NIC NAME UMBRELLA BIRD

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SOPHISTICATED and characteristic foraging strategy involves the bird spreading its wings forward to create an umbrella, with its head tucked inside, the fish freezes because of the sudden loss of light, and the heron grabs it. They collect in groups and are one amazing sight you will never forget.

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THANK YOU for your visit, all you U.K followers I hope are battering down the hatches, for these amber and red-listed storms today, Keep well, stay indoors if possible, Pray that God will keep us all safe, with no property damage.

.....................Tomx

Innerdalstårnet is a 1,452-metre (4,764 ft) tall mountain, also known as the Matterhorn of Norway for its characteristic pyramidal shape. The summit can be reached with some scrambling, and the mountain is a very popular destination for rock climbing (and for photographers).

Skylark - Alauda Arvensis

Skylarks are characteristic of semi-natural grassland systems from sand dunes through heathland to marginal upland, but are most common in arable farmland, making use of the nesting cover and bare ground for feeding that crops themselves provide throughout the year. Males are highly territorial, using long song flights at high altitude to broadcast to rivals and potential mates because the open landscapes they prefer are devoid of high perches. The stamina required to sustain long song flights has led to song flight length being used as an “honest signal” of male quality by females, allowing male Skylarks to advertise themselves without bright plumage, so they have kept the cryptic, brown and streaked coloration that affords them protection from predators on the ground.

Although migratory in much of northern Europe, British breeding Skylarks are believed not to move far between seasons, although upland birds move to lower latitudes. They can then often begin to breed in March and continue into July, making up to three breeding attempts. In winter, they mostly use crop stubble and fallow fields, in which they forage for weed seed and spilled grain, often in large flocks. Throughout the year, the Skylark’s heritage as a steppe species is apparent in its avoidance of vertical structures, which restricts the suitability of farmland with a high density of hedgerows.

Thanks to all who take the time to Comment/fav etc, it is always Appreciated.

The woodlark is a streaky brown bird, with a buffy-white eye-stripe which meets across the nape. It has a well-developed crest on its crown which is not always conspicuous. In flight the peculiarly short tail and broad, rounded wings are noticeable and the deeply undulating flight with closed wing glides is characteristic.

Skylark - Alauda Arvensis

Skylarks are characteristic of semi-natural grassland systems from sand dunes through heathland to marginal upland, but are most common in arable farmland, making use of the nesting cover and bare ground for feeding that crops themselves provide throughout the year. Males are highly territorial, using long song flights at high altitude to broadcast to rivals and potential mates because the open landscapes they prefer are devoid of high perches. The stamina required to sustain long song flights has led to song flight length being used as an “honest signal” of male quality by females, allowing male Skylarks to advertise themselves without bright plumage, so they have kept the cryptic, brown and streaked coloration that affords them protection from predators on the ground.

Although migratory in much of northern Europe, British breeding Skylarks are believed not to move far between seasons, although upland birds move to lower latitudes. They can then often begin to breed in March and continue into July, making up to three breeding attempts. In winter, they mostly use crop stubble and fallow fields, in which they forage for weed seed and spilled grain, often in large flocks. Throughout the year, the Skylark’s heritage as a steppe species is apparent in its avoidance of vertical structures, which restricts the suitability of farmland with a high density of hedgerows.

Thanks to all who take the time to Comment/fav etc, it is always Appreciated.

Dipper - Cinclus Cinclus

aka Water Ouzel

Double click to view

Dippers are members of the genus Cinclus in the bird family Cinclidae, named for their bobbing or dipping movements. They are unique among passerines for their ability to dive and swim underwater.

They have a characteristic bobbing motion when perched beside the water, giving them their name. While under water, they are covered by a thin, silvery film of air, due to small bubbles being trapped on the surface of the plumage.

Dippers are found in suitable freshwater habitats in the highlands of the Americas, Europe and Asia. In Africa they are only found in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. They inhabit the banks of fast-moving upland rivers with cold, clear waters, though, outside the breeding season, they may visit lake shores and sea coasts.

The high haemoglobin concentration in their blood gives them a capacity to store oxygen greater than that of other birds, allowing them to remain underwater for thirty seconds or more, whilst their basal metabolic rate is approximately one-third slower than typical terrestrial passerines of similar mass. One small population wintering at a hot spring in Suntar-Khayata Mountains of Siberia feeds underwater when air temperatures drop below −55 °C (−67 °F).

Dippers are completely dependent on fast-flowing rivers with clear water, accessible food and secure nest-sites. They may be threatened by anything that affects these needs such as water pollution, acidification and turbidity caused by erosion. River regulation through the creation of dams and reservoirs, as well as channelization, can degrade and destroy dipper habitat.

