Kwadrat / Square (no portrait)
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A BEAUTY that is common and widespread in Britain, their song is a familiar sound now that spring is upon us., during the breeding season, its diet is one that includes a significant proportion of insects and in winter almost strictly seed-eating regime. The male above was captured in my garden, was not sure whether to post this one or not, so do hope you enjoy it.
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THANK YOU for your visit, it means a lot in these crazy lock downtimes. Enjoy the weekend the best you can, stay safe, God bless.........................................Tomx.
Wood Warbler - Phylloscopus sibilatrix
The wood warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix) is a common and widespread leaf warbler which breeds throughout northern and temperate Europe, and just into the extreme west of Asia in the southern Ural Mountains.
This warbler is strongly migratory and the entire population winters in tropical Africa.
It is a summer visitor to the United Kingdom, seen from April until August. It has declined there in recent years. It is now very rare in Ireland, where only one or two pairs are recorded breeding in most years, usually in County Wicklow.
Various factors associated with forest structure, including slope, forest cover, proportion of broad-leaf forest, canopy height and forest edge length, all influenced the occupancy rates of this declining forest species. Conservation measures are therefore required that provide and maintain the wood warblers preferred forest structure. There is also a preference for forest in the non-breeding season, however this habitat is declining in wintering areas such as Ghana. Despite the decline in forest habitats, there has been no change in number of wood warblers as it appears that this species can use degraded habitats, such as well-wooded farms. However, further loss of trees will likely have a negative impact on this species in the future
Often seen in flocks with other species of duck such as Tufted Ducks. Will spend much of their time diving for food of which a large proportion of the diet consisting of plant material.
The highest point in the community is the summit of the 988-meter-high Hohe Peißenberg. Because of its overwhelming panoramic view, it is also called the “Bavarian Rigi” or, much less often, “mons parnanssus”. It is considered the most beautiful panoramic mountain in Bavaria and is a popular destination. The mountain's early nicknames were "mons doctus" because of its scholarship and meteorological research. The majority of the inhabitants live on the south side of the mountain, another smaller part is on the west side (districts: Hetten and Buchschorn), a small proportion of the inhabitants is on the north and east sides.
The main town is on the left bank of the Ammer River. The Ammer flows through the Ammer Gorge below the south side of the village.
You might not expect to come upon a castle while visiting Spokane, but that is exactly what you will do if you visit the Spokane County courthouse. Most of us associate such architecture with romantic old castles in Europe, or perhaps something out of the world of Walt Disney or fairy tales. To find such a building in the center of a modern, growing regional hub city such as Spokane is a bit startling.
The courthouse is said to closely resemble two famous 16th century chateaux in the Loire Valley of France, the Chateau de Chambord, built in 1519 and the Chateau d'Azay Le Rideau built in 1516. Many architects through the years have commented on the masterly replica of a 16th century French Renaissance design, its fine lines of style and proportion with regard to the towers and turrets, the sculpture, iron and brickwork which excel in pattern and craftsmanship. Detailed exterior trim such as shell patterns with wreaths and festoons and decorative arches are a few of the outstanding features of its design. The beautiful center tower, now lighted at night, is a masterpiece of detail in itself.
“The flowers of late winter and early spring occupy places in our hearts well out of proportion to their size.” — Gertrude S. Wister
Ross`s Goose in St James`s Park London.
The Ross's goose (Anser rossii) is a white goose with black wingtips and a relatively short neck. It is the smallest of the three "white geese" that breed in North America. It is similar in appearance to a white-phase snow goose, but about 40% smaller. Other differences from the snow goose are that the bill is smaller in proportion to its body and lacks "black lips". The dark phase is extremely rare.
Before the early 1900s, this goose was considered a rare species, possibly as a consequence of open hunting, but numbers have increased dramatically as a result of conservation measures.[2] It is now listed as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN,[3] and is protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
The Ross's goose is named in honour of Bernard R. Ross, who was associated with the Hudson's Bay Company in Canada's Northwest Territories. Members of the Hudson's Bay Company were the first Europeans to discover the arctic nesting grounds of Ross's geese in 1940.[2] The first recognizable description of Ross's geese, under the name "horned wavey", was given by explorer Samuel Hearne eighty years before John Cassin named it after Ross.
