Orchids on Trees
View allAll Photos Tagged subtropic
Tiny, active, warbler-like bird of tropical and subtropical forest edge, woodland, and gardens. Feeds on nectar and fruit, and in some areas visits bird feeders. Variable plumage across range, especially in the Caribbean, but always note small size and sharp, slightly decurved bill. Most populations have a bold white eyebrow and yellow underparts. Throat color varies from pale gray on mainland (Mexico to South America) to white on some island populations (including Cozumel) or sooty gray (Greater Antilles). Some birds in the Lesser Antilles are entirely black. Song is variable across range but usually high-pitched and scratchy. (eBird)
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Highly variable in plumage, but always recognizable by their energy, antics and boldness. Common around the island, this one popped up on a branch just above my head to sample the delights of the flowers blooming there.
Andromeda Botanical Gardens, Barbados. February 2023.
Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis
The cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) is a cosmopolitan species of heron (family Ardeidae) found in the tropics, subtropics and warm temperate zones.
It is a white bird adorned with buff plumes in the breeding season. It nests in colonies, usually near bodies of water and often with other wading birds. The nest is a platform of sticks in trees or shrubs. Cattle egrets exploit drier and open habitats more than other heron species. Their feeding habitats include seasonally inundated grasslands, pastures, farmlands, wetlands and rice paddies. They often accompany cattle or other large mammals, catching insect and small vertebrate prey disturbed by these animals. Some populations of the cattle egret are migratory and others show post-breeding dispersal.
The cattle egret has undergone one of the most rapid and wide reaching natural expansions of any bird species.It was originally native to parts of Southern Spain and Portugal, tropical and subtropical Africa and humid tropical and subtropical Asia. In the end of the 19th century it began expanding its range into southern Africa, first breeding in the Cape Province in 1908. Cattle egrets were first sighted in the Americas on the boundary of Guiana and Suriname in 1877, having apparently flown across the Atlantic Ocean. It was not until the 1930s that the species is thought to have become established in that area.
The species first arrived in North America in 1941 (these early sightings were originally dismissed as escapees), bred in Florida in 1953, and spread rapidly, breeding for the first time in Canada in 1962. It is now commonly seen as far west as California. It was first recorded breeding in Cuba in 1957, in Costa Rica in 1958, and in Mexico in 1963, although it was probably established before that. In Europe, the species had historically declined in Spain and Portugal, but in the latter part of the 20th century it expanded back through the Iberian Peninsula, and then began to colonise other parts of Europe; southern France in 1958, northern France in 1981 and Italy in 1985.
Breeding in the United Kingdom was recorded for the first time in 2008 only a year after an influx seen in the previous year. In 2008, cattle egrets were also reported as having moved into Ireland for the first time. This trend has continued and cattle egrets have become more numerous in southern Britain with influxes in some numbers during the non breeding seasons of 2007/08 and 2016/17. They bred in Britain again in 2017, following an influx in the previous winter, and may become established there.
In Australia, the colonisation began in the 1940s, with the species establishing itself in the north and east of the continent. It began to regularly visit New Zealand in the 1960s. Since 1948 the cattle egret has been permanently resident in Israel. Prior to 1948 it was only a winter visitor.
Common Tern - Sterna Hirundo
It is strongly migratory, wintering in coastal tropical and subtropical regions. Breeding adults have light grey upperparts, white to very light grey underparts, a black cap, orange-red legs, and a narrow pointed bill. Depending on the subspecies, the bill may be mostly red with a black tip or all black. There are a number of similar species, including the partly sympatric Arctic tern, which can be separated on plumage details, leg and bill colour, or vocalisations.
Breeding in a wider range of habitats than any of its relatives, the common tern nests on any flat, poorly vegetated surface close to water, including beaches and islands, and it readily adapts to artificial substrates such as floating rafts. The nest may be a bare scrape in sand or gravel, but it is often lined or edged with whatever debris is available. Up to three eggs may be laid, their dull colours and blotchy patterns providing camouflage on the open beach.
Population:
UK breeding:
12,000 pairs
Common Tern - Sterna Hirundo
It is strongly migratory, wintering in coastal tropical and subtropical regions. Breeding adults have light grey upperparts, white to very light grey underparts, a black cap, orange-red legs, and a narrow pointed bill. Depending on the subspecies, the bill may be mostly red with a black tip or all black. There are a number of similar species, including the partly sympatric Arctic tern, which can be separated on plumage details, leg and bill colour, or vocalisations.
Breeding in a wider range of habitats than any of its relatives, the common tern nests on any flat, poorly vegetated surface close to water, including beaches and islands, and it readily adapts to artificial substrates such as floating rafts. The nest may be a bare scrape in sand or gravel, but it is often lined or edged with whatever debris is available. Up to three eggs may be laid, their dull colours and blotchy patterns providing camouflage on the open beach.
Population:
UK breeding:
12,000 pairs
La Ceja, Colombia; 2.300 meters above sea level.
Atlapetes albinucha gutturalis (Yellow-throated brush finch / Gorrión montés gorgi-amarillo)
The Yellow-throated brush finch ranges from Mexico to the mountains of W Colombia. All forms of this brush-finch have a white stripe down the midline of the crown from the forehead to the nape.
