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People of Ventspils have managed to build a hill, which they named after the long-time mayor of the city – “Lembergs’ Trilby”. The unique hill in the coastal lowlands of Western Latvia was built artificially from debris and discarded priming materials. At the moment it is 58 m high and the length of track is 240 m ,it have risen up every year.
In wintertime it pleases downhill skiers and snowboard fans who wants to enjoy their own special Snowboard Park and Cross-Country Skiing Track. It is real fun to ride down the Sledding Track for adults and childen and the Tube Track.
The operation of the hill is ensured by five ski lifts, five snow blowers and a snow tractor. The tracks are lit and during winter professional instructors will assist those who are not so sure about their skiing skills. Rental of skiing and snowboarding equipment is available at the foot of a hill.
We managed to get out to the Dec BNO at Pink Punters last month. We hadn't been there for a year, so it was nice to catchup with old friends. 🌈
First of all don't look at my hand it has got as many layers of msc on it as the doll's face has.
Now I still need to glue her mouth.
The finished doll will be photographed tomorrow. Just to be sure I'll leave her head off the body so the mouth is able to dry all night without any friction.
She's not my Punzie, she turned out different than I imagined.
Although I do like her I won't be heart broken if her face up would ever get damaged and maybe it is better that way
Finally managed to hook up with my boy and crew mate CRANE for a lovely days paint in the sun...Early start, done by 2pm, time to enjoy the rest of the day..
This is a step forward for me, i've taken that jump and loosened up a bit more, broken outline, flared spill outs rar rar rar, lookin' a bit like Smash137 though?? lovin' what that man is droppin at the minute, style, flare and flow, it's my homage to the geeza, my take on that style..... like it, loathe it, or love it... it definitely works for me...
It's been a tough week here in my neighbourhood, amongst others, so, this was the great escape from the shit reality......
YO!! TRANS... this one's for you homeboy, catch you soon bro...
R.I.P CASE2 from NYC, who sadly passed away today too, Karen, my thoughts are with you hun, bell me if you need to talk ;)
Managed to grab half an hour at Charnwood Water with the magic formula of sunshine and wildlife (woohoo!)
The coot family were alarmingly unperturbed by people, which is a bit concerning really...
Thanks for looking, it's really appreciated :)
Managed a quick session with www.flickr.com/photos/robmcavoy/, offering the chance to test out new tweaks to a DIY LED strip thingy.
This is all done with a single tool, no post processing. I was quite chuffed.
Managed to get out for a while today and took the opportunity to get a phone shot for one of the 125 themes.
I managed to find 4 newly emerged Red veined Darters at a private site near Reculver. Think the immature stage is probably my best and very pleased with the results. More photos @ www.marcheathwildlifephotography.zenfolio.com. Click 'My Blog'.
I managed to capture this honey eater feeding on one of our plants at home the other day.
He is a regular visitor!
He also seems pretty accustomed to people as I was able to get quite close!!
Shot in the late afternoon light and I used this to highlight the markings on it's head and body!
Hope you like this one!!!
Have another wonderful day and week!!!
Thanks again for any comments, viewings or favorites - much appreciated!!!
Taken using a Canon 5D Mkiii + Canon 70-200 f4L IS lens.
Managed to capture this Heron as the sun was setting. It let me get quite close which is unusual and seemed to be posing for me!
Managed a break in the rain a few weeks back.
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So ventured down to my local park in search of some Snowdrops, ideal conditionas as it was still overcast.
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Found it tricky to get a good angle even with the tripod splayed to ground level.
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Then I came across a fallen tree with the snow drops growing up from the raised root base.
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This is one from the set I took that morning, a single Snowdrop with rain drops on it.
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Best seen on black - Press L
We managed to get out to the Dec BNO at Pink Punters last month. We hadn't been there for a year, so it was nice to catchup with old friends. 🌈
This Red Rhododendron Bloom was shot with my Canon PowerShot SX1 IS with the Raynox DCR-250 lens attached.
For my other shots taken with the Raynox DCR-250 lens, click here.
Finally managed to load this picture - if my brother is watching TV then the broadband is sooooo slow - arrgghh!
Well I had an amazing day with my friend at the SWPP. A very long day but a very motivating and inspirational one!
