La Casa Consistorial de la ciudad de Valencia, sede del Consell Municipal, integra, en una manzana de planta ligeramente trapezoidal, dos construcciones de época y estilo bien diferenciados: la Casa de Enseñanza, edificada por iniciativa del arzobispo don Andrés Mayoral, entre 1758 y 1763, y el cuerpo de edificio que constituye la fachada principal, realizada entre la segunda y tercera décadas del siglo XX. Se encuentra en la plaza del Ayuntamiento.

The Town Hall of the city of Valencia, seat of the Municipal Council, integrates, in a block with a slightly trapezoidal plan, two well-differentiated period and style buildings: the House of Education, built on the initiative of Archbishop Don Andrés Mayoral, between 1758 and 1763, and the body of the building that constitutes the main façade, made between the second and third decades of the 20th century. It is located in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.

La Casa Consistorial de la ciutat de València, seu del Consell Municipal, integra, en una illa de planta lleugerament trapezoïdal, dues construccions d'època i estil ben diferenciats: la Casa d'Ensenyament, edificada per iniciativa de l'arquebisbe don Andrés Mayoral, entre 1758 i 1763, i el cos d'edifici que constitueix la façana principal, realitzada entre la segona i tercera dècades del segle XX. Es troba a la plaça de l´Ajuntament.

Red Grouse - Lagopus lagopus scotica

The red grouse, Lagopus lagopus scotica, is a medium-sized bird of the grouse family which is found in heather moorland in Great Britain and Ireland. It is usually classified as a subspecies of the willow ptarmigan but is sometimes considered to be a separate species, Lagopus scotica. It is also known as the moorcock, moorfowl or moorbird. Lagopus is derived from Ancient Greek lagos (λαγος), meaning "hare", + pous (πους), "foot", in reference to the feathered feet and toes typical of this cold-adapted genus, and scoticus is "of Scotland".

The red grouse is widely known as the logo of The Famous Grouse whisky and an animated bird is a character in a series of its adverts. The red grouse is also the emblem of the journal British Birds.

The red grouse is differentiated from the willow ptarmigan and rock ptarmigan by its plumage being reddish brown, and not having a white winter plumage. The tail is black and the legs are white. There are white stripes on the underwing and red combs over the eye. Females are less reddish than the males and have less conspicuous combs. Young birds are duller and lack the red combs.

The red grouse is endemic to the British Isles; it has developed in isolation from other subspecies of the willow ptarmigan which are widespread in northern parts of Eurasia and North America.

It is found across most parts of Scotland, including Orkney, Shetland and most of the Outer Hebrides. They are only absent from urban areas, such as in the Central Belt.

In Wales there are strong populations in places but their range has retracted. They are now largely absent from the far south, their main strongholds being Snowdonia, the Brecon Beacons and the Cambrian Mountains. There are reports of Welsh birds crossing the Bristol Channel to Exmoor.

In England it is mainly found in the north – places such as the Lake District, Northumberland, County Durham, much of Yorkshire, the Pennines and the Peak District, as far south as the Staffordshire Moorlands. There is an isolated introduced population on Dartmoor, and overspill Welsh birds visit the Shropshire Hills such as Long Mynd, where they breed. The Exmoor population would now appear to be extinct, with the last birds sighted as recently as 2005. An introduced population in Suffolk died out by the early 20th century, though a population on Cannock Chase in Staffordshire lasted longer.

The British population is estimated at about 250,000 pairs with around 1–5,000 pairs in Ireland. Numbers have declined in recent years and birds are now absent in areas where they were once common. Reasons for the decline include loss of heather due to overgrazing, creation of new conifer plantations and a decline in the number of upland gamekeepers. Some predators such as the hen harrier feed on grouse and there is ongoing controversy as to what effect these have on grouse numbers.

Red grouse have been introduced to the Hautes Fagnes region of Belgium but the population there died out in the early 1970s.

The red grouse is considered a game bird and is shot in large numbers during the shooting season which traditionally starts on August 12, known as the Glorious Twelfth. There is a keen competition among some London restaurants to serve freshly killed grouse on August 12, with the birds being flown from the moors and cooked within hours.

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Consuegra, Toledo, Castilla-La Mancha, España.

Los molinos de Consuegra son un conjunto de molinos situados en el denominado «cerro Calderico», en el municipio español de Consuegra, en la provincia de Toledo, Comunidad Autónoma de Castilla-La Mancha.

Los molinos de viento fueron construidos en la primera mitad del siglo XIX. En concreto Pascual Madoz señala un total de diez molinos harineros en 1847, en su Diccionario geográfico-estadístico-histórico de España y sus posesiones de Ultramar, aunque en el siglo XVIII al parecer existirían ya dos molinos, uno de ellos se piensa que es del siglo XVI. Tras las distintas reconstrucciones llevadas a cabo en diferentes épocas, se conservan en el siglo XXI doce de los trece molinos que en su día llegaron a coronar el cerro Calderico. Actualmente han dejado de realizar su función como molinos y se usan para fines turísticos, en el molino Sancho se celebra el sábado del último fin de semana de octubre "La molienda de la paz".

Estos, siguiendo la tipología del molino torre, establecida en Holanda entre los siglos XVI y XVII, presentan dos partes claramente diferenciadas: un cuerpo cilíndrico o torre formada por gruesos muros de mampostería encalada, que constituye el elemento sustentante, y una cubierta cónica giratoria de madera y cinc, que integra el conjunto motriz, manifestándose al exterior por el palo de gobierno y sus cuatro aspas rectangulares.

Su ubicación sobre el cerro Calderico y la necesidad de contar con un suelo nivelado para su edificación, determinó la construcción de una plataforma circular, reforzada en su perímetro por un muro de mampostería en el centro del cual se levanta el molino de viento.

En el grueso del muro de cerramiento de los molinos, y orientadas al sur, se abren puertas de vano adintelado, de una hoja, que dan acceso a un interior dividido en tres plantas pavimentadas con baldosa de barro y conectadas entre sí por una escalera adosada al muro. En la planta inferior, se ubica el silo, donde se almacenaba el grano molido. En la segunda planta o «camareta» se ubica el cedazo, gran tamiz dentro de un cajón para separar la harina del salvado. En la tercera planta o «moledero», estancia donde el muro reduce su espesor proporcionando un espacio de mayor amplitud, se aloja el conjunto de la maquinaria, cuyo elemento más llamativa es la rueda catalina. En la parte alta del muro se abren ocho ventanillos que servían al molinero para averiguar la dirección del viento y determinar así la orientación de las aspas.

En 2006 fue incoada la declaración conjunta como Bien de Interés Cultural del cerro, incluyéndose los molinos y el aledaño castillo de la Muela; en febrero de 2008 se aprobaría con la categoría de «Sitio histórico».

The Consuegra windmills are a group of mills located on the so-called "Calderico Hill" in the Spanish municipality of Consuegra, in the province of Toledo, Autonomous Community of Castilla-La Mancha.

The windmills were built in the first half of the 19th century. Pascual Madoz specifically noted a total of ten flour mills in 1847 in his Geographical-Statistical-Historical Dictionary of Spain and its Overseas Possessions, although by the 18th century, two mills apparently already existed, one of which is thought to date from the 16th century. After various reconstructions carried out at different times, twelve of the thirteen mills that once crowned Calderico Hill remain in the 21st century. They are no longer used as mills and are used for tourism. The "Grinding of Peace" festival is held at the Sancho Mill on the last Saturday of October.

