Marks Hall Gardens and Arboretum
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I was out lens testing a 18-135mm that I picked up used. While it is not the sharpest lens I own it is one of the most weather sealed. It is one of two lens that I have with a nice big gasket where the lens mounts to the body. It cuts down on moisture and dusk in the camera.
always Mr. Dark..❤️
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my super talented Husbands version here:
Featuring some cozy boots by Eudora...they are out now at faMESHed...pictured:
Eudora3D Buffy Boots
faMESHed: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/FaMESHed/226/144/1001
Eudora Mainstore: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Eudora3D/204/76/1502
Eudora Flickr: flic.kr/ps/2srs29
Fab leather chair by Muniick...lots of texture change options!
Muniick (Adult) Roebling Leather Club Armchair w/Blanket
Muniick Mainstore: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Port%20Lux/150/57/3401
Muniick Flickr: flic.kr/ps/2UgnfP
Sneak peek of a new fireplace by Muniick coming soon!
Can find it now at the mainstore!
Muniick - Roebling Lounge Limestone Fireplace
Muniick - Roebling Lounge Fireplace Screen
Muniick - Roebling Lounge Fireplace Tool Set
Muniick - Roebling Lounge Birdcage Candle A
Muniick - Roebling Lounge Birdcage Candle B
Adorable husky pup from Rezz Room:
[Rezz Room] Siberian Husky Puppy Animesh (Companion) v2.0.0
[Rezz Room] Mainstore: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Paris%20City/171/134/26
[Rezz Room] flickr: flic.kr/ps/37vrZw
One of my all time fave rugs:
.:revival:. vintage rug
Thanks always for the support! 😁
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In the evening sun and after the rain: Großer Brachvogel (Numenius arquata) - (eurasion) curlew
My "explored" album is here:
www.flickr.com/gp/jenslpz/LzXVPNJ098
My 2019-2023 tours album is here:
www.flickr.com/gp/jenslpz/SKf0o8040w
My bird album is here:
www.flickr.com/gp/jenslpz/1240SmAXK4
My nature album is here:
www.flickr.com/gp/jenslpz/27PwYUERX2
My Canon EOS R / R5 / R6 album is here:
www.flickr.com/gp/jenslpz/bgkttsBw35
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Großer Brachvogel (Numenius arquata) - (eurasion) curlew
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gro%C3%9Fer_Brachvogel
Der Große Brachvogel (Numenius arquata) ist eine Vogelart aus der Familie der Schnepfenvögel (Scolopacidae). Es werden zwei Unterarten unterschieden. Die Nominatform ist in Mitteleuropa ein zunehmend seltener Brut- und Sommervogel. Die Rote Liste der Brutvögel Deutschlands von 2015 führt die Art in der Kategorie 1 als vom Aussterben bedroht.[1] Er ist während der Zugzeiten ein regelmäßiger Durchzügler und Rastvogel, der gebietsweise auch überwintert.[2]
In Deutschland war der Große Brachvogel im Jahre 1982 Vogel des Jahres.
Beschreibung
Der Große Brachvogel ist etwa 50 bis 60 cm lang und wiegt zwischen 600 und 1000 Gramm. Die Flügelspannweite beträgt 80 bis 100 cm. Die Vögel sind die größten Watvögel, und sie sind in Europa die häufigsten Vertreter der Brachvögel. Charakteristisches Kennzeichen des Großen Brachvogels ist der lange und stark nach unten gekrümmte Schnabel. Das Weibchen ist etwas größer als das Männchen und hat einen deutlich stärker gebogenen und längeren Schnabel. Ansonsten sehen die Geschlechter gleich aus.
Große Brachvögel sind eher unscheinbar gefärbt. Der Kopf, der Hals, die Brust die Körperoberseite sind fahl beigebraun mit dunklen Streifen und Flecken. Die Wangen sind dunkel gestrichelt und kontrastieren dadurch mit dem hellen Kinn- und Kehlfleck. Die Brust ist etwas kräftiger gestreift und wird zum Bauch hin heller. Im Flug wird der weiße Bürzel sichtbar, der mit dem weißen Rücken einen weißen Keil bildet.
Eurasian curlew
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasian_curlew
The Eurasian curlew or common curlew (Numenius arquata) is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae. It is one of the most widespread of the curlews, breeding across temperate Europe and Asia. In Europe, this species is often referred to just as the "curlew", and in Scotland known as the "whaup" in Scots.
