Cool Bird Picture images ~ Cute Bird Picture

Cool Bird Picture images

Corvus impluviatus and/or Corvus viriosus

Image by D.Eickhoff
The Hawaiian Islands once had three distinct crows (Corvus). One species remains and it is extremely rare, the Hawaiian crow or Ê»alalÄ (Corvus hawaiiensis). The other two are extinct. These fossils represent one or two of the Slender-billed crow (Corvus viriosus) and the Deep-billed crow (C. impulviatus). Pictured is a variety of bones and claws (two on the left). These specimens came from the Barber's Point sinkholes, OÊ»ahu, Hawaiian Islands. Identified by the late Alan C. Ziegler in 1992.

Verreaux's Eagle Owl / Giant Eagle Owl

Image by pimgmx
One of the biggest owls in the world, a very impressive animal! And quite easy to identify if/when they sit still: the bright pink eyeledis are fairly easy to spot. Slight cropping , around 80% of original picture en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verreaux's_Eagle-owl

I had a visitor today

Image by gailf548
I saw this beauty from my bedroom window. When I entered the room, it was standing on the wooden railing around our little balcony, then it settled into this windowbox full of last year's remains. I ran for my camera, hoping it would still be there when I got back. It was. I tried to be quiet as I took the picture. I got 2 photos, but then it noticed me and moved. I felt bad. Is it worth it to disturb an animal just to get a photo? It eventually returned with a friend. I assume it was the same one.

Isola Bella-Taormina-Messina-Sicilia-Italy - Creative Commons by gnuckx

Image by gnuckx
To see more www.flickr.com/photos/gnuckx Isola Bella (Taormina Sicily) Isola Bella (Sicilian: ÃŒsula Bedda) is a small island near Taormina, Sicily, southern Italy. Also known as The Pearl of the Ionian Sea, it is located within a small bay on the Ionian Sea; it was a private property until 1990, when it was bought by the Region of Sicily, being turned into a nature reserve, administrated by the Italian branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature. There is a narrow path that often connects the island to the mainland beach. The island has a small and rather rocky beach which is a popular destination for sunbathers. History King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies gifted the island to the nearby town of Taormina in 1806. The island was then bought from the town by a Ms. Trevelyan, who built a small house facing the sea and imported exotic plants, which thrived in the Mediterranean climate. Subsequent owners kept up the island, until the owner went bankrupt, and auctioned the island in 1990. The island had been noted by conservationists as early as 1983, and it was quickly obtained by the Region and designated as a protected natural site. The island is home to several species of birds, and a few types of lizards. Isola Bella (Taormina) L'Isola Bella (Isula Bedda in siciliano) Ã¨ una piccola isola situata nel comune di Taormina, in provincia di Messina. L'esigua distanza dalla costa a volte, a causa della marea, si annulla, rendendola una penisola. Ãˆ chiamata anche la perla del Mediterraneo. Il nome fu coniato dal barone tedesco, Wilhelm von Gloeden, che diffuse in tutto il mondo il valore artistico dell'isola. Storia Donata nel 1806 da Ferdinando I di Borbone a Pancrazio Ciprioti sindaco di Taormina, fu acquistata nel 1890 da Lady Florence Trevelyan, nipote della Regina Vittoria e moglie del filantropo sindaco di Taormina prof. Salvatore Cacciola che la valorizzÃ² costruendovi una pittoresca casetta e piantumandovi rare essenze pregiate, poi andÃ² in ereditÃ all'unico nipote maschio avv.Cesare Acrosso. Nel 1954 fu acquistata dai fratelli Busurgi, che vi realizzarono una splendida residenza con una minuscola piscina camuffata fra rocce e piantagioni. Nel 1984, su sollecitazione del Comune di Taormina, l'Assessorato regionale dei Beni Culturali dichiarÃ² l'Isola Bella un monumento d'interesse storico artistico di particolare pregio in quanto: "esempio isolato di unicum come valore naturalistico, storico e culturale", sottoponendola a vincoli di tutela. Il decreto considerava l'isola come un "monumento naturale". Nel 1990 l'isola fu messa all'asta e acquistata dall'Assessorato dei Beni Culturali. Nel 1998 fu istituita riserva naturale, gestita dal WWF e di recente passata in gestione alla Provincia di Messina. ÃŽle Belle (Taormina) Lâ€™Ã®le Belle est une petite Ã®le situÃ©e Ã Taormina dans la province de Messine. La courte distance qui la sÃ©pare du rivage s'annule parfois lors des marÃ©es, donnant alors Ã lâ€™Ã®le un statut de presqu'Ã®le. Elle est aussi appelÃ©e la Perle de la MÃ©diterranÃ©e. Son nom lui fut donnÃ© par le baron allemand Wilhelm von Gloeden qui diffusa partout Ã travers le monde la valeur artistique de lâ€™Ã®le. Histoire Offerte en 1806 par Ferdinand Ier des Deux-Siciles Ã Pancrazio Ciprioti, maire de Taormina. En 1890, elle fut acquise par Florence Trevelyan, petite-fille de la Reine Victoria du maire philanthrope de Taormina, Salvatore Cacciola qui la valorisa en y construisant une maisonnette pittoresque. Lâ€™Ã®le fut ensuite lÃ©guÃ©e hÃ©rÃ©ditairement Ã lâ€™unique petit-fils masculin de Florence, Cesare Acrosso. En 1954, elle fut acquise par les frÃ¨res Busurgi qui y firent construire une splendide rÃ©sidence avec une minuscule piscine camouflÃ©e entre les roches et les plantations. En 1984, sur sollicitation de la commune de Taormina, lâ€™Assesseur rÃ©gional des Biens Culturels dÃ©clara lâ€™Ã®le Belle comme un monument dâ€™intÃ©rÃªt historique mÃ©ritÃ© : Â« exemple isolÃ© d'unique valeur naturelle, historique et culturelleÂ», la soumettant donc Ã tutelle. Le dÃ©cret considÃ©ra lâ€™Ã®le comme un Â« monument naturel Â». En 1990, l'Ã®le fut finalement mise aux enchÃ¨res et acquise par l'Assesseur des Biens Culturels. En 1998, elle fut instituÃ©e comme RÃ©serve naturelle gÃ©rÃ©e par le WWF avant de passer entre les mains de la province de Messine. Isola Bella (Sizilien) Die Isola Bella ist eine kleine Insel im Ionischen Meer vor der OstkÃ¼ste Siziliens. Sie gehÃ¶rt zu dem Ortsteil MazzarÃ² der Stadt Taormina in der Provinz Messina und ist durch eine Sandbank mit dem Strand von MazzarÃ² verbunden. KÃ¶nig Ferdinand III. von Sizilien schenkte die Insel 1806 der Gemeinde Taormina. Diese musste sie jedoch um 1900 wegen finanzieller Schwierigkeiten verkaufen. ZunÃ¤chst kam die Insel in den Besitz von Florence Trevelyan, einem Mitglied der anglikanischen Gemeinde von Taormina, die dort exotische Pflanzen zÃ¼chtete, die sie dann in dem von ihr gegrÃ¼ndeten Stadtpark von Taormina anpflanzte. Nach mehreren EigentÃ¼merwechseln wurde die Insel 1954 schlieÃŸlich von den BrÃ¼dern Bosurgi erworben, die dort ein groÃŸes WohngebÃ¤ude errichteten. Die Insel wurde nun auch als Veranstaltungsort fÃ¼r Unternehmertagungen und KÃ¼nstlertreffen genutzt. Als 1990 die Firma der BrÃ¼dern Bosurgi in Konkurs ging, wurde die Insel versteigert, und die Region Sizilien konnte sie erwerben. 1998 wurde sie vom WWF zum Naturschutzgebiet erklÃ¤rt, da hier einige seltene geschÃ¼tzte Tier- und Pflanzenarten zu finden sind, u.a. einige Vogel- und Eidechsenarten. Der Name der Insel geht auf Wilhelm von Gloeden zurÃ¼ck, der Ende des 19. Jahrhunderts nach Taormina kam und den Ort durch seine Fotografien weltweit bekannt machte. Isola Bella (Taormina Sicily) Isola Bella (Isula Bedda en siciliano) es una pequeÃ±a isla situada en el municipio de Taormina, en la provincia de Mesina. En ocasiones, la pequeÃ±a distancia que la separa de la costa se anula a causa de la marea, convirtiÃ©ndose entonces en una penÃnsula. El nombre fue acuÃ±ado por el barÃ³n alemÃ¡n Wilhelm von Gloeden, que difundiÃ³ en todo el mundo el valor artÃstico de la isla. Historia Donada en 1806 por Fernando I de las Dos Sicilias a Pancrazio Ciprioti, alcalde de Taormina, fue adquirida en 1890 por Lady Florence Trevelyan, sobrina de la Reina Victoria I del Reino Unido y mujer del filÃ¡ntropo alcalde de Taormina, profesor Salvatore Cacciola, que construyÃ³ una pintoresca caseta. Posteriormente fue heredada por su Ãºnico sobrino varÃ³n, el abogado Cesare Acrosso. En 1954 fue adquirida por los hermanos Busurgi, que construyeron una esplÃ©ndida residencia con una minÃºscula piscina camuflada entre rocas y plantaciones. En 1984, tras una peticiÃ³n del Ayuntamiento de Taormina, el Assessorato regionale dei Beni Culturali (ConsejerÃa regional de Bienes Culturales) declarÃ³ la Isola Bella como monumento de interÃ©s histÃ³rico artÃstico de particular valor, sometiÃ©ndola a vÃnculos de tutela. El decreto consideraba la isla como un "monumento natural". En 1990 la isla fue puesta a subasta y adquirida por el Assessorato dei Beni Culturali. En 1998 fue instituida como reserva natural, gestionada por el Fondo Mundial para la Naturaleza. Recientemente, la gestiÃ³n ha pasado a manos de la provincia de Mesina.

Common kingfisher

Image by Patrick Peter

Blue Jay vs Hawk 1 of 4

Image by Ron,Ron,Ron
While trying to get shots of this Red-tailed Hawk, a Blue Jay comes into the picture and chases my subject off. Treated with Halo in HDR to hi-lite detail.