The great grey owl (Strix nebulosa) is found throughout Northern Europe, Northern Asia and a significant proportion of North America. They are quite large birds, rivalling the Eurasian Eagle Owl in size. The great grey owl has a large, rounded head and yellow eyes, with light underparts mottled with darker grey feathers. Their wings and back are darker grey with lighter bars.
The great grey owl has a large "facial disk." The facial disk is a concave circle of feathers around the eyes of the bird. It helps to collect sound waves and direct them toward the owl's ears, helping the owl to locate its prey by sound. The great grey owl has the largest facial disk of any bird of prey.
Their diet consists mainly of small mammals and their preferred prey is voles, however they will also eat gophers, weasels, squirrels, rabbits, rats and mice. They nest in dense coniferous forests in most of the northern hemisphere.
The female will lay between two to six eggs at one- to two-day intervals. The female does all of the incubation, which starts when the first egg is laid. After four to six weeks the chicks hatch. The male provides all the food for the young, which is torn into smaller pieces by the female. When food is scarce the female great grey owl will often starve herself in order to feed her chicks, and may lose up to a third of her body weight. The chicks will leave the nest after approximately a month and can fly well after two months. The young stay close to home and are cared for by the female for some time after leaving the nest.
The western honey bee or European honey bee (Apis mellifera) is the most common of the 7–12 species of honey bees worldwide. The genus name Apis is Latin for "bee", and mellifera is the Latin for "honey-bearing", referring to the species' production of honey.
Like all honey bee species, the western honey bee is eusocial, creating colonies with a single fertile female (or "queen"), many normally non-reproductive females or "workers", and a small proportion of fertile males or "drones". Individual colonies can house tens of thousands of bees. Colony activities are organized by complex communication between individuals, through both pheromones and the dance language. (Wikipedia)
The great grey owl (Strix nebulosa) is found throughout Northern Europe, Northern Asia and a significant proportion of North America. They are quite large birds, rivalling the Eurasian Eagle Owl in size. The great grey owl has a large, rounded head and yellow eyes, with light underparts mottled with darker grey feathers. Their wings and back are darker grey with lighter bars.
The great grey owl has a large "facial disk." The facial disk is a concave circle of feathers around the eyes of the bird. It helps to collect sound waves and direct them toward the owl's ears, helping the owl to locate its prey by sound. The great grey owl has the largest facial disk of any bird of prey.
Their diet consists mainly of small mammals and their preferred prey is voles, however they will also eat gophers, weasels, squirrels, rabbits, rats and mice. They nest in dense coniferous forests in most of the northern hemisphere.
The female will lay between two to six eggs at one- to two-day intervals. The female does all of the incubation, which starts when the first egg is laid. After four to six weeks the chicks hatch. The male provides all the food for the young, which is torn into smaller pieces by the female. When food is scarce the female great grey owl will often starve herself in order to feed her chicks, and may lose up to a third of her body weight. The chicks will leave the nest after approximately a month and can fly well after two months. The young stay close to home and are cared for by the female for some time after leaving the nest.
Led by a trio of SD40 variants, R926 grinds up the hill out of Duluth at Spirit Mountain. I much prefer the looks of the SD40-2W to their four axle cousins, to me they are much better proportioned.
The red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus) is a medium-sized hawk. Its breeding range spans eastern North America and along the coast of California and northern to northeastern-central Mexico. Red-shouldered hawks are permanent residents throughout most of their range, though northern birds do migrate, mostly to central Mexico. The main conservation threat to the widespread species is deforestation.
