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My alarm went of at 5:00 am, and of course I hit the snooze button and had the usual "should I get up" argument in my head for several minutes. The forecast was for 50% chance of rain, so I might get skunked. But then again, going back to sleep would equal 100% chance of skunk.
I arrived at the Hawk Hill parking lot at 6:20 am, and sure enough it was raining. I waited until 6:35 am when there was a slight break in the rain, suited up, and forced myself to get out of my car and walk up to the very top of Hawk Hill. It of course started raining again, so I stood around for while with my umbrella.
The sunrise was nonexistent with the heavy clouds so I decided to do a little scouting and I shifted positions. The rain stopped long enough for me to setup my tripod again, and in a few minutes the sun just barely peeked through. Suddenly a hole in the clouds appeared and beautiful God Rays streamed over San Francisco Bay. The rays quickly shifted right over downtown. I was so glad I hadn't left prematurely, and I feverishly captured some exposures, while disciplining myself to periodically wipe the condensation off my filters and also re-check focus. I remember saying to myself out loud "Do NOT miss this shot", and luckily I got a keeper.
Nikon D7100
18-55 mm kit lens (DX)
ISO 100
f/8.0
1/125 seconds
-0.3 step exposure bias
34 mm
Lee 0.9H grad ND filter (or possibly 0.6H, can't remember)
16:9 crop
The adult humpback whale is generally 14–15 m (46–49 ft) long, though individuals up to 16–17 m (52–56 ft) long have been recorded. Females are usually 1–1.5 m (3 ft 3 in – 4 ft 11 in) longer than males.
The species can reach body masses of 40 metric tons (44 short tons). Calves are born at around 4.3 m (14 ft) long with a mass of 680 kg (1,500 lb)] The species has a bulky body with a thin rostrum and proportionally long flippers, each around one-third of its body length. It has a short dorsal fin that varies from nearly nonexistent to somewhat long and curved.
Like other rorquals, the humpback has grooves between the tip of the lower jaw and the navel. The grooves are relatively few in number in this species, ranging from 14 to 35. The upper jaw is lined with baleen plates, which number 540–800 in total and are black in color.
The dorsal or upper side of the animal is generally black; the ventral or underside has various levels of black and white coloration. Whales in the southern hemisphere tend to have more white pigmentation. The flippers can vary from all-white to white only on the undersurface. Some individuals may be all white, notably Migaloo who is a true albino. The varying color patterns and scars on the tail flukes distinguish individual animals.[
The end of the genital slit of the female is marked by a round feature, known as the hemispherical lobe, which visually distinguishes males and females.
Unique among large whales, humpbacks have bumps or tubercles on the head and front edge of the flippers; the tail fluke has a jagged trailing edge. The tubercles on the head are 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) thick at the base and protrude up to 6.5 cm (2.6 in).
They are mostly hollow in the center, often containing at least one fragile hair that erupts 1–3 cm (0.39–1.18 in) from the skin and is 0.1 mm (0.0039 in) thick. The tubercles develop early in gestation and may have a sensory function, as they are rich in nerves. Sensory nerve cells in the skin are adapted to withstand the high water pressure of diving.
In one study, a humpback whale brain measured 22.4 cm (8.8 in) long and 18 cm (7.1 in) wide at the tips of the temporal lobes, and weighed around 4.6 kg (10 lb). The humpback's brain has a complexity similar to that of the brains of smaller whales and dolphins.
The structure of the eye indicates that eyesight is relatively poor, being only able to see silhouettes over long distances and finer details relatively close. Computer models of the middle ear suggest that the humpback can hear at frequencies between 15 Hz and 3 kHz "when stimulated at the tympanic membrane", and between 200 Hz and 9 kHz "if stimulated at the thinner region of the tympanic bone adjacent to the tympanic membrane". These ranges are consistent with their vocalization ranges.
As in all cetaceans, the respiratory tract of the humpback whale is connected to the blowholes and not to the mouth, although the species appears to be able to unlock the epiglottis and larynx and move them towards the oral cavity, allowing humpbacks to blow bubbles from their mouths. The vocal folds of the humpback are more horizontally positioned than those of land mammals which allows them to produce underwater calls. These calls are amplified by a laryngeal sac.
This image was taken from Deck 8 of the Sapphire Princess, which overlooks the bow of the ship, near Paradise Harbour in Antarctica
Flowers are almost nonexistent around my house, except for vines running up a backyard fence featuring small clusters of tiny blooms surrounded by red leaves. Alas, I cannot identify the plant as I am not a botanist.
This furry-looking bloom was roughly 1/4" (6.35mm) in diameter, the pollen cluster (I think) less than 1/32" (0.79mm) wide.
Hey all! I’m so, so sorry I haven’t been posting. I was laid off from my job on February 10th, a few days before my last post. I’ve not been feeling well, in fact I’m still not, and this blog just felt too much like work that I couldn’t deal with.
I lost my grandmother and a great aunt, as well as a good friend, in the month leading up to me loosing my job, so this year has been simply overwhelming. Currently I’m trying to find a job that isn’t too far from my apartment, since I have an unfortunate fear of driving, and I don’t trust my car to keep it together for much longer and I want to be able to walk.
Mostly the thought of me working with new people, in a new place, is overwhelming. I don’t make friends easily, and I’m honestly a very shy person that usually gets misunderstood as unfriendly. After five and half years at my job, and especially after working through all of lockdown and the height of the pandemic last year, I didn’t have much of a reason to worry about being let go – my position was simply eliminated, and like so many other retail companies they are hiring more part-time employees instead of full-timers, so they couldn’t move me into another position within my store.
