Africa
View allAll Photos Tagged continents
It was half a billion years in the making, two ancient continents collide, and the Earth's inner soul, the mantle, shows itself.
We hiked this trail under darks clouds, ran between raindrops, and stood in awe of the barren red landscape as the clouds gently rolled over the mountains. It was an unforgettable experience and watching these two take it all in made my heart happy.
--
Gros Morne National Park - The Tablelands
As an aforementioned peak geek it was a primary objective to see and admire the tallest peak on the continent. Took 6 days of anxious waiting and anticipation before the clouds finally cleared and I saw it in all it's glory. Yes, there was some ugly dancing...
Denali has two significant summits: the South Summit is the higher one at 20,310 feet (6,190 m), while the North Summit has an elevation of 19,470 ft (5,934 m). The North Summit slightly in view here.
Happy 4th of July to my American friends! Wishing everyone a wonderful week.
and fly away
Beautiful Tawney Eagle in the Ndutu NCA, Tanzania
I take pictures because I like it, not because I am good at it.
The world is like a book and those, who do not travel, only read the first page.
If you only visit 2 continents in your lifetime, visit Africa, twice.
All rights reserved. © Thomas Retterath 2023
One of the largest muroids, it is a brown or grey rodent with a body up to 25 cm (10 in) long, and a similar tail length; the male weighs on average 350 g (12 oz) and the female 250 g (9 oz). Thought to have originated in northern China, this rodent has now spread to all continents except Antarctica, and is the dominant rat in Europe and much of North America—making it by at least this particular definition the most successful mammal on the planet after humans.[2] With rare exceptions, the brown rat lives wherever humans live, particularly in urban areas.
I took this shot circa 1974 with the Pentax K1000 film camera. This photo was scanned from a print. These third graders are hard at work creating three dimensional clay maps of continents and ocean floors as part of a curriculum I helped create and develop.
on the banks of the Chobe, Botswana
I take pictures because I like it, not because I am good at it.
The world is like a book and those, who do not travel, only read the first page.
If you only visit 2 continents in your lifetime, visit Africa, twice.
All rights reserved. © Thomas Retterath 2024
L’Étourneau sansonnet est une espèce de passereaux de la famille des sturnidés, originaire de la plus grande partie de l'Eurasie, mais qui a été introduit dans tous les continents excepté l’Antarctique. Wikipédia
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
I take pictures because I like it, not because I am good at it.
The world is like a book and those, who do not travel, only read the first page.
If you only visit 2 continents in your lifetime, visit Africa, twice.
All rights reserved. © Thomas Retterath 2024
"A common and increasingly abundant duck, the American Wigeon breeds in northwestern North America and is found throughout the rest of the continent in migration and in winter. Its small bill and the male's white forehead, as well as certain aspects of nesting and feeding behavior, distinguish this species from other dabbling ducks." Source: allaboutbirds.org
Spoonbills are a genus, Platalea, of large, long-legged wading birds. The spoonbills have a global distribution, being found on every continent except Antarctica. The genus name Platalea derives from Latin and means broad, referring to the distinctive shape of the bill. Six species are recognised, which although usually placed in a single genus have sometimes been split into three genera. All spoonbills have large, flat, spatulate bills and feed by wading through shallow water, sweeping the partly opened bill from side to side. The moment any small aquatic creature touches the inside of the bill—an insect, crustacean, or tiny fish—it is snapped shut. Spoonbills generally prefer fresh water to salt but are found in both environments. They need to feed many hours each day. The spoonbills are most distinct from the ibises in the shape of their bill, which is long and flat and wider at the end. The nostrils are located near the base of the bill so that the bird can breathe while the bill is submerged in water. The eyes are positioned to provide spoonbills with binocular vision, although when foraging tactile senses are important too. Like the ibises the spoonbills have bare patches of skin around the bills and eyes. The six species of spoonbill are distributed over much of the world.
Ibises are a group of long-legged wading birds in the family Threskiornithidae, that inhabit wetlands, forests and plains. Ibises usually feed as a group, probing mud for food items, usually crustaceans. It is widespread across much of Australia. It has a predominantly white plumage with a bare, black head, long down curved bill and black legs. They are monogamous and highly territorial while nesting and feeding. Most nest in trees, often with spoonbills or herons. Due to its increasing presence in the urban environment and its habit of rummaging in garbage, the species has acquired a variety of colloquial names such as tip turkey; and bin chicken, and in recent years has become an icon of popular culture, being regarded with passion, wit, and, in equal measure, affection and disgust. 48963
Proteas are a beautiful and interesting plant family from Southern Africa being very similar in appearance to the Waratah family of plants in Australia.
