Friday, December 21, 2007

Solstice Sun


Getting used to seasonal shifts in daylight hours has been one of the hardest things to adapt to since moving to Europe. Although I spent many years in New Zealand when I was young, I lived near the equator long enough to develop a preference for daylight hours of equal length all year round. Still, being dragged comatose around the countryside by the dog early every morning means I'm still guaranteed to get a small dose of sunshine every day.

Sunday, November 11, 2007

It's always summer in Provence



Time to shed the heavy coats and get a welcome respite from the northern winter in southern France.



Vergeze, a small village in the South of France

Saturday, October 06, 2007

The fungus among us

Autumn microcosm in a northern French wood
Learning to identify edible mushrooms has been one of those things that has floated about on my personal to-do list for many years.
Still, for starters I do know which one of these was the shamen's 'shroom of choice...

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Carefree


According to a new government census India's tiger population has fallen drastically during the past five years, with poaching and urbanisation cited as the probable reasons for the decline.

Tigers are poached for their body parts - skins are prized for fashion and tiger bones are used for oriental medicines. India is home to 40% of the world's tigers, with 23 tiger reserves in 17 states.

Yanomama in motion


The Ocelot (Felis pardalis) is a small cat from Central and South America.
The name "ocelot" comes from the Mexican Aztec word "tlalocelot" meaning field tiger.

The mysteries of the garden shed


50mm lenses can make anything look interesting

Chaos and Insects


If all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago. If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos.


E.O. Wilson

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Enjoy England?


Margate, not the best seaside town England has to offer.
Being an Aussie gal, I'm probably particularly fussy about beaches

All in a row



In the mysterious shell grotto - ooooooh!
Margate - Kent

Botany Bay




Kent that is, not Australia

Pastorale




Sheep and apples in the Kent countryside, UK

Cairns birdwing butterfly


Cairns birdwing butterfly, originally uploaded by Nyx.

Kuranda butterfly sanctuary, Queensland

In the jungle


In the jungle, originally uploaded by Nyx.

One of my nicer self portraits...Do I look tranquil? Well I'm trying not to be eaten by mosquitos!

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Wee willy wagtail


Wee willy wagtail, originally uploaded by Nyx.

Millaa Millaa

Queensland, Australia

Tree fern


Tree fern, originally uploaded by Nyx.

50mm lens - much better with the low light conditions encoutered in the rainforest

Bushfire


Bushfire, originally uploaded by Nyx.

Lethal


Crocs ahoy, originally uploaded by Nyx.

Love the expression and shadows here

Road trains at sunset


Road trains at sunset, originally uploaded by Nyx.

Road trains are the most common forms of goods transport in Australia. Huge trucks covering large distances every week.

Magnetic termite mounds


Magnetic termite mounds, originally uploaded by Nyx.

Selling tradition


Artist, originally uploaded by Nyx.

At the local Darwin beach markets, Australia

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Tyger


In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare sieze the fire?


William Blake 1794

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Canterbury



Canterbury on a warm midsummers night...and day

Monday, July 30, 2007

Jousting Horse



Hever Castle, Kent

The Red Knight




At this moment her thoughts were interrupted by a loud shouting of `Ahoy! Ahoy! Check!' and a Knight dressed in crimson armour came galloping down upon her, brandishing a great club. Just as he reached her, the horse stopped suddenly: `You're my prisoner!' the Knight cried, as he tumbled off his horse.

Lewis Carroll

Sunday, July 29, 2007

Birthday Robot




Perfect gift for a 30-something woman

Saturday, July 28, 2007

Bunnykins



I only recently discovered that rabbits were introduced into the UK by the Romans

On safari in the english countryside


Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) is a species of antelope found mainly in India, but also in parts of Pakistan and Nepal. This was taken on the safari tour circuit where I work.

Saturday, July 14, 2007

14th July Fireworks


Composite shot - It's hard to get a bunch of fireworks to properly fill the frame!
Bastille Day commemorates the 1790 Fete de la Federation held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille on July 14 1789; the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille was seen as a symbol of the uprising of the modern French nation

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Wanderer returns



I like how the lamp resembles the sun...or maybe the moon!

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Tideline



Mangrove fruit on a deserted island
Northern Territory Coastal Waters

Scuttle!


Some beach biota

Forest kingfisher



Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark...

Crossing the Bar, Alfred Tennyson

Friday, June 22, 2007

Nabulwinjbulwinj....go on, try to pronounce it!


Dangerous spirit who eats females after striking them with a yam.
Seriously, hitting chicks with a yam?

Landscape



The ancient landscape of the wet-dry tropics. Ubirr - Kakadu National Park

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Rock Formations


I loved the look of these rocks, they almost look like sinking ships

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Typically Australian



Mataranka, NT Australia

Wallaby


Katherine Gorge, NT Australia

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Apostlebirds



mean looking creatures, but funny!
They get their name from their tendency to hang out in groups of about twelve

Litoria meriana


Jim Jim Falls, Kakadu - Australia

Butterfly mirror



Symmetry in nature

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Space Age Views

A very retro set of binoculars, Darwin Australia

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Waterfall



everybody take a picture!

Friday, June 15, 2007

Northern Territory birdlife

I lived in Northern Australia for about 12 years in total, and spent a lot of that time out in the bush, surrounded by amazing colours, diverse nature and raw beauty. I was always interested in photography, and have had a camera kicking around for as long as I can remember but like a lot of people the cost of film could be a bit offputting when you were still working it all out.
I had so much fun cramming in 13 lost years into a one month holiday, but at the same time I quite regretted that I hadn't go into photography earlier. It was amazing to see how much easier it is to photograph wild birds in Australia as compared with Europe. All of these shots used nothing more powerful than a 200mm lens and a bit of cropping.



Striated pardalote - open eucalypt woodland, Litchfield National Park



Egret at Yellow waters wetland. Kakadu National Park



White bellied sea eagle along the coastal mangroves




Sulphur crested cockatoo in a flowering woollybutt tree



Whiskered tern
Lame joke from the boat guide:
Why do you always see terns in pairs?
Because one good tern deserves another (groan)