I’ve not really left the apartment much over the last four months, and I’ve not really seen any of my friends anyway, so maybe moving on to a different job won’t be so hard. I’ve just reached the point that I can’t think of what to do past tomorrow – I won’t make plans for next month, the month ever, because in my mind my future is nonexistent and I can’t get past thinking that way. I’m not suicidal, I just want to cease to exist. I can’t afford to see a psychiatrist or whatever right now, and I haven’t seen my parents or any of my siblings for three years now and I don’t know if I want to see or talk to them because I feel like such a useless person right now.
Sorry, this has nothing to with the photos or post really, just venting or whatever. Anyway – credits and SLURLs here: thevirtualgentleman.wordpress.com/2021/06/01/blur/
3 PANOs layered with James Tiliich insert. A major production, two mornings of work.
James Tillich is known worldwide as "the man who never existed." I ought to know. I created him.
This laneway picture was inspired by Brassai's 'Paris at Night'.
It is work which formed part of my University entrance folio. It was also later published in a book about Melbourne's Laneways, which was recently republished as a second edition.
This laneway has now been engulfed by a larger T&G building.
A stranger who claims to have no memory of his past. Although some have tried, no one has been able to refute this claim - and none have been able to trace him from prior to his arrival on the beaches of Erkelon, far south of Okoto, in a strange "canister". What little knowledge he does have of his nature comes from his recent experience - although he has been awake for but fifteen months - and a few strange "premonitions". He is not even sure of his own name - "Jetera", he says, is only a reconstruction.
Shortly after his arrival, Jetera was chosen to be the Master of Storms of the Toa Vihagu. However, Jetera's control over his electrical element was inconsistent and best, and nonexistent at worst - so he used deception and surprise as his chief tools. Despite his initally aloof and sometimes outright hostile to his teammates, his affinity for them has grown greatly, and the friendships he has with them have become his driving force - as he had no fixed morality or sense of purpose upon arrival.
Another shot from the Spring Grove Arboretum and Cemetery. Not the best shot I've ever taken, but I liked it for some reason.
It doesn't seem to have a good focal point, so my eyes wander around the picture, which, sometimes, I don't like... but today I do.
I put this into Slider Sunday group because I added the autumn color... which was nonexistent in this shot, and then fiddled with the colors and the focus a lot... so plenty of sliders were slid!
Been under the weather... no commenting tonight. Feeling not so good... not a good mental state for commenting on your beautiful photos! I am positively grumpy.
Happy Slider's Sunday to all... HSS!
The adult humpback whale is generally 14–15 m (46–49 ft) long, though individuals up to 16–17 m (52–56 ft) long have been recorded. Females are usually 1–1.5 m (3 ft 3 in – 4 ft 11 in) longer than males.
The species can reach body masses of 40 metric tons (44 short tons). Calves are born at around 4.3 m (14 ft) long with a mass of 680 kg (1,500 lb)] The species has a bulky body with a thin rostrum and proportionally long flippers, each around one-third of its body length. It has a short dorsal fin that varies from nearly nonexistent to somewhat long and curved.
Like other rorquals, the humpback has grooves between the tip of the lower jaw and the navel. The grooves are relatively few in number in this species, ranging from 14 to 35. The upper jaw is lined with baleen plates, which number 540–800 in total and are black in color.
The dorsal or upper side of the animal is generally black; the ventral or underside has various levels of black and white coloration. Whales in the southern hemisphere tend to have more white pigmentation. The flippers can vary from all-white to white only on the undersurface. Some individuals may be all white, notably Migaloo who is a true albino. The varying color patterns and scars on the tail flukes distinguish individual animals.[
The end of the genital slit of the female is marked by a round feature, known as the hemispherical lobe, which visually distinguishes males and females.
Unique among large whales, humpbacks have bumps or tubercles on the head and front edge of the flippers; the tail fluke has a jagged trailing edge. The tubercles on the head are 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) thick at the base and protrude up to 6.5 cm (2.6 in).
They are mostly hollow in the center, often containing at least one fragile hair that erupts 1–3 cm (0.39–1.18 in) from the skin and is 0.1 mm (0.0039 in) thick. The tubercles develop early in gestation and may have a sensory function, as they are rich in nerves. Sensory nerve cells in the skin are adapted to withstand the high water pressure of diving.
In one study, a humpback whale brain measured 22.4 cm (8.8 in) long and 18 cm (7.1 in) wide at the tips of the temporal lobes, and weighed around 4.6 kg (10 lb). The humpback's brain has a complexity similar to that of the brains of smaller whales and dolphins.
The structure of the eye indicates that eyesight is relatively poor, being only able to see silhouettes over long distances and finer details relatively close. Computer models of the middle ear suggest that the humpback can hear at frequencies between 15 Hz and 3 kHz "when stimulated at the tympanic membrane", and between 200 Hz and 9 kHz "if stimulated at the thinner region of the tympanic bone adjacent to the tympanic membrane". These ranges are consistent with their vocalization ranges.
As in all cetaceans, the respiratory tract of the humpback whale is connected to the blowholes and not to the mouth, although the species appears to be able to unlock the epiglottis and larynx and move them towards the oral cavity, allowing humpbacks to blow bubbles from their mouths. The vocal folds of the humpback are more horizontally positioned than those of land mammals which allows them to produce underwater calls. These calls are amplified by a laryngeal sac.
This image was taken in Andvord Bay, in Antarctica
With white extra flags flapping in the summer breeze, New Hampshire Northcoast's northbound empty gravel train crosses the calm water of the Salmon Falls River from Lebanon, ME into Milton, NH. The NHN main only crosses into the state of Maine for a few hundred feet here while the rest of line remains in New Hampshire. Solid green power on the NHN will pretty much be nonexistent for the foreseeable future with an FURX GP38-2 in maroon paint having arrived on the property in August. Although the power here isn't exactly matching, the patched ex-New England Southern GP18 beats the leaser in my book any day, especially due to the fact that the red unit typically leads the southbound.
