A large and conspicuous waterbird, the cormorant has an almost primitive appearance with its long neck making it appear almost reptilian...It is often seen standing with its wings held out to dry. Regarded by some as black, sinister and greedy, cormorants are supreme fishers which can bring them into conflict with anglers and they have been persecuted in the past...The UK holds internationally important wintering numbers...

*

*

*

Copyright ©

All My Photographic Images Are Subject To Copyright ! Each Of My Photographs Remain My Intellectual Property ! All Rights Are Reserved And As Such, Do Not Use, Modify, Copy, Edit, Distribute Or Publish Any Of My Photographs ! If You Wish To Use Any Of My Photographs For Any Reproductive Purposes, Or Other Uses, My Written Permission Is Specifically Required, Contact Me Via Flickr Mail !

A Gulf Fritillary enjoys a bit of nectar from and Ironweed blossom in the garden of good and evil at El. Franco Lee Park. Not the best of captures, but something to break up the monotony of the heron and lizard parade.

DSC00118uls

I shot this on August 28, 2019 at around 9:20 P.M. This is a panorama (though not unusually wide or long) of 43 individual frames shot with a Canon 6D and Canon 50mm (nifty fifty) lens. Each frame was shot at 6 sec f/2.2 ISO 3200 and then stitched together.

I had known about this tower for some time, but finally got around to visiting it last night. I had tried to go to it a few nights ago, but had bad directions and kept encountering locked gates miles below. A phone call with a very nice and helpful person at Forest Fire Lookout Association San Diego-Riverside Chapter (FFLA-SDRC) helped me find the correct way up here. It's NOT an easy road to drive and requires a high clearance vehicle up about 13 miles of rough road. 4WD is recommended.

Many of these towers were decommissioned in the 1990's, but in recent years this tower and several others have been reopened and staffed. It's been determined that human eyes are still among the best technology at spotting fires. I remember years ago when I posted some photos of another tower - the one on nearby Boucher Hill - in disrepair. After a couple of HUGE wildfires in San Diego County in 2003 and 2007, people would comment on my photos "They should start using these again!" Well now they are.

The first Highpoint lookout tower was constructed on the site in 1935 by the Civilian Conservation Corps for the US Forest Service. That tower was replaced by the current structure in 1964.

A 13 x 13 foot CL-30 series steel cab sits atop an all-steel L-1600 series 67-6 tower. High Point Lookout is the tallest tower remaining in the Forest Service inventory in California.

The Cleveland National Forest last staffed the tower in 1992. The cab exterior and tower are in excellent condition.

The interior was removed due to vandalism in 2005. A security gate has since been installed on the tower. Tower restoration with new glass, cabinets and flooring was completed in 2009.

The San Diego-Riverside Chapter of the Forest Fire Lookout Association began staffing the tower with volunteers for fixed-point fire detection in 2009. FFLA-SDRC first achieved a 100% staffing during the 2013 fire season. FFLA-SDRC has achieved that same 100% fire season staffing for every year since with few exceptions due to weather.

This was in poor lighting and required considerable cropping.

It is very unusual for me to see an Eagle in this area, since the Case nest was blown down last October.

DSCF6970

Falmouth, Cornwall

-chrome.

-rail.

Copyright © 2014 by Craig Paup. All rights reserved.

Any use, printed or digital, in whole or edited, requires my written permission.

© All rights reserved — any use, reproduction, or curation requires prior written permission via Flickr mail.

On an early Easter Monday bank holiday morning, I set off towards Bradgate Park under a biting wind, with my car showing just 4°C. Despite the cold, the land was clearly awakening with spring, quietly signaling renewal in every detail.

As I stepped into the park under the soft morning light, there was a rare stillness—no people, just nature beginning its day. Instead of the usual robin, I was greeted by a Eurasian chaffinch foraging on the ground. Around me, small birds were busily flying back and forth, carrying nesting materials in their beaks into tree hollows.

Continuing my walk, I noticed a group of fallow deer on my right. Among them, a young deer fixed its curious gaze on me, and I believe I captured that exact moment of connection in a single frame. Between us flowed the River Lin, its subtle elevation difference and fresh greenery adding depth to the scene.

As I observed the group, something remarkable caught my attention in the distance. Eurasian jackdaw were landing on the deer, pulling out loose fur and flying off to line their nests in ancient tree hollows. This interaction seemed less about parasite removal and more about building soft nesting material.