White-naped Brush-finches are found in subtropical to temperate elevations, from 1200 to 3100 m in elevation. They forage on the ground, often in family groups.
neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p...
Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis
Double click to view
The cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) is a cosmopolitan species of heron (family Ardeidae) found in the tropics, subtropics and warm temperate zones.
It is a white bird adorned with buff plumes in the breeding season. It nests in colonies, usually near bodies of water and often with other wading birds. The nest is a platform of sticks in trees or shrubs. Cattle egrets exploit drier and open habitats more than other heron species. Their feeding habitats include seasonally inundated grasslands, pastures, farmlands, wetlands and rice paddies. They often accompany cattle or other large mammals, catching insect and small vertebrate prey disturbed by these animals. Some populations of the cattle egret are migratory and others show post-breeding dispersal.
The cattle egret has undergone one of the most rapid and wide reaching natural expansions of any bird species.It was originally native to parts of Southern Spain and Portugal, tropical and subtropical Africa and humid tropical and subtropical Asia. In the end of the 19th century it began expanding its range into southern Africa, first breeding in the Cape Province in 1908. Cattle egrets were first sighted in the Americas on the boundary of Guiana and Suriname in 1877, having apparently flown across the Atlantic Ocean. It was not until the 1930s that the species is thought to have become established in that area.
The species first arrived in North America in 1941 (these early sightings were originally dismissed as escapees), bred in Florida in 1953, and spread rapidly, breeding for the first time in Canada in 1962. It is now commonly seen as far west as California. It was first recorded breeding in Cuba in 1957, in Costa Rica in 1958, and in Mexico in 1963, although it was probably established before that. In Europe, the species had historically declined in Spain and Portugal, but in the latter part of the 20th century it expanded back through the Iberian Peninsula, and then began to colonise other parts of Europe; southern France in 1958, northern France in 1981 and Italy in 1985.
Breeding in the United Kingdom was recorded for the first time in 2008 only a year after an influx seen in the previous year. In 2008, cattle egrets were also reported as having moved into Ireland for the first time. This trend has continued and cattle egrets have become more numerous in southern Britain with influxes in some numbers during the non breeding seasons of 2007/08 and 2016/17. They bred in Britain again in 2017, following an influx in the previous winter, and may become established there.
In Australia, the colonisation began in the 1940s, with the species establishing itself in the north and east of the continent. It began to regularly visit New Zealand in the 1960s. Since 1948 the cattle egret has been permanently resident in Israel. Prior to 1948 it was only a winter visitor.
Created for The Blind Pig Speakeasy Activity - Bring on the Blues: www.flickr.com/groups/photopigs/discuss/72157647521920351/
Brazil
Cuiaba River
The Pantanal
South America
Happy Caturday!! Jaguar entering the water of the Cuiaba River.
The jaguar (Panthera onca) is a large felid species and the only extant member of the genus Panthera native to the Americas. The jaguar's present range extends from Southwestern United States and Mexico in North America, across much of Central America, and south to Paraguay and northern Argentina in South America. It is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List; and its numbers are declining. Threats include loss and fragmentation of habitat.
Overall, the jaguar is the largest native cat species of the New World and the third largest in the world. This spotted cat closely resembles the leopard, but is usually larger and sturdier. It ranges across a variety of forested and open terrains, but its preferred habitat is tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest, swamps and wooded regions.
The jaguar enjoys swimming and is largely a solitary, opportunistic, stalk-and-ambush predator at the top of the food chain. As a keystone species it plays an important role in stabilizing ecosystems and regulating prey populations. – Wikipedia
My Backyard
Southwest Florida
USA.
Wishing a Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate it tomorrow. Will be off Flickr Thursday.
Hibiscus is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. The genus is quite large, comprising several hundred species that are native to warm temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world.
Member species are renowned for their large, showy flowers and those species are commonly known simply as "hibiscus", or less widely known as rose mallow. Other names include hardy hibiscus, rose of sharon, and tropical hibiscus.
The genus includes both annual and perennial herbaceous plants, as well as woody shrubs and small trees.
Several species are widely cultivated as ornamental plants, notably Hibiscus syriacus and Hibiscus rosa-sinensis.
A tea made from hibiscus flowers is known by many names around the world and is served both hot and cold. The beverage is known for its red colour, tart flavour, and vitamin C content. – Wikipedia
La Ceja, Colombia; 2.300 meters above sea level.
Atlapetes albinucha gutturalis (Yellow-throated brush finch / Gorrión montés gorgi-amarillo)
The Yellow-throated brush finch ranges from Mexico to the mountains of W Colombia. All forms of this brush-finch have a white stripe down the midline of the crown from the forehead to the nape.
White-naped Brush-finches are found in subtropical to temperate elevations, from 1200 to 3100 m in elevation. They forage on the ground, often in family groups.
neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p...
Yellow-throated brush finch ranges from Mexico to the mountains of W Colombia. All forms of this brush-finch have a white stripe down the midline of the crown from the forehead to the nape.
White-naped Brush-finches are found in subtropical to temperate elevations, from 1200 to 3100 m in elevation. They forage on the ground, often in family groups.
neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p...