These mills, following the tower mill typology established in Holland between the 16th and 17th centuries, have two clearly differentiated parts: a cylindrical body or tower formed by thick whitewashed masonry walls, which constitutes the supporting element, and a rotating conical roof made of wood and zinc, which integrates the drive system, visible on the outside by the steering pole and its four rectangular blades.

Their location on Calderico Hill and the need for level ground for their construction led to the construction of a circular platform, reinforced around its perimeter by a masonry wall in the center of which the windmill rises.

In the thick enclosing wall of the mills, and facing south, there are single-leaf, lintelled doors that give access to an interior divided into three floors, paved with clay tiles and connected by a staircase attached to the wall. On the lower floor is the silo, where the ground grain was stored. On the second floor, or "chamber," is the sieve, a large sieve inside a box used to separate the flour from the bran. On the third floor, or "milling room," a room where the wall reduces its thickness, providing a larger space, is the entire machinery, the most striking element of which is the sprocket wheel. At the top of the wall, eight small windows opened, which the miller used to gauge the wind direction and thus determine the orientation of the blades.

In 2006, the hill was jointly declared a Site of Cultural Interest, including the mills and the adjacent Muela Castle; in February 2008, it was approved as a "Historic Site."

American darter is a water bird of the warmer parts of the Americas. This bird is often mistaken for the double-crested cormorant due to its similar size and shape, although the two species can be differentiated by their tails and bills. The tail of the anhinga is wider and much longer than that of the cormorant. The bill of the anhinga is pointed, while the bill of the cormorant has a hook-tip.

19 Jan, 2024 Second place Winner: Beautiful Capture of Week-2 Contest of the Beautiful Capture Group; congratulations.

This shot was made using a light tent, the idea was to control the reflections. I shot only one spoon and mirrored it in the beginning so that successive edit would differentiate them, I didn't want perfect symmetry. One can imagine the triangular or lozenge shape between the spoons to be some kind of entrance into emptiness but where imagination can see infinite variation, all this surrounded by the subtle lighting guiding the eye into this entrance.

You are sensational, little planet.

***

Valle Nevado is the largest ski center in the Southern Hemisphere, with a surface where it is possible to ski for 900 hectares, and the most modern in Chile. It is located in the middle of the Cordillera de los Andes at an altitude of 3,025 meters.

In Valle Nevado we can find high quality snow, so much so that it is chosen by athletes from all over the world to practice heliskiing, snowboarding, skiing and all kinds of winter activities.

It has 37 tracks on more than 40 kilometers of flat tracks located in the Andean valleys, differentiated by their levels for beginners, blue, red and black; as well as alternative tracks, with virgin snow for the experienced.

Valle Nevado, in addition, has a Snowboard Park, 100 meters long, 50 meters wide, where the Snowboard World Championship has been held since 2003 for its excellent terrains, with its specialized tracks in Half Pipe and Border Cross.

This ski center also has bumps, areas full of obstacles and the best snow for a practice full of adrenaline and adventure.

Valle Nevado has 810 meters of height difference and a maximum height at the Cima Tres Puntas, of 3,670 meters of altitude. The minimum altitude in Valle Nevado is 2,860 meters, located at Base Prado.

The resort is located at an altitude of 3,025 meters.

***

Valle Nevado has one of the best snowparks in Latin America, specially developed for beginners and experts. It is located next to the Candonga walkable, between the base of Cima Prado and the Andes Express. It gives the possibility of having a class with a ski and snowboard instructor to learn or improve the techniques.

It has 3 areas :: the beginners area has a course with rollers, unevenness and mini boxes, the intermediate area has 2 boxes, 3 jumps from 6 to 10 meters and a rainbow, and the experts area has 2 balconies with a kink box, one quarter pipe for jibbing and 2 step up jumps.

Bosa is a town and comune in the province of Oristano (until May 2005 it was in the province of Nuoro), part of the Sardinia region of Italy. Bosa is situated about two-thirds of the way up the west coast of Sardinia, on a small hill, about 3 kilometres (2 miles) inland on the north bank of the Temo River. The town has maintained a population of around 8,000 people for a significant amount of time, but has an urban character that has differentiated it from other locations in Sardinia. Agriculture and fishing play an important part in the city economy, thanks to the river valley near the coast surrounded by hills and highland plateaus.

Hello friends, we will visit Sicily in the next few weeks. = O)

Last summer's trip, Sicily is a land full of beauty and contrasts, contrasts that I want to differentiate in two parts, the first with photos of the most tourist sites and the second is a look of a most quotidian life in your streets.

Welcome to my series "La Sicilia è ..."

I hope you like it, a good week for everyone.

it’s all going to end up as a photograph anyway?

John Divola

HPPT! HBW!!

cercis, redbud, sarah p duke gardens, duke university, durham, north carolina

An iconic pose with an uptilted beak.

Doublers crested cormorants are pretty easily differentiated from other waterfowl that may appear similar from a distance because on land and water they tend to have that nose in the air look. This one is visiting Farmington Bay WMA on the Great Salt Lake.

Another beautiful bird found around the rapids along with the other redstarts. The bird was flying from boulder to boulder and in between grabbing a few flies for snacks. I think the sexes are alike and colorful since we saw many of them, but didn't see a differentiation. ebird also indicated the same.

Many thanks in advance for the faves and feedback.

La iglesia de Santa María la Mayor de Peñarroya de Tastavins . Se trata de un edificio construido en el siglo XVIII en estilo barroco clasicista. Su fábrica es de mampostería combinada con sillar y conforma un rotundo volumen claramente diferenciado del resto del caserío.

A los pies, en el lado de la Epístola, se alza la esbelta torre de tres cuerpos, siendo cuadrados los dos primeros y octogonal el último, que cumple la función de cuerpo de campanas, por lo que se presenta abierto en sus ocho caras por arcos de medio punto.

The church of Santa María la Mayor in Peñarroya de Tastavins .It is a building built in the 18th century in a classicist baroque style. Its factory is made of masonry combined with ashlar and forms a resounding volume clearly differentiated from the rest of the farmhouse.

At the foot, on the side of the Epistle, rises the slender three-section tower, the first two being square and the last octagonal, which acts as a body of bells, which is why it is presented open on its eight faces by Round arches.

L'església de Santa Maria la Major de Pena-roja de Tastavins Es tracta d'un edifici construït al segle XVIII en estil barroc classicista. La seva fàbrica és de maçoneria combinada amb carreu i conforma un rotund volum clarament diferenciat d'la resta de l'caseriu.

Als peus, al costat de l'Epístola, s'alça l'esvelta torre de tres cossos, sent quadrats els dos primers i octogonal l'últim, que compleix la funció de cos de campanes, per la qual cosa es presenta obert en les seves vuit cares per arcs de mig punt.

This one was mixed in with a group (also called a “curfew,” “salon”or “skein”) of Long-billed Curlews. Kind of tricky to differentiate from a distance. I find it fun to discover collective nouns for various birds and how they differ from one another. An assemblage of Whimbrels is known as a “fling,” “bind,” “time-step,” or “contradiction.”