You can follow along with me on this adventure on my YouTube Channel.
Part 1: youtu.be/nf4wxo8YQo8?si=V2k4lTyRueOUYHEe
Part 2: youtu.be/x7HNR9SWnBI?si=IV-QpAfkaiZEVFIX
Day 11
The ferocious wind tugged on my sleeping bag all the long night. At first, it blew up the canyon from the west and I was mostly sheltered by the large boulder. Then, at some point, it shifted and blew down the canyon from the east and I was no longer protected. Again, before sunrise, it changed a third time and rushed down the steep slopes to the north like an avalanche—and again, the shelter from the boulder was nonexistent.
The few times I poked my head out of the bag to drink or check the position of the stars and moon, the wind chilled my bones and I could feel that the temperature had dropped well below freezing. If it hadn’t been for my Middle Earth blanket giving me extra warmth, I would have shivered all night long. Even still, I probably slept only an hour or two.
Normally, at the first sign of dawn, I would get out of my bag and begin searching for places to take sunrise photos—but not in this frigid wind. I laid in my bag as long as I could and only enjoyed the alpenglow upon the peaks from inside it, and only with brief glances, looking out from its warm interior.
By the time I finally did get out of my bag, the pink glow had transformed into normal sunlight, though my camp was still in shadow. I put on all my layers and quickly and haphazardly packed up my gear in between the strong gales. My face was numb in the biting cold wind, as the lake raged and the lone willow at its shore whipped wildly around.
As soon as everything was stuffed into my pack, I set out into the full force of the icy wind beyond the large boulder whose shelter had waned greatly since finding it.
The small trickling, spring-fed seeps that flowed down into the lakes were frozen—and so was the foot-printed mud of the broken path that I followed. I walked against the wind with my gloved hand over my nose and lips to keep them from numbing, while underfoot the frozen mud crunched with each step.
If only I had walked five more minutes last night, I would have found the campsite I had been looking for. It was surrounded by four- to five-foot-tall pines that appeared more bush-like than tree-like. They provided little in the way of protection from the wind, with the exception of a hollow beneath and within their flailing branches. I crawled inside and huddled there until suntouch. It is surprising how much a simple shelter like this is so much warmer only because it blocks the wind. Wind chill is nothing to take lightly.
Now with the sunshine, I hoped it would be warmer—it was not. After eating breakfast in the hollow, I set out again. The wind blew just as strong as ever, and with the sun rising at my back, my face was still numbed.
After passing the last lake in the chain, the canyon opened up to reveal a wide valley. From here, I turned off my westerly heading and began climbing north up a grassy chute into a new lake basin. From here, there would be no more path or trail for at least four miles.
Here were three new, larger lakes to navigate around. Before they came into view, I got my first-ever glimpse of the Ionian Basin—its black peaks rising in the west beyond the Evolution Valley—a stark contrast to the rest of the High Sierra peaks whose summits gleam with white granite. One day I will journey into the Ionian.
Now the sun was high enough to bring much-needed warmth, and the wind seemed to have calmed, so I de-layered because I was beginning to sweat. As I did, I stood on a mountainside gazing over the first lake in this new basin, studying its shoreline, trying to figure out my next move.
I decided to stay on this southern shore because to traverse to the north would be a longer route. This southern route had some sheer cliffs blocking the way down low where the waves lapped over the rocky shore, so I climbed up the steep mountainside through patches of purple, swaying lupines and back into the shadow of the mountain.
All of a sudden, as I climbed higher, the wind returned with a vengeance—it didn’t care about my clothing, going right through my shirt to my skin like icy knives. I pushed through the frigid gusts that stole my breath, quickly making my way around the first of the three large lakes. Far below, the gusts raced across its surface, making waves that rolled from west to east.
The route I had chosen began to descend toward the far end, and now, between me and the lakeshore, cliffs stretched across where I needed to go. Thankfully, there were large natural steps in the rocks that allowed me a place to climb down.
The next obstacle that concerned me was a steeply sloped, iced-over snow patch that went all the way up to the mountaintop on one side and all the way to the lake on the other. The only open spot without snow was a section of steep, icy slabs. I thought this was the point where I would have to turn around and try the other side—until I noticed a crack going across the slippery slabs. Carefully, slowly, I walked along it to the other side. I made it!
Now came an easy talus field with cairns marking the way. Large waves (large for a High Sierra lake, but small compared to the ocean) broke on the rocky shore as I walked along it. Soon, I left the first large lake behind and came to the second, very quickly, since they were only a stone’s throw apart. This one was calm—both air and water. All I had to do here was pass by a short section of clear and calm glistening water gently lapping before climbing up to the third.
The distance between these two was longer than I thought, but I eventually reached the third lake. Following in the footsteps of others who came this way, I walked along a sandy beach, then onto even bigger talus than before. I could see the pass at the far end—a low point between two peaks, Muriel Peak and a spur of Mt. Goethe.
Pikas chirped from beneath the talus as I passed on my way to the far side. Once I reached it, I began working my way diagonally up, aiming for cliffs on the western side of the pass as the lake slowly fell away below me. At the foot of the cliffs were easily navigable slabs—like a highway to the top.
Before ascending them, I took off my pack and sat down on a boulder for a break. The beautiful lake I had just walked beside shimmered far below, its deep blue waters glistening in gusts of wind sweeping toward me from the far end. This is one of those views I could stare at all day and never tire of. Maybe I’ll get a print of it and hang it on my wall.
