Coraciiformes Gallery

Australia-Nature-Kookaburra

This photo shows a Kookaburra sitting on a railing at the Pepper Tree winery in the Hunter Valley, Australia'S oldest wine growing region just two hours drive north of Sydney. The Kookarburra, which is sometimes known as a Great Brown Kingfisher; or Laughing Jackass; has a unique song commonly related to a full throated boisterous human laugh. AFP PHOTO/Greg WOOD / AFP PHOTO / GREG WOOD

© Copyright Agence France-Presse (AFP) - All Rights Reserved

European Bee Eater - Perched with a honey bee in its bill being approached by a Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops) attempting to steal the bee

ROY-381-m
European Bee Eater - Perched with a honey bee in its bill being approached by a Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops) attempting to steal the bee
Aragon - Pyrenees - Spain
Merops apiaster
Roy Glen
Please note that prints are for personal display purposes only and may not be reproduced in any way

© Roy Glen/ardea.com

Foden D-type Steam Wagon RX1719 Early Bird

Foden D-type Steam Wagon reg. RX1719 Early Bird (msn 12852), built 1927, at Ferndown in dorset. (Foden Trucks was a British truck and bus manufacturing company which had its origins in Elworth near Sandbach in 1856). From auction catalogue: 1928 Foden Timber Tractor No. 12852 Reg No. RX 1719. D Type. Double crank compound. Three speed. Early Bird Foden D Type No. 12852 left the Sandbach works in March 1928. Delivered to Chawley Works Ltd, Chawley, Berks where it worked for a number of years before going to John Turner, Weston on the Green, Oxon; then to Lunnicks of Reading, where it had a crane fitted. In 1951 it was acquired by R C Wallis of Banghurst, Hants. After a brief spell with the well-known scrap merchant and engine dealer H Goodey of Twyford, Berks, the Foden passed into preservation, going to Jim Hutchens of Ferndown, Dorset, who named it Early Bird. In 1958 it returned to its native county going to Bob (robert) Adnams of Haversham, Berks who rode it extensively to local rallies where it often stood next to Gordon Howell with his very similar D Type Mighty Atom. Foden D Types, like their C Type wagon counterparts, were perhaps the final and most sophisticated development of the overtype steam engine. With their fast revving engines, often on roller bearings, running at high pressure, they were compact fast and powerful. Having Ackermann steering and quick reverse they were very manoeuvrable and with a rear mounted winch D Types were eminently suitable for timber work and thus were often termed timber tractors. Early Bird was purchased by John Keeley in 1973 for the sum of lb2,500. John continued to enjoy it for a number of years and was last taxed for the road in 2002, since when it has been dry stored. This is a fine example of an original D Type and presents a rare opportunity. There is a good quantity of history boiler paper work for inspection by interested parties. Date: 1959

© The Peter Butt Steam Collection / Mary Evans Picture Library