Ruddy Kingfisher

When you’re a beginner, and you get excited about seeing beautiful birds of any kind. However when you’ve been photographing or bird watching for some time, it's all about ticking off groups of birds. Well, the attractive ruddy kingfisher also called Halcyon Coromanda is an average sized tree kingfisher which is commonly distributed in east and Southeast Asia, ranging from South Korea and Japan in the north, south through the Philippines to the Sunda Islands, and west to China and India. It is a migratory bird in the northern part of the range migrating as far south as Borneo during winter.

In the vicinity of southern parts of its range, the ruddy kingfisher is uncommon in Japan, where it is extremely sought after by birders. The global population size has not been computed, but the species is reported to be extensive but usually rare and uncommon. Ruddy kingfishers inhabit forested areas from the temperate to tropical zones, often in thick jungles and rainforests. The bird size is reaching approximately 25 cm; the ruddy kingfisher has a very big, bright red bill and equally red legs. The body is rust red, usually deepening to purple at the tail. There is slight sexual dimorphism though some sources state that male birds are somewhat brighter in plumage.

Such as kingfishers, ruddy kingfishers usually feed on fish, crustaceans, and big insects; however in areas with less running water, they’re famous to take frogs and other amphibians. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to loss of coastal mangroves as well as occasional collisions with lighthouses and collection for taxidermy Due to its preference for heavily forested areas, the kingfisher's high, descending call is more often heard than the bird itself is seen, and these birds usually travel singly or in pairs. The binomial name recalls the Coromandel Coast of India.

The len ticular cloud formation creates a breathtaking image over the conical-shaped Klyuchevskaya Sopka mountain in east Russia.

The len ticular cloud formation creates a breathtaking image over the conical-shaped Klyuchevskaya Sopka mountain in east Russia. (Photo: Ivan Dementievskiy). Klyuchevskaya Sopka is a stratovolcano, the highest mountain on the Kamchatka Peninsula of Russia and the highest active volcano of Eurasia. The volcano is part of the natural Volcanoes of Kamchatka UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Wine Glass Vine (Ceropegia)

Ceropegia is a genus of plants within the family Apocynaceae, native to Africa, southern Asia, and Australia. It was named by Carl Linnaeus.

If you climb 8,300 feet mountain you can enjoy free night in this Hut

What a lovely offer of sleeping in the Mountain Hut If You’re willing to climb 8,300ft. This mountain-top hut with a breathtaking panoramic view of the Julian Alps in Italy is free to stay for anyone who knocks on its door. You’ll have to hike 8,300ft up Foronon del Buinz Mountain to get to it. This is commissioned by the family of the late mountain climber “Luca Vuerich”, who died in an avalanche in 2010, this strange prefab wood cabin by architect Giovanni Pesamosca is situated on the Ceria-Merlone trail and has been offering a safe refuge for hiking nature lovers since it is opened for public in September 2012. The clever chapel-like design prevents snow from piling up on it, and its south-facing opening lets the sun melt any snow that builds up during winter. It is really interesting due to the high altitude; the building materials for the hut were flown in by helicopter more than 18 trips. A team of 12 professional workers, mountain rescue volunteers and Luca’s friends then put the 16-sqm structure together in a one day. For the less adventurous, there is a vast network of same huts scattered throughout the Alps at much lower altitudes, though you may have to pay to stay. Some even come with staff on duty in the summer that can cook and clean the place for hikers.

Stunning Photographs of Jumping Cats

It is well believed, that cats are a near-universal symbol of grace and poise, and they’ve marvelous balance and are said to always land on their feet. Although when cats up in the air, like these 15 jumping cats at play, they retain an elegant athleticism that most of us lack on or off the ground. Cats love to jump when they play, but it is highly appreciated to never throw them just for a mere photo. The incredible ability of cats to make always land on its feet, which is beautifully display in numerous of these photograph, is called the “Righting Reflex”. An in depth study was done in 1987 on 132 cases of cats that had fallen from high-rise windows in New York found that their injuries would rise from floors 1-7 but would then radically decline above 7 stories. One explanation could be that, after a firm distance, cats reach their non-fatal terminal velocities and are skilled of spreading themselves out and gliding to decrease the severity of their injuries.

Largest Turtle

A leatherback turtle, the largest turtle ever found, weighing over 900kg, and it was more than 100 years old, 1988.

Rolling Coconut Tree

This 'rolling coconut tree' is on Chole Island in Tanzania.  The circular growth is caused by the absence of a particular growth hormone called auxin. Auxin permits it to grow towards or away from something when it is being touched. In essence, this tree thinks that something is touching it.