Dippers are also sometimes hunted or otherwise persecuted by humans for various reasons. The Cyprus race of the white-throated dipper is extinct. In the Atlas Mountains dippers are claimed to have aphrodisiacal properties. In parts of Scotland and Germany, until the beginning of the 20th century, bounties were paid for killing dippers because of a misguided perception that they were detrimental to fish stocks through predation on the eggs and fry of salmonids.

Population:

UK breeding:

6,200-18,700 pairs

A CLATTERING of Jackdaws, can be seen around our cottage, at all times of the year, it is an engaging and opportunstic feeder, and our smaller birds are often frightened away from the feeders, just from the size of them, they breed on a old building chimney stack. It walks with a characteristic swagger and is aerobatic in flight, and quick to exploit any new food source. We have about ten of them, love or hate, they are hear to stay.

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THANK YOU, for your visit, please leave a comment, will return to your photostream, to comment on your lastest postings. Enjoy the Lords day, God bless may he keep you safe and well . .........................................Tomx

Unmistakeable with fine straight bill, long reddish pink legs and black and white plumage. Both in flight and at rest the long red legs are characteristic, but even if these are hidden in deep water, the pure white underparts and jet-black upperparts are distinctive enough.

Art - Texture

The most noticeable characteristics of the American red squirrel are the tail and the eye ring. The tree squirrel's tail is bushy and dark red with hints of a white outline. The eye ring is a thick, white circle around the rodent's black eyes. American red squirrels are about 12 inches and have grayish, red, or rust-colored fur with a white belly. Sometimes a black stripe can be seen on the sides.

Thanks to everyone that views and comments on my images - very much appreciated.

© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. On all my images, Use without permission is illegal

Dipper - Cinclus Cinclus

aka Water Ouzel

Busy Nest Building

Dippers are members of the genus Cinclus in the bird family Cinclidae, named for their bobbing or dipping movements. They are unique among passerines for their ability to dive and swim underwater.

They have a characteristic bobbing motion when perched beside the water, giving them their name. While under water, they are covered by a thin, silvery film of air, due to small bubbles being trapped on the surface of the plumage.

Dippers are found in suitable freshwater habitats in the highlands of the Americas, Europe and Asia. In Africa they are only found in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. They inhabit the banks of fast-moving upland rivers with cold, clear waters, though, outside the breeding season, they may visit lake shores and sea coasts.

The high haemoglobin concentration in their blood gives them a capacity to store oxygen greater than that of other birds, allowing them to remain underwater for thirty seconds or more, whilst their basal metabolic rate is approximately one-third slower than typical terrestrial passerines of similar mass. One small population wintering at a hot spring in Suntar-Khayata Mountains of Siberia feeds underwater when air temperatures drop below −55 °C (−67 °F).

Dippers are completely dependent on fast-flowing rivers with clear water, accessible food and secure nest-sites. They may be threatened by anything that affects these needs such as water pollution, acidification and turbidity caused by erosion. River regulation through the creation of dams and reservoirs, as well as channelization, can degrade and destroy dipper habitat.

Dippers are also sometimes hunted or otherwise persecuted by humans for various reasons. The Cyprus race of the white-throated dipper is extinct. In the Atlas Mountains dippers are claimed to have aphrodisiacal properties. In parts of Scotland and Germany, until the beginning of the 20th century, bounties were paid for killing dippers because of a misguided perception that they were detrimental to fish stocks through predation on the eggs and fry of salmonids.

Population:

UK breeding:

6,200-18,700 pairs

The Vallone di Praia : One of the most characteristic fjords of the Amalfi Coast

The most noticeable characteristics of the American red squirrel are the tail and the eye ring. The tree squirrel's tail is bushy and dark red with hints of a white outline. The eye ring is a thick, white circle around the rodent's black eyes. American red squirrels are about 12 inches and have grayish, red, or rust-colored fur with a white belly. Sometimes a black stripe can be seen on the sides.

Thanks to everyone that views and comments on my images - very much appreciated.

© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. On all my images, Use without permission is illegal.

Peregrine Falcon - Falco Peregrinus

The peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), also known as the peregrine, and historically as the duck hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey (raptor) in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-grey back, barred white underparts, and a black head. As is typical of bird-eating raptors, peregrine falcons are sexually dimorphic, with females being considerably larger than males. The peregrine is renowned for its speed, reaching over 320 km/h (200 mph) during its characteristic hunting stoop (high-speed dive), making it the fastest member of the animal kingdom. According to a National Geographic TV programme, the highest measured speed of a peregrine falcon is 389 km/h (242 mph).