Males are 38 to 58 cm (15 to 23 in) long and weigh on average 550 g (1.21 lb). Females are slightly larger at 47 to 61 cm (19 to 24 in) in length and a mean weight of 700 g (1.5 lb). The wingspan can range from 90 to 127 cm (35 to 50 in). Adult birds can vary in mass from 460 to 930 g (1.01 to 2.05 lb). Among standard measurements, the wing bone is 28–35 cm (11–14 in) long, the tail is 16–24 cm (6.3–9.4 in) long and the tarsus is 7.5–9 cm (3.0–3.5 in).[6] Adults have brownish heads, reddish chests, and pale bellies with reddish bars. Their tails, which are quite long by Buteo standards, are marked with narrow white bars. Red "shoulders" are visible when the birds are perched. These hawks' upper parts are dark with pale spots and they have long yellow legs. Western birds may appear more red, while Florida birds are generally paler. The wings of adults are more heavily barred on the upper side. Juvenile red-shouldered hawks are most likely to be confused with juvenile broad-winged hawks, but can be distinguished by their long tails, crescent-like wing markings, and a more flapping, Accipiter-like flight style. In direct comparison, it is typically larger and longer proportioned than the Broad-wing, though is slightly smaller and more slender than most other common North American Buteos. This bird is sometimes also confused with the widespread red-tailed hawk. That species is larger and bulkier, with more even-sized, broad wings and is paler underneath, with a reddish tail often apparent. The Red-tail is also more likely to soar steadily, with wings in a slight dihedral.
Los Angeles. California.
...des Lernens aus der Vergangenheit - für eine bessere, verändernde Zukunft
Felix Nussbaum Haus - Osnabrück
Der Architekt auf die Frage nach den Empfindungen, die er mit seinem Gebäude beim Besucher wecken wolle:
"Ich möchte nicht, dass die Menschen etwas Bestimmtes empfinden. Die Besucher sollen ihre eigenen Gefühle entwickeln. Das Gebäude ist eines mit einem unbestimmten Ausgang. Die Menschen sollen hindurchgehen und ihre eigenen Gedanken entwickeln, ihre eigenen Erfahrungen machen. Jeder bringt seine eigene Geschichte mit und nimmt das Licht, die Proportionen, die verschiedenen Baumaterialien anders wahr..."
f 7,1
1/40 s
12800 ISO
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This species is native mainly to the tropical Indian Ocean. It is distinguished from the larger brown noddy (A. stolidus) by the way the pale cap merges gradually with the dark body plumage at the lores. With the brown noddy there is a sharp demarcation. The bill of the lesser noddy is finer and longer in proportion to the head.
The abundance of dead pisonia leaves as nest material in the coastal woodlands where the lesser noddy breeds is a double-edged sword. The seeds of the pisonia are dispersed by birds. They are sticky and often adhere to young birds in sufficient quantities to render them incapable of flight, with fatal results.
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Eurasian blue tits, usually resident and non-migratory birds, are widespread and a common resident breeder throughout temperate and subarctic Europe and the western Palearctic in deciduous or mixed woodlands with a high proportion of oak. They usually nest in tree holes, although they easily adapt to nest boxes where necessary. Their main rival for nests and in the search for food is the larger and more common great tit.
The Eurasian blue tit prefers insects and spiders for its diet. Outside the breeding season, they also eat seeds and other vegetable-based foods. The birds are famed for their skill, as they can cling to the outermost branches and hang upside down when looking for food.
I enjoy the grainy aspect when shooting with a low resolution device. Some seem to not favor having large foregrounds or backgrounds but this is how I feel great proportion and balance is gained. I tried many different angles with this shot and personally preferred being able to show the one angler having his morning smoke and the only way I could accomplish this was having their heads above the shore line. By doing this as well highlights the sunrise reflections on the face of the other sportsman. I feel this just ads to the depth of the image. since both heads have a unique presence. Sure I could crop out some of the foreground (Many will say I should) but it's my style and signature if you see my gallery
"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage"
Anaïs Nin
"La vie se rétrécit ou s'agrandit proportionnellement à son courage"
Barcelona
Excerpt from www.cambridge.ca/en/learn-about/resources/main-street-HCD...:
The Granite Block: This classical revival pre-confederation section of Main Street, known as the Granite Block, is arguably the most significant building in downtown Galt. It identifies Galt as the granite city. In addition, the history of mercantile Galt can be traced back to this location as it was the site of Absalom Shade’s White store. The oldest portion of the Granite Block (#39) dates from 1851 having survived one of Galt’s major fires. The remainder was rebuilt after the fire in 1862.