Hobart is the capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. With a population of approximately 240,342 (over 45% of Tasmania's population), it is the least populated Australian state capital city, and second smallest if territories are taken into account (after Darwin, Northern Territory). The city is located in the state's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, making it the most southern of Australia's capital cities. Its skyline is dominated by the 1,271-metre Mount Wellington, and its harbour forms the second-deepest natural port in the world, with much of the city's waterfront consisting of reclaimed land. The metropolitan area is often referred to as Greater Hobart, to differentiate it from the City of Hobart, one of the five local government areas that cover the city. Founded in 1804 as a British penal colony, Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney, New South Wales. 30906

From Wikipedia:

The great egret is a large heron with all-white plumage. Standing up to 1 m (3.3 ft) tall, this species can measure 80 to 104 cm (31 to 41 in) in length and have a wingspan of 131 to 170 cm (52 to 67 in).[8][9] Body mass can range from 700 to 1,500 g (1.5 to 3.3 lb), with an average around 1,000 g (2.2 lb).[10] It is thus only slightly smaller than the great blue or grey heron (A. cinerea). Apart from size, the great egret can be distinguished from other white egrets by its yellow bill and black legs and feet, though the bill may become darker and the lower legs lighter in the breeding season. In breeding plumage, delicate ornamental feathers are borne on the back. Males and females are identical in appearance; juveniles look like nonbreeding adults. Differentiated from the intermediate egret (Mesophoyx intermedius) by the gape, which extends well beyond the back of the eye in case of the great egret, but ends just behind the eye in case of the intermediate egret.

It has a slow flight, with its neck retracted. This is characteristic of herons and bitterns, and distinguishes them from storks, cranes, ibises, and spoonbills, which extend their necks in flight. The great egret walks with its neck extended and wings held close. The great egret is not normally a vocal bird; it gives a low, hoarse croak when disturbed, and at breeding colonies, it often gives a loud croaking cuk cuk cuk and higher-pitched squawks.[11]

Consuegra, Toledo, Castilla-La Mancha, España.

Los molinos de Consuegra son un conjunto de molinos situados en el denominado «cerro Calderico», en el municipio español de Consuegra, en la provincia de Toledo, Comunidad Autónoma de Castilla-La Mancha.

Los molinos de viento fueron construidos en la primera mitad del siglo XIX. En concreto Pascual Madoz señala un total de diez molinos harineros en 1847, en su Diccionario geográfico-estadístico-histórico de España y sus posesiones de Ultramar, aunque en el siglo XVIII al parecer existirían ya dos molinos, uno de ellos se piensa que es del siglo XVI. Tras las distintas reconstrucciones llevadas a cabo en diferentes épocas, se conservan en el siglo XXI doce de los trece molinos que en su día llegaron a coronar el cerro Calderico. Actualmente han dejado de realizar su función como molinos y se usan para fines turísticos, en el molino Sancho se celebra el sábado del último fin de semana de octubre "La molienda de la paz".

Estos, siguiendo la tipología del molino torre, establecida en Holanda entre los siglos XVI y XVII, presentan dos partes claramente diferenciadas: un cuerpo cilíndrico o torre formada por gruesos muros de mampostería encalada, que constituye el elemento sustentante, y una cubierta cónica giratoria de madera y cinc, que integra el conjunto motriz, manifestándose al exterior por el palo de gobierno y sus cuatro aspas rectangulares.

Su ubicación sobre el cerro Calderico y la necesidad de contar con un suelo nivelado para su edificación, determinó la construcción de una plataforma circular, reforzada en su perímetro por un muro de mampostería en el centro del cual se levanta el molino de viento.

En el grueso del muro de cerramiento de los molinos, y orientadas al sur, se abren puertas de vano adintelado, de una hoja, que dan acceso a un interior dividido en tres plantas pavimentadas con baldosa de barro y conectadas entre sí por una escalera adosada al muro. En la planta inferior, se ubica el silo, donde se almacenaba el grano molido. En la segunda planta o «camareta» se ubica el cedazo, gran tamiz dentro de un cajón para separar la harina del salvado. En la tercera planta o «moledero», estancia donde el muro reduce su espesor proporcionando un espacio de mayor amplitud, se aloja el conjunto de la maquinaria, cuyo elemento más llamativa es la rueda catalina. En la parte alta del muro se abren ocho ventanillos que servían al molinero para averiguar la dirección del viento y determinar así la orientación de las aspas.

En 2006 fue incoada la declaración conjunta como Bien de Interés Cultural del cerro, incluyéndose los molinos y el aledaño castillo de la Muela; en febrero de 2008 se aprobaría con la categoría de «Sitio histórico».

The Consuegra windmills are a group of mills located on the so-called "Calderico Hill" in the Spanish municipality of Consuegra, in the province of Toledo, Autonomous Community of Castilla-La Mancha.

The windmills were built in the first half of the 19th century. Pascual Madoz specifically noted a total of ten flour mills in 1847 in his Geographical-Statistical-Historical Dictionary of Spain and its Overseas Possessions, although by the 18th century, two mills apparently already existed, one of which is thought to date from the 16th century. After various reconstructions carried out at different times, twelve of the thirteen mills that once crowned Calderico Hill remain in the 21st century. They are no longer used as mills and are used for tourism. The "Grinding of Peace" festival is held at the Sancho Mill on the last Saturday of October.

These mills, following the tower mill typology established in Holland between the 16th and 17th centuries, have two clearly differentiated parts: a cylindrical body or tower formed by thick whitewashed masonry walls, which constitutes the supporting element, and a rotating conical roof made of wood and zinc, which integrates the drive system, visible on the outside by the steering pole and its four rectangular blades.

Their location on Calderico Hill and the need for level ground for their construction led to the construction of a circular platform, reinforced around its perimeter by a masonry wall in the center of which the windmill rises.

In the thick enclosing wall of the mills, and facing south, there are single-leaf, lintelled doors that give access to an interior divided into three floors, paved with clay tiles and connected by a staircase attached to the wall. On the lower floor is the silo, where the ground grain was stored. On the second floor, or "chamber," is the sieve, a large sieve inside a box used to separate the flour from the bran. On the third floor, or "milling room," a room where the wall reduces its thickness, providing a larger space, is the entire machinery, the most striking element of which is the sprocket wheel. At the top of the wall, eight small windows opened, which the miller used to gauge the wind direction and thus determine the orientation of the blades.

In 2006, the hill was jointly declared a Site of Cultural Interest, including the mills and the adjacent Muela Castle; in February 2008, it was approved as a "Historic Site."

Curculio glandium is a member of the genus Curculio, which comprises seed beetles. All members of Curculio have characteristically long rostrums and ovipositors, an adaptation that specifically developed by their reliance on seeds for food and reproduction.

Male/Female differentiation can be determined using the rostrum as female's are longer. The larvae are short, and cylindrical in shape, and move by means of ridges on the underside of the body. Adults can reach a length of 4 to 8 mm.

Curculio glandium eggs are deposited in acorns by the adult weevil chewing channels into the fruit. The eggs are then released using an ovipositor, a long, narrow organ featured in female weevils. These do not reach the acorn's embryo and are healed by the plant, sealing the holes and protecting the eggs from parasites. Upon hatching, either one or two larvae consume the fruit. While they may eat the entirety of the acorn, the larvae typically do not consume the embryo itself. Curculio glandium live throughout winter in the larval stage. The larvae are freeze avoidant, preventing their internal body fluids from freezing during the winter.

Curculio glandium can pose a large risk to acorn bearing tree populations. They are highly effective at infecting acorns which can cause a widespread number of seeds to be incapable of germination, with a potential of rendering 70-90% of seeds incapable of germination.

One of the several species of wagtails that winter in India from Europe, central Asia and parts of China. Some of these wagtails are quite hard to distinguish and requires considerable expertise to differentiate the plumages.