The peregrine's breeding range includes land regions from the Arctic tundra to the tropics. It can be found nearly everywhere on Earth, except extreme polar regions, very high mountains, and most tropical rainforests; the only major ice-free landmass from which it is entirely absent is New Zealand. This makes it the world's most widespread raptor, and one of the most widely found bird species. In fact, the only land-based bird species found over a larger geographic area is not always naturally occurring, but one widely introduced by humans, the rock pigeon, which in turn now supports many peregrine populations as a prey species. The peregrine is a highly successful example of urban wildlife in much of its range, taking advantage of tall buildings as nest sites and an abundance of prey such as pigeons and ducks. Both the English and scientific names of this species mean "wandering falcon," referring to the migratory habits of many northern populations. Experts recognize 17 to 19 subspecies, which vary in appearance and range; disagreement exists over whether the distinctive Barbary falcon is represented by two subspecies of Falco peregrinus, or is a separate species, F. pelegrinoides. The two species' divergence is relatively recent, during the time of the last ice age, therefore the genetic differential between them (and also the difference in their appearance) is relatively tiny. They are only about 0.6–0.8% genetically differentiated.

While its diet consists almost exclusively of medium-sized birds, the peregrine will occasionally hunt small mammals, small reptiles, or even insects. Reaching sexual maturity at one year, it mates for life and nests in a scrape, normally on cliff edges or, in recent times, on tall human-made structures. The peregrine falcon became an endangered species in many areas because of the widespread use of certain pesticides, especially DDT. Since the ban on DDT from the early 1970s, populations have recovered, supported by large-scale protection of nesting places and releases to the wild.

The peregrine falcon is a well respected falconry bird due to its strong hunting ability, high trainability, versatility, and – in recent years – availability via captive breeding. It is effective on most game bird species, from small to large.

Population:

UK breeding:

1,500 pairs

The witch tower in Treysa is a round tower and part of the city fortification.

The so-called witch tower dates from the 15th century. It is a late Gothic round tower with external access to the upper floor. Its protruding tin crowning is characteristic. It was part of the fortification of the lower town. It is the only largely preserved round tower in the city and once comprised four floors.

It was used in the upper part to defend the city gate and in the lower part as a dungeon. In 1609, a woman accused of witchcraft was held in the tower. Due to its historical significance as part of the medieval city fortification, it is listed as a monument. Its current location is the crossroads Steingasse/Rosengasse.

Pale yellow and blue rosella with characteristic white and yellow head. Endemic to the northern parts of eastern Australia where it may hybridize with other rosellas. Occurs in a wide range of open habitats, and mostly in pairs rather than large flocks. Reasonably common in suburban areas, although it can be hard to find. (eBird)

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One short encounter with this understated (compared to other) Rosella. We were looking for Corellas when this pretty bird popped up in the tree and gave us our one and only look :-)

Mareeba, Queensland, Australia. October 2022.

Eagle-Eye Tours - Eastern Australia.

Bird characteristic of beaches and brackish wetlands, is irregular distribution but almost cosmopolitan. In Spain it is in the category of "vulnerable" due to the loss of its habitat and the discomfort it suffers during the breeding period on the beaches where it nests. for these reasons it was the bird of the year 2019 according to SEO Birdlife (Sociedad Española de Ornitología / Spanish Society of Ornitology).

Ave característica de las playas y zonas húmedas salobres, es de distribución irregular pero casi cosmopolita. En España se encuentra en la categoría de "vulnerable" debido a la perdida de su hábitat y a las molestias que sufre durante el periodo de crianza en las playas donde anida. por estas razones fue el ave del año 2019 según SEO Birdlife ( Sociedad Española de Ornitología).

Alberobello is the city where the most characteristic for this region of Italy "Trulli" houses have been preserved - over 1500 buildings.

These buildings, dating back to the mid-fourteenth century, have characteristic pyramidal, domed or conical roofs made of limestone slabs.

This unique construction system was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1996.

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Alberobello jest miastem, gdzie zachowało się najwięcej charakterystycznych dla tego rejonu Włoch domostw "Trulli" - ponad 1500 budowli.

Budowle te, pochodzące już z połowy XIV wieku, mają charakterystyczne dachy ostrosłupowe, kopułowe lub stożkowe, zbudowanymi z płyt wapiennych.

Ten unikatowy system budownictwa został wpisany w 1996 roku na Listę Światowego Dziedzictwa UNESCO.

