European Birds continued

We met the Grey Heron in the previous post. Now meet her family:













Cattle Egret:


Middle Egret:


Blue Tit in flight:






Even though it is strictly European, I guarantee that you have heard of this grumpy-looking bird. This is a Nightingale.




European Starling:


Short-Toed Eagle:


White Stork:


European Robin:


Wood Duck (a strictly American species, seen in a Rome park):


European Crow:


The smallest of the birds I saw, with the most un-pronounceable name: Zitting Cisticola:

Tuscany

Tuscan views:

















Olive trees up front, huge Tuscany villa in the back:


A village called Castellina in Chianti:

Scenes from Venice

This is my favorite shot from this trip to Venice - 5 minutes before a downpour:



And now scenes from better-weather days:
















I love Venetian chimneys!


The High Council room in the Doge's Palace. This room is so large that it doesn't fit into my iPhone's wide lens. In fact, this is one of the largest rooms in Europe!












Sometimes the tourists in Venice get lost, but thankfully the Venetians have posted many helpful signs.


The courtyard of our hotel:


And our room: