Ticino
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Ticino
My best photos are here: www.lacerta-bilineata.com/ticino-best-photos-of-southern-...
More TICINO/TESSIN Wildlife Photos (all taken in my garden in Monteggio/Ti, Switzerland): it.lacerta-bilineata.com/ramarro-occidentale-lacerta-bili... (the website exists in ESPAÑOL, FRANÇAIS, ITALIANO, ENGLISH, DEUTSCH)
My latest ANIMAL VIDEO (warning, it's a bit shocking): www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T2-Xszz7FI
ABOUT THE PHOTO:
The photo above was taken this past May and shows parts of my garden and the surrounding hills just as the sun was setting after a heavy thunderstorm, which is when the light and the colors are at their most intense, most magical; it was one of those rare moments that usually only last for a few minutes (sometimes not even that), and you have to be quick to capture them.
The reason I like the photo quite a bit is that it shows a side of my country that is far less known to the people abroad than our snowy mountains and green meadows with friendly cows or the glitz of St. Moritz, Zermatt and Zurich: it shows you "my" tropical Switzerland 😊.
And the thing is, the spot in Ticino where I'm fortunate enough to own a vacation home - a tiny, 400-year old stone building only 70 meters from the Italian border - doesn't just look like it lies in the tropics: it actually sort of does, at least during the summer months.
With temperatures frequently in the mid 30s (Celsius) and a level of humidity that is high enough to make you break out in a sweat the second you leave the house, the micro-climate is not that dissimilar from what you might find in a rain forest.
The air can grow so heavy that people unaccustomed to it might feel like they have a hard time breathing (when friends of mine who originally are from Brazil visited me for a couple of days during a particularly hot period, even they struggled and told me they felt as if they were inhaling steam).
On the plus-side, this tropical micro-climate allows the people in our village to grow lemons, peaches, figs and kiwi fruits in addition to the more traditional apricots, grapes apples and cherries, and even palm trees like the one in this photo are a very common sight throughout the region.
Luckily our houses are traditionally built in a way to keep out the heat even during the hottest months, so the few remaining permanent residents of the village (around 40 people most of whom are over the age of sixty), find soothing cool as soon as they enter the thick stone walls of their homes.
The village itself is built on a rock that is surrounded by dense chestnut forest on all sides that stretches on until the horizon, only interrupted every now and then by a village, a vineyard or a small stream in a valley with a few fields.
So it's hardly a surprise that this tiny tropical paradise is a place where a great variety of beautiful insects, snakes and colorful lizards (that most people probably wouldn't immediately associate with typical Swiss fauna either) feel very much at home, and I feel incredibly blessed that I need only step outside and enter my garden to capture it with my camera 😊.
In case people are interested I might upload a photo that shows a bit more of our village one day, but for now I'll continue to stick with my beloved "creepy crawlies" (as some of my friends here jokingly refer to them) and continue to concentrate on nature, wildlife and landscape photos. 😉
I hope you like the photo and wish you all a wonderful weekend! Many greetings from Switzerland, and as always: let me know what you think in the comments 🙏 😊 ❤!
P.S. This is probably going to be my last upload in 2022, so HAPPY HOLIDAYS everyone!! 🎄💕🎉😃!!
Switzerland, May 2021
My best photos are here: www.lacerta-bilineata.com/ticino-best-photos-of-southern-...
My latest ANIMAL VIDEO (warning, it's a bit shocking): www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T2-Xszz7FI
You find a selection of my 80 BEST PHOTOS (mostly not yet on Flickr) here: www.lacerta-bilineata.com/western-green-lizard-lacerta-bi... (the website exists in ESPAÑOL, FRANÇAIS, ITALIANO, ENGLISH, DEUTSCH)
ABOUT THE PHOTO:
So this photo is a bit of a novelty for me - at least here on Flickr, but it's also a journey back in time in a sense. I've always loved b/w and sepia photography; already as a very young teenager I would go out into the woods with an old Pentax Spotmatic (which I had nicked from my father) whenever it was a foggy day to shoot b/w compositions of sunbeams cutting through the ghostlike trees.