I waited patiently as the light shifted and the sun rose higher, creating a beautiful backlit background. Finally, the moment came—a female deer allowing a jackdaw to pull fur from her back. I captured this frame at ISO 4000 and 1/1250 sec.

It’s also worth noting that the deer are currently shedding their winter coats, which the jackdaws are clearly taking advantage of. Interestingly, not all deer tolerated this behavior—some females resisted, perhaps due to discomfort.

Nature’s balance and these subtle interactions continue to fascinate me, often leading me to reflect more deeply on the connections within the wild.

I hope this story adds another layer to the image and helps convey the moment beyond the frame.

Wishing you all a peaceful and joyful Easter Monday.

I've captured some unforgettable moments with my camera, and I hope you feel the same joy viewing these images as I did while shooting them.

© All rights belong to R. Ertuğ. Please refrain from using these images without my express written permission.

If you are interested in purchasing or licensing them, feel free to contact me via Flickr mail.

Lens & support:

Nikon AF-S TC-14E III — hand-held or monopod, SPORT VR enabled.

Aperture set to f/8, full focal length.

All images were converted from RAW to JPEG.

During long walks, I use either a Nikon cross-body strap or a monopod.

Monopod setup:

Gitzo GM2542 Series 2 4S Carbon Monopod

Really Right Stuff MH-01 Monopod Head (Standard Lever)

Really Right Stuff LCF-11 Replacement Foot for Nikon AF-S 500mm f/5.6E PF

Your comments and constructive criticism are always appreciated.

Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to explore! 😊

simple raw beauty is the best

Yeah, it's happening, the haters are coming out.

We're Here - Photographs with unreasonably long names

2020.130

I'll be appearing on the next episode of The Two Hosers Photo Show, and they've given me the weekly photo challenge.... "the longest day" (in honour of the summer solstice). Wide open to interpretation, and this is what I've come up with.

This image is photographed at The Wildflower Farm, a favourite location of mine to go shoot flower, insects and water droplets. Closed to the public, but they still let me poke around. One of the interesting things they have are these strange bicycle-based lawn mower contraptions. The front wheel is replaced with a grass-cutting blade apparatus, surely intended to make lawn mowing a faster task.... but it looks painfully labour intensive and time consuming.

Imagine cutting an entire field with a tool such as this? I think it would be the longest day of my life. Right behind this apple tree is a fledgling meadow, but the foreground grass is carefully manicured. I hope they aren't using these bikes to get the job done!

Oh, and this is a false-colour infrared image, shot with a modified camera. In infrared light, anything capable of photosynthesis typically glows brightly, giving a ghostly surreal look to the scene. The sky in this spectrum is often dark, and I was trying to frame the bright tree in the dark sky. This required me to set my tripod at nearly ground-level (thank you Gitzo for a removable center column) to find the right angle.

When shooting infrared, the camera will only capture the deepest reds in the visible spectrum, and also capture colours beyond our visual perception. These colours can be remapped into a range more natural to the way we see the world, usually done by swapping the red and blue colour channels as a starting point. I think I'll write a tutorial on my workflow in the near future. :)

My Portfolio: www.donkom.ca | Google+

This shot requires two more people to complete.

No matter how long we waited, no team of four crossed the street together.

So I left it unfinished. Someday the opportunity will come.

Continuing with our local small town Post Office problems, is this somewhat larger PO in Farnham, Richmond County, Virginia. As you can see there are three parking spaces in front of the PO which abut the main road (on which I am standing to take the picture.) The problem here is obvious to anyone reading the sign which says “No Backing into Highway.”

So here I am pulled head first into my parking spot. I was easily able to get into this larger PO to return my damaged fishing rod. Now it is time to leave, but the sign says I can’t back into the highway. Luckily I have a button marked Levitation on my dashboard which allows my car to rise straight up, turn 90 degrees and plop right down on the highway.

Why not pull into that little alleyway on the left you say. There is a sign that covers that as well. On the left side of the building is a sign that says “No Parking in Driveway.” To the right of the building is room for the Postal Worker’s car and maybe one other.

So here we have a nice size rural Post Office which is too far to walk to, but impossible to get to by car if you need to park. Hmmm! Food for thought.

SBB CFF FFS: the EMU RABe 520 009 working train 21945 of line S9, from Lenzburg to Luzern.

This series of GTW 2/6 was specially built in 2002 by Stadler Rail for the Seetalbahn line (Luzern-Lenzburg), where narrower than usual trains (2.65m width) are required.

Shirts don't require straps. Nakedness doesn't require nudity.

