Un grand Cormoran (Phalacrocorax carbo) au pied d'un pont surplombant le petit Rhône à Arles
Great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) down a bridge over the Rhône in Arles
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| Great Cormoran in Arles, France |
27 February 2011
25 February 2011
House Finch, Carpodacus mexicanus
Originally native to Mexico, the House Finch was imported during the 1940's into North America.
To avoid prosecution under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, many dealers when confronted by game wardens or regulators would let the birds free. House Finches have now naturalized into Florida.
To avoid prosecution under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, many dealers when confronted by game wardens or regulators would let the birds free. House Finches have now naturalized into Florida.
Scientific Name: Carpodacus mexicanus
Common Name: House Finch
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| Carpodacus mexicanus, Male |
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| Carpodacus mexicanus, Male |
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| Carpodacus mexicanus, Female |
24 February 2011
Urban Pelicans, Pelecanus occidentalis
Pelicans have adapted their lives to most Urban seaside areas, taking advantage of readily available food.
To me, Pelicans are a majestic bird, prehistoric in appearance, fun, almost comical to watch.
Urban Nature at its seaside finest.
Scientific Name: Pelecanus occidentalis
Common Name: Brown Pelican
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| Pelecanus occidentalis, January 2011, Mayport, Florida |
22 February 2011
Shorty's Mate - Urban Red Tail Hawks - Buse à queue rousse - Today's Photos
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| Red Tail Hawk, Shorty's Mate, Jacksonville, FL |
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| Red Tail Hawk, Shorty's Mate, Jacksonville, FL |
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| Red Tail Hawk, Shorty's Mate, Jacksonville, FL |
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| Red Tail Hawk, Shorty's Mate, Jacksonville, FL |
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| Red Tail Hawk, Shorty's Mate, Jacksonville, FL |
21 February 2011
The Resilient Pitangus Sulphuratus
Do you recognize this proud feathered fellow on the left? If you tell me you've never seen such bird, and you live or have been to somewhere on this Planet, from the tropics to the equator lines, I will tell you that there is a strong possibility that at least one of this type has already seen you.
photo by Luis A. Florit
Pitangus sulphuratus, the bird's scientific name, derives from pitanga (surinam cherry) fruit and from its sulfur yellow belly color. It has a popular and onomatopoeic name in different languages and countries because of its exuberant BEE-tee-WEE call; in Portuguese: bem-te-vi (I saw you well), in Spanish: bien-te-veo (I see you well); in French: qu'est ce (what is...), in German: Schwefeltyrann (sulfur tyrant), in Japanese, in Russian and so on....Of course, in English, it's the great kiskadee.
photo by Flávio Cruvinel 
photos: Luiz Álvaro & Flavio Cruvinel
This alert and aggressive bird uses its strong
and maneuverable flight as a good effect when it feels annoyed by raptors. Even much larger birds are attacked by the great kiskadee; usually by diving down or zooming straight at them while they are in mid-air.
photo by Flávio Cruvinel
The great kiskadee is commonly used in the controlof invasive species and is of large importance for
sowing seeds in urban areas.
mobbing a hawk - Wikipedia
The bem-te-vi is the most popular bird in Brazil. Maybe all along Latin America, as well; for it can be seen in most biomes and urban sites. Also, its amazing adaptability seems to be an infinite source for scientists.
I personally have good experiences with bem-te-vis. One of them is for their having killed my problems with my circardian cycle.
Daylight saving time ended yesterday in many states of Brazil, and friends were commenting on the delight of an extra hour and how the change in the chronological clock always affects their biological ones. I know nothing about this anymore. Whether it is part of my karma or not, in the dense urban environment where I happen to live; no matter the season, disregarding the height of my window, from where everyday there's a stubborn 'dude' with a yellow belly, blowing his throat loudly, in mornings' first light. There he goes: bem-te-vi, bem-te-vi. The wise feathered fellow knows I like to watch the sunrise.....
19 February 2011
Shorty & Mate, Today's Photos
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| Buteo jamaicensis |
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| Buteo jamaicensis |
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| Buteo jamaicensis |
Today's photos of the mating pair of Red Tail Hawks living near the Green Roof!