The best talk was given by Zack and Jody Gray. Seriously I was on the verge of tears listening to these guys as they just seem to totally touch base with you and they are sooo positive. They simply exude an amazing aura. Big thanks to Nat
for pointing me in their direction! <3
I have a HUGE problem with confidence of my ability and I think this is the first 'talk' where I have actually come away and felt that I might, just might have what it takes to be brave and try the big wide world of photography :)
So for tonight it's off to bed with a very happy feeling - see you tomorrow flickr :)
managed a few of these 2 together this month, went with this for the group just because of their goofy expressions (well Biscuit at least)
I managed to capture this long exposure image using my sony fe 28-70mm lens with a hoya 10 stop nd filter.
When i first arrived it was really foggy and misty, barely seeing any of the bridge. luckily within the next hour or so it cleared which enabled me to get the shot i was after. :)
Managed to catch this in-between the rain and strong winds during my walk of yesterday!
Stay Safe and Healthy Everyone!
Thanks to everyone who views this photo, adds a note, leaves a comment and of course BIG thanks to anyone who chooses to favourite my photo .... Thanks to you all!
I managed to get a more side-on view this time. I don't live in an area where these are normally easy to photograph, but this year I've had the best opportunity for years, if not all time!
The trick is, it's not just the bird to pose well that makes up part of the issue, it's also the lighting and perch hes on as you don't want him sat in the shade on a sunny day as this burns out the highlights, and you don't want the background too bright either as your subject becomes shiloetted. Sometimes, they won't stay still long enough either!
I managed to snap this pic right before SL kicked my svelte booty offline ('degraded performance' is an understatement, yo XD). All I wanted to do was take a pic of this shirt, ffs! It's so lovely and sheer and covered in big gold paillettes. SO ME. And yes, I'm totes using the same background as yesterday because I couldn't rez another one. THANKS, SL!
[Shirt by COCO @ uber February 2018
Panties by Maitreya @ mainstore
Hair by Tableau Vivant @ mainstore (originally at Kustom9 December 2017)
Lashes by SlackGirl @ mainstore
Lip appliers by Mudskin @ mainstore
Nail appliers by Hello Dave @ mainstore
Background by FOXCITY @ Kustom9 February 2018
Pose by FOXCITY @ mainstore]
In our two week stay we managed to see three racoons, the first was frightened off by a car, the second caught me completely unawares when it was just there when I got out of the car, this one was more relaxed and was just trotting along the side of the road.
They may be a pest to the locals but we go out looking for these beauties, you have got to love them.
The Essex Skipper (Thymelicus lineola) is a small, warm-coloured skipper butterfly that thrives in sunny grassland habitats. It is most commonly found in unimproved and lightly managed meadows, roadside verges, field margins, coastal grasslands and rough pasture where fine grasses grow in abundance. The caterpillars feed on a range of grasses, particularly cock's-foot, while adults nectar on flowers such as thistles, knapweeds and ragwort during their flight period from late June to August. Although easily overlooked because of its resemblance to the Small Skipper, the Essex Skipper can be identified by the distinctive black underside of its clubbed antennae.
The Essex Skipper is distributed across much of central and southern Europe, extending eastwards into western Asia. In Britain, it was first recognised as a separate species only in 1889, having previously been confused with the Small Skipper. Today it is widespread across southern and eastern England, extending north through the Midlands and into parts of northern England, with a continuing gradual expansion of its range. It remains scarce or absent in Scotland, Wales and much of south-west England. Britain is home to the nominate subspecies, Thymelicus lineola lineola, which is the only subspecies recorded in the UK. The species has benefited from warmer summers and suitable grassland management, allowing populations to increase and spread into new areas.
Managed to capture the quick take off of this Great Blue Heron .....from my kayak. Happy Wing Wedneday
Managed to escape the inlaws today. And her is today's outfit. Different skirt to the other day . Blinking hot today
Managed just 2 5 minute subs last night before clouds rolled in.
M16 Eagle Nebula Pillars of creation
After struggling with gear and getting a little LUM on this target, I switched to HA and recalibrated PHD2 which I had not done in a while, (yes that helped a lot). Got 2 subs before those wispy clouds settled in. You know the ones where your friends say hey it is clear out are you taking pictures?
So just 2 subs stacked with darks that were not quite close enough temp wise (darks were temp 57F images were 72F). So just ignore noise and be amazed at the technology. Essentially this is just a snapshot of this target.
