(A) BEAUTIFUL WORLD RAILWAY JOURNEY THEN AND NOW
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Firecrest - Regulus ignicapilla
The common firecrest (Regulus ignicapilla) also known as the firecrest, is a very small passerine bird in the kinglet family. It breeds in most of temperate Europe and northwestern Africa, and is partially migratory, with birds from central Europe wintering to the south and west of their breeding range.
The head crest, orange in the male and yellow in the female, is displayed during breeding, and gives rise to the English and scientific names for the species. This bird superficially resembles the goldcrest, which largely shares its European range, but the firecrest's bronze shoulders and strong face pattern are distinctive.
The common firecrest breeds in lowland broadleaf forest, preferring cork oak and alder where available, otherwise beech and holly. It also uses mixed broadleaf and conifer woodland, and stands of spruce, European silver fir, cedar and pines, often with undergrowth of juniper, ivy and wild rose. In drier Mediterranean habitats it is found in conifers, evergreen oak, and mixed woodlands up to 2,800 m (9,200 ft). Unlike more specialised birds such as Eurasian nuthatch and common treecreeper, both of which forage on trunks, the crests do not need large woodlands, and their population density is independent of forest size. In winter it is less reliant on conifers than the goldcrest, moving from forest to fringes and scrub. It occurs singly or in pairs, spending much time in the tree canopy, although frequently venturing into bushes and other lower vegetation. This species can thrive in fairly urban areas, provided that suitable habitat is available in parks or large gardens; population densities in gardens can be comparable with the maximum levels found in natural habitats.
Population:
UK breeding:
550 territories
Osprey - Pandion haliaetus
The osprey or more specifically the western osprey (Pandion haliaetus) — also called sea hawk, river hawk, and fish hawk — is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey with a cosmopolitan range. It is a large raptor, reaching more than 60 cm (24 in) in length and 180 cm (71 in) across the wings. It is brown on the upperparts and predominantly greyish on the head and underparts.
The osprey tolerates a wide variety of habitats, nesting in any location near a body of water providing an adequate food supply. It is found on all continents except Australia and Antarctica, although in South America it occurs only as a non-breeding migrant.
As its other common names suggest, the osprey's diet consists almost exclusively of fish. It possesses specialised physical characteristics and exhibits unique behaviour to assist in hunting and catching prey. As a result of these unique characteristics, it has been given its own taxonomic genus, Pandion and family, Pandionidae. Three subspecies are usually recognized; one of the former subspecies, cristatus, has recently been given full species status and is referred to as the eastern osprey.
Firecrest - Regulus ignicapilla
The common firecrest (Regulus ignicapilla) also known as the firecrest, is a very small passerine bird in the kinglet family. It breeds in most of temperate Europe and northwestern Africa, and is partially migratory, with birds from central Europe wintering to the south and west of their breeding range.
The head crest, orange in the male and yellow in the female, is displayed during breeding, and gives rise to the English and scientific names for the species. This bird superficially resembles the goldcrest, which largely shares its European range, but the firecrest's bronze shoulders and strong face pattern are distinctive.
The common firecrest breeds in lowland broadleaf forest, preferring cork oak and alder where available, otherwise beech and holly. It also uses mixed broadleaf and conifer woodland, and stands of spruce, European silver fir, cedar and pines, often with undergrowth of juniper, ivy and wild rose. In drier Mediterranean habitats it is found in conifers, evergreen oak, and mixed woodlands up to 2,800 m (9,200 ft). Unlike more specialised birds such as Eurasian nuthatch and common treecreeper, both of which forage on trunks, the crests do not need large woodlands, and their population density is independent of forest size. In winter it is less reliant on conifers than the goldcrest, moving from forest to fringes and scrub. It occurs singly or in pairs, spending much time in the tree canopy, although frequently venturing into bushes and other lower vegetation. This species can thrive in fairly urban areas, provided that suitable habitat is available in parks or large gardens; population densities in gardens can be comparable with the maximum levels found in natural habitats.