La "casa stretta" di Piazzetta della Pescheria, un caratteristico angolo di Volterra, a ridosso del Teatro Romano!

The "narrow house" in Piazzetta della Pescheria, a characteristic corner of Volterra, close to the Roman Theater!

characteristic silhouettes on the charles bridge

The 105-foot Hannah Bridge has spanned Thomas Creek since 1936 and was built on land from an original Donation Land Grant from 1846. The characteristic Linn County covered bridge design includes segmental portal arches, exposed beams at the gable ends and white board-and-batten cladding. The Howe truss is exposed through large side openings.

Living here in Linn County I have six covered bridges easily accessible to me. Besides who doesn't like a covered bridge in the snow? This was taken early in the morning and I could still see just a hint of the colorful sky.

Ávila - city capital of Avila province in central Spain, in the Castillian Mountains at an altitude of 1128 m above sea level. The city was founded by Celtyberów and Christianized in the first century. After three centuries of Moorish rule, won them King Alfonso VI in 1085. After the reconquest, the city re-live the Christian knights. They began work on the most characteristic and representative building in the city - Las Murallas (walls). They have an average height of 3.6 m and 2.7 m thick, and now account for nearly 2.7 km in length, 9 gates led to the city and 90 towers increased the defense walls. The city is linked to St. Teresa of Avila A notable landmark is the Basilica of San Vicente commemorating St. Vincent of Saragossa. It is famous for the unusual tomb placed under a canopy in the oriental style.

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Ávila - stolica prowincji Ávila w środkowej Hiszpanii, w Górach Kastylijskich na wysokości 1128 m n.p.m. Miasto założone zostało przez Celtyberów, a schrystianizowane w I wieku. Po trzech wiekach rządów Maurów, zdobył je król Alfons VI w 1085 r. Po rekonkwiście, w mieście ponownie zamieszkali chrześcijańscy rycerze. Rozpoczęli oni prace nad najbardziej charakterystyczną i reprezentatywną budowlą miasta - Las Murallas (mury obronne). Mają one średnio 3,6 m wysokości i 2,7 m grubości i liczą sobie prawie 2,7 km długości. Do miasta wiodło 9 bram, a 90 wież zwiększało obronność murów. Z miastem jest związana święta Teresa z Ávili

Znaczącym zabytkiem jest Basilica San Vincente upamiętniająca św. Wincentego z Saragossy. Słynie ona z niezwykłego grobowca umieszczonego pod baldachimem w orientalnym stylu.

Laguna Blanca is a salt lake in an endorheic basin, in the Sur Lípez Province of the Potosí Department, Bolivia. It is near the Licancabur volcano.

The lake is at an elevation of 4,350 metres (14,270 ft) on the Altiplano. Its surface area is 10.9 km². The lake is 5.6 kilometres (3.5 mi) long and 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) wide.

The characteristic white colour of the water, that gave the lake its name, is caused by the high amount of minerals suspended in it.

Only a narrow corridor separates Laguna Blanca from the smaller Laguna Verde. Both are within the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve.

*Got my third 1,000 faves on May 20th, 2020.

Antelope Canyon was formed by the erosion of Navajo Sandstone due to flash flooding and other sub-aerial processes. Rainwater runs into the extensive basin above the slot canyon sections, picking up speed and sand as it rushes into the narrow passageways. Over time the passageways eroded away, deepening the corridors and smoothing hard edges to form characteristic "flowing" shapes.

The Agora of Perge within one of the most well-designed and planned cities of Roman Anatolian provides an example of this type through its plan and structural characteristics. The Agora positioned to the east of the Hellenistic Period Gate is surrounded by a wide stoa and there is a paved area surrounded by columned galleries. There are shops behind the galleries paved with ornate floor mosaics. Unlike the contemporary examples in Anatolia, the doors to the Perge Agora stores were arranged to open towards inside or outside alternatively. The entrances are in the centre of each of the porticos. The open area on the western side these structures was employed as a main entrance hall. Given the natural slope of the area, it is possible to say that the south side of the Agora was of two storeys.

The place termed the Agora (Bazaar) was subsequently called as the Macellum, as meat and fish as well as luxury goods such as perfume were sold here.

It was the second largest Agora in Turkey in terms of its size, consisting of three nested squares. The inner area measuring 51 x 51 m is of compacted soil. The tools of circular plan situated in the middle of this area could have been a temple, as at Side. However in the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) period, water pipes were placed in the walls around the tholos podium and consequently this structure is thought to have then been employed as an agiasma.