I used films with a sensitivity of at least 1600 (for those of you who remember what that means 😉 ), and the resulting photos had an incredibly fine grain which I loved; I blew them up to the size of posters and hung them on the walls of my teenage man-cave next to Hendrix, Jim Morrison and Slash.
But then I abandoned photography altogether for 20 years, and when I finally picked up a camera again, it was one of the digital kind. Now neither film nor grain played any role in my photographic endeavours - let alone b/w compositions: because the reason I fell in love with shooting pictures once more was the rare and incredibly colorful lizard species that had chosen my garden as its habitat.
It's this species - the Lacerta bilineata aka the western green lizard - that my photo website www.lacerta-bilineata.com/ and also my Flickr gallery are dedicated to, but I've since expanded that theme a bit so that it now comprises the whole Lacerta bilineata habitat, which is to say my garden and its immediate surroundings and all the flora and fauna I find in it.
I like that my gallery and the website have this clear theme, because in order to rise to the challenge of portraying all aspects of a very specific little eco system (which also happens to be my home of sorts), it forces me to constantly explore it from fresh angles, and I keep discovering fascinating new motives as my photographic journey continues.
Which brings me to the horse pasture you see in this photo. This playground for happy horsies lies just outside my garden, and it normally only interests me insofar as my green reptile friends claim parts of it as their territory, and I very much prefer it to be horseless (which it thankfully often is).
Not that the horses bother the reptiles - the lizards don't mind them one bit, and I've even seen them jump from the safety of the fly honeysuckle shrub which the pasture borders on right between the deadly looking hooves of the horses to forage for snails, without any sign of fear or even respect.
No, the reason I have a very conflicted relationship with those horses is that they are mighty cute and that there's usually also foals. The sight of those beautiful, happy animals jumping around and frolicking (it's a huge pasture and you can tell the horses really love it) is irresistible: and that inevitably attracts what in the entire universe is known as the most destructive anti-matter and ultimate undoing of any nature photographer: other humans.
Unlike with the horses, the lizards ARE indeed very much bothered by specimens of loud, unpredictable Homo sapiens sapiens - which makes those (and by extension also the horses) the cryptonite of this here reptile photographer. It's not the horses' fault, I know that, but that doesn't change a thing. I'm just telling you how it is (and some of you might have read about the traumatic events I had to endure to get a particular photo - if not, read at your own risk here: www.flickr.com/photos/191055893@N07/51405389883/in/datepo... - which clearly demonstrated that even when it's entirely horseless, that pasture is still a threat for artistic endeavours).
But back to the photo. So one morning during my vacation back in May I got up quite early. It had rained all night, and now the fog was creeping up from the valley below to our village just as the sky cleared up and the morning sun started to shine through the trees.
And just as I did when I was a teenager I grabbed my camera and ran out to photograph this beautiful mood of ghostlike trees and sunbeams cutting through the mist. There had already been such a day a week earlier (which is when I took this photo: www.flickr.com/photos/191055893@N07/51543603732/in/datepo... ), but this time, the horses were also there.
Because of our slightly strained relationship I only took this one photo of them (I now wish I had taken more: talk about missed opportunities), and otherwise concentrated on the landscape. It was only later when I went through all the photos on my computer that I realized that I actually really liked those horses, even despite the whole composition being such a cliché. And I realized another thing: when I drained the photo of all the color, I liked it even better - because there was almost a bit of grain in it, like in the photos from my youth.
Since then I have experimented quite a bit with b/w and sepia compositions (some of which I will upload here eventually I guess), but this photo here is the first one that helped me rediscover my old passion. I hope you like it even though it builds quite a stark contrast with the rest of my tiny - and very colorful - gallery. But in the spirit of showing you the whole Lacerta bilineata habitat (and also in the spirit of expanding my gallery a bit beyond lizards and insects), I think it's not such a bad fit.