Population:
UK breeding:
550 territories
Firecrest - Regulus ignicapilla
The common firecrest (Regulus ignicapilla) also known as the firecrest, is a very small passerine bird in the kinglet family. It breeds in most of temperate Europe and northwestern Africa, and is partially migratory, with birds from central Europe wintering to the south and west of their breeding range.
The head crest, orange in the male and yellow in the female, is displayed during breeding, and gives rise to the English and scientific names for the species. This bird superficially resembles the goldcrest, which largely shares its European range, but the firecrest's bronze shoulders and strong face pattern are distinctive.
The common firecrest breeds in lowland broadleaf forest, preferring cork oak and alder where available, otherwise beech and holly. It also uses mixed broadleaf and conifer woodland, and stands of spruce, European silver fir, cedar and pines, often with undergrowth of juniper, ivy and wild rose. In drier Mediterranean habitats it is found in conifers, evergreen oak, and mixed woodlands up to 2,800 m (9,200 ft). Unlike more specialised birds such as Eurasian nuthatch and common treecreeper, both of which forage on trunks, the crests do not need large woodlands, and their population density is independent of forest size. In winter it is less reliant on conifers than the goldcrest, moving from forest to fringes and scrub. It occurs singly or in pairs, spending much time in the tree canopy, although frequently venturing into bushes and other lower vegetation. This species can thrive in fairly urban areas, provided that suitable habitat is available in parks or large gardens; population densities in gardens can be comparable with the maximum levels found in natural habitats.
Population:
UK breeding:
550 territories
This bird resembles a plover, but has very long grey legs and a strong heavy black bill similar to a tern. Its black-and-white plumage and long-necked upright posture with heavy bill makes it distinctive and unmistakable. Its bill is unique among waders, and specialised for eating crabs. It has partially webbed toes. The plumage is white except for black on its back and in the primary feathers of the wings. They are noisy birds, calling frequently on their breeding sites and in their wintering grounds.
* Ce sont des bateaux madurais (perahu slerek), la majorité de la population locale étant d’origine maduraise. Ces bateaux de 24 m de long, sont construits selon les règles de l’art par des artisans madurais spécialisés et ne coutent pas moins de 30000 euros….Il faut au moins 3-4 mois pour construire un tel bateau. Leur forme daterait de l’époque du royaume javanais de Mojopahit et remonterait donc au XVe siècle !
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These are Madurese boats (perahu slerek), the majority of the local population being of Madurese origin. These boats are 24m long and are built according to the rules of the art by specialised Madurese craftsmen and cost no less than 30000 euros.... It takes at least 3-4 months to build such a boat. Their shape dates back to the time of the Javanese kingdom of Mojopahit and thus to the 15th century!
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Se trata de barcos madurenses (perahu slerek), ya que la mayoría de la población local es de origen madurense. Estas embarcaciones tienen 24 m de eslora, están construidas según las reglas del arte por artesanos madurenses especializados y cuestan no menos de 30000 euros..... Se necesitan al menos 3-4 meses para construir una embarcación así. Su forma se remonta a la época del reino javanés de Mojopahit y, por tanto, al siglo XV.
Dutch Quality Flowers B.V is a family business established in 1989. With more than 25 years of experience they specialised in the daily export to UK of an extensive assortment of quality fresh flowers straight from the Dutch flower auction.
After a well-deserved night rest we got up early and our first visit was the Wellington Botanic Gardens!
Wellington Botanic Garden is a 25ha of unique landscape, protected native forest, conifers, specialised plant collections, colourful floral displays and views over Wellington city.
The garden is classified as a Garden of National Significance by the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture and is an Historic Places Trust Heritage Area.
The Main Garden begins just inside the Founders' Entrance gates on Glenmore Street and includes the duck pond. A focal point of the Main Garden is the pavilion.