Text Ref: Perge Museum

Hashtag Event

January 16th to 30th

.:YASU:. 95 - Collegiate Top and Skirt Set PINK

- With Gloves For: Maitreya - Legacy - E.Reborn !!ORIGINAL MESH!!

Nails

*Gloss* Nails Winter Square

all info in the blog

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Heavily built, flat-headed dark blue bird with a short bright red bill. In flight has a characteristic white circle, or ‘dollar’, on each underwing. Juvenile lacks red bill. May resemble mynas in flight, but note longer wings, larger head, and more powerful, less frantic flight. Nests in cavities; typically tree hollows. Frequently perches on power-lines or in the tops of tall dead trees. (eBird)

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Always at the tops of trees! I saw my first one in India on a wire over the road while on the way to hospital with a broken ankle, and then saw several more in Australia. Much better views (and health) this time.

Muirhead Bushland, Northern Territory, Australia. October 2022.

Eagle-Eye Tours - Tropical Australia.

Bridge across Copenhagen Harbour, 1937.

It is characteristic for the two copper clad control towers.

From Copenhagen Light Festival in February

D3S_3410

Like North Falls further upstream, Middle North Falls has certain characteristics which one could argue give it an edge when comparing it to the park's main attraction, South Falls. Despite being considerably shorter, Middle North Falls is a markedly amorphous waterfall which changes physical shape in a very dramatic way as the volume of water in North Silver Creek changes. The 106 foot tall falls take the form of a narrow column of water during the summer months, funneled to perhaps 5 feet wide at most by a narrow runnel in the bedrock. With greater stream flow in the winter and spring months however, North Silver Creek sheets out across the 60-foot wide creek bed and turns the falls into a broad curtain of water, with part of the falls impacting on a twisting chute of basalt which then slides to join the more volumnous half of the creek in the plunge pool.

Middle North Falls is one of four waterfalls in Silver Falls State Park which features a trail which traverses behind the falling water. Unlike the other three, the trail leading behind Middle North Falls is a dead-end, constructed purely to allow access to additional views of the falls.

Peagna, frazione di Ceriale, fu dimora di antiche e nobili famiglie quali i Girardenghi, i Genta e gli Arduini. Caratteristico è il suo borgo medievale di cui troviamo notizie negli Statuti del 1288.

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Peagna, a hamlet of Ceriale, was home to ancient and noble families such as the Girardenghi, the Genta and the Arduini. Its medieval village, of which we find information in the Statutes of 1288, is very characteristic .

♫Haydn / Artur Balsam: Sonata No. 13 in G, Hob. XVI/6 - Allegro - ♫

with its characteristic brink-of-war and brink-of-fascism mentality. Anything, we feel, may happen any day. Each day may spell the difference between the status quo and disaster ;-(

Max Lerner, "History is Written by the Survivors," 1938–1943

HSS!! Truth Matters!

day lily, our yard, cary, north carolina

Gynandromorphism occurs when an organism has both male and female characteristics. They can be "bilateral" in which one side is female and the other male or "mosaic" in which there is a blending of traits throughout the organism. The mosaic form is much rarer.

Last year I was hiking the trails in Elkridge, Maryland and saw several Zabulon Skippers nectaring on some thistle in peak bloom. I walked closer and saw a skipper that I did not recognize. It’s funny how your brain tries to process what you are seeing for the first time. It took me a few seconds to figure out that this butterfly was, in fact, a Zabulon Skipper. But what a skipper it was! It had both male and female characteristics. I have seen rare gynandromorph photos of Swallowtail butterflies with one side female and the other male but this one showed a blending of traits throughout. For example, the underside of a normal Zabulon male skipper is yellow orange with several small brown spots and the female is dark brown and purple gray with a white-edged coastal margin. This one showed the dark brown color and white-edge of the female along with the yellow orange markings of the male. I have never seen anything quite like it. I started taking photos from all angles.

Upon returning home, I emailed Harry Pavulaan, a world-renowned butterfly expert and friend, with photos of my find. Harry’s response, "In a nutshell: WOW. Gynandromorphs, in this case a mosaic gynandromorph, usually are only noticed in Swallowtails and species where males and females look quite different. But what makes this one yet more significant is that it’s a skipper. I have never seen or heard of a skipper with mosaic gynandromorph features. You may be the first to document this, though it’s possible there are older reports of bilateral gynandromorphs out there."

After later investigations and subsequent emails, it turns out that this Zabulon Skipper may be the only North American Skipper ever documented with mosaic gynandromorphism.

