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My 2025 Favourites – 8 of 8

31 December 2025

2025 is almost done. We’re back to birds again. Did I tell you…. yes, I think I did.

Just like yesterday’s post had a veery slight overlap with Japan, this one has a veery slight overlap with Singapore, where the last photo was taken.

Duck taking off from water, wings flapping, with its feet skimming the surface and splashes marking its trail. The water reflects the bird and the sky above, showing ripples and gentle waves. There is a signature in the bottom left corner that reads: "Allister Jenks © 2025, All Rights Reserved https://karj.me".

Large white bird in flight. The bird is gliding low above marshy grassland, its long wings elegantly spread wide, catching the sunlight. The bird has a long, straight bill and elongated neck, and its plumage appears bright white against the golden-brown background of the grassy wetland. Droplets of water are visible trailing from its feet as it flies. The scene is calm and natural, with soft light illuminating the bird and landscape.

A small shorebird with brown and sandy-colored plumage. The bird is standing at the edge of shallow water, bent over with its beak touching the wet surface, likely searching for food. Its reflection is visible in the water beneath it. The background is a blurred expanse of water and wet sand, giving the setting a calm, natural appearance.

Close-up of a pink flamingo's head and long neck, with its pale yellow eye looking toward the camera. The bird's curved beak is partly light and partly black at the tip. The background is softly blurred, showing more flamingos with similar pink and orange feathers, creating a colorful and warm atmosphere. The lighting highlights the texture of the flamingo's feathers.

My 2025 Favourites – 7 of 8

30 December 2025

Back to the theme of aviation. If we’re nit picking, there’s a veery slight overlap with the Japan theme as that’s where the first shot was taken.

Military jet aircraft flying just above ground level over a runway, heading out toward the sea. The background shows a bright blue, slightly choppy ocean and a blue sky. In the foreground, there’s a grassy area around the airstrip, a streetlight, and a fence separating the airfield from the coast. Some red-and-white structures and other airport-related equipment can be seen near the water. The overall scene appears bright and breezy.

German military aircraft taking off—A gray Airbus A321-200NX airplane with “LUFTWAFFE” and the German flag on its tail is lifting off from a runway near a coastal area. The aircraft's landing gear is still extended. In the background, there is a residential area with houses in front of a hill covered in dense green vegetation, and the shoreline with waves gently reaching the sand. The scene captures the aircraft in the initial phase of flight, just above the ground.

Front view of a large silver aircraft on the tarmac. The airplane’s nose is close to the camera and features several cockpit windows with colorful reflections. The main door on the right side of the aircraft is open, with a boarding bridge attached. The landing gear is extended, and a person in a yellow safety vest and camouflage pants stands next to the nose wheel, looking toward the camera. The background shows a clear blue sky, the airfield, and some distant buildings and greenery. The name "ALLISTER JENKS" is faintly visible at the top.

My 2025 Favourites – 6 of 8

29 December 2025

Let’s have a theme of “other” for today. This was a selection of shots that didn’t fit into a category of four worthy shots.

Cityscape at dusk featuring modern office buildings with illuminated windows. Prominent buildings include those with "Stantec" and "Deloitte" logos at the top. The Deloitte building has a distinctive geometric glass facade. In the foreground, a docked ferry with "Meridian" branding is visible on the water, reflecting the city lights. The scene captures a blend of urban architecture and waterfront setting.

White butterfly with black markings. The butterfly is resting on green foliage with its wings open. Its wings are primarily white, with a distinct black spot on each wing and a dark edge along the tip of the forewings. The background is out of focus and consists of green and brown earthy tones, suggesting a natural outdoor environment. The butterfly's body is furry and grayish, and its delicate antennae are visible.

A surfer riding a wave. The person is wearing a black wetsuit and is balancing on a surfboard, leaning forward with one arm extended for balance. The wave is mid-break, with white water splashing around the surfer. The ocean is a deep blue-green color, and the scene captures the dynamic motion of surfing. The lighting is bright, suggesting it is daytime.

Delicate white wildflower cluster with bell-shaped blossoms and slender green stems and leaves, set against a very dark, almost black background. The flowers hang downward, their petals slightly pointed, and the lighting highlights their details while fading out the surrounding environment.