BUT, it is the ten minutes like this that make me change my mind again about signing up for Deep Sky West rather than spend $$ on new gear. So cool to say WOW out loud when hitting autostretch for the first time 📷:)
2-300 seconds at gain 111 ASI183MM non cooled.
Managed to visit the Red Tower in York a few days later with my 10-20mm lens this time. The clouds were interesting and the wind had picked up so I thought I'd dig out the 10-stop filter.
Yay, managed to get up to London yesterday after too long an absence. I had wanted to capture this artwork and was very happy when the car park space in front of it was vacant. Just as I was about to press the shutter a car drove into the space, the driver got out and said, sorry, and headed towards the ticket machine. I was quietly cursing under my breath, when lo and behold, he got back in his car and drove away - either a parking restriction, too expensive or his conscience got the better of him ... I would like to think the latter but know it was one of the first two mentioned ...
They love nettles and this little swarm of mini munchers has managed to strip a patch.
www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species.php?species=io
Larva
The behaviour of the larva is very similar to that of the Small Tortoiseshell, the two species often being seen together. In the first instar, Peacock larvae are very similar to those of the Small Tortoiseshell. However, mature Peacock larvae are jet black for the most part, whereas Small Tortoiseshell larvae are typically dark green with a pair of yellow stripes running down the length of their sides.
On emerging from their eggs, Peacock larvae build a communal web near the top of the plant and from which they emerge to bask and feed and are usually highly conspicuous. As the larvae grow, they move to new plants, building new webs along the way. Webs are decorated with shed larval skins and droppings and are easily found.
Larvae have several techniques to avoid predation. When disturbed, a group of larvae will often jerk their bodies from side to side in unison, which must be a formidable sight to any predator. The larvae will also regurgitate green fluid and will, if necessary, curl up in a ball and drop to the ground. Larvae feed both during the day and at night. There are 5 instars in total.
The primary larval foodplant is Common Nettle (Urtica dioica). Hop (Humulus lupulus) and Small Nettle (Urtica urens) are also used.
1st Instar
"The larva eats away the crown of the egg, and all hatch at once. Those at the bottom of the batch immediately start feeding through the leaf, and all live in a dense mass, spinning a web over the leaf. Directly after emergence the larva measures only 1.6 mm. long; the body is cylindrical; the head large, black and shining, beset with fine black hairs. On the body are four longitudinal rows of long, fine, black, simple hairs with bulbous bases; they are slightly curved and have the extreme tips very slightly clubbed and whitish. On the ventral surface and claspers are paler fine straight hairs; the spiracles are outlined with black. The surface is finely granular, with minute, raised, dark points. The colour is a very light ochreous-green, almost white-green." - Frohawk (1924)
2nd Instar
"The first moult was on June 5th, 1908, the first stage lasting six days. Before the second moult, nine days old, it measures 8 mm. in length. It is a good deal similar to the previous stage; the base of the longest hairs now form black conical tubercles, which are beset with bristles, and each terminates in a long, slightly serrated black hair. There are numerous black serrated hairs of different lengths, some extremely small, scattered over the body, which is granulated with fine black points. The head is shining black, with minute black bristles. The surface of the body is very shining, of a mottled olive-brown, blotched with pale ochreous round each of the largest tubercles. They live and feed in company. Preparatory to moulting they all assemble in a dense mass on a thick carpet of web spun over the eaten part of the plant, and thereon, packed together, undergo the second moult. When disturbed they all throw up the anterior half of their bodies in the form of a hook (thus c__) and remain so for a few minutes." - Frohawk (1924
3rd Instar
"The second moult occurred on June 9th, 1908, the second stage occupying four days. Before the third moult, thirteen days old, it measures from 12.7 mm. to 14.8 mm. long. In this stage a further development in the size of the tubercles is noticeable, especially the two dorsal rows, which are of considerable length and terminate, as all the shorter ones do, with long, slightly curved hairs. The ground colour is purplish-dark-brown, the longer hairs, which are scattered over the body, are placed on white dots. The head and other details of the surface are as in the previous stage; the claspers are pale olive-ochreous. They still live gregariously, and, as in the previous stage, prior to moulting they all assemble in a dense pack, forming a conspicuous black mass. In this stage they consume a great quantity of food; and when touched or irritated exude from the mouth a comparatively large drop of green liquid; and when slightly disturbed they throw up their heads and fore part of the body as in the last stage, and if still further annoyed or shaken they fall to the ground with much wriggling, at the same time lowering themselves by a silk thread." - Frohawk (1924)
