DavidMcNab

Drone enthusiasts are able to see the world from a vantage point that few people can. The world is beautiful face on, but it's absolutely breath taking when viewed from above. The horizon extends forever, the sunsets seems more magnificent, and the planet is a rich mixture of blues, greens, and browns when seen from the sky. This amateur drone pilot has been capturing these images for several years but the amazement is no less now than it was at the beginning. Tiny, lightweight, but powerful in their ability to film high resolution images, these drones are a marvel of technology. Miniature cameras are propelled upwards to record almost anything the imagination can think of. This video starts with a high speed, low level flight over a well tended lawn, a meadow filled with grazing cows, followed by a banking turn with a tapestry of colour as the sun sets low over the countryside. Next, the drone parallels a huge construction crane, almost one hundred metres in the air. The sky in the backdrop is ablaze with orange as the sun rises to meet the dawn. A steep dive brings us from high above the forest, through a train bridge and out onto a backwoods trail. Dipping down low to skim over a creek, we see Canada geese feeding on the water below. The drone squeezes through a narrow space beneath the bridge over the creek. Windmills turn as the camera gives us a look at them from their level, 150 metres above the earth. The camera skims over cows again, this time so low that we can see one happily chewing her meal. The resolution is so sharp that the drone pilot actually recognizes this cow as "Pam", one of the matriarchs in this familiar herd. We return to the creek for a low level skim so close to the water's surface that the ripples beneath are visible. The drone takes us around a country garden and through the trees on "sport mode", an insanely fast way to fly these new drones. A water spout in Peterborough creates a vivid rainbow. The camera then circles the "Arenui", one of the most beautiful liveaboard dive boats in existence, as the boat drifts in the bay in Indonesia near Komodo Island. The rice fields of Bali are next. They are one of the most iconic panoramas on the island of Bali. Another view of the giant wind turbines at sunset provides us with a glimpse of that distant horizon, aglow in the late evening. Circling around Darwin's Arch, we are able to see one of the most spectacular sights of the Galapagos Islands. No longer standing, this arch was a sight that brought tears to the eyes of many explorers and adventure seekers. The arch fell in May 2021, due to erosion, and scuba divers around the world mourned its loss. Rarely filmed from above, this view is breath taking. The drone takes us on a slow flight through snow laden branches that hang heavy after a winter storm in Canada. We follow a herd of horses galloping free in their meadow. Their joy at running on a sunny day is heart warming. The video finishes with another look at the Arenui at full sail, a sight to behold. Taking a camera to the sky provides images and sights that are beautiful beyond belief. Our fascination with this world we live in makes us want to see it from all angles. This vantage allows us to see the world the way a bird would see it.

This dive boat in the Maldives had moored for the night near the coast of one of the many islands. Awaiting dawn to press on to a new location, the boat was silent and still. But the world beneath the boat was anything but still. The lights of the boat attracted krill, plankton, and small fish that fed on the abundance of nutrients. Larger predators were attracted by the smaller animals and the water was alive with action. Slipping quietly into the water, these tourists floated and watched the spectacle beneath them. Mobula rays danced, played, and fed on the plankton. Gigantic manta rays performed loops as they inhaled and filtered their meal from the water around the lights. Nurse sharks cruised through, hoping to scavenge anything they could. A playful dolphin appeared and checked out the swimmers, as well as the chance of catching one of the fish that had come for a meal. For almost thirty minutes, this breath taking sight continued for these lucky tourists. The ocean is a world full of mystery and wonder. It is a world that has barely been explored or understood.

Tiger snake eels are beautiful creatures with striking colouration and markings. Their bodies are cream coloured with dark brown spots and stripes. They are not snakes, although they appear to be, at first glance. Eels are fish. They breath through gills and they spend all of their lives underwater. Unlike snakes, they have fins for swimming. This tiger snake eel was hunting small fish and crustaceans in the shallows around Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos. Willing to jam his head completely into the crevices in search of a meal, this eels is committed to finding food at any cost. While hunting, this eel will need to keep an eye out for cormorants, diving birds that prey heavily on the eels. Eels are also a favourite food for seal lions that inhabit these waters. It is fascinating to watch the balance of nature as animals in the ocean struggle to survive every day. Some are predators and some are prey. The balance can change in an instant.

The clown trigger is a stocky fish that grows up to 50cm (almost 20 inches) in length. It is found in the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. Usually solitary, the fish will shy away from scuba divers and larger creatures, although it can become notoriously aggressive when defending a territory. They have powerful jaws and teeth that can cause a serious injury if the fish is threatened. Like all triggerfish, agitating them should be avoided. This fish was casually swimming over the coral in search of mollusks and crustaceans, its primary diet. The unique patterns and colours of the clown triggerfish make it a delight for underwater enthusiasts to see or record.

This lion is not afraid of anything, and for good reason. He is truly the king of beasts. Out here on the plain in Kenya, Africa, there are few animals that would dare to challenge his authority. A pack of very determined and hungry hyenas will occasionally try to chase a lion off a kill, but they will very rarely try to attack a full grown male, or a pride of lions. This lion is gorging himself on a freshly caught wildebeest. He looks around casually, but he has nothing to fear and he has no anxiety as he focuses on his dinner. He doesn't seem concerned about anything sneaking up on him. After eating his fill, he walks away roaring with content. Perhaps it is meant to tell the other lions in his pride that they are free to eat, or perhaps it is a challenge that tells the other scavengers he is asserting his dominance and intent to return to the carcass. Either way, he is a majestic and powerful beast that has earned the right to walk these plains fearlessly.

Raven is a giant Great Dane puppy who tries her best to behave well. She comes when called, as long as there is a treat involved, and she stays off the furniture, sometimes. Raven has just been for a 3 mile run in the forest with her humans and she has come home exhausted from chasing chipmunks and investigating smells of the woods. She is a huge dog but she can move with surprising stealth when she wants to. With impressive silence, she has climbed up on the couch that she is not allowed on and she has stretched out from one end to the other. She takes up the entire couch when she makes herself comfortable. Raven appears to have put her paw to her ear as if to listen better, but it's clear that she has decided to pretend that she isn't hearing the reprimands that her owner is trying to dish out. It's hard to take things seriously when she is in such a comical position, pretending to be in a coma. Her eyes move back and forth, giving her away as she tries in vain to be convincing. It's hard to reprimand a dog as wonderful as Raven. She's been a loyal family member and protector and if she wants to relax on the couch after a morning of exploring, it's not so bad. Great Danes are an entertaining and affectionate breed. Anyone who has ever been owned by one falls in love with the breed.