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Difficult to put a date to this one as Class 24 D5135 survived in Green with a small yellow warning panel until 1972 (thanks to Derby Sulzers). Not sure either when it lost the D prefix.
Location as you can see is Chester and the loco is about to head South or East with a freight service.
New to Longsight in October 1960 from Derby Works the loco was withdrawn as 24135 from Crewe in January 1976 and cut up at Swindon in July 1977.
Image from a slide in my collection by an unknown photographer.
Probably one of my most difficult and favorite shots ever! Digiscoped using manual focus.
On Sunday afternoon I saw this gull fly over my shoulder with a crab in its beak. I got a few shots into the sun, and was pretty happy to have gotten a digiscoped flight shot of a gull with a crab. He took the crab to the beach, and tossed it around a few times, and then carefully picked it up and flew up to about 30', and then released it, sending it crashing onto the hard packed sand. He followed it down, examined it, and then repeated the process, finally creating enough of a crack on the underside that he could get the eggs that were encased underneath.
I watched him catch and drop at least three crabs that afternoon, and found him already in the air when I arrived at sunrise yesterday. I stayed with him in the morning, envisioning this shot, and then went back again yesterday afternoon. I waited two hours for him to arrive, and finally gave up and had walked almost to the beach when I looked back and saw him on the sand with a crab. I made the long walk back and set up my gear just in time see him take off, flying almost straight up and practically directly over me when he released the crab. I had no idea I'd gotten the shot as I had to point the scope so straight up that I couldn't see in my loupe, but just kept focusing, panning and shooting as he flew. I was in total shock when I later saw what I'd captured. It was 7pm and you can see the long shadow of the crab on the gull's belly. Even when the shot seems lost, never give up!!
I've since gotten lots more shots of him in the air with crabs, and even video. More of this amazing bird to come.
- Difficult solution ...... has the dilemma of cauliflower .....
Only one thing left to do .....
I fix it ......
- Dificil solución......, tiene el dilema de la coliflor.....
Sólo una cosa queda por hacer.....
Solucionarlo....
It's difficult to capture the depth of the "Big Hole" in Kimberley but the height of the buildings give an idea of the scale.
Kimberlite, an ultramafic igneous rock and a rare variant of peridotite, is most commonly known to be the main host matrix for diamonds. It is named after Kimberley where diamonds were mined from this hole.
Kimberlite occurs in the Earth's crust in vertical structures known as kimberlite pipes, as well as igneous dykes and can also occur as horizontal sills. The consensus on kimberlites is that they are formed deep within the mantle, hence at high temperatures and pressures.
These little Pikas are difficult to photograph because they move so fast and really blend in with the rocks. But sometimes they do come closer and sit for a minute. They do not migrate and they gather food which they store for the winter. Taken in Kananaskis Provincial Park, west of Calgary, Alberta.
Many thanks for your visit and comments. They are very much appreciated.
Photographed under intensely difficult conditions and NO flash photography allowed . This Kiwi Bird is indeed a White colour . Image taken through Glass with a very dull red light of about the same power as moonlight that my eyes could hardly get adjusted to. But after looking around for a while i eventually managed to see this little fella . Out of several shots this was the one that came out best .
More info here :
Difficult to get across to many here. The food value- negative number. But people are distracted by other issues.
It was really difficult to have a moment with nobody crossing it!
Try 'The Bridge' On Black out!
Foi realmente difícil de ter um momento sem ninguém passando por ela!
Dê uma olhada em 'The Bridge' On Black!
=]
saw this wren going back and forth with food in its mouth, so wasnt difficult to find the nest, had to wait a while to get the pic, plus, they do not keep still at all
On westbound Westjet plane; unfortunately due to lack of map function in the plane, location difficult to determine
XA2
If you are confronted with two alternatives, consider what is more difficult to you and choose it because it does not weigh on you except that it is true.
© copyrighted
It is difficult to be exactly sure where this was taken. The position was a few hundred yards west of Bath Spa Station, but no road seems to correspond with this position on either a modern A-Z or a 1970ish Geographia Street by Street. There has been some demolition ...or is it simply dereliction... in the left foreground. Most of the cars are getting to the old banger stage. The Humber Sceptre, Ford Cortina Mk I Estate, Ford Anglia and VW camper van would all be well into the second halves of their lives. The mustard-coloured affair on the far side of the road would be newer, but unfortunately I have never been able to identify cars later than the 1960s. Would the lorry be one of those melodious Commers with the two-stroke engines? The slow-moving "Western" is hauling a train of Foster-Yeoman wagons, probably empties bound for Merehead Quarry, near Frome. The date was Friday 18th July 1975.