The behavior of the Citrine wagtails is similar to the other wagtails, but they seemed a tad bigger to me compared to the ones we have here. And unlike the Gray wagtail or Western Yellow Wagtail, I think this is more found in grassy ground around water rather in tilled fields where the other migrants are usually found. I believe this one is in its 1st winter based on its plain grey plumage.

Thanks in advance for your views and feedback.

Peregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus

Juvenile

The peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), also known as the peregrine, and historically as the duck hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey (raptor) in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-grey back, barred white underparts, and a black head. As is typical of bird-eating raptors, peregrine falcons are sexually dimorphic, with females being considerably larger than males. The peregrine is renowned for its speed, reaching over 320 km/h (200 mph) during its characteristic hunting stoop (high-speed dive), making it the fastest member of the animal kingdom. According to a National Geographic TV programme, the highest measured speed of a peregrine falcon is 389 km/h (242 mph).

The peregrine's breeding range includes land regions from the Arctic tundra to the tropics. It can be found nearly everywhere on Earth, except extreme polar regions, very high mountains, and most tropical rainforests; the only major ice-free landmass from which it is entirely absent is New Zealand. This makes it the world's most widespread raptor, and one of the most widely found bird species. In fact, the only land-based bird species found over a larger geographic area is not always naturally occurring, but one widely introduced by humans, the rock pigeon, which in turn now supports many peregrine populations as a prey species. The peregrine is a highly successful example of urban wildlife in much of its range, taking advantage of tall buildings as nest sites and an abundance of prey such as pigeons and ducks. Both the English and scientific names of this species mean "wandering falcon," referring to the migratory habits of many northern populations. Experts recognize 17 to 19 subspecies, which vary in appearance and range; disagreement exists over whether the distinctive Barbary falcon is represented by two subspecies of Falco peregrinus, or is a separate species, F. pelegrinoides. The two species' divergence is relatively recent, during the time of the last ice age, therefore the genetic differential between them (and also the difference in their appearance) is relatively tiny. They are only about 0.6–0.8% genetically differentiated.

While its diet consists almost exclusively of medium-sized birds, the peregrine will occasionally hunt small mammals, small reptiles, or even insects. Reaching sexual maturity at one year, it mates for life and nests in a scrape, normally on cliff edges or, in recent times, on tall human-made structures. The peregrine falcon became an endangered species in many areas because of the widespread use of certain pesticides, especially DDT. Since the ban on DDT from the early 1970s, populations have recovered, supported by large-scale protection of nesting places and releases to the wild.

The peregrine falcon is a well respected falconry bird due to its strong hunting ability, high trainability, versatility, and – in recent years – availability via captive breeding. It is effective on most game bird species, from small to large.

Population:

UK breeding:

1,500 pairs

Consuegra, Toledo, Castilla-La Mancha, España.

Los molinos de Consuegra son un conjunto de molinos situados en el denominado «cerro Calderico», en el municipio español de Consuegra, en la provincia de Toledo, Comunidad Autónoma de Castilla-La Mancha.

Los molinos de viento fueron construidos en la primera mitad del siglo XIX. En concreto Pascual Madoz señala un total de diez molinos harineros en 1847, en su Diccionario geográfico-estadístico-histórico de España y sus posesiones de Ultramar, aunque en el siglo XVIII al parecer existirían ya dos molinos, uno de ellos se piensa que es del siglo XVI. Tras las distintas reconstrucciones llevadas a cabo en diferentes épocas, se conservan en el siglo XXI doce de los trece molinos que en su día llegaron a coronar el cerro Calderico. Actualmente han dejado de realizar su función como molinos y se usan para fines turísticos, en el molino Sancho se celebra el sábado del último fin de semana de octubre "La molienda de la paz".

Estos, siguiendo la tipología del molino torre, establecida en Holanda entre los siglos XVI y XVII, presentan dos partes claramente diferenciadas: un cuerpo cilíndrico o torre formada por gruesos muros de mampostería encalada, que constituye el elemento sustentante, y una cubierta cónica giratoria de madera y cinc, que integra el conjunto motriz, manifestándose al exterior por el palo de gobierno y sus cuatro aspas rectangulares.

Su ubicación sobre el cerro Calderico y la necesidad de contar con un suelo nivelado para su edificación, determinó la construcción de una plataforma circular, reforzada en su perímetro por un muro de mampostería en el centro del cual se levanta el molino de viento.

En el grueso del muro de cerramiento de los molinos, y orientadas al sur, se abren puertas de vano adintelado, de una hoja, que dan acceso a un interior dividido en tres plantas pavimentadas con baldosa de barro y conectadas entre sí por una escalera adosada al muro. En la planta inferior, se ubica el silo, donde se almacenaba el grano molido. En la segunda planta o «camareta» se ubica el cedazo, gran tamiz dentro de un cajón para separar la harina del salvado. En la tercera planta o «moledero», estancia donde el muro reduce su espesor proporcionando un espacio de mayor amplitud, se aloja el conjunto de la maquinaria, cuyo elemento más llamativa es la rueda catalina. En la parte alta del muro se abren ocho ventanillos que servían al molinero para averiguar la dirección del viento y determinar así la orientación de las aspas.

En 2006 fue incoada la declaración conjunta como Bien de Interés Cultural del cerro, incluyéndose los molinos y el aledaño castillo de la Muela; en febrero de 2008 se aprobaría con la categoría de «Sitio histórico».

The Consuegra windmills are a group of mills located on the so-called "Calderico Hill" in the Spanish municipality of Consuegra, in the province of Toledo, Autonomous Community of Castilla-La Mancha.

The windmills were built in the first half of the 19th century. Pascual Madoz specifically noted a total of ten flour mills in 1847 in his Geographical-Statistical-Historical Dictionary of Spain and its Overseas Possessions, although by the 18th century, two mills apparently already existed, one of which is thought to date from the 16th century. After various reconstructions carried out at different times, twelve of the thirteen mills that once crowned Calderico Hill remain in the 21st century. They are no longer used as mills and are used for tourism. The "Grinding of Peace" festival is held at the Sancho Mill on the last Saturday of October.

These mills, following the tower mill typology established in Holland between the 16th and 17th centuries, have two clearly differentiated parts: a cylindrical body or tower formed by thick whitewashed masonry walls, which constitutes the supporting element, and a rotating conical roof made of wood and zinc, which integrates the drive system, visible on the outside by the steering pole and its four rectangular blades.

Their location on Calderico Hill and the need for level ground for their construction led to the construction of a circular platform, reinforced around its perimeter by a masonry wall in the center of which the windmill rises.

In the thick enclosing wall of the mills, and facing south, there are single-leaf, lintelled doors that give access to an interior divided into three floors, paved with clay tiles and connected by a staircase attached to the wall. On the lower floor is the silo, where the ground grain was stored. On the second floor, or "chamber," is the sieve, a large sieve inside a box used to separate the flour from the bran. On the third floor, or "milling room," a room where the wall reduces its thickness, providing a larger space, is the entire machinery, the most striking element of which is the sprocket wheel. At the top of the wall, eight small windows opened, which the miller used to gauge the wind direction and thus determine the orientation of the blades.

In 2006, the hill was jointly declared a Site of Cultural Interest, including the mills and the adjacent Muela Castle; in February 2008, it was approved as a "Historic Site."

Managing a nest is challenging and the parents are regularly making flights to catch more insects and food. Here one of them fed some food to its chicks in the nest and is back another round. They are such efficient creatures that it appears that they don't take any rest at all. I still don't know if there are any differentiating marks that can help in identifying each swift uniquely.