Darwin’s finches are distinguished by their highly specialised beaks, which enable each species to occupy a different ecological niche. The ground finches (Geospiza sp.) feed mainly on the ground and are generally granivorous, but also feed on arthropods and the fruit of Opuntia cacti.
The technique of the "light painting" is something that one can do with just a flashlight or with specialised lamps. But the real complexity in it is to balance artificial light with the natural one during the time of a long exposition. Really difficult but not impossible, soon I will write something about that, but meanwhile I've just released an easy guide for the nigtht photography, go and check it.
This bird resembles a plover, but has very long grey legs and a strong heavy black bill similar to a tern. Its black-and-white plumage and long-necked upright posture with heavy bill makes it distinctive and unmistakable. Its bill is unique among waders, and specialised for eating crabs. It has partially webbed toes. The plumage is white except for black on its back and in the primary feathers of the wings. They are noisy birds, calling frequently on their breeding sites and in their wintering grounds.
… well, she’s an African hunting dog, a highly specialised predator. In her mind, is the little girl she is staring at so intensely entertaining or potentially tasty ?
Secret Garden is an Irish-Norwegian band specialised in new instrumental music, led by the duo consisting of Irish violinist and singer Fionnuala Sherry and Norwegian composer, arranger and pianist Rolf Løvland.[1]
Nocturne - Secret Garden - Norway 1995 - Eurovision songs with live orchestra
for "Smile on Saturday! :-)"
Theme : PORTRAY the name of A MUSIC BAND" - June 12, 2021.
An amazing looking Bird - the secretary bird. With its long legs, well protected by hard scales, this bird is specialised to hunt snakes in the african savannah. I really love their "attitude" - aren't these feathers stylish? 😄
Please respect my copyright. No use of the photo without my expressly permission.
And: I don't like Comment-Codes, "awards", or such groups. Because of that, Comment codes, "Awards" and invitations in such groups will be deleted. There is an Explanation at my profile.
So, if you want to say something about my photo, it will be really appreciated, no matter if it's about liking or some constructive criticism. Your own thoughts and words will mean much more to me than a universal-text.
Also please don't post pictures in the commenting-area. You could post them much better in your own photo stream. ;-D
This bird resembles a plover, but has very long grey legs and a strong heavy black bill similar to a tern. Its black-and-white plumage and long-necked upright posture with heavy bill makes it distinctive and unmistakable. Its bill is unique among waders, and specialised for eating crabs. It has partially webbed toes. The plumage is white except for black on its back and in the primary feathers of the wings. They are noisy birds, calling frequently on their breeding sites and in their wintering grounds.
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, ACT.
Addendum, 13 Aug 2023.
Basin Creek burn, 2018, Mathew Barney b 1967. cast and machined brass, cast copper and cast polyester, cast by Walla Walla Foundry, Washington State.
Formed from a giant tree burnt by lighting in the Sawtooth Mountains, Idaho. The detail casting suggests an ancient artefact from another era. The work appears as a piece of specialised equipment perched on a customised stand. The sculpture is a part of a larger multimedia project, Redoubt 2016-19, exploring the natural world and the human condition. "Redoubt" refers to the defensive military fortification associated with the American survivalist movement.
I somehow preferred ignorance with the suspicion it may have fallen from an alien spaceship. :-)
#MacroMondays
#Swag
I don't have many freebies lying around, so my choice was pretty limited – which isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially when it comes to MMs :) In fact, my two possible subjects were a red RFID-safe envelope for credit cards and the cap of an old all-metal ballpen. Since neither the material (regarding its surface texture) nor the imprint on the RFID envelope looked interesting in close-up, my "choice" was an easy one this time – aka the best choice sometimes is no choice ;)
The pen cap I've photographed for "Swag" is lacquered in a very beautiful, shiny, deep blue tone, a hue between dark and royal blue, and the company's name is printed onto the cap in thin golden letters. It says "Knorr Alarm und Elektronik GmbH" (which I probably don't have to translate for you; the English equivalent for "GmbH" is Ltd.). The company Knorr is specialised in key and lockout services and all kinds of security/safety technologies such as locks, alarm systems, smoke detectors... You name it, they've got it.
