The Pied Myna

The pied myna or Asian pied starling (Gracupica contra) is a species of starling found in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. They are usually found in small groups mainly on the plains and low foothills. They are often seen within cities and villages although they are not as bold as the common myna. They produce a range of calls made up of liquid notes. Several slight plumage variations exist in the populations and about five subspecies are named.

Oregano Herbs

Although oregano is heavily associated with Italian cuisine it is likely that it originated in Greece. The word oregano comes from the Greek, meaning “joy of the mountain.” Ancient Greeks believed that cows that grazed on fields of oregano produced tastier meat. According to Aristotle, tortoises that swallowed a snake would immediately eat oregano to prevent death. Oregano is also believed to calm nerves and is use to cure sea sickness.

Description

This low bushy perennial of the mint family is native to the Mediterranean and has a warm sharp taste with lemon and pepper undertones. Oregano leaves are dark green with delicate hair-like texture underneath. Flowers range in color from pink to purple in the late summer and early falls.

Culinary Uses

Oregano has become an essential ingredient in many Italian dishes including pizza, pastas, and roasted vegetables. Oregano paired with basil are the basis for many Italian seasonings. It is also widely used in Greek and Mexican cooking. As the main herb flavoring in chili powder, oregano holds up well in a mix with other flavors.

The Greeks enjoy oregano in baked fish and it is the main flavoring in Greek salad. Try adding sprigs of oregano on the coals of a grill for a flavor infusion to whatever you are cooking on top. Oregano's rich flavor also deepens and melds flavors of soups and sauces without overwhelming the dish. Oregano can be used either fresh or dried. When using the fresh herb, use twice the amount as dried.

Other Uses

Infuse bathwater with oregano for a relaxing soak. Oregano is also used in potpourri and pillows.

Storing

Fresh oregano tightly sealed in a plastic bag will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

The Magical Ushu Forest of Kalam

Usho is known for its beautiful cloudy and rainy forest. Tourist attraction Mahodand lake is located 27 kilometers (17 mi) from there. Ushu valley is at a distance of 8 kilometers (5.0 miles) from Kalam and 123 kilometers (76 miles) from Saidu Sharif city.

The black drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus)

The black drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus) is a small Asian passerine bird of the drongo family Dicruridae. It is a common resident breeder in much of tropical southern Asia from southwest Iran through India and Sri Lanka east to southern China and Indonesia. It is an all black bird with a distinctive forked tail and measures 28 cm (11 in) in length. It feeds on insects, and is common in open agricultural areas and light forest throughout its range, perching conspicuously on a bare perch or along power or telephone lines. 

The species is known for its aggressive behaviour towards much larger birds, such as crows, never hesitating to dive-bomb any bird of prey that invades its territory. This behaviour earns it the informal name of king crow. Smaller birds often nest in the well-guarded vicinity of a nesting black drongo. Previously grouped along with the African fork-tailed drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis), the Asian forms are now treated as a separate species with several distinct populations. The black drongo has been introduced to some Pacific islands, where it has thrived and become abundant to the point of threatening and causing the extinction of native and endemic bird species there.

The greater coucal or crow pheasant (Centropus sinensis)

The greater coucal or crow pheasant (Centropus sinensis), is a large non-parasitic member of the cuckoo order of birds, the Cuculiformes. A widespread resident in the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia, it is divided into several subspecies, some being treated as full species. They are large, crow-like with a long tail and coppery brown wings and found in wide range of habitats from jungle to cultivation and urban gardens. 

They are weak fliers, and are often seen clambering about in vegetation or walking on the ground as they forage for insects, eggs and nestlings of other birds. They have a familiar deep resonant call which is associated with omens in many parts of its range.

The sharp-shinned hawk (Accipiter striatus)

The sharp-shinned hawk (Accipiter striatus) is a small hawk, with males being the smallest hawks in the United States and Canada, but with the species averaging larger than some Neotropical species, such as the tiny hawk. The taxonomy is far from resolved, with some authorities considering the southern taxa to represent three separate species: white-breasted hawk (A. chionogaster), plain-breasted hawk (A. ventralis), and rufous-thighed hawk (A. erythronemius). The American Ornithological Society keeps all four species conspecific.

The white throated kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis

The white-throated kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) also known as the white-breasted kingfisher is a tree kingfisher, widely distributed in Asia from the Sinai east through the Indian subcontinent to the Philippines. This kingfisher is a resident over much of its range, although some populations may make short distance movements. 

It can often be found well away from water where it feeds on a wide range of prey that includes small reptiles, amphibians, crabs, small rodents and even birds. During the breeding season they call loudly in the mornings from prominent perches including the tops of buildings in urban areas or on wires.

