David Cunliffe @dxc@qoto.org

One of the nicest things about #Shetland winters is when the mirrie dancers appear. Mirr means blur in Shetland #dialect. Tonight as I watched the #AuroraBorealis , it really did appear like dancing figures, the speed of their movement obscuring their edges as they merged with the darkness #nature #Scotland #aurora

Another lovely sunset

Here's something a little different today...

During the first Covid lockdown in 2020, I was really struggling creatively.

Rather than give up, I focused on being curious.

I slowed down and started looking for details that caught my eye. And they ideally had no correlation to the location they were photographed in.

I started seeing faces, crying eyes, and other things in the bark of the trunks in my local #woodland. This spawned a project called #tree textures.

#photomonday #photography

Good morning! A post just rolled across my fedi-timeline saying not to post about politics on Mastodon, so I'm here to remind you that:

1 "politics" refers to decision-making about how to live together in groups
2 choosing to not participate in political discussion is saying you support the status quo, and is a political stance
3 abstaining from politics because you feel safe from its impacts is a privilege and a choice to abandon your more vulnerable neighbours

For all arguments about staying on Twitter, I’d just quote what someone on here said earlier:

When a Nazi buys your bar and starts inviting over all the other Nazis, it’s a Nazi Bar. I wouldn’t go to a Nazi Bar.

That’s it.

#NigelFarage was up in arms in #TheTelegraph saying he didn’t spend 25 years stupidly trying to destroy the #EU and institute #Fascism in #Britain only to see more sensible heads prevail. Okay my translation might not be entirely on the money but emotionally it feels more honest to me 😉 #Brexit

From @mellon_heads on Twitter:
Why does Sauron always dress in black?
He wants to be More Goth.

(I’m always Tolkien trash about him…)

An adult white-tailed eagle shows off some amazing aerial agility as it uses its massive wings to change direction in flight, in a split second, to head towards the loch.

Seen from the wonderful Mull Charters boat trip.

#eagle #WhiteTailedEagle #mull #BirdPhotography #nature #WildlifePhotography #Scotland

Sunak telling the CBI that Brexit has already delivered ‘enormous benefits and opportunities’ without being able to name them… then priding himself on having no relationship with the EU if it means aligning with their laws… and then boasting about taking back control of our borders when the questions were about labour shortages… seems to sum up how very stupid, disconnected and dishonest our politics has become. Depressing.

Fooled You!

One wonders what the tricked parents think of their offspring when a cuckoo takes over the nest.

The cuckoo was being very well fed, and was making sounds that matched those of the meadow pipits.

Given how badly cuckoos are faring elsewhere in the UK, seeing and hearing so many around Mull this year was encouraging.

Fascinating birds.

This was from July, high on the moors of Mull.

#cuckoo #mull #wildlife #photography #wildlifephotographer #mipit #scotland #birdphotography

The joys of installing solar panels on flat shed roofs, how many thousands of easy to reach sheds are there that could be absolutely littered with solar? 🌞

No matter our differences, we can all try to get along...

#Heron #kingfisher #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #birds #birdphotography

On a clear night in Kinlochleven in November, the Milky Way is visible down the loch. This shot took several attempts as the high road to the village runs to the left of this image. A 30 second exposure meant it took a bit of good timing to avoid light trails from the few cars which did venture down that night. This image was taken next to the slipway area in Kinlochleven.

#Photography #LandscapePhotography #AstroPhotography #ScotlandPhotography

Ugh, these new Twitter refugees are ruining the place for long-standing community members like me who have been here for ten days.

#FollowBackFriday Yay!
Initially I was a bit apprehensive about signing up to #Mastodon but I shouldn't have worried. It's like a breath of fresh air to be surrounded by pleasant and positive people on here.
My info is on my bio but let's just say I'm a fairly atypical Granny, living in #Scotland, and with an #Iceland photography obsession.
Bout ye?

Featured pic today is the green/red stuff lighting up everywhere with Lómagnúpur mountain in silhouette. Enjoy!

Leaving Ullapool this morning

#ullapool #lochbroom #mvlochseaforth #lochsiophort

People grumbling that #Mastodon is slow at the moment... You just turned up with 1 million people in a tiny, rural village and you're complaining there's a queue to get into the only tearoom, which is run by gay pensioners Babs & Maureen as a retirement hobby on Mons-Weds. Relax!
#TwitterMigration

MUSK: I think this is bad. It's hard for me to admit this but I might have fucked up and... Well... I need your help. Will you take over as CEO?
LIZ TRUSS: Yes.

The brass neck on #Verstappen is amazing. He disobeyed a direct instruction that everyone heard him being given, after having plenty of advance warning. He still refuses to explain or justify his petty, selfish behaviour. Then he complains that the reporting didn't give his reasons.

Starting to think the whole #RedBullRacing team is irredeemably toxic. #F1

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/nov/17/max-verstappen-blames-media-for-fuelling-disgusting-abuse-towards-his-family-f1?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

A few recommendations for life on Mastodon:

1) Follow anyone you think looks potentially interesting; you can always unfollow later, and they may lead you to new people via boosted posts.

2) Boost posts you think are worthy, so others can discover new content.

3) Don't obsess on replicating your Twitter follows on Mastodon; let it be its own experience, and grow it organically. Obvs follow anyone you miss from Twitter, but this isn't a 1:1 replacement; have fun, follow your instincts.