The shot was incredibly challenging though due to the birds highly unpredictable flight pattern. I finally managed to get a decent shot. I shot this while it flew out of its nest under the bridge.

Thanks for all your views and feedback.

Red Grouse - Lagopus lagopus scotica

Scottish Moors

The red grouse, Lagopus lagopus scotica, is a medium-sized bird of the grouse family which is found in heather moorland in Great Britain and Ireland. It is usually classified as a subspecies of the willow ptarmigan but is sometimes considered to be a separate species, Lagopus scotica. It is also known as the moorcock, moorfowl or moorbird. Lagopus is derived from Ancient Greek lagos (λαγος), meaning "hare", + pous (πους), "foot", in reference to the feathered feet and toes typical of this cold-adapted genus, and scoticus is "of Scotland".

The red grouse is widely known as the logo of The Famous Grouse whisky and an animated bird is a character in a series of its adverts. The red grouse is also the emblem of the journal British Birds.

The red grouse is differentiated from the willow ptarmigan and rock ptarmigan by its plumage being reddish brown, and not having a white winter plumage. The tail is black and the legs are white. There are white stripes on the underwing and red combs over the eye. Females are less reddish than the males and have less conspicuous combs. Young birds are duller and lack the red combs.

The red grouse is endemic to the British Isles; it has developed in isolation from other subspecies of the willow ptarmigan which are widespread in northern parts of Eurasia and North America.

It is found across most parts of Scotland, including Orkney, Shetland and most of the Outer Hebrides. They are only absent from urban areas, such as in the Central Belt.

In Wales there are strong populations in places but their range has retracted. They are now largely absent from the far south, their main strongholds being Snowdonia, the Brecon Beacons and the Cambrian Mountains. There are reports of Welsh birds crossing the Bristol Channel to Exmoor.

In England it is mainly found in the north – places such as the Lake District, Northumberland, County Durham, much of Yorkshire, the Pennines and the Peak District, as far south as the Staffordshire Moorlands. There is an isolated introduced population on Dartmoor, and overspill Welsh birds visit the Shropshire Hills such as Long Mynd, where they breed. The Exmoor population would now appear to be extinct, with the last birds sighted as recently as 2005. An introduced population in Suffolk died out by the early 20th century, though a population on Cannock Chase in Staffordshire lasted longer.

The British population is estimated at about 250,000 pairs with around 1–5,000 pairs in Ireland. Numbers have declined in recent years and birds are now absent in areas where they were once common. Reasons for the decline include loss of heather due to overgrazing, creation of new conifer plantations and a decline in the number of upland gamekeepers. Some predators such as the hen harrier feed on grouse and there is ongoing controversy as to what effect these have on grouse numbers.

Red grouse have been introduced to the Hautes Fagnes region of Belgium but the population there died out in the early 1970s.

The red grouse is considered a game bird and is shot in large numbers during the shooting season which traditionally starts on August 12, known as the Glorious Twelfth. There is a keen competition among some London restaurants to serve freshly killed grouse on August 12, with the birds being flown from the moors and cooked within hours.

Picture from A Train In North India

Dactylorhiza maculata subs. fuchsii (Orchidaceae) 178 22

Dactylorhiza fuchsii is a widespread and abundant orchid with a distribution throughout temperate Europe, as far east as Siberia and is a member of the large Dactylorhiza maculata group of the genus Dactylorhiza. Dactylorhiza fuchsii and Dactylorhiza maculata share a close morphological resemblance but their differing habitat choice is a key differentiation, with the latter species exclusively a plant of acidic or neutral substrates and Dactylorhiza fuchsii an orchid of alkaline soils. There are also morphological features that serve to distinguish them, among them, the more slender, pointed leaves and less centralized, more discreet lip markings of Dactylorhiza maculata. These characteristics seem to be less apparent in the central and eastern parts of their range and this greater convergence leads some botanists not to recognize any species separation.

Dactylorhiza fuchsii although exclusively tied to non acidic soils, is nonetheless tolerant of a wide range of conditions from the driest chalk grassland to marshes and from full sun to shade. Its flowers are typically pale with bold markings and it's not uncommon to find completely white examples.

Source: Orchids of Britain and Europe.

Consuegra, Toledo, Castilla-La Mancha, España.

Los molinos de Consuegra son un conjunto de molinos situados en el denominado «cerro Calderico», en el municipio español de Consuegra, en la provincia de Toledo, Comunidad Autónoma de Castilla-La Mancha.

Los molinos de viento fueron construidos en la primera mitad del siglo XIX. En concreto Pascual Madoz señala un total de diez molinos harineros en 1847, en su Diccionario geográfico-estadístico-histórico de España y sus posesiones de Ultramar, aunque en el siglo XVIII al parecer existirían ya dos molinos, uno de ellos se piensa que es del siglo XVI. Tras las distintas reconstrucciones llevadas a cabo en diferentes épocas, se conservan en el siglo XXI doce de los trece molinos que en su día llegaron a coronar el cerro Calderico. Actualmente han dejado de realizar su función como molinos y se usan para fines turísticos, en el molino Sancho se celebra el sábado del último fin de semana de octubre "La molienda de la paz".

Estos, siguiendo la tipología del molino torre, establecida en Holanda entre los siglos XVI y XVII, presentan dos partes claramente diferenciadas: un cuerpo cilíndrico o torre formada por gruesos muros de mampostería encalada, que constituye el elemento sustentante, y una cubierta cónica giratoria de madera y cinc, que integra el conjunto motriz, manifestándose al exterior por el palo de gobierno y sus cuatro aspas rectangulares.

Su ubicación sobre el cerro Calderico y la necesidad de contar con un suelo nivelado para su edificación, determinó la construcción de una plataforma circular, reforzada en su perímetro por un muro de mampostería en el centro del cual se levanta el molino de viento.

En el grueso del muro de cerramiento de los molinos, y orientadas al sur, se abren puertas de vano adintelado, de una hoja, que dan acceso a un interior dividido en tres plantas pavimentadas con baldosa de barro y conectadas entre sí por una escalera adosada al muro. En la planta inferior, se ubica el silo, donde se almacenaba el grano molido. En la segunda planta o «camareta» se ubica el cedazo, gran tamiz dentro de un cajón para separar la harina del salvado. En la tercera planta o «moledero», estancia donde el muro reduce su espesor proporcionando un espacio de mayor amplitud, se aloja el conjunto de la maquinaria, cuyo elemento más llamativa es la rueda catalina. En la parte alta del muro se abren ocho ventanillos que servían al molinero para averiguar la dirección del viento y determinar así la orientación de las aspas.

En 2006 fue incoada la declaración conjunta como Bien de Interés Cultural del cerro, incluyéndose los molinos y el aledaño castillo de la Muela; en febrero de 2008 se aprobaría con la categoría de «Sitio histórico».

The Consuegra windmills are a group of mills located on the so-called "Calderico Hill" in the Spanish municipality of Consuegra, in the province of Toledo, Autonomous Community of Castilla-La Mancha.

The windmills were built in the first half of the 19th century. Pascual Madoz specifically noted a total of ten flour mills in 1847 in his Geographical-Statistical-Historical Dictionary of Spain and its Overseas Possessions, although by the 18th century, two mills apparently already existed, one of which is thought to date from the 16th century. After various reconstructions carried out at different times, twelve of the thirteen mills that once crowned Calderico Hill remain in the 21st century. They are no longer used as mills and are used for tourism. The "Grinding of Peace" festival is held at the Sancho Mill on the last Saturday of October.

