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Masai Mara Game Reserve
Kenya
East Africa
The plains zebra (Equus quagga), also known as the common zebra, or locally as the "quagga" is the most common and geographically widespread species of zebra. It ranges from the south of Ethiopia through East Africa to as far south as Botswana and eastern South Africa.
The plains zebra remains common in game reserves, but is threatened by human activities such as hunting for its meat and hide, as well as competition with livestock and encroachment by farming on much of its habitat.
The plains zebra is a highly social species, forming harems with a single stallion, several mares and their recent offspring; there are also bachelor groups. Groups may come together to form herds. The animals keep watch for predators rather than attempting to hide; they bark or snort when they see a predator, and the harem stallion attacks predators to defend his harem.\
The species population is stable and not endangered, though some populations such as in Tanzania have declined sharply. – Wikipedia
Met the new owner( Dano Grayson),and I must say I was very impressed with this young man,with his visions,and plans for the place.He went out of his way to make sure our visit was as good as could be! Highly recommended
Famous, enchanting and highly toxic, Fly agaric is the home of fairies and magical creatures and a lover of birch woodland, where it helps trees by transferring nutrients into their roots, but if eaten can cause hallucinations and psychotic reactions.
Native to the UK, it grows in woodland and heathland on light soils among birch, pine or spruce.
Fly agaric is poisonous and infamous for its psychoactive and hallucinogenic properties, but reports of human deaths are extremely rare. It was traditionally used as an insecticide. The cap was broken up and sprinkled into saucers of milk. It's known to contain ibotenic acid, which both attracts and kills flies – which gave it its name.
Scientific name: Amanita muscaria.
So pleased to find this on one of Marnie and my walks. I didn't have my 'proper' camera with me so used my mobile phone.
~ Edited in Topaz Studio - no actual 'texture' and actually, the original is alright but can't resist trying for better ! I'm sure you know the feeling ! ~
Thanks so much, as always, for your comments and just for looking - autumn is REALLY here now in our northern climes.
This highly distinguishable bird has been waking us up for several years now.
Normally he /she sits on our lodge roof, but today was down by the shore line.
I'm not sure if it's a birth defect or damage he/she has incurred.
Rook - Corvus Frugilegus
Tralee Bay - Scotland
Many thanks to all those who take the time to comment on and fave my photos. It is truly appreciated.
DSC_4456
A highly conspicuous monument, clearly visible to most of the city of Rome, Il Vittoriano was built in honor of the first king of a unified Italy, Victor Emmanuel. Located between Piazza Venezia and Capitoline Hill, this 135m wide, 81m tall structure features a number of sculptures, columns, fountains, and statues. In addition to housing the museum of Italian Unification, it also holds the Italian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with an eternal flame. Unfortunately, many Romans find it too ostentatious, given its surroundings; thus, one of its many nicknames is la torta nuziale - "the wedding cake." Taken 30 December 2017.
Amsterdam is highly walkable just avoid walking on anything looking like a bike path and instantly freeze when you hear the ominous sound of the bike bell, an even easier and faster way to get around is to bike if you have the courage to join the fray but be warned the Dutch suffer no fools on their bikeways.
For those faint of heart the city also has one of the best public transportation systems in Europe though no underground exists trams, buses and trains make their way overland in a very efficient and orderly manner at a very reasonable cost.
After many many visits I discovered on my last trip the OV-Chipkart, an anonymous reloadable plastic card that can be found at the train station, at a newsagent or at a supermarket just look for the pink OV-chipkaart logo and best place to purchase one is at the start of your journey at Schiphol Airport.
The initial purchase price is 7,50 euro and can be loaded or reloaded at terminals with the logo but beware that not all terminals use credit cards, once you have loaded what you feel is enough for your use the card is ready to go not just in Amsterdam but all of the Netherlands on public transport, here ends the PSA.
This shot was taken on the evening tour with the Dam Boat Guys and is a good illustration of urban life on the move and also that some of your better shots come from lesser subject matter.
I took this on Sept 9th, 2017 with my D750 and Nikon 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens at 32mm 1/60 sec f/11 ISO2000 processed in LR, PS +Lumenzia, Topaz , Luminar and DXO
Disclaimer: My style is a study of romantic realism as well as a work in progress
Elephants are highly social animals and are known for their complex social behavior, which includes a variety of communication methods, social bonding, and cooperation. One of the most important aspects of elephant social behavior is their family structure, which is centered around a matriarchal society.