The part of the pen cap and clip you can see in my photo is about 3 cm / 1,18 inches long which also is the width of the frame. It's a single shot, and the most tricky part here was to get the angle of view so that only a small part of the lettering is legible and the rest dissolves into nice bokeh. I focused on "Alarm" simply because that word is similar (or identical) in many languages and doesn't need a translation. Processed in DXO PL6, Lightroom with a little bit of Color Efex magic as a finishing touch.
HMM, Everyone!
The name of the genus was given as a tribute to Italian botanist Giovanni Zantedeschi (1773–1846) .
Takes the form of a solitary pseudanthium (false flower), with a showy white or yellow spathe (a specialised petal like bract) shaped like a funnel with a yellow, central, finger-like spadix, which carries the true flowers.
Darwin’s finches are distinguished by their highly specialised beaks, which enable each species to occupy a different ecological niche. The ground finches (Geospiza sp.) feed mainly on the ground and are generally granivorous, but also feed on arthropods and the fruit of Opuntia cacti.
A Secretary Bird - African Raptor, specialised in hunting snakes and - if there's nothing else to do - posing at photoshootings. 😁
Please respect my copyright. No use of the photo without my expressly permission.
And: I don't like Comment-Codes, "awards", or such groups. Because of that, Comment codes and "Awards" as well as group invitations into such groups will be deleted. There is an Explanation at my profile.
So, if you want to say something about my photo, it will be really appreciated, no matter if it's about liking or some constructive criticism. Your own thoughts and words will mean much more to me than a universal-text or an explosion of emojis; so it would be wonderful if you also could renounce using too many emojis - dont flood us with them please.
Also please don't post pictures in the commenting-area. You could post them much better in your own photo stream. ;-D
This bird resembles a plover, but has very long grey legs and a strong heavy black bill similar to a tern. Its black-and-white plumage and long-necked upright posture with heavy bill makes it distinctive and unmistakable. Its bill is unique among waders, and specialised for eating crabs. It has partially webbed toes. The plumage is white except for black on its back and in the primary feathers of the wings. They are noisy birds, calling frequently on their breeding sites and in their wintering grounds.
I looked through my archives for a bench photograph and found this one. I took it at Carsington Water in Derbyshire, UK, in November 2014. My family specialised in cold winter picnics at dusk. Here’s my Dad and niece watching birds in the gloom, flask of coffee to hand.
I’ve edited the photograph in Snapseed. It’s now square, grainy and blue/greenish. I only managed to get it onto Sliders Sunday after several attempts. The Flickr Moderation bot had changed its safety level, thereby making it ineligible. I changed the safety level back to safe. HSS!
This is the road bridge on the Alnmouth Estuary just as tide tide was flooding in. The canoeist is drifting along with the rising tide
Alnmouth is a coastal village in Northumberland, England, situated 4 miles east-south-east of Alnwick. Located at the mouth of the River Aln, The estuary is tidal and the photo show the estuary at low tide
The village had a port supporting a small fishing industry and engaging in national and international trade. It was for a time a leading north-east centre for the export of grain and other foodstuffs, especially to London; and specialised in the import of timber and slate. Port activities declined at the end of the 19th century
Cordulephya pygmaea - female
Family: Cordulephyidae
Suborder Anisoptera (dragonflies)
Order: Odenata
These unique dragonflies are only found in Australia and have this unusual habit of holding the wings shut like Damselflies.
I am puzzled by the red wing tab (pterostigma). All the photos I have seen of this species have more muted colours for the wing tabs.
Location is the Eurobodalla Botanic Gardens on the south coast of NSW, Australia.
This addition means I have now photographed 13 species of odenata at the Eurobodalla Botanic Gardens this year. I think that is pretty remarkable since the gardens were burned completely in the 2019/2020 bushfires.
