She is Pretty!
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The curlew is a bird which is highly skilled in avoiding yours truly.
So it was a nice surprise to get a very close encounter.
Numbers of this stunning bird are sadly on the decline, so it was nice to see them doing well locally.
Curlew - Numenius
Yorkshire Dales
Many thanks as always to all those who stop by and are kind enough to comment on or fave my photos. It is sincerely appreciated and welcome.
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"The Morteratsch Glacier (romansh: Vadret da Morteratsch) is the largest glacier by area in the Bernina Range of the Bündner Alps in Switzerland.
It is, just after the Pasterze Glacier and Gepatschferner, the third largest and by volume (1.2 km3) the most massive glacier in the eastern alps. The Morteratsch Glacier is a typical valley glacier with a pronounced ice front. The accumulation zone lies between the peaks of Piz Morteratsch, Piz Bernina, Crast' Agüzza, Piz Argient, Piz Zupò and Bellavista. From Piz Argient to the ice front in the Val Morteratsch, its horizontal extent is about ~7 km (4.3 mi), with an altitude difference of up to 2,000 m (6,600 ft). Together with the Pers Glacier, originating at Piz Palü, which joins the Morteratsch just below the rock formation Isla Persa ("Lost Isle"), it covers an area of about 16 km2 (6.2 sq mi). The volume of the ice is estimated to be about 1.2 km3. The Morteratsch Glacier drains through Inn River and Danube into the Black Sea.
In spring, depending on the snow conditions, a 10-km-long ski-run accessible to skilled skiers is marked on the glacier. It leads from the Diavolezza aerial tramway terminus to the Morteratsch inn and has an altitude difference of 1,100 m (3,600 ft). The RhB Station Morteratsch used to be situated directly at the ice front of the glacier. The ice front has receded over 1,800 m (5,900 ft) in the meantime, and cannot be seen from the station today.
Yearly length change measurements have been recorded since 1878. For the period to 1998, the overall retreat was over 1.8 km (1.1 mi) with a mean annual retreat rate of approximately 17.2 m (56 ft) per year. This long-term average has markedly increased in recent years, receding 30 m (98 ft) per year from 1999–2005. Substantial retreat was ongoing through 2006 as well.[1]
During the time that measurements have been taken, the glacier has advanced a few meters in only four years. Since the large glaciers react slowly to short-term climate changes, these advances cannot be accounted for by increased precipitation in the accumulation zone. On the high moraines to the left and right of the ice front, which are still nearly free of overgrowth, the enormous quantities of ice which were still being pushed down here at the end of the "Little Ice Age" in the middle of the 19th century can be seen.
Der Morteratschgletscher (rätoromanisch Glatscher dal Morteratsch oder Vadret da Morteratsch) ist ein Alpen-Gletscher in der Berninagruppe im Kanton Graubünden in der Schweiz. Zusammen mit dem Persgletscher ist er mit einem Volumen von rund 1,2 Kubikkilometern der volumenstärkste Gletscher der Ostalpen. Seit Beginn der systematischen Beobachtungen im Jahr 1878 hat der Gletscher 2,2 Kilometer an Länge eingebüsst, er ist heute noch rund 6,4 Kilometer lang und damit der drittlängste Gletscher der Ostalpen, nach Pasterze und Gepatschferner in den österreichischen Alpen.
Die beim Gletscherrückgang im Gletschervorfeld hinterlassenen Spuren gelten als typisch für die Alpen. Ein Gletscherlehrpfad erklärt an 20 Stationen Glaziologie, Geomorphologie und Vegetation. Entlang dieses Wanderweges stehen darüber hinaus Schilder zur Dokumentation des Gletscherrückgangs. Im Frühjahr führt eine Skiroute von der Diavolezza über den Gletscher.
Le glacier Morteratsch (en romanche : Vadret da Morteratsch) est le plus grand glacier de la chaîne de la Bernina. Il se situe dans le canton des Grisons en haute-Engadine.
Il a une longueur maximale de 7 km avec un dénivelé de 2 000 m et se termine au plus haut sur le Punta Perrucchetti à 4 020 m. Il couvre avec le glacier Pers environ 16 km2.