Female elephants, called cows, form close bonds with their female relatives, such as their mothers, sisters, and daughters, and often live in multi-generational family groups. These groups are led by the oldest and most experienced cow, known as the matriarch, who is responsible for making decisions for the group, such as where to feed and drink and when to move to new areas.
Male elephants, called bulls, are more solitary and typically leave their family group around the age of 12 to 14 to join bachelor herds or to live alone. However, bulls do interact with family groups during the mating season, when they seek out receptive females to mate with.
When elephants socialize, they use a variety of communication methods, including vocalizations, body language, and chemical signals. They also engage in tactile communication, such as touching trunks or rubbing against each other.
Elephants are highly intelligent and are capable of exhibiting empathy and compassion towards each other. They have been known to show affection towards other elephants, comfort each other in times of distress, and even mourn their dead. Overall, elephants are complex social animals with intricate social structures and behaviors.
The highly scented pink roses at the front are 'Boscobel'.
The deep red roses at the back are 'Dublin Bay': prolific bloomers but with little scent.
CZJ Flektogon 20mm 2.8
I'm back from my Trenta holidays. It was a wonderful active vacation. I highly recommend this place: it is amazing!
Taken at Sandy Camp Rd Wetlands.
Lewin’s rail is a highly secretive and seldom observed bird. It prefers permanent, fresh-to-saline wetlands surrounded by dense vegetation: ie swamps, lakes, and wetlands as well as artificial wetlands surrounded by thick vegetation, where they forage in shallow water around the water's edge. Lewin's rails feed mainly on invertebrates and occasionally bird eggs and frogs.
The beautiful and highly distinctive Pin-tailed Manakin is endemic to the Atlantic Forest of eastern Brazil, where it is not rare but the species is nonetheless highly prized by birdwatchers, especially as its unusually quiet vocalisations can render it unobtrusive, making encounters much less frequent than with other manakins that occur in the same region. The male Pin-tailed Manakin is one of the most unmistakable and prettiest of manakins, and even the female is difficult to confuse given that it shares the male’s ‘unusual’ head shape and ‘pin-tail’ central rectrices. The species prefers humid forest, woodlots and mature second growth, perhaps most frequently in valleys. Its systematic relationships have only recently been elucidated, although its uniqueness has long been recognised by taxonomists. However, some facets of the Pin-tailed Manakin’s life history, especially its breeding biology and diet, are still relatively poorly known. birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/pitman1/cur/introduction
This beautiful male was photographed at Tapiraí - São Paulo. Wishing everyone a Peaceful Thursday and for those who celebrate a Peaceful Thanksgiving!
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.
My instagram if you like: @thelmag and @thelma_and_cats
He’s got some right attitude
WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre.
What3Words
///trailers.ripen.grownup
The Smew (Mergellus albellus) is a distinctive species of diving duck and the only living member of the genus Mergellus. Often referred to as "sawbills," they possess specialized serrated bills with hooked tips designed to firmly grasp slippery prey underwater.
Physical Appearance
Drakes (Males):
Known colloquially as "White Nuns," adult males in breeding plumage are striking and predominantly snow-white. They feature a characteristic black facial mask, a small bushy crest, and fine black lines on their back and breast that create a "cracked ice" or "panda-like" appearance.
Hens (Females) and Juveniles: Often called "Redheads," they are primarily grey with a chestnut-brown crown and nape, contrasting sharply with a white throat and cheeks.
Size:
They are compact ducks, roughly the size of a teal, with a length of 35–44 cm and a wingspan of 55–69 cm.
Habitat and Diet
Smews are highly specialized for aquatic environments:
Diet:
They are skilled underwater hunters that dive for 15–30 seconds to catch their prey. Their diet consists mainly of small fish (such as minnows and eels), aquatic insects, larvae, crustaceans, and amphibians.
Nesting:
Uniquely for ducks, they are cavity nesters. They typically lay their eggs in tree hollows, often using old holes made by Black Woodpeckers, located up to 10 meters above the ground.
Distribution and Migration
Breeding:
They breed across the northern taiga forests of Scandinavia and Russia, typically near fish-rich freshwater lakes and slow rivers.