A short article appeared in the "Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey, Volume 10 Number 2, April 20, 2022" (Pages 9-10). If you are interested, the article has more photos of this amazing butterfly, and the link is below:

lepsurvey.carolinanature.com/ttr/ttr-10-2.pdf

Explored October 22, 2022

Alberobello is the city where the most characteristic for this region of Italy "Trulli" houses have been preserved - over 1500 buildings.

These buildings, dating back to the mid-fourteenth century, have characteristic pyramidal, domed or conical roofs made of limestone slabs.

This unique construction system was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1996.

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Alberobello jest miastem, gdzie zachowało się najwięcej charakterystycznych dla tego rejonu Włoch domostw "Trulli" - ponad 1500 budowli.

Budowle te, pochodzące już z połowy XIV wieku, mają charakterystyczne dachy ostrosłupowe, kopułowe lub stożkowe, zbudowane z płyt wapiennych.

Ten unikatowy system budownictwa został wpisany w 1996 roku na Listę Światowego Dziedzictwa UNESCO.

EXTREMELY VOCAL, and can be a proficient mimic of both animate and inanimate sounds. Love the way a starling walks with characteristic swagger, and the flight is rather undulating and the wings look pointed and triangular in outline. /// SOMETHING out of the norm. for me, but felt it had something of appeal going for it, so have risked posting it, hope you enjoy it.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP, hope you are keeping well and enjoying this hot weather, have a great weekend, stay safe and may God bless you............................Tomx.

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"OUR EARS ARE CLOSED"

Sea and mountains, valleys and streams

Night and day were all in Gods dreams,

The Garden of Eden with its precious tree

The Son He gave to set us free.

The seed He placed in the heart He made

Don't let its flowers wither and fade,

Is the ear closed to His constant plea

For in truth we live to disagree.

Have we not learned a thing from the past?

Why is the blindness we have so vast ?

We've ignored His word since time began

To do as we will has been our plan.

Has the Saviour's death not opened our eyes

When His blood was shed for our demise,

Mocked and beaten, betrayed from within

God's Holy Lamb pierced for our sin.

When the reaper comes and we walk to the gate

Do we all stand in line, to wait and wait,

Or will the one who gives life lead you through

And walk with you to paradise and life anew ?

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POEM by John Wren, a blessed and talented Flickr friend of mine.

Elaborate stone masonry is a characteristic of the landscape in Hinohara and Okutama municipalities. It is needed to build houses, Shinto(u) shrines, play ground for children, car parking space etc. as the flat land is scarce.

This photo was taken at a settlement on the riverside of the Akigawa, a tributary of the Tamagawa.

The Cape Buffalo is the largest sub-species of the African Buffalo. The adult African buffalo's horns are its characteristic feature: they have fused bases, forming a continuous bone shield across the top of the head referred to as a "boss". It is widely regarded as one of the most dangerous animals on the African continent, and according to some estimates it gores, tramples, and kills over 200 people every year.

The African Buffalo is not an ancestor of domestic cattle and is only distantly related to other larger bovines. Its unpredictable temperament may have been part of the reason that the African buffalo has never been domesticated, unlike its Asian counterpart, the water buffalo. Natural predators of adult African buffaloes include lions, hyenas, large crocodiles and humans. (Wikipedia)

The Yellow-billed Oxpecker sitting on the buffalo's head is a bulbul-sized olive-brown bird that sports a diagnostic red-tipped yellow bill, a red eye without an eye-wattle, and a pale buff rump. Small groups occur in savanna and farmland, where they require large wild ungulates and domestic stock to forage on; they clamber agilely over host mammals, gleaning ticks, mites and other ectoparasites, and occasionally drinking host blood. As they fly between large mammals, they give a distinctive sizzling-crackle call. (eBird)

Queen Elizabeth II National Park, Uganda. February 2017.

Similar to scaups, Redheads and Canvasbacks the Ring-necked Duck is a member of the "Diving Ducks" family although they prefer shallower, shoreline waters.

Their preferred habitat makes their presence common in freshwater marshes, on woodland ponds and lakes.

Their unique characteristics are to appear to ride higher on the water than other species and they hold their heads high and keep their tails clear of the water much of the time. The telltale identification markings are the two white bands encircling the males bill. One is a bold band near the tip of the bill while the other is a narrower band at the base of the bill.

The mating games are on in this picture as 6 drakes give chase to one hen and each drake wants to win gold.

The Cathedral of Palermo is one of the most characteristic monuments of the city: visiting it is like leafing through a history book of Sicily.

It is the main place of worship in the city of Palermo and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Its highly original mix of styles, with elements of Greek, Roman, Arab, Norman, Catalan and Gothic art, is a direct consequence of the presence of multiple populations that, over the centuries, have alternated on Sicilian soil.