Entre 1878 et 1998, le glacier a reculé de 1,8 km avec une moyenne annuelle d'environ 17,2 mètres. Le recul s'est accéléré ces dernières années avec une moyenne de 30 mètres par an de 1999-2005.
À la confluence avec le glacier Pers, le glacier Morteratsch se comporte comme un barrage naturel bloquant les eaux de ruissellement et à l'origine d'un petit lac."
This informations was found at Wikipédia.
The mugger crocodile is a skilled predator that preys on a variety of species. Like other crocodilians they are ambush hunters and wait for their prey to come close. They wait camouflaged in the murky waters to launch the attack in the suitable moment. They mostly prey on fish, reptiles, birds and mammals. Reproduction takes place in winter months. Females lay eggs in nests that are holes dug in the sand. Temperature during incubation is the determinant of sex in the young. The mugger crocodile possesses the size to be a serious threat to humans, but they are not as aggressive as some other species, such as the sympatric saltwater crocodiles. They are also observed to usually avoid areas with saltwater crocodiles. Muggers are fairly social species and tolerate their conspecifics during basking and feeding.
Under the skilled hand of Mr. Tom Scott, a quartet of Lake State EMDs (SD70M/SD70M/SD40-2/SD50) rumble north through mid-Michigan with 122 cars of manifest as cats and dogs fall from the sky. I'm sure I looked like an absolute bafoon standing on the side of interstate 75, but I got the shot!
The loggerhead shrike is beautiful and a very skilled hunter. He also can be very brutal . It is the way they were created and necessary for their survival. This is the part of nature that can be difficult to see but it is nature and survival.
Wisging you a lovely and blessed evening !!
Ibises are a group of long-legged wading birds in the family Threskiornithidae, that inhabit wetlands, forests and plains. Ibises usually feed as a group, probing mud for food items, usually crustaceans. It is widespread across much of Australia. It has a predominantly white plumage with a bare, black head, long down curved bill and black legs. They are monogamous and highly territorial while nesting and feeding. Most nest in trees, often with spoonbills or herons. Due to its increasing presence in the urban environment and its habit of rummaging in garbage, the species has acquired a variety of colloquial names such as tip turkey; and bin chicken, and in recent years has become an icon of popular culture, being regarded with passion, wit, and, in equal measure, affection and disgust. 42939
One of the skilled volunteers restoring railroad equipment at the Niles Canyon Railway maintenance yard near Sunol, California.
A cockatoo is any of the 21 parrot species belonging to the family Cacatuidae, the only family in the superfamily Cacatuoidea. Along with the Psittacoidea (true parrots) and the Strigopoidea (large New Zealand parrots), they make up the order Psittaciformes. The family has a mainly Australasian distribution, ranging from the Philippines and the eastern Indonesian islands of Wallacea to New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Australia. Cockatoos are recognisable by the prominent crests and curved bills. Their plumage is generally less colourful than that of other parrots, being mainly white, grey or black and often with coloured features in the crest, cheeks or tail. On average they are larger than other parrots; however, the cockatiel, the smallest cockatoo species, is a small bird. Cockatoos prefer to eat seeds, tubers, corms, fruit, flowers and insects. They often feed in large flocks, particularly when ground-feeding. Cockatoos are monogamous and nest in tree hollows. Some cockatoo species have been adversely affected by habitat loss, particularly from a shortage of suitable nesting hollows after large mature trees are cleared; conversely, some species have adapted well to human changes and are considered agricultural pests. 8191
Ibises are a group of long-legged wading birds in the family Threskiornithidae, that inhabit wetlands, forests and plains. Ibises usually feed as a group, probing mud for food items, usually crustaceans. It is widespread across much of Australia. It has a predominantly white plumage with a bare, black head, long down curved bill and black legs. They are monogamous and highly territorial while nesting and feeding. Most nest in trees, often with spoonbills or herons. Due to its increasing presence in the urban environment and its habit of rummaging in garbage, the species has acquired a variety of colloquial names such as tip turkey; and bin chicken, and in recent years has become an icon of popular culture, being regarded with passion, wit, and, in equal measure, affection and disgust. 42470
"The pied kingfisher is a skilled hunter with remarkable abilities and interesting habits. The species is definitely one of Africa’s most interesting black and white animals.
