@Pardinus
@Pardinus
Daily wildlife photography: the white stork, Ciconia ciconia. Improving the numbers of white storks has been probably one of the most sucessful iniciatives of the kind in Portugal. Years ago the population was declining, but nowadays they're quite common. Although I wasn't expecting to find them here: nesting in a communications tower, in the middle of a city! My favourite kind of surprises! Photos taken in Tavira, Portugal.
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Daily wildlife photography: the red squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris. This species disappeared from Portugal for a lot of time, but in the last century started to recolonize the country, and now exists in decent numbers. This one is not a portuguese squirrel, thow; I found him in an urban park in Budapest, moving at lightning speed as usual. Good thing he found something to nibble on, so I was able to take decent photos!
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Health awareness is always a good thing... especially if it's done in a creative way! Found the most original ashtray I've ever seen in a little town in the south of Portugal: a human body made of metal! The piece is called eco-lung, and the sign says it all.
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Daily wildlife photography: the cantabrian chamois, Rupicapra pyrenaica. These chamois are a subspecies of the european chamois, and they roam freely in the Cantabria region, in the north of Spain. They didn't seem that shy when I spotted them, probably used to tourists doing hiking trails. It's amazing how agile they are, and how suited they are to the rocky mountain environment! Photos taken in Picos de Europa, Spain.
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Starting the day with another cool surprise! I started using this faucet last couple of months again. Just as long as you don't gamble those satoshis away, they keep stacking; and bonus like these give a great boost! Second time I see this, I hope they keep coming. :)
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Daily wildlife photography: the european serin, Serinus serinus. This was one of the first birds I learned to recognize by the song! They sing loud and are frequently perched well in sight while they do it, as it was the case here. And the have beautiful colours as well, look how bright their chest is! If you live in Portugal, once you learn to associate the song with the bird, you'll see they are all over the country, even in urban areas. Photos taken in Tavira, Portugal.
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Revisiting one one my last hikes before the world went crazy: a hike to the top of mount Boletto, in northern Italy. I was lucky to reach it as the mist was going away from the top, providing this amazing view, with the Alps in the background.
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Daily wildlife photography: the mediterranean tree frog, Hyla meridionalis. Funny how some species that you want to see for so long appear when you least expect it. I was chatting with some friends I was visiting in the countryside, saying that I had never seen a tree frog, when they say "Really? There is one right there!". And hidden in a little object in their backyard, there she was! Actually, two of them! They are very similar to the european tree frog, but the little…
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Number of the beast achieved!! Don't know if I want to stay with it much longer thow, maybe it's a bad sign! :)) Jokes aside, thank you all that contributed to this number, allowing me to share one of my main hobbies with you: photography! Here's a sunset, enjoyed from the house where I saw those cute tree frogs from my last post. Have a great week!
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Daily wildlife photography: the black winged stilt, Himantopus himantopus. Everytime I see these guys I remember those machines from Star Wars with huge legs. :) In Portugal they are called "pernilongo", wich translates to "long legs"... and it's easy to understand why! That charactristic and the colour pattern make them easy to identify. Photos taken in Tavira, Portugal.
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The long awaited new Splinterlands rental system is up! Now all transactions are made with DEC, and the process of renting is a lot more straightforward. It's another step in making the game even better, and another way of creating passive income! Still haven't looked into it properly, but I will! Have you tried it already?
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Daily wildlife photography: the kentish plover, Charadrius alexandrinus. This is one of the three plover species you can find in Portugal. Differently from the other two, this species doesn't have the full black collar around its neck. Aind this one is a male, since the black stripes on the male's neck are brown in the female. You can normally find him in near bodies of water, or taking a stroll on the beach, where I found this little guy! Photos taken in Milfontes, Portugal.
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Lake di Como, in northern Italy, left me with a ton of good memories. I posted a few days ago the view from the top of mount Boletto, near the lake; now, here are a few from the lake itself. It looks even better near the golden hour, with the light fading away. The first photos were taken in Menaggio, in the western shore. The other one... no idea where! :)
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Daily wildlife photography: the sooty-headed bulbul, Pycnonotus aurigaster. This little guy was a very common visit on the garden where I stayed in Bali. Always looking curious, and with that tiny crest always up! This species can only be found in southern Asia; males and females look alike.
