Bing Images archive 2023/06

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  2023-06-01World Reef Awareness Day

  The Great Barrier Reef runs for 1,430 miles along Australia"s northeastern coast, providing a home for thousands of species, including more than 1,500 types of fish. Here, you"ll find whales, dolphins, turtles, sharks, dugongs, and algae, all living together in a delicate ecosystem that relies on the coral reef. Sadly, climate change and pollution threaten this iconic site, the largest reef in the world. On June 1, we observe World Reef Awareness Day to remind people of the importance of safeguarding coral reefs, which provide food and shelter for about 25% of all marine life, to maintain the balance of nature.

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  2023-06-02Gemsbok in Namibian sand dunes

  To quote Jurassic Park"s Dr. Malcolm: "Life, uh, finds a way." Animals and plants are found in some of Earth"s most inhospitable places, from penguins and polar bears in the freezing Arctic to camels in scalding deserts. This lonely gemsbok, seen here in sand dunes in Namibia, is used to living in an inhospitable environment. Also known as the oryx, it is native to the arid regions of Southern Africa, especially around the Namib and Kalahari deserts. The gemsbok does not need to drink much water, instead finding hydration in the vegetation it grazes upon—including wild tsamma melons and cucumbers. When vegetation is sparse, they can dig deep to find roots and tubers to supplement their diet.

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  2023-06-03National Trails Day

  Today is a great day to take a hike! Each year, National Trails Day brings together nature lovers, government agencies, and businesses to preserve hiking trails for everyone to enjoy. Looking for a stunning spot to stretch your legs? We suggest South Kaibab Trail in the Grand Canyon, seen here. The trail starts with a series of switchbacks known as "The Chimney," which leads to a steep, narrow descent—prepare for an invigorating workout! All that hard work will pay off though—fresh air and exertion can boost your mood, improve sleep, and reduce the risk of heart disease. Not to mention the panoramic views you can enjoy from the trail"s scenic viewpoints.

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  2023-06-04Waiānapanapa State Park, Maui, Hawaii

  Brooding black sand beaches are popular with photographers looking for something a little different, and Hawaii has plenty of them on offer. This famous beach at Wai"ānapanapa State Park on Maui was created when basalt, a dark volcanic rock, was eroded by waves into fine grains, creating a stunning shoreline. You"ll find it on Maui"s east side, toward the end of the legendary Road to Hana, a scenic 64-mile highway. You can also find black sand shores around the world, from Alaska to Greece, Costa Rica, Italy, Iceland, Indonesia, and New Zealand.

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  2023-06-05World Environment Day

  "To damage the Earth is to damage your children," as the writer and environmentalist Wendell Berry put it. Today is World Environment Day, which marks its 50th year of raising awareness and encouraging action to protect the natural world. This year"s theme is about finding solutions to plastic pollution, which brings us to our homepage image.

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  2023-06-06D-Day remembered

  On June 6, 1944, after months of planning, Allied forces descended on the beaches of Normandy, France, for the start of one of the most ambitious military attacks in history. Codenamed Operation Overlord, the Battle of Normandy was an operation to free Western Europe from Nazi occupation during World War II. This military action would play a pivotal role in the Allies" win against the Axis powers.

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  2023-06-07Chaco Culture National Historical Park, New Mexico

  These circular walls belong to Pueblo Bonito, one of the biggest great homes in Chaco Culture National Historical Park, New Mexico. Between around 850 CE and 1250 CE, Chaco Canyon became a major cultural center for the Ancestral Puebloans, who lived in what is now known as the Four Corners region.

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  2023-06-08World Oceans Day

  Oceans cover more than 70% of the Earth"s surface, so it"s no surprise they play a crucial role in our planet"s climate and ecosystem, supporting a huge amount of marine life. Humpback whales, like the one in our homepage image, can be found in all oceans and have among the world’s longest migrations, traveling thousands of miles from tropical breeding grounds to colder waters in search of food. They are also known for their haunting "songs." There are many theories about why they sing, but some research suggests it might be a sign of loneliness. The good news is, that a global ban on commercial whaling has seen their numbers increase, so there is less need for whales to feel lonely.