Jeff Melville has the following summary which is so concise I thought worth sharing :
“This Australian endemic species has so many peculiarities!
Most obviously atypical, it's a dragonfly (Anisoptera) that perches with wings closed; only the other three endemic Australian species of the genus also do that. The forward-facing eyes, meeting all along the midline above the frons, confirm that it's Anisopteran, and the presence of a single inferior terminal appendage in this male is definitive, although you might have to squint a little to see it in these views.
The wings contradict the Anisopteran stereotype most thoroughly. The forewings are almost identical to the hindwings in size, shape and venation, although it's difficult to see that when they are closed; these images from the wing scans taken by John Tann from museum specimens set with the wings open show the extent of the similarity:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordulephya_pygmaea#/media/File:Cor...(34928000211).jpg
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordulephya_pygmaea#/media/File:Cor...(34928003441).jpg
The most noticeable departure from the Anisopteran norm is that the hind wings are so narrow at the base, and reach their greatest width near the middle, like the forewings. The most specialised members of family Libellulidae, such as the Flutterers (Rhyothemis), have hindwings that are widest at the base and taper all the way to the tip; presumably this gives much better aerodynamic flow when moving at speed. You can see from the side-on views of C. pygmaea how much damage to the wing base might occur opening and closing such wings on a rocky substrate; the bases would trail on the ground in the closed position.
Cordulephya species seem to have taken the option of a damselfly lifestyle, while retaining the eye and appendage structure that identifies them as dragonflies, and the internal pumped larval gills that give them a metabolic advantage in waters with lower oxygen content. Does it help the adults to be able to crawl in more confined spaces than a species with permanently open wings? Does this harmonise with a flight time calendar that avoids the peak season for more voracious species that might prey on them? Interesting to speculate.”
DSC06027
Kirkpatrick Brothers Limited (KBLd) operated from 1873 to 1931 as bleachers, dyers and finishers.
They specialised in producing organdie - an almost transparent cotton that was made by passing the cloth through a bath of concentrated sulphuric acid.
The business was later sold to the Lancashire Combined Bleachers' Association, then to Whitecroft and finally to Flaxall in 1976.
By this stage the processing of cloth had stopped and the factory was concentrating on the ‘Linron’ process for bleaching and blending flax fibre with other yarns.
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On the cross, just before he died, Jesus said "It is finished" (John 19:30). Not "I am finished", but "It is finished". The work or salvation was finished and complete. The purpose of His coming - to die in the place of sinners; to take the punishment for our sins that we deserved - it was finished, once and for all.
If we trust in His finished work on our behalf, we can receive the gift of salvation.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
(Romans 6:23)
Tofu may be specialised on birds but during his birdwatching activities he sometimes gets sidetracked by our resident squirrel. The squirrel isn't afraid of cats at all, he rather teases them and after a while he disappears into the garden of the dogs. He seems to know that the cats won't follow him there. All Tofu can do is watch the squirrel from the safe side of the fence
The photo was taken a few days ago when it was warm and sunny. Today Tofu either sleeps or he watches the birds and the squirrel from the living room window as it is cold and snowing.
Der Afrikanische Wildhund ist der größte wild lebende Hund der afrikanischen Savanne. Als Rudeltier jagt er vor allem größere Beutetiere wie Gazellen. Nur das dominante Paar innerhalb eines Rudels pflanzt sich fort, die Nachkommen werden gemeinschaftlich im Rudel aufgezogen. Das Verbreitungsgebiet des Afrikanischen Wildhundes erstreckt sich über die gesamte afrikanische Savannenlandschaft.
The African wild dog is a canine native to sub-Saharan Africa.
The species is a specialised diurnal hunter of antelopes, which it catches by chasing them to exhaustion.