Proteas belong to the same family of plants (Proteaceae) as Australia's native Banksias, Grevilleas and Waratahs plus they require similar soil and climatic conditions and are extremely resilient plants.
The Proteaceae plants are an ancient plant family from the time of the Gondwana super continent when Dinosaurs were still extant.
Fossils of Grevillea Robusta (Proteaceae family) and feather fossils from this time period have been found from birds believed to be filling a similar ecological niche to todays Honey eaters for fertilizing these flowers.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Las Murallas Reales de Ceuta son un Conjunto Monumental de la Ciudad autónoma de Ceuta, que data del año 962 en su parte más antigua y la más moderna del siglo XVIII.
El foso de San Felipe divide el conjunto monumental en dos partes, a la vez que divide también en dos partes a la ciudad de Ceuta. Estas están unidas por tres puentes que lo cruzan, dos en el extremo norte y uno en el extremo sur del canal. Este foso se caracteriza por ser navegable para pequeñas embarcaciones, lo que acorta el camino de la bahía norte a la bahía sur de la ciudad, ya que de no existir este paso se debería rodear la península de Almina.
Esta fortificación se construyó para defender el istmo que separa la península de Almina, dónde se asentaba la antigua ciudad, del continente africano. (Wikipedia)
Monti Sibillini national park around Castelluccio in early spring, arriving over any mountain pass into this high plateau is like arriving in a different continent, it looks more like Mongolia than any other place in Europe.
in the Kgalagadi NP, South Africa
flashback 2008
All animals in Africa bite, but the safari bug is the worst.
I take pictures because I like it, not because I am good at it.
The world is like a book and those, who do not travel, only read the first page.
If you only visit 2 continents in your lifetime, visit Africa, twice.
All rights reserved. © Thomas Retterath 2024
Masai Mara National Reserve
Kenya
East Africa
The black-backed jackal (Canis mesomelas) is a canid native to two areas of Africa, separated by roughly 900 km.
One region includes the southernmost tip of the continent, including South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. The other area is along the eastern coastline, including Kenya, Somalia, Djibouti and Ethiopia. It is listed by the IUCN as least concern, due to its widespread range and adaptability, although it is still persecuted as a livestock predator and rabies vector.
Compared to other members of the genus Canis, the black-backed jackal is a very ancient species, and has changed little since the Pleistocene, being the most basal canine alongside the closely related side-striped jackal. It is a fox-like canid with a reddish coat and a black saddle that extends from the shoulders to the base of the tail.
It is a monogamous animal, whose young may remain with the family to help raise new generations of pups. The black-backed jackal is not a fussy eater, and will feed on small to medium-sized animals, as well as plant matter and human refuse. – Wikipedia
© Fran Brown-ALL rights reserved. This image may not be used for ANY purpose without written permission.
Pennypack Trust, Huntington Valley, PA. USA,
The Pileated Woodpecker is one of the biggest, most striking forest birds on the continent. It's nearly the size of a crow, black with bold white stripes
Nikon Z9 /camera with Nikon 600mm f/6.3 PF lens ISO 2000 f/ 6.3 1/250
Thanks to all my Flickr friends for viewing, commenting on and favoring my images.
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
I take pictures because I like it, not because I am good at it.
The world is like a book and those, who do not travel, only read the first page.
If you only visit 2 continents in your lifetime, visit Africa, twice.
All rights reserved. © Thomas Retterath 2024
Giant Kingfisher Megaceryle maxima
The Giant Kingfisher is the largest kingfisher in Africa, where it is a resident breeding bird over most of the continent south of the Sahara Desert, other than the arid southwest.
This image was captured at the Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens, Johannesburg, South Africa
©2022 Duncan Blackburn
It's Autumn regardless the Latin name of our Ascending Lobelia now so pretty in the Hortus.
The continent of Africa is a large place so you can imagine that both great Carolus Linnaeus (1753) and Curtis's Botanical Magazine (1806) were at odds.. The first claimed Ethiopia as this Lobelia's heritage, the second the Cape of Good Hope. But it delighted me in our very own Hortus.
..for a tiny male Anna's Hummingbird.
"Anna’s Hummingbirds are among the most common hummingbirds along the Pacific Coast, yet they're anything but common in appearance. With their iridescent emerald feathers and sparkling rose-pink throats, they are more like flying jewelry than birds. Though no larger than a ping-pong ball and no heavier than a nickel, Anna’s Hummingbirds make a strong impression. In their thrilling courtship displays, males climb up to 130 feet into the air and then swoop to the ground with a curious burst of noise that they produce through their tail feathers."
