View allAll Photos Tagged stutter

Stuttering. San Jose, CA 2019

Stuttering Barred Frog. Styx River State Forest, NSW. Note the difference in the colour of the upper iris which is bright blue in mature adults.

and I am the fastest man alive.

 

Took a 8 sec. exposure of a Bus passing by. Micro stutter blur in the lights because the bridge was vibrating while the bus passed. I like the yellow stripe which could be the flash logo haha...

 

camera: Nikon F2AS

lens: Nikkor 50/1.2 AIS

film: Kodak Vision 500T (pushed 2 stops)

development: @film.speed.lab

scanner: Plustek OpticFilm 7600i + vuescan

edit: @captureone

Tripod

 

#kodak #kodakvision3 #nikon

 

#filmcommunity #analogphotography #filmphotography #filmcamera #filmphoto #filmisnotdead #grainisgood #35mmfilm #analoguevibes #shootfilmstaybroke #analogfilm #filmwave #photofilmy#photocinematica #cinematicphotography #streets_storytelling #nocturnal #night #longexposure #bus #bridge #flash #dc #speed #speedforce #superhero

The poor litttle Bee had a stutter. . .B, B. . .BBBBBB. . . .and then he took the Z from my SHIRT!! But now he is a very happy little Bee, no stutter and my Zed has a happy new home.

As Roger Daltrey used to stutter…

 

One I had to take at Classic Stony, being a massive Who fan back in the day. I even got to see them with the mercurial Keith Moon on stage - not sure my eardrums have ever recovered!

As of yesterday, this little Great Horned Owl "branchling" seems to have become a nestling once again : ) It has experienced various adventures in the last 10 days or two weeks, but seems to be back on owlet schedule now. I guess we will never know what happened to start all this, though it is possible that this young one was blown out of the nest when we had several days of extremely strong winds recently.

 

This photo, from 24 April 2015, was taken when I called in very briefly at the park and found the owl on a high Spruce branch. Maybe it "missed" its two younger siblings, so returned to its place of origin : ) No activity from any of the owls, so the 10-minute "limit" on being there and taking photos was more than enough time for me to be there : ) Fully zoomed - Focal Length (35mm format) - 1200 mm.

 

Yesterday, on the way home from a great day with friends at Frank Lake, I called in at the park again for about half an hour. A bit more activity this time, with all three still together. I knew my "watching" time was up, but I also knew that the number of days before the Tax deadline were running out fast. Got my Taxes ready and finally fell into bed around 5:00 this morning!

 

"With its long, earlike tufts, intimidating yellow-eyed stare, and deep hooting voice, the Great Horned Owl is the quintessential owl of storybooks. This powerful predator can take down birds and mammals even larger than itself, but it also dines on daintier fare such as tiny scorpions, mice, and frogs. It’s one of the most common owls in North America, equally at home in deserts, wetlands, forests, grasslands, backyards, cities, and almost any other semi-open habitat between the Arctic and the tropics.

 

Great Horned Owls are nocturnal. You may see them at dusk sitting on fence posts or tree limbs at the edges of open areas, or flying across roads or fields with stiff, deep beats of their rounded wings. Their call is a deep, stuttering series of four to five hoots." From AllAboutBirds.

 

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Horned_Owl/id

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_horned_owl

Olney State Forest, The Watagans, New South Wales, Australia

 

Vulnerable

 

Contact me on jono_dashper@hotmail.com for use of this image.

So, unfortunately, I failed my driving test today. I was on course for just getting one minor too, but due to me not judging the speed of an oncoming car whilst pulling away from being parked, I got a major. I have rebooked, but the current wait time is an eye watering 3 months.

The ZX seems okay now following a worn out starter motor being replaced, although it does like to pop and stutter occasionally, so I may have to replace the spark plugs/ adjust the points at some point. Still drives well though, although I have found myself yearning for some PAS at times. The dodgy speedo and third gear remain the most annoying 'quirks'.

I parked it at a supermarket for the first time today, I made a point of parking opposite one of the local 309s too, which is just visible through the windscreen.

Also on Instagram

 

Video of the motorized rotors up and running, which are controlled by a small Power Functions motor. This was my first time ever using Power Functions, and the internals are designed in probably the most inefficient and unreliable way possible--the root cause for lots of design butthurt over the years. Using two universal joints instead of one to link the horizontal and vertical technic axles in the tail helped to reduce the stuttering and shaking quite a bit...but not completely.

 

Also I learned the lesson that my DSLR does not have auto-focus while taking video. Woops.

Yesterday, 3 June 2018, I had hoped to drive out of the city for an annual morning walk followed by a delicious BBQ lunch. Unfortunately, I never heard back from the leader about whether any others would be going from Calgary (though I was going to drive there myself). As it turned out, I had a great afternoon within the city, with an afternoon walk in Weaselhead with friends, during which we found a Rufous and a Calliope Hummingbird. This long walk was followed by coffee and chat at Tim Horton's, which is always much enjoyed. Thanks, as always, Janet and Bernie!

 

On my drive home early evening, I made a split second decision to keep driving to Fish Creek Park. I had only been down there twice this year and saw the adult male Great Horned Owl. I had heard that the female was on the nest and later, that there was just one owlet. Yesterday was my first visit to try and find this young one, who had only just recently left the nest. Looking on the more important side, this meant one less person intruding on their area, of course, though I have to say that these owls are remarkably tolerant of humans. If a Canada Goose, on the other hand, should get anywhere near the nest or young ones, Mom or Dad flies in for an immediate attack. I think it would have taken me some time to find it, as it was so high up in a tree. Friends had already found it and were kind enough to take me to see it, which was much appreciated. They also showed me a very high Starling nest with three youngsters peering out. A tree cavity was also pointed out to me, with Mother Goose looking rather bored, incubating her eggs.

