HAPPY NEW YEAR TO MY PHOTOFRIENDS! (OUT WITH THE OLD AND IN WITH THE NEW PHOTO BLOG!)

Hi Everybody!!
We are just about at the Finish Line for 2013. I know when we turn the corner, I will see Spring on the horizon. Tonight, it is still winter with temperatures hovering around 32 degrees (F). My chariot (bed) is decked out with extra blankets and pillows. For New Year's Eve I intend to revel in the luxury of being an old grandma and snuggle down in my bed for the night! I am sure the fireworks in the neighborhood will announce the entrance of 2014. And, like ever year, it will scare the feathers off the hundreds of buzzards asleep in my pine trees, and they will take off like a rocket. I will be awake later, no doubt!!!!
Fat Sissy is already hiding in the far back end of the closet as she heard a firecracker about an hour ago. So, I am going to excuse myself from the Party and go snooze in my soft bed. Everybody have a good time and carry on! I will see You next year. If you are like me and finding your way to your bed, I'll see you in the dreams! 


HAPPY NEW YEAR, MY FRIENDS!





















link to photostudy:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/117645114459863049265/albums/5962703175227988625










https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Year

New Year

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

New Year is the time at which a new calendar year begins and the calendar's year count is incremented. In many cultures, the event is celebrated in some manner.^[1]The New Year of the Gregorian calendar, today in worldwide use, falls on 1 January (New Year's Day), as was the case with the Roman calendar. There are numerous calendars that remain in regional use that calculate the New Year differently.

The order of months in the Roman calendar was January to December since KingNuma Pompilius in about 700 BC, according to Plutarch and Macrobius. It was only relatively recently that 1 January again became the first day of the year in Western culture. Until 1751 in England and Wales (and all British dominions) the new year started on 25 March – Lady Day, one of the four quarter days (the change to 1 January took place in 1600 in Scotland).^[2] Since then, 1 January has been the first day of the year. During the Middle Ages several other days were variously taken as the beginning of the calendar year (1 March, 25 March, Easter, 1 September, 25 December).^{[citation needed][where?]} In many countries, such as the Czech Republic, Italy, Spain and the UK, 1 January is a national holiday.

With the expansion of Western culture to many other places in the world during recent centuries, the Gregorian calendar has been adopted by many other countries as the official calendar, and the 1 January date of New Year has become global, even in countries with their own New Year celebrations on other days (such as Israel, China and India). In the culture of Latin America there are a variety of traditions and superstitions surrounding these dates^{[clarification needed]} as omens for the coming year. The most common modern dates of celebration are listed below, ordered and grouped by their appearance relative to the conventional Western calendar.

Time zones[edit]

Because of the division of the globe into time zones, the new year moves progressively around the globe as the start of the day ushers in the New Year. The first time zone to usher in the New Year is just west of the International Date Line. At that time the time zone to the east of the Date Line is 23 hours behind, still in the previous day. The central Pacific Ocean island nation of Kiribaticlaims that its easternmost landmass, uninhabited Caroline Island, is the first to usher in the New Year.^[15][16]

Please see link for complete article.

Hot New Clouds For The New Year!!!









https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/117645114459863049265/albums/5963369086747382161








Look who is still here! 36 degrees-He is cold, but alive!


https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/117645114459863049265/albums/5963366911903452577





The Last Sunset of 2013








https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/117645114459863049265/albums/5962701263769174321



































Here is my turn! 2014 is just down the road!




...this is brendasue signing off from Rainbow Creek.  See You Next Year!!

O+O

THE PRAIRIE VIEW CONTINUES (A ROADTRIP TREASURES PHOTO BLOG)

Hi Everybody!!
I am still sharing treasures from the roadtrip to the Prairie with the Bluebonnet Crew. This beautiful bird is a Red Tailed Hawk. (I had misidentified him as an Osprey, but someone on G+ steered me in the right direction.) Anyway, I also found a killdeer and one more mystery shore bird featured below with the links to the photostudies in my G+ Photo Albums. In keeping with our 'learn something new everyday' tradition, I have shared info excerpts from Wikipedia on tonight's treasures. Enjoy!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-tailed_Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) is a bird of prey, one of three species colloquially known in the United States as the "chickenhawk," though it rarely preys on standard sized chickens.^[2] It breeds throughout most of North America, from westernAlaska and northern Canada to as far south as Panama and the West Indies, and is one of the most common buteos in North America. Red-tailed Hawks can acclimate to all thebiomes within their range. There are fourteen recognized subspecies, which vary in appearance and range. It is one of the largest members of the genus Buteo in North America, typically weighing from 690 to 1,600 g (1.5 to 3.5 lb) and measuring 45–65 cm (18–26 in) in length, with a wingspan from 110–145 cm (43–57 in). The Red-tailed Hawk displays sexual dimorphism in size, with females averaging about 25% heavier than males.^[3]

Red-tailed Hawk
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Falconiformes (or Accipitriformes, q.v.)
Family:	Accipitridae
Genus:	Buteo
Species:	B. jamaicensis

Description[edit]

A male Red-Tailed Hawk may weigh from 690 to 1,300 g (24 to 46 oz), with a mean weight of 1,030 g (36 oz), and measure 45–60 cm (18–24 in). A female can weigh between 900 and 2,000 g (32 and 71 oz), averaging 1,220 g (43 oz), and measure 48 to 65 cm (19 to 26 in) long. The wingspan can range from 105 to 141 cm (41 to 56 in) and, in the standard scientific method of measuring wing size, the wing bone is 33–44 cm (13–17 in) long. The tail measures 19–25 cm (7.5–9.8 in) in length.^[4][5][6] The exposed culmen was reported to average 2.5–2.7 cm (0.98–1.1 in) and the tarsus averaged 8.6–9 cm (3.4–3.5 in).^[7] As is the case with many raptors the Red-tailed Hawk displays sexual dimorphism in size, as females are up to 25% larger than males.^[8]