After the break, I continued up the slabs. Not far above me, I could see the top—I was almost there. One foot after the other, I slowly but steadily pressed on. The steepness of the mountainside relaxed and the last 34 paces came easier. Then, as I reached the flat saddle, Goethe Lake appeared far away, down in the cirque on the other side. I had reached the top—12,333 ft.
There was only a small, refreshing, and gentle breeze here. I was ecstatic.
I dropped my pack, took off my shoes and socks, collapsed on a good sitting rock, and rested. Once I was recovered enough, I ate lunch. Today brought back fond memories of when I did the Sierra High Route (or Roper Route) eight years ago—it has been too long since.
The rugged remoteness of this place, the beautiful glacial desolation, the deep blue windswept lakes nestled in blinding white granite between jagged peaks, the thinness, crispness, and heaviness of the high elevation—11,000, 12,000, 13,000 ft—is where I am most happy. (Nothing compares to it. Nothing is even close.) These moments make the frustration and suffering brought on by unending, frigid wind worth it.
After a long, well-deserved rest, I continued down the other side through a labyrinth of massive granite blocks of talus—some the size of cars or larger. Carefully and slowly, I picked the best route I could find. After a while, I came to a cliff. Now I had to decide if I was going to go around its east side, west side, or maybe try the steep chute that split in two.
There appeared to be a narrow scree scramble through it, but it disappeared around a corner, and there was no way to know if another cliff lay hidden. I didn’t want to have to climb back up, so I headed east. Here, the cliff faded into the mountainside where another scree scramble descended. Surveying it, I saw several cairns and faint footprints marking a steep path down.
The loose gravel and scree tumbled and rolled as I purposefully slipped and slid down as carefully as I could. At the bottom was more large talus.
Far away and below was a grassy patch. That was my goal—I would aim for that. Using hands as well as feet, I climbed over some of the largest rocks yet. With fatiguing legs, I slowly inched closer to the grassy patch. Eventually, I reached the bottom of the downhill, and the terrain flattened out.
I still had to deal with the talus, but it was much smaller now, and forward travel became much easier. Soon even the small rocks were behind me and I was on solid ground. Relief flooded over me—I had never been so thankful for grass. I took off my pack, laid down, and passed out.
After the brief nap, I quickly reached the southern shore of Goethe Lake. After refilling my water and drinking a whole bunch of it, I began to circle the lake. The southern shore is not recommended to travel along if you're heading east—the talus is too big. I’ve heard it described as boxcar- to house-sized.
My book, where I get all my information, says the northern shore is the best side to traverse. So that’s what I will do.
This lake gets deep quick—the water is clear along the shore but soon turns a deep turquoise, then, as the bottom falls away into the depths, becomes a deep, dark blue. More large talus encircles the lake, making travel tedious. I tried to stay low, right on the blocks where the small waves lap, but soon I had to climb up to avoid cliffs with no stepping stones.
The whole way down the pass to the lake, there had been hardly any wind. Now, on the north side, the gusts were back—though not cold and biting like before. As the waves picked up in the rising wind, they made strange sounds as they lapped in hollows beneath the talus.
Soon the upper Goethe Lake was behind me—and so was the talus. Then I rounded the lower lake and put that behind me as well. Now I was on a defined path again—not a mapped trail, but that was still miles away.
I followed it over a rolling hill, and soon Muriel Lake, where I spent my second night on trail, came into view in the basin below. Once I was along its shores, the wind returned with a vengeance I hadn’t seen since this morning.
I had been thinking about spending the night here—but not in this wind. So, I continued on around the lake toward Piute Pass.
Maybe I’d spend the night at one of the many lakes below the pass, but the wind was raging just as much there too. So I swiftly headed downhill.
Once all the lakes were behind me and the trail mostly leveled out, I entered a lush aspen and pine forest. At some point within the last four days since I was last here, a massive pine tree had snapped in the vicious wind and was now lying across the trail, its branches scattered haphazardly around it.
This last day was supposed to be two—but it became one because of the wind. I finally reached my car. I was sore and exhausted. (11.5 miles were hiked today.)
I drove down the mountain to Bishop to get food. I learned a new thing while waiting for my order—reverse altitude sickness is a thing. I descended too quickly, and now, while waiting for food, I felt dizzy and lightheaded. I closed my eyes and did deep breathing. Thankfully, it didn’t last long and I was better by the time my food arrived.
I got a bed at the hostel and spent the evening listening to another backpacker shredding on an electric guitar while weed smoke swirled around him. (No, I did not partake.)
The next day, I headed back uphill to Jan’s to share my stories.
...
In a week and a half, I leave for my next High Sierra Adventure.
Unfortunately I have been unable to get out lately with my camera to take new pictures. So, I decided to spend some time, during the heat of the Texas summer, and edit some of the pictures from my Alaskan cruise vacation last summer. At the time, my knowledge of photography and editing was nonexistent. I just put the images on here straight from camera just to share with family and friends. While my editing skills still aren't all that great, I have learned enough to better bring out the beauty in the pictures (hopefully).
This shot was taken from the balcony of our room as we departed Juneau down the Gastineau Channel. While this image is a definite improvement over the original , it does not do justice to the beauty of this incredible sunset.
A juvenile Red-tailed Hawk feeds on a ground squirrel under the watchful eye of another ground squirrel.
Typically, whenever I see raptors near ground squirrels, the squirrels are quick to chirp and scatter into their burrows. Interestingly, many squirrels outside the frame were casually foraging not too far from the hawk. Perhaps they were aware that the threat was temporarily nonexistent since the hawk was feeding.
Species: Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) & California Ground Squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi)
Location: California, USA
Equipment: Sony A9 III + 200-600mm
Settings: 1/400s, ISO: 1250, f/10, 200mm, Handheld
The adult humpback whale is generally 14–15 m (46–49 ft) long, though individuals up to 16–17 m (52–56 ft) long have been recorded. Females are usually 1–1.5 m (3 ft 3 in – 4 ft 11 in) longer than males.