If you evoke a kingfisher image, you see its unmistakable dagger beak. Well, the pied kingfisher is even more recognizable due to its simple black and white colors and its comparatively larger size.
It is one of the most largely populated species, ranking in the top three. These high numbers could be due to its specialized hunting abilities, which no other kingfisher species possesses.
The distinctive hunting technique of pied kingfishers has earned the species a few records. Not only are they the largest hovering bird. But they are also the only kingfishers with the ability to perform a figure of eight wing stroke.
They hunt by hovering 50-65 feet above the water and then diving headfirst (or rather, bill-first) into the water. Pied kingfishers demonstrate spectacular speed and agility on the hunt."
You may have seen them hanging out on power-lines or low hanging branches scanning the ground for prey. When hunting, they swoop down from their perches to catch bugs like grasshoppers, crickets, and beetles. Eastern Bluebirds are skilled hunters that occasionally can snatch bugs out of midair. They are also known to eat various types of berries in the winter.
Another skilled artist on the street using a plain white t-shirt as a canvas. I stood for few minutes to watch him doing this wearable, trendy and versatile work of art! It only takes 20 minutes to get a shirt done. What brilliant idea as a Christmas or birthday presents.
A cockatoo is any of the 21 parrot species belonging to the family Cacatuidae, the only family in the superfamily Cacatuoidea. Along with the Psittacoidea (true parrots) and the Strigopoidea (large New Zealand parrots), they make up the order Psittaciformes. The family has a mainly Australasian distribution, ranging from the Philippines and the eastern Indonesian islands of Wallacea to New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Australia. Cockatoos are recognisable by the prominent crests and curved bills. Their plumage is generally less colourful than that of other parrots, being mainly white, grey or black and often with coloured features in the crest, cheeks or tail. On average they are larger than other parrots; however, the cockatiel, the smallest cockatoo species, is a small bird. Cockatoos prefer to eat seeds, tubers, corms, fruit, flowers and insects. They often feed in large flocks, particularly when ground-feeding. Cockatoos are monogamous and nest in tree hollows. Some cockatoo species have been adversely affected by habitat loss, particularly from a shortage of suitable nesting hollows after large mature trees are cleared; conversely, some species have adapted well to human changes and are considered agricultural pests. 14796
Built of native sandstone by skilled English stone masons, this early Anglican Church was erected to meet the spiritual needs of a group of people who came over from England in the 1830’s to settle the prairies of western Peoria county here in Illinois. One of the oldest churches in the area, there are sister churches to this one in Brimfield and Robin’s Nest (Jubilee). With Bishop Philander Chase nearby and a seminary for training young ministers established at Robin’s Nest, it looked like there was a fair chance that the western Peoria county prairie would be modeled after Yorkshire England. In Southern Illinois at a place called Albion, there was already an earlier successful English prairie settlement started by a man named George Flowers. At this early date the prairies of Illinois were completely up for grabs because they were considered undesirable for settlement due to a shortage of available wood for building housing and for heating and cooking. The English with their extensive knowledge of building with stone and heating with coal which is very abundant in Illinois were undeterred by the prairie conditions which caused American settlers to shun the prairies in their search for inhabitable lands. To this day a glance at the telephone book will reveal a large number of English surnames among the local population. These people came to stay and are an important part of the state’s establishment though they seem to be largely forgotten in discussions of early Illinois settlement. They were educated, skilled, and religiously devout.
The Merlin is a small species of falcon from the Northern Hemisphere, throughout North America and Eurasia. It is a bird of prey once known colloquially as a pigeon hawk in North America They are swift fliers and skilled hunters who specialize in preying on small birds in the size range of sparrows to quail. The Merlin has for centuries been well regarded as a falconry bird. In recent decades merlin populations in North America have been significantly increasing.
