red Archives - Page 7 of 11

Moody

Before the development of clearly defined ports, mariners were guided by fires built on hilltops. Since raising the fire would improve the visibility, placing the fire on a platform became a practice that led to the development of the lighthouse. In antiquity, the lighthouse functioned more as an entrance marker to ports than as a warning signal for reefs and promontories, unlike many modern lighthouses. The most famous lighthouse structure from antiquity was the Pharos of Alexandria, Egypt, which collapsed following a series of earthquakes between 956 and 1323.

30 August 2018Landscape, Picture of the day

Parched

The helmeted guineafowl is a gregarious species, forming flocks outside the breeding season typically of about 25 birds that also roost communally. Guineafowl is particularly well-suited to consuming massive quantities of ticks, which might otherwise spread Lyme disease. These birds are terrestrial and prone to run rather than fly when alarmed. Like most gallinaceous birds, they have a short-lived explosive flight and rely on gliding to cover extended distances. Helmeted guineafowl can walk 10 km and more in a day and are great runners. They make loud harsh calls when disturbed. Guineafowl is equipped with strong claws and scratch in loose soil for food much like domestic chickens, although they seldom uproot growing plants in so doing. They have no spurs. They may live for up to 12 years in the wild.

22 August 2018Picture of the day, Wildlife

Concentric

The red-knobbed coot is largely black except for the white frontal shield. There are two tiny red knobs at the top of the facial shield, which is not visible at any great distance and are only present in the breeding season. The red-knobbed coot is reluctant to fly and when taking off runs across the water surface with much splashing. The red-knobbed coot is an omnivore and will take a variety of small live prey including the eggs of other water birds. It is an aggressive species and strongly territorial during the breeding season.

28 June 2018Picture of the day, Wildlife