The black-shouldered kite (Elanus axillaris)

The black-shouldered kite (Elanus axillaris), also known as the Australian black-shouldered kite, is a small raptor found in open habitat throughout Australia. It resembles similar species found in Africa, Eurasia and North America, including the black-winged kite, a species that has in the past also been called "black-shouldered kite". Measuring around 35 cm (14 in) in length with a wingspan of 80–100 cm (31–39 in), the adult black-shouldered kite has predominantly grey-white plumage and prominent black markings above its red eyes. It gains its name from the black patches on its wings. The primary call is a clear whistle, uttered in flight and while hovering. It can be confused with the related letter-winged kite in Australia, which is distinguished by the striking black markings under its wings

The bee eaters passerine birds

The bee-eaters are a group of near-passerine birds in the family Meropidae containing three genera and 27 species. Most species are found in Africa and Asia, with a few in southern Europe, Australia, and New Guinea. They are characterised by richly coloured plumage, slender bodies, and usually elongated central tail feathers. All have long down-turned bills and medium to long wings, which may be pointed or round. Male and female plumages are usually similar.

As they're name suggests, bee-eaters predominantly eat flying insects, especially bees and wasps, which are caught in the air by flights from an open perch. The stinger is removed by repeatedly hitting and rubbing the insect on a hard surface. During this process, pressure is applied to the insect, thereby extracting most of the venom.

Most bee-eaters are gregarious. They form colonies, nesting in burrows tunnelled into vertical sandy banks, often at the side of a river or in flat ground. As they mostly live in colonies, large numbers of nest holes may be seen together. The eggs are white, with typically five to the clutch. Most species are monogamous, and both parents care for the young, sometimes with assistance from related birds in the colony.

Bee-eaters may be killed by raptors; there nests are raided by rodents and snakes, and they can carry various parasites. Some species are adversely affected by human activity or habitat loss, but none meet the International Union for Conservation of Nature's vulnerability criteria, and all are therefore evaluated as "least concern". They're conspicuous appearance means that they have been mentioned by ancient writers and incorporated into mythology.

What are Drunken Trees?

Drunken trees are a stand of trees displaced from their normal vertical alignment. This most commonly occurs in northern subarctic taiga forests of black spruce under which intermittent permafrost or ice wedges have melted, causing trees to tilt at various angles. Some trees survive their soil eroding and continue to grow. Others collapse or drown as the subterranean ice melts. As they are staggered across the landscape, people often refer to them as 'drunken trees.'

Drunken Trees are also called, tilted trees, or a drunken forest may also be caused by frost heaving, and subsequent palsa development, hummocks, earth flows, forested active rock glaciers, landslides, or earthquakes. In stands of spruce trees of equal age that germinated in the permafrost active layer after a fire. They tilting begin when the trees are 50 to 100 years old, suggesting that surface heaving from new permafrost aggradation can also create drunken forests.

The Golden Pheasant - Chrysolophus pictus

The golden pheasant or Chinese pheasant is a gamebird of the order Galliformes and the family Phasianidae. The genus name is from Ancient Greek khrusolophos, "with golden crest", and pictus is Latin for "painted" from pingere, "to paint". It is native to forests in mountainous areas of western China, but feral populations have been established in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, the Falkland Islands, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.

Winter in Hawaii From Above

Winter in Hawaii From Above from Eric Sterman on Vimeo.

Acadia National Park - 4K Hyperlapse/Timelapse

I visited Acadia National Park in Maine last month for the first time and was taken aback by the natural beauty of the landscape. During the week I spent on Mount Desert Island, I shot timelapses and hyperlapses whenever I could in an attempt to capture that beauty. I frequently post my adventures to Instagram and my photography can be found on my Flickr page but be sure to follow me here on Vimeo if you'd like to catch my full timelapse projects. Music by the talented Nick Rice:
Soundcloud.com/nickrice I shot with a Nikon D7000, Tokina 11-16mm, Nikon 35,50, and 85mm D series lenses, Dynamic Perception and eMotimo Motion Control systems, and an Induro carbon fiber tripod. For inquiries about licensing any of my footage, contact me at Mw.Irion@gmail.com

Acadia National Park - 4K Hyperlapse/Timelapse from Mark Irion on Vimeo.

A Rare Picture of white peacock with blue feathers

A rare picture of white peacock blue feathers is what is the bird with most beautiful feathers?” the answer is definitely going to be Peacock The feathers of Peacocks are so beautifully designed. This fascinating picture enticing peacock lovers on the internet. 

Source: CP

The way to paradise,sao,miguel,azore portugal.

Mysterious Things in The World

Julia Roberts is breaking the internet with this video!
Posted by Mysterious Things in The World on Thursday, May 28, 2015

Blue Planet

Bbc.the.blue.planet.ep7.Tidal.Seal by rededocumentarios

Pratt Ginkgo biloba tree at University of Virginia

Babb, Montana

Arman pass, Magadan Oblast Russia