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  2023-06-09Cappadocia, Türkiye

  Welcome to Cappadocia, a historical region in Türkiye known for its fantastical landscape. A magical moment to enjoy here is watching dozens of hot air balloons rising into the dawn sky. Every sunrise and sunset gives life to the "fairy chimneys" of this striking region, mysterious towering rock formations reaching up to 130 feet high. The unusual landscape was formed over millions of years by volcanic eruptions. Another attraction here that you won"t see from the air is Derinkuyu, a city dating from 1400 BCE that is completely underground. This subterranean city sheltered citizens from invaders who swept through over the centuries. When you experience the ancient wonders of Cappadocia, it"s easier to understand how old the world is.

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  2023-06-10Porto Cathedral, Portugal

  Perched on a hilltop overlooking the Douro River, the Porto Cathedral is one of the best-known monuments in Porto, Portugal’s second-largest city. Built in the 12th century, this Roman Catholic church has an eclectic architecture style that combines Romanesque and Gothic influences with later Baroque additions. The space inside the cathedral is artfully decorated with blue and white azulejo tiles, which showcase some scenes from the Bible. Tiles like these are found throughout Portuguese cities, on apartment buildings, churches, and public buildings.

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  2023-06-11Goliath heron in Kruger National Park, South Africa

  You are looking at the largest living heron in the world, the goliath heron, waiting for prey to swim by in Kruger National Park, South Africa. This wading bird is often referred to as the giant heron due to its enormous size—reaching as tall as 5 feet in height with up to a 7-foot wingspan. The goliath heron is a solitary creature, known for its slow, hunting-style movements and lives around lakes, swamps, and wetlands. They forage in deep waters and feast on large fish, like mullet and tilapia, as well as small animals including frogs, snakes, and lizards. They are often found in sub-Saharan Africa, with smaller numbers in western and southern regions of Asia.

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  2023-06-12Big Bend National Parks birthday

  Happy birthday, Big Bend National Park! Since this humongous park was established in Texas in 1944, it has welcomed millions of nature lovers and adventure seekers. The park"s southern boundary is marked by the Rio Grande, which separates Texas and Mexico. If you look at a map, it"s clear how the area got its name. The river has a drastic change in course, bending from southeastern to a northeastern flow around the park"s boundaries.

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  2023-06-13Okefenokee Swamp

  The Okefenokee Swamp, on the border of Georgia and Florida, is the largest intact freshwater swamp in the US. Its slow-moving blackwaters are stained by tannins from decaying organic matter and this vast ecosystem, covering 700 square miles, is packed with wildlife. Herons, cranes, bitterns, American alligators, turtles, snakes, frogs, and Florida black bears are among creatures who roam the swamp, which is largely protected by the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. In the early years of the 20th century, part of the swamp was logged, and its peat deposits were mined for use as fuel. Remnants of railroad lines can still be seen crossing swamp waterways as well as other equipment dating from its time as a logging area.

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  2023-06-14Flag Day

  The Stars and Stripes is a symbol that holds different meanings for different Americans. Perhaps that is fitting, given that the flag itself has changed many times. The first version had 13 stripes and 13 stars to symbolize the original colonies that eventually formed the United States of America. On June 14, we commemorate the flag’s adoption at the Second Continental Congress in 1777. Initially, it was rarely seen beyond military and government buildings and ships, but it became an icon of American identity during the Civil War. Today, the Stars and Stripes will fly at Flag Day parades and ceremonies, as the country celebrates its symbolism and history.

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  2023-06-15Nature Photography Day

  Towering trees, rushing streams, and luminous fireflies combine to create this magical landscape in Tennessee"s Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The park is famous for its firefly season between May and June when these "lightning bugs" gather to put on a light show as part of a mating display. Today, we celebrate the anniversary of this magnificent national park, as well as Nature Photography Day. There may be no better subject than the lightning bug to mark the day—as photography is the art of capturing light in lasting images.

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  2023-06-16World Sea Turtle Day

  Happy World Sea Turtle Day! Today people around the world gather to clean beaches and help animals like this hawksbill sea turtle thrive. The largest populations of hawksbill sea turtles are found in the Caribbean, Indian, and Indo-Pacific Oceans but you"ll find sea turtles in every ocean, except the Arctic and Antarctic.