 

"With its long, earlike tufts, intimidating yellow-eyed stare, and deep hooting voice, the Great Horned Owl is the quintessential owl of storybooks. This powerful predator can take down birds and mammals even larger than itself, but it also dines on daintier fare such as tiny scorpions, mice, and frogs. It’s one of the most common owls in North America, equally at home in deserts, wetlands, forests, grasslands, backyards, cities, and almost any other semi-open habitat between the Arctic and the tropics.

 

Great Horned Owls are nocturnal. You may see them at dusk sitting on fence posts or tree limbs at the edges of open areas, or flying across roads or fields with stiff, deep beats of their rounded wings. Their call is a deep, stuttering series of four to five hoots." From AllAboutBirds.

 

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Horned_Owl/id

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_horned_owl

Number: CT-1287

Name: Redwing

Rank: ARC Sergeant

Primary weapon: DC-15s Blaster

Secondary weapon: Vibroknife

Equipment: Bacta-Implants, Integrated Squad Comms, Modified Long Range Binoculars, Explosives Pack

 

...:: BEGIN LOG ::...

 

After the swift taking of the erupting warehouse in the industrial sector, we headed out of the loud and bustling rows of grey and white shelters. The clicks and clanks of large machines could be heard around every corner. We were not enjoying these whining screeches and slams so we darted into the slums sector.

 

“Command to Redwing...” The coms in my helmet roared to life in my left ear. I beckoned to my squad to take cover as I needed a safe place to connect with the Venator. We ducked to the right, next to a large generator. One of my men hopped on my soldiers and scrambled to the top of the building.

 

“COMMAND to Redwing, are you there?” The speaker blared in my ear a second time. The officer’s voice was clearly rushed and obviously stressed.

 

I answered with a hint of caution “Yes command, this is Redwing.”

 

“Afraid we lost you, Sarge.” The young officer said with a sigh of relief.

 

“Don’t worry about down here, what’s the problem up there?” I asked, knowing there was reason for such urgency and fright.

 

“Our communications system was breached by a local down on the surface. They knew our codes and claimed to be friendlies.” The Officer stuttered as he repeated his com-log.

 

“What’d they say?” I needed to know what was holding my squad and I up. We needed supplies fast and were running out of time before the wave of battle droids reached us.

 

“Yes, sorry sarge. It was a corellian loyalist. He’s part of an elaborate underground group of loyalists down on the planet. He proposed a safe place to collect the supply packages for protection. The opposing separatist alliance knows of his location and needs immediate evacuation of him and his son.” The stuttering stopped as he read further.

 

“Understood command. Send the location immediately and we’ll be there.” I grew restless as the sound of clanking metal grew past the sound of machines and gears and was replaced by mechanical footsteps.

 

“Good luck sir, they’ll be waiting.”

 

___________

  

I waited way too long to add this log and I apologize for the wait. This isn’t one of my best logs but it adds a nice storyline to a rather mundane mission. The family storyline continues in the next mission, so come back soon!

 

Thanks for your patience.

Just over two weeks ago, on 15 April 2015, my parking lot was going to be spring-cleaned, which meant that all cars had to be out of the lot by 7:30 am. I don't have a 2015 street parking permit, so I had to leave home at 7:30 and find something that would use up the few hours before my volunteer shift. I didn't want to risk being late for that, so decided to stay within the city rather than go driving some backroads.

 

The owls in Fish Creek Park ended up being my destination. I had only been there twice in many weeks, seeing Mom on my first visit and then Mom with two of her three owlets on the second. When I arrived early morning on 15 April, there was no sign of the "paparazzi" - I had been expecting there to be at least a few photographers and people out for a walk. Maybe the 10-minute viewing limit has had some effect : ) This time, I was able to see all three owlets as well as Mom and Dad. Can't remember which owlet this one was, but it was just the cutest bundle of fluff. Late afternoon, after my volunteer shift, I called in again for a short while on my way home. It has been five days since I last called in, so I'm sure there have been changes.

 

"With its long, earlike tufts, intimidating yellow-eyed stare, and deep hooting voice, the Great Horned Owl is the quintessential owl of storybooks. This powerful predator can take down birds and mammals even larger than itself, but it also dines on daintier fare such as tiny scorpions, mice, and frogs. It’s one of the most common owls in North America, equally at home in deserts, wetlands, forests, grasslands, backyards, cities, and almost any other semi-open habitat between the Arctic and the tropics.

 

Great Horned Owls are nocturnal. You may see them at dusk sitting on fence posts or tree limbs at the edges of open areas, or flying across roads or fields with stiff, deep beats of their rounded wings. Their call is a deep, stuttering series of four to five hoots." From AllAboutBirds.

 

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Horned_Owl/id

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_horned_owl

The dapper Spotted Sandpiper makes a great ambassador for the notoriously difficult-to-identify shorebirds. They occur all across North America, they are distinctive in both looks and actions, and they're handsome. They also have intriguing social lives in which females take the lead and males raise the young. With their richly spotted breeding plumage, teetering gait, stuttering wingbeats, and showy courtship dances, this bird is among the most notable and memorable shorebirds in North America.

 

Thank you, my kind Flickr friends, for visiting my site and taking the time to leave a comment. Truly appreciated!