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Daily wildlife photography: the little green bee-eater, Merops orientalis. It's amazing how colourful bee eaters are. These one were probably festing on all the insects in the little garden where I spotted them. Even saw a marital discussion, where the male bee eater was checking out the gorgeous female bee eater on the first photo, and had to flee quicky when his wife landed on the branch, furious... or then I just have a vivid imagination! :) PS. there's no telling males…
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Finnaly a free weekend! Time to enjoy the hot weather, and relax! So I'll start the morning... with sunset photos. :) This is one of my favourite beach places in Portugal: Zambujeira do mar, in Alentejo, southwest of the country. I still don't know when will I find the time to revisit, but will happen soon!
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Daily wildlife photography: the malabar pied hornbill, Anthracocerus coronatus. This was the first time I saw the species, and in this area the trees were full of them! They are one of the two species of hornbills we can find in Sri Lanka, and they're easy to tell apart from the other hornbill. The black colour, the white belly and that huge yellow beak with the black casque are enough for a good identification. Photos taken in Udawalawe National Park, Sri Lanka.
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Cool places in Portugal: the fields in Alentejo, where cork trees and holm oaks are found scattered across huge fields. Everytime I look at these photos I remember the first wallpapers in Windows operationg system. These fields are also a great place to some birdwatching; good thing I have friends living there, and I have a due visit!
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First trip of the year to Praia da Ursa... check! But curse this micro climate, it was warm and sunny 5km back, and cloudy and cold at the beach! Oh well, it was worth it for the walk there!
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Daily wildlife photography: the common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus. Who doesn't like seeing these guys? I was in a whale watching expedition in Açores, when a big group of dolphins appeared, following the boat and doing some acrobatics. No whales on that day, so seing the dolphins up close was a good consolation prize. This is one of the most common species of dolphins in the world, with a worldwide distribution, except in polar regions.
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Browsing in my phone's gallery, found some photos of an event that was common... but it's been ages since last time I saw it! As with a ton of other things we took for granted, the pandemy postponed these for the time being, at least where I live. Do you also miss the colours of fireworks?
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Daily wildlife photography: the purple faced langur, Semnopithecus vetulus. This is an endemic species of Sri Lanka, and one of the four primate species we can find in the country. They're shy, I was only able to see them hiding in the foliage up in the trees, and only shortly without any foliage in front. That white beard is pretty cool, giving them a "wise" look! Photos taken in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka.
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Sometimes funny messages come when you least expect them... like here, while taking a coffee in the magical setting of cinqueterre, in Italy. This was in January of 2020, only a couple of months before the madness begun. Could I have witnessed a premonitory cup of coffee? 😁
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Daily wildlife photography: the bush cricket. I normally provide the scientific name of the species I photograph, since it's not prone to confusions with different names with all the different languages. But in this case... can't tell for sure. But it can tell you it's one of the coolest insects I've seen! The long sword-like appendix is actually how they put their eggs, and it's called ovipositor. Founf this female in the middle of a small track, coming from the beach. Any…
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Daily wildlife photography: the ocellated lizard, Lacerta lepida. This is the biggest lizard we can find in Portugal; they grow over half a meter, and their colours are amazing! Actually, this one wasn't photographed in my country, but in a hiking trail in Picos de Europa, a national park in Spain. It's a juvenile, easily recognized by the size (adults are much bigger!), and by the yellow dots in the body sides: as they grow up, those spots (called ocellus) turn blue. Both…
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A few weeks ago, Brave browser showed me this. And my first thought was... WTF??? Nothing against BAT or Origin, quite the opposite; but where the hell did they come up with "Tabong " meaning good in portuguese?? I'm portuguese, and the translation of good is "bom"! Not even close! There's not a single portuguese word that is even remotely similar to Tabong. Who hasn't done a simple fact check?? :))))
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What's even better than surfing at the golden hour? Doing it in a beach away from the crowds, surrounded by nature. Southwest Portugal has tons of these hidden gems, and that's why it's my favourite beach destination.
