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"Keep close to Nature's heart ...
and break clear away, once in awhile,
and climb a mountain
or spend a week in the woods.
Wash your spirit clean."
~ John Muir ~
Happy Fence Friday, Everyone!
I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to spend a lot of quality time with the Kingfishers earlier this summer - but as a result have ended up with a lot of very similar shots (but you can never have too many Kingfisher shots). This one however is a bit different - the test is probably having to give it a second look or zoom in to work out what is going on!
The background is a result of the dark water behind the perch and the angle of the sun first thing in the morning.
After spending time on Little Round Top the prior day, I couldn't sleep well. So, I got up and went out for a walk. Here is a view of the former town square of Gettysburg, now a roundabout. A statue of Lincoln commemorates his stay at the David Wills' house, towards which his hat is pointed, where he polished up his famous Gettysburg Address. It is now a National Park site. In the background is the Gettysburg Hotel, a former county courthouse. This is such an important piece of our American heritage.
Have a wonderful weekend my friends. Thank you for all your wonderful comments and invites they are really appreciated!
Texture by Joes Sistah Thanks!
Spend some time in the quiet of a forest. It’s good for the sole. However, this particular trip ended up being good for the legs as well, as I was chased out of it in the end by a momma moose :)
After spending some time grazing on the sedge grasses that are exposed at low time in the estuary, the mother grizzly and yearling cub land safely back onshore near their den at high tide, Khutzeymateen estuary, BC. The mother bear is still on alert for the danger to her cub posed by a male grizzly in the area.
09/08 www.allenfotowild.com
A carnivorous animal in the same family as weasels, badgers, mink etc. that lives primarily on a diet of fish but also includes frogs, crayfish, crabs and even a few waterfowl.
A coat of long guard hairs over their insulated underfur keeps them warm and dry so they can stay comfortable throughout the North American winters. They are very successful at hunting prey in our rivers, streams and ponds aided by their webbed feet, long muscular tail and sharp claws coupled with the ability to hold their breath for extended periods. As a preventative measure to becoming waterlogged they do spend a lot of time on land and enter the water only to hunt or travel much unlike the sea otters that spend most of their lives in the ocean. An overland sprint of 10 to 18 miles while searching for prey is not uncommon.
River otters seem to have the ability to live alone or in pairs but are quick to socialize in groups when other members are encountered. After mating and going through a gestation period of 80 - 90 days a female will give birth to 1 - 5 pups in a den called a holt or couch which she excavates under tree roots or a cache of rocks. Prior to the birth the female called a bitch or sow will drive the male (dog or boar) away and the pups or cubs will be tended to by the female and older offspring if still around. The pups will begin emerging from the den at about 1 month of age and mom will entice them into the water for their first swim at about 2 months. After the pups are weaned dad may return and help raise the juveniles until probably 1 year of age. Females attain sexual maturity at 2 years of age and males at 3.
River otters range in size from 10 to 33 lbs and 2.5 to 5 ' in length with females being about 1/3 the size of males. When not hunting prey they spend much time playing and frolicking with each other. This individual is one of a trio that has clawed its way onto the ice to enjoy the spoils caught underwater.
I was recently blessed to spend an hour or so watching a pair of ospreys working feverously on their nest high up in a Ft. Pickens Florida pine tree. I was impressed by how the female would maliciously weave the pine branches while the male gathered. On at least two occasions, the males’ selections were rejected for quality control issues. The disappointment could be clearly seen in his eyes…it was the same look I give the Mrs. when I return to the grocery cart with bananas that are in the “wrong stage of ripeness” and are rejected by the female. The nest was in its earlier stages, not any wider that the female’s length.
At one point, I noticed the male returning empty taloned. The female immediately ducked her head, bracing for impact as instead of landing on an adjacent branch as he had so many times before, this time was it was the middle of her back. She knew his intensions while he was pretty far back…I’m guessing this is not part of the mating process as she should be well underway with egg development (normally 13.4 weeks from mating to first egg), so hopefully it is normal osprey behavior and not retaliation for stick rejection! Maybe it was to better compact the base construction of the nest…I truly have no idea.
He walked around on her back with talon tips beneath her feathers, wings fully retracted and seemingly proud…as if participating in some type of sick Edward Scissorhands exfoliating pregnancy back rub. I suppose it could be the equivalent to our hug…
I truly love the “why” aspect of nature.