The style of the twelfth century prevails over all, the Norman one, although the appearance of the church as we see it today is due to modifications and additions from the eighteenth century.

A highly suggestive experience is the visit of the roofs of the Cathedral, thanks to which it is possible to discover the artistic and architectural elements of the external walls of the monument and admire Palermo from above.

A characteristic tulip field in the Dutch Bollenstreek (bulb region) between the cities of Leiden and Haarlem.

Jasmine is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family (Oleaceae). It contains around 200 species native to tropical and warm temperate regions of Eurasia and Oceania. Jasmines are widely cultivated for the characteristic fragrance of their flowers. Jasmine can be either deciduous (leaves falling in autumn) or evergreen (green all year round), and can be erect, spreading, or climbing shrubs and vines. Their leaves are borne in opposing or alternating arrangement and can be of simple, trifoliate, or pinnate formation. The flowers are typically around 2.5 cm in diameter. They are white or yellow in color, although in rare instances they can be slightly reddish. The flowers are borne in cymose clusters with a minimum of three flowers, though they can also be solitary on the ends of branchlets. Each flower has about four to nine petals, two locules, and one to four ovules. They have two stamens with very short filaments. The bracts are linear or ovate. The calyx is bell-shaped. They are usually very fragrant. The fruits of jasmines are berries that turn black when ripe. Jasmines are native to tropical and subtropical regions of Eurasia, Australasia and Oceania, although only one of the 200 species is native to Europe. Their center of diversity is in South Asia and Southeast Asia. A number of jasmine species have become naturalized in Mediterranean Europe. For example, the so-called Spanish jasmine (Jasminum grandiflorum) was originally from West Asia and Indian subcontinent, and is now naturalized in the Iberian peninsula. Jasminum fluminense (which is sometimes known by the inaccurate name Brazilian Jasmine and Jasminum dichotomum (Gold Coast Jasmine) are invasive species in Hawaii and Florida. Jasminum polyanthum, also known as White Jasmine, is an invasive weed in Australia. 19565

Suedbahnhotel Semmering, Semmering, Austria

"The original Suedbahnhotel Semmering (also called “Hotel Semmering” or “First Suedbahnhotel”) was the 1st Hotel am Semmering at all and was opened in 1882 at the foot of Pinkenkogel Mountain–at precisely 1000 m above sea level. The Suedbahnhotel am Semmering was one of several grand hotels along the Suedbahn route from Vienna to Triest which were commissioned in order to stimulate the tourism in the respective regions and also the Suedbahn route from the privileged K. u. k. Suedbahngesellschaft. Semmering was already easy to reach at this time through the pioneering accomplishment of the Semmering Railways and was consequently expanded to create a popular holiday and spa resort. Semmering was popular with Viennese society as well as with the multi-national guests from all levels of the royal monarchy. Fin de Siècle and Belle Époche are two eras at the end of the 19th century and/or at the beginning of the 20th century which were characteristic for the Suedbahnhotel Semmering, but not just from social-political and sports history perspectives. A section of the Austrian tourism history also had its start here.

Currently, the opportunity exists to acquire the fairy-tale and spaciously-constructed “Second Suedbahnhotel” in order to be able to continue to develop it with a corresponding usage concept and to be able to sustainably preserve a unique architectural jewel. The Suedbahnhotel Semmering is by no means dead: It is merely sleeping and waiting to be kissed to be awakened..."

(Source: suedbahnhotel-semmering.at/?lang=en)

47727 'Edinburgh Castle' leaves a characteristic plume of exhaust over the wheat fields of Hampshire as it departs from the loops at Wallers Ash.

This view gives the impression of a typically beautiful summer's day. In the UK in July 2023 such weather was in very short supply, and even on this day plenty of cloud had blighted the long summer day.

Taken with the assistance of a pole.

These floating islands, characteristic of Lake Titicaca, belong to the Uros, an Indian tribe that lives on the lake.

They are artificial and made entirely of reeds that grow in the lake.

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Ile de roseaux du lac Titicaca

Ces iles flottantes, caractéristiques du lac Titicaca, appartiennent aux Uros, une peuplade indienne qui vit sur le lac.

Elles sont artificielles et entièrement faites de roseaux qui poussent dans le lac.

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Lac Titicaca - Pérou / Lake Titicaca - Peru

Sandhill Cranes are noted for a number of characteristics and one of them is having their plumage "iron-stained". It is believed that the condition is caused from their probing for insects in mud that contains iron and it gets transferred to their feathers as they preen with their long, black bills.