Construction continues on the new PMLR Bridge in Portland, Oregon.

Copyright © 2013 by Craig Paup. All rights reserved.

Any use, printed or digital, in whole or edited, requires my written permission.

The stately White House could be knocked down.

A demolition application was submitted to the city March 23, confirmed Jeff Leunissen, the city's manager of development services. Then on Wednesday, a second demolition application was submitted to knock down the garage.

Both applications are incomplete, Leunissen said. They were filed by Damlar Inc. with Kevin Larson listed as the owner. Larson is on vacation and could not be reached by email or cell phone.

Leunissen noted a permit is required before the building can be razed.

The 1866 mansion on St. David St. is not currently designated as a heritage property. Typically, potential heritage homes are not designated unless the owner comes forward and gives consent, Leunissen said.

However, on the advice of Heritage Stratford, an advisory committee to the city, councillors could choose to designate without the owner's consent, Leunissen said.

Heritage Stratford will be considering the historic value of the building in the coming days and weeks. It's a building that has been well documented, noted Heritage Stratford chair Tom Hamza.

☾　♡　☾　♡　☾　♡　☾　♡　☾　♡　☾　♡　☾

♡POSE♡

BREAK 211 Warrior Set

Contains 7 single poses + GUN + CIGARETTE + KATANA + KINIFE

(These items only appear after sitting in the pose.)

Here is some useful information:

All poses are read and modified for your convenience.

- Facial expressions for all poses were obtained with the corresponding head hud.

- Make sure you stop all the huds controlling your hands, otherwise they will replace the bento pose.

- Please be aware that some minor changes to your form may be required to adjust poses.

- No transfer

All poses with accessories were configured with other people's usability in mind. Therefore, all of them come with the objects configured to be rezzed at the time of use.

♡PURCHASE IN-WORLD AFTER EVENT♡

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Vanilla%20Sky/178/54/3501

♡PURCHASE ON MARKETPLACE♡

marketplace.secondlife.com/en-US/stores/227049

marketplace.secondlife.com/p/BREAK-211-Warrior-SET/26372403

♡Helpful Links for BREAK!♡

- linktr.ee/breakstoresl

- www.facebook.com/breakstoresl

- www.instagram.com/breakstoresl/

- marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/227049

- discord.com/invite/PPajazqY3P

☾　♡　☾　♡　☾　♡　☾　♡　☾　♡　☾　♡　☾

Here is another Chinle outcrop I found on Oct 1 near Arizona County Road 7230. It required some bumpy driving and about 1/2 mile walking to reach. It turned out to be beautiful with mixed earth tones including pink, salmon, purple and deep red, with some white highlights. My video captured some cloud shadows passing over the site.

The rim of the formation makes it look like it is a viscous blob moving outward, but I think the border is just a stream channel along the edge below small cliffs.

Notice the difference from the previous photo, which was taken 48 miles to the north. Each Chinle outcrop has its own character, with its own palette of colors and textures. The same site can even change dramatically depending on the light. Look at some of the variety by clicking on the chinleformation tag.

To understand oneself requires patience, tolerant awareness; the self is a book of many volumes which you cannot read in a day, but when once you begin to read, you must read every word, every sentence, every paragraph for in them are the intimations of the whole. The beginning of it is the ending of it. If you know how to read, supreme wisdom is to be found.

Words by Jiddu Krishnamurti

♫ - LISA GERRARD

for Flickriver - Sophie Shapiro

.

While on my recent trip to Missouri, I stumbled across this abandoned farmhouse. It was truly a highlight of the trip since I love discovering old farmhouses and barns. (yes, the vultures are real)

He couldn't remember. Not his name, not his family, not even his birth date or why he was so angry. No country of origin, no phone numbers, no friends or pets or past loves. All he got were error messages, like so many little blinking caution lights that lit up his brain.

= = = = =

Cyborgs don't need to remember.

Requiring physical prowess, valor and a degree of flair, these bull riders cool down after their ride. Bergeron Arena, Davie, Fl, USA

© Leanne Boulton, All Rights Reserved

Candid street photography from Glasgow, Scotland. A feeling I know too well - enjoy!

I often shoot this scene in low fog and have for many years long before it became a popular spot. On this day, the emerging green hues and dappled lighting were ample for a nice frame.

Happy Macro Monday!

I've passed on the last few Macro Monday challengers as I've been busy moving. As part of the moving process, I've been assembling a lot of different pieces of furniture, lamps, etc. Figured I could use some of the small hardware to make a heart.