As always, many greetings to all of you, have a wonderful day and don't hesitate to let me know what you think 😊
"No More Honey" | Flower Crab Spider & European Honeybee | Misumena Vatia | Apis Mellifera | Switzerland
My best photos are here: www.lacerta-bilineata.com/ticino-best-photos-of-southern-...
My latest ANIMAL VIDEO (warning, it's a bit shocking): www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T2-Xszz7FI
You find a selection of my 80 BEST PHOTOS (mostly not yet on Flickr) here: www.lacerta-bilineata.com/western-green-lizard-lacerta-bi... (the website exists in ESPAÑOL, FRANÇAIS, ITALIANO, ENGLISH, DEUTSCH)
ABOUT THIS PHOTO:
My garden may look like a peaceful green paradise to humans, but for the little creatures living in it it's a place where death may lurk behind every corner.
From time to time when I'm working in the garden or I'm just reading a book I hear a very distinct, loud buzzing that stands out as somewhat unusual among the many noises and sounds I hear during the day. By now I know what that sound is: it's the panicky, frantic buzzing of a European honeybee (Apis mellifera) that has fallen prey to a very distinguished predator: the flower crab spider (Misumena vatia).
The arachnid usually hides in flowers, patiently waiting for an unsuspecting insect; due to its ability to adapt its color to that of the flowers it hunts in it is almost invisible - and all the more deadly to its prey. This photo here is actually somewhat unusual because this crab spider didn't hunt in a flower but in the leaves of the vines that make up the roof of my veranda.
Once it had caught the bee it let itself fall into the empty space below, safely secured by two threads, to enjoy its meal undisturbed (and probably also in order not to become prey itself, namely of another predator like a lizard that might have been attracted by the victim's frantic buzzing ;-)
This scene may seem cruel to us (and I'm aware that - sadly - many people don't like spiders to begin with), but this is simply nature's way (and that bee didn't suffer long; compared to what we humans do to animals, the spider's way of killing its prey actually seems rather "humane" - even if that word sounds absurd in this context).
ABOUT THE SPECIES (from Wikipedia):
Misumena vatia is a species of crab spider with a holarctic distribution. It is called the goldenrod crab spider or flower (crab) spider, as it is commonly found hunting in goldenrot sprays and milkweed plants. They are called crab spiders because of their unique ability to walk sideways as well as forwards and backwards.
Females can grow up to 10 mm (0.39 in) while males are quite small, reaching 5 mm (0.20 in) at most. Misumena vatia may be yellow or white. This ultimately depends on the flower on which they are hunting. Younger females especially, which may hunt on a variety of flowers such as daisies and sunflowers, have a strong tendency to adapt to the color of the surrounding flower. However, the color-changing process is not instant and can require up to 25 days to complete.
They have a complex visual system, with eight eyes, that they rely on for prey capture and for their color-changing abilities. Sometimes, if Misumena vatia consume colored prey, the spider itself will take on that color.Misumena vatia feed on common insects, often consuming prey much larger than themselves. They use venom to immobilize their prey, though they are harmless to humans. They face threats due to parasites and larger insects.
For Misumena vatia, survival depends on the choice of hunting site. The spiders closely monitor multiple sites to see if others nearby are frequented by greater numbers of potential prey. Females are stationary and choose a flower to settle on while males cover great distances searching for mates. Females do not emit pheromones, rather, they leave "draglines" of silk behind them as they move, which males follow. Females live longer than males, on average. After mating, females guard their nests until the young have hatched, after which they die.
I don't want this text to get even longer, so I'll skip the info about the Eurpean honeybee (Apis Mellifera), but I encourage everyone to look it up or watch the documentary 'More Than Honey' from 2012; bees may seem a very familiar and common sight to us, but they are among the most important and fascinating creatures on the planet.
As I mentioned before, if people like these photos and are interested in other flora and fauna from my private jungle, I'll upload an insect or spider every once in a while between lizards, so let me know in the comments if you're interested in seeing more of these or if I should stick to just reptiles ;-)
As always, thank you so much for your interest and feedback, stay safe - and have a great week everyone!