Taken in La Ceja, Colombia; 2.300 meters above sea level.
Bakoye river seasonal. River man.
El Bakoye River (Río Blanco en manding) nace en las zonas subtropicales de Guinea, escasamente a 700 metros de altitud y se adentra en la República de Malí por el sur, fluyendo fronterizo a Guinea, por orografías más montañosas, alejado del desierto subsahariano en el norte del país. El Bakoye es un río "estacional". La mayor parte del año está seco o con poco caudal, reducido a una simple lámina de agua de escasos centímetros. Se convierte en un río prácticamente innavegable y donde difícilmente se puede sustentar vida piscícola que sirva de alimento a las aldeas por las que transcurre y del cual se extrae escasamente agua para regar pequeños campos y dar de beber a la población. El río estacional Bakoye depende de las estaciones de los grandes monzones africanos y solamente tiene un ligero caudal aceptable en la época monzónica, de julio a noviembre. De diciembre a junio, se convierte en su mayor parte del trayecto en un rio seco y sin agua. "Bakoye" es una canción tradicional que Ali Farka Touré incluyó en su album "Ali Farka Touré", publicado en 1988. Bakoye, habla de la esencia y tradiciones del pueblo maliense y de la relación del ser humano y de su dependencia con el agua, lo más esencial en un país, cubierto por el desierto. Ali Touré recibió el apodo de Farka por parte de sus padres. "Farka" significa "asno" o "burro"... palabra que en Occidente se usa como insulto o signo de estupidez. Pero en los países africanos el asno o burro es un animal venerado, por su fuerza y resistencia pese a su aparente fragilidad, por su tenacidad y terquedad. Es venerado por los malienses por ser el animal que carga materiales, sirve de transporte y ayuda en las tareas de labranza de los campos. Nunca he sabido por qué Ali Touré recibió el apodo de Farka por parte de sus padres. Quizá, la explicación, pueda ser la siguiente: Ali Farka Touré tuvo nueve hermanos. Todos ellos fallecieron durante la infancia por la precaria vida en este país. Solo Farka sobrevivió y consiguió una vida más longeva... Posiblemente su carácter afable y optimista; su terquedad y tenacidad por aferrarse a la vida, fueran la causa de que sus padres decidieran llamarlo "Farka"... Considero a Farka junto a Toumani Diabaté como los mejores músicos de Malí y de la música africana. Ali Farka Touré, murió en el año 2006, a los 67 años, de cáncer de huesos, días después de grabar su último disco, "Savane"
Bakoye / Ali Farka Touré - Ali Farka Touré (1988)
Soya / Ali Farka Touré - Savane (2006)
Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté / Debe
Palais des Beaux Arts, Bruselas 2005. Un año antes de la muerte de Farka
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River Man es una de las más bellas canciones compuesta por Nick Drake, en su corta vida. De ella se han hecho muchas versiones. Posiblemente una de las mejores versiones sea la del músico de jazz Brad Mehldau.
River man / Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left (1969)
River man / Brad Mehldau - The Art of the Trio III - Songs (1998)
Near My Home
Southwest Florida
USA
Another orchid photographed at a monthly orchid meeting.
Laelia is a small genus of 25 species in the orchid family (Orchidaceae). Laelia species are found in areas of subtropical or temperate climate in Central and South America, but mostly in Mexico. Laelia is abbreviated L. in the horticultural trade.
Mostly epiphyte herbs (with a few lithophytes) with laterally compressed pseudobulbs. One to four leathery or fleshy leaves are born near the top of each pseudobulb, and can be broadly ovate to oblong. The inflorescence is a terminal raceme. The flowers have 8 pollinia; petals are of a thinner texture than the sepals; sepals and petals are of similar shape, but the sepals being narrower; the lip or labellum is free from the arched flower column.
Species of Laelia can be found from western Mexico south to Bolivia, from sea level to mountain forests. - Wikipedia
Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, Dorset
The gardens are situated in Abbotsbury, Dorset about 10 miles from Weymouth. In the late 18th century a family called Fox-Strangeways built a house and garden on the site (1765). This was maintained until 1913 when the house burnt down. It was decided not to rebuild the house, the family moved elsewhere but the walled garden remained until the present day. The family still owns the garden which now extends to a 20 acre or 8 hectares site. It is filled with many exotic species, both formal and informal gardens. Wooded walks and walled gardens feature throughout. Because of its microclimate many plants survive and flourish outside a greenhouse. The downside to this is, severe frost and rain can cause havoc to plants and trees. In 1990 severe storms damaged many of the rare plants. Many of these however, have been replaced by younger specimens. Another feature of the garden is that there are a number of geographically sectioned areas for specific zones.
We visited again in 2020 and had cake and tea in the restaurant. Very well worth the visit.
Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, Dorset
The gardens are situated in Abbotsbury, Dorset about 10 miles from Weymouth. In the late 18th century a family called Fox-Strangeways built a house and garden on the site (1765). This was maintained until 1913 when the house burnt down. It was decided not to rebuild the house, the family moved elsewhere but the walled garden remained until the present day. The family still owns the garden which now extends to a 20 acre or 8 hectares site. It is filled with many exotic species, both formal and informal gardens. Wooded walks and walled gardens feature throughout. Because of its microclimate many plants survive and flourish outside a greenhouse. The downside to this is, severe frost and rain can cause havoc to plants and trees. In 1990 severe storms damaged many of the rare plants. Many of these however, have been replaced by younger specimens. Another feature of the garden is that there are a number of geographically sectioned areas for specific zones.
We visited again in 2020 and had cake and tea in the restaurant. Very well worth the visit.
Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, Dorset
The gardens are situated in Abbotsbury, Dorset about 10 miles from Weymouth. In the late 18th century a family called Fox-Strangeways built a house and garden on the site (1765). This was maintained until 1913 when the house burnt down. It was decided not to rebuild the house, the family moved elsewhere but the walled garden remained until the present day. The family still owns the garden which now extends to a 20 acre or 8 hectares site. It is filled with many exotic species, both formal and informal gardens. Wooded walks and walled gardens feature throughout. Because of its microclimate many plants survive and flourish outside a greenhouse. The downside to this is, severe frost and rain can cause havoc to plants and trees. In 1990 severe storms damaged many of the rare plants. Many of these however, have been replaced by younger specimens. Another feature of the garden is that there are a number of geographically sectioned areas for specific zones.
We visited this year and had cake and tea in the restaurant. Very well worth the visit.
The little bunting breeds across the taiga of the far north-east of Europe and northern Eurosiberia to the Russian Far East. It is migratory, wintering in the subtropics in northern India, southern China and the northern parts of south-east Asia.[3] The birds remain in their winter quarters for quite long; specimens were taken in Yunnan in late March.[5] It is a rare vagrant to western Europe (Wiki).
Only showed 3 times, pretty briefly but once it did appear in the nearest hedge tree, otherwise, further back along the hedge at the limit of effective range. Inevitably a very twiggy shot and it only sat facing front, but great to see it in some decent light.
Thank you for your faves and comments
Geographically located in the subtropical zone, Taiwan’s winter is not too cold. But the color of the color-changing plants is warm and beautiful, taken in January 2018.
This is not a scenic area, 😂 which is a peasant's cash crop, Planted in the middle of a paddy field, Generous peasants, Free for tourists to visit and photography. Taiwan media reports, Saplings purchase price of about $ 67, 10 years later sold for $ 670.
地理位置在亞熱帶地區，台灣的冬天不是太冷，但變色植物的顏色溫暖而美麗，於2018年1月拍攝。
這不是風景區，😂 這是農民的經濟作物，種植在一片稻田的中央，慷慨的農民，免費讓遊客參觀和攝影。台灣媒體報導，樹苗購入價格大約2000台幣，10年後以2萬台幣售出。
台灣俗稱落羽松，其實它是杉木
Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, Dorset
The gardens are situated in Abbotsbury, Dorset about 10 miles from Weymouth. In the late 18th century a family called Fox-Strangeways built a house and garden on the site (1765). This was maintained until 1913 when the house burnt down. It was decided not to rebuild the house, the family moved elsewhere but the walled garden remained until the present day. The family still owns the garden which now extends to a 20 acre or 8 hectares site. It is filled with many exotic species, both formal and informal gardens. Wooded walks and walled gardens feature throughout. Because of its microclimate many plants survive and flourish outside a greenhouse. The downside to this is, severe frost and rain can cause havoc to plants and trees. In 1990 severe storms damaged many of the rare plants. Many of these however, have been replaced by younger specimens. Another feature of the garden is that there are a number of geographically sectioned areas for specific zones.
We visited again in 2020 and had cake and tea in the restaurant. Very well worth the visit.
Epervier d'Europe mâle (Accipiter nisus), Neuchâtel, Suisse.
L’épervier d'Europe est de la taille d'un gros pigeon, son envergure est d’environ 65 centimètres. Ses ailes sont arrondies, sa tête est petite et sa queue est longue. Les yeux du mâle sont jaune orangés avec un cercle oculaire étroit et jaune. Il a le dessous du corps rouge-brun rayé et le dessus gris bleuté tandis que la femelle et les jeunes ont le dessous blanchâtre à rayures brun foncé. Il vit dans les forêts souvent perché sur les arbres en lisière ou sur les arbres isolés à l’affut. Il chasse en faisant des attaques surprises, en se cachant et en volant le long des haies et à travers les bosquets, slalomant entre les arbres, en épousant les reliefs du terrain avec une agilité incomparable, afin de surprendre les petits oiseaux des bois. Heureusement pour ces derniers, que seules 10 % de ses attaques soient couronnées de succès. Ce rapace sédentaire s'éloigne peu de son territoire sauf certains individus vivant au nord, qui vont hiberner plus au chaud. Son nid est installé dans les jeunes arbres généralement près du tronc.L’Épervier d'Europe vit et se reproduit dans les vastes étendues de forêts, souvent de conifères ou mixtes, préférant les bois ni trop ouverts ni trop denses pour pouvoir y voler. Il est présent dans l'ensemble des régions tempérées et subtropicales de l'Europe, de l'Asie et de l'Afrique. Il est l'un des oiseaux de proie les plus communs en Europe, avec le Faucon crécerelle (Falco tinnunculus) et la Buse variable (Buteo buteo).
Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, Dorset
The gardens are situated in Abbotsbury, Dorset about 10 miles from Weymouth. In the late 18th century a family called Fox-Strangeways built a house and garden on the site (1765). This was maintained until 1913 when the house burnt down. It was decided not to rebuild the house, the family moved elsewhere but the walled garden remained until the present day. The family still owns the garden which now extends to a 20 acre or 8 hectares site. It is filled with many exotic species, both formal and informal gardens. Wooded walks and walled gardens feature throughout. Because of its microclimate many plants survive and flourish outside a greenhouse. The downside to this is, severe frost and rain can cause havoc to plants and trees. In 1990 severe storms damaged many of the rare plants. Many of these however, have been replaced by younger specimens. Another feature of the garden is that there are a number of geographically sectioned areas for specific zones.
We visited this year and had cake and tea in the restaurant. Very well worth the visit.
Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, Dorset
The gardens are situated in Abbotsbury, Dorset about 10 miles from Weymouth. In the late 18th century a family called Fox-Strangeways built a house and garden on the site (1765). This was maintained until 1913 when the house burnt down. It was decided not to rebuild the house, the family moved elsewhere but the walled garden remained until the present day. The family still owns the garden which now extends to a 20 acre or 8 hectares site. It is filled with many exotic species, both formal and informal gardens. Wooded walks and walled gardens feature throughout. Because of its microclimate many plants survive and flourish outside a greenhouse. The downside to this is, severe frost and rain can cause havoc to plants and trees. In 1990 severe storms damaged many of the rare plants. Many of these however, have been replaced by younger specimens. Another feature of the garden is that there are a number of geographically sectioned areas for specific zones.
We visited this year and had cake and tea in the restaurant. Very well worth the visit.
Welcome in Fuengirola
Fuengirola in ancient times known as Suel and then Suhayl, is a large town on the Costa del Sol in the province of Málaga in Andalusia in southern Spain.
It is a major tourist resort, with more than 8 km (5 miles) of beaches and a medieval Moorish fortress.
The town has its origins in Phoenician, Roman, and Arab civilisations.
With the subtropical Mediterranean climate it is a wonderful place to visit, with a grand view over the Mediterranean sea.
In the 1960s Fuengirola started to become a leading tourist centre, eventually having the expected facilities for eating, sleeping, and entertainment. The town has broad beaches along a promenade extending east and west from the town.
It's many restaurants have a wide range of food a of which we enjoyed much, and there is a big choice for everybody; seafood, vegetarian, and a wide range of meat.
And don't forget to taste the fresh orange juice! That's something you have to drink before the beer guys...
It was a happy time with lots of fun , and good to go on holiday again!
Distributed throughout subtropical montane forest in the Andes and northern Venezuela, the Pale-edged Flycatcher is a fairly typical member of the genus Myiarchus.
This species is typically a bird of humid forests and is one of the few species of Myiarchus that is restricted entirely to humid montane forest.
neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p...
Welcome in Fuengirola
Fuengirola in ancient times known as Suel and then Suhayl, is a large town on the Costa del Sol in the province of Málaga in Andalusia in southern Spain.
It is a major tourist resort, with more than 8 km (5 miles) of beaches and a medieval Moorish fortress.
The town has its origins in Phoenician, Roman, and Arab civilisations.
With the subtropical Mediterranean climate it is a wonderful place to visit, with a grand view over the Mediterranean sea.
In the 1960s Fuengirola started to become a leading tourist centre, eventually having the expected facilities for eating, sleeping, and entertainment. The town has broad beaches along a promenade extending east and west from the town.
It's many restaurants have a wide range of food a of which we enjoyed much, and there is a big choice for everybody; seafood, vegetarian, and a wide range of meat.
And don't forget to taste the fresh orange juice! That's something you have to drink before the beer guys...
It was a happy time with lots of fun , and good to go on holiday again!
Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, Dorset
The gardens are situated in Abbotsbury, Dorset about 10 miles from Weymouth. In the late 18th century a family called Fox-Strangeways built a house and garden on the site (1765). This was maintained until 1913 when the house burnt down. It was decided not to rebuild the house, the family moved elsewhere but the walled garden remained until the present day. The family still owns the garden which now extends to a 20 acre or 8 hectares site. It is filled with many exotic species, both formal and informal gardens. Wooded walks and walled gardens feature throughout. Because of its microclimate many plants survive and flourish outside a greenhouse. The downside to this is, severe frost and rain can cause havoc to plants and trees. In 1990 severe storms damaged many of the rare plants. Many of these however, have been replaced by younger specimens. Another feature of the garden is that there are a number of geographically sectioned areas for specific zones.
We visited this year and had cake and tea in the restaurant. Very well worth the visit.
The Subtropical Lady is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in South America, from the mountains of Colombia and west of Caracas (Venezuela) through Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, southern Brazil, and Paraguay to Patagonia in Argentina. It is also found on Easter Island and Tuamotus.
The larvae feed on Achyrocline flaccida and many other species.