Criticism is often difficult to take, epically when the recipient puts so much of themselves into the production of a piece of work. All too often it’s delivered poorly and without sufficient thought towards the recipient’s feelings, causing an unhelpful, if not offensive interchange. I have to say I see this happening all too often in our new social networking environment, as people remove themselves from the face to face conversation and become lazy in their virtual interchanges. This is truly a shame, as If criticism is delivered by somebody who is receptive and willing to work towards the genuine development of another person, (not just serve their own ends), then it can be a stimulating and rewarding personal development tool for improvement, ‘for both parties’.
Following on from what others have said, I wanted to explore those little voices in our heads, (or is that jus me!) Anyway, self criticism is ‘also’ vital part, if not a fundamental element of personal development, but one that can be allot more complex! In the outset, it offers any artist a way of making creative choices. It’s a method of analysis that can be used to evaluate subtle experimentations, to guide compositional choices and applied sensitively, constructively and effectively, an invaluable tool for the development of a creative person! But there is of course a problem here. The scales sometimes are very sensitive and can tip into either the positive or negative and both result in a distorted unhelpful creative direction! If too negative, the result can be terribly destructive, if too positive, the person remains deluded and slows down genuine development. Now I’m of course oversimplifying this, and I don’t pretend to fully understand everybody’s needs, but I do find myself listening and often arguing with those positive and negative voices in my head! A healthy critical personal debate may sound like a trip to an asylum is needed, but let me assure you that this conflict is a good thing, as long as it’s balanced!
So the next time your too harsh on yourself or even others, or the next time your offering insincere comments, just take a step back and take some time to think about what you’re saying and the impact on not only others but yourself...and you never know, your insightful comment may help to balance those internal voices!
Oh if you fancy listing to some of my internal voices, you’re more than welcome to join me on a Whitby workshop in February... You can find the links on my profile, cheers....
After a very difficult day reliving the horrors that had happened over the winter break, Octavia got a quiet moment with her mum...and maybe even some proper sleep for the first time since she was found.
I visited Peterhead Fishing Harbour Sunday 24th February 2019, a heavy Haar put my plans to capture the views a little difficult, hence I revisited today Tuesday 26th February 2019, posting a few of the captures I managed to take over both days.
Peterhead ; Scottish Gaelic: Ceann Phàdraig, Scots: Peterheid is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is Aberdeenshire's biggest settlement (the city of Aberdeen itself not being a part of the district), with a population of 18,537 at the 2011 Census.
Peterhead sits at the easternmost point in mainland Scotland. It is often referred to as The Blue Toun (locally spelt as "The Bloo Toon") and people who were born there as Blue Touners (locally spelt as "Bloo Tooners").
More correctly they are called blue mogginers (locally spelt as "Bloomogganners"), supposedly from the blue worsted moggins or stockings that the fishermen originally wore.
History
Peterhead was founded by fishermen and was developed as a planned settlement. In 1593 the construction of Peterhead's first harbour, Port Henry, encouraged the growth of Peterhead as a fishing port and established a base for trade.
Peterhead was a Jacobite supporting town in the Jacobite risings of 1715 and 1745. In particular, it was one of the Episcopalian north-eastern ports where reinforcements, plus money and equipment, were periodically landed from France during the Forty-Five.
A lifeboat station was first established in 1865.
Since early times Peterhead has received a portion of its water supply from Morris Wells.
Peterhead convict prison was opened in 1888, gaining a reputation as one of Scotland's toughest prisons.
The present harbour has two massive breakwaters, enclosing an area of approximately 300 acres in Peterhead bay. The south breakwater, about 2700 ft long, was constructed in 1892–1912 using convict labour from the prison. The north breakwater, constructed 1912–56, is approximately 1500 ft long.
A new phase of growth was initiated in the 1970s with Peterhead becoming a major oil industry service centre, and the completion of the nearby St Fergus gas terminal. At this time, considerable land holdings were allocated for industrial development.
In recent times, the town has suffered from several high-profile company closures and is facing a number of pressures, including Common Fisheries Policy reforms. However, it retains a relatively diverse economy, including food processing, textiles, service industries and, still importantly, fishing. (Over 90,000 tonnes of fish, with a value of around £60m are now landed at Peterhead, which is still also base to over 550 fishermen.)
The Peterhead Port Authority plans to extend the northern breakwater as a stimulus to the town's economic development. In addition, to assist with business diversification and town centre environmental improvements, the 'Peterhead Project' initiative under the Aberdeenshire Towns Partnership brings together the Council, Scottish Enterprise Grampian, Communities Scotland, commerce and community representatives.
Until April 2005, the Royal Air Force station RAF Buchan was located near the town.