Characteristic red tail

Red-tailed Hawk plumage can be variable, depending on the subspecies and the region. These color variations are morphs, and are not related to molting. The western North American population, B. j. calurus, is the most variable subspecies and has three color morphs: light, dark, and intermediate or rufus. The dark and intermediate morphs constitute 10–20% of the population.^[9]

Though the markings and hue vary across the subspecies, the basic appearance of the Red-tailed Hawk is consistent. Overall, this species is blocky and broad in shape, often appearing (and being) heavier than other Buteos of similar length.^[4] A whitish underbelly with a dark brown band across the belly, formed by horizontal streaks in feather patterning, is present in most color variations. Especially in younger birds, the underside may be otherwise covered with dark brown spotting. The red tail, which gives this species its name, is uniformly brick-red above and light buff-orange below.^[4][10] The bill is short and dark, in the hooked shape characteristic of raptors, and the head can sometimes appear small in size against the thick body frame.^[4] They have a relatively short, broad tails and thick, chunky wings.^[10] The cere, the legs, and the feet of the Red-tailed Hawk are all yellow.^[8]

Immature birds can be readily identified at close range by their yellowish irises. As the bird attains full maturity over the course of 3–4 years, the iris slowly darkens into a reddish-brown hue. In both the light and dark morphs, the tail of the immature Red-tailed Hawk are patterned with numerous darker bars.^[10]

(Please see link for more info)



link to photostudy in album:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/117645114459863049265/albums/5962712326476196977





Killdeer

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killdeer

Killdeer

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) is a medium-sized plover.

The adults have a brown back and wings, a white belly, and a white breast with two black bands. The rump is tawny orange. The face and cap are brown with a white forehead. The eyering orange-red. The chicks are patterned almost identically to the adults, and areprecocial — able to move around immediately after hatching. The Killdeer frequently uses a"broken wing act" to distract predators from the nest. It is named onomatopoeically after its call.^[2]

Killdeer
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Charadriiformes
Family:	Charadriidae
Genus:	Charadrius
Species:	C. vociferus

Behavior[edit]

They are migratory in northern areas and winter as far south as northern South America. They are rare vagrants to western Europe, usually late in the year.

These birds forage for food in fields, mudflats, and shores, usually by sight. They mainly eat insects.

Their name comes from their frequently heard call. These birds will frequently use adistraction display ("broken-wing act") to distract predators from their nests. This involves the bird walking away from its nesting area holding its wing in a position that simulates an injury and then flapping around on the ground emitting a distress call. The predators then think they have easy prey and are attracted to this seemingly injured bird and away from the nest. If the parent sees that a potential predator is not following them, they will move closer and get louder until they get the attention of the predator. This is repeated until the predator is far from the nest, and the killdeer suddenly "heals" and flies away.^[5][7]

Their ability to exploit a wide range of agricultural and semi-urban habitat has helped keep them common and widespread in their range.

link to album photostudy:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/117645114459863049265/albums/5962704526558853313





Mystery Bird
Is a mystery to me! I think he is a juvenile heron because of his spots. If anyone knows, please leave comment. He is very cute.




















link to photostudy in album:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/117645114459863049265/albums/5962713716734700849






https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligularia

Ligularia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ligularia (leopard plant) is a genus of robust Old World herbaceous perennial plants in the family Asteraceae.^[4] They have yellow or orange composite flower heads with brown or yellow central disc florets, and are native to damp habitats mostly in central and eastern Asia, with a few species from Europe.^[5] There are about 120^[6] to 140 species in the genus, and over half are endemic to China.^[7] The name Ligularia, from the Latin for "strap", refers to the shape of the ray florets.^[8]

Some species are cultivated as ornamentals. The cultivars 'Gregynog Gold'^[9] and 'The Rocket'^[10] have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Ligularia
Ligularia sibirica
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Tribe:	Senecioneae
Genus:	Ligularia Cass. (1816)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoverfly

Hoverfly

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hoverflies, sometimes called flower flies or syrphid flies, make up the insectfamily Syrphidae. As their common name suggests, they are often seen hovering or nectaring at flowers; the adults of many species feed mainly on nectar and pollen, while the larvae (maggots) eat a wide range of foods. In some species, the larvae aresaprotrophs, eating decaying plant and animal matter in the soil or in ponds and streams. In other species, the larvae are insectivores and prey on aphids, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects.

Aphids alone cause tens of millions of dollars of damage to crops worldwide every year; because of this, aphidophagous hoverflies are being recognized as importantnatural enemies of pests, and potential agents for use in biological control. Some adult syrphid flies are important pollinators.

About 6,000 species in 200 genera have been described. Hoverflies are common throughout the world and can be found on all continents except Antarctica. Hoverflies are harmless to most other animals despite their mimicry of more dangerous waspsand bees, which serves to ward off predators.

Syrphidae
Sixteen different species of hoverfly
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Diptera
Suborder:	Brachycera
Section:	Aschiza
Superfamily:	Syrphoidea
Family:	Syrphidae Latreille, 1802

link to photstudy in album:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/117645114459863049265/albums/5962714944990419681


...this is brendasue signing off from Rainbow Creek.  See You next time!
Honeybee!


O+O