Plagiotremus rhinorhynchos, commonly called the bluestriped fangblenny, is a species of combtooth blenny found in coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian ocean. This species reaches a length of 12 centimetres (4.7 in). It is also known as the bluestriped blenny, bluestriped sabretooth blenny, blunt-nose blenny, cleaner mimic, tube-worm blenny or the two-stripe blenny. They hide in deserted worm tubes or other small holes.
The fangblenny is a specialised mimic of juvenile bluestreak cleaner wrasse. Those fish serve as cleaners to larger host fish, which attend to have ectoparasites removed. The fangblenny does no cleaning, but bites the host fish and leaves. Its opioid-containing venom helps it escape, as it gives a pain-free bite which also dulls the host's reactions. (Wikipedia) Mabini, South Luzon, Philippines.
In Margareten, the 5th district if Vienna
The plans for this apartment building complex originate from the architecture studio Fellner & Helmer of the two architects Ferdinand Fellner and Hermann Helmer, who specialised in theatre and concert buildings.
The greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) is the most widespread and largest species of the flamingo family. It is found in Africa, the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, and in southern Europe. It is the largest living species of flamingo, averaging 110–150 cm (43–59 in) tall and weighing 2–4 kg (4.4–8.8 lb). The largest male flamingos have been recorded at up to 187 cm (74 in) tall and 4.5 kg (9.9 lb).
The lesser flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor) is a species of flamingo occurring in sub-Saharan Africa and northwestern India.[4] Birds are occasionally reported from further north, but these are generally considered vagrants. It is the smallest species of flamingo, though it is a tall and large bird by most standards. The species can weigh from 1.2 to 2.7 kg (2.6 to 6.0 lb). The standing height is around 80 to 90 cm (31 to 35 in). The total length (from beak to tail) and wingspan are in the same range of measurements, from 90 to 105 cm (35 to 41 in). Most of the plumage is pinkish white.
The clearest difference between the lessor and the greater flamingo, the only other Old World species of flamingo, is the much more extensive black on the bill. Size is less helpful unless the species are together, since the sexes of each species also differ in height.
The lesser flamingo may be the most numerous species of flamingo, with a population that (at its peak) probably numbered up to two million individual birds. This species feeds primarily on Spirulina, algae which grow only in very alkaline lakes. Presence of flamingo groups near water bodies is indication of sodic alkaline water which is not suitable for irrigation use. Although blue-green in colour, the algae contain the photosynthetic pigments that give the birds their pink colour. Their deep bill is specialised for filtering tiny food items.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_flamingo
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesser_flamingo
Lake Amboseli is located in the Nyiri Desert (also called Taru or Nyika Desert ) that stretches along southern border of Kenya and Tanzania. The name ‘lake’ is a bit of a misnomer as for most of the year all it is is a massive flat desert pan with no water in it, except after extended rains, when it becomes an alkaline lake.
"Solar compression", 2016
- palazzo Strozzi, Firenze; mostra "Nel tuo tempo"
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The works of artist Olafur Eliasson explore the relevance of art in the world at large. Born in 1967, Eliasson grew up in Iceland and Denmark, where he studied from 1989 to 1995 at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. In 1995, he moved to Berlin and founded Studio Olafur Eliasson, which today comprises a large team of craftsmen, architects, archivists, researchers, administrators, cooks, programmers, art historians, and specialised technicians.
• Lesser flamingo
• Flamenco enano, flamenco chico
Scientific classification:
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Aves
Order:Phoenicopteriformes
Family:Phoenicopteridae
Genus:Phoeniconaias
Species:P. minor
The lesser flamingo is a species of flamingo occurring in sub-Saharan Africa and western India. Birds are occasionally reported from further north, but these are generally considered vagrants.
This is the smallest species of flamingo, though it is a tall and large bird by most standards. Most of the plumage is pinkish white. The clearest difference between this species and the greater flamingo, the only other Old World species of flamingo, is the much more extensive black on the bill. Size is less helpful unless the species are together, since the sexes of each species also differ in height.