It is 3am and I need some sleep. I hope your weekend is blessed!
John
Whatever the weather, I always enjoy spending a couple of hours alone up here on this limestone plateau. The world rushes by far below on the M6 Motorway and it slows to a tranquil beauty up here with views in all directions of landscape beauty.
The Dales to the East, the Lakes to the North and Morecambe Bay to the West it is so well placed.
Anyway, I waited until well after sunset on this evening and I was treated to some lovely post sunset colour. The beauty of this time of year is that sunset is now so early ar 4.15 pm and you can enjoy its show and still get home for Dinner.
After spending the morning working with the CL-2 crew to get both jobs ready, the New York, Susquehanna & Western's CL-1 job gets on the move south from Cortland, New York as another snow squall moves through the valley. The railroad's two SD45's provide the power, taking an empty welded rail trainset and one covered hopper to Binghamton.
====Info====
NYSW Northern Division
Cortland, NY
NYSW CL-1 (Empty Welded Rail; Cortland, NY to Chenango Forks, NY Turn)
NYSW 3618 SD45-2 Ex. NYSW 3618 SD45, NYSW 6500, BN 6500 Blt. 1971
NYSW 3634 SD45-2 Ex. NYSW 3632 SD45, NYSW 6542, BN 6542, Blt. 1971
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Spending part of the holiday period in the Highlands gave me the opportunity to photograph this beauty 1st thing on Christmas morning, couldn't have wished for a better way to start the day...
How to spend a Monday morning after a long weekend ...
These are the moments when I want to be a cat.
Thanks for spending time and pose with me!! <3
{PSYCHO:Byts} Cyberneon Destiny - CyberLegs RARE Get here
Pose used: Me - Her - Try inworld
Photo taken at District 18
Check Kticat version!!
Spending much more time at home these days, I've been practicing a little more macro as I am sure many are. With a recent cold snap last week, there was some ice on one of our windows which I thought captured some close-ups of.
Thanks for viewing and hope everyone has a safe, healthy and happy Easter!!
After spending the morning loading cars with coal from the underground mine in Kirby, the Cumberland Mine Railroad is nearing the end of its run as it crosses over Alicia Road at the east end of the line. With a pair of SD38-2's running push-pull, the crew moves the coal 17 miles across this isolated railroad from the mine to the Cumberland Harbor Docks on the Monongahela River where it is transloaded to barges.
====Info====
CMYX Main Line
Greensboro, PA
Unknown Symbol (Coal Loads; Kirby, PA to Alicia Docks, PA)
CMYX 22 SD38-2 Ex. YDC 22 Blt. 1978
(Rear) CMYX 1 SD38-2 Ex. USSX 1 Blt. 1975
Back when high was high and low was low / And ten cent would buy you the matinee show / Give a damn who the star, the theatre was dark / And took you away with a glow (Adrianne Lenker & Buck Meek)
© Maison De France, Berlin, 2022, Florian Fritsch
Spending nights out during the midnight sun period in Northern Norway is a highlight for me each summer. Found this waterfall illuminated by the golden light and decided to go for an intimate photo as I found the golden flow quite beautiful!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSL5AHhpi6U
sorry Jamie Cullum's version is not available...but Shirley Horn is damn good
...A TIME FOR LOVE - Jamie Cullum
A time for summer skies
For hummingbirds and butterflies
For tender words that harmonize with love
A time for climbing hills
For leaning out of windowsills
Admiring daffodils above ADMIRING THE DAFFODILS ABOVE
A time for holding hands together
A time for rainbow coloured weather
A time of make believe that we've been dreaming of
As time goes drifting by
The willow bends and so do I
But all my friends whatever skies above BUT OH, MY FRIENDS, WHATEVER SKY ABOVE
I know a time for spring I'VE KNOWN A TIME FOR SPRING
A time for fall
But best of all
A time for love
A time for holding hands together
A time for rainbow coloured weather
A time of make believe that we've been dreaming of
As time goes drifting by
The willow bends and so do I
But all my friends whatever skies above
I know a time for spring
A time for fall
But best of all
A time for love
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Enchanting and iconic, bluebells are a favourite with the fairies and a sure sign spring is in full swing. The violet glow of a bluebell wood is an incredible wildflower spectacle. The bluebell spends most of the year as bulb underground in ancient woodland, only emerging to flower and leaf from April onwards. This early flowering allows it to make the most of the sunlight that is still able to make it to the forest floor habitat, before the canopy becomes too dense.