Local government : Peterhead is the largest settlement in Buchan, a committee area of Aberdeenshire.
The town was a burgh in the historic county of Aberdeenshire. In 1930 it became a small burgh under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1929, but in 1975 small burghs were abolished and Peterhead became part of the district of Banff and Buchan within the new Grampian Region. When districts and regions were abolished in 1996, Peterhead became part of the new unitary authority of Aberdeenshire.
Since 1975 Peterhead has had a community council, with limited powers.
Education : Peterhead Academy
Peterhead Academy houses around 1,300 pupils and the school is split into six houses (Arbuthnot, Buchan, Craigewan, Grange, Marischal and Slains), with all the names associated with areas of the town. The school has pupils coming from surrounding villages such as Boddam, Cruden Bay, Hatton, Inverugie, Rora, St Fergus and Crimond. The academy's motto is "Domus Super Petram Aedificata" (A House Built on a Rock). The academy is Scotland's largest school at over 22,920 square metres (246,700 sq ft) of gross internal floor area.
The school has multiple subjects such as ICT, English, French/German, Technical, Engineering, Art, Home Economics, and many more.
Primary and specialist schools.
Peterhead has six primary schools (Clerkhill, Buchanhaven, Meethill, Dales Park, Central, Burnhaven).
There is one special school, Anna Ritchie, which caters for most specific learning difficulties, autism and other disabilities.
There is also Peterhead Alpha School which caters for children with social, emotional, and behavioural difficulties, as well as learning difficulties, e.g. dyspraxia and dyslexia.
Transport :Peterhead has a number of in-town and out-of-town bus services.
Peterhead is further from a railway station (32 miles from Aberdeen) than any other town of its size in Great Britain.
The town once had two stations Peterhead railway station and Peterhead Docks railway station. Passenger trains on the Formartine and Buchan Railway stopped in 1965 under the Beeching Axe, and freight in 1970. The start of reconstruction of the Borders Railway to Galashiels (early 2013) has begun a local political debate into the possibility of reopening the line from Aberdeen to Fraserburgh and Peterhead.
The nearest airport with scheduled services is Aberdeen Airport. A heliport has been set up at the Eastern end of the former RAF Buchan air base. Recreational aviation also takes place from a part of a former runway.
Tourism
The harbours, maritime and built heritage are the town's principal tourism assets. Recent initiatives include investments in the Peterhead Bay area, which have included the berthing of cruise ships in the harbour.
A number of projects are planned under the auspices of the Peterhead Project initiative, including tourism strategy development, enhancement of existing attractions, measures to improve the town's physical attractiveness, and improved marketing and promotion.
Sport
Peterhead F.C. are a Scottish Football League club who play in the League One. They won the League Two championship in 2013–14.
Peterhead also has a successful amateur boxing club, and in 2008 was the most successful boxing club in Northern Scotland. And currently has two reigning Scottish champions. The boxing gym is open to all and located in Ellis Street.
Peterhead RFC are a Scottish Rugby Union team who play at the Lord Catto playing fields.
Maritime Economy
Peterhead has a thriving port, serving the fishing, oil and gas and other commercial industries. It also receives many visiting seafarers arriving on ships that ply these trades. Seafarers' welfare organisation Apostleship of the Sea has a port chaplain at Peterhead to provide pastoral and practical support to them.
Twin town : Ålesund, Norway
DO YOU KNOW, MY FRIENDS, HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO TAKE THIS MACRO PHOTO WHEN "MAESTRALE" WIND IS BLOWING IN SARDINIA (ITALY)?
THE DARK BACKGROUND IS THE RESULT OF MY SHADOW ON THE SAND AND A CORRECT EXPOSURE ON THE WHITE FLOWER.
NO PHOTOSHOP, NO DIGITAL PROCESSING
Pancratium maritimum, or sea daffodil,
is a species of bulbous plant native to the Mediterranean region and south-western Europe. That plant can also be seen on the south Bulgarian and north Turkish coasts of Black Sea, where it is threatened with extinction. It grows on coastal sands or just above the high tide mark. Other vernacular names are Sand Daffodil, Sand Lily and the Lily of St. Nicholas. The Latin maritimum means "of the seashore".
FOR MORE INFORMATIONS, PLEASE, FOLLOW THESE LINKS:
Foggy weather and photography are a difficult match. When I finished my walk I wasn't convinced of having made many keepers. Well, I was wrong. After some post-processing work, I succeeded in getting 80% good, so to be in the cold and foggy seaside was finally a pretty good idea.
Some difficult and challenging jobs last night.
