Welcome to 2021

Wishing everyone peace, comfort, love, and the support to live with dignity.

[video:https://youtu.be/HA1A97gPZnM]

[video:https://youtu.be/9yRhhk2jlJA]

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" We are here to awaken from the illusion of our separateness."
Thich Nhat Hanh

Please leave something here tonight that moves or delights you — in words, photos, music, comedy, wishes ...

Shine on everyone

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Bollox Ref's picture

That first one looks a little like some crustacean.

Dark, cold and snowbound here, so a shot of things to come:

Good luck with the new year.

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9 users have voted.

Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.

Socialprogressive's picture

@Bollox Ref
Throw another log on the fire and stay warm.

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6 users have voted.

When I offer to wash your back in the shower, all you have to say is yes or no.
Not all this "who are you, and how did you get in here?" nonsense.

dystopian's picture

@Bollox Ref GREAT pic BR! When does the pussy willow way up north?

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4 users have voted.

We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein

janis b's picture

The Pussy Willow brings such wistful nostalgia. It's such a beautiful plant, and really nice to see at that stage in your photo, with a frosty edge. Good luck to you too. Say hi to Fred from me.

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janis b's picture

@janis b

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snoopydawg's picture

My 1st beagle loved to play in the leaves like this. Is so fun to watch in person.

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10 users have voted.

Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

janis b's picture

@snoopydawg

I just commented to this video in the EBs. It's wonderful and fun.

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5 users have voted.
Socialprogressive's picture

You got my curiosity up with that first shot, Janis. Whatever the subject is it looks interesting.

Happy New Year everyone.

Brown Pelicans at La Jolla Cove.
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11 users have voted.

When I offer to wash your back in the shower, all you have to say is yes or no.
Not all this "who are you, and how did you get in here?" nonsense.

janis b's picture

@Socialprogressive

Brown Pelican is such a colourless name for a bird who has beautiful colour, as you've revealed.

Thank you as always.

Cheers!

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7 users have voted.
janis b's picture

@janis b

will soon be revealed ; ).

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dystopian's picture

@Socialprogressive Awesome Brown Pelican photos SP! Outstanding, beautiful. Great work man!

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5 users have voted.

We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein

dystopian's picture

Final answer for all the dough... a molted exoskeleton of a crab like creature.

Very cool, as always. Thanks!

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5 users have voted.

We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein

janis b's picture

@dystopian

before I identified it. Not that I was testing you : ). I was already convinced you'd know it.

All the best for you and yours, always.

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4 users have voted.
vtcc73's picture

early in December.

This girl was the find of the trip.

Julio, did you call me .jpg

She flew over us from out of the Sierra Negra crater then disappeared over the rim. She came back low and fast and then circled a few times before disappearing. Julio, in the photo, said he had been able to call them in a few times. He tried a few whistling calls before she came in and landed on the shelter rook. Julio says this was very special as there were only about 150 pairs known to exist from a couple year old survey. He only sees them once or twice a year. She stayed with us for about 20 minutes before flying off.

Galapagos hawk 50.jpg

Sierra Negra crater panorama - largest active volcanic crater in the world (10 km across) by some claims.
Sierra negra crater.jpg

frigate pair.jpg

Breakfast buddies - male
Galapagos finch male_0.jpg
Female
Galapagos finch female_0.jpg

I have to get to bed to be up early tomorrow or I'd add more. I'll try to do that sometime tomorrow. Have a nice night and Happy New Year everybody.

Edit to add a pelican and his/her pals.
pelican and sealions 2_0.jpg

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"Ah, but I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now..."

janis b's picture

It makes sense that you, as a human flyer would get a visit from that high-flying bird.

You left on your plate the best part — raw, or slightly seared fresh fish?

I look forward to seeing more of your travels and explorations.

All the best.

[video:https://youtu.be/sUydgjBM4VY]

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janis b's picture

@janis b

it could be charred watermelon.

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vtcc73's picture

@janis b The plate had watermelon, papaya, and banana every morning. We’re forbidden from feeding animals in the islands but a seed or two left are fair game. Can’t bother the wildlife either so what’s a guy to do?

The male was there every morning and always chased off rivals but let the female have her way. Little buggers are all over as is a mockingbird. That was a surprise as was the Fernandina racer and a newly hatched tangle of yellow bellied sea snakes. But seeing the hawk was the one thing I wanted but never expected to ever see. My wife and son backed out of the five mile walk up and along the crater rim that turned into ten. Too bad for them.

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6 users have voted.

"Ah, but I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now..."

janis b's picture

@vtcc73

I might have also done without the snakes, even if yellow-bellied, and the ten mile hike ; ).

I'm glad for you though.

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vtcc73's picture

@janis b until this trip. It was fantastic. It, as well as the bananas and pineapple, was particularly good. Much, if not most, of the fruits are imported to the islands. I just don't know which are brought in and which are locally grown. We have a significant variety of watermelon, pineapple, and bananas in Ecuador but I don't know about papaya. There's a small variety of banana that I have every morning. I've not found one that has its flavor and just right size. Those we had for breakfast in the hotels had almost the same taste but was larger.

That's a common reaction to snakes until we get to know them. My encounter was along the trail through the tidal flats between the hotel and the tortoise breeding facility. It was maybe 2' long and moving at warp 8 right in front of me. The racer is the same ones featured in the viral video from Planet Earth 2. They're not very common on Isabella even though Isla Fernandina is not that far away.

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4 users have voted.

"Ah, but I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now..."

janis b's picture

@vtcc73

What a chase and narrowly escaped ambush. It's good for the lizard the snake can't jump.

From the little I've read it sounds like papaya in Equador have been suffering for 6 years from a virus.

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dystopian's picture

I gotta fly, sorry, but here are a couple in a quickie...

Black Vulture
bv122320a.jpg

female Downy Woodpecker in yard today
downyWP010121a.jpg

imm. Sharp-shinned Hawk
sharpy-imm122020a.jpg

adult male Vermilion Flycathcher
vermflyc122020a.jpg

Have a great happy healthy New Year all!

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7 users have voted.

We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein

vtcc73's picture

@dystopian @dystopian at Laguna Llaviucu in the Cajas last week. I couldn’t get a good photo of any of them. It was cloudy and they were back lit by bright spots in the low clouds. They’re shy, wouldn’t stay still in the trees. Gorgeous birds. Prettiest bird we’ve seen except for the Gray Breasted Mountain Toucan.

Julio pointed out a female Vermilion Flycatcher (the male is different from your photo) up on Sierra Negra crater too but he couldn’t find a male.

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"Ah, but I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now..."

janis b's picture

@vtcc73

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travelerxxx's picture

Stopped in here to see what a "Welcome to 2021" would be ...and then saw the photos. I've been screwed up on what day of the week it is for - well, about a week. So it's Friday Photos by another name. Sorta, kinda.

Great pix everybody!

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janis b's picture

@travelerxxx

I've been ahead of myself by a day for days now. I was about to post Friday Photography/ 2021 yesterday before I realised that I was in the wrong time zone.

Happy new year to you traveler!

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travelerxxx's picture

When I saw your first photo, Janis, I thought I was gazing at some stylized Covid mask. Seriously. I kept going back to look at it over and over, and my mind kept playing that trick on me.

This virus business needs to go. Maybe I'll go watch the French Railway exploding flowers repeatedly until my mind's eye clears.

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janis b's picture

@travelerxxx

and appreciated, traveler.

I'm still laughing at your vision and hoping that the exploding flowers bring some relief to your eyes.

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