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Daily wildlife photography: the spoonbill, Platalea leucorodia. If you see this bird close enough, the reason to the name becomes crystal clear: their bill has the shape of a big spoon! They are normally seen in colonies, most of the time with their bills in the water, searching for food: crustaceans, molluscs and small fishes. With their big size, white colour, and that beautifull bill, they're unmistakable! Photos taken in Tavira, Portugal.
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We can never have too much sweetness in our lives... if it comes in the shape of a caramel with almonds and passionfruit ice cream, even better! Not a bad way to start a beach weekend. 😎 My daily wildlife post will be interrupted for a couple days, but for a good reason! Eheheheh
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A little road to paradise: one of my favourite beaches. Surrounded by cliffs and the wonderful scent of the rock roses. And today the sun appeared, making the beach trip even better!
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Daily wildlife photography: the blackbird, Turdus merula. Blackbirds are so common (at elast in my country) that probably anyone knows how to identify the species! Truth be told, there aren't many similar species, apart from the black starling. Males have a full black plummage, with a yellow beak and a yellow orbital ring (basically a circle around the eye); females are dark brown. I´ve spotted this one jumping around, probably trying to find some worms. And a few minutes…
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Some people are very creative: most of the time, when I see something written in a dirty car windshield, it's the typical "wash me pig", or something similar. But who drew this took windshield art to another level. And has some cool drawing skills too! 🙂
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Daily wildlife photography: the mallard, Anas platyrhynchos. We can find them in urban parks with a pond just as easy we can find them in the wild. Males are a lot more colourful than females, but females also have that bright blue patch in their wings, so they're easy to identify. Found this male preening near a lake in the middle of Reykjavik, Iceland.
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A few years ago, started taking boxing lessons at the gym, with a great teacher; a very small guy, but lightning fast that would ko me in a few seconds without breaking a sweat. He stopped giving classes there, and now has his own place. This is when our gym group went for a visit: a cool atmosphere and street art! It's a perfect place to train!
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Daily wildlife photography: the eurasian collared dove, Streptopelia decaoto. There was a lot of wind this day, and when I spotted this dove perched, all her feathers were ruffled. It didn't stopped her to do some preening, thow! There's another dove species in Portugal, but they're easily distinguished. The single black bar in the sides of the neck in this species is enough for identification. Photos taken in Tavira, Portugal.
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Revisiting lake Como, in northern Italy. This time, near the golden hour. Some mist started to appear in the other margin of the lake, making the place seem even more magical!
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Daily wildlife photography: the yellow wagtail, Motacilla flava. In Portugal we can find 3 species of wagtails, being the white one by far the most common. It's fairly easy to recognize wagtails, mainly because... well, they wag their tails! And a lot! The yellow one has the shortest tail of the three, and it had been ages since I saw one, so was really happy to spot her! Photos taken in Tavira, Portugal.
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Time flies. I remember reaching 500 followers not that long ago, and now when I looked... 800! Amazing what consistency brings. Thank you all, fellow noisers! You rock, and this patient of mine agrees! 😉
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Daily wildlife photography: the common linnet, Carduelis cannabina. This little guys almost fled the scene as I was getting ready to take the photo, but I was still able to get him! Fortunately, him and the partner flew almost seconds later to a perch that provided a clear photo. The red distinctive breast of the species is clearly seen!
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How to keep a cat quiet for a few moments? 1. Open a box 2. Leave it open 3. Wait for the cat. There. That simple! 😁 In my nephew's birthday yesterday, the cat was having fun too. Can't understand the obsession with open boxes but well... cats will be cats!
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For anyone in Splinterlands, now is the time to play and buy cards! Probably due to the coming airdrop, DEC value is skyrocketing! It's a gold opportunity to get some cards and gain DEC by playing: more DEC per battle with these high prices, meaning this battle alone equals to a bit over 50 cents in DEC won! Definitely: best-blockchain-game-ever!!!
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Daily wildlife photography: the european robin, Erithacus rubecula. Robins are very friendly birds, and it's common to see them really close in urban parks. This one was spotted in a hiking trail, and I almost didn't needed the zoom to take upclose photos! That big orange breast makes him easy to identify; both sexes are alike. Photos taken in Picos de Europa, Spain.