All part of the role I have here working on the front line. Love the job but sometimes hard dealing with traumatic situations that will change lives forever and effect many others in their families and friends..
Grateful to have Jill and my faith too to keep me going!! 😁 (plus of course the odd cappuccino here and there!!)
We work for Yorkshire Ambulance Service in and around the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire.
It’s a great job and I feel very honoured to be able to help people at their point of need.
Check out the website for all sorts of info re YAS and the work we do.
www.yas.nhs.uk/our-services/emergency-ambulance-service-999/
Well, I've done it! The Standard model of the CornerShot, fitted with a glock pistol. This has been one of my most challenging weapons ever, because of the difficult feature that involves a third of the gun to rotate 180 degrees. I went over a few different designs and features, and after six weeks, and over 20 hours, I've come up with a final design I love! This is probably my favorite weapon I've ever built. I think I've done a good job at combining functionality with detail. The most difficult part of the swiveling section was the brake mechanism. If I was to make it turn, I didn't want it to just fall to one side every time I tilted it in the slightest direction. So here's how it works. A long technic rod was used as the axle, and a few technic bricks were used to attach both sections of the gun together. To create more friction so it wouldn't tilt so easily, I used rubber tires, and a ribbed hose flattened tightly. It still tilts, but not nearly as easily as it did previous to the additions. Some of the other working features besides the 180 degree turn include a working safety, collapsible stock, iron sights, removable pistol, folding screen for front camera, removable magazine, working trigger (on the pistol, not the rifle) and a few adjustable knobs on the front light. Some more facts about the gun, It's length is 34 inches long, and it weighs almost four pounds.
If you guys have any more suggestions on other guns, let me know! But for now I think I have one planned...
Atop the Wonder Wheel. It was a difficult shot. I was in a contorted position and shooting through the screened-in cage.
Rides at Coney:
Today, the amusement area contains various rides, games such as skeeball, ball tossing, and a sideshow; games of shooting and throwing and tossing skills.
The rides and other amusements at Coney Island are owned and managed by several different companies, and operate independently of each other. It is not possible to purchase season tickets to the attractions in the area.
Three of the rides at Coney Island are protected as designated NYC landmarks and recognized by the National Register of Historic Places.
* Wonder Wheel. Built in 1918 and opened in 1920, this steel Ferris wheel has both stationary cars and rocking cars that slide along a track. It holds 144 riders, stands 150 feet (46 m) tall, and weighs over 2,000 tons. At night the Wonder Wheel's steel frame is outlined and illuminated by neon tubes. It is part of Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park.[21]
* The Cyclone roller coaster, built in 1927, is one of the nation's oldest wooden coasters still in operation. A favorite of some coaster aficionados, the Cyclone includes an 85-foot (26 m), 60 degree drop. It is owned by the City, and was operated by Astroland, under a franchise agreement. It is located across the street from Astroland.
* The Parachute Jump, originally the Life Savers Parachute Jump at the 1939 New York World's Fair, was the first ride of its kind. Patrons were hoisted 190 feet (58 m) in the air before being allowed to drop using guy-wired parachutes. Although the ride has been closed since 1968, it remains a Coney Island landmark and is sometimes referred to as "Brooklyn's Eiffel Tower." Between 2002 and 2004, the Jump was completely dismantled, cleaned, painted and restored, but remains inactive. After an official lighting ceremony in July 2006, the Parachute Jump was slated to be lit year round using different color motifs to represent the seasons. However, this idea was scrapped when New York City started conserving electricity in the summer months. It has not been lit regularly since.
Other notable attractions include:
* The B&B Carousell (that was how the frame's builder, William F. Mangels, spelled it). In addition to its unusual spelling, it is Coney Island's last traditional carousel, now surrounded by furniture stores, near the old entrance to Luna Park. The carousel is an especially fast one, with a traditional roll-operated band organ. When the long-term operator died unexpectedly, the carousel was put up for auction, and it was feared the ride would leave Coney Island or, worse, that it would be broken up for sale to collectors, being one of the last intact traditional carousels in the U.S. still in private hands. In an act of brinksmanship with the owners, the City of New York bought the B&B Carousell a few days before the auction. It has been dismantled and will operate in Coney Island; the specific location is still to be determined. All the other carousels on Coney Island are kiddie park-style.
* Bumper cars. There are three separate bumper car rides in Coney Island, located in Astroland, Deno's Wonder Wheel Park, and Eldorado's Arcade on Surf Avenue.
* Haunted houses. Three traditional dark ride haunted houses operate at Coney Island: Dante's Inferno (Astroland), Spook-a-Rama (Deno's) and the Ghost Hole (independent).