Jardín Botánico de Quito, Ecuador. January 2010.
Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, Dorset
The gardens are situated in Abbotsbury, Dorset about 10 miles from Weymouth. In the late 18th century a family called Fox-Strangeways built a house and garden on the site (1765). This was maintained until 1913 when the house burnt down. It was decided not to rebuild the house, the family moved elsewhere but the walled garden remained until the present day. The family still owns the garden which now extends to a 20 acre or 8 hectares site. It is filled with many exotic species, both formal and informal gardens. Wooded walks and walled gardens feature throughout. Because of its microclimate many plants survive and flourish outside a greenhouse. The downside to this is, severe frost and rain can cause havoc to plants and trees. In 1990 severe storms damaged many of the rare plants. Many of these however, have been replaced by younger specimens. Another feature of the garden is that there are a number of geographically sectioned areas for specific zones.
We visited again in 2020 and had cake and tea in the restaurant. Very well worth the visit.
Widespread ‘green woodpecker’ of tropical and subtropical forest; the only species of overall green woodpecker in much of its range, and therefore distinctive. Prefers mid-upper levels of forest, where can be very sluggish, and is overlooked easily unless its calls are known. Both sexes have red on back of head. ‘Bronze-winged Woodpecker’ of Northeast Mexico has less red on head, and very different voice from widespread Golden-olive forms. (eBird)
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Beautiful woodpecker that flew across the trail and then watched us, hoping not to be noticed.
Reserva Jorupe, Ecuador. January 2010.
Mindo Bird Tours - Southern Ecuador.
The earth is 4.6 billion years old. Scaling to 46 years, humans have been here 4 hours, the industrial revolution began 1 minute ago, and in that time, we’ve destroyed more than half the world’s forests.
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Yakushima is a subtropical island off the southern coast of Kyushu and part of Kagoshima Prefecture. It is covered by an extensive cedar forest that contains some of Japan's oldest living trees. Trees more than 1000 years old are affectionately called yakusugi (a combination of Yakushima and sugi, the Japanese word for cedar), the most ancient of which may be over 7000 years old.
The island's cedar forests were logged extensively in the past, particularly during the Edo Period for the production of cedar shingles. Today the forests have well recovered from past logging and are a national park, while some areas were declared a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site in 1993.
Yakushima, Japan
February, 2020
Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, Dorset
The gardens are situated in Abbotsbury, Dorset about 10 miles from Weymouth. In the late 18th century a family called Fox-Strangeways built a house and garden on the site (1765). This was maintained until 1913 when the house burnt down. It was decided not to rebuild the house, the family moved elsewhere but the walled garden remained until the present day. The family still owns the garden which now extends to a 20 acre or 8 hectares site. It is filled with many exotic species, both formal and informal gardens. Wooded walks and walled gardens feature throughout. Because of its microclimate many plants survive and flourish outside a greenhouse. The downside to this is, severe frost and rain can cause havoc to plants and trees. In 1990 severe storms damaged many of the rare plants. Many of these however, have been replaced by younger specimens. Another feature of the garden is that there are a number of geographically sectioned areas for specific zones.
We visited again in 2020 and had cake and tea in the restaurant. Very well worth the visit.
Situado en el mismo casco urbano de Elche se encuentra el Huerto del Cura, crisol donde se funde el amor al trabajo del hortelano levantino con esa chispa de genio que, por la belleza, tienen los habitantes de esta tierra. En Elche se denomina Huerto a una parcela de menor o mayor extensión, plantada de palmeras. Cada huerto suele tener un nombre alusivo a los propietarios o a cualquier anécdota histórica. El Huerto del Cura debe el suyo al capellán José Castaño Sánchez, que fue el cura propietario hasta el año 1918.
El Huerto del Cura es de dimensiones modestas: tiene escasamente 13.000 metros cuadrados y en él viven alrededor de 1.000 palmeras. Se puede considerar un huerto densamente poblado de datileras, protagonistas indiscutibles junto a cultivos típicos de la zona. Además de palmeras, crecen en este jardín otros cultivos típicos del Mediterráneo español como limoneros, naranjos, granados, algarrobos y azufaifos, junto a otros de clima subtropical que, a través del tiempo, han ido confeccionando una bella colección de plantas procedentes de los lugares más diversos.
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Palmeral de Elche, dichiarato nel 2000 dall'UNESCO patrimonio dell'umanità, grandissimo palmeto che costituisce un'attrazione turistica. È formato da centinaia di migliaia di palme coltivate con cura fin dall'epoca cartaginese e irrigate da una rete di canali salmastri; la maggior parte delle piante supera i 20 metri d'altezza e ha un secolo di vita.
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Palmeral de Elche, declared in 2000 by the UNESCO World Heritage Site, a palm grove that is a tourist attraction. It is made up of hundreds of thousands of palms cultivated with care since the Carthaginian era and irrigated by a network of brackish channels; Most plants exceed 20 meters in height and have a century of life.