Wintering: In winter, they migrate south to more temperate regions, including central Europe, the UK, and parts of Asia like China, Korea, and Japan.
Status in the UK:
They are considered a scarce winter visitor. While previously hundreds wintered in the UK, numbers have dropped to around 130 individuals in recent years. This decline is often attributed to climate change, as milder winters allow the birds to stay closer to their northern breeding grounds.
Conservation
While the Smew is classified as Least Concern globally on the IUCN Red List, it is on the UK Red List for Birds of Conservation Concern due to declining wintering numbers. Major threats include habitat loss through deforestation and predation by invasive species like the American mink.
playing with twine, lol.
I mean, at my age? And why not, when the creative juices are flowing, you try and stop them! Hahaha
So these got in a knot!
It was a fun afternoon... more to come.
Have a glorious day and thank you, M, (*_*)
For more: www.indigo2photography.com
IT IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN (BY LAW!!!) TO USE ANY OF MY image or TEXT on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved
Highgate Common Staffordshire
What3Words
///vertical.ballots.renewals
The Magpie is a highly intelligent member of the corvid family (which includes crows and ravens) known for its striking black-and-white plumage and complex social behavior. While often unfairly branded as a "thief" or a bad omen in European folklore, it is revered as a symbol of good luck and prosperity in many East Asian cultures.
High Intelligence & Behavior
Self-Awareness:
The Eurasian magpie is one of the few non-mammal species to pass the mirror test, proving it can recognize its own reflection.
Problem Solving:
They are known to use tools, play games, and work in teams to fend off predators or hunt.
Social Memory:
Magpies can recognize individual human faces and may remember people who have been either kind or threatening in the past.
Grief:
They have been observed performing elaborate social rituals that resemble funerals when a member of their group dies.
Appearance & Identification
Iridescent Feathers:
While they look black and white from a distance, their black feathers actually have a blue, green, and purple iridescent sheen visible in sunlight.
Long Tail:
The tail makes up more than half of the bird's total length (approx. 45 cm total) and is used for balance and communication.
Vocalisations:
Their most common sound is a harsh, rapid "chacker-chacker" chatter, though they are also capable mimics of other sounds and even human speech.
Habitat & Diet
Adaptability:
They are found across Europe, Asia, and North America, thriving in suburban gardens, parks, and farmland.
Diet:
As omnivores, they eat a varied diet including insects, seeds, fruit, carrion, and occasionally the eggs or chicks of other birds.
Nesting:
They build large, domed nests of twigs and mud, usually high in trees or thorny bushes for protection.
WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre.
What3Words
///trailers.ripen.grownup
The Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) is a medium-sized perching duck famous for being widely regarded as the world's most beautiful duck.
Vibrant Appearance
Mandarin ducks display striking sexual dimorphism, meaning the males and females look completely different:
The Male (Drake):
Highly elaborate and colourful. It features distinctive orange feathers that stick up like "sails" on its back, a purple chest with white bars, orange cheek plumes, and a bright red-pink beak. After the spring breeding season, the male sheds these feathers (moults) into a dull "eclipse" plumage that looks like the female, though he keeps his bright beak.
The Female (Hen):
Intentionally dull and grey-brown to blend into surroundings. She has a grey head, a prominent white ring around her eye with a stripe trailing behind it, and a mottled underside.
Habitat and Global Distribution
Native Range:
Densely wooded wetlands, shallow lakes, and marshes across East Asia, including China, Japan, Korea, and parts of Russia.
Introduced Populations:
They were brought to the UK as decorative birds for private collections in the 18th century. Escaped birds formed a thriving, naturalised wild population across Great Britain.
Behavior:
Despite their loud colours, mandarins are shy, timid birds that prefer hiding under overhanging willows and tree cover. They have long claws that allow them to perch on tree branches and fly through dense forests with incredible agility.
Diet
Mandarins are omnivorous foragers. They eat a varied diet consisting of:
Aquatic plants and seeds
Acorns and grains
Insects, land snails, and small fish
Tree Nesting and "Leaping" Chicks
Mandarin ducks have a unique and dramatic nesting ritual:
High Nesting:
Females lay a clutch of 9–12 eggs during the spring in natural tree cavities or holes, sometimes up to 9 metres off the ground.