The species can reach body masses of 40 metric tons (44 short tons). Calves are born at around 4.3 m (14 ft) long with a mass of 680 kg (1,500 lb)] The species has a bulky body with a thin rostrum and proportionally long flippers, each around one-third of its body length.[14][15] It has a short dorsal fin that varies from nearly nonexistent to somewhat long and curved.
Like other rorquals, the humpback has grooves between the tip of the lower jaw and the navel. The grooves are relatively few in number in this species, ranging from 14 to 35. The upper jaw is lined with baleen plates, which number 540–800 in total and are black in color.
The dorsal or upper side of the animal is generally black; the ventral or underside has various levels of black and white coloration. Whales in the southern hemisphere tend to have more white pigmentation. The flippers can vary from all-white to white only on the undersurface. Some individuals may be all white, notably Migaloo who is a true albino. The varying color patterns and scars on the tail flukes distinguish individual animals.[
The end of the genital slit of the female is marked by a round feature, known as the hemispherical lobe, which visually distinguishes males and females.
Unique among large whales, humpbacks have bumps or tubercles on the head and front edge of the flippers; the tail fluke has a jagged trailing edge. The tubercles on the head are 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) thick at the base and protrude up to 6.5 cm (2.6 in).
They are mostly hollow in the center, often containing at least one fragile hair that erupts 1–3 cm (0.39–1.18 in) from the skin and is 0.1 mm (0.0039 in) thick. The tubercles develop early in gestation and may have a sensory function, as they are rich in nerves. Sensory nerve cells in the skin are adapted to withstand the high water pressure of diving.
In one study, a humpback whale brain measured 22.4 cm (8.8 in) long and 18 cm (7.1 in) wide at the tips of the temporal lobes, and weighed around 4.6 kg (10 lb). The humpback's brain has a complexity similar to that of the brains of smaller whales and dolphins.
The structure of the eye indicates that eyesight is relatively poor, being only able to see silhouettes over long distances and finer details relatively close. Computer models of the middle ear suggest that the humpback can hear at frequencies between 15 Hz and 3 kHz "when stimulated at the tympanic membrane", and between 200 Hz and 9 kHz "if stimulated at the thinner region of the tympanic bone adjacent to the tympanic membrane". These ranges are consistent with their vocalization ranges.
As in all cetaceans, the respiratory tract of the humpback whale is connected to the blowholes and not to the mouth, although the species appears to be able to unlock the epiglottis and larynx and move them towards the oral cavity, allowing humpbacks to blow bubbles from their mouths. The vocal folds of the humpback are more horizontally positioned than those of land mammals which allows them to produce underwater calls. These calls are amplified by a laryngeal sac.
This image was taken in Reykjavik, Iceland
We made it down to the seaside for the 2nd time this year! It wasn't a planned trip... we just woke up & thought "let's go for a paddle!", hopped on a train down to the Welsh coast & spent the afternoon at the beach. The last time we visited this place was over a year ago but as the train was approaching the final station, he suddenly came out from where he'd been snoozing under the seat, stuck his nose in the air & started wagging his tail, pulling me to stand by the doors. We were first to get off & Barney most certainly remembered where we were - he marched us enthusiastically down to the sea front.
I rarely let Barney off lead these days so I was very happy that he had a bit of time running free on the sand that afternoon. It was lovely to watch him gallop (albeit, a fairly slow gallop!) off to the water & then come bounding back to me, with such a delighted expression on his face. He didn't feel like swimming but had a good paddle, ripped some seaweed up, barked at the (almost nonexistent!) waves, played a very short game of fetch, he even did a bit of digging in the sand - something I've not seen Barney do for years. We were all exhausted on the way home but I think it was worth it, to see Barney have so much fun :)
It's been a couple of (long) years... With "stay home" orders, park closure and overcrowding, my visits to BPNP had been nonexistent. It was time to see if it still has a place in my heart ...
Kaluk, the Astronomer is a very paranoid Matoran, rarely leaving his hut or the observatory in fear of the various (and nonexistent) threats that are lurking in the outside world, but no matter what, he does his best to help his fellow Sah-toran.
Yeah I wasn't very happy with the first version of him, so I've gone back and changed him up a bit, I'm much happier with Kaluk now.
Le vent soufflait depuis deux jours sans discontinuité. Entêtant. Glacial. La température frôlait les −10 °C, mais le ressenti était bien en dessous.
J'avais réussi à obtenir la météo malgré un réseau presque inexistant. Les prévisions concordaient : la nuit allait offrir un ciel parfaitement dégagé. La lune se couchait à 4 h 18 et la nuit était complète jusqu’à 4 h 43. Cela laissait un créneau de 25 minutes pour photographier la Voie lactée.
Pas vraiment l’heure à laquelle on a envie de sortir par ce froid. L’idée de quitter la chaleur du refuge ne m’enchantait guère, mais l’envie de faire une image était plus forte. J’avais déjà la composition en tête. Une grosse incertitude subsistait : allais-je réussir une pose de 15 secondes par ce vent ? Le risque de bouger était élevé.
Pour maximiser mes chances, j’ai protégé l’appareil en interposant mon corps aux bourrasques.
Une nuit trop courte et une onglée plus tard… Voilà la photo !
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The wind had been blowing non-stop for two days. Relentless. Bitterly cold. The temperature was hovering around −10°C, but it felt much colder.
I had managed to get the forecast despite an almost nonexistent signal. The predictions were consistent: the night would offer perfectly clear skies. The moon was setting at 4:18 a.m., and full darkness would last until 4:43 a.m., leaving a 25-minute window to photograph the Milky Way.