St Augustine is the oldest city in the U.S., and is known for its Spanish colonial architecture as well as Atlantic Ocean beaches. The Castillo de San Marcos is a 17th-century Spanish stone fortres
Lianas are a principal physiognomic component of tropical and subtropical forests and are typically considered to be parasites of trees. In contrast, the substantial contribution of lianas to rainforest leaf litter production (up to 40%) suggests that they play important roles in nutrient cycles and may benefit their host trees. Lianas contribute disproportionately to total forest litter production at least partially because lianas invest relatively little in support structures and proportionately much more to leaf production when compared with trees.
Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, Dorset
The gardens are situated in Abbotsbury, Dorset about 10 miles from Weymouth. In the late 18th century a family called Fox-Strangeways built a house and garden on the site (1765). This was maintained until 1913 when the house burnt down. It was decided not to rebuild the house, the family moved elsewhere but the walled garden remained until the present day. The family still owns the garden which now extends to a 20 acre or 8 hectares site. It is filled with many exotic species, both formal and informal gardens. Wooded walks and walled gardens feature throughout. Because of its microclimate many plants survive and flourish outside a greenhouse. The downside to this is, severe frost and rain can cause havoc to plants and trees. In 1990 severe storms damaged many of the rare plants. Many of these however, have been replaced by younger specimens. Another feature of the garden is that there are a number of geographically sectioned areas for specific zones.
We visited again in 2020 and had cake and tea in the restaurant. Very well worth the visit.
Naples Botanical Gardens
Southwest Florida
USA
Photo taken from the ground looking up at the vulture high in a tree.
The turkey vulture (Cathartes aura), also known in some North American regions as the turkey buzzard (or just buzzard), and in some areas of the Caribbean as the John crow or carrion crow, is the most widespread of the New World vultures.
One of three species in the genus Cathartes of the family Cathartidae, the turkey vulture ranges from southern Canada to the southernmost tip of South America. It inhabits a variety of open and semi-open areas, including subtropical forests, shrublands, pastures, and deserts. It roosts in large community groups. Lacking a syrinx—the vocal organ of birds—its only vocalizations are grunts or low hisses.
Like all New World vultures, it is not closely related to the Old World vultures of Europe, Africa, and Asia. The two groups strongly resemble each other because of convergent evolution; natural selection often leads to similar body plans in animals that adapt independently to the same conditions.
The turkey vulture is a scavenger and feeds almost exclusively on carrion. It finds its food using its keen eyes and sense of smell, flying low enough to detect the gasses produced by the beginnings of the process of decay in dead animals. In flight, it uses thermals to move through the air, flapping its wings infrequently.
It nests in caves, hollow trees, or thickets. Each year it generally raises two chicks, which it feeds by regurgitation. It has very few natural predators. In the United States, the vulture receives legal protection under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. - Wikipedia
Wikipedia: The oriental pied hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris) is an Indo-Malayan pied hornbill, a large canopy-dwelling bird belonging to the family Bucerotidae.Two other common names for this species are Sunda pied hornbill (convexus) and Malaysian pied hornbill.
The species is considered to be among the smallest and most common of the Asian hornbills. It has the largest distribution in the genus and is found in the Indian Subcontinent and throughout Southeast Asia Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. The oriental pied hornbill's diet includes fruit, insects, shellfish, small reptiles and, sometimes, small mammals and birds including their eggs.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oriental_pied_hornbill
Conservation status: Least Concern
Saw this Abutilon Pictum (also known as Redvein Abutilon, Red Vein Indian Mallow, Redvein Flowering Maple and Chinese Lantern) flower in Bryant Park, Kodaikanal, it looked so attractive standing alone with broad green leaves and stems. It is cultivated as a popular ornamental plant, for use in gardens in subtropical climates. The yellow to orange-red bell shaped flowers have prominent dark red veining, with five petals 2–4 cm long and in the center is a cluster of stamens.
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Common Tern - Sterna Hirundo
It is strongly migratory, wintering in coastal tropical and subtropical regions. Breeding adults have light grey upperparts, white to very light grey underparts, a black cap, orange-red legs, and a narrow pointed bill. Depending on the subspecies, the bill may be mostly red with a black tip or all black. There are a number of similar species, including the partly sympatric Arctic tern, which can be separated on plumage details, leg and bill colour, or vocalisations.
Breeding in a wider range of habitats than any of its relatives, the common tern nests on any flat, poorly vegetated surface close to water, including beaches and islands, and it readily adapts to artificial substrates such as floating rafts. The nest may be a bare scrape in sand or gravel, but it is often lined or edged with whatever debris is available. Up to three eggs may be laid, their dull colours and blotchy patterns providing camouflage on the open beach.
Population:
UK breeding:
12,000 pairs
03-01-2018: subtropical Origin Mediterranean Flow Slides Over the Remaining Thermal Inversions of the Internal Karstic Region, While Snowcover at the Bottom of the Valleys Begins to Melt, Becoming Water For New Flooding Phases. In Short: From Winter To... Autumn!
Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis
The cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) is a cosmopolitan species of heron (family Ardeidae) found in the tropics, subtropics and warm temperate zones.
It is a white bird adorned with buff plumes in the breeding season. It nests in colonies, usually near bodies of water and often with other wading birds. The nest is a platform of sticks in trees or shrubs. Cattle egrets exploit drier and open habitats more than other heron species. Their feeding habitats include seasonally inundated grasslands, pastures, farmlands, wetlands and rice paddies. They often accompany cattle or other large mammals, catching insect and small vertebrate prey disturbed by these animals. Some populations of the cattle egret are migratory and others show post-breeding dispersal.