These mills, following the tower mill typology established in Holland between the 16th and 17th centuries, have two clearly differentiated parts: a cylindrical body or tower formed by thick whitewashed masonry walls, which constitutes the supporting element, and a rotating conical roof made of wood and zinc, which integrates the drive system, visible on the outside by the steering pole and its four rectangular blades.

Their location on Calderico Hill and the need for level ground for their construction led to the construction of a circular platform, reinforced around its perimeter by a masonry wall in the center of which the windmill rises.

In the thick enclosing wall of the mills, and facing south, there are single-leaf, lintelled doors that give access to an interior divided into three floors, paved with clay tiles and connected by a staircase attached to the wall. On the lower floor is the silo, where the ground grain was stored. On the second floor, or "chamber," is the sieve, a large sieve inside a box used to separate the flour from the bran. On the third floor, or "milling room," a room where the wall reduces its thickness, providing a larger space, is the entire machinery, the most striking element of which is the sprocket wheel. At the top of the wall, eight small windows opened, which the miller used to gauge the wind direction and thus determine the orientation of the blades.

In 2006, the hill was jointly declared a Site of Cultural Interest, including the mills and the adjacent Muela Castle; in February 2008, it was approved as a "Historic Site."

Before they bloomed, I thought these were weeds. Maybe they are, but I love these delicate little flowers. Does anyone know what they are?

P.S. James Russell Lowell said:

"A weed is no more than a flower in disguise, Which is seen through at once, if love give a man eyes."

5/4/2025 update: With the help of my iPhone, I have identified this as white campion. It is similar to bladder campion, but is differentiated by its course, rough hairs.

View Large On Black

Bosa e il suo Temo

Città della Costa Occidentale della Sardegna nella provincia di Oristano, Bosa è situata su un collina sulle rive del fiume Temo, l’unico fiume navigabile della Sardegna , anche se per un breve tratto.

E’ l’unica città in Sardegna edificata vicino all’estuario di un fiume ed ha mantenuto uno stile urbanistico che la differenzia completamente dagli altri centri dell’isola.

Bosa and its Temo river

Bosa is a town in the province of Oristano situated on the west coast of Sardinia, on a small hill, on the north bank of the Temo River. The town has maintained an urban character that has differentiated it from other locations in Sardinia.

My stream : Tati@

© All rights reserved

The Ugandan Kob is a subspecies of the kob, a type of antelope. It is found in sub-Saharan Africa in South Sudan, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Ugandan Kob is normally reddish-brown, differentiating it from other kob subspecies.

It is typically found in open or wooded savanna, within a reasonable distance of water, and it also occurs in grasslands near rivers and lakes. Its habit of lying out in open grassland make it an accessible target for poachers, and 98% of the present population are found in national parks and other protected areas.

A Ugandan Kob appears on the coat of arms of Uganda, along with a Grey Crowned Crane, representing the abundant wildlife present in the country.

Queen Elizabeth II National Park, Uganda. February 2017.

I have been using B&S ferric oxalate for decades. I am currently experimenting with the production of ferric oxalate with different starting substances. The original recipe by Pizzighelli and Hübl is quite elaborate and takes a few days and moreover the yield is low.

It is still too early to evaluate the print results, but what I can already say is that the tonal values and the colour tone are different from before.

With Palladioypes, the image tone is a little cooler, the tonal value differentiation clearer, both in the highlights and in the shadows. At least with pure Palladiotypes the Dmax is not higher than when using B&S

oxalate.

Seit Jahrzehnten benutze ich das Ferric oxalat von B&S. Zur Zeit experimentiere ich mit der Herstellung von Eisen(III)-oxalat mit unterschiedlichen Ausgangs-Substanzen. Die Originalrezeptur von Pizzighelli und Hübl ist ziemlich aufwendig und dauert einige Tage, zudem ist die Ausbeute gering.

Für eine Bewertung der Printresultate ist es noch zu früh, was ich aber schon sagen kann, die Tonwerte und der Farbton sind anders als zuvor.

Bei Palladiumtypien ist der Bildton ein wenig kühler, die Tonwertdifferenzierung klarer sowohl in den Lichtern, als auch in den Schatten. Zumindest bei reinen Palladiotypes ist die Maximalschwärzung nicht höher als bei Verwendung von B&S Eisen(III)-oxalat.

Palladiotype onto Arches Platine,

Warm tone developer mix Potassium oxalate/phosphate 2+1

The Amaryllis Hermitage, has conical, large, beautiful, red-orange flowers with white stripes.

Dutch variety created in 1995 to compete with the popular Minerva. The two are very similar, but the 'Hermitage has less contrast, the "red and white" flowers are marked with a shade of reddish orange and the Minerva more red or pure bright orange.

The shape of the flower is what differentiates the most, the general impression is that the flower has a somewhat square or geometric quality.

Its foliage is also quite ornamental.

Consuegra, Toledo, Castilla-La Mancha, España.

Los molinos de Consuegra son un conjunto de molinos situados en el denominado «cerro Calderico», en el municipio español de Consuegra, en la provincia de Toledo, Comunidad Autónoma de Castilla-La Mancha.

Los molinos de viento fueron construidos en la primera mitad del siglo XIX. En concreto Pascual Madoz señala un total de diez molinos harineros en 1847, en su Diccionario geográfico-estadístico-histórico de España y sus posesiones de Ultramar, aunque en el siglo XVIII al parecer existirían ya dos molinos, uno de ellos se piensa que es del siglo XVI. Tras las distintas reconstrucciones llevadas a cabo en diferentes épocas, se conservan en el siglo XXI doce de los trece molinos que en su día llegaron a coronar el cerro Calderico. Actualmente han dejado de realizar su función como molinos y se usan para fines turísticos, en el molino Sancho se celebra el sábado del último fin de semana de octubre "La molienda de la paz".

Estos, siguiendo la tipología del molino torre, establecida en Holanda entre los siglos XVI y XVII, presentan dos partes claramente diferenciadas: un cuerpo cilíndrico o torre formada por gruesos muros de mampostería encalada, que constituye el elemento sustentante, y una cubierta cónica giratoria de madera y cinc, que integra el conjunto motriz, manifestándose al exterior por el palo de gobierno y sus cuatro aspas rectangulares.

Su ubicación sobre el cerro Calderico y la necesidad de contar con un suelo nivelado para su edificación, determinó la construcción de una plataforma circular, reforzada en su perímetro por un muro de mampostería en el centro del cual se levanta el molino de viento.

En el grueso del muro de cerramiento de los molinos, y orientadas al sur, se abren puertas de vano adintelado, de una hoja, que dan acceso a un interior dividido en tres plantas pavimentadas con baldosa de barro y conectadas entre sí por una escalera adosada al muro. En la planta inferior, se ubica el silo, donde se almacenaba el grano molido. En la segunda planta o «camareta» se ubica el cedazo, gran tamiz dentro de un cajón para separar la harina del salvado. En la tercera planta o «moledero», estancia donde el muro reduce su espesor proporcionando un espacio de mayor amplitud, se aloja el conjunto de la maquinaria, cuyo elemento más llamativa es la rueda catalina. En la parte alta del muro se abren ocho ventanillos que servían al molinero para averiguar la dirección del viento y determinar así la orientación de las aspas.