Not exactly the kind of hour you feel like heading out in that kind of cold. The idea of leaving the warmth of the refuge didn’t thrill me, but the urge to capture an image was stronger. I already had the composition in mind. One big uncertainty remained: would I manage a 15-second exposure in that wind? The risk of camera shake was high.
To maximize my chances, I shielded the camera by placing my body between it and the gusts.
One too-short night and a bout of frostbite later… here’s the shot!
So this thing is nonexistent now. After deciding to try and finish it, it crumbled away as soon as I picked it up. So I didn't bother to rebuild it; instead, I packed away the pieces so they can be used for other MOCs.
Skrzyczne is a mountain in southern Poland, in the Silesian Voivodeship, close to the town of Szczyrk. It is the highest mountain of the Silesian Beskids[3] and the fifth most topographically prominent peak in Poland.[4][a]
Skrzyczne is one of the peaks which make up the Crown of Polish Mountains, or a list of the highest points in each of Poland's 28 mountain ranges.[5] The peak can be reached by hiking paths, and there is also a gondola lift which starts in Szczyrk and comes up to around 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) above sea level.[6] The slopes of the mountain are also known for the many blueberries which grow on them and which are frequently collected by hikers and other visitors.[7]
A mountain hut, PTTK Skrzyczne, is located very close to the peak of the mountain. The first hut, built in 1933, was destroyed in a fire.[8] A second hut was built in the late 1930s, and stands to this day.[9] There is likewise a tall (87 metres (285 ft)) radio and television tower atop Skrzyczne,[10] which makes it easy to recognise the peak from afar.
In addition to multiple hiking trails, the Skrzyczne area also hosts a ski resort with several pistes,[11] as well as mountain biking trails.[12] Several trail races also cross the peak, most notably Zamieć, a 24-hour race which takes place in the winter.[13]
Legend has it that Skrzyczne takes its name from the croaking of frogs (in Polish: skrzyczenie), which supposedly inhabited the (now nonexistent) ponds near the peak.[14]
Binomial name : Nettapus coromandelianus
Family:Anatidae
Other name : Cotton teal
Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton_pygmy_goose):-
It is a small perching duck which breeds in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, southeast Asia and south to Queensland.
Male in breeding plumage is glossy blackish green crown, with white head, neck, and underparts; a prominent black collar and white wing-bar. Rounded head and short legs. In flight, the wings are green with a white band, making the male conspicuous even amongst the huge flying flocks of the lesser whistling duck, which share the habitat. Female paler, without either black collar and only a narrow or nonexistent strip of white wing-bar. In non-breeding plumage (eclipse) male resembles female except for his white wing-bar. Flocks on water bodies (jheels), etc. The call is a peculiar clucking, uttered in flight
പച്ച എരണ്ട
വിക്കിപീഡിയ (ml.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B4%AA%E0%B4%9A%E0%B5%8D%E0%B4%9...) :-
കേരളത്തിൽ കാണുന്ന ഏറ്റവും ചെറിയ എരണ്ടയാണ് പച്ച എരണ്ട. ഇംഗ്ലീഷിൽ Cotton Teal അല്ലെങ്കിൽ Cotton Pygmy Goose എന്നാണ് പേര്. ശരീരത്തിന് പച്ചനിറമുണ്ട്. കണ്ണിനുമുകളിലൂടെ ഇരുണ്ടവരയുണ്ട്. ആണിനും പെണ്ണിനും ഒരേ നിറമാണ്. മുട്ടയിടുന്ന കാലത്ത് വേറെ നിറമായിരിക്കും.
ചെറു ജീവികളും ജലസസ്യങ്ങളും വിത്തുകളുമാണ് ഭക്ഷണം.
മുട്ടയിടുന്നത് മരപ്പൊത്തുകളിലാണ്.
This is another shot I took with my new macro lens. At the moment I'm just testing the possibilities and limits of this lens and I'm trying to get used to it. Although it was quite windy this morning I decided to go to a local nature reserve. It's near home, only 10 minutes by car. As I'm still feeling quite sick I didn't want to drive far. Butterflies are rare at the nature reserve this year, dragonflies are practically nonexistent but you can usually rely on the grasshoppers in the meadows. It wasn't long before I stumbled over the first willing test shot subject. I wasn't even extremely close when I took this shot (the distance between the grasshopper and my macro lens was almost 0,5 m). The focal distance of 180mm really pays off.
A crudely patched Conrail GP40 leads a westbound piggyback train through BENNY interlocking. The last unit in the consist appears to be missing any sort of logos or Conrail insignia. BENNY was a victim of Conrail's downsizing and was nonexistent by the mid 80s.
CR 3226. Benngington, PA.
April 21, 1979. Photographer unknown.
Adam Klimchock collection.
Kaluk is a very paranoid Matoran, rarely leaving his hut or the observatory in fear of the various (and nonexistent) threats that are lurking in the outside world, but no matter what, he does his best to help his fellow Sah-toran.
Copyright Susan Ogden
It is still a bit chilly here so Sunday afternoon was a perfect day to spend communing with the critters at the NC Aquarium. I could spend hours in the Jellyfish area, in complete zen. I think my whole being is totally relaxed in this room watching these floating and ethereal creatures. I am betting my breathing and blood pressure are slower and lower in there!
They really should have hammocks in that room...It is SO relaxing! I am thinking that I should have a tank of them...AND an octopus tank (with a locking lid since they are so smart and sneaky!) in my bedroom because I am inclined to believe my insomnia would be nonexistent if I did! For now I will rely on my sound machine that plays a dozen different soothing sounds ...and is always set on the sound of the waves of the ocean hitting the beach. It is helping somewhat.