The architectural composition of the Granite Block is one of clarity and fine proportions. The block is mainly three storeys high but with one higher four storey section. The wall material is granite and the windows, that are similar in size and proportion, form two continuous lines at second and third floors. The top line of windows at the fourth floor is arched. There is a slight variation in the treatment of the window lintels, roof cornices and wood detailing across the façade. The whole composition however is of fine visual unity and repose. The rear of the block comprises a series of stone facades of varying set back and height with new and old alterations.
That was not the idea. The idea was to interpret science sensibly, with good proportion, good balance and good lighting, so we could understand it :-)
Berenice Abbott
HMM! Hands Off Our Democracy!! Resist the Despicable Authoritarian Orange Cockroach and his Cabinet of Stooges and Buffoons!!
hybrid tea rose, 'Double Delight', little theater rose garden, raleigh, north carolina
Harris Brown-ALL rights reserved. This image may not be used for ANY purpose without written permission.
Cape May County, New Jersey. USA
Thanks to all who take the time to view, comment on and favor my images. It is very much appreciated.
Red Knots are plump, neatly proportioned sandpipers that in summer sport brilliant terracotta-orange underparts and intricate gold, buff, rufous, and black upperparts. This cosmopolitan species occurs on all continents except Antarctica and migrates exceptionally long distances, from High Arctic nesting areas to wintering spots in southern South America, Africa, and Australia. Red Knots from eastern North America have declined sharply in recent decades owing in part to unsustainable harvest of horseshoe crab eggs, and they have become a flagship species for shorebird conservation in the twenty-first century.
Nikon Z9 camera with Nikon Z600mm f 6.3 PF lens.
1/3200 F6.3 ISO 900
"Nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:39
Rathaus underground station in Cologne, Germany
A pleasing contrast of midnight blue and silvery gleam
When completed, the new north–south suburban railway line in Cologne will have eight stops. While the last stretch of the line is scheduled to come into operation in 2016, Rathaus station has already proven itself fit for everyday operation. Located directly beneath the historic market, Rathaus underground station provides quick and convenient access to the centre of Cologne's historic Altstadt (old town) district, which was previously only accessible by bus.
The station, covering almost 3,000 m², lies 16 metres below ground. Its design is characterised by a fresh contrast of midnight blue and silver. A large proportion of the wall area is velvety-smooth blue, while the ceilings and certain sections of the walls are a shiny silver. The walls and ceilings are clad in hot-dip galvanised and powdercoated steel sheet modules, which are perforated in the ceiling area so that they also absorb sound.
Above the entrances, main traffic areas and footpaths throughout the station, WE-EF DOC240 recessed exterior downlights ensure excellent visibility and safety as well as aid orientation. The luminaires had to be integrated into various building situations – either installed in circular sections of the expanded metal ceilings or combined with an installation tube and mounted directly on the concrete ceilings. The DOC240 downlights in the underground station have proven to be versatile, not just in terms of the installation and mounting options, but also in relation to lighting techniques.
While the stairways and escalators are illuminated from a relatively high position, the height between floors in the main traffic areas is rather low. With different light sources in varying wattages – in this case HIT and CFL lamps, and two symmetric light distributions [M] medium and [EE] very narrow beam – the WE-EF luminaires provide exactly the right amount of light for the unique spaces.
All DOC240 downlights used in this project are fitted with vibration protection in order to extend their service life. Luminaires mounted at especially high installation positions are equipped with a device to lower the luminaire to facilitate ease of maintenance.
Architects:
Lighting Designer:Lichtdesign Ingenieurgesellschaft m.b.H., Prof. Heinrich Kramer, Cologne
(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ BEARDED GIRAFFE ♥っ
Here we have a magnificent female Inland Bearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps) propped upright to obtain a better view on a vast and desolate gibber plain near Coober Pedy in central SA. I was happy to see that there were so many beardeds active in that region on that day, and many were displaying to conspecifics as we drove past them. You can tell this girl has seen some good seasons as she has quite a small head in proportion to body mass. Judging by the loose dorso-lateral skin folds, I'd hazard a guess that she has recently undergone oviposition as well.
Harris Brown-ALL rights reserved. This image may not be used for ANY purpose without written permission.