The Leap of Faith:
Shortly after hatching, the mother flies down to the ground and calls to her ducklings.
Safe Landing:
The tiny, uninjured ducklings leap from the high tree cavity. Their light weight and fluffy down feathers cushion the impact, allowing them to bounce unharmed and follow their mother straight to the nearest water.
Cultural Symbolism
In traditional East Asian cultures—particularly in China and Japan—mandarin ducks are revered as a symbol of lifelong fidelity, love, and wedded bliss. Pairs are frequently depicted in oriental art and given as wedding gifts, even though wild ducks generally only pair up for a single breeding season.
Buckpool and Fens Pool Local Nature Reserve
What3Words
///thin.spill.bravo
The Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is the most familiar and widespread species of dabbling duck, found across North America, Europe, and Asia. They are highly adaptable and a common sight in urban parks, ponds, rivers, and various wetland habitats.
Size:
They are large, heavy-looking ducks, typically 50-62 cm (20-24 inches) in length with a wingspan of 81-98 cm (32-39 inches).
Sexual Dimorphism:
Males (drakes) and females (hens) have very different appearances, so much so that they were once thought to be different species.
Male (Drake):
Has a striking, iridescent green head and neck, a bright yellow bill, a white neck ring, a chestnut-brown breast, and grey body plumage. They also have a distinctive curled black feather just above the tail.
Female (Hen):
Has a more muted, mottled brown and tan plumage for camouflage during nesting, with an orange and brown bill.
Both:
Both sexes have a distinctive, white-bordered, iridescent blue or purple patch on their wings called a speculum, which is visible in flight.
Vocalization:
Only the female makes the loud, characteristic "quack" sound commonly associated with ducks. Males have a much quieter, raspier, one or two-note call.
RSPB Bird Hide Llyn Vyrnwy Llanwddyn Oswestry Wales
What3Words
///boils.weeks.acrobatic
The Eurasian Siskin (Spinus spinus) is a small, lively songbird in the finch family (Fringillidae), known for its acrobatic feeding style and vibrant yellow-green plumage.
Key Characteristics
Appearance:
Males are distinctive with a bright yellow breast, black crown, and a small black bib. Females and juveniles are more subdued, appearing grey-green with heavy dark streaking on their undersides and no black cap. Both sexes have prominent yellow wing bars and a deeply forked tail with yellow sides.
Size:
They are very small, typically 11–12.5 cm long with a wingspan of 20–23 cm.
Diet:
Primarily granivorous, they specialize in extracting seeds from conifers (like spruce), alder, and birch trees. In spring, they may supplement their diet with insects to provide protein for their chicks.
Behavior:
Siskins are highly social and often form compact, mobile flocks, sometimes mixing with redpolls. They are famous for their agility, frequently hanging upside-down to reach seeds.
Habitat and Distribution
Range:
They are widespread across Europe and Asia (Eurosiberia) and parts of North Africa.
Habitat:
They favor coniferous and mixed woodlands, particularly those with spruce, pine, or alder trees.
Movement:
While some southern populations are residents, northern birds are migratory. They exhibit "irruptive" behavior, where large numbers may migrate south unpredictably if seed crops fail in their northern range.
Breeding and Lifecycle
Nesting:
Females build small, neat nests high in conifer trees using twigs, moss, and lichen, lined with hair or feathers.
Reproduction:
They typically lay 3–5 eggs and can raise up to two broods per year between April and July.
Conservation Status:
The species is currently classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a stable global population estimated between 24 and 46 million mature individuals.
Garden Interaction
In the UK and other parts of Europe, siskins have become more common garden visitors, especially in late winter when natural food supplies dwindle. They are particularly attracted to niger seeds, sunflower hearts, and peanuts in mesh feeders.
This highly social and intelligent species is well adapted to a semi-aquatic life-style. Male and female California sea lions differ significantly in appearance. Males are substantially bigger than females and have an enlarged sagittal crest, which is usually topped with white fur.
Highly recommend this little preserve when sunrise is about an hour after the low tide. there is a trail to the bay, and the light i perfect.
Highly cropped at Lettuce Lake Park, Tampa, Florida, USA.
This photograph/image is copyrighted and may not be used in any way without my permission. If you would like to use it, please contact me via Flickr mail.