It is time for bed...tomorrow I have a busy day, but one that will get things accomplished! I am now in 3 shops here...with the possibilities of a fourth in the next week or so! Exciting times...mixed with a touch of anxiety at being able to keep up with it all! I think I will need lessons in prioritizing! Otherwise, making dreams come true will turn into making them “Be careful what you wish for” instead!
idk which is funnier , the fact that she doesn`t recognize JOHN TAYLOR (imo , that`s like not recognizing big rob) or her expression when she realizes it . by the way , sorry for being MIA for the past few days :\ this is all i could come up with . my originality has been on the fritz so my jonas secrets have been nonexistent , but i don`t feel TOO bad , since no one else seemed to make them either -_- i`ll be outta town july 16-19 , so this may be the last one until sunday/monday . copyright claim . you will be fined if you redistribute or steal
At least my morning looking for the nonexistent CT4N-replacement-1 wasn’t completely wasted, as I happened across a couple of the Skills fleet doing Bilborough College runs... or at least I assume that’s what this one is doing. Other than the route number being 442 I wouldn’t know.
The wider Nottingham area is fairly well funded when it comes to transport, and Skills is a quality operator. These are all good things however it does mean that boringly youthful coaches get employed on a lot of schools work. There are never any clapped out deckers when you want them! (Well, except when a random DB250 shows up...)
Attenborough Lane, Chilwell
3.9.26
There are streets and then there are streets but that pagoda rising above all its surrounding buildings really makes an impression, for close to a millennium!
The warm glow from the setting sun and the resulting light and shadows enhanced the scene.
FE 16-35mm f2.8 GM with B+W Kaesemann CPL filter.
This image brought back memories of photos I saw many years ago from photography enthusiasts who had to lug kilo-class DSLR cameras with their equally kilo-class Zeiss Otus lenses just to get that high resolution shot.
Back then there are not that many options but photographic equipment has been downsizing fortunately although it’s still a bit of a hassle and a potential killjoy today.
Many photographers still scoff at smartphones, AI will bring huge improvements to smartphone photography and you can’t get a smaller form factor than the smartphone that truly fits into your pocket. Camera manufacturers will not be able to leverage on AI as much as smartphone manufacturers can as the smartphone market has vastly greater economies of scale being almost 100x larger than the system camera/lenses market.
I’ve hence no incentive to upgrade my current photography gear since improvements are marginal to almost nonexistent to the subjects I shoot. Over the recent few years, I’ve focused instead on improving my post-processing and the related software to get more out of my RAW files and I’ve spoken about this for the longest time that we do not need the latest gear to take a better photo at all. Beware of photography equipment shills.
~
One of the numerous awe-inspiring landscapes that Iceland has to offer. It instantly made me feel like "And now what? Dinosaurs maybe?", I mean that I wouldn't even be the slightest surprised!
I tried to improve my nonexistent landscape photography skills while exploring this magnificent land.
Anyway, I believe this is Hengifoss waterfall which is one of the highest Icelandic waterfalls.
Number: CT-1807
Rank: ARC Captian Grade I
Nickname: Scout
3rd Regiment of the 253rd Legion
///Log Entry\\\
"After our success in clearing the path for the Republic intervention force on Mon Cala command decided to keep us here, something about protecting high valued targets. My squad was orders to hold the grounds around the palace at all costs, giving the boys in the second regiment enough time to evacuate members of the Mon cal royal family. Upon our arrival at the palace, we were met by a Sergeant by the name of Carnage. He led us to the current extraction on a small platform on the western side of the palace, we were to hold this area until speeders could arrive and take the family to the surface. For a long time, things went smoothly, Carnage's men shuttled members of the family to the surface while my team stood guard, but just as the threat of a Separatist attack seemed nonexistent all hell broke loose. A platoon of aqua droids emerged from the ravine to our left and as we turned to face them a volley of blaster bolts strafed the platform killing Spade instantly and forcing everyone else to find cover. As the Manta droid lined up for a second pass the combined squads ditched the platform several dropping down to fight off the hoard of manta droids bellow and the rest booked it for the palace covering the remaining Mon Cala as they attempted to flee. Only me and Carnage remained on the platform, we both knew that with that Manta droid circling the palace there would be no chance of escape for the royal family. As the droid bore down upon us we stood our ground rifles raised and once it came within our range we fired."
Pleas excuse the terrible log entry, but I was kinda lost on ideas and uninspired (not to mention half asleep :P)
This was officially a lighting/angles nightmare, though in the end I think this came out great, minus the fact that all of detail on the bottom section is hidden from view :P
Might redo the build if I have time, I had a fantastic idea while uploading this that honestly would look better.
Anyway, credit for the quad cannon design belongs to Pyne and credit for the aqua droid design belongs to Commander Hess.
As always C&C is appreciated and TFVAHAGD!
Japan is known to keep rolling stock from the Showa era in excellent condition for use on everyday trains. For trams, the title goes to the Mo 161 series.
Built in the very beginning of the Showa Era, 1928-1930's, the Mo 161's are the oldest operating streetcars used in daily service in Japan. They were operated by Nankai (later Hankai) for use on the company's streetcar system in southern Osaka. A total of 18 were built, however 5 remain in (limited) service. Due to its age, operations are limited to the cool weather months, and holidays due to no A/C. Even then, parts are nonexistent, so it's only a matter of time before the company decides to retire them completely from daily service.
Here, Mo 162 pauses at Abikomichi Station as it gets ready to return to the engine house after working its morning services.
Hankai Tramway Hankai Line.
Hankai Mo 161 Series
Shimizugaoka, Sumiyoshi Ward, Osaka
Thor's Hammer in Bryce Canyon using comic and graphic novel filters in Photoshop, and adding nonexistent clouds to the background.
