the tree trunk picking away at the sunflower seeds.
When I got up the next morning I immediately realized that the loud noise that accompanies each and every tit activity had shifted from the wall to the shed. At last the dam had broken: there was a flurry of movement around the tree trunk, and I counted at least 5 different species of birds feasting on the sunflower seeds.
From day 4 onward my plan worked beautifully: the birds now indeed mostly ignored Romeo's "snack wall" and kept to the tree trunk. And yes, I was able to play peeping tom from behind the shed's wall and photograph them!! 😊
Thus, dear readers, I finally managed to produce some acceptable bird photos, and I had even saved my feathered friends from a deadly foe in the process. All through winter and spring I took advantage of my new bird hide, and in late May I started mixing some cherries with the sunflower seeds. The idea was to attract a Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius), and as you can see, it worked!
It took me almost three weeks and more than a few tricks to capture that clever fella, but given how long I've been rambling here already, that's a story for another day. As for my mom, she still doesn't know about the hole in the wall, so please don't snitch! 😉.
I hope you like the photo and wish you all a wonderful weekend! Many greetings from Switzerland, and as always: let me know what you think in the comments 🙏 😊 ❤!
P.S. if anyone has their own funny tale about the obstacles we photographers are prepared to overcome for a desired photo, please write it in the comments: I love such stories 😊
“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly.”
― Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai, The Teaching of Buddha
Soundtrack : www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXlh-ezKeOw
YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE – ELVIS PRESLEY
Sometimes in life we come full circle
I see a footprint of my beginning
and here I am back at the start
I see the people who tried to stop me winning
but I rise above them; and leave them far behind
I draw a line in shifting, whispering grains of sand
and something deep inside me drives me on
no looking back; I am complete; I understand
sometimes in life we cannot win them over
it's not our job; it's for a greater Hand
and He will guide me on my journey
bring me safely to the shore
where angels sing; rejoice and hold me
and I will not be frightened any more
He sees in us the pain; the human burden
He sees the weight that life and people bring
He knows how much; He knows and He is certain
He will not give us more than we can take
so that in our hearts and souls we'll always sing
and when at last our cup is brimming over
He lays his Hand upon our heads and soothes our brow
and we feel the greatest love that ever found us
and we are comforted and lighter; it is a miracle somehow
and once more we are peaceful
finding joy in simple things
as darkness; shadows and all our plights
are left behind and taken care of;
whisked away on angel's wings
and soon the lines of strain are smoothed; not furrowed
as clouds reveal the stars of wonder and ethereal light
and we begin to live at last the ever after; forget tomorrow
this moment we exist; and in this moment
I am complete; I am content right here, right now.
- AP - Copyright © remains with and is the intellectual property of the author
Copyright © protected image please do not reproduce without permission
My artwork is a compilation of 4 of my photographs.
After deleting all non-safe content... Exhausted but grateful to keep the rest of my art.
Don't disturb pose - One Moon Poses
Sea lions are pinnipeds characterized by external ear flaps, long foreflippers, the ability to walk on all fours, short and thick hair, and a big chest and belly. Together with the fur seals, they make up the family Otariidae, eared seals. The sea lions have six extant and one extinct species (the Japanese sea lion) in five genera. Their range extends from the subarctic to tropical waters of the global ocean in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, with the notable exception of the northern Atlantic Ocean.
Sea lions have an average lifespan of 20–30 years. A male California sea lion weighs on average about 300 kg (660 lb) and is about 2.4 m (8 ft) long, while the female sea lion weighs 100 kg (220 lb) and is 1.8 m (6 ft) long. The largest sea lions are Steller's sea lions, which can weigh 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) and grow to a length of 3.0 m (10 ft). Sea lions consume large quantities of food at a time and are known to eat about 5–8% of their body weight (about 6.8–15.9 kg (15–35 lb)) at a single feeding. Sea lions can move around 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) in water and at their fastest they can reach a speed of about 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph). Three species, the Australian sea lion, the Galápagos sea lion and the New Zealand sea lion, are listed as endangered
I appreciate your visits & kind words of support.
~Christie by the River
**Best experienced in full screen
Plain's Zebras(Burchell's Zebras)
Okavango Delta: Botswana
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As a result of Flickr no longer being a productive social media platform, I anticipate closing my account at the end of 2025. As such, please connect with me at the other locations below to stay in touch.
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www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086780080943
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22-greg-taylor.pixels.com
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All images are copyright protected so please do not use any of my work for commercial purposes
Additionally, please do not contact me if you want to do business in NFT's as I am not interested. However, prints are available through my website above with significant new content being added by the week.
Coucher de soleil aux barques de pêcheurs de Canet avec vue sur le Canigou
Retrouvez plus de contenus sur / More contents on Facebook
Date Night at Dark Dreams with the one I love ♥
Listening to great tunes from DJ Deej .😊
Taken at ~Dark Dreams~
DEEP STATIC
Robert Glasses
Original Mesh
Materials enabled
Includes texture and resize HUD
copy/Mod
@ the Manhood event
( event october 27th - november 21th) ->
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Manhood/53/129/800
Mainstore:
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SeraphimSL/126/203/22
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B(U)Y ME POSES
Fabrizio
NEW Bento malepose set
5 static poses single + mirrored + pose stand + pose HUD
Original Content
Exclusive and available at Manhood Event ( event october 27th - november 21th) ->
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Manhood/53/129/800
Item on Primfeed:
www.primfeed.com/b-u-y-me-poses/posts/c64791f6-b734-4425-...
Linktree:
Mainstore:
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/BuY%20ME%20POSES/129/129/27
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BETRAYAL
Piere Outfit
Shirt & Jeans (a pouch is also part of the set, but not wearing)
The Pierre Outfit consists of an oversized t-shirt, straight legged jeans, and a designer pouch.
While simplistic, this fit embodies 2025 streetwear trends. Pierre makes a statement with bold and brazen graphics and hard-hitting pieces that will make you the flyest in the room!
Sizes available:
▹ Legacy, Jake, and Gianni
Options available:
▹ Pierre Shirt available in 45 colorways.
▹ Pierre Jeans available in 22 colorways.
▹ Pierre Pouch available in 15 colorways (More coming soon in FREE update!)
▹ Fatpacks are HUD driven!
Item on Flickr:
www.flickr.com/photos/125578455@N06/54521756541/in/datepo...
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credits:
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Body: Legacy Athletic (fit)
Skin Romeo (ruddy) by Not Found
Bodyskin by Not Found (ruddy)
Head: Lelutka EvoX Kris
facial hair by Volkstone
Hair: Magika October hair
Hand & Finger bands: [NoRush]
Bracelets: Kayden by Real Evil
The beautiful El Nicho Falls in the Escambray Mountains, Cuba. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get here when there was decent light and had to be content with shooting during the mid day sun. I'm still glad I got to see this beautiful place on my travels though.
The Anastasia Formation extends for 2 miles north along the shoreline with cliffs up to 15 feet high at the House of Refuge. Looking south from the end of the boardwalk, Bathtub Reef is visible.
Immediately ahead is an outcrop with small burrows, aminated crusts, solution pipes, a notch and an abrasion platform, and a mass of collapsed rock. Moving north along the beach moving toward the House of Refuge, there are several outcrops with conspicuous notches.
At the House of Refuge are prominent planar bedding, many fossils (including Busycon), small and large burrows, thick laminated calcium carbonate crusts, lithified infillings, solution pipes, notched cliffs, promontories and small coves, and many large masses of collapsed bedrock.
Credit for the data above is given to the following website:
segs.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/SEGS-Guidebook-73.pdf
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.