Thanks for visiting and for your faves and comments.
youtu.be/i-4uKgXRnpI
The Oriental Lily opens a 6 petal bloom that can spread up to 20cm in diameter.
The height of the Oriental Lily can range between 3 to 5 feet.
Oriental Lilies tend to flower mid-season (July/August).
They are a long lasting and highly scented variety.
thank you for your time and comments, greatly appreciated, M, (*_*)
For more: www.indigo2photography.com
IT IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN (BY LAW!!!) TO USE ANY OF MY image or TEXT on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved
Note: the base photo for this one is the photo I posted 6 spots back. The red rose in the background pretty much becomes invisible here. Used normal oil painting effect at 75%. Then used Adobe photoshop beta cosmos 9 effect. Finished with a fine rust border. Rose located in rose garden of a nearby neighbor.
A highly interesting novel by Mexican author Daniel Saldaña Paris about fate, family with a little bit of existentialism thrown in:
www.npr.org/books/titles/484140152/among-strange-victims
Photo from Prague.
**All photos are copyrighted**
Epipactis helleborine (Breitblättrige Ständelwurz, broad-leaved helleborine), Bodenbauer, Hochschwab, Steiermark, Austria.
Highly processed image trying to bring out colour and texture in what was in reality a very dull day in the Lake District. For Sliders Sunday.
Alopochen aegyptiaca &
Egretta ardesiaca
IMG_1113
English Id rectified with the courtesy of Johan van Rensburg: Thank you very much, Johan! Highly appreciated!
First used sketch effect, then cropped to make square, then used Adobe photoshop beta grunge 13 effect.
This image was composed during a hike in the San Jacinta and Santa Rosa Mountains National Monument in California. In the distance, one can see the Coachella Valley.
Rising abruptly from the desert floor, the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument reaches an elevation of 10,834 feet. Providing a picturesque backdrop to local communities, visitors can enjoy magnificent palm oases, snow-capped mountains, a national scenic trail, and wilderness areas. Its extensive backcountry can be accessed via trails from both the Coachella Valley and the alpine village of Idyllwild.
For interested readers, information on the geology of this region is provided below.
The Santa Rosa Mountains, along with their northerly neighbor, the San Jacinto Mountains, are mostly made of granitic rocks from the California Batholith. The Batholith is a single huge block of granites that cover some 1,500 miles (2,414km) of land from the Sierra Nevada to Baja California. It formed during the Mesozoic, some 100 million years ago as the Pacific Plate started to subduct under the North American Plate. This process created much of the igneous rock that we see in the region today, as well as the highly metamorphosed mahogany-colored sedimentary rocks near Palm Springs.
I'm am tickled pink with a highly commended portfolio of 3 images in this year's Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year.
Generated By Midjourney V6
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**🎬 Prompt :**
> Une vaste vallée antique baignée par une lumière dorée de fin d’après-midi, ambiance méditerranéenne rappelant la Grèce antique. Au premier plan, une barque en bois patiné flotte sur une eau turquoise cristalline légèrement agitée, ses reflets scintillant sous le soleil. Trois hommes athlétiques, à la peau bronzée et aux cheveux bouclés, vêtus de tuniques rouges drapées, rament avec effort, leurs muscles tendus captant la lumière chaude.
>
> La caméra est positionnée légèrement en contre-plongée derrière la barque, créant une immersion cinématographique, avec un flou de profondeur de champ subtil sur les rameurs au premier plan et une netteté progressive vers l’arrière.
>
> En arrière-plan, deux temples majestueux de style dorique s’élèvent sur des formations rocheuses, leurs colonnes massives baignées de lumière dorée, marquées par le temps mais imposantes. Le temple de gauche domine une colline escarpée, tandis que celui de droite se dresse plus isolé au bord de l’eau.
>
> Des falaises et montagnes enveloppent la scène, avec une végétation méditerranéenne dense, ponctuée d’arbres aux feuillages dorés et verts. Le ciel est vaste, rempli de nuages volumineux et lumineux, traversés par des oiseaux en vol, ajoutant du dynamisme et une sensation d’échelle épique.
