A new year and a new beginning for the fabulous Soul Source photography thread. We've had so many fantastic contributions from so many members over two very long-running and very lengthy threads now, so it makes sense to start afresh.

For people who perhaps haven't contributed before, the idea is very simple: although the emphasis has been on nature/wildlife/flowers and scenic views, just post up and share pics you've taken of, well, just about anything.

Here's three from me, which were taken today in a small nature reserve behind Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. Although it started out as a very clear and sunny afternoon, conditions changed very quickly and it became very overcast - and, I have to say, there was very little in the way of birdlife to see. Perhaps they'd all cleared off elsewhere as the place was pretty busy with people out burning off the Christmas calories.

 

Happy New Year!

6 hours ago, crazylegs said:

We overlook a beautiful meadow and have this growing in abundance, excuse my ignorance I have no idea what it is, it grows in between the huge thistles similar to those posted by Tattoo Dave. 

x

It's Borage, Borago officinalis, the leaves are edible, and the flowers are often used in Pimms.

Ill be drinking more Pimms in future    ........................THANK YOU!

X

1 hour ago, TattooDave said:

It's Borage, Borago officinalis, the leaves are edible, and the flowers are often used in Pimms.

 

Edited May 14, 20168 yr by crazylegs

10 hours ago, crazylegs said:

Ill be drinking more Pimms in future    ........................THANK YOU!

X

 

It's a strange plant in that the flowers change from blue to pink as they age, so pick only the blue ones, wash them thoroughly of course, they look cook frozen in ice cubes.

A couple of Tawny Owl chicks were at either end of the reserve today, both well out in the open, the first was on a branch sat above the path.

The second one is obviously younger than the first, it is about half it's size ... you just want to pick one up and cuddle it ... and see your arm torn to shreds 

The chicks are growing really quickly now - that nest will not look so big soon! All four appear to be doing really well and they are starting to look out of the nest into the big world.

Wow! I have wings - and extremely large feet!

There some pretty amazing pictures on this BBC article.

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20160515-the-places-the-world-forgot

11 hours ago, Chris L said:

There some pretty amazing pictures on this BBC article.

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20160515-the-places-the-world-forgot

Chris. This link is not available in the UK according to the web page. Its run commercially by wait for it. BBC worldwide.

Steve

Edited May 17, 20168 yr by Winsford Soul

1 hour ago, Winsford Soul said:

Chris. This link is not available in the UK according to the web page. Its run commercially by wait for it. BBC worldwide.

Steve

Steve, it's mostly industrial/technonlogic (?) pictures. Personnally I prefer "nature" pictures though I like this one :

 

Don’t fall

Driving around the outskirts of Sofia, Bulgaria, I saw this astonishing construction, which may have been a former cement plant. I spent some time exploring the building, trying to “deconstruct” it with my camera. With this image, I wanted to express something impossible, like the works of Escher. Credit: David de Rueda

1 hour ago, Winsford Soul said:

Chris. This link is not available in the UK according to the web page. Its run commercially by wait for it. BBC worldwide.

Steve

Try here ... 

http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20150922-the-places-the-world-forgot

On 17 May 2016 at 08:18, Chris L said:

There some pretty amazing pictures on this BBC article.

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20160515-the-places-the-world-forgot

Just returned from a trip to Berlin and saw this by the side of the autobahn (unable to take my own picture):
http://secretcitytravel.com/berlin-april-2014/berlin-avus-racetrack-deserted-grandstand.shtml

 

Had a bit of a scare earlier. There was only one chick in the nest - the other three were nowhere to be seen. After about an hour one returned, and now the other two have returned. They do start going for a walk around that ledge as they get more daring - but it is a long way down! They also get a little fed up with each other and like to get their own space. 

 

Edited May 20, 20168 yr by Peter99

These beautiful Cowslips are growing just at the Slack, Butterknowle. Not seen a display like this for years 

4 minutes ago, suzannek said:

These beautiful Cowslips are growing just at the Slack, Butterknowle. Not seen a display like this for years 

Wow!

Lovely Suz.

P

x

I reckon the cold spell has led to the good display, they do well after a hard winter usually 

Suz x

14 minutes ago, suzannek said:

I reckon the cold spell has led to the good display, they do well after a hard winter usually 

Suz x

Hi Suz

I have memories of playing in a huge field full of Cowslips when I was very small. We made necklaces out of buttercups and checked to see if you liked butter by holding a buttercup under each others chins. There was a small wood - we used to be scared of getting lost, and we built a den in a small dyke. The roof was made of some corrugated steel sheets - no idea where we got those from. To be a child again - seems an eternity ago. 

Peter

 

Edited May 20, 20168 yr by Peter99

I can't do anything as good as Suz's cowslips, but in the heat of the Mediterranean we can produce some colour, even without much rain,

Silene colorata growing en masse and flowering later than it should at El Refugio de Juanar, above Marbella, and,

Tuberaria guttata, the annual spotted rock rose, certainly the best display I've seen of both of them.

Edited May 21, 20168 yr by TattooDave

A scarce and regionally specific shrub that I've only seen in one location, but seems to be doing well there is Ononis fruticosa.

50 minutes ago, TattooDave said:

I can't do anything as good as Suz's cowslips, but in the heat of the Mediterranean we can produce some colour, even without much rain,

an as of now unidentified Silene growing en masse at El Refugio de Juanar, above Marbella, and,

Tuberaria guttata, the annual spotted rock rose, certainly the best display I've seen of both of them.