Lost a Peanut Skippy spends time scratching around this tree, it looks like he is looking for something, or just entertaining himself, shot in North Carolina.
After spending all day working on a home project in the garage, I was more than happy to find an excuse to get out and do something. When I got a heads up text about Lake State running Y112 out of the yard up to Standish with a grain train, it was the perfect reason to go. With the train in between Birch Run and Saginaw, they split the C&O era intermediates at Elms Rd. The friendly wave of engineer Tom Scott signals his willingness to be temporarily blinded by my lights, and to just say hello.
Spending time in my garden is always a pleasure.
One of the nicest things is that I always seem to have at least one furry friend that wants to just hang out and keep me company.
Having my kitties for companionship as I work around the yard, is definitely one of my favorite "little things".
A view looking to the west-southwest across the canyon and gorge with blue skies above while walking the Chasm View Nature Trail in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. With this image, I zoomed in on the focal length. My feeling was to bring in closer those canyon walls I was looking at that morning. I later worked with control points in DxO PhotoLab 4 and then made some adjustments to bring out the contrast, saturation and brightness I wanted for the final image.
After spending the night in Raton, ballast loads for dumping on the Glorieta Sub wind their way through scenic Shoemaker Canyon amid intermittent thunderstorms. The train will tie down in Las Vegas, NM, and wind up traversing most of the rest of the route well after sunset the following evening.
U DAVLMY 9 29B BNSF 4093
I had the opportunity to spend some time with this young elephant in the Samburu National Reserve in Kenya. It was curious but comfortable with our presence.
The area was extremely dry on my visit as you can see indicated in the foreground of the image. It was in the midst of a multi-year drought that was putting tremendous pressure on the land and its inhabitants.
The future of the area is very much uncertain with the worsening impacts of the climate crisis.
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After spending the daylight hours tied down at Shippensburg Airport, NS 12R with the "Honoring our Veterans" SD60E leading has a new crew on board and is ready to head east. The crew has all the lights on as they give a roll-by inspection to the NS 213, a hotshot intermodal train passing on Main 2.
Spending a few days in Scarborough. It's darned cold at the moment and we have been dodging snow showers!
And hilly, very very hilly, made me realise just how unfit I have become! But there's a huge sense of achievement in the fact that it didn't actually kill me!
After spending hours in the Rochester area putting their train in proper order, our wait at Golah, NY at this location, that has been tried and failed by myself before, is finally rewarded. Lavonia Avon & Lakeville's Alco Centuries C425 #425 and C430 #433 can be heard miles away and are in run 8 with 54 cars trailing behind on the stiff pull after crossing Honeoye Creek. Well worth the hike, heat and wait.
Thanks to Mike S for assistance.
After spending the night in Alexandria enjoying dinner and drinks with a good friend we headed out Friday morning only 15 min from his home for a wildly productive morning of photographing 12 different trains in the span of only three hours (plus a couple we didn't bother with because it was raining so hard when we first showed up).
With the world renowned Sakura (cherry blossoms) at peak there was only one place to go to photograph some trains. Few places in the district are more iconic for rail photography than the short bridge over the Washington Channel flowing from the Tidal Basin as seen from East Potomac Park.
This was the eighth of nine trains I shot at this spot before we moved to two other locations for trains 10 thru 12. Amtrak train 79, the New York to Charlotte Carolinian is led by P42DC 147 seen here at about MP CFP 111.3 on modern day CSXT's RF&P Subdivision. These rails leading to the Long Bridge over the Potomac River (out of sight to the left) are ex Pennsylvania Railroad and a few catenary poles remain as seen in this shot from the days when long freights behind electric motors headed for classification at the mighty and long gone Potomac Yard.
The roof of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing is visible at right center behind the spring trees and the 555 ft tall Washington Monument rises beyond
Washington, D.C.
Friday March 24, 2023
Spending time with friends while sitting on Liberty bridge enjoying the sunset over Budapest became a thing during the past couple of years.
Budapest, Hungary
Cormorant Hotel, Well at least they were trying to get there. They were fighting for positions on the many limb tree..No reservations for sure ,Have you ever been there with no reservations to get a room ? I have noticed they don't try to land on branches of no limbs they go for many branches to bring their family . some of them where leaving some were staying to find a position to spend the night