Lacerta
Stitched HDR- Panorama 7 shots at 7 exposures
More details of stuctures can be seen in the 2048 version...
The orginal-print is 35 cm x 85 cm at 300 dpi.
Stamattina mi sono fatto un giretto nei boschi del Ticino alle ore 7.00. Nel tratto del bosco "Mercalli" a Vigevano che sbuca su un ramo laterale del fiume, ho ammirato l'alba in una pace incredibile !!
Votata foto del mese (Luglio 2010) nel gruppo "Terra d'Insubria"
Vigevano (Pv) - I colori del Ticino alla Lanca Ayala in una rara e splendida giornata di sole a Novembre.
The Sosto (2,220.6 m) is a mountain of the Swiss Lepontine Alps, overlooking Olivone in the canton of Ticino. It lies south of the lake of Luzzone and west of the Torrone di Nav.
“Valle di Blenio, solare, splendente, calda come l’ospitalità della sua gente…”
Il Sosto è alto 2220 m slm, è fra le montagne ticinesi più conosciute e appartiene all’iconografia di Olivone
© Non utilizzare le mie immagini senza il mio permesso .
© Do not use my images without my permission .
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Grazie mille a tutti per le vostre visite e commenti !
Thank you all for your visites and comments !
Leica M-P & Elmarit-M 28mm
Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my written permission.
© Toni_V. All rights reserved.
Leica M-P & Elmarit-M 28mm
Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my written permission.
© Toni_V. All rights reserved.
For further information see my page:
Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved
20180610
Leica M-P & Elmarit-M 28mm
Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my written permission.
© Toni_V. All rights reserved.
Leica M-P & Elmarit-M 28mm
Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my written permission.
© Toni_V. All rights reserved.
Leica M-P & Elmarit-M 28mm
Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my written permission.
© Toni_V. All rights reserved.
Leica M-P & Elmarit-M 28mm
Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my written permission.
© Toni_V. All rights reserved.
Leica M-P & Elmarit-M 28mm
Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my written permission.
© Toni_V. All rights reserved.
Leica M-P & Elmarit-M 28mm
Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my written permission.
© Toni_V. All rights reserved.
L'aria limpida di una splendida giornata di fine ottobre permette di ammirare in tutto il loro splendore queste montagne sconosciute alla maggior parte degli escursionisti italiani.
La prima spruzzata di neve in quota conferisce loro un aspetto ancor più severo ed imponente,nonostante le cime superino di poco i 2500 metri.
Siamo in Val Verzasca,in Ticino, a non più una quindicina di Km dalle rive del Lago Maggiore affollate di turisti.
looking southwards from Gottardo massive, on the ascend of pizzo rotondo
btw, the rotondo is also on my photostreamhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/max_d_machy/19224358242/
Porto Torre, Varese. Italy.
The Ticino River borns in Val Bedretto, near Nufenenpass, 2,480m above the sea, in Switzerland. It is fed by the glaciers of the Alps and it is the main feeder of Lake Maggiore, in Italy. Its run is divided in three segments: the mountain segment, in Switzerland, the lake segment, in Lake Maggiore, and the plane segment, from Lake Maggiore to the Po River. Ticino flows out of Lake Maggiore near the City of Sesto Calende, and then it flows in the great plane toward the city of Pavia, where it joins the Po River (the largest river in Italy). Ticino is about 248 kilometres (154 mi) long. The highest point of the drainage basin is the summit of Grenzgipfel (a subpeak of Monte Rosa), at 4,618 metres (15,151 ft). From Monte Rosa, the water flows into the Anza River, and then into Toce River to feed again Lake Maggiore.
There is a series of dams in Switzerland, in order to create hydroelectricity, while in Italy a series of small dams are used to control the level of water in the lake for agricultural purposes.
This shot has been taken some kilometers downstream of Lake Maggiore, near the small dam of Porto Torre.
Tramonto invernale sul Fiume Ticino, subito a valle della diga di Porto Torre (Varese).