~www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Annas_Hummingbird/
" The Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta) is one of the smaller species of hawker dragonflies...It can be found away from water but for breeding it prefers still or slow-flowing water and can tolerate brackish sites...The flight period is from July to the end of October..."
" This insect was rare in the United Kingdom until the 1940s when it began migrating from the continent in large numbers...It continues to do so and is now a resident breeding species throughout England and Wales..."
*
*
*
Copyright ©
All Of My Photographic Images Are Subject To Copyright ! Each Of My Photographs Remain My Intellectual Property ! All Rights Are Reserved And As Such, Do Not Use, Modify, Copy, Edit, Distribute Or Publish Any Of My Photographs ! If You Wish To Use Any Of My Photographs For Any Reproductive Purposes, Or Other Uses, My Written Permission Is Specifically Required, Contact Me Via Flickr Mail !
Ninth image in this long Insect Series...
One more tomorrow to complete the series.
Arachnophobes beware!!!
This Monarch feeding on our Sedum florets was the last one I saw for this year as I think they have all begun their long southward migration, leaving Wisconsin behind. I will miss seeing them and their orange and black beauty.
-- Monarch Migration: A Multi-Generational Epic --
The Monarch butterfly's incredible, annual round-trip migration takes multiple generations to complete the northward journey from central Mexico. The butterflies that emerge over the spring and summer (generations 1, 2, and 3) continue the relay, moving north across the continent to breed. The final generation of the year, often the 4th, is a "super generation" that lives up to eight months and makes the entire 3,000 mile flight south to the Mexican overwintering sites where the cycle began!
After a continent wide voyage from the Pacific coast port of Prince Rupert, CN 186's long journey is nearly over as it passes through Dorval with the EJE heritage unit leading. Mid-train is CN 3814 and distributed braking car CN 0083 is on the tail end of this 177-car train (10,738 feet long).
A message for all my contacts in Europe, first of all I am very sorry that last night we left the European Union which is in my opinion is a tragic mistake. I would also like to apologise to you all for the lies and distortions about Europe printed by the largely right wing British press and echoed by Farage and Johnson and their friends . Being part of the EU was never just about economics, the need for nations to work together was seen as vital after the apocalypse of the Mid -twentieth century caused by rampant nationalism . We seem to have returned to a state were bullying political leaders in both the East and West feel they can do whatever they want .
I am still proud to call myself a European, whatever makes up being English is largely just a melange of mostly European culture from the Normans, the Goths, the Vikings and the Romans . I want to celebrate our continent so all my posts this month will be from various European countries .
This first image is the old 1st century Roman Alcántara Bridge that crosses the river Tagus below the city of Toledo . The city of Toledo was an important cultural centre in the middle ages; even after the Moors were defeated its Arab libraries were not pillaged, and a tag-team translation centre was established in which books in Arabic or Hebrew would be translated into Castilian by Muslim and Jewish scholars, and from Castilian into Latin by Castilian scholars, thus letting long-lost knowledge spread through Christian Europe again
THANKS FOR YOUR VISITING BUT CAN I ASK YOU NOT TO FAVE AN IMAGE WITHOUT ALSO MAKING A COMMENT. MANY THANKS KEITH. ANYONE MAKING MULTIPLE FAVES WITHOUT COMMENTS WILL SIMPLY BE BLOCKED
Les Uros (ou Urus) sont un peuple habitant autrefois des îles flottantes de la région de Puno, sur la rive péruvienne du lac Titicaca. Le nom Uros vient de leur langue initiale, l'uruquilla, dans laquelle ils s'auto-désignaient Kyotsuñi, abréviation des mots Qhas qut suñi signifiant « les gens du lac ». Un autre dénomination est Lupihaques, signifiant « fils du soleil ».
The Uros (or Urus) are a people who once inhabited floating islands in the Puno region, on the Peruvian shore of Lake Titicaca. The name Uros comes from their initial language, uruquilla, in which they called themselves Kyotsuñi, an abbreviation of the Qhas words qut suñi meaning "people of the lake". Another denomination is Lupihaques, meaning "son of the sun".
Emigrant Lake - Jackson County - Oregon - USA
Habitat : Open Woodlands
Food : Seeds
Nesting : Tree
Behavior : Ground Forager
Conservation : Low Concern
"A graceful, slender-tailed, small-headed dove that’s common across the continent. Mourning Doves perch on telephone wires and forage for seeds on the ground; their flight is fast and bullet straight. Their soft, drawn-out calls sound like laments. When taking off, their wings make a sharp whistling or whinnying. Mourning Doves are the most frequently hunted species in North America... During the breeding season, you might see three Mourning Doves flying in tight formation, one after another. This is a form of social display. Typically the bird in the lead is the male of a mated pair. The second bird is an unmated male chasing his rival from the area where he hopes to nest. The third is the female of the mated pair, which seems to go along for the ride."