These long, slender, long-necked birds breed in muskeg, on the tundra and in forest clearings from the northwestern North America east to the Great Lakes and into Quebec.

These cranes mate for life and every spring they reinforce their bonding by dancing an elaborate courtship display.

This male is strutting near his mate but did not go into a courtship dance routine.

A Sunday afternoon spent in the alleys of Domodossola

An isolated Liquidambar leaf, with its characteristic star-shaped form, in front of colorful backdrop offered by the multitude of autumnal fallen leaves on the ground.

Press "L" to enlarge the picture.

Wishing you a great Monday and great first week of November!

Available in fineartamerica:

fineartamerica.com/featured/autumn-in-all-its-intensity-d...

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Otoño en toda su intensidad, Parque Juan Carlos I, Madrid, España

Una aislada hoja de Liquidambar, con su característica forma de estrella, frente a un colorido telón de fondo que ofrece la multitud de hojas otoñales caídas sobre el suelo.

Pulsa "L" para agrandar la imagen.

Deseándote un feliz lunes y buena primera semana de Noviembre!

Disponible en fineartamerica:

fineartamerica.com/featured/autumn-in-all-its-intensity-d...

A historic alley, today characteristic of the small Byblos (Lebanon) that where the ancient Phoenicians lived.

Treasures to be safeguarded.

The 1873 tower is tapered in a style characteristic of Anglesey windmills. It is 33 feet (10 m) high and 18 feet (5.5 m) in diameter. It may have been constructed by an Anglesey stone mason, and it is possible that the tower itself was originally used as a windmill.

The lantern and fittings cost £250 7s 6d, including the adaptation of an "earlier tower". The north-east door is flanked by small windows, and the two floors above also have small windows, but the top does not. The conical roof is slated and has a flagpole. The present lantern window is about 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m) by 2 feet (0.61 m). The optic, silver-plated reflector and Fresnel lens are dated 1861 and were used into the 1970s. The lantern was originally lit by six Argand lamps with reflectors.

A smaller, conical tower, with a domed top, can be found to the south-east, and may be an earlier structure. The walls are 6 feet 8 inches (2.03 m) in radius and 3 feet (0.91 m) thick, with a door to the north-west, and show signs of cracking to the rubble-filled walls on the west.

Neither tower is shown on the chart of Lewis Morris, dated 1800, but they both appear on the Ordnance Survey 1818-1823 2 inches/mile map. They both probably originated as unlit markers. The cottages nearby have been used as craft workshops, and the local community here once serviced pilot-boats and lifeboats.

Rompe Gibão is a town in the city of Coronel João Sá, Bahia, Brazil. With the characteristics of the Brazilian hinterland, this small, but beautiful house in the region, left the landscape much more characteristic, since, with its exposed bricks, it created a differential in the image. The cloudy sky created a soft scene, and the cyan flowers on the left brightened the image. Despite being a dry region, that is, without rain, on this special day, the month was rainy, leaving the plants that used to be dry scrub, green and lush. The name Rompe Gibão is strong, Gibão (leather coat used by cowboys to enter the vegetation of the hinterland with thorns without getting hurt), Rompe = rupture, in other words, crossing the leather coat!

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Rompe Gibão é um povoado na cidade de Coronel João Sá, Bahia, Brasil. Com as características do sertão do Brasil, esta pequena, mas linda casa da região, deixou a paisagem muito mais característica, já que, com seus tijolos aparentes, criou um diferencial na imagem. O céu nublado, criou uma cena suave, e as flores ciano a esquerda, de brilho a imagem. Apesar de ser uma região seca, ou seja, sem chuvas, neste dia especial, o mês foi chuvoso, deixando as plantas que antes eram matos secos, em verdes e viçosos. O nome Rompe Gibão é forte, Gibão (casaco de couro usado por vaqueiros para entrarem na vegetação do sertão com espinhos sem se machucarem), Rompe = rompe, ou seja, atravessando o casaco de couro!

Its characteristic teetering motion has earned the Spotted Sandpiper many nicknames. Among them are teeter-peep, teeter-bob, jerk or perk bird, teeter-snipe, and tip-tail.

One from the Archives, taken at the Farne islands.

Shags are goose-sized dark long-necked birds similar to cormorants but smaller and generally slimmer with a characteristic steep forehead. In the breeding season adults develop a dark glossy green plumage and prominent recurved crest on the front of their head.

In the UK they breed on coastal sites, mainly in the north and west, and more than half of their population is found at fewer than 10 sites, making them an Red List species. Shags usually stay within 100-200km of their breeding grounds.