Rex is an adorable little kitten that I just got as a new client. He is extremely affectionate and playful. He lives with four other cats and two dogs. And he seems to rule the roost!!
My apologies for disappearing for several weeks. I had hyper parathyroid surgery on 5/20 and the surgeon made the mistake of paralyzing my vocal cord. This caused me to have trouble speaking and breathing!!!! I suffered through over 1,000,000 breaths. It was awful. It’s now almost 2 months later and I’m finally getting some relief from this problem. I spoke like Mickey Mouse for two months as well. Needless to say taking and editing pictures became nonexistent. I’m finally on the mend due to many many prayers from my contacts on Facebook as most of them are friends from way back in high school And the help from God
Explore #40
Eastbound CPKC 254-22 comes off the "dump" to the UP Milwaukee Subdivision near Northbrook, IL. Like a place out of a John Hughes Brat Pack movie, this Union Pacific control point is aptly named "Shermer" though a township or town of any sort in the area is totally nonexistent. The sturdy brown bridge overpass over Shermer Road, seen just beyond the signals, was rebuilt after a Union Pacific coal load derailed in July of 2012, burying an elderly couple that were out for a drive and happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time when the coal train hit a sun kink, derailed, destroyed the bridge, and fell to Shermer Road down below.
The adult humpback whale is generally 14–15 m (46–49 ft) long, though individuals up to 16–17 m (52–56 ft) long have been recorded. Females are usually 1–1.5 m (3 ft 3 in – 4 ft 11 in) longer than males.
The species can reach body masses of 40 metric tons (44 short tons). Calves are born at around 4.3 m (14 ft) long with a mass of 680 kg (1,500 lb)] The species has a bulky body with a thin rostrum and proportionally long flippers, each around one-third of its body length.[14][15] It has a short dorsal fin that varies from nearly nonexistent to somewhat long and curved.
Like other rorquals, the humpback has grooves between the tip of the lower jaw and the navel. The grooves are relatively few in number in this species, ranging from 14 to 35. The upper jaw is lined with baleen plates, which number 540–800 in total and are black in color.
The dorsal or upper side of the animal is generally black; the ventral or underside has various levels of black and white coloration. Whales in the southern hemisphere tend to have more white pigmentation. The flippers can vary from all-white to white only on the undersurface. Some individuals may be all white, notably Migaloo who is a true albino. The varying color patterns and scars on the tail flukes distinguish individual animals.[
The end of the genital slit of the female is marked by a round feature, known as the hemispherical lobe, which visually distinguishes males and females.
Unique among large whales, humpbacks have bumps or tubercles on the head and front edge of the flippers; the tail fluke has a jagged trailing edge. The tubercles on the head are 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) thick at the base and protrude up to 6.5 cm (2.6 in).
They are mostly hollow in the center, often containing at least one fragile hair that erupts 1–3 cm (0.39–1.18 in) from the skin and is 0.1 mm (0.0039 in) thick. The tubercles develop early in gestation and may have a sensory function, as they are rich in nerves. Sensory nerve cells in the skin are adapted to withstand the high water pressure of diving.
In one study, a humpback whale brain measured 22.4 cm (8.8 in) long and 18 cm (7.1 in) wide at the tips of the temporal lobes, and weighed around 4.6 kg (10 lb). The humpback's brain has a complexity similar to that of the brains of smaller whales and dolphins.
The structure of the eye indicates that eyesight is relatively poor, being only able to see silhouettes over long distances and finer details relatively close. Computer models of the middle ear suggest that the humpback can hear at frequencies between 15 Hz and 3 kHz "when stimulated at the tympanic membrane", and between 200 Hz and 9 kHz "if stimulated at the thinner region of the tympanic bone adjacent to the tympanic membrane". These ranges are consistent with their vocalization ranges.
As in all cetaceans, the respiratory tract of the humpback whale is connected to the blowholes and not to the mouth, although the species appears to be able to unlock the epiglottis and larynx and move them towards the oral cavity, allowing humpbacks to blow bubbles from their mouths. The vocal folds of the humpback are more horizontally positioned than those of land mammals which allows them to produce underwater calls. These calls are amplified by a laryngeal sac.
This image was taken in Juneau, Alaska
In other words, yet another update. Only difference is I waited a week for the sake of being different. Anywho... from left to right, we have...
Upcoming DC figures
First off I’ll be finishing my bat series which I’m pretty close to being done with at this point but just haven’t posted all the pictures. Secondly there are some DCU figs I’ve got in the works. I’ll be making the main leaguers and the rest after that. Possibly some villains though I wont say who for the sake of spoilers. Last but not least, darkseids elite. So far you’ve seen darkseid and I think desaad but I’ve yet to start a lot of them. I’m also considering the female furries afterwards
Something DCU related
Fairly self explanatory. Should be dropping any day now
Batcave MOC
Since I’ve been away, progress has been nonexistent to say the least but now that I’m back I should be getting it done soon enough
League of extraordinary gentlemen figures
I think there’s maybe about 2 or 3 of you that actually care about this series but I for one love the book (singular) and have enjoyed putting the group together. You can probably guess who these two are. After I make the group, a few of their rogues and allies might have to get made aswell as a custom cavorite
It's been a couple of (long) years... With "stay home" orders, park closure and overcrowding, my visits to BPNP had been nonexistent. It was time to see if it still has a place in my heart ...
Trying to teach Adobe's Firefly (Generative AI) to create images based on other art. In this case I verbally described to Firefly the young maids' portraits of my namesake and famous painter - asking for a 'photo-realistic contemporary version' and that the face must look 'Bulgarian or Balkan'. Quite pleased with the result, tbh - will be playing more with it...