This photograph was more difficult to capture than it looks. That is because I wanted the entire flower and butterfly to be in focus, but I did not want the background grassland to look cluttered. I used a Nikon 105mm macro f2.8 on a Nikon D810 full frame body with an aperture of f18, but I moved in quite close so this has very little cropping. I discovered recently that Chalkhill Blues (Polyommatus coridon) have disappeared from many of their downland localities. They need short-grazed turf with lots of their larval foodplant Horsehoe Vetch. But they also need the right kind of ants which thrive in short turf. Their relationship with ants is truly mutually beneficial as the ants protect them from predators and parasites, and in return the caterpillar exudes fluid with sugar and amino acids which the ants drink. The UK population declined by about a third (34%) between 1995 and 2004. Declines are probably attributed to loss of short turf when vegetation grows tall. This can be lack of agricultural grazing, or more likely rabbits, which suffer population crashes due to periodic outbreaks of myxomatosis. I photographed this male near the north of its British range in Cambridgeshire, although its foodplant Horseshoe Vetch (Hippocrepis comosa) also occurs on limestone in the north of England.
Fruit's all gone.
Veg is all gone.
Only Sudoku left!
Edding 1800 0.1 pen
W&N Watercolours
Cass Art square sketch book
28 Drawings Later - No 6
This was a difficult one! I wanted to find something really interesting but a busy week didn’t really have time to hunt for something. This is Richmond lock and weir and the technology is the machinery to make this work. Mostly hidden in this photo but I particularly liked the shadow on the footpath and the striking clouds.
Rallus aquaticus - A very difficult species to see, remaining in deep cover most of the time.
[order] Gruiformes | [family] Rallidae | [latin] Rallus aquaticus | [UK] Water Rail | [FR] Râle d'eau | [DE] Wasserralle | [ES] Rascón Europeo | [IT] Porciglione comune | [NL] Waterral | [IRL] Rálóg uisce
spanwidth min.: 40 cm
spanwidth max.: 43 cm
size min.: 23 cm
size max.: 26 cm
Breeding
incubation min.: 19 days
incubation max.: 22 days
fledging min.: 20 days
fledging max.: 30 days
broods 1
eggs min.: 6
eggs max.: 11
Status: Resident at wetlands throughout Ireland.
Conservation Concern: Amber-listed due to a decline in the breeding population. The European population is considered to be Secure.
Identification: A secretive and skulking species which is more often seen than heard. Can sometimes be seen when it emerges from dense wetland vegetation briefly before disappearing again. A small bird with a rounded rear to its body, which is slender and laterally compressed in order to help it slip through dense vegetation such as reeds. Has a long bill which is red on the adult bird. Legs are long with very long toes which help spread its weight on wet ground. The upperparts are dark brown with black spotting. In the adult the body and 'face' are blue-grey, the flanks and belly are barred black and white and the under-tail coverts (which are easy to see on the cocked tail) are whitish. The juvenile bird is similar to the adult but is whitish underneath (not grey), has a pale bill and a stronger patterning on the head. Has short rounded wings and when flying into cover dangles its legs.
Similar Species: Moorhen
Call: A distinctive call like a pig squealing coming from dense vegetation is a sure sign that a Water Rail is close by.
Diet: Eats both plant and animal matter. Feeds on land or in shallow water, will some times swim and will even, though rarely, dive. Food includes fish, insects, frogs, seeds and roots.
Breeding: Breeds in emergent vegetation such as marshes and reed beds. Most nesting territories recorded in Britain have a number of common elements:- static or slow moving fresh water, often open mud and invariably tall, emergent vegetation. The vegetation is often tall reeds, sedges, reedmace or rush, but they can also be found in damp field corners. Nest is built close to the ground, near or on water, usually in thick vegetation. Widespread in both inland and coastal areas. Ireland has a great abundance of Water Rail, which is no doubt due to our great number of wetlands.
Wintering: Widespread.
Where to See: A very difficult species to see, remaining in deep cover most of the time. Looking along the edges of reed beds, especially from the cover of a hide, will occasionally yield sightings. Easier to see in the winter, when they are more confiding and numbers are swollen by wintering birds from Europe
Physical characteristics
In 60% of nominate birds, variable number of greater and median upperwing coverts have white bars, black feathers, white markings may also occur on alula (bastard wing), primary covers and even remiges. Undertail coverts usually white but may have variable amounts of buff, and sometimes show black baring. female smeller with shorter bill.
Habitat
Any type of dense riparian and aquatic vegetation at still or slow-moving water. Breeding habitat includes reedbeds and other emergent vegetation of swamps, marshes and fens. Mainly lowland, but resident up to 2000 meter.