15 February 2011
Les Figuiers de l'église des Carmes-Déchaussés, Arles
Pour continuer la série sur cette église d'une autre époque, voici quelques images des figuiers qui ont pris place dans le bâtiment - bel exemple de nature urbaine sauvage !
To continue the series on this abandoned French church, here are some images of fig trees that have taken place in the building - fine example of wild urban nature !
To continue the series on this abandoned French church, here are some images of fig trees that have taken place in the building - fine example of wild urban nature !
13 February 2011
Baltimore Oriole, Icterus galbula and the Hummingbird Feeder
My Mom and Dad have a hummingbird feeder hanging just outside their kitchen window.
It is always a treat to watch the birds come to the feeder.
Yesterday Mom sent me this photo of a persistent Oriole who wanted the nectar also. He stayed and drank for quite some time.
You never know what birds you will see int he city!
According to Wikipedia, the Baltimore Oriole is so named because of the resemblance or the bird's colors to Lord Baltimore.
It is always a treat to watch the birds come to the feeder.
Yesterday Mom sent me this photo of a persistent Oriole who wanted the nectar also. He stayed and drank for quite some time.
You never know what birds you will see int he city!
According to Wikipedia, the Baltimore Oriole is so named because of the resemblance or the bird's colors to Lord Baltimore.
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| Baltimore Oriole |
12 February 2011
Latin American Green Cities
Latin America's r
ural challenges
such as Amazonian deforestation, often receive a great amount of attention from the media, environmentalists and other observers around the world. However, the rapid rise in city populations of Latin America has had economic, political and social implications; and environmental considerations are a major part of this integrated puzzle.
- Latin America comprehends the most urbanized areas of the developing world.
- 81% of the population in Latin America live in cities.
- Traffic jam, land use policies, waste disposal and air quality are more immediate issues to the majority of the Latin American residents than the matters of rural areas.
full study
Belo Horizonte Bogotá Brasília Buenos Aires
Curitiba Guadalajara Lima Medellin
Mexico City Monterrey Montevideo
Porto Alegre Puebla Quito
Rio de Janeiro Santiago São Paulo
Nine of the 17 cities assessed, derive more than 80% of their electrical energy from renewable sources (São Paulo 100%); policies on green spaces are widespread; Curitiba, the sustainability pioneer and the birthplace of "bus rapid transit" (BTR); São Paulo, harvesting methane to power the city and the state's climate change policies; Belo Horizonte, a leader in solar energy; Buenos Aires, setting targets for the public buildings; Rio de Janeiro, expanding cycle lanes and green corridors; Puebla, turning waste into cash; Porto Alegre, delivering "water the right way" are some of the highlights in the study.
The missing link: There is no clear relationship between overall environmental performance and the city income. For example: Curitiba, which ranked above average in the index overall, is within 15% of the income for three other cities with widely differing performances: Rio de Janeiro (above average) , Porto Alegre (average) and Guadalajara (below average). This contrasts sharply with the strong link between environmental performance and GDP per person found in similar EIU studies, including the European Green City Index and initial research taking place in Asia.
Still, according to the study, much has to be improved on transportation and urban sprawl issues. Experts predict that the infrastructure of most of these cities will come under increasing pressure from larger populations and the extreme weather effects of climate change; including floodings , droughts and storms. In addition, the growth of cities, outside of the formal planning framework will also continue. Adressing these challenges will require a broad, long term vision to balance urban redevelopment with restoring nature.
No matter how hard we try to behave in "sustainable terms" to avoid big loss, Nature seems determined to recover from what was taken from it; and the centuries relying on studies and on civilization did not provide regular citizens with the access to the science that would prevent them from having their lives reconducted by extreme events.
ural challengessuch as Amazonian deforestation, often receive a great amount of attention from the media, environmentalists and other observers around the world. However, the rapid rise in city populations of Latin America has had economic, political and social implications; and environmental considerations are a major part of this integrated puzzle.
- Latin America comprehends the most urbanized areas of the developing world.
- 81% of the population in Latin America live in cities.