I recall a walk along the A55 was required and the sun only just got in by mid morning it seems.

37429 'Eisteddfod Genedlaethol' crosses with 1K61 0945 Holyhead - Crewe 22/07/00.

Havasu Canyon in Arizona is a tributary to the Grand Canyon/Colorado River from the south. It is located on the Havasupai Reservation, and advance permits are required to enter. Havasupai means "People of the blue-green water."

The trail-head for the canyon is accessible via BIA Road 18 (aka Indian Highway 18), which can only be entered off Historic Highway 66 at Peach Springs (the Hualapai Reservation).

There is a 10 mile hiking trail that begins on Hualapai Hilltop and ends at Supai village, where one can stay at a campground or a lodge.

It appears that, while part of the Havasupai Native American Reservation, Havasu Canyon is also considered to be part of the Grand Canyon National Park.

Geologically, the canyon is complicated, It is composed of mostly sedimentary rocks of both marine and terrestrial origins. I saw sandstone (with a high iron content) and marine limestone. At the bottom of the canyon, at the waterfalls, travertine is being formed at this time. Other sedimentary rocks also exist, and there is evidence of ancient volcanism and metamorphism.

A lone surfer heading down to the beach for an afternoon of surfing. He's at Ventura County Line Beach - a location the Beach Boys felt was worthy of referring to in "Surfing USA."

Nikon Coolpix L830

No color editing required, thanks to the inherent beauty of Pacific Northwest sunsets.

I think I agree with T Kubik, lucentstain, TwoGrayDogs, and "CAVE CANEM"...maybe it could use some cropping. I think I was trying to convey a feeling of isolation...as if the heron had found the only scrap of land for miles around. Maybe I'll post a cropped version sometime. Thanks for all your tips and suggestions!

(Discovery Park, Seattle, WA)

Ex B&O caboose, no couplers, no trucks, sits close to Martins in Connellsville, Pa. A friend from the area says it also used to be a store that sold CD's. It's in sad shape now.

60s rot in Toton Yd 12/08/19. The nearest line of 5 are currently up for sale, the others will likely follow with the yard requiring clearing prior to HS2 taking on the land. (I have removed a cut off light stanchion that is behind the wagons)

No WD-40 required for these two. There's so much to Dinorwig quarry. It's not just the sheer scale of the place, the grandeur and beauty of the mountains and lakes around. or the mountain goats, the ruins, the man-made inclines, the colours and textures in the slate, but the whole human history of the place. What tales these two rusty nuts might tell if they could, but I suspect they have only fallen recently. The fact is that the whole place is slowly sliding downhill and breaking up. It's never the same place on any two visits and I didn't notice this pole on the previous twenty times I must have passed this spot. But I love it. And I wish it would be there forever, but I know that even within ten to twenty years it will be very different and even more inaccessible.

Petit Andely Saint Sauveur Church: Building Chateau-Gaillard required the presence of over three thousands workers in les Andelys. The Saint-Sauveur church was built for them. Works started in 1198 and were finished four years later, in 1202, that is why the church has an outstanding unity.

Outisde, note : 1) the greek cross structure, 2) the elegant spire, 3) the blessing Christ (13th century) in the entrance of the church.

Inside, note :the gothic choir and the pipe organ, one of France's most beautiful ones. (1674)(lesandelys.com/church/)

The town of Les Andelys lies in a tight bend of the Seine. The valley has been shaped by the river, forming white cliffs. A walk on the riverside offers beautiful views on the ruined castle Chateau-Gaillard, the old houses of Petit-Andely and the Seine valley.

For Utata's Iron Photographer 349 challenge, requiring 3 separate elements:

1) something made of wood

2) something you wear

3) in the kitchen.

Salão novinho merece foto nova. Não concordam!?

Me arrumando para lavar os cabelos de uma amiga... 💖 -̖́

Brand new salon deserves new photo. Do not agree!?

Getting ready to wash a friend's hair... 💖 -̖́

Depending on your age you may not recognize the man in this picture. He was Ronald Reagan most notably host of the TV series “General Electric Theater” and “Death Valley Days.” Reagan was also a B actor and played in the frankly unbelievable comedy “Bedtime for Bonzo.”

