Jokers and Degraders
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BIRDGUIDES NOTEABLE PHOTO 20-26th Feb 2019
Goldeneye - Bucephala clangula
The common goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) is a medium-sized sea duck of the genus Bucephala, the goldeneyes. Its closest relative is the similar Barrow's goldeneye.
Common goldeneyes are aggressive and territorial ducks, and have elaborate courtship displays.
Their breeding habitat is the taiga. They are found in the lakes and rivers of boreal forests across Canada and the northern United States, Scandinavia, the Baltic States, and northern Russia. They are migratory and most winter in protected coastal waters or open inland waters at more temperate latitudes. Naturally, they nest in cavities in large trees, where they return year after year, though they will readily use nest boxes as well.
Natural tree cavities chosen for nest sites include those made by broken limbs and those made by large woodpeckers, specifically pileated woodpeckers or black woodpeckers.
The female does all the incubating and is abandoned by the male about 1 to 2 weeks into incubation.
The common goldeneye is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies. Approximately 188,300 common goldeneyes were killed annually by duck hunters in North America during the 1970s, representing slightly less than 4% of the total waterfowl killed in Canada during that period, and less than 1% of the total waterfowl killed in the US. Both the breeding and winter habitat of these birds has been degraded by clearance and pollution. However, the common goldeneye in North America is known to derive short-term benefits from lake acidification.
First nested in Scotland in 1970, and since then birds have been attracted to nest in specially designed boxes put up on trees close to water. In winter, birds from Northern Europe visit the UK.
Population:
UK breeding:
200 pairs
UK wintering:
27,000 birds
Wood Warbler - Phylloscopus sibilatrix
The wood warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix) is a common and widespread leaf warbler which breeds throughout northern and temperate Europe, and just into the extreme west of Asia in the southern Ural Mountains.
This warbler is strongly migratory and the entire population winters in tropical Africa.
It is a summer visitor to the United Kingdom, seen from April until August. It has declined there in recent years. It is now very rare in Ireland, where only one or two pairs are recorded breeding in most years, usually in County Wicklow.
Various factors associated with forest structure, including slope, forest cover, proportion of broad-leaf forest, canopy height and forest edge length, all influenced the occupancy rates of this declining forest species. Conservation measures are therefore required that provide and maintain the wood warblers preferred forest structure. There is also a preference for forest in the non-breeding season, however this habitat is declining in wintering areas such as Ghana. Despite the decline in forest habitats, there has been no change in number of wood warblers as it appears that this species can use degraded habitats, such as well-wooded farms. However, further loss of trees will likely have a negative impact on this species in the future
Red Throated Diver - Gavia stellata)
Norfolk
The red-throated loon (North
America) or red-throated diver (Britain and Ireland) (Gavia stellata) is a migratory aquatic bird found in the northern hemisphere. The most widely distributed member of the loon or diver family, it breeds primarily in Arctic regions, and winters in northern coastal waters.
The red-throated loon is the smallest and lightest of the world's loons. In winter, it is a nondescript bird, greyish above fading to white below.
During the breeding season, it acquires the distinctive reddish throat patch which is the basis for its common name. Fish form the bulk of its diet, though amphibians, invertebrates, and plant material are sometimes eaten as well.
A monogamous species, red-throated loons form long-term pair bonds. Both members of the pair help to build the nest, incubate the eggs (generally two per clutch), and feed the hatched young.
The red-throated loon has a large global population and a significant global range, though some populations are declining. Oil spills, habitat degradation, pollution, and fishing nets are among the major threats this species faces. Natural predators—including various gull species, and both red and Arctic foxes, will take eggs and young. The species is protected by international treaties.
Finca Alejandria, Km 18 Via Cali-Buenaventura, Cali, Colombia.
Chalcothraupis ruficervix ruficervix -Prévost & Des Murs, 1842- (Golden-naped tanager / Tangara nuquirrufa)
The golden-naped tanager is found in South America from Colombia to Bolivia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and heavily degraded former forest. Six subspecies are recognised.
Golden-naped tanagers have plumage similar to those of the metallic-green tanager, the swallow tanager and the blue-and-black tanager as adults of all three species are primarily blue with black facial masking, however, the golden-naped tanager is the only primarily blue tanager with a golden or reddish crown patch or nape.
Cistus,
Jara or steppe are the common names of various plants, most of the genus Cistus, and some of other genera, such as Halimium. They are usually part, sometimes important, of the Mediterranean garrigas, and some species behave as pioneers in the recovery of degraded soils. They are pyrophytes, their germination is favored by fire, and recurrent fires help their permanence by eliminating competition from other plants that would eventually displace them from biotopes. Some species, such as C ladanifer or C laurifolius are resinous, which favors burning although they are green.
They are always evergreen, shrubby, woody plants. The flowers are regular, hermaphroditic and with five large, often wrinkled petals that easily fall from the flower. Its numerous stamens produce a large amount of pollen, which attracts many insects, such as bees that produce honey from jara. Its fruits are capsules formed by 5 or 10 carpels, which open at maturity in 5 or 10 cavities with numerous seeds. The wood of Cistus ladanifer, being very hard, is used in the manufacture of small tools or parts that are going to suffer great friction, and it is also excellent as firewood.
