As you may have read previously, on Monday my visiting daughter and her toddler and I drove down to the Dead Sea for a scientific conference.
Tuesday I woke to the lovely sight of two birds strolling on the balcony of our hotel suite.Grab the camera for a Camera Critters photo op.
It was 7:26, the sun was up, and the day quite clear.
By 3:30 it looked like this!Brown air, hard to breathe. A major dust storm.
Down at the pool the wild wind was toppling everything not bolted down.In this close-up of the bird on our railing, you can see the wind ruffling his feathers on the left side.
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The bird in the last two photos with the orange tipped wings is a Tristram's Starling (aka Tristram's Grackle).
This species is named after Reverend Henry Baker Tristram, the Englishman who did a lot of exploring of the Dead Sea region between 1858 and 1872.
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Wow, Dina, what a difference in air quality when the wind blows that sand/dust around! The poor birds!
ReplyDeleteI would very much like to visit the Dead Sea some day, but that sand in the air is scary. I once got a piece of sand behind my contact lens in a Mexican sand storm. My eye was scratched and the doctor put me on drops for several days and, of course, I had to cover the eye. My depth perception was just awful, not to mention the pain.
K
I love your first photo.
ReplyDeleteRegards and best wishes
Wonderful view and bird. It is special with the color.
ReplyDeleteHappy evening from nort:-)
Dust storms can blow up so quickly...Don and I experienced one while "rough" camping in Arizona. A total red dust "black out"! Your Starling/Grackle is hanging on, perhaps he's used to the wind and the dust!
ReplyDeleteTake care of your lungs and your health, dear Dina!
ReplyDeleteNice to catch up on your blog today!
Amazing pictures indeed ! First one quite a piece of art. Thank you for your effort. Please have you all a good Sunday.
ReplyDeleteThe air is opaque! I hope you go out well protected (if at all possible).
ReplyDeleteOh don't I love this place!!! Spent a few months ar Ein Gedi, and I very often slept outside, away from the kibbutz, to enjoy the total silence. A truly wonderful and unique experience, total silence. I miss it.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a huge difference in the air from the dust storm. You had a lovely view from your room. Thanks for sharing your birds and photos. Happy Sunday!
ReplyDeleteDust storm are not exactly healthy... I like the bird the with orange tipped wings, I guess he is quite comfortable there.
ReplyDeleteThe düst storm reminds «Louis» of those horrible spring time dust storms in the Panhandle of Texas where he grew up...how well he knows those brown skies!
ReplyDeleteThe birds are perfectly positioned. Wonderful shot!
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