This is the largest wader in its range, at 50–60 cm (20–24 in) in length, with an 89–106 cm (35–42 in) wingspan and a body weight of 410–1,360 g (0.90–3.00 lb).[2] It is mainly greyish brown, with a white back, greyish-blue legs and a very long curved bill. Males and females look identical, but the bill is longest in the adult female. It is generally not possible to recognize the sex of a single Eurasian curlew, or even several ones, as there is much variation; telling male and female of a mated pair apart is usually possible however.
The familiar call is a loud curloo-oo.
The only similar species over most of the curlew's range is the whimbrel (N. phaeopus). The whimbrel is smaller and has a shorter bill with a kink rather than a smooth curve. Flying curlews may also resemble bar-tailed godwits (Limosa lapponica) in their winter plumages; however, the latter have a smaller body, a slightly upturned beak, and legs that do not reach far beyond their tail tips. The Eurasian curlew's feet are longer, forming a conspicuous "point".
The curlew exists as a migratory species over most of its range, wintering in Africa, southern Europe and south Asia. Occasionally a vagrant individual reaches places far from its normal range, such as Nova Scotia[3] and the Marianas.[4][5] It is present all year in the milder climates of Ireland and the United Kingdom and its adjacent European coasts.
Need a reason to have a party? Here is the perfect reason....the new Boho Garden Party Collection by DRD. You can find this at faMESHed starting tomorrow...The collection is huge with just about everything you need to host a party...however, hands off the hammock..that one is taken...
Pictured from the collection is:
DRD - Boho Garden Party - Sofa
DRD - Boho Garden Party - Knitted Poof
DRD - Boho Garden Party - Breadbuffet
DRD - Boho Garden Party - Lemonade stand
DRD - Boho Garden Party - Sidetable A
DRD - Boho Garden Party - Sidetable B
DRD - Boho Garden Party - Light Poles
DRD - Boho Garden Party - Tree A (includes color change HUD)
DRD - Boho Garden Party - Tree B (includes color change HUD)
DRD - Boho Garden Party -flower pot
DRD - Boho Backyard Party - Wool Poof
DRD - Boho Backyard Party - Chair
DRD - Boho Garden Party - Blankets
DRD - Boho Backyard Party - Trunk Snacks
DRD - Boho Garden Party - TreeTrunk Sidetable
DRD - Boho Garden Party - Rug A
DRD - Boho Backyard - Rugs
faMESHed: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/FaMESHed/226/144/1001
DRD Mainstore: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Death%20Row/142/138/21
DRD Flickr: flic.kr/ps/2dwEbV
Additional DRD items:
DRD - Boho Backyard - Roarke Chair
DRD - Boho Summer Hammock -
DRD - Boho Bean Coffee Shack - Shack
See some vines there you like? Well those are by HISA...so stay tuned for release date...you won't be disappointed. Seasonal, fabulous and super versatile ...
Last but not least:
HPMD* Shrub
Heart - Forest Undergrowth - Clover
Thank you so much for the support and kindness....it's greatly appreciated!! Happy Friday and I do hope you all have a fantastic weekend!! Be grateful! 😊
I have nice friends visiting occasionally
Some of them are of the Mini kind
And some of them are not so mini
I adore my mini friends
And I like my friends
In that order
Hehe, kidding
Chatting with Mark on my phone and this guy landed
Mark beamed over and transformed, enjoying sitting on my lap for quite some time
In 13 days you don't need to beam yourself ....
Then you will use a plane, wow 😊
"I want to stay as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can't see from the center."
~Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
St. Mark's Peak and Howe Sound below.
Copyright. Please do not use this photo or share on a website without written permission.
Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
My best photos are here: www.lacerta-bilineata.com/ticino-best-photos-of-southern-...
More TICINO/TESSIN Wildlife Photos (all taken in my garden in Monteggio/Ti, Switzerland): it.lacerta-bilineata.com/ramarro-occidentale-lacerta-bili...
If you're interested, you'll find a more detailed closeup here (it's the 8th photo from the top): www.lacerta-bilineata.com/western-green-lizard-lacerta-bi...