>
> L’atmosphère est calme mais majestueuse, avec une légère brume atmosphérique donnant de la profondeur. Des petites embarcations et silhouettes humaines sont visibles au loin, renforçant le réalisme et la vie de la scène.
>
> Style visuel ultra réaliste, rendu 8K, textures détaillées (bois, pierre, eau), éclairage global illumination, couleurs cinématographiques chaudes, contraste doux, légère granulation filmique. Inspiration : fresque antique mêlée à un rendu cinématographique moderne type film épique historique.
>
> **Paramètres recommandés ** : ultra-detailed, photorealistic, cinematic lighting, volumetric clouds, depth of field, HDR, global illumination, 8k, sharp focus, epic composition, golden hour, realistic water physics.
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**🎬 Prompt:**
> A vast ancient valley bathed in warm golden-hour sunlight, evoking the atmosphere of classical Ancient Greece. In the foreground, a weathered wooden boat floats on clear turquoise water, gently rippling and reflecting shimmering sunlight. Three athletic men with sun-kissed skin and curly hair, dressed in flowing red draped tunics, row in unison, their muscles subtly highlighted by the warm light.
>
> The camera is positioned slightly low and behind the boat, creating an immersive cinematic perspective, with a shallow depth of field softly blurring the rowers in the foreground while gradually sharpening toward the background.
>
> In the distance, two majestic Doric temples rise dramatically atop rocky formations. Their massive columns are illuminated by golden light, aged yet imposing. The left temple dominates a steep hillside, while the right temple stands more isolated near the water’s edge.
>
> Surrounding the scene are rugged cliffs and distant mountains covered in Mediterranean vegetation, with trees displaying warm golden and green tones. The sky is expansive, filled with large, voluminous clouds glowing in the sunlight, while birds soar across the scene, adding motion and scale.
>
> The atmosphere is serene yet epic, enhanced by subtle atmospheric haze that adds depth. Small boats and distant human figures can be seen across the water, reinforcing realism and scale.
>
> Ultra-realistic visual style, 8K resolution, highly detailed textures (wood, stone, water), global illumination, cinematic warm color grading, soft contrast, slight film grain. Inspired by a fusion of ancient fresco aesthetics and modern epic historical cinema.
>
> **Recommended parameters :** ultra-detailed, photorealistic, cinematic lighting, volumetric clouds, depth of field, HDR, global illumination, 8k, sharp focus, epic composition, golden hour, realistic water physics.
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--v 6 --ar 16:9 --style raw --q 2 --s 100 --chaos 5 --seed 42
In pre-Columbian Peru, feathers were highly valued for their magnificent colors, silken texture, and perhaps also for their symbolism. Known in ritual contexts as early as the third millennium B.C., feathers served various ceremonial and secular purposes among Andean peoples throughout preconquest history. On the Pacific south coast in the early first millennium A.D., the Nasca peoples buried feathered garments and precious cloth figurines only a few inches tall, which were dressed in miniature clothes embellished with feather tufts, as offerings. In the seventh and eighth centuries the Wari people of the southern highlands covered impressive numbers of large panels with radiant macaw feathers, perhaps for display on festive occasions or as offerings. Farther north in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, Chimu royalty rode in feather-decorated litters and wore feathered tabards and luxurious accessories in iridescent blues, yellows, reds, and greens. The conquering Inka are said to have "paved" the streets in their imperial city, Cusco, with colored and feathered cloth on the occasion of royal weddings.
Ancient Peruvian featherwork has not been extensively studied. As these fragile objects only rarely survive burial in good condition, the full repertoire may never be known.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2RGu1v5388
#8 (3/5)
(If viewing on a PC, I highly recommend pressing "L" to view in Lightboard mode with a black background.)
This highly attractive building was constructed in 1929 for the German Motor Company, an automobile dealership which had long roots in Jacksonville selling the Buick, Marquette, and Oldsmobile lines of motor cars, with Pontiac added before World War II. During the war years, the property also saw use as the Black Louis Filling Station.
In 1947, the Longstaff Motor Company took the property and were selling Pontiac and Packard automobiles. Later, in the 1950s, the building was the home to an automotive supply company.
It was after mid-century that the automotive use of the building ended and it was repurposed as Boyd Music, a popular business throughout central Illinois for their band instruments (including our daughter's). Since I took this photo, Boyd has moved into one of the old garage bays and now focus on instrument repair. Today the main part of the building is BLH Computers, a central Illinois business who sell and repair PCs.