Cape May County, New Jersey USA
Red Knots are plump, neatly proportioned sandpipers that in summer sport brilliant terracotta-orange underparts and intricate gold, buff, rufous, and black upperparts. This cosmopolitan species occurs on all continents except Antarctica and migrates exceptionally long distances. Red Knots from eastern North America have declined sharply in recent decades owing in part to unsustainable harvest of horseshoe crab eggs, and they have become a flagship species for shorebird conservation in the twenty-first century. This guy has shed most of his breeding plumage.
Thanks to all who take the time to view, comment on and favor my images. It is very much appreciated.
Nikon Z9 camera with Nikon 500mm f 5.6 E PF lens.
1/2500 F5.6 ISO 320
Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.
Psalm 25:4-5
Listen The Way Home- Michael Dulin
A man is rich in proportion to the number of things which he can afford to let alone.
Henry David Thoreau
In Wordpress In Blogger photo.net/photos/Reinante/ In Onexposure
The Divine Proportion or Golden Ratio. Think Conch Shells, Nautiluses, Snail Shells, Hurricanes, Galaxies . . . All mathematically measurable using the same formula.
Thanks for Viewing.
Quite a significant proportion of South Australia looks like this in summer. Emigrating from Scotland over 20 years ago, it took quite a while to get used to the dry and dusty landscapes of South Australia after a lifetime of lush green that is ubiquitous in Scotland. But it definitely has a beauty of its own.
A high proportion of my Western Meadowlarks are singing from fence posts, so it was gratifying to find one by the roadside, perched on a little pile of debris. This is a common bird in my area throughout spring and summer - one of the first migrants to return, a harbinger of spring. And its song is very sweet, rivalled, perhaps, only by the Bobolink's.
(My apologies to anyone who faved the White-crowned Sparrow that I uploaded earlier in this spot and have now removed. A clerical error; I had already shared it, 4 years ago. You can find it in my Best of 2017 album.)
This ends my "farewell to the birds of summer" series. Tomorrow I will begin posting more recent images. October was a busy month, lots of wildlife coming up so stay tuned!
Photographed from the rolling red Toyota blind in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2021 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
Only one picture captured from my camera, I do not do several clicks.
The red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus) is a medium-sized hawk. Its breeding range spans eastern North America and along the coast of California and northern to northeastern-central Mexico. Red-shouldered hawks are permanent residents throughout most of their range, though northern birds do migrate, mostly to central Mexico. The main conservation threat to the widespread species is deforestation.
Males are 38 to 58 cm (15 to 23 in) long and weigh on average 550 g (1.21 lb). Females are slightly larger at 47 to 61 cm (19 to 24 in) in length and a mean weight of 700 g (1.5 lb). The wingspan can range from 90 to 127 cm (35 to 50 in). Adult birds can vary in mass from 460 to 930 g (1.01 to 2.05 lb). Among standard measurements, the wing bone is 28–35 cm (11–14 in) long, the tail is 16–24 cm (6.3–9.4 in) long and the tarsus is 7.5–9 cm (3.0–3.5 in).[6] Adults have brownish heads, reddish chests, and pale bellies with reddish bars. Their tails, which are quite long by Buteo standards, are marked with narrow white bars. Red "shoulders" are visible when the birds are perched. These hawks' upper parts are dark with pale spots and they have long yellow legs. Western birds may appear more red, while Florida birds are generally paler. The wings of adults are more heavily barred on the upper side. Juvenile red-shouldered hawks are most likely to be confused with juvenile broad-winged hawks, but can be distinguished by their long tails, crescent-like wing markings, and a more flapping, Accipiter-like flight style. In direct comparison, it is typically larger and longer proportioned than the Broad-wing, though is slightly smaller and more slender than most other common North American Buteos. This bird is sometimes also confused with the widespread red-tailed hawk. That species is larger and bulkier, with more even-sized, broad wings and is paler underneath, with a reddish tail often apparent. The Red-tail is also more likely to soar steadily, with wings in a slight dihedral.
Los Angeles. California.
A good proportion of the railways of Rajasthan are flat and direct (to my surprise in my ignorance), and the last remaining metre gauge line in this part of the state proved to be no exception.
Seen here, at an ungated road crossing just south of Sonthaliya, is North-Western Region liveried Alco YDM4 unit 6651 hauling the 10.30 Sikar - Jaipur Junction (train 19736) in some pleasantly clear light.
