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
The hornbills (Bucerotidae) are a family of bird found in tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia and Melanesia. They are characterized by a long, down-curved bill which is frequently brightly colored and sometimes has a casque on the upper mandible. Both the common English and the scientific name of the family refer to the shape of the bill, "buceros" being "cow horn" in Greek. Hornbills have a two-lobed kidney. They are the only birds in which the first and second neck vertebrae (the atlas and axis respectively) are fused together; this probably provides a more stable platform for carrying the bill. The family is omnivorous, feeding on fruit and small animals. They are monogamous breeders nesting in natural cavities in trees and sometimes cliffs. A number of mainly insular species of hornbill with small ranges are threatened with extinction, namely in Southeast Asia. In the Neotropical realm, toucans occupy the hornbills' ecological niche, an example of convergent evolution.
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.
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)
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
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
SÜDAFRIKA (South-Africa), Blyde-Canyon - am Trauer-Freudenfluss, Bourkes Luck Potholes.
Der Blyde River Canyon ist ein 26 Kilometer langer, bis zu 800 Meter tiefer und hauptsächlich aus rotem Sandstein bestehender Canyon. Er befindet sich an der Panorama Route nordöstlich von Johannesburg und gilt als eines der großen Naturwunder Afrikas.
Durch den Blyde River Canyon, der an den Bourke’s Luck Potholes genannten Strudellöchern beginnt, fließt der Fluss Blyde River, der bei dem Thaba Chweu entspringt und in den Olifantsriver fließt.
The Blyde River Canyon is a 26km long Canyon located in Mpumalanga, South Africa. It is the one of the larger canyons on Earth but much smaller than those of Asia, the Grand Canyon and the Fish River Canyon. Unlike the Grand and Fish River Canyon, the Blyde River Canyon is a "green canyon" which is dominated by subtropical vegetation. The canyon forms part of the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve.
They are among the oldest horticultural orchids in the world. They are among the most popular orchid genus. They're an important cut flower crop for florists and are widely cultivated as a grower's fancy. Commonly known as boat orchids, is a genus of evergreen flowering plants in the orchid family Orchidaceae. Orchids in this genus are epiphytic, lithophytic, terrestrial or rarely leafless saprophytic herbs usually with pseudobulbs. There are usually between three and twelve leaves arranged in two ranks on each pseudobulb or shoot and lasting for several years. From one to a large number of flowers are arranged on an unbranched flowering stem arising from the base of the pseudobulb. The sepals and petals are all free from and similar to each other. The labellum is significantly different from the other petals and the sepals and has three lobes. There are about fifty-five species and sixteen further natural hybrids occurring in the wild from tropical and subtropical Asia to Australia. Cymbidiums are well known in horticulture and many cultivars have been developed. Plants in the genus Cymbidium are epiphytic, lithophytic or terrestrial plants, or rarely leafless saprophytes. All are sympodial evergreen herbs. Some species have thin stems but in most species the stems are modified as pseudobulbs. When present, there are from three to twelve leaves arrange in two ranks and last for several years. The leaf bases remain after the leaf has withered, forming a sheath around the pseudobulb. The flowers are arranged on an unbranched flowering stem which arises from the base of the pseudobulb or rarely from a leaf axil. 3486
Finca Alejandria, Km 18 Via Cali-Buenaventura, Cali, Colombia.
Chalcothraupis ruficervix ruficervix -Prévost & Des Murs, 1842- (Golden-naped tanager / Tangara nuquirrufa)
The golden-naped tanager is found in South America from Colombia to Bolivia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and heavily degraded former forest. Six subspecies are recognised.
Golden-naped tanagers have plumage similar to those of the metallic-green tanager, the swallow tanager and the blue-and-black tanager as adults of all three species are primarily blue with black facial masking, however, the golden-naped tanager is the only primarily blue tanager with a golden or reddish crown patch or nape.
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.
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 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 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.
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...
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
They are among the oldest horticultural orchids in the world. They are among the most popular orchid genus. They're an important cut flower crop for florists and are widely cultivated as a grower's fancy. Commonly known as boat orchids, is a genus of evergreen flowering plants in the orchid family Orchidaceae. Orchids in this genus are epiphytic, lithophytic, terrestrial or rarely leafless saprophytic herbs usually with pseudobulbs. There are usually between three and twelve leaves arranged in two ranks on each pseudobulb or shoot and lasting for several years. From one to a large number of flowers are arranged on an unbranched flowering stem arising from the base of the pseudobulb. The sepals and petals are all free from and similar to each other. The labellum is significantly different from the other petals and the sepals and has three lobes. There are about fifty-five species and sixteen further natural hybrids occurring in the wild from tropical and subtropical Asia to Australia. Cymbidiums are well known in horticulture and many cultivars have been developed. Plants in the genus Cymbidium are epiphytic, lithophytic or terrestrial plants, or rarely leafless saprophytes. All are sympodial evergreen herbs. Some species have thin stems but in most species the stems are modified as pseudobulbs. When present, there are from three to twelve leaves arrange in two ranks and last for several years. The leaf bases remain after the leaf has withered, forming a sheath around the pseudobulb. The flowers are arranged on an unbranched flowering stem which arises from the base of the pseudobulb or rarely from a leaf axil. 4816
Tipica de bosques tropicales y subtropicales y áreas semi-abiertas junto a arboles altos. Suele verse a mitad o en lo alto de los arboles con frutos, a veces en grupos pequeños. Fácil de identificar por la base rosada del pico y su máscara rosada alrededor de los ojos, su nombre coloquial deriva del sonido que emiten similar a un puerco aunque en El Salvador se le conoce tambien como Torreja
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.