Number: CT-1287

Name: Redwing

Rank: ARC Sergeant

Primary weapon: DC-15s Blaster

Secondary weapon: Vibroknife

Equipment: Bacta-Implants, Integrated Squad Comms, Modified Long Range Binoculars, Explosives Pack

 

...:: BEGIN LOG ::...

 

After the swift taking of the erupting warehouse in the industrial sector, we headed out of the loud and bustling rows of grey and white shelters. The clicks and clanks of large machines could be heard around every corner. We were not enjoying these whining screeches and slams so we darted into the slums sector.

 

“Command to Redwing...” The coms in my helmet roared to life in my left ear. I beckoned to my squad to take cover as I needed a safe place to connect with the Venator. We ducked to the right, next to a large generator. One of my men hopped on my soldiers and scrambled to the top of the building.

 

“COMMAND to Redwing, are you there?” The speaker blared in my ear a second time. The officer’s voice was clearly rushed and obviously stressed.

 

I answered with a hint of caution “Yes command, this is Redwing.”

 

“Afraid we lost you, Sarge.” The young officer said with a sigh of relief.

 

“Don’t worry about down here, what’s the problem up there?” I asked, knowing there was reason for such urgency and fright.

 

“Our communications system was breached by a local down on the surface. They knew our codes and claimed to be friendlies.” The Officer stuttered as he repeated his com-log.

 

“What’d they say?” I needed to know what was holding my squad and I up. We needed supplies fast and were running out of time before the wave of battle droids reached us.

 

“Yes, sorry sarge. It was a corellian loyalist. He’s part of an elaborate underground group of loyalists down on the planet. He proposed a safe place to collect the supply packages for protection. The opposing separatist alliance knows of his location and needs immediate evacuation of him and his son.” The stuttering stopped as he read further.

 

“Understood command. Send the location immediately and we’ll be there.” I grew restless as the sound of clanking metal grew past the sound of machines and gears and was replaced by mechanical footsteps.

 

“Good luck sir, they’ll be waiting.”

 

___________

  

I waited way too long to add this log and I apologize for the wait. This isn’t one of my best logs but it adds a nice storyline to a rather mundane mission. The family storyline continues in the next mission, so come back soon!

 

Thanks for your patience.

This photo was taken SW of Calgary, on a short drive along familiar backroads, on 1 July 2014. I had seen this or a different beautiful Spotted Sandpiper there on a previous occasion and was happy to see that it was still there. I rarely get to see this species, especially close enough to be photographed.

 

"The dapper Spotted Sandpiper makes a great ambassador for the notoriously difficult-to-identify shorebirds. They occur all across North America, they are distinctive in both looks and actions, and they're handsome. They also have intriguing social lives in which females take the lead and males raise the young. With their richly spotted breeding plumage, teetering gait, stuttering wingbeats, and showy courtship dances, this bird is among the most notable and memorable shorebirds in North America." From AllAboutBirds.

 

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/spotted_sandpiper/id

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotted_sandpiper

This photo was taken on 6 May 2016, in a local natural area/park. Unfortunately, I had half a dozen errands to run before allowing myself to go out with my camera, so I didn't get there till late, and the light quickly began to fade. No time to look around the area for any other birds on this visit.

 

One of the very young owlets belonging to this beautiful owl had been on the ground for a while before I arrived. There were a few people there and more came and went. Later, I heard that the owlet had been able to claw and flap its way up one of the trees and was safely out of reach of most predators. Meanwhile, the other fledgling had been very high up in a different tree, along with Mom. I'm glad I did call in at this location when I did, as the beautiful little owl gave us a few chances for photos when it was up on a log or down on the ground, usually partly hidden by the plants and bushes. I don't know how it ended up on the ground, but obviously it fell from somewhere or misjudged flying distance when it finally left the nesting tree. An interesting world for it to explore, though it wasn't very steady on its feet yet : )

 

Things seem to have happened so fast for this owl family this spring and I missed seeing the two owlets balancing on the rim of the nesting tree, exercising their wings before fledging. Also, I was so busy that I only went over to see the youngsters a handful of times. Looking on the more important side, this has meant one less person intruding on their area, of course, though I have to say that these owls are remarkably tolerant of humans. If a Canada Goose, on the other hand, should get anywhere near the nest or the little ones, Mom or Dad flies in for an immediate attack.

 

"With its long, earlike tufts, intimidating yellow-eyed stare, and deep hooting voice, the Great Horned Owl is the quintessential owl of storybooks. This powerful predator can take down birds and mammals even larger than itself, but it also dines on daintier fare such as tiny scorpions, mice, and frogs. It’s one of the most common owls in North America, equally at home in deserts, wetlands, forests, grasslands, backyards, cities, and almost any other semi-open habitat between the Arctic and the tropics.

 

Great Horned Owls are nocturnal. You may see them at dusk sitting on fence posts or tree limbs at the edges of open areas, or flying across roads or fields with stiff, deep beats of their rounded wings. Their call is a deep, stuttering series of four to five hoots." From AllAboutBirds.

 

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Horned_Owl/id

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_horned_owl

Moscow Set

 

Krasnopresnenskaya Metro Station / Moscow

 

If you can pronounce the name of the station without stuttering, your Russian is much better than you thought.

 

Taken in Moscow. Building belongs to the Krasnopresnenskaya Metro Station. In the background there is one of Stalin's highrise buildings.

 

俄羅斯

Anthem for Doomed Youth

By Wilfred Owen

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?

— Only the monstrous anger of the guns.

Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle

Can patter out their hasty orisons.