En 2006 fue incoada la declaración conjunta como Bien de Interés Cultural del cerro, incluyéndose los molinos y el aledaño castillo de la Muela; en febrero de 2008 se aprobaría con la categoría de «Sitio histórico».

The Consuegra windmills are a group of mills located on the so-called "Calderico Hill" in the Spanish municipality of Consuegra, in the province of Toledo, Autonomous Community of Castilla-La Mancha.

The windmills were built in the first half of the 19th century. Pascual Madoz specifically noted a total of ten flour mills in 1847 in his Geographical-Statistical-Historical Dictionary of Spain and its Overseas Possessions, although by the 18th century, two mills apparently already existed, one of which is thought to date from the 16th century. After various reconstructions carried out at different times, twelve of the thirteen mills that once crowned Calderico Hill remain in the 21st century. They are no longer used as mills and are used for tourism. The "Grinding of Peace" festival is held at the Sancho Mill on the last Saturday of October.

These mills, following the tower mill typology established in Holland between the 16th and 17th centuries, have two clearly differentiated parts: a cylindrical body or tower formed by thick whitewashed masonry walls, which constitutes the supporting element, and a rotating conical roof made of wood and zinc, which integrates the drive system, visible on the outside by the steering pole and its four rectangular blades.

Their location on Calderico Hill and the need for level ground for their construction led to the construction of a circular platform, reinforced around its perimeter by a masonry wall in the center of which the windmill rises.

In the thick enclosing wall of the mills, and facing south, there are single-leaf, lintelled doors that give access to an interior divided into three floors, paved with clay tiles and connected by a staircase attached to the wall. On the lower floor is the silo, where the ground grain was stored. On the second floor, or "chamber," is the sieve, a large sieve inside a box used to separate the flour from the bran. On the third floor, or "milling room," a room where the wall reduces its thickness, providing a larger space, is the entire machinery, the most striking element of which is the sprocket wheel. At the top of the wall, eight small windows opened, which the miller used to gauge the wind direction and thus determine the orientation of the blades.

In 2006, the hill was jointly declared a Site of Cultural Interest, including the mills and the adjacent Muela Castle; in February 2008, it was approved as a "Historic Site."

Yellow Crowned Night Heron

Along the Atlantic Ocean

Explored

There were actually a pair with a juvenile - I'll post a full body photo below in the comments - you can see the ocean in the background in that photo.

From 'Birdist Rule #115: Learn to Identify and Differentiate Night-Herons' by Nicholas Lund -

Their name makes them sound like a team of minor-league Marvel superheroes: The Night-Herons! They sit motionless in the shadows, not making a sound. They wait for unsuspecting criminals to come close, and then they . . . STRIKE!

I dunno. Maybe waiting around for criminals to walk by isn’t the most impressive super power. It is a great way to catch fish, though, and it’s a technique employed by these very cool birds you might have seen around but weren’t sure how to identify.

Our two species of night-heron, the Black-crowned Night-Heron and the Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, belong to a family of large wading birds that also includes the familiar Great Blue Heron and the cryptic bitterns. Each of these birds feeds in about the same way: hanging around in shallow waters looking to snap up little fish and other goodies. But our birds differ slightly from their cousins. How? Here’s a hint: The people who name birds aren’t always that creative. That’s right: Night-herons are primarily active at night.

And it’s for this reason that you might not be familiar with them, though one could easily live nearby. Black-crowned Night-Herons are the more widespread of the two species, living full-time on both coasts and spending the breeding season throughout the lower 48 states. The Yellow-crowned Night-Heron is more restricted, found year-round only in Florida and in parts of the Southeast while breeding.

Luckily, adult birds of the two species are very easy to tell apart. The stature of both looks pretty much the same—shorter and stockier than other herons—but the coloring on the bodies and the head (especially the head) is where the ID is made. Black-crowned Night-Herons have a white body and face, gray wings, and a blueish-black crown and back. Yellow-crowned Night-Herons have gray bodies, black cheeks, and—you guessed it—a yellow crown on their head. Remember what I said about people not always being creative with names?

Back to your photographer - and now we know there is a night heron in Australia - theirs is called the Nankeen Night-heron because its main colour is ... yep, that tan/cinnamon shade called nankeen. (They have a Nankeen Kestrel too.)

Hello friends, you will visit Sicily with me, the next two weeks? = O)

Last summer's trip, Sicily is a land full of beauty and contrasts, contrasts that I want to differentiate in two parts, the first with photos of the most tourist sites and the second is a look of a most quotidian life in your streets.

Welcome to my series "La Sicilia è ..."

Have a nice day!!

Photo by Andy

There are sadly very few places where you can reliably find tree sparrows these days, following a catastrophic decline in numbers in the last 30-40 years. Fortunately the West Midland Bird Club reserve at Belvide Reservoir supports a small population that can be seen regularly visiting feeders, affording a great view from the comfort of a hide.

The lovely chestnut brown cap and cheek spots make them easy to differentiate from their more familiar cousin the house sparrow.

On a dull day, I got lucky when a gap in the clouds bringing a brief moment of sunshine coincided with this beautiful bird perching on a twig close to the hide we were sitting in.

you can use your experiences, your knowledge and your fantasy, to... put in your own colours :-)

Anders Petersen

fyi...the human eye can differentiate more shades of gray than it can colors

Ukraine Matters!

Loebner magnolia, 'Ballerina', j c raulston arboretum, ncsu, raleigh, north carolina

The lesser whistling duck (Dendrocygna javanica), also known as Indian whistling duck or lesser whistling teal, is a species of whistling duck that breeds in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. They are nocturnal feeders that during the day may be found in flocks around lakes and wet paddy fields. They can perch on trees and sometimes build their nest in the hollow of a tree. This brown and long-necked duck has broad wings that are visible in flight and produces a loud two-note wheezy call. It has a chestnut rump, differentiating it from its larger relative, the fulvous whistling duck, which has a creamy white rump.

Thanks to everyone who takes the time to view, comment, and fave my photos.

either a harmony or a disharmony - that creates a picture.

Ernst Haas

HSS! Justice Matters! Indict Trump!

salvia, 'Hot Lips', j c raulston arboretum, ncsu, raleigh, north carolina

Please, no invitations to award/forced comment groups or to those with large/animated comment codes.

Very uncommon large, long-billed shorebird, nearly the size of a godwit, found in coastal mudflats and open marshes. Breeding adult extensively brick-red below, dark and strongly marked with brick-red tones above. Nonbreeding adult grayish brown with a duller, browner bill. Juvenile dark above, with broad gold feather edges, pale below, washed with warm buff or gold tones and with neat dark stipples and chevron-shaped marks. Blackish legs distinguish Asian from Long-billed Dowitcher, which has yellowish-green legs. Blackish or brownish bill of adult Asian differs from bicolored bill of godwits; note that bill of juvenile Asian has pale base. (eBird)

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

We had seen one Asian Dowitcher in Darwin, Australia, but it was very difficult to differentiate from the other dowitchers due to the amount of mud hiding the colours of the legs and bill. So when we found this flock of 40 all dining in cleanish water, we could clearly see the ID marks and I could take a decent, albeit long-distance, shot of this threatened bird.

Here's a link to our Thailand bird trip list: ebird.org/tripreport/328567

Bang Kaeo--Laem Canal estuary, Phetchaburi, Thailand. February 2025.

Rockjumper Birding Tours.