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While travelling is still hard, revisiting some of the great places I've been: the 9 arch bridge in Ella, Sri Lanka. Ella is a small town in the mountains, and a few km away, lies this beauty. Surrounded by green, this bridge is one of the must-sees if you visit this part of the country. You might have to walk a little bit on the train tracks to reach it, but the walk is worth it: nature everywhere, and a trip back in time! I did saw one train crossing it, but didn't make it…
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Daily wildlife photography: the greater coucal, Centropus sinensis. This coucal belongs to the cuckoos family, although he doesn't exhibit the typical cuckoo behaviour of using other birds's nests to deposit their eggs. They are big, with strong colours! Found this one in a botanical garden in Kandi, Sri Lanka, among the bushes.
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As a great man once said, "It always seems impossible until it's done". Those were my thoughts as well when I checked my Celsius app this morning. I've been using it to receive the BCH from noise.cash, and gain weekly interest on it. When I joined this platform, I had 0,1 BCH as my goal; and now... I'm halfway to a full BCH! It's being a great ride so far, and I thank you all that are in that ride with me! Keep on producing great content, and have a great week!
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Daily wildlife photography: the american crocodile, Cocodrylus acutus. This was the first wild crocodile I've seen in my life. I was taking a boat that would take us to Tortuguero, a Natural Park in Costa Rica, and this magnificent animal was basking in the river margin. He stood motionless as the boat got a little closer, for us to take a better look at him. American crododiles are one of the biggest crocodile species! I took a zoom photo of his head, and for sure, I…
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It's impossible not to be excited with Splinterlands right now. DEC is still spiking, way above the supposed peg, and the SPS airdrop is coming in a little bit over 2 hours, with its supposed price already hitting 0,4$!! I don't know how will the prices be from now on, but I suspect this won't be the typical dump as airdrop lands. The team was really inetlligent in how this ardrop will come, lasting one whole year. If you still don't play Splinterlands... you're missing out…
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Daily wildlife photography: the howler monkey, Alouatta paliata. These animals usually stay high in the trees, eating foliage and staring at humans from above. If a male decides to howl... they won't go unnoticed for sure! In one of my last nights in Costa Rica they were probably having a party near the hotel window, because it was impossible to sleep for a good hour: the howls can be heard from km away! But it's always a joy to see primates in the wild, and if you visit…
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I am fortunate for having travelled quite a bit, but I can say that one of the best hiking trails I've done... are in my home country. Madeira island has a special type of forest called laurossilva, and dozens of hiking trails throughout the island. And you can find there treasures like this!
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Daily wildlife photography: the common house martin, Delichon urbicum. Most of the people are used to see these nests in buildings; and when the Spring comes, so do the martins! They spend the warmer months in Portugal to breed, going away when the Autumn comes. Found the little ones eagerly awaiting for the parents with their next meal, and as I was photographing them, one of the progenitores finally came with the food. Photos taken in Tavira, Portugal.
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With the recent fever in Splinterlands and the surge in DEC price, got my biggest DEC prize so far in a battle: 288 DEC, which it that time would be worth around two dollars. 2 dollars. For a win. For having fun!! What's the best time to start playing Splinterlands, if you haven't started playing yet? NOW! :)
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Daily wildlife photography: the common buzzard, Buteo buteo. Photographing birds of prey is always a joy, but at least in my case, doesn't happen that often. And even less if they're perched. During vacations in a natural park, I had spotted a buzzard perched far in one of the trees, but with his back turned at me. Took my photographies, but was hoping that he would turn; he didn't. And in the next day, in the middle of the local town... a buzzard perched in a tree in the…
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Revisiting Sri Lanka: sunset, sand, warm water and palm trees. On the south shore, it's hard not to feel relaxed! And you have the added bonus of spotting a lot of cool birds while lounging at the sea shore. 😁
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Daily wildlife photography: the common crane, Grus grus. These beautiful birds come to Portugal to spend the winter, choosing the interior south of the country to do so. It's been too long since I've been on a photo trip to see them, maybe this winter that finally changes! I will try to take golden hour photos with them flying in formation again for sure! Photos taken in Mourão, Portugal.