Out of shot is the policeman assigned to "guard" the crossing and whose job is to ensure there are no obstructions, or foul play, preventing the train making a safe passage. It makes a pleasant change to frame a shot to include telegraph poles and wires - whether they survive the line's conversion to broad gauge remains to be seen.
16th March 2016
Tawny Owl - Strix Aluco
The tawny owl or brown owl (Strix aluco) is a stocky, medium-sized owl commonly found in woodlands across much of Eurasia. Its underparts are pale with dark streaks, and the upperparts are either brown or grey. Several of the eleven recognised subspecies have both variants. The nest is typically in a tree hole where it can protect its eggs and young against potential predators. This owl is non-migratory and highly territorial. Many young birds starve if they cannot find a vacant territory once parental care ceases.
This nocturnal bird of prey hunts mainly rodents, usually by dropping from a perch to seize its prey, which it swallows whole; in more urban areas its diet includes a higher proportion of birds. Vision and hearing adaptations and silent flight aid its night hunting. The tawny owl is capable of catching smaller owls, but is itself vulnerable to the eagle owl or northern goshawk.
Although many people believe this owl has exceptional night vision, its retina is no more sensitive than a human's and its asymmetrically placed ears are key to its hunting by giving it excellent directional hearing. Its nocturnal habits and eerie, easily imitated call, have led to a mythical association of the tawny owl with bad luck and death.
Population:
UK breeding:
50,000 pairs
#637
This week's FlickrFriday theme is: #Proportion
Le thème de ce FlickrFriday est: #Proportion
O tema desta FlickrFriday é: #Proporção
本次 FlickrFriday 主題: #部分
FlickrFriday-Thema der Woche: #Anteil
El tema de FlickrFriday es: #Proporción
In a country full of spectacular waterfalls, and despite the obvious drawback in that one can never expect to experience this place alone, Skógafoss has been the one to set my pulses on red alert each time I’ve visited. Ok, so that’s only twice - well three times if you count the very brief pit stop we made here on the long journey east to Stafafell - but the mere sight of it makes for a display of extraordinary power. Not only in terms of the improbable physics that are happening right there in front of you, but also in the hold that it will take on your senses as you stand here at the bottom. Sixty metres tall and twenty-five wide, this is where the highlands end abruptly as that huge curtain of water crosses the divide and plummets down to earth in a resounding crescendo right there in front of you. There are bigger waterfalls in Iceland, but you can’t stand underneath many of them like this. And this one has such pleasing dimensions, that clean and uncomplicated single drop perfectly proportioned and surrounded by clouds of vapour that make you wonder whether you should have brought some shower gel and a bath towel. And a thermos full of piping hot coffee to help with the hypothermia afterwards.
We’d come here after breakfast on our third morning in the area, having agreed that the misty grey conditions would suit the subject well. Ironic that when we’d passed through here a week earlier, there had been a bright rainbow right in front of Skógafoss. There had also been a large number of visitors, taking endless Instaselfies as they tripped from their coaches and raced excitedly towards the action. That day we had to wait for a space in the large car park, such was the popularity of the place. Finding the visitor numbers too distracting, we soon moved on, although perhaps we should have photographed that rainbow and made merry with the clone tool later. At that stage we were getting rather blasé on the subject, having spent the previous day photographing a particularly fine example at Háifoss. But there were no more waterfall rainbows for the rest of the trip, and little did we realise we’d missed our chance.
Arriving in the middle of the morning seemed to have paid off. Although far from empty, the car park was noticeably quieter than last time, and with the aid of that trusty pair of welly boots I was soon paddling about in the shallow river, setting the tripod low to bring that foreground rush of water towards the bottom of the frame. And miraculously in these moments there were chances to get the shot with only minimum numbers of stragglers to contend with. There’s always someone standing as close as they dare to, but I only had to airbrush two spectres from the scene here. Bring your wellies and you can often go to places where others can’t.