No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells;

Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,—

The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;

And bugles calling for them from sad shires.

 

What candles may be held to speed them all?

Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes

Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes.

The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;

Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,

And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.

Wow, practically no photos showing on My Contacts page all day today. Trust it's not a Flickr glitch. Also just noticed that this photo has only 85 views (at almost 4:00 pm) - something not right with that, for a main photo. In fact, almost unheard of : ) Something definitely wrong. My stats for this image show around 300 views, but only 85 showing under the actual image. Adding this info really for my own use. Later: other people are having the same problem and Flickr staff are looking into it.

 

You just have to love the feathery 'saddlebags' that young Great Horned Owl owlets have at this stage : ) Just a mass of fluff, that they gradually lose. Hopefully, birds and other wildlife use the discarded feathers for lining their nests or dens.

 

Taken about three weeks ago, on 6 May 2016, in a local natural area/park. Unfortunately, I had half a dozen errands to run before allowing myself to go out with my camera, so I didn't get there till late, and the light quickly began to fade. No time to look around the area for any other birds on this visit.

 

This beautiful owlet had been on the ground for a while before I arrived. There were a few people there and more came and went. I didn't want to risk a large crowd turning up if I posted this photo immediately. However, I later heard that it had been able to claw and flap its way up one of the trees and was safely out of reach of most predators. Meanwhile, the other fledgling had been very high up in a different tree, along with Mom. I'm glad I did call in at this location when I did, as this beautiful little owl gave us a few chances for photos when it was up on a log or down on the ground, usually partly hidden by the plants and bushes. I don't know how it ended up on the ground, but obviously it fell from somewhere or misjudged flying distance when it finally left the nesting tree. An interesting world for it to explore, though it wasn't very steady on its feet yet : )

 

Things seem to have happened so fast this spring and I missed seeing the two owlets balancing on the rim of the nesting tree, exercising their wings before fledging. Also, I have been so busy that I've only been over to see the youngsters a handful of times. Looking on the more important side, this has meant one less person intruding on their area, of course, though I have to say that these owls are remarkably tolerant of humans. If a Canada Goose, on the other hand, should get anywhere near the nest or the little ones, Mom or Dad flies in for an immediate attack.

 

"With its long, earlike tufts, intimidating yellow-eyed stare, and deep hooting voice, the Great Horned Owl is the quintessential owl of storybooks. This powerful predator can take down birds and mammals even larger than itself, but it also dines on daintier fare such as tiny scorpions, mice, and frogs. It’s one of the most common owls in North America, equally at home in deserts, wetlands, forests, grasslands, backyards, cities, and almost any other semi-open habitat between the Arctic and the tropics.

 

Great Horned Owls are nocturnal. You may see them at dusk sitting on fence posts or tree limbs at the edges of open areas, or flying across roads or fields with stiff, deep beats of their rounded wings. Their call is a deep, stuttering series of four to five hoots." From AllAboutBirds.

 

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Horned_Owl/id

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_horned_owl

No very recent photos to post, other than owls, so I'm going back a few months for two of my images today. I had seen this beautiful Spotted Sandpiper on a previous occasion and was happy to see that it was still at the same location, SW of the city. I rarely get to see this species, especially close enough to be photographed.

 

"The dapper Spotted Sandpiper makes a great ambassador for the notoriously difficult-to-identify shorebirds. They occur all across North America, they are distinctive in both looks and actions, and they're handsome. They also have intriguing social lives in which females take the lead and males raise the young. With their richly spotted breeding plumage, teetering gait, stuttering wingbeats, and showy courtship dances, this bird is among the most notable and memorable shorebirds in North America." From AllAboutBirds.

 

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/spotted_sandpiper/id

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotted_sandpiper

This was one of the first bird songs that I learnt as a child. It is usually rendered "a little bit of bread and no cheese" but only the cheese bit chimes with me. It was Enid Blyton who popularised this rendition of the song in several of her books and poems (eg The Yellowhammer Bird in Enid Blyton's Nature Lover's Handbook 1944). I have noticed that Yellowhammers sing their songs at two speeds rather like Reed Buntings. There are definitely singers with fast and slow stutters prior to the terminal cheese, which remains the same. In Reed Buntings the fast singers are unpaired males eager to impress and I would guess that the fast singing Yellowhammers are similarly unpaired. This is another seriously depleted farmland bird that has been on the red list since 2002 because of a more than 50% decline in population. It usually needs arable (preferably spring-sown) and herb-rich pasture in close proximity. But specialisation in farming means these two habitats don't occur together very often. But it sometimes can survive where frequently disturbed ground (eg through cattle poaching or farm vehicles) allows arable "weeds" to grow. These were the conditions where I photographed this male near my village last week, where arable is absent, but where livestock had churned up the ground and "weeds" had colonised. He was sitting among some huge thorns in a dead hawthorn bush, hence the subtitle using a Smiths song title.

This photo was taken yesterday at the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary. It was yet another cold, very overcast day and I almost didn't go. However, I had not been out of the house for several days in a row and just needed to get out somewhere. The lighting was atrocious, and this photo is really bad quality, but I wanted to post it just for the record. I hadn't seen the owl at the Sanctuary for a long time.

 

"With its long, earlike tufts, intimidating yellow-eyed stare, and deep hooting voice, the Great Horned Owl is the quintessential owl of storybooks. This powerful predator can take down birds and mammals even larger than itself, but it also dines on daintier fare such as tiny scorpions, mice, and frogs. It’s one of the most common owls in North America, equally at home in deserts, wetlands, forests, grasslands, backyards, cities, and almost any other semi-open habitat between the Arctic and the tropics.