This species may be the most numerous species of flamingo, with a population that (at its peak) probably numbered up to two million individual birds. This species feeds primarily on Spirulina, algae which grow only in very alkaline lakes. Presence of flamingo groups near water bodies is indication of sodic alkaline water which is not suitable for irrigation use. Although blue-green in colour, the algae contain the photosynthetic pigments that give the birds their pink colour. Their deep bill is specialised for filtering tiny food items.
Oasis Wildlife Fuerteventura, La Lajita, Fuerteventura, Islas Canarias
When I worked in Sweden in the early 1980’s, I taught several groups of managers and technical staff at LM Ericssons, the Swedish telecommunications concern, in their factory at Karlskrona on the South Baltic Coast. Apart from teaching advanced general and conversational English, I also had quite a few staff from the technical section who had more specialised needs.
When I eventually left to return to England, one of the leaving gifts was a set of playing cards, neatly printed Ericssons!
The Royal Star and Garter Home on Richmond Hill, in Richmond, London, was built between 1921 and 1924 to a design by Sir Edwin Cooper, based on a plan produced by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in 1915, to provide accommodation and nursing facilities for 180 seriously injured servicemen.
The site was then donated to Queen Mary (consort of George V) in support of her plans to establish a home for paralysed and permanently disabled soldiers. The hotel banqueting hall and ballroom were temporarily used to house disabled soldiers, but they were found to be unsuitable for their specialised needs. Demolition of the hotel buildings commenced in 1919 and from 1920 to 1924 the home's residents were transferred to Sandgate, Kent, while the new Star and Garter Home for Disabled Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen was built on the site of the hotel. The new building was dedicated in 1924 as the Women of the Empire's Memorial of the Great War.[13] It was formally opened by George V and Queen Mary on 10 July 1924.
Green wood hoopoe (Phoeniculus purpureus), a large, up to 44 cm (17 in) long tropical bird native to Africa. It is a member of the family Phoeniculidae, the wood hoopoes, and was formerly known as the red-billed wood hoopoe. The green wood hoopoe is an insect-eating species. It feeds mainly on the ground, at termite mounds, or on tree trunks, and forms flocks outside the breeding season. Its specialised claws enable it to cling easily to the underside of branches while closely inspecting the bark for insects.
Santawani Concession, Botswana, Africa
Conservation Status: Least Concern
Thank you for your views and comments. They are all greatly appreciated.
The tiny snail understands the importance of drinking lots of water to stay hydrated in the very hot weather.
For Macro Mondays theme 'Drips, Drops and Splashes'.
I purchased a small anthurium houseplant a few weeks ago. The 'flower' is actually a specialised leaf known as a spathe and the central yellow spike is the spadix that holds the tiny true flowers arranged in a spiral. The spadix on this plant was just under 3cm tall.
There was no problem in getting a water drop to balance on the tip of the spadix - what took more trouble was getting the snail to do something amusing before it knocked the water drop off (and I had to start over!).
No snails were harmed in the making of this photograph.
Der Afrikanische Wildhund ist der größte wild lebende Hund der afrikanischen Savanne. Als Rudeltier jagt er vor allem größere Beutetiere wie Gazellen. Nur das dominante Paar innerhalb eines Rudels pflanzt sich fort, die Nachkommen werden gemeinschaftlich im Rudel aufgezogen. Das Verbreitungsgebiet des Afrikanischen Wildhundes erstreckt sich über die gesamte afrikanische Savannenlandschaft.
The African wild dog is a canine native to sub-Saharan Africa.
The species is a specialised diurnal hunter of antelopes, which it catches by chasing them to exhaustion.
I don't take photographs of birds because this genre of photography is very specialised, and I am not good enough at it. However, whilst minding my own business at Palm Beach the other day - walking along the track behind the sand dunes - this large bird - a kookaburra - descended from somewhere and sat on the fence right in front of me. He would not move. So I thought well I may as well put him on Flickr.
So - here he is. Kookaburra at Palm Beach, Sydney. Unexpected.