- Traffic jam, land use policies, waste disposal and air quality are more immediate issues to the majority of the Latin American residents than the matters of rural areas.
full study
Belo Horizonte Bogotá Brasília Buenos Aires
Curitiba Guadalajara Lima Medellin
Mexico City Monterrey Montevideo
Porto Alegre Puebla Quito
Rio de Janeiro Santiago São Paulo
Nine of the 17 cities assessed, derive more than 80% of their electrical energy from renewable sources (São Paulo 100%); policies on green spaces are widespread; Curitiba, the sustainability pioneer and the birthplace of "bus rapid transit" (BTR); São Paulo, harvesting methane to power the city and the state's climate change policies; Belo Horizonte, a leader in solar energy; Buenos Aires, setting targets for the public buildings; Rio de Janeiro, expanding cycle lanes and green corridors; Puebla, turning waste into cash; Porto Alegre, delivering "water the right way" are some of the highlights in the study.
The missing link: There is no clear relationship between overall environmental performance and the city income. For example: Curitiba, which ranked above average in the index overall, is within 15% of the income for three other cities with widely differing performances: Rio de Janeiro (above average) , Porto Alegre (average) and Guadalajara (below average). This contrasts sharply with the strong link between environmental performance and GDP per person found in similar EIU studies, including the European Green City Index and initial research taking place in Asia.
Still, according to the study, much has to be improved on transportation and urban sprawl issues. Experts predict that the infrastructure of most of these cities will come under increasing pressure from larger populations and the extreme weather effects of climate change; including floodings , droughts and storms. In addition, the growth of cities, outside of the formal planning framework will also continue. Adressing these challenges will require a broad, long term vision to balance urban redevelopment with restoring nature.
No matter how hard we try to behave in "sustainable terms" to avoid big loss, Nature seems determined to recover from what was taken from it; and the centuries relying on studies and on civilization did not provide regular citizens with the access to the science that would prevent them from having their lives reconducted by extreme events.
The Policeman and His Car
Shorty the Red Tailed hawk lives in a tree up high in our neighbor's backyard.
Shorty's mate has just given birth to a very loud and very hungry chick.
Chick stay's impatiently hungry all day and Shorty and his mate must chase down all the mice, snakes, squirrels and fish from the creek to feed the juvenile Buteo jamaicensis.
We drove up yesterday and Shorty was perched on my neighbor Steve's Police auto.
Adaptation is key to survival for wildlife in the Urban Core.
Shorty's mate has just given birth to a very loud and very hungry chick.
Chick stay's impatiently hungry all day and Shorty and his mate must chase down all the mice, snakes, squirrels and fish from the creek to feed the juvenile Buteo jamaicensis.
We drove up yesterday and Shorty was perched on my neighbor Steve's Police auto.
Adaptation is key to survival for wildlife in the Urban Core.
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| Buteo jamaicensis - Neighborhood Mice Police |
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| Shorty, Red Tailed Hawk |
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| Mating Pair, Red Tailed Hawks |
10 February 2011
Les ruines de l'église des Carmes-Déchaussés, Arles
Les Carmes déchaussés ou Petits Carmes s'établissent en Arles en 1647.
Sur un terrain acheté à l' extérieur de la ville, l' église est construite entre 1673 et 1678. La voûte s' écroule en 1801. Au milieu du 19e siècle, le percement du canal de navigation d' Arles à Port-de-Bouc et la construction du quai modifient totalement ce secteur.
Les bâtiments du couvent qui entourait l' église sont démolis.
Seule une moitié de l' église, sans toiture, subsiste. Elle conserve encore une partie de son décor sculpté du 17e siècle (frise de rinceaux, têtes de profil, ...) .
Il ne subsiste aujourd’hui que sa façade dégradée, isolée par l’urbanisme moderne, en bordure de la voie rapide Marseille-Nîmes, à côté du Canal de Craponne.
Et depuis des années la nature y reprend doucement ses droits
An abandoned church of Discalced Carmelites in Arles ... since years nature takes its rights gently
Je vous montrerai la végétation plus en détail dans d'autres articles
I'll show the vegetation in more detail in a next article
09 February 2011
Pigeon arlésien
Un grand classique souvent mal-aimé en ville : le pigeon ...