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!
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.
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
It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forest. In Ecuador, it is noted that the guans from the Eastern slope, at 61-63.5 cm (24–25 in), were much larger than birds from the Western Andean slope, at 51-54.5 cm (20–22 in).
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.
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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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.
Bougainvillea is a genus of 18 species of plants native to tropical and subtropical regions of South America and spread from Brazil to Peru and south to the region of Chubut in Argentina.
Bougainvilleas are beautiful, decorative and extended plants.
There are more than 80 different colors or varieties.
The Arecaceae are a botanical family of perennial plants. Their growth form can be climbers, shrubs, tree-like and stemless plants, all commonly known as palms. Those having a tree-like form are colloquially called palm trees. They are flowering plants, a family in the monocot order Arecales. Currently 181 genera with around 2600 species are known, most of them restricted to tropical and subtropical climates. Most palms are distinguished by their large, compound, evergreen leaves, known as fronds, arranged at the top of an unbranched stem. However, palms exhibit an enormous diversity in physical characteristics and inhabit nearly every type of habitat within their range, from rainforests to deserts.
Palms are among the best known and most extensively cultivated plant families. They have been important to humans throughout much of history. Many common products and foods are derived from palms. In contemporary times, palms are also widely used in landscaping, making them one of the most economically important plants. In many historical cultures, because of their importance as food, palms were symbols for such ideas as victory, peace, and fertility. For inhabitants of cooler climates today, palms symbolize the tropics and vacations. Most palms are native to tropical and subtropical climates. Palms thrive in moist and hot climates but can be found in a variety of different habitats. Their diversity is highest in wet, lowland forests. South America, the Caribbean, and areas of the south Pacific and southern Asia are regions of concentration. Colombia may have the highest number of palm species in one country. 23259
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.
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.
Large striking flycatcher of tropical and subtropical forest and woodland; also in semi-open areas with taller trees. Perches mainly at mid-upper levels, often in the canopy. Fairly common in most areas, but uncommon and local in West Mexico. Told from widespread Great Kiskadee, which prefers more open and less wooded habitats, by dull olive upperparts (lacking the bright rusty wings and tail of kiskadee) and stouter bill, with a more strongly arched ridge along the top. The two species sound quite different. (eBird)
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Another early morning viewing from the lodge's canopy tower. He caught the early morning light beautifully.
Here’s the link to our Costa Rica trip list: ebird.org/tripreport/477692
Danta Corcovado Lodge, Puntarenas, Costa Rica. February 2026.
Eagle-Eye Tours.
Perhaps Jennifer sensed we were bored, because she suddenly loaded us into our oversized bus for a ride out of town to a tea plantation; this excursion was not on our itinerary, surprise, surprise, it was another commercial and sales opportunity
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The climate in Guilin is subtropical and quite humid, 2 million years ago it was the floor of an ancient sea, which we were told gave rise to the amazing shaped mountains around the city. Outside the city there are tea plantations on the flat ground between the odd shaped mountains.
Another surprise, we were taken to a government run tea research institute, complete with tea plantation and tourist trap. First we were taken to see tea bushes at close quarters under a misty sky.
Next to a small room where a woman brewed different varieties of tea, and we sipped samples. None was a patch on my tea bags back home, but there you go. Then there was the inevitable visit to the sales room where tea, tea pots, tea sets and tea trash was hawked at inflated prices. Bored and disillusioned, I sat outside on the verandah where I was kept under close surveillance by a minder.
Cuiaba River
The Pantanal
Brazil
South America
I occasionally see these storks in Southern Florida where I live. They are much more common in South America where you can see hundreds of them. The stork was photographed high in a dead tree with two others.
The wood stork (Mycteria americana) is a large American wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It was formerly called the "wood ibis", though it is not an ibis. As of June 26, 2014 it is classified as a threatened species by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Globally, it is considered a species of Least Concern by the IUCN due to its large range.
This is a subtropical and tropical species which breeds in South America, Central America and the Caribbean. The wood stork is the only stork that presently breeds in North America. In the United States there is a small breeding population in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, along with a recently discovered rookery in southeastern North Carolina. – Wikipedia