 

Great Horned Owls are nocturnal. You may see them at dusk sitting on fence posts or tree limbs at the edges of open areas, or flying across roads or fields with stiff, deep beats of their rounded wings. Their call is a deep, stuttering series of four to five hoots." From AllAboutBirds.

 

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Horned_Owl/id

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_horned_owl

 

Many thanks for the morning walk, Janet and Bernie, and for lunch at the Blackfoot Diner/Truckstop. Just what was needed after a cold walk. I will add their final list of species in a comment box below.

So beautiful

so silent

nothing stirs the water

 

so quiet

so helpless

no help from within

 

As the leaves fall

so does he

stuttering words:

"All is quiet

no fear within"

Seen along Bow River Calgary

The Spotted Sandpiper occur all across North America, they are distinctive in both looks and actions, and they're handsome. They also have intriguing social lives in which females take the lead and males raise the young. With their richly spotted breeding plumage, teetering gait, stuttering wingbeats, and showy courtship dances, this bird is among the most notable and memorable shorebirds in North America. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Spotted_Sandpiper/id

I find my eyes go straight to the wide-open eyes of the biggest owlet in this photo. Be careful not to miss a younger one with just part of its little face showing above the nest edge : ) Somewhere, there is a third owlet that could not be seen just then - we only stayed a few minutes. I had only been to see these owls once before and at that time was only able to see one owlet. Maybe if/when I visit them again, all three owlets will be visible. Hopefully, I will see them again at a time when the light is much better, too.

 

That day, 31 March 2015, I went on a birding walk with a group of friends, to Fish Creek Park. When owls are seen, they tend to be the highlight of a walk, and on this walk we were able to see six Great Horned Owls, 4 adults and 2 young ones.

 

The other day, I posted a photo of Dad, who was sitting in a nearby Spruce tree, looking like he was fast asleep. As males always do, they perch and rest in a tree that has a good view of the nest, keeping watch over the female and the babies. Even though the male looks like he's fast asleep, he will be wide awake in a split second if anything, such as a Canada Goose, threatens the nest.

 

"With its long, earlike tufts, intimidating yellow-eyed stare, and deep hooting voice, the Great Horned Owl is the quintessential owl of storybooks. This powerful predator can take down birds and mammals even larger than itself, but it also dines on daintier fare such as tiny scorpions, mice, and frogs. It’s one of the most common owls in North America, equally at home in deserts, wetlands, forests, grasslands, backyards, cities, and almost any other semi-open habitat between the Arctic and the tropics.

 

Great Horned Owls are nocturnal. You may see them at dusk sitting on fence posts or tree limbs at the edges of open areas, or flying across roads or fields with stiff, deep beats of their rounded wings. Their call is a deep, stuttering series of four to five hoots." From AllAboutBirds.

 

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Horned_Owl/id

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_horned_owl

Suit up, and look 'em in the eye. It takes a steely gaze to watch it all burn down.

 

Another from my collaboration with Splatito8127 who is also the model here

Understanding that earthwork mounds of collected rocks (cairns) or soil and rock mixes (barrows and tumuli) date back to the 'Tells' or 'Tepe' of the fertile crescent, and the pre pottery Neolithic/epipaleolithic hinterland before reaching out through time to carry past the first examples of western Europe (for example the above long barrow/Tumulus allongé) and then through the ages of protohistory and into the early Medieval period with, for example Anglo Saxon tumuli of the 7th century AD. Was there a faint continuity as memory walked in ever longer circles from 9,000 ybp east to 5,000 ybp west, or should we look with an optic of a 'parallel evolution' of approximative form between the initial Tells and an ignition of the local area passage graves and giant cairns along the European Atlantic coast?

 

There are myriad ways to date artificial mounds as they shifted their 'footprint', silhouette and armatures over region and time. For this extended case study I will employ the term Artificial Pedestal landmark, looking at what went in, and what went on.

 

Strong Dolmens, tunnel like Allée couverte (passage tombs), wooden boxes, cists, basin stones (for cremated ash) and urn fields can all be found inside earthwork mounds at one point of time or other, as can 'unchambered long barrows' or artificial mounds without internal detailing. Today, there are clear example of dolmens without covering tumuli and I used to be among those who argued that the tumuli was optional. Understanding the ease of decommissioning a pagan site by removing its pedestal has tipped me to think that tumuli were the finished state.

 

At first glance, the interior dolmenic forms might seem to atrophie with time, which is almost true, were it not for certain grandiose allee couverte, and regional differences including megalithic-boat forms armatures and late initiation megalitism.

 

"The earliest long barrows/Tumulus allongé date to around 6800 ybp (Barnenez). The early passage graves generally date to between 4000 and 3000 bc, followed by evolved passage graves between 3000-2500 bc. In the later part of the Neolithic, allées couvertes and simple dolmens became the predominant type of burial monument. Some passage graves are decorated with incised lines, of which Gavrinis is probably the best known example." (Wiki)

 

Regarding the above Er Grah tumuli, it seems that for around 500 years, from 6500 years ago, the loci of this great tumulus stuttered and grew with modesty untill a burst into the current form that can be known as a passage grave or long barrow or tumulus allongé. Whilst the final length is said to reach 140m metres, much of the length seems to be an extended platform so potentially an atypical addition to envelope and qualify gathered onlookers whilst decorating the landscape with visual meaning: onlookers gathered to participate in culture (from religion to festivity and from ceremony to remembrance) with the sumit of the tumuli being the pedastle for the visual and acoustic elements and the secure chamber being the watertight hold for rare items of carve, weave, colour and peoples past.