A classic, often unpopular in the city: the pigeon ...
Urban Birds, Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias
St. Augustine, Florida Coastal Marshes, February 8, 2011
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| Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias, by Kevin Shea |
08 February 2011
Prostrate Rosemay Blooming Today on the Living Roof - Urban Beauty by Mother Nature
06 February 2011
Urban Oceanscapes
Jacksonville is built on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.
Sometimes I stand and look across the horizon and wonder about all the nature and green roofs in Europe.
Then the seagull calls and distracts me back to reality.
Sometimes I stand and look across the horizon and wonder about all the nature and green roofs in Europe.
Then the seagull calls and distracts me back to reality.
05 February 2011
Le Mur du Canal de Craponne, Arles
Ce n'est pas vraiment un des plus beaux endroits à visiter à Arles ...
Not really one of the nicest places to visit in Arles ....
Mais en regardant le mur d'un peu plus près on découvre mille et une choses intéressantes :)
But looking at the wall a little closer we find lots of beautiful and interesting things :)
03 February 2011
Carolina Wren and the Sugar Snap Pea Trellis
Thryothorus ludovicianus
Feb. 2, 2011
Jacksonville, FL US
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| Carolina Wren and the Sugar Snap Pea Trellis |
02 February 2011
Tillandsia usneoides - Spanish Moss is Uniquely American
The plant commonly know as Spanish Moss, Tillandsia usneoides, is an epiphyte and grows across the Southeastern US,
Hanging from trees in Cities, along Roads and throughout Urban Neighborhoods, Spanish Moss takes water and nutrients from the air.
Other common species in the Genus Tillandsia include air orchids, such as Bromeliads.
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| Tillandsia usneoides |
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| Tillandsia usneoides |
Spanish mos can eventually cover a tree so thoroughly as to prevent the availability of adequate light levels and the tree may die.
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| Tillandsia usneoides |
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| Tillandsia usneoides |
Spanish moss is not selective as to types of host trees, however is seen often on Live Oaks, Cypress, Red Maple, Pine, Crepe Myrtle and others.
In rare instances, when Spanish moss grows too thickly, the plant masses fuse and take on a life of their own, even walking about (see photo below).
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| Mutant Tillandsia usneoides |
Spanish moss helps define Florida's swamps.
Flying Rivers / Rivières Volantes
When you look at clouds in the sky, what do you see?
Some climate scientists see flying rivers.
Watch the video and know why:
The term flying rivers was coined by the scientist from INPE (National Space Research Institute) in Brazil, José Marengo, to describe the low levels of jets of air currents that carry water vapor from the Amazon forest, down the Eastern lands of the Andes up to Northern Argentina.
The Flying Rivers Project aims to investigate and to map the connectiveness of the rain water, coming from the Amazon forest, with the multiple factors that build the Brazilian economy.
For us, dwellers of the Southeastern Latin America, dependent on the water of the North of Brazil, flying rivers are messages from the Amazon, as a reminder of how much we should care for trees, no matter how far they may seem to be. For us, flying rivers are literally part of our urban nature.
When you look at clouds in the sky, what do you see?
I see the Amazon Forest.
01 February 2011
Laurent Geslin - Safari urbain
Des renards à la fac des sciences, des hérons devant la préfecture,des faucons pèlerins dans le clocher d'une église, des fouines dans les greniers, des abeilles sur le toit de la mairie et de l'opéra... dans la plupart des villes du monde, la faune sauvage reprend ses droits.
Foxes in college science, herons front of the prefecture, peregrine falcons in the steeple of a church, squints in attics, bees on the roof of city hall and opera ... in most cities in the world, wildlife reasserts itself.
La nuit peut parfois cacher des renards, comme ici, à Londres.
A fox in London night
Have a look here - Regardez Safari Urbain sur le site de Laurent Geslin - c'est magnifique !
Merci à cet article de Ouest France de m'avoir fait connaître ce magnifique livre et son talentueux photographe Laurent Geslin.
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