Other details
This rail inhabits wetlands in a major part of Eurasia, from Iberia, Iceland and southern Scandinavia to Iran, China and eastern Siberia. The birds of the south and the west of that area are largely sedentary. Those of northern and eastern Europe are migratory and winter in the south-west of the continent. Nearly all populations are adversely affected by the destruction of wetlands, and the species is showing an overall decline
Feeding
Diet many terrestrial and aquatic insects and teir larvae, worms, leeches, molluscs, shrimps and spiders. Small vertebrates, killed or as carrion, including amphibians, fish, birds and mammals. Plant foods include shoots, roots, seeds, berries and fruits.
Conservation
This species has a large range, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of 10,000,000 km². It has a large global population, including an estimated 290,000-730,000 individuals in Europe (BirdLife International in prep.). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e. declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern. [conservation status from birdlife.org]
Breeding
Seasonal monogamous pair bond, solitary nests, highly territorial while breeding. Both parents build nest and incubate eggs (range 5-16, average 6-11). Two broods normal and egg loss is followed by replacement clutch. Chicks precocial. Initially brooded in and fed in nest, taking food for themselves by five days, fledge 7-8 weeks, breed by one year old.
Migration
Mainly resident in west and south, migratory or partially migratory elsewhere. Present (at least formerly) all year in Iceland (race hibernans), more or less dependent in winter on warm water from volcanic springs. Degree of emigration uncertain, but has been collected Faeroes, mainly in winter; identified as passage migrant to Scottish islands and as winter visitor to Ireland. Nominate race believed mainly resident in North Sea countries, south-west Europe, Mediterranean basin, Turkey, and southern FSU, but migratory or partially migratory elsewhere in Europe, where continental climate prevails. Small numbers overwinter on west and south coasts of Norway, in south Sweden, Denmark, Germany southwards, and not infrequently in Oder delta (Poland), wherever ice-free water remains. Only exceptional in winter further east. Britain and Ireland receive birds from east to Sweden, Poland, and Czech Republic; migratory elements of continental populations also winter south to Mediterranean (including North Africa), Near East, Black Sea, Caucasus, and Turkmenistan. Thus withdraws south of total breeding range only to limited extent. Juveniles from early broods can begin dispersing in July, and adults also may move in late summer if their marsh dries out. In especially favourable habitats, passage birds may pause for several weeks, particularly in late summer to early autumn, for wing moult; flightless for c. 3 weeks. True migration begins in August, at peak in September-October, tailing off in November as winter quarters reached. In mild winters, return movement can begin late February, but northward passage mainly March to mid-April, and spring migration virtually ceased by end April.
In the extremely difficult and stressful time that we are all in now, please do remember to be patient and to be kind and thankful to everyone who still has to work, especially Health Care workers - my daughter is one of them, and she said that she is overly stressed and exhausted, partly because of families and visitors who lose their temper over restrictions that have been put in place in the hospital.
About a week ago, I finally made a trip to a couple of stores, that I really didn't want to do. I knew that if there were a lot of people, I would instead turn around and go home. I needed food and I did buy an extra one of various items - but no hoarding. The cashier at the food store told me that one of the younger cashiers had been in tears because of being yelled at by some customers. At the drug store, the young woman cashier told me that she was so stressed out, again partly because of angry, yelling customers, that she was about to burst into tears. We had a talk, as there was no one waiting behind me in line, and I made sure to thank her for meticulously sanitizing the work space at the till. A few kind words can make all the difference, people! There were no line-ups at either store, for which I was extremely thankful. I know I do need to be very careful myself - I have 3 of the risk factors; age, high blood pressure, and the most concerning being a chronic cough that I have had for maybe 10 or so years, which sometimes turns into a coughing fit where I can't breath. Went through all sorts of tests but no one could find a cause. So, here I am, still coughing! The last thing I would want is the Coronavirus cough on top of it! Stay safe and well, everyone!!
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CORONAVIRUS UPDATE, 16 March 2020: 74 confirmed cases in Alberta, 342 in Canada. 4 deaths in Canada - so far, all have been in British Columbia.
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE, 17 March 2020: 97 confirmed cases in Alberta, 447 cases in Canada. 70 confirmed cases in the Calgary Zone. 7 deaths in Canada.
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE, 18 March 2020: 119 confirmed cases in Alberta, 83 confirmed cases in Calgary Zone, 591 in Canada. 8 deaths in Canada.
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE, 19 March 2020: 146 confirmed cases in Alberta, 101 confirmed cases in Calgary Zone, 736 in Canada. 9 deaths in Canada, 1 death in Alberta.