My latest ANIMAL VIDEO (it's very brief but pretty unusual: a tiny wall lizard attacks two young great tits): www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQqkSsyrm7E
THE STORY BEHIND THE PHOTO: MY LONG AND ARDUOUS JOURNEY TO BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY
If you've set yourself the challenge of exclusively shooting the wildlife in your own back yard, you might find - as I did - that bird photography is really, really hard.
It's not that reptiles are easy to photograph either, mind - but at least the ones in my garden stay (for the most part) on the ground, and one can learn how to carefully approach them with a camera. They're also clearly egoists, which from a photographer's point of view is is a great character trait: if a lizard detects a human in its vicinity, it's only interested in saving its own skin, and it won't alarm its buddies.
But birds... oh man. Over the years, my feathered friends and I have developed a lovely routine that now defines our peaceful co-existence. As soon as I as much as open a window (let alone the door), I'm instantly greeted by an eruption of panicky fluttering and hysterical shouts from my garden: "SAVE YOUR WOMEN AND CHILDREN AND FLY FOR YOUR LIVES: THE HAIRLESS, PINK MONSTER IS COMING!!! (Yes, I speak bird, and I know that this is exactly what they are shouting 😉).
Needless to say, with the exception of the redstart I already showed here, all my efforts to get the kind of detailed shots I usually strive for with my nature photography ended in complete failure and utter disillusionment. I was ready to give up on stalking the winged misanthropes in my garden altogether, but then winter came - and changed everything.
One day this past January I observed my neighbor Signora P - a kind, elderly Italian lady - putting something on the low garden wall in front of my house. At first I thought she was just putting some treat there for her cat Romeo; the young tom patrols that wall constantly (it's his favorite spot in the garden, and during the warmer months he usually lurks in the thick foliage next to it to prey on lizards).
But once I detected a lot of movement on that wall through my window, I understood she had put a little pile of bread crumbs there; she was feeding the birds who soon arrived in flocks. This was certainly well-intended on my neighbor's part, but her noble action came with a catch, and I'm afraid quite literally.
When I took a stroll through my garden the next day I discovered a suspicious amount of feathers on the ground next to the wall. Romeo had apparently switched from his low-calorie summer diet (lizard) to more energy-rich meals consisting of "fowl" (it was winter after all, so from a nutritionist's point of view this made sense).
I would find fresh traces of Romeo's victims (mostly feathers, but also the odd wing) in my garden over the following days; so my first intuition that my neighbor was feeding her cat hadn't been that far off after all, as Romeo was now clearly being "served" fresh birds on a daily basis. And although the hungry visitors seemed to be aware of the danger and became slightly more prudent, they just couldn't resist the tasty snacks Signora P put on that wall - and neither could Romeo.
It was obvious that I had to act, but talking to my neighbor - who is as stubborn as she is kind - would have been futile, I knew that much. I pondered the matter long and hard - until a light bulb went off in my head. The idea was genius. If successful, what I had in mind would not only increase the birds' chances of surviving Romeo's appetite, but also greatly benefit my own photographic endeavors.
I started to enact my master plan the very next day by buying a giant bag of bird feed (consisting mainly of sunflower seeds) from the store. Then I dragged a huge piece of a tree trunk (approx. 120 cm in height) that we normally chop firewood on from the shed out into the garden and emptied almost half of the bag's content on top of it. Signora P's buffet for birds (and cats) was about to get some serious competition 😊.
My reasoning was as follows: not only would the birds be lured away from the fatally low garden wall to a place where they were safe from the cat - there was nothing around that tree trunk that provided cover for a predator, and the birds had a nice 360° view around it at all times - but I was also able to photograph them while hiding in the shed.
However, in order for my plan to work there was one little extra measure I had to take, and it was one that risked lowering my own life expectancy considerably once the owner of the property - my mom - discovered it. You see, our shed is completely windowless, so if I wanted to use it as a blind, I had no choice but to cut a hole into one of its wooden walls... which I promptly did (I figured all's fair in love - and photography 😉).
Granted, I have absolutely zero carpentering skills, and it showed. That hole was an ugly mess: the shed's wall seemed to have had an encounter with Jack Nicholson's ax-wielding lunatic character from the film 'The Shining'. Needless to say, I was incredibly proud of my work (I mean, come on: there now was a hole where before there wasn't a hole, and it was big enough for the lens of my camera to peek through, so it was mission accomplished as far as I was concerned).