Cistus,
Jara o estepa son los nombres comunes de diversas plantas, la mayoría del género Cistus, y algunas de otros géneros, como Halimium. Suelen ser parte, a veces importante, de las garrigas mediterráneas, y algunas especies se comportan como pioneras en la recuperación de suelos degradados. Son pirófitos, su germinación se ve favorecida por el fuego, y los incendios recurrentes ayudan a su permanencia al eliminar la competencia de otras plantas que acabarían por desplazarlas de los biotopos. Algunas especies, como C ladanifer o C laurifolius son resinosas, lo que favorece que ardan aunque estén verdes.
Son siempre plantas perennifolias, arbustivas, leñosas. Las flores son regulares, hermafroditas y con cinco grandes pétalos a menudo arrugados que caen fácilmente de la flor. Sus numerosos estambres producen gran cantidad de polen, que atrae a muchos insectos, como las abejas que producen miel de jara. Sus frutos son cápsulas formadas por 5 o 10 carpelos, que se abren a la madurez en 5 o 10 cavidades con numerosas semillas. La madera de Cistus ladanifer, por ser durísima se usa en la fabricación de pequeñas herramientas o piezas que vayan a sufrir gran rozamiento, y es también excelente como leña.
copyright: © FSUBF. All rights reserved. Please do not use this image, or any images from my photostream, without my permission.
Europe, Portugal, Algarve, Sotavento, Olhão, Fishery harbour, Degraded concrete quay, Beton rot, Rebar, Cables, Knots (uncut)
When due to damage to the surface of reinforced concrete (salt), water can reach the rebar, it will start to rust and cause the concrete to disintegrate. This is commonly as ‘concrete rot’. Some background about it: The expansion of the corrosion products (iron oxides) of carbon steel reinforcement structures may induce internal mechanical stress (tensile stress) that causes the formation of cracks and disrupts the concrete structure. If rebars have been improperly installed or have inadequate concrete cover at surfaces exposed to the elements, oxide jacking and spalling can occur during the structure's lifetime: flat fragments of concrete are detached from the concrete mass as a result of the rebar's corrosion. (Source: wiki).
This is number 11 of the Bollard album, though strictly spoken, the metal ring isn’t one and 61 of Olhão & Ilha da Culatra.
Great White Egret - Ardea Alba
The great egret is generally a very successful species with a large and expanding range, occurring worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats. It is ubiquitous across the Sun Belt of the United States and in the Neotropics. In North America, large numbers of great egrets were killed around the end of the 19th century so that their plumes could be used to decorate hats. Numbers have since recovered as a result of conservation measures. Its range has expanded as far north as southern Canada. However, in some parts of the southern United States, its numbers have declined due to habitat loss, particularly wetland degradation through drainage, grazing, clearing, burning, increased salinity, groundwater extraction and invasion by exotic plants. Nevertheless, the species adapts well to human habitation and can be readily seen near wetlands and bodies of water in urban and suburban areas.
The great egret is partially migratory, with northern hemisphere birds moving south from areas with colder winters. It is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.
In 1953, the great egret in flight was chosen as the symbol of the National Audubon Society, which was formed in part to prevent the killing of birds for their feathers.
On 22 May 2012, a pair of great egrets was announced to be nesting in the UK for the first time at the Shapwick Heath nature reserve in Somerset. The species is a rare visitor to the UK and Ben Aviss of the BBC stated that the news could mean the UK's first great egret colony is established. The following week, Kevin Anderson of Natural England confirmed a great egret chick had hatched, making it a new breeding bird record for the UK. In 2017, seven nests in Somerset fledged 17 young, and a second breeding site was announced at Holkham National Nature Reserve in Norfolk where a pair fledged three young.
In 2018, a pair of great egrets nested in Finland for the first time, raising four young in a grey heron colony in Porvoo.
Londolozi Game Reserve
Kruger National Park
South Africa
The greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) is a woodland antelope found throughout eastern and southern Africa. Despite occupying such widespread territory, they are sparsely populated in most areas, due to a declining habitat, deforestation and poaching.
Their habitat includes mixed scrub woodlands (the greater kudu is one of the few largest mammals that prefer living in settled areas – in scrub woodland and bush on abandoned fields and degraded pastures, mopane bush and acacia in lowlands, hills and mountains.
Their diet consists of leaves, grass, shoots and occasionally tubers, roots and fruit (they are especially fond of oranges and tangerines).
During the day, greater kudus normally cease to be active and instead seek cover under woodland, especially during hot days. They feed and drink in the early morning and late afternoon, acquiring water from waterholes or roots and bulbs that have a high water content. Although they tend to stay in one area, the greater kudu may search over a large distance for water in times of drought.
Predators of the greater kudu generally consist of lions, hyenas, and hunting dogs. Although leopards and cheetahs also prey on greater kudus, they are unable to bring down a bull, and consequently target the more vulnerable cows and offspring.
Greater kudus have a life span of 7 to 8 years in the wild, and up to 23 years in captivity. They are evaluated as low risk in the IUCN Red List of endangered species. Wikipedia
Some detail from a service station near me that has been closed and shuttered for decades...
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Art numérique abstrait 30 x 30 cm, disponible sur mon site officiel - Abstract digital art 30 x 30 cm,
avalaible on my official website : emart-emmanuellebaudry.e-monsite.com/album-photos/degrada...