My 2025 Favourites – 5 of 8

28 December 2025

Today’s theme is Japan. I said Singapore was special to me. Japan isn’t special TO me, but it really is special. Amazing people, amazing landscape and some truly incredible treasures.

The second photo in this post is the only phone photo in this whole retrospective. It was taken in Kobe while we were just wandering from the hotel in search of dinner. Come to mention it, the nighttime castle shot was also just across the road from our hotel in Fukuyama. Beauty everywhere!

A golden Japanese temple reflected in a tranquil pond, surrounded by lush green trees and shrubs. The building stands elegantly with intricate architectural detailing, its upper stories covered in gold leaf, and the roof topped by a decorative ornament. The serene water in the foreground mirrors both the pavilion and the greenery, contributing to a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere. In the background, wooded hills rise under a partly cloudy blue sky.

Large wooden torii gate at the entrance of a Shinto shrine in Japan, adorned at the top with a row of white lanterns featuring Japanese kanji. Two traditional stone lion-dog statues (komainu) guard either side of the entrance, and a wide pathway leads further inside, where a second, bright-orange torii gate stands in front of the main shrine building, which is illuminated and richly colored. The scene is set during the early evening, with the sky transitioning to dusky blue. Green trees frame the area, and a few cars and a person sitting in the foreground are visible, giving the setting a peaceful, lively atmosphere.

Traditional Japanese-style castle illuminated at night. The multi-tiered structure features iconic upward-curving eaves with white walls and black-tiled roofs. The architectural details are highlighted by bright lighting, making the castle stand out against the dark sky. Some green tree foliage is visible at the bottom of the image, partially obscuring the lower part of the castle. The overall atmosphere is serene and majestic.

Japanese garden landscape with lush green lawns, winding paths, and a reflective pond. In the foreground, two people holding umbrellas stand by the pond, one dressed in black and the other in white. The path leads through the garden toward dense trees, traditional Japanese buildings with thatched roofs, and, rising above the trees in the background, a black castle with ornate rooftops—likely the Okayama Castle in Japan. The sky is overcast, with thick, dramatic clouds creating a moody atmosphere. The garden is serene and meticulously maintained, and a few more visitors can be seen walking in the distance.

My 2025 Favourites – 4 of 8

27 December 2025

Today’s theme is… birds again. Hey remember yesterday I said I’d got more seriously into bird photography in the last few years? Yeah, 2025 saw me go a little nuts on this subject. I love them all. Except perhaps Pūkekos.

A small bird perched vertically on the side of a mossy tree trunk. The bird has soft, pale beige to light brown feathers, with a slightly lighter head and underparts. Its beak is short and dark, and its eye is large and black, giving it a gentle expression. The bird's tail is long and pointed downward, and its legs are thin, gripping the tree bark. The background is softly blurred with green and light blue hues, suggesting a natural, leafy environment with sunlight filtering through.

A black swan gliding across a calm body of water with its neck curved downward, dipping its bright red beak into the water. The swan’s reflection is clearly visible on the smooth surface, and the background is softly blurred, giving a peaceful and serene atmosphere.

Two oystercatchers flying low over calm blue water. The birds have black and white plumage with long, straight orange beaks. Their reflections are clearly visible on the surface of the water below them, mirroring their flight. The background is a soft, uniform blue, creating a tranquil and minimalist scene.

A kingfisher perched on a slender, bare branch. The bird has a greenish-blue back and wings, with a white neck and underparts, and a dark stripe running from its beak through its eye. The background is softly blurred in shades of green and gray, giving an impression of water or a tranquil lakeside scene. Some faint, thin branches are visible at the base. The name "Allister Jenks" is signed in the lower right corner of the image.

My 2025 Favourites – 3 of 8

26 December 2025

Today’s theme is aviation. Before I got more seriously into bird photography in the last few years, aviation was my biggest passion. Actually, who am I kidding? It still is!