 

Once landed onto its frame, a 'Transport Dragon' lowers its carriers to a crouch.

 

Protected by Heritage law in 1935, the site was an overgrown carpark by the 1960s: 'Simca Arondes' parked over the tumuli with picnic crums and 'Pouss Pouss' sticks. The site had also been used as a source for stone so its silhouete may never be known as removing stones in a systematic might exagerate and formalise the modest steps that report today.

 

If these early long tumuli are to be hypothesised as pedastles then a long feature that might benefit from being lifted into prominance needs to be qualified and this will be covered in future posts.

 

The tumulus of Er Grah is from an unthreaded cluster of rare megalithic giants. The Tumulus d'Er Grah (pictured above) watches the adjacent Table de Marchand (linked below), a giant megalith and yet just 100 metres away: which in turn sits aside the almighty broken-blocks that remain from the super giant menhir of Er Grah. Looking one kilometer away in the opposite northern direction, and the Tumulus du Mané-Lud hides its equally rare corridor and rooms. Four kilometres east and the Island of Gavrinis lifts its charming ramped tumuli and hidden corridor of sheer and preserved petroglyphic treasure; and a jog to the Quiberon bay and the 'Les Pierres Plates' hides its extraordinary double corridor behind a polite menhir topped by gull. The element that links this diverse cluster of giant cairns is Neolithic petroglyphic rock art, and the artwork is both themed and very divergent between these sites.

 

Elsewhere in Europe there are the famouse Neolithic Irish carvings of Newgrange circa 5200 ybp, and the plethora of rock art, often known as 'cup and ring', and found in regions of Spain, England, Portugal, Italy, France... For this schematic work, the upper date range warms into the Iron age and the lower range is often quoted as late Neolithic to Bronze age. These erratic carved outcrops are so difficult to date that one might suspect that some examples dive deeper into the Neolithic and even surprise with dates closer to the Locmariaquer cluster (or the Brú na Bóinne cluster) - but confirmation of an early surprise is waiting and as yet there are no stones I know of from near to the the date range of this cluster.

 

Stepping back, megaliths can show occasional and at times elaborate cup and ring style ornament and even carvings of tools, elaborate statue menhirs or schematic painted surface, but as a rule, despite these exceptions, the stone surfaces of dolmens, menhirs, curb stones and row stones are either raw or finished and nothing more. To have a cluster of megaliths with a range of carved inscription in a single local area is not the norm - a further indication that the greater area; between styles of bay, vigorous stream and endless sea, was a special place.

 

It can also be registered that the other cluster of Western European rock art from the early Neolithic, that of Brú na Bóinne (Newgrange, Knowth, and Dowth) was tidal in the Neolithic and the river Matock was vigorous enclosing the site with manifestations of the subject of water. The Irish sea was down river and the wider coastal mouth provided curb ornament of quartz and galle granite from a coastal length of around 130km.

 

AJM 11.03.23

19.03.23

   

A Stuttering Frog from a rainforest creek on the Great Dividing Range.

Playing with a stacked series of images

Seen along Bow River Calgary

The Spotted Sandpiper occur all across North America, they are distinctive in both looks and actions, and they're handsome. They also have intriguing social lives in which females take the lead and males raise the young. With their richly spotted breeding plumage, teetering gait, stuttering wingbeats, and showy courtship dances, this bird is among the most notable and memorable shorebirds in North America. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Spotted_Sandpiper/id

2.5 seconds of shutter stutter adds some interest to sea, sky and concrete.

a lone boat is watched by the grumbling sky off CatBa island in Vietnam

I went to a completely different moorland today more than 10km from the place where I photographed a Cuckoo yesterday. And to my delight there were two male Cuckoos calling incessantly and chasing each other round. I managed to take quite a few photographs though mainly in flight as they hardly ever landed. I was particularly pleased to capture this flight shot against a land background.

 

There's an old English folk song about the Cuckoo that Paul Simon's song "April come she will" is loosely based upon. There are several variations but the usual one is:

 

In April come he will.

In May he sings all day.

In June he changes tune.

In July he prepares to fly.

In August go he must.

If he stays until September,

Tis more than the oldest man can remember.

 

The bit about changing tune in June is that they often begin to stutter Cuck-cuck-oo. And it is true that they usually depart in August, rarely being seen in September.

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?

— Only the monstrous anger of the guns.

Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle

Can patter out their hasty orisons.

No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells;

Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,—

The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;

And bugles calling for them from sad shires.

 

Anthem for Doomed Youth

BY WILFRED OWEN

 

We will remember them and pray that we never let it happen again

 

Their given name has been used colloquially to suggest cowardice, but there is nothing about the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, or its activities, that would give the impression of faintheartedness. These woodpeckers of eastern North America have derived their name from their peculiar pursuit of tree sap. They peck shallow holes in the bark of trees and then sit, lapping up the tree sap and any insects trapped within it. Like most woodpeckers, they use drumming, in addition to vocalization, to announce their presence. But while most woodpeckers have a characteristic, uniform rhythm to their drumming, the sapsucker’s drumming is distinctively stuttering. It makes them easier to locate by sound. #YellowBelliedSapsucker

 

It's another overcast, dreary morning here today, 16 November 2016, with a temperature of -2C (windchill -5C). It would have been my oldest daughter's birthday today.