Last time we came to Iceland, on that final night before heading back to Reykjavík, I got what became my favourite shot of the trip in the form of “Sandwich Bags, Spray and Spectators,” where I was that person standing as close to the white wall as I dared to. And now, an hour after this, I took my favourite shot of this second adventure with “The Watchers.” Very possibly my two most loved images of all time in fact - from a personal point of view anyway. I’m starting to wonder whether or not it’s a coincidence the place delivers pictures that make me feel this happy. I’m quite content with this one as well for that matter. While Skógafoss keeps giving me moments like these, I’ll carry on coming back for more.
Sandwich Bags, Spray and Spectators: www.flickr.com/photos/126574513@N04/50702613408/in/album-...
The Watchers: www.flickr.com/photos/126574513@N04/52420303660/in/album-...
Blackcap - Sylvia Atrcapilla (M)
The Eurasian blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) usually known simply as the blackcap, is a common and widespread typical warbler. It has mainly olive-grey upperparts and pale grey underparts, and differences between the five subspecies are small. Both sexes have a neat coloured cap to the head, black in the male and reddish-brown in the female. The male's typical song is a rich musical warbling, often ending in a loud high-pitched crescendo, but a simpler song is given in some isolated areas, such as valleys in the Alps. The blackcap's closest relative is the garden warbler, which looks quite different but has a similar song.
The blackcap feeds mainly on insects during the breeding season, then switches to fruit in late summer, the change being triggered by an internal biological rhythm. When migrants arrive on their territories they initially take berries, pollen and nectar if there are insufficient insects available, then soon switch to their preferred diet. They mainly pick prey off foliage and twigs, but may occasionally hover, flycatch or feed on the ground. Blackcaps eat a wide range of invertebrate prey, although aphids are particularly important early in the season, and flies, beetles and caterpillars are also taken in large numbers. Small snails are swallowed whole, since the shell is a source of calcium for the bird's eggs. Chicks are mainly fed soft-bodied insects, fruit only being provided if invertebrates are scarce.
In July, the diet switches increasingly to fruit. The protein needed for egg-laying and for the chicks to grow is replaced by fruit sugar which helps the birds to fatten for migration. Aphids are still taken while they are available, since they often contain sugars from the plant sap on which they feed. Blackcaps eat a wide range of small fruit, and squeeze out any seeds on a branch before consuming the pulp. This technique makes them an important propagator of mistletoe. The mistle thrush, which also favours that plant, is less beneficial since it tends to crush the seeds. Although any suitable fruit may be eaten, some have seasonal or local importance; elder makes up a large proportion of the diet of northern birds preparing for migration, and energy-rich olives and lentisc are favoured by blackcaps wintering in the Mediterranean.
The German birds wintering in British gardens rely on provided food, and the major items are bread and fat, each making up around 20% of the diet; one bird survived the whole winter eating only Christmas cake. Fruit is also eaten, notably cotoneaster (41% of the fruit consumed), ivy and honeysuckle, and apple if available. Some birds have learned to take peanuts from feeders. Blackcaps defend good winter food sources in the wild, and at garden feeding stations they repel competitors as large as starlings and blackbirds. Birds occasionally become tame enough to feed from the hand.
Aristotle, in his History of Animals, considered that the garden warbler eventually metamorphosed into a blackcap. The blackcap's song has led to it being described as the mock nightingale or country nightingale. Verga's 1871 novel Storia di una capinera, according to its author, was inspired by a story of a blackcap trapped and caged by children. The bird, silent and pining for its lost freedom, eventually dies. In the book, a nun evacuated from her convent by cholera falls in love with a family friend, only to have to return to her confinement when the disease wanes. The novel was adapted as films of the same name in 1917, 1943 and 1993. The last version was directed by Franco Zeffirelli, and its English-language version was retitled as Sparrow. In Saint François d'Assise, an opera by Messiaen, the orchestration is based on bird song. St Francis himself is represented by the blackcap.
Folk names for the blackcap often refer to its most obvious plumage feature (black-headed peggy, King Harry black cap and coal hoodie) or to its song, as in the nightingale names above. Other old names are based on its choice of nesting material (Jack Straw, hay bird, hay chat and hay Jack). There is a tradition of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm bases being named for birds. A former base near Stretton in Cheshire was called HMS Blackcap.
Population:
UK breeding:
1,200,000 territories
UK wintering:
3,000 birds