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE, 20 March 2020: 195 (up from 146!) confirmed cases in Alberta, 101 confirmed cases in Calgary Zone, 846 in Canada. 10 deaths in Canada, 1 death in Alberta.
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE, 22 March 2020: 259 (up from 226) confirmed cases in Alberta, 1,302 (up from 1,048) in Canada. 19 deaths in Canada, 1 death in Alberta.
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE, 23 March 2020: 301 (up from 259) confirmed cases in Alberta, 1,432 (up from 1,302) in Canada. 20 deaths in Canada, 1 death in Alberta.
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE, 27 March 2020: 542 (up from 486) confirmed cases in Alberta, 4,074 (up from 4,018) in Canada. 337 in the Calgary Zone (1 death). 39 deaths in Canada, 2 deaths in Alberta. Completed tests (as of March 27) in Alberta 38,215 - 419 positive.
www.alberta.ca/coronavirus-info-for-albertans.aspx
24 March 2020: "14 people sick at Calgary care centre (the McKenzie Towne Continuing Care Centre) where woman died of COVID-19."
calgary.ctvnews.ca/14-people-sick-at-calgary-care-centre-...
National Parks in Canada have now been shut down.
All Alberta provincial parks and public lands are now closed.
Olympics 2020 in Japan has been postponed to 2021.
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Friday, 27 March 2020: our temperature just after noon is +8C (windchill +5C). Sunrise is at 7:21 am, and sunset is at 8:02 pm. Sunny today.
The 9 photos posted today were all taken on Day 11 of our 13-day birding trip to South Texas, in March 2019. They are almost the last few photos taken that day, Only a few photos to post from the next day, Day 12, and I will be done!
The first place we went to was the Birding and Nature Centre, on South Padre Island. The afternoon before, we had spent two hours there, but our "proper" visit was for three hours in the morning of Day 11. Such a great place!
Simply amazing artist! "The South Padre Island Convention Center boasts one of only 100 Wyland Whaling Wall murals. The mural titled "Orcas of the Gulf of Mexico," depicts life-sized killer whales and is number 53 of Wyland's Whaling Walls series."
This is a list of Whaling Walls, which are large outdoor murals by the artist Robert Wyland, featuring images of life-size gray whales, breaching humpback whales, blue whales, and other sea life. Whaling Walls (a pun on the Wailing Wall) are created by invitation of the communities, institutions, and building owners of the structures on which they are painted. The one hundredth and possibly final Whaling Wall was painted in Beijing in 2008" From Wikipedia.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Whaling_Walls
Someone told us about a different location, and a short drive south from the Centre took us to around W Sheepshead St and Laguna Blvd, where we saw a Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Monarch butterflies, and a Green Anole (lizard).
We had our picnic lunch at the nearby Convention Centre, which is near the Birding and Nature Centre, and then looked for a Yellow-throated Warbler from the rear patio at the Centre. Amazingly, we did see it, along with a Black-and-white Warbler and a Wilson's Warbler. Not easy trying to photograph these fast-moving little birds that get hidden among the branches.
Driving north again, we called in at a beach that was part of the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, where we could enjoy seeing the ocean waves and Laughing Gulls. This was our last stop before returning to our hotel, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites, Brownsville.
The next day, 30 March 2019, we had to drive from Brownsville to Houston, where we stayed for one night at La Quinta Inn & Suites Houston. The following day, we flew from Bush Intl Airport back to Calgary. What a fantastic holiday we had!
Very pretty, difficult to resist, but also very frustrating photographic subjects! We waited and waited and waited for it to fly, vehicles drove by and still it remained put. When eventually it did depart it did so without any warning and swerved to the left, leaving me with tail feathers! The rich background is from burnt-down veld. Image captured in the Kruger National Park, South Africa.
© Gerda van Schalkwyk. All rights reserved. This photograph and all others on my photostream are protected by copyright and may not be used on any site, blog or forum, nor linked to without my permission.
[ ماشاء الله ]
Copyright © şãÐ FέëŁίήg™. All rights reserved. You may not copy,download or use any of my photos or designs in my photostream without my personal permission.
* Plz Don't use my photos specialy kids photos not even SCANING THEM !
Friends are hards to find, difficult to leave and impossible to forget.
My best friend is someone who will tell me the truth me don't want hear.
So bad right now...who will tell me the truth?...I need someone beside.
As difficult as it is for me to get older, it's also hard to see my good friends getting older too. This is my friend Kay and her granddaughter Ambry. They were up skiing at Snow Basin and called to ask me out to lunch. I can no longer keep up with them on the ski slopes as Kay is an excellent skier. I don't like black diamonds and prefer the Bunny Hill. I've done a few black diamonds but freak out if they get too difficult. It's probably because I'm very afraid of heights. One time I was climbing the Grand Teton in Wyoming with my husband and his brother Robert.