It's hard to capture the grandeur adequately. Every surface inside is covered with beautiful mosaics. We were told that the mosaic artists were the most skilled artists from the Byzantine Empire. The Church was set up for a wedding being held there shortly after we left.
This was taken earlier in the week at Micheldever in Hampshire. I take my hat off to all the accomplished woodland photographers out there - I think it’s probably the trickiest genre of all and most definitely requires a very skilled eye to find something coherent amidst all of the busyness found in the typical woodland.
"Basch was a skilled blacksmith and worked for farmers in the vicinity of Port Oneida. He also was a carpenter, who helped to build farms and churches in Port Oneida, Good Harbor, and Arcadia.
The farmhouse reflects the carpentry skills of the Basch family. The window pediments and gables feature ornate wood details, and the gable porch pediment has a decorative sunburst pattern. The vernacular Queen Anne house has an irregular floor plan, two stories, a gable roof with several one story cross-gables, and clapboard siding with cornerboards. The use of fieldstones in the foundation of the house porch and pillars was a common practice in Port Oneida."
Great Blue Herons are skilled predators that use their sharp, spear-like beaks to stab prey, such as fish and frogs, in shallow water.
The great blue heron is the largest heron native to North America. It exhibits a minor degree of sexual dimorphism; males are slightly larger than females, but otherwise the sexes are not easily outwardly distinguishable. It has a head-to-tail length of 91–137 cm (36–54 in), a wingspan of 167–201 cm (66–79 in), a height of 115–138 cm (45–54 in), and a weight of 1.82–3.6 kg (4.0–7.9 lb)
The fish in the photo is an invasive species in Florida often originating from home aquariums, known for its tough, armored plating.
To consume large, spiny fish like this, the heron must kill the prey first and then swallow it whole, headfirst, to prevent the fins from getting caught in its throat.
Despite the fish's armor, these herons are capable of digesting them, though it may require significant effort to flip and swallow such a large, prickly meal.
This image was taken at the Big Cypress Oasis Visitor Center along the Tamiami Trail in Southern Florida, USA
This guy was handling the huge waves very well and just making it all look so easy! Great to watch in action.
Taken near the mouth of the Moyne river at Port Fairy, Victoria.
Parakeets are skilled at many things, one of which is craning their necks around to check for cats. They are always very cautious before they descend down to the bird feeders and rightly so as there are one or two visiting cats now who don't hesitate to leap up high or shin up trees in hot pursuit.
While skilled in many disciplines, from painting to sculpture to metal work, artist Lowell Davis is perhaps best known for his farm animal figurines, distributed to thousands of gift shops across North America. Lowell was often called the “Norman Rockwell of Rural Art”. His home, Red Oak II, is just outside of Carthage, Missouri. Lowell depicts himself in this art piece, "The Flying Wagon". RIP Lowell, we all miss you!
Seen in the Museé Rodin in Paris.
The lovers depicted are Francesca da Rimini and Paulo Malatesta, her husband's brother, as featured in Dante's 'Inferno'. [Dante himself is the subject of Rodin's famous 'The Thinker' statues]
In the story, the lovers are discovered by Francesca's husband, and, let's just say, it did not end well for them.
Rodin would have made an original small model, probably in clay, from which a team of skilled craftsmen and artisans would make enlarged copies and casts. Rodin would then make finishing touches to those sculptures. Therefore, numerous 'originals' of various sizes can be said to exist.
The one pictured here was the first large-scale model, ordered by the French Government for an exhibition in 1898. A smaller bronze version sent for display at an 1893 Exhibition in Chicago was considered too risqué for public display and could only be viewed by personal application - a bit like having to register for certain web-sites nowadays.....
Rodin's genius for sculpting detailed anatomical detail is clearrly visible in this most beautiful sculpture.
A farrier is a skilled craftsperson with a sound knowledge of both theory and practice of the craft, capable of shoeing all types of equine feet, whether normal or defective, of making shoes to suit all types of work and working conditions, and of devising corrective measures to compensate for faulty limb action.