Happy New Year!

Tuesday Photo Challenge – Technology

Tuesday Photo Challenge – Technology

For Frank and Tuesday –

Thursday Thoughts – We Must Make it Work!

My post from November 30, 2017, a year ago – I thought a reminder to us all would not hurt. What do you want to give your children and grand children for the future?

 

Every December I remember our month in New Zealand some years ago. Never have I been to a country where I found so much and so many to admire and love.

This is where our antipodes live, this is where I had one of my first penfriends, this is the country whose nature I believe to be the most diverse and beautiful in the world. And this is where Rainbow Warrior went down, sending many people around the world into an unbelievable state of shock.

We are constantly reminded of how much we contaminate our world, and the focus here in Swedish media, right now,  is the sea, the oceans.

Just like in Wellington, we can still bathe, swim and fish in Stockholm – but for how long?

I am a member of many organizations trying their best to help preserving our planet for generations to come. But right now, we receive news every day about all the plastic and micro plastic in the oceans – a terrible threat to all organisms-

So, I think again, with my heart wide open, about how much I respect and love NZ, its people and its genuine efforts to help the world stay healthy. Down to every detail… for example the artwork made for making us humans see and do the right things.

And these are only two, small,  brilliant examples out of many, many…we saw new examples every day.

Hopefully it is not too late for the world – but You and I, and all of us, have to do our bit, our part, every day – to save our enigmatic and fantastic planet. Start with the little things…don’t use plastic bags, bring your own when you go shopping. Don’t throw old medicine in the toilet, in Sweden we leave them at the pharmacy for destruction.

Can you say you try to do everything you can to help? I know I try – but I also know I can do so much more.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge: Wonder

A wonder – everything in creation is. And, in December 2016, I was fortunate enough to enjoy this tiny Wonder (it is the smallest seabird in the world) with my own eyes, swirling around our sailing ship in the Galápagos’ waters. It is an Elliot’s Storm-Petrel. I took hundreds of pictures of these birds…but only a few show clearly enough the bird’s amazing abilities – it walks, runs and stands on water while feeding. I could watch them for hours –

There are two subspecies, and this one is an endemic galapagoensis; ”Elliot” after the man who discovered the bird and “Petrel” refers to Saint Peter walking on water. ”Storm” was the part given to it by the sailors, who believed the birds were warning them about a storm coming their way.

The whole story of this Storm-Petrel is enigmatic…not only is it pelagic (lives at sea only), but despite a population estimated at many thousands – a nest has yet to be found.

The theme for this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge is Wonder.  We invite you to create a post that captures a moment, a feeling, a place, a person—which filled you with wonder.

For more information about Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – click the link!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Botanizing Again – BioBlitz

June 9 we had the annual  BioBlitz, according to Wikipedia: ”… an intense period of biological surveying in an attempt to record all the living species within a designated area. Groups of scientists, naturalists and volunteers conduct an intensive field study over a continuous time period (e.g., usually 24 hours). There is a public component to many BioBlitzes, with the goal of getting the public interested in biodiversity. ^”

In the header, the most spectacular find according to me: the Buff-tip, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buff-tip, an extraordinary moth looking exactly like a twig when resting. Very exciting this day out with the group again!

We met this sunny morning – tolerably hot before noon – with loaded cameras and water bottles. Our leaders always on the alert – and all the others learning and marveling at their profound knowledge. There are really no questions they cannot answer. Invited specialists were also here, but the poor mushroom man did not have much to do. The dry spring and summer hasn’t left many detectable species.

Recording. After giving their consent to use forests and farmland, the land owners were also invited to join us this day. They were very helpful in showing special habitats.

fox-and-cubs, orange hawk bit, devil’s paintbrush, grim-the-collier

Once again – this nature’s wonder! The end of an interesting day – I guess we all returned home with happy hearts and a package of new knowledge.

Nature First – Outing With Experts

I was fortunate enough to join an excursion with the local biologists here in town (I am a member of the organization too). By bus we went to the east coast and to the south of Skane: Haväng, Stenshuvud, Fyledalen. We had a great day, despite the heat, and the interesting finds were numerous. I did not bring my heavy camera though – 30 degrees C is too much already. No more extra weight, it was enough with the bottles of water.

Where is the lark…?

So today, water and the pair of binoculars was my best equipment.

Among others, we spotted three Golden Eagles, a very rare species of lark – the tawny pipit (Anthus campestris) and Dianthus arenarius – sandnejlika – a species that can only be found here in Skane.

A pasque flower overlooking the dunes – and the group members…

Lathyrus japonicus (common names sea pea, beach pea…)

Anthericum liliago (St Bernard’s lily)

Dianthus arenarius

We were not allowed to enter the orchid fields, but could admire them from a distance.

I love orchids, and wild orchids in Sweden are very beautiful too. However, when the Pasque Flowers are over…their beauty is perhaps even more enhanced. I could not resist a minor collage…

or the serene beauty of the black-veined moth (Siona lineata).

A lovely day out with precious friends!

Thursday Thoughts – Summer in May

Strange – Summer in May – 30 degrees C today

Late evening biking by the sea – not a cloud in four weeks

Swimmers everywhere, enjoying the coolness of it

Past the old Blekinge cottages – just have to stop for a photo. Love these…

Picking buttercups

Back at our own beach – 23 degrees C, still 10 degrees more than normal temperature

Completely calm sunset and not a mosquito – yet

Bathing – water 18 degrees. Lovely of course, but

– I do not know if I like it – or not. This month of May was the hottest and driest ever in Sweden. And we are not alone. In July this could have been possible though…

On the news they said our newborn storks will starve to death, and I guess that applies to many birds and other animals who only eat living things. There are no frogs, and the worms are digging deep to survive. The birds cannot reach them.

Please let there be rain. And, what about Africa.

 

CFFC: Books or Paper

 

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Books or Paper

Paper is made from Daphne – this plant. We have Daphne in Sweden as well (tibast)

Two or three people work in this little factory in Thimpu

We bought decorative paper

and books!

 

CFFC: Any kind of camera or photographer

For Cee – photographers!

Yesterday’s meeting with the non-profit association of biologists where I live, was held outdoors – a glorious spring evening. On walking back to the cars, I caught a lovely lady photographing in the silent light. She is using a cellphone – which is, I guess, the most popular way of photographing these days.

We were also lucky enough to see a demonstration of a drone taking off and landing – and taking photos of us all. I loved the intensity of the demonstration, just the faces of those (the men…) watching, so I just had to take a shot at it…and when I came home, I noticed there was another photographer sneaking up on my left! I was not aware of him during those seconds. A photo to be thrown away? No, I think it was rather funny – I will keep it. Another funny thing is that these men are all very good photographers, and  Thomas, the demonstrator of the drone, is a renowned bird photographer.

 

Guess Who?

It is not April 1, but May 1. So…this animal really exists. But, do you know what species this animal is and the strange story behind it?