We were almost to the top (at the upper saddle) but stopped to camp for the night. I was so happy when a ranger turned everyone away the next morning because of bad weather. I was becoming sick with anxiety about the last stretch of the climb. If you want to see how difficult it is, google to see the exposed overhangs. From the upper saddle it's still a 6 to 8 hour climb to advance two miles and 2700 feet in elevation to reach the summit. The Grand Teton is 13,776 ft. tall (4,178 m.)
Baker-GGGGGGGG! AHHHHHHHH! WIST! WHITE!
Baker's body surged with electricity. He felt his very blood was on fire. Of course obtaining magnetic powers would be difficult. The machine had to rewrite his very DNA. Not to mention the plastic wires wrapped around him started melting, causing rings of dark, burnt flesh and plastic to criss-cross his body. Wounding him horribly.
To Put it simply, obtaining power, is not easy.
Baker-WHITE! Wist!
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White-Wist, you're worth nothing to Sionis anymore.
Wist-I am, the machine, the errors! You can't just get rid of me White!
White-Mask only wants you if you can make him money, which you can't anymore.
Preston-Yessh. You'rrrree worf noshing Wisst!
Wist-What are you talking about White! The machine!
The machine works perfectly fine. Your calculations, the one's that Clock went over, they're correct.
Wist-But how? The machine it's on low and yet.
White-It's not Wist. I rigged it (White smiled a toothy grin)
Wist-You...what?
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The generators were overheating, as they had in all of Wist's previous tests, they were errors. Recurring over and over. Wist was stumped. He had no way how to fix it. Just as Baker had now way to escape the painful situation he was in.
Baker-OOOOOH! AAAAAH! WIST!
Acid from below splashed on Baker due to excess power being sent to the vats by the overheating generators. Luckily, Baker shut his mouth and closed his eyes to save his mouth and sight. However, the chemicals in the acid turned his skin a pale, unnatural white.
Baker-WIST! PLEASE! SHUT IT OFF!
As if an answer to his prayers the machine turned off, if for a brief moment, then, it made a new sound and started up again with an as painful, yet not as hot, electrical shock.
Baker-Noo...NO!
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White-See? You thought the machine was on low, yet it was on high, I modified the console screens and had Clock reprogram them. Your calculations were right Wist, you were just duped (White grinned once again).
Clock-Pretty damn easy too.
Wist-Alright.
White-'Alright'? You seem oftely calm.
Wist turned and looked down at Baker in the chair. It was working, the metal walls were creaking and the metal railings on the rafters swung down and were ripped off their supports. Baker was gaining magnetism. He was right, and White, Clock, and Preston were taking his achievement away from him. Still, he needed to know one more thing before...
Wist-Why White? Why only now do this.
White-Needed a couple guys dead first. The guys I recruited before. Ya wonder why they were so high up? And why would I just now choose some nobody drug-runner. It's not like I could have higher-ups in my boss's own criminal empire assasinated. I'd be in high-water, wouldn't I.
Wist-Clock, Presto-
Clock-Extra cash for us.
Preston-Yessh.
Wist-I see. Well at least now I know why. Why you'll pay,
White-What the hell are you talki-
Wist turned a dial on his belt, His powers were no longer reduced. Of course there was a reason he'd worn that belt to reduce him in the first place. But it didn't matter now.
Wist-You three took my life's work. My greatest achievement from me so...
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Baker looked up at White, Clock, Preston, and Wist. Almost as though to beg for mercy, For them to turn the machine off. It wasn't as painful as before but still.
Baker-What...what the hell?
Baker saw a gun in White's hands crushed by...nothing it was as though someone had used...magnetism.
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Wist sent White's crushed gun flying through Clock's skull. He turned and sent a lever right through Preston's glass dome. Then he grabbed White by the throat, ready to send all the iron in White's blood flying out his body, like bullets towards Preston. But his unreduced powers wear taking their toll, Rivers of blood flowed through each of his nostrils. He coughed blood on White. He reached down to turn the dial on his belt. However, White pushed Wist away and, dazed, Wist caused his own belt to fly off his waist, unleashing his full power.
The generators exploded. White was sent flying due to the iron in his blood, vats of acid exploded. The building started to clapse in on itself.
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Baker crawled out of the ACE CHEMICALS roof exit as an abomination. He had somehow gotten out of the ruined building, but his skin was extremely pale, black burns around his body. But Baker didn't care, Cause, as he climbed onto the roof. The ladder swung upward towards him, he had his powers.
And soon. He would have power.