My Canon EOS 5D Mk IV, with the Canon 24-105mm lens
Lesbos has a real charm. When visiting from a country where everything comes in a supermarket, it is refreshing to find a town where every kind of fare is sold in a specialised shop.
Adults have red feet and eyes. Snail kites are specialised feeders. They use their distinctively hooked bills to winkle out the flesh of shelled animals, mainly aquatic apple snails (Ampullariidae), but also small terrapins. They will take crayfish too and occasionally rodents. Snail kites breed from Florida to Argentina.
150815 003-2
Another one from that lively Sunday two weeks ago where it looks like the cloud is about to knock the Norman church for six! Actually it wasn't stormy, just really interesting cloud formations.
I've been a bit quiet on Flickr and probably will be for a little while yet. From tomorrow I'll be away at a specialised Lyme clinic for a month to have some medical treatment. I must stress it's not critical treatment (like chemo or anything) but just necessary if I'm to get on with my life!
Back home for weekends if I'm good!!
And if I'm up to it, the clinic is very near to one of the best bluebell woods in England, my treatment coinciding with the time they are at their best.
This feels like a good omen. Have a great Sunday x
With over 3000 species of Ichneumonid wasps in Poland, identifying them can be very difficult. I just finally managed to get help with the genus for this one and located a key to try to id the species. It turned out to be a very specialised and rare insect. The reason for this is that it only parasitises caterpillars of rare large blue (Phengaris sp) butterflies. Although I have not seen the adult butterflies in the area, the presence of this wasp is proof that they are there.
A Secretary bird - member of the falconry of the bird park Walsrode. These birds are raptors who are specialised to hunt snakes which they beat with their strong long legs to death.
This guy here is called "Sock" and reminds me a bit of an orchestra conductor. :-D
This bird resembles a plover, but has very long grey legs and a strong heavy black bill similar to a tern. Its black-and-white plumage and long-necked upright posture with heavy bill makes it distinctive and unmistakable. Its bill is unique among waders, and specialised for eating crabs. It has partially webbed toes. The plumage is white except for black on its back and in the primary feathers of the wings. They are noisy birds, calling frequently on their breeding sites and in their wintering grounds.
A male Crossbill eyes up another pine cone which it will pick from the tree and then extract the seeds with its specialised bill.
This bird resembles a plover, but has very long grey legs and a strong heavy black bill similar to a tern. Its black-and-white plumage and long-necked upright posture with heavy bill makes it distinctive and unmistakable. Its bill is unique among waders, and specialised for eating crabs. It has partially webbed toes. The plumage is white except for black on its back and in the primary feathers of the wings. They are noisy birds, calling frequently on their breeding sites and in their wintering grounds.
Okavango Delta
Botswana
Southern Africa
The African wild dog (Lycaon pictus), also called painted dog and Cape hunting dog, is a wild canine native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is the largest wild canine in Africa, and the only extant member of the genus Lycaon, which is distinguished from Canis by dentition highly specialised for a hypercarnivorous diet and by a lack of dewclaws.
It is estimated that there are around 6,600 adults (including 1,400 mature individuals) living in 39 subpopulations, all threatened by habitat fragmentation, human persecution and outbreaks of disease. As the largest subpopulation probably consists of fewer than 250 individuals, the African wild dog has been listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List since 1990.
The African wild dog is a specialized hunter of terrestrial ungulates, mostly hunting at dawn and dusk, but also displays diurnal activity. It captures its prey by using stamina and cooperative hunting to exhaust them.
Its natural competitors are lions and spotted hyenas: the former will kill the dogs where possible whilst the latter are frequent kleptoparasites. Like other canids, the African wild dog regurgitates food for its young but also extends this action to adults as a central part of the pack's social unit. The young have the privilege of feeding first on carcasses.
The African wild dog has been revered in several hunter-gatherer societies, particularly those of the San people and Prehistoric Egypt. – Wikipedia