The cattle egret has undergone one of the most rapid and wide reaching natural expansions of any bird species.It was originally native to parts of Southern Spain and Portugal, tropical and subtropical Africa and humid tropical and subtropical Asia. In the end of the 19th century it began expanding its range into southern Africa, first breeding in the Cape Province in 1908. Cattle egrets were first sighted in the Americas on the boundary of Guiana and Suriname in 1877, having apparently flown across the Atlantic Ocean. It was not until the 1930s that the species is thought to have become established in that area.
The species first arrived in North America in 1941 (these early sightings were originally dismissed as escapees), bred in Florida in 1953, and spread rapidly, breeding for the first time in Canada in 1962. It is now commonly seen as far west as California. It was first recorded breeding in Cuba in 1957, in Costa Rica in 1958, and in Mexico in 1963, although it was probably established before that. In Europe, the species had historically declined in Spain and Portugal, but in the latter part of the 20th century it expanded back through the Iberian Peninsula, and then began to colonise other parts of Europe; southern France in 1958, northern France in 1981 and Italy in 1985.
Breeding in the United Kingdom was recorded for the first time in 2008 only a year after an influx seen in the previous year. In 2008, cattle egrets were also reported as having moved into Ireland for the first time. This trend has continued and cattle egrets have become more numerous in southern Britain with influxes in some numbers during the non breeding seasons of 2007/08 and 2016/17. They bred in Britain again in 2017, following an influx in the previous winter, and may become established there.
In Australia, the colonisation began in the 1940s, with the species establishing itself in the north and east of the continent. It began to regularly visit New Zealand in the 1960s. Since 1948 the cattle egret has been permanently resident in Israel. Prior to 1948 it was only a winter visitor.
A view over the Blyde River Canyon from the Three Rondavels viewing point. The Blyde River Canyon is a 26km long canyon located in the province of Mpumalanga in South Africa. It is a “green canyon” which is dominated by subtropical vegetation.
Blyde means “glad” or “happy” in old Dutch, a name derived from a voortrekkers’ expedition. The ‘happy river’ was thus named in 1844, when Hendrik Potgieter and others returned safely from Delagoa Bay to the rest of their party of trekkers who had considered them dead. While still under this misapprehension they had named the nearby river where they had been encamped, Treurrivier, or ‘mourning river’. Blyde River Canyon supports large diversity of life, including numerous fish and antelope species as well as hippos and crocodiles, and every primate species that may be seen in South Africa and a wide diversity of birdlife.
In the distance, the flat plain of the Lowveld can be plainly seen stretching to the horizon, and towards the Mozambican border.
Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis
The cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) is a cosmopolitan species of heron (family Ardeidae) found in the tropics, subtropics and warm temperate zones.
It is a white bird adorned with buff plumes in the breeding season. It nests in colonies, usually near bodies of water and often with other wading birds. The nest is a platform of sticks in trees or shrubs. Cattle egrets exploit drier and open habitats more than other heron species. Their feeding habitats include seasonally inundated grasslands, pastures, farmlands, wetlands and rice paddies. They often accompany cattle or other large mammals, catching insect and small vertebrate prey disturbed by these animals. Some populations of the cattle egret are migratory and others show post-breeding dispersal.
The cattle egret has undergone one of the most rapid and wide reaching natural expansions of any bird species.It was originally native to parts of Southern Spain and Portugal, tropical and subtropical Africa and humid tropical and subtropical Asia. In the end of the 19th century it began expanding its range into southern Africa, first breeding in the Cape Province in 1908. Cattle egrets were first sighted in the Americas on the boundary of Guiana and Suriname in 1877, having apparently flown across the Atlantic Ocean. It was not until the 1930s that the species is thought to have become established in that area.
The species first arrived in North America in 1941 (these early sightings were originally dismissed as escapees), bred in Florida in 1953, and spread rapidly, breeding for the first time in Canada in 1962. It is now commonly seen as far west as California. It was first recorded breeding in Cuba in 1957, in Costa Rica in 1958, and in Mexico in 1963, although it was probably established before that. In Europe, the species had historically declined in Spain and Portugal, but in the latter part of the 20th century it expanded back through the Iberian Peninsula, and then began to colonise other parts of Europe; southern France in 1958, northern France in 1981 and Italy in 1985.
Breeding in the United Kingdom was recorded for the first time in 2008 only a year after an influx seen in the previous year. In 2008, cattle egrets were also reported as having moved into Ireland for the first time. This trend has continued and cattle egrets have become more numerous in southern Britain with influxes in some numbers during the non breeding seasons of 2007/08 and 2016/17. They bred in Britain again in 2017, following an influx in the previous winter, and may become established there.
In Australia, the colonisation began in the 1940s, with the species establishing itself in the north and east of the continent. It began to regularly visit New Zealand in the 1960s. Since 1948 the cattle egret has been permanently resident in Israel. Prior to 1948 it was only a winter visitor.