The Giant's Causeway, a natural wonder in Northern Ireland is popular for its breathtaking view. The amazing sight of around 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, which formed due to a volcanic eruption ages ago is wonderful, to say the least.
There is no greater artist than nature - symmetry and beauty
Formed 50 to 60 million years ago, the Giant's Causeway is said to be the result of successive lava flow cooling as it came into contact with the sea
I look forward to visiting my ancestral home with lots of anticipation. Each visit connects me to the past and also to the nature as nowhere else. And, mother nature never fails to amaze me.
I was lucky to capture this scene - lucky to be there at the right moment carrying my dear old camera. Not only did I get to see this Rufous woodpecker at close quarters, I could watch it quenching its thirst.
As the summer heat gets unbearable, it is not we humans alone who is suffering. The birds and animals are suffering too - and for no fault of theirs. As we sit under the fan or in an air-conditioned room, it is them who are suffering the most. We have cut trees, leveled up ponds and other sources of water and the birds and animals too, are paying the price of our folly.
The least I could do for them was keep some fresh water every day and watch them drink and bath in it. Each time I see a bird at my birdbath, I feel happy. If you think that a small pot of water doesn't make much of a difference, see this video and know that even small drops do matter.
Kids are fascinating - even in the animal kingdom. Of late, I had a chance to observe some monkeys. A family (photo 1) caught my attention as they seemed close to each other... this is one of my favourite clicks now!
Family Time - Lovely Time
This little one (photos 2 to 4) entertained me to no end. It tired climbing up the legs of the bench, tried playing with the twigs and branches, licked something on the ground and when felt threatened, ran to the safety of its mothers arms. An adorable little monkey!!!
Every now and then one can see art around oneself - sometimes in places where you least expect it. This tree adorned in colours and art is at Fort Kochi, Kerala
Couroupita guianensis, known by several common names, including cannonball tree, is a deciduous tree in the family Lecythidaceae, which also contains the Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa). It is native to the rain forests of Central and South America. It is cultivated in many other places.
There are many medicinal uses for the plant. Native Amazonians use extracts of several parts of the tree to treat hypertension, tumors, pain, and inflammation. It has been used to treat the common cold, stomachache, skin conditions and wounds, malaria, and toothache. Laboratory tests show that extracts of the plant have some antimicrobial activity and inhibit the formation of biofilms.
For more info click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Couroupita_guianensis
During the last visit to my Ancestral home, I was lucky to snap this bird. During the summer months, many such birds come to the pond at our home to seek respite from the heat. Though not a perfect shot, I was delighted to capture this one
This is a nostalgic picture. This tear drop like plant used to be found in abundance near the pond and other water bodies near my ancestral home during rains. It has been years since I saw one... So, this view brought me back a piece of my childhood - cool, soothing and pure!!!
മഴപെയ്തിറങ്ങി ഭൂമി കുളിര്ന്നു നില്ക്കുമ്പോള് പ്രകൃതിയുടെ നനുത്ത സ്പര്ശനവുമായി വന്ന് ഈ കുളിര്ത്തുളികള് എന്റെ ബാല്യത്തിന്റെ മനോഹാരിത കൂട്ടിയിട്ടുണ്ട്... ഏറെ കാലങ്ങള്ക്ക് ശേഷം ഒരു 'കണ്ണുനീര് തുള്ളിയെ' കണ്ടു കിട്ടിയപ്പോള് മനസ്സില് ആനന്ദം തിരതല്ലി...ഒരു നിമിഷ നേരത്തേയ്ക്ക് ഞാന് ഒരു കുട്ടിയായി, ഇല്ലത്തെ കുളക്കരയിലെത്തി... മനസ്സും ശരീരവും കുളിര്ന്നു!
This one didn't want to leave; but as all its friends left, it was left with no choice and headed for the safety of the Jungle; rather reluctantly, it seems!!!
Owls are fascinating birds... The fables depict them as wise birds. As
they are nocturnal beings, they are rarely spotted in the day light.. I
had the chance to see one in broad daylight. And here is a glimpse of
that elusive bird.
The Nilgiri Tahr is an endemic animal found in the Eravikulam National Park (near Munnar in Kerala) in plenty. An endangered species, there were only close to 100 of them. Currently, they number around 2000 and around 1500 of them live in Eravikulam National Park.
Here is what Wikipedia tells us about the species: The Nilgiri tahr, Nilgiritragus hylocrius, known locally as the Nilgiri ibex or simply ibex, is an ungulate that is endemic to the Nilgiri Hills and the southern portion of the Western Ghats in the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in southern India. It is the state animal of Tamil Nadu. Despite its local name, it is more closely related to the sheep of the Ovis genus than the ibex and wild goats of the Capra genus. On a visit to the Eravikulam National Park, I was fortunate enough to spot quite a few of them. Sharing some snaps here.