Now all I had to do was wait for the birds to discover the tree trunk. In the meantime I started to mentally prepare myself for the inevitable confrontation with my mom and go through possible explanations for that splintering hole in the wall (it was either gonna be a rabid woodpecker attack or an emergency rescue mission with a feeding tube for a little kid that had accidentally locked himself inside the shed - both seemed valid options, though I slightly preferred the locked-in kid due to the involved drama and heroism 😉).
A whole day went by, and not a single bird visited the sunflower seeds. I had expected that it might take a few hours until the first of the ever curious great tits or blue tits would show up, but given how tiny my garden is, an entire day seemed excessive. Then another day came and went: the birds kept flocking to the bread crumbs on the wall, and my tree trunk kept collecting dust. To add injury to insult, a few fresh feathers on the ground were proof that Romeo was still feasting.
It was incredibly frustrating: I provided my winged guests with a much better view - plus a higher chance of surviving the cuisine - than Signora P's place; I risked (almost) certain death at the hands of my own mother (OK, the act of vandalism on the shed I had committed for my own benefit, but still), yet the birds kept ignoring me.
Then, after three days, just before sunset, I spotted a single blue tit on the tree trunk picking away at the sunflower seeds.
When I got up the next morning I immediately realized that the loud noise that accompanies each and every tit activity had shifted from the wall to the shed. At last the dam had broken: there was a flurry of movement around the tree trunk, and I counted at least 5 different species of birds feasting on the sunflower seeds.
From day 4 onward my plan worked beautifully: the birds now indeed mostly ignored Romeo's "snack wall" and kept to the tree trunk. And yes, I was able to play peeping tom from behind the shed's wall and photograph them!! 😊
Thus, dear readers, I finally managed to produce some acceptable bird photos, and I had even saved my feathered friends from a deadly foe in the process. All through winter and spring I took advantage of my new bird hide, and in late May I started mixing some cherries with the sunflower seeds. The idea was to attract a Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius), and as you can see, it worked!
It took me almost three weeks and more than a few tricks to capture that clever fella, but given how long I've been rambling here already, that's a story for another day. As for my mom, she still doesn't know about the hole in the wall, so please don't snitch! 😉.
I hope you like the photo and wish you all a wonderful weekend! Many greetings from Switzerland, and as always: let me know what you think in the comments 🙏 😊 ❤!
P.S. if anyone has their own funny tale about the obstacles we photographers are prepared to overcome for a desired photo, please write it in the comments: I love such stories 😊
There are so many factors that contribute to the colors of the sunset over the ocean. My preference is the ones that are softer, in more pastel shades. This moment was captured seconds after the sun no longer was visible using a long exposure with movement. The flocks of birds are a common sight at this glorious hour. It's as if they were gone for the day and now at sunset know it's time to head home. I never tire of this experience, and it's the perfect ending to any day.
Similar to the Eastern Comma, the Question Mark butterfly is a common summer sight in Southern Ontario.
Canatara Park, Sarnia, ON
One from a glorious summers day in Snowdonia. The big lump in the distance is Snowdon, the highest mountain in England and Wales. Mark is clearly happy reaching the summit. Time for a bite to eat I think.
In sailing terms, "Fetching the mark", means to find the perfect path. The light in this moment seemed to reveal exactly that, as the sailboats clustered, then found their way. The clouds were ideal as well and added some marvellous white fluff to the sky.
This is close to Gibsons, on a hilltop that overlooks the Salish Sea. The choice of black & white is a result of distractions. The colours in both the sky and the landscape, were more of a distraction from the narrative than an addition. Therefore, all colour was removed revealing that wonderful relationship between the tracking path in the water, and the clouds in the sky.
The red patch of feathers on the head of this Ruby Crowned Kinglet looks like an exclamation mark. It certainly was the right sign for my excitement when I discovered this little bird on my walk in the park this weekend. He doesn’t show that patch often and he doesn’t sit still for long. So I had to exercise lots of patience before I got this pose in clear view. I was thrilled to capture some lovely images of this little guy.
Shallow advice I was given years ago goes something like this: don't decide on her beauty until you see her first thing in the morning. After 24 years and how many hundreds of thousands of miles, NS 8431 has all her beauty marks on display as sunrise reaches out across the Cumberland Valley.
The top two are from 1950. Notice the different designs. The middle two are from the 1980s, and the bottom two are pretty recent. Notice how the B-E gets a harder skin on it faster then a B.