4th Instar
"The third moult June 13th, 1908. The third stage also lasted four days. Before fourth moult, eighteen days old, the larva is 25.4 mm. in length; very similar to the previous stage. All the tubercles are well developed, the two dorsal rows being about twice the length of the sub-dorsal and lateral series. The white spots are now more distinct and numerous. The head and legs are shining black, as well as the anal pair of claspers. The ground colour is a purple-black; in other respects the details are the same as in the previous stage. Before moulting they again assemble in a dense mass." - Frohawk (1924)
5th Instar
"The fourth and last moult took place on June 18th, 1908, the fourth stage lasting five days. After fourth moult, fully grown, about twenty-eight days old, it averages in length about 41 .3 mm., some specimens as much as 44 mm. long. It is fairly cylindrical and comparatively slender; the first segment is much the smallest. There are six longitudinal rows of black shining spines from the fifth to eleventh segments inclusive; the second and third segments have each only two dorsal spines, which are longer than those on the other segments; the fourth and anal segments have each four spines; the first segment has no spines, but a transverse ridge of fine black hairs. The spines are sub-dorsal, super-spiracular and sub-spiracular. They are long and shining black, sharply pointed, and bear numerous bristles of various lengths; the body is densely covered with minute black bristles, which adds intensity to the rich velvety-black ground colour. At the segmental divisions the surface is smooth and of a dull leaden-black. Each segment is encircled with numerous pure white globular warts, each emitting a fine white hair; the largest are in front of the spiracles. On the first segment is a dorsal, shining, black, transverse disc, and two round ones on the anal segment; the first is small and adjoins the eleventh segment, the other forms a large rounded knob on the extremity. The head and legs are shining black and thickly studded with black bristles of varying lengths; the claspers are ochreous-brown at the base, the middle portion bright ochreous, the foot palest. Several of the larvae were fully grown on June 24th (the fifth stage occupying six days), making the larval period twenty-seven days: twenty-five days feeding and two days occupied in changing to pupa." - Frohawk (1924)
Yesterday I managed to get out for an hour between the rain storms. I was happy to get the calm before the storm.
Please also follow me on my London Images Facebook page, www.facebook.com/EsslingerLondonPhoto
and now also Dogs Life in London , www.facebook.com/DogsLifeinLondon
Well I managed a trip out this afternoon, not much about as it was still quite chilly, but I did spot a few of these guys sitting on Dandelions, this is one of the Tenthredo sp. Sawflies and I'm not sure which, although it is a species I see commonly, but I know there are many similar species in this Genus.
Anyway as it was cold this one allowed me to take an 18 image handheld focus stack of its noggin, I used ISO 320, Aperture F/5.6 and a 1/160 shutter speed. Soon after this the Sawfly started to stir and promptly flew off.
Possible ID :- Tenthredo arcuata or Tenthredo notha
Hope everyone has a grand week :o)
Managed to take this photo just after a huge storm so can count myself lucky. The one thing you can't see in the photo is the 15 other photographers crammed under the pier taking the same shot
www.matthewdowningphotography.com
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Managed to capture an image of our nearest planetary neighbour Venus during the afternoon of the 26.03.20.
This is a false colour UV/IR filtered composite image in order to reveal some cloud definition in the thick atmosphere of the planet. Some brightening is evident at both poles.
The IR filter is mapped to red, the UV filter to blue and the green channel is a blend of both.
Imaged with a Celestron C8 and a ZWO 290MM camera.
I managed to get out last night between rain squals and get this shot with my new RGND filter that I've had for a month. Just haven't had the opportunity until last night. Obviously there was a lot of editing in photoshop but starting with the filter gives you a great starting point. Well worth the money spent.
Explore 05.06.09 Thanks Everyone!
I managed to finally drag myself out for a gentle wander around the lanes. Just before coming across this puddle, I had noticed movement in the woods to the left. I kept looking, as it didn't seem to be a dog, and realised there were two roe deer there.
After feeling poorly all week, this cheered me up, although it certainly didn't cure my cough :-(