- Cornell University Lab of Ornithology
Red Deer - Cervus elaphus
Double click image....
The red deer (Cervus elaphus) is one of the largest deer species. The red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, Iran, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being the only species of deer to inhabit Africa. Red deer have been introduced to other areas, including Australia, New Zealand, United States, Canada, Peru, Uruguay, Chile and Argentina. In many parts of the world, the meat (venison) from red deer is used as a food source.
The red deer is the fourth-largest deer species behind moose, elk and sambar deer. It is a ruminant, eating its food in two stages and having an even number of toes on each hoof, like camels, goats and cattle. European red deer have a relatively long tail compared to their Asian and North American relatives. Subtle differences in appearance are noted between the various subspecies of red deer, primarily in size and antlers, with the smallest being the Corsican red deer found on the islands of Corsica and Sardinia and the largest being the Caspian red deer (or maral) of Asia Minor and the Caucasus Region to the west of the Caspian Sea. The deer of central and western Europe vary greatly in size, with some of the largest deer found in the Carpathian Mountains in Central Europe.Western European red deer, historically, grew to large size given ample food supply (including people's crops), and descendants of introduced populations living in New Zealand and Argentina have grown quite large in both body and antler size. Large red deer stags, like the Caspian red deer or those of the Carpathian Mountains, may rival the wapiti in size. Female red deer are much smaller than their male counterparts.
The European red deer is found in southwestern Asia (Asia Minor and Caucasus regions), North Africa and Europe. The red deer is the largest non-domesticated land mammal still existing in Ireland. The Barbary stag (which resembles the western European red deer) is the only member of the deer family represented in Africa, with the population centred in the northwestern region of the continent in the Atlas Mountains. As of the mid-1990s, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria were the only African countries known to have red deer.
In the Netherlands, a large herd (ca. 3000 animals counted in late 2012) lives in the Oostvaarders Plassen, a nature reserve. Ireland has its own unique subspecies. In France the population is thriving, having multiplied fivefold in the last half-century, increasing from 30,000 in 1970 to approximately 160,000 in 2014. The deer has particularly expanded its footprint into forests at higher altitudes than before. In the UK, indigenous populations occur in Scotland, the Lake District, and the South West of England (principally on Exmoor). Not all of these are of entirely pure bloodlines, as some of these populations have been supplemented with deliberate releases of deer from parks, such as Warnham or Woburn Abbey, in an attempt to increase antler sizes and body weights. The University of Edinburgh found that, in Scotland, there has been extensive hybridisation with the closely related sika deer.
Several other populations have originated either with "carted" deer kept for stag hunts being left out at the end of the hunt, escapes from deer farms, or deliberate releases. Carted deer were kept by stag hunts with no wild red deer in the locality and were normally recaptured after the hunt and used again; although the hunts are called "stag hunts", the Norwich Staghounds only hunted hinds (female red deer), and in 1950, at least eight hinds (some of which may have been pregnant) were known to be at large near Kimberley and West Harling; they formed the basis of a new population based in Thetford Forest in Norfolk. Further substantial red deer herds originated from escapes or deliberate releases in the New Forest, the Peak District, Suffolk, Lancashire, Brecon Beacons, and North Yorkshire, as well as many other smaller populations scattered throughout England and Wales, and they are all generally increasing in numbers and range. A census of deer populations in 2007 and again in 2011 coordinated by the British Deer Society records the red deer as having continued to expand their range in England and Wales since 2000, with expansion most notable in the Midlands and East Anglia.
For people not from Australia, Uluru or Ayers Rock is a massive sandstone monolith, the red centre desert which is also almost the centre of Australian Continent as well.
I was very intimidated by the beauty of the landscape used in the August video Workflow and having exhausted my mountain landscape photos, I thought to come up with something completely different, something Australian. And what can be more Australian than Uluru?
I took this pano when we went to the dinner Under the Outback Sky poetically called "Sounds of silence".
It was an unforgettable experience.
I like not only the red earth but also the puffy clouds that seem to arrange themselves almost concentric over the Rock, like they emanate from it.
Port of Megayachts in Catalonia / Barcelona
Vilanova Grand Marina.
Vilanova i la Geltrú has one of the most attractive ports in Europe. The Vilanova Grand Marina - Barcelona has been designated the 10th most beautiful port of the Old Continent by the Italian portal Marcopolo TV. The arguments that have raised him to this position are his specialization in superyachts, his location next to Barcelona and at the foot of the Garraf Natural Park and its services of cutting-edge technology.