Dactylorhiza maculata subsp. fuchsii (Orchidaceae) 195 23

Dactylorhiza fuchsii is a widespread and abundant orchid with a distribution throughout temperate Europe, as far east as Siberia and is a member of the large Dactylorhiza maculata group of the genus Dactylorhiza. Dactylorhiza fuchsii and Dactylorhiza maculata share a close morphological resemblance but their differing habitat choice is a key differentiation, with the latter species exclusively a plant of acidic or neutral substrates and Dactylorhiza fuchsii an orchid of alkaline soils. There are also morphological features that serve to distinguish them, among them, the more slender, pointed leaves and less centralized, more discreet lip markings of Dactylorhiza maculata. These characteristics seem to be less apparent in the central and eastern parts of their range and this greater convergence leads some botanists not to recognize any species separation.

Dactylorhiza fuchsii although exclusively tied to non acidic soils, is nonetheless tolerant of a wide range of conditions from the driest chalk grassland to marshes and from full sun to shade. Its flowers are typically pale with bold markings and it's not uncommon to find completely white examples.

Source: Orchids of Britain and Europe.

At Itatiaia National Park, Itatiaia, RJ, Brazil.

The Brassy-breasted tanager (Tangara dearest) is another colorful tanager ENDEMIC to Brazil and is an easy bird to identify. Its blue forehead, eyering, and brassy breast differentiate it from the Gilt-edged Tanager I posted yesterday. The Brassy-breasted tanager prefers higher elevations.

I had the pleasure of photographing many times this butterfly, Calmly and very slowly was stretching its wings to enjoy the sun rays, and from time to time was flying to different spots not too difficult for me to follow.

When I started my photography I had a hard time differentiating the Monarch from this one, the Viceroy, I guess the very similar color was the reason of my confusion.

Macro photography is so enjoyable, the detail we see on flora and fauna is simply amazing. Little faces, little petals, tiny feathers, they are simply wonderful.

If you want to know more about this and other butterflies, this is a very good place to start:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viceroy_(butterfly)

Photography is really the description of what we see every time we capture something with our camera.

www.youtube.com/results?search_query=looking+through+your...

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Photography is my passion, and nature photography is my favorite.

I have been in Explore for more that a hundred times, and it is an awesome experience to have your photos showcased in such a special way.

I'm in many groups, and I only add my photos to them if they are not private.

I thank your for coming today, for leaving a comment, and make a favorite of yours this photo, (if that is the case) thanks again!

The best part of this forum is the contacts and friends that I have made over the years, that have the same passion for this art that is called photography!

Martha.

This small butterfly has a silvery appearance as it flies low to the ground over sheltered flowery grasslands. In Britain and mainland Europe, the pattern of wing spots is highly variable and many local races (and sub-species) have been described.

In Scotland, most individuals are of the race artaxerxes and have a characteristic white spot in the middle of the forewing (see photo). In northern England, this spot is generally dark brown or black. Similar to Brown Argus but differentiated by orange spots. The butterfly occurs mainly as small, scattered colonies and has declined in northern England (Courtesy Butterfly Conservation).

Thanks for viewing my photos and for any favourites and comments, it’s much appreciated.

Part of a flock of around 300.

I am calling these long-billed Dowitchers because while they were feeding, they were giving off a constant soft chattering sound. According to Sibley, this is a good field sign as Short-billed Dowitchers are silent while they feed. We do see mixed flocks at this time of year though, and the two species can be hard to differentiate.

A Merlin zoomed in and put the flock to flight for awhile.

Beaver County, Alberta.

de / from: Wikipedia

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Ceský Krumlov es una pequeña ciudad ubicada en la Región de Bohemia Meridional, en la República Checa. El centro histórico de Ceský Krumlov, incluyendo su castillo, integra el listado del Patrimonio de la Humanidad de la Unesco desde 1992. La población de la ciudad en 2005 era de 13 942 habitantes, y su área de unos 22 km².

Es la antigua capital de la región de la rosa de cinco pétalos de los Rosenberg, la nobleza más rica e influyente del país. Después les sucede Julio de Austria, de la dinastía Habsburgo, los Eggenberg y por último los Schwarzenberg. La construcción de la ciudad y su castillo comenzaron en el siglo XIII, a ambas orillas del río Moldava, entre algunos de sus numerosos meandros flanqueados por abundante vegetación.

El asteroide (2747) Ceský Krumlov está nombrado en honor a esta ciudad.

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Ceský Krumlov, translated sometimes to Czech Crumlaw, is a small city in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic where Ceský Krumlov Castle is located. Old Ceský Krumlov is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was given this status along with the historic Prague castle district.

The city is named Ceský Krumlov ("Bohemian Crumlaw") to differentiate it from Moravský Krumlov in South Moravia.

Construction of the town and castle began around 1240 by the Vítkovci at a ford in the Vltava River, at an important trade route in Bohemia. It was first mentioned in 1253 as Chrumbenowe. A legend says that the name derives from the German "Krumme Aue" which can be translated as "crooked meadow".

In 1302 the town and castle were acquired by the House of Rosenberg. The majority of inhabitants were German at that time. For 1336 it can be expected that Czechs were only a small minority, who had their own priest.

In late 15th century, when gold was found next to the town, German miners came to settle, which shifted the ethnic balance even more. In the parochial church the sermons were preached in Czech until 1788, when St. Jošt Church was abolished.

From a distamce, Western and Clark's Grebes have a similar appearance. They were once considered the same species. To make it even more difficult, they are often seen together. The easiest way to differentiate them is to note the feather color near the eye. In a Western, black feathers appear around and under the eye. Clark's have black feathers above, but not below, the eye. Another clue is that the Clark's has a bright yellow or orange-yellow bill while the Western's bill is a much darker olive green.

Jaguar - endangered species and unfortunately still hunt by some imbeciles.

Fast facts:

- The jaguar is the largest carnivore and only big cat in Latin America, encompassing 18 countries from Mexico to Argentina.

- As a “Near Threatened” species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the jaguar is extinct in El Salvador and Uruguay, and facing pressure in remaining range countries.

- Jaguars have experienced over 50% loss in its natural habitat range.

- Jaguars are often mistaken for leopards, but can be differentiated due to the spots within the rosettes on their coats.

- While many cats avoid water, jaguars are great swimmers, and have even been known to swim the Panama Canal.

- The jaguar has been identified as one species across its entire range, making the connection and protection of its habitat critical for the species’ genetic diversity.

Have a peaceful Caturday!

Thanks a lot for your visits, comments, faves, invites, etc. Very much appreciated!

© All my images are protected under international authors copyright laws and may not be downloaded, reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without my written explicit permission. All rights reserved. Please contact me at thelma.gatuzzo@gmail.com if you intend to buy or use any of my images.

Stop hunting! Stop Wars!

My instagram if you like: @thelmag and @thelma_and_cats

One day too late, but I hope it will still help to raise awareness for the need of survival of these fantastic cats!

Jaguars (Panthera onca) are the only member of the Panthera family to be found in the Americas.

Jaguars consume a diet of meat and fish, and their prey includes caimans!

(www.internationaljaguarday.org)

Jaguar (Panthera onca), São Lourenço River, Pantanal, MT, Brazil

Adult Roesel's bush-crickets are medium-sized Tettigoniid between 13–26 mm in length. They are normally brown or yellow, often with a greenish shade and a rarer green form also sometimes occurs. An identifying feature is the yellow-green spots along the abdomen, just behind the pronotum, along with a matching margin along the border of the pronotum. This margin is entire, unlike the bog bush-cricket.

Males and females can be easily differentiated, as the females have a long sword-like ovipositor at the end of their abdomen, which the males lack.