Black Sickle Bill the Bird of Paradise

The black sickle bill also called Epimachus fastosus is a big bird of heaven of mid-mountain forests of New Guinea. The lovely sicklebill's diet contains mostly of fruits and arthropods. The male of the species is polygamous and does a horizontal courtship display with the pectoral plumes raised around its head. In the wild, the bird has hybridized with the “Arfak Astrapia” to make offspring that were once considered two distinctive species, the Elliot's sicklebill (Epimachus ellioti) and the “Astrapian sicklebill” (Astrapimachus astrapioides). The both species are usually viewed by most mainstream ornithologists as hybrids, but a minority of ornithologists considers “Ellioti” may be a valid species.  Because of constant habitat loss, insignificant population size, and hunting in some areas for food and its tail feathers, the black sicklebill is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The lovely Black Sicklebills are patchily distributed in the mountainous areas of western and central New Guinea. From the Tamrau and Arfak Mountains in Vogelkop of Papua (previously Irian Jaya Indonesia), to the Kubor and Kratke ranges and a some localities in the Torricelli and Bewani mountains in Papua New Guinea.

The Black Sicklebills are in the vicinity common, for instance on Mount Bosavi and the Arfak Mountains, and usually scarce to rare or locally absent. They classically occur in mid-montane forest at 1,280-2,550 m, but may move to lower or higher elevations. They mainly occur in primary forest, and are less often recorded in nearby secondary growth and gardens. The Black Sicklebill is the leading plumbed member of its family, including the tail, the males specie is average 100 cm in length and the females specie around 48 cm. These bird-of-paradises have long, down curved bills and very long tails.

The male has a habitually black plumage with glossy green, blue and purple scale like feathers. He has beautiful red eyes, and a bright yellow mouth and a long curved black bill. The bird has most distinguishing feature is the huge sabre-shaped tail and large fan-like plumes on the sides of his chest. The female specie is little than the male. Her plumage is habitually reddish-brown, with chestnut wing-feather fringes and fine, dark brown barring on her off-white under parts, while her eyes are red-brown. The Black Sicklebill looks alike to the Brown Sicklebill (which replaces it at higher elevations), but can be distinguished by the finer, more de-curved bill and pale blue eyes. However male is browner and female doesn't have any chestnut coloration on her wings.The Buff-tailed Sicklebillhas a short, rounded tail. Female Arfak Astrapia has a short bill.

The Black Sicklebills hunt for fruit and small animals in the tree canopy; as well as probing into moss and plants for insects and other arthropods, like as crabs, lice, shrimp, spiders, scorpions, centipedes and millipedes. Therefore males make paired, sharp, liquid Quik, and simple nasal contact calls. The Black Sicklebills do not shape strong pair bonds. The male will mate with quite a lot of females over the breeding season. In order to entice females, he usually performs a horizontal courtship display with the pectoral plumes raised around his head. The female bird builds the nest and attends to the young alone. The Black Sicklebills have hybridized with the Arfak Astrapia in the wild, making offspring that were once well-thought-out a separate species, the Elliot's Sicklebill, Epimachus ellioti. However few believe this was a valid species that is perhaps critically endangered or extinct; it is usually considered a hybrid by most mainstream ornithologists.

Little Cormorant Phalacrocorax niger

Cormorants get their name from "marine crows" and even in my mother tongue it is called neerkakka or "water crow". They have the remarkable ability to swim and chase underwater to catch fish. This is possible due to their remarkable adaptations of wettable feathers and webbed feet. They are resident in most parts of India and are commonly seen in or near waterbodies and are usually found drying their wet feathers. I was walking back at the end of a birding trip when this one was sitting alone in a pensive mood and didn't seem to notice me allowing me to get close and take this shot full frame and in portrait mode.

Keila Waterfall, Estonia.

The Keila Waterfall is a waterfall in Northern Estonia on Keila River. It is the third most powerful waterfall in Estonia after Narva and Jägala. It is 6 meters high and 60–70 meters wide.

Very Interesting

Loneliest whale in the world.

The only tree that survived the tsunami in Japan between 70,000 trees. Today protected and restored.

Everybody knows, about the catastrophic Tsunami in Japan, the amazing thing happened when the only tree that survived the tsunami in Japan between 70,000 trees. Today protected and restored.

She is working for a respectable cause. Immense

The Japanese White-eye (Zosterops japonicus), also known as the mejiro bird.

The Japanese White-eye (Zosterops japonicus), also known as the mejiro bird.