Founded in 1825, the City of Jacksonville is the seat of Morgan County. The city had a population of 17,616 at the 2020 census.
Datura is a genus of highly poisonous vespertine-flowering plants in the Nightshade family. There are several species of Datura, but pictured here is Datura wrightii, colloquially known as Sacred Datura, native to the Southwestern United States and Northwestern Mexico.
Datura plants – both Datura wrightii, and other varieties – contain toxic quantities of tropane alkaloids like scopolamine and atropine. Substantial ingestion of Datura results in anticholinergic syndrome; function of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine is blocked, resulting in a series of symptoms ranging from psychosis to hyperthermia to temporary blindness. The symptoms of anticholinergic syndrome are described by the medical mnemonic “Blind as a bat, mad as a hatter, red as a beet, hot as a hare, dry as a bone, the bowel and bladder lose their tone, and the heart runs alone.” Ingestion of Datura can be lethal.
That doesn’t stop some people, often teenagers, from ingesting it though, because hey, psychoactive plant! But apparently it is the Worst. Drug. Ever. I once heard it described by a Youtuber as “The Psychedelic that Only Gives Bad Trips.” A foray into the Datura Trip Reports section of Erowid.org features Trip Report titles such as “24 Hours of Madness”, “Three Unpleasant Days,” “Imaginary Friends May Not Be Nice”, “Vague, Unreal, and Unpleasant,” “The Depths of Delirium Sucked”, “Complete Retrograde Amnesia”, “Loss of Coordination Entirely”, and “Oblivion in the Worst Possible Sense.”
Clearly ingesting Datura isn’t advisable. If you wish to unlock its mysteries, I would recommend sitting with it and asking it what it wants to tell you rather than consuming it. But if you want to get wild and crazy, maybe touch it and end up with a horrible case of contact dermatitis* like me. :)
*Note that it isn’t known to give contact dermatitis universally, only to sensitive individuals; I’m allergic to almost everything on God’s Green Earth, so it’s not surprising I had a reaction. That being said, apparently touching it with an open sore can be No Bueno.
A highly photogenic species. Widely distributed in Eurasia and North America.
250127 372-3
Silberreiher
Большая белая цапля
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Archidendron lucyi is a small tree species in the legume family (Fabaceae). The native range extends from North Eastern Australia, Eastern Malesiahe Solomon Islands. A. lucyi grows in the understory of lowland rainforest.
As with other members of the genus, A. lucyi produces large pinnate leaves. The species is cauliflorous, producing flowers directly from the trunk. The white filaments are 3–5 cm long and form the showiest part of the flowers. The flowers are followed by highly conspicuous red or orange seed pods, which split open when ripe to reveal blue to black seeds.
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami FL
23.4.2022.
It appears that 4498's running in on the SVR has been a success.
In Wartime black livery, LNER Gresley A4 Pacific 4-6-2 No 4498 'Sir Nigel Gresley' announces itself as it approaches Highley with the 12.15 Kidderminster - Bridgenorth passenger service.
On it's return to Crewe the loco will revert to LNER blue livery.
SVR Gala.
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Yellow-crested Cockatoo is considered a highly endangered species. They are native to Indonesia & East Timor although Hong Kong Island hosts the largest population outside of their native habitat. They seem to be happy immigrants in Hong Kong Island & can often be seen at Hong Kong Park.
Drongoes are highly territorial and wouldn't tolerate other birds of equal or larger size in its area. But then the Shrikes are equally fierce and wouldn't take any nonsense from other birds.
In this case, the Drongo repeatedly attacked this peacefully perched Shrike which watched the Drongo make aggressive moves several times. It finally lost its patience and finally retaliated by attacking the Drongo.
Attacking is just a way of showing aggression, but there is no real contact between them. The Drongo just gave up and flew away, while the Shrike went on about its business.
Many thanks in advance for your views and feedback. Much appreciated.
This highly distinguishable bird has been waking us up for several years now.
I'm not sure if it's a birth defect or damage he/she has incurred.
Rook - Corvus Frugilegus
Tralee Bay - Scotland
Many thanks to all those who take the time to comment on and fave my photos. It is truly appreciated.
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