Airliner taking off, painted in a retro Qantas livery with a red tail featuring a white kangaroo. The aircraft is seen just above the runway, climbing into the air with its landing gear still extended. In the background, there is an airport terminal with visible gates and signage, including numbers 21 and 24, and a nearby hotel building labeled "RYDGES." The foreground shows a rock wall separating the runway from a body of turquoise water, with several small cars and people near the wall. The backdrop is a hillside densely packed with houses and lush greenery. The lighting is bright and the sky is clear, suggesting a sunny day.

A historic propeller airliner taxying on a runway. The aircraft is painted silver below and white on top, with a red and white stripe. The words "NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL AIRWAYS CORPORATION" are written above the stripe in black letters. Near the nose, it says "Skyliner" in black script with “Kaitaia” below it in plain red letters. Both propellers are blurred, indicating the they are spinning. In the background, there is a modern house with large windows and a sloped roof, surrounded by green grass, bushes, and trees. There are hills in the distance.

A yellow mast in the foreground, likely part of a ship, is angled upward against a mostly cloudy sky. There are four large military aircraft flying in formation, with three of them visible more clearly and emitting trails of smoke. Several birds are also flying in the scene, some quite close to the planes, adding a sense of motion and scale. The tops of leafy green trees are visible at the bottom right of the image, and the scene is well lit with natural daylight.

My 2025 Favourites – 2 of 8

25 December 2025

Today’s selection covers time in Singapore on my recent Asia holiday. I love Singapore. A lot. Everything represented here gives me such joy.

The Merlion statue fountain at Merlion Park in Singapore. The iconic white statue has the head of a lion and the body of a fish, spouting water from its mouth into a pool below. In the background, there are modern high-rise office buildings and skyscrapers, with lots of glass and steel structures. There are people walking around, some taking photos and others enjoying the waterfront area, with green trees adding a touch of nature to the urban setting. The sky is clear and blue, suggesting a bright and sunny day.

Skyline view of Marina Bay Sands in Singapore under clear blue skies. The striking architecture features three tall, modern glass towers connected at the top by a unique, boat-shaped structure known as the SkyPark. To the left, the white, lotus-inspired building is the ArtScience Museum, with its curved “petals.” The foreground is Marina Bay, with calm water reflecting the buildings. Palm trees and walkways line the waterfront, and additional modern buildings are visible at ground level.

Cityscape at night showing tall, modern buildings illuminated by many lights. The image features vertical lines of light running up the facade of the tallest building in the center left, along with the moon shining brightly in the night sky to the upper left. A well-lit avenue runs from the bottom right corner, with streaks of colored lights from moving vehicles. In the background, recognizable buildings include the Pan Pacific hotel and a Ferris wheel with red and blue lighting accents. There are also blue-lit structures on the right, and what appears to be a pool lit up at the bottom center of the image. The overall scene presents a vibrant urban area under a clear night sky.

Street food scene at night with several people grilling skewers of meat over open flames. Smoke rises above the grill, making the atmosphere hazy. The vendors wear dark clothing, gloves, and face masks. Many skewers are being cooked at once, laid out in neat rows over the grill. A large fan is placed beside the grill, likely to help with the smoke. Bright streetlights and some decorative lights are visible in the background, and people are standing around, watching or waiting for their food. The overall ambiance suggests a bustling, lively outdoor food market.

My 2025 Favourites – 1 of 8

24 December 2025

From 19th November 2024 through 31st August 2025, I posted a photo a day. They were somewhat randomly selected — some recent, some from the archives.

I stopped at the end of August because I was struggling to pick interesting photos that I hadn’t posted before. Also… I was off on a big adventure: a trip to Singapore and Japan.

As 2025 comes to a close, Flickr (my primary online photo presence) is pushing their annual “Your Best Shot” for the year. I submitted my singular shot, but it was hard picking just one.

You, dear follower, don’t have to suffer the tyranny of just one shot. For you, I have … oops … I was sure I had 7 posts of 4 photos each, but I see now I have 8. So, instead of spanning the last week of the year, let’s call it Christmas, err, Eve, to almost-New Year.

Seeing as I intended to post this message on Christmas Eve (automatically, I have other priorities!) you get the first four photos right here.

The first theme is birds (they show up again later, too). The first shot here is the one I submitted to Flickr for my best of the year.