 

This photo of a Great Horned Owlet was taken on 6 May 2016, in a local natural area/park. Unfortunately, I had half a dozen errands to run before allowing myself to go out with my camera, so I didn't get there till late, and the light quickly began to fade. No time to look around the area for any other birds on this visit.

 

This beautiful owlet had been on the ground for a while before I arrived. There were a few people there and more came and went. However, I later heard that the owlet had been able to claw and flap its way up one of the trees and was safely out of reach of most predators. Meanwhile, the other fledgling had been very high up in a different tree, along with Mom. I'm glad I did call in at this location when I did, as this beautiful little owl gave us a few chances for photos when it was up on a log or down on the ground, usually partly hidden by the plants and bushes. I don't know how it ended up on the ground, but obviously it fell from somewhere or misjudged flying distance when it finally left the nesting tree. An interesting world for it to explore, though it wasn't very steady on its feet yet : ) In this photo, I think it was looking at the nearest big tree, knowing that somehow it had to reach it and climb up it.

 

Things seem to happen so fast this spring and I missed seeing the two owlets balancing on the rim of the nesting tree, exercising their wings before fledging. Also, I had been so busy that I only went over to see the youngsters a handful of times. Looking on the more important side, this meant one less person intruding on their area, of course, though I have to say that these owls are remarkably tolerant of humans. If a Canada Goose, on the other hand, should get anywhere near the nest or the little ones, Mom or Dad flies in for an immediate attack.

 

"With its long, earlike tufts, intimidating yellow-eyed stare, and deep hooting voice, the Great Horned Owl is the quintessential owl of storybooks. This powerful predator can take down birds and mammals even larger than itself, but it also dines on daintier fare such as tiny scorpions, mice, and frogs. It’s one of the most common owls in North America, equally at home in deserts, wetlands, forests, grasslands, backyards, cities, and almost any other semi-open habitat between the Arctic and the tropics.

 

Great Horned Owls are nocturnal. You may see them at dusk sitting on fence posts or tree limbs at the edges of open areas, or flying across roads or fields with stiff, deep beats of their rounded wings. Their call is a deep, stuttering series of four to five hoots." From AllAboutBirds.

 

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Horned_Owl/id

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_horned_owl

Mixophyes balbus. Dorrigo National Park, Dorrigo, NSW.

Well, almost, lol!

 

On 23 April 2015, I went on a birding walk with friends at Carburn Park. On the way home, I called in to see the Great Horned Owl family for just a short while mid-afternoon, on 23 April 2015. The oldest owlet was still out on a coniferous tree branch that was right by the nesting tree, and the two younger owlets were still in the nest. I think this must have been the "middle" owlet, exercising those wings that were not quite ready for flight, with Mom looking on. Called in again yesterday, 2 May 2015, after a great, full-day birding trip south of the city. Dad was in a fairly nearby tree, and the two youngest owlets were still on the nest. Only stayed a few minutes and didn't see Mom and the oldest owlet. No activity going on at all - and there were no other photographers there.

 

"With its long, earlike tufts, intimidating yellow-eyed stare, and deep hooting voice, the Great Horned Owl is the quintessential owl of storybooks. This powerful predator can take down birds and mammals even larger than itself, but it also dines on daintier fare such as tiny scorpions, mice, and frogs. It’s one of the most common owls in North America, equally at home in deserts, wetlands, forests, grasslands, backyards, cities, and almost any other semi-open habitat between the Arctic and the tropics.

 

Great Horned Owls are nocturnal. You may see them at dusk sitting on fence posts or tree limbs at the edges of open areas, or flying across roads or fields with stiff, deep beats of their rounded wings. Their call is a deep, stuttering series of four to five hoots." From AllAboutBirds.

 

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Horned_Owl/id

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_horned_owl

Today, 14 November 2019, I have just posted five more odds and ends of photos, from way back in my archives, instead of going through photos taken more recently. Mind you, I shouldn't be posting anything, as I have started (yet again) backing up and deleting photo folders from my hard drive, as I am pretty well out of space. Also, I will have to take my computer in as soon as possible, to get it changed over from Windows 7 to Windows 10, seeing as support/security for Windows 7 comes to an end in January. So, a fair bit of deleting would be a good thing to do before I take in my computer. Not to mention a good thing before my computer crashes! I have added the description that was under another photo taken the same day, 6 May 2016.

 

Yet another overcast, dreary morning here today, 18 November 2016, with a temperature of -3C (windchill -7C). The sun is supposed to come out this afternoon, which would be a really welcome sight.

 

This photo of a Great Horned Owlet was taken on 6 May 2016, in a local natural area/park. Unfortunately, I had half a dozen errands to run before allowing myself to go out with my camera, so I didn't get there till late, and the light quickly began to fade. No time to look around the area for any other birds on this visit.

 

This beautiful owlet had been on the ground for a while before I arrived. There were a few people there and more came and went. However, I later heard that the owlet had been able to claw and flap its way up one of the trees and was safely out of reach of most predators. Meanwhile, the other fledgling had been very high up in a different tree, along with Mom. I'm glad I did call in at this location when I did, as this beautiful little owl gave us a few chances for photos when it was up on a log or down on the ground, usually partly hidden by the plants and bushes. I don't know how it ended up on the ground, but obviously it fell from somewhere or misjudged flying distance and missed an intended branch when it finally left the nesting tree. An interesting world for it to explore, though it wasn't very steady on its feet yet : )

 

Things seem to happen so fast this spring and I missed seeing the two owlets balancing on the rim of the nesting tree, exercising their wings before fledging. Also, I had been so busy that I only went over to see the youngsters a handful of times. Looking on the more important side, this meant one less person intruding on their area, of course, though I have to say that these owls are remarkably tolerant of humans. If a Canada Goose, on the other hand, should get anywhere near the nest or the little ones, Mom or Dad flies in for an immediate attack.