What makes this of interest is that Reagan an otherwise minor, second rate actor is a character in a series of alternate history books (a sub-genre of science fiction) written by Tootie Hurtledore in which--incredibly enough--Reagan is elected governor of California and then (an even bigger stretch) president of the United States! While this makes for an entertaining “what if” read it ignores the fact that Reagan had no background in politics, and that the people of the most powerful nation of the world would never elect a second rate actor and TV host to be their leader. Politics is a profession that requires years of experience, thoughtfulness, intelligence and a certain ability to communicate that Reagan never possessed. For my tastes I prefer my fictional reading to be more believable.

Photo | Stable Diffusion | Photoshop

Of all the times through the years I have been down to the sea to take winter pictures, I think this was the fastest one to make my fingers as good as useless.

"Only" - 16 C (it was over -40 C up north last night) today but a stubborn wind that made it feel so much colder.

Beach of HUS, Hanko, southernmost town in Finland.

(picture taken with the phone's camera)

40058 heads through Heaton to the east of Newcastle with 7S41, the Haverton Hill to Leith Ammonia Tanks train on 31st May 1984.

Website | Twitter | Getty | 500px | Join me on Facebook

Spending your final years with a bucket on your head probably isn't what this boat would have hoped for!

Each day during the year, Flickr employs a 'secret' algorithm to select five hundred images for a daily-posted Explore page —all exemplifying some sort of 'interestingness.'

▶ During 2024, Flickr selected seventeen of my images for Explore:

☞ Percussionist in the green was my most viewed, at 10,310 views.

☞ Lanceleaf coreopsis (sepals & petals) was my most 'faved', with 282 'faves.'

☞ Tree falls into winter received the highest position (no. 78 out of 500), selected on 12 December 2024.

***************

THE FULL LIST

● ROW 1

☞ Tree falls into winter (12 December 2024)

8,534 views; 266 'faves'; 78th/500.

---> This image achieved the highest Explore position of any of my seventeen images selected.

☞ Woodland at Glenn Creek (22 November 2024)

8,766 views; 217 'faves'; 102nd/500.

☞ Purple aster (13 October 2024)

8,992 views; 232 'faves'; 150th/500.

☞ Bird of paradise, against blue wall (13 September 2024)

6,177 views; 188 'faves; 313th/500.

☞ Paddleboard morningtide (28 August 2024)

6,632 views; 128 'faves'; 479th/500.

☞ Strasburg pitches (04) (28 August 2024)

6453; 73 'faves'; 186th/500.

☞ Umbrella in the foliage (12 August 2024)

9,728 views; 171 'faves'; 92nd/500.

☞ Moving Keys (24 July 2024)

7,379 views; 103 'faves'; 351st/500.

*****

● ROW 2

☞ Gnomes' back beat on parade (26 June 2024)

8,358 views; 120 'faves'; 216th/500.

☞ Dancing to the tunes (02) (26 June 2024)

8,514 views; 118 'faves'; 157th/500.

☞ Geese, too? (19 June 2024)

6,882 views; 162 'faves'; 269th/500.

☞ Percussionist in the green (3 June 2024)

10,310 views; 119 'faves'; 85th/500.

---> The most viewed of my 2024 images, 'Explored' or not.

☞ Lanceleaf coreopsis (sepals & petals) (10 May 2024)

9,497 views; 282 'faves'; 98th/500.

---> The most 'faved' of my 2024 images, 'Explored' or not.

☞ Arabia Lake (in early spring) (24 April 2024)

7,658 views; 215 'faves'; 230/500.

☞ Arabia Mountain spring landscape (03) (5 April 2024)

8,822 views; 217 'faves'; 104th/500.

☞ Holy hellebore (5 February 2024)

6,921 views; 207 'faves'; 474th/500.

*****

● ROW 3

☞ Winter beech woodland (12 January 2024)

7,873 views; 210 'faves'; 474th/500.

***************

▶ WHAT IS EXPLORE?

"Explore is a Flickr feature with the intent of showing you 'some of the most awesome photos on Flickr.' Photos are automatically selected by computer according to a secret algorithm called Interestingness. The top 500 photos ranked by Interestingness are shown in Explore.

Does that imply that photographs not in Explore are uninteresting? Of course not. Many wonderful photos are uploaded to Flickr each day not selected for Explore. But, to serve its purpose, Explore only includes a small sampling of all of the photos on Flickr, showing photos from many different people to create a diverse selection."

— Big Huge Labs.

***************

▶ Collage created by Big Huge Labs

▶ Uploaded by: YFGF.

▶ For a larger image, type 'L' (without the quotation marks).

— Follow on Facebook: YoursForGoodFermentables.

— Follow on Instagram: @tcizauskas.

▶ Commercial use requires explicit permission, as per Creative Commons.