We have the Teesdale Rock Rose it only grows here 

2 hours ago, suzannek said:

We have the Teesdale Rock Rose it only grows here 

What's it's botanic specifics Suz? Just found out, it's Helianthemum canum subsp. Laevigatum, and it seems like it's really rare.

Edited May 21, 20168 yr by TattooDave

As some of you know iv'e been over to Spain this week for the Benidorm  International Soul Fiesta 

& i caught this image this morning from my hotel room 

Atb Kev 

 

Edited May 24, 20168 yr by Kev John

I took this lovely wildflower today Mossy Saxifrage along the Old Tees Railway Walk near Mickleton in Teesdale. It is an upland flower locally common in Northern England and Scotland, yet scarce everywhere else

Just taken the dog for a walk & on our return we spotted this 1 flower head in a natural garden near my house 

Don't know what kind of flower it is ?

atb Kev 

14 minutes ago, Kev John said:

Just taken the dog for a walk & on our return we spotted this 1 flower head in a natural garden near my house 

Don't know what kind of flower it is ?

atb Kev 

Looks like a tree peony Kev

2 hours ago, TattooDave said:

Looks like a tree peony Kev

And here's me thinking that peony lived in fields and stables of a night. 

Steve

7 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

And here's me thinking that peony lived in fields and stables of a night. 

Steve

I think you'll find there's an E too many, it's mine if anyone finds it

Loving me botany group on a Monday evening. Here are a couple from Monday evening and another pic from Sunday the light wasn't great so excuse the quality: Early Purple Orchid; Globe flowers and Bitter Vetch all taken in glorious Upper Teesdale 

All four chicks are doing really well still - getting braver and more independent by the day. They spend most of the time out of the nest now and go for wanders around the ledge of the building. They only really like each other when it's cold now!

Whose a pretty boy (or girl) then! More feathers than down now. 

3 hours ago, Peter99 said:

All four chicks are doing really well still - getting braver and more independent by the day. They spend most of the time out of the nest now and go for wanders around the ledge of the building. They only really like each other when it's cold now!

Whose a pretty boy (or girl) then! More feathers than down now. 

Which looks like now Peter, cold and damp at the moment, and here's me with 74F and wall to wall sunshine.

13 minutes ago, TattooDave said:

Which looks like now Peter, cold and damp at the moment, and here's me with 74F and wall to wall sunshine.

Yep raining again in Nottingham Dave. I'm at work in Loughborough - cold but dry.

 

3 hours ago, Peter99 said:

Yep raining again in Nottingham Dave. I'm at work in Loughborough - cold but dry.

 

Supposedly better tomorrow though Peter, so they should get a day of good food again

All present and correct in the not so very warm Friday sunshine.

 

Edited May 27, 20168 yr by Peter99

They're all starting to strengthen their wings.

 

 

Here's a few from today. first time Spoonbill for me plus one with a Heron

Steve

A Common Carp that I estimated to weigh between 18lb and 20lb

A Common lizard basking in the sunshine

 

1 hour ago, Winsford Soul said:

A Common lizard basking in the sunshine

 

Wow. You got some good photos there Steve. Well done mate.

I know the first one was perched on an aloe species flower stalk, and the other is on an agave leaf, but don't know what species of dragonfly they are, I just thank them for being obliging enough to stay still.

The best ever display I've seen from a Jacaranda, not far from the Arroyo de la Miel, Benalmadena station.

1 hour ago, TattooDave said:

I know the first one was perched on an aloe species flower stalk, and the other is on an agave leaf, but don't know what species of dragonfly they are, I just thank them for being obliging enough to stay still.

Dave. Nice pictures mate. Martyn Pitt ( the elder ) will identify the dragonflies for you mate. He,s been around as long as they have

Steve

5 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Dave. Nice pictures mate. Martyn Pitt ( the elder ) will identify the dragonflies for you mate. He,s been around as long as they have

Steve

Thanks Steve, I pretty much guessed Martyn would fill in the gaps with the dragonflies, they were in the cactus garden in Paloma Park, Benalmadena, one of my favourite haunts. 

Dave

If anyone has ever been to the Costa del Sol they'd know the roundabouts are pretty special, this is one of my favourites, at Benalmadena.

Another Benalmadena landmark, the windmill roundabout.

 

I found this little bird last Autumn, must have come from a lucky bag or something. So I childishly Pulled down the branches and sat it at the top of the tree.

Still there today.........not real by the way!

Edited May 28, 20168 yr by Guest

When's dinner ready?

Duck in Tulbaghia

3 hours ago, Addio said:

When's dinner ready?

What a lovely dog.

What's his/her name?

 

11 hours ago, Peter99 said:

What a lovely dog.

What's his/her name?

 

Thanks, yes he's a smashing dog. Names Benson (after the butler in Soap) and he's coming up to 7 years old. Just off to walk him now!

I am loving the Upper Teesdale botany group meetings, last night I saw loads of beauties like this  Mountain Pansy at Bowlees, Teesdale 

2 hours ago, suzannek said:

I am loving the Upper Teesdale botany group meetings, last night I saw loads of beauties like this  Mountain Pansy at Bowlees, Teesdale 

Nice one Suz, I've only ever seen the yellow one, it seems your area is full of surprises.