 

"With its long, earlike tufts, intimidating yellow-eyed stare, and deep hooting voice, the Great Horned Owl is the quintessential owl of storybooks. This powerful predator can take down birds and mammals even larger than itself, but it also dines on daintier fare such as tiny scorpions, mice, and frogs. It’s one of the most common owls in North America, equally at home in deserts, wetlands, forests, grasslands, backyards, cities, and almost any other semi-open habitat between the Arctic and the tropics.

 

Great Horned Owls are nocturnal. You may see them at dusk sitting on fence posts or tree limbs at the edges of open areas, or flying across roads or fields with stiff, deep beats of their rounded wings. Their call is a deep, stuttering series of four to five hoots." From AllAboutBirds.

 

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Horned_Owl/id

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_horned_owl

Walden Ponds Wildlife Habitat, Boulder, Colorado

 

From the Cornell Lab of Ornithology:

 

A rich, russet-and-gray bird with bold streaks down its white chest, the Song Sparrow is one of the most familiar North American sparrows. Don’t let the bewildering variety of regional differences this bird shows across North America deter you: it’s one of the first species you should suspect if you see a streaky sparrow in an open, shrubby, or wet area. If it perches on a low shrub, leans back, and sings a stuttering, clattering song, so much the better.

       

Bigger, if you please. Are ashy feet aesthetically pleasing? I swear, it wasn't as bad as it looks...

 

Today, while I was taking that picture of my feet, this guy (with his friends) stopped in his car and asked me out. Being the socially inept girl that I am, I declined almost immediately.

 

What's your name?

McKenzie.

What are your taking pictures of?

Uhm.. .lots of things. I'm, uhm, I'm a photographer.

Hey, McKenzie... You wanna take down my number?

No. [giggle]

Aww, why not?

[silence]

C'mon, it'd make my day. I'm a good guy.

No. [more giggles]

 

To be fair, he caught me unawares. He did. He was cute and he caught me unawares. I didn't know what to do. So I declined. I was embarassed and I stutter a bit when I'm nervous. I'm glad he was in his car. I was probably starting to turn pink. And he disturbed me. You know that zone you get in when the world sort've fades out? I was there and he ripped me out of it.

 

His name is Jersey and he will be seeing me around. He will wear me down, he said.

 

Heh.

 

Well, I've always been a "no means try harder" sorta girl when it comes to being asked out... So we'll see.

 

Doesn't mean he has a chance, though. More like.. the chance of a chance.

   

Better Than Worse by Final Fantasy goes extraordinarly well with this photo... so should you like to listen to it, lemme know and I'll send it to you.

Watagans National Park, New South Wales, Australia

 

Contact me on jono_dashper@hotmail.com for use of this image.

4:30 - 6:00 am

Denver Cdo. Sept 2.

1968...alone

 

Let's see now... "It wasn't too long ago, but it feels like, years ago, since I've felt the warm hello of the Sun...lately things..." and then he was interrupted by the slow motion speeded up sound that sometimes cut so deep, that sound was from those chellophane typewriters...Exactly. Constantly from the south side of those carpets and but anyway Sweet Rome was on my mind. "She gave so sweetly..." And on he walked until after crowning Ethel the dog the Only Queen of ears, the sky cracked wide open and split many of his Brothers and Sisters heads all over the world apart at the approximately same... "That's law and order", said the Border Guard as his hard head weighted something like wet bread -- which to explain through brain rain as that's...well...Bro, is this here country all what much ahead?

 

And said the owner of the velvet horse who heard all this... "I just know that I'm going to get involved here" and slams the machine in Reverse, splitting both suns apart in doing so, probably. He got to Fantasy Fjords on the hurry up side and also can you dig... Oh Oh! watch that stick and judge your distance from that Blue Suede kick!!... (SWISSHHH KNOCK...!?!!..) Anyway...can you dig that something came by here not too terrible long at all...I was bathing my eye...just a 1000 foot above those same old tired skies and...you know, that sound there and after that, everywhere, Bathed me to a physical. And he Blurted out the sound burnt the side of his inner wall also passing by and the liquid rainbow melted EROS all through his rooms and rooms of ears that he was hiding from Ethel the Queeny. And he thumbed a lift from his head and heads straight to anywhere to tell his woman, the world; that it was physical...GASP.

 

And (the chellophane begins to crattle and crake) His old lady Terra Mama, Jumps in his face and says... "What's physical?!" and he stutters, smiles, and retaliates with...well...er, ah...what is music m'love? PUFF PUFF.

 

And they probably found out that it was.

by this time.

 

Jimi Hendrix

electric lady land -

 

TITLE: Letter to the room full of mirrors.

Sky Vista Pond, Lemmon Valley, Washoe Co, Nevada (April 22nd, 2018). 8. Small suburban pond fringed with cattails and tules

 

Male, in the throes of the comical swollen-neck, tail-up bubbling/stuttering courtship display, beating the water into foam with its big expanded-end bill to the accompaniment of staccato popping noises.

 

More shots of the bubbling display—

www.flickr.com/photos/fugl/28481955388/in/album-721576818...

www.flickr.com/photos/fugl/35185735265/in/album-721576818...

 

More Ruddy Duck photos--

www.flickr.com/photos/fugl/albums/72157681855435076

 

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