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  2023-06-17International Surfing Day

  International Surfing Day promotes the protection of the ocean alongside celebrating the sport itself, every year on the third Saturday in June. People gather for surfing contests, barbeques, beach cleanups, and other activities to help restore the ocean environment. Coming together for a cause is a hallmark of the global surfing community, whether campaigning for cleaner waters or standing together against injustice, as they did at the Paddle Out for Unity gathering in 2020 in Encinitas, California, pictured on our homepage.

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  2023-06-18Happy Fathers Day!

  Father"s Day may appear to go hand in hand with Mother"s Day, but this wasn"t always the case. It was proposed by Sonora Smart Dodd, who believed fathers should have their own celebration, perhaps motivated by the inaugural Mother"s Day of 1908. Father"s Day was first celebrated in 1910 and was recognized by President Woodrow Wilson six years later. It fell out of popular practice in the 1920s but eventually regained popularity—partly due to marketing—and was set as a permanent national observance by President Richard Nixon in 1972. Our homepage image today shows a common tern papa, doing his bit for the family—with this species, both parents build the nest and incubate the eggs.

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  2023-06-19Juneteenth

  Juneteenth is here, a day celebrating the freedom of enslaved African Americans shortly after the end of the Civil War. While Abraham Lincoln"s final Emancipation Proclamation in January 1863 freed slaves in Confederate states, certain areas did not abolish slavery until months after Confederate forces surrendered. Texas issued an order on June 19, 1865, that "all slaves are free." This act was the origin of Juneteenth, which combines the words June and nineteenth. However, slavery did not fully end in the US until the 13th Amendment was ratified on December 6, 1865.

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  2023-06-20American Eagle Day

  Bald eagles are a symbol of strength, determination, and courage. The powerful bird is celebrated every year on June 20, the day it was made the national symbol of the United States in 1782. President Bill Clinton commemorated this date by declaring it American Eagle Day in 1995. The bald eagle, named for its white-feathered head, was once an endangered bird, but conservation efforts and the Endangered Species Act have helped boost its numbers.

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  2023-06-21Summer solstice

  The ancient monument of Stonehenge has fascinated people for centuries. Estimated to have been built between 3000 and 2000 BCE in the English county of Wiltshire, its large standing stones remain an enigma. Exactly why and how this massive stone circle was built are still debated. What we do know, is that it was done without metal tools or the use of wheels—and some of those stones were moved more than 150 miles.

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  2023-06-22World Rainforest Day

  Welcome to the largest tropical rainforest on Earth. Our homepage image was taken in Peru, home to about 13% of the Amazon rainforest. Most of it, about 60%, is in Brazil, while 10% is in Colombia. Bolivia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela also have sections within their borders. Covering nearly 40% of South America, the rainforest is teeming with life, including endangered species like jaguars and giant otters, more than 40,000 plants, and thousands of birds and butterflies. Millions of people also live in the Amazon.

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  2023-06-23Pollinator Week

  It"s lunch time for these beautiful monarch butterflies, which like to feed on clusters of colorful wildflowers. While they dine out on nectar, they get a light dusting of pollen, which is then spread to other flowers they land on. This process is pollination, transferring pollen from the male part of a flower to the female part, and is crucial for growing many of our fruits and vegetables. It improves the quality and quantity of crops and increases harvest yields. Nearly $20 billion of goods are produced in the US alone each year, because of pollination.

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  2023-06-24Nha Phu Bay, Nha Trang, Vietnam

  Nha Phu Bay is a hidden treasure near the Vietnamese city of Nha Trang. Visitors from all over the world come here to snorkel, go island hopping, savor delicious seafood, and enjoy water sports. Hon Mun Island in Nha Trang Bay is the site of Vietnam"s only official marine reserve. Here you can explore coral reefs teeming with fish, including snakeheads and cyprinids. Among the bay"s popular attractions are Monkey Island which, as the name suggests, is home to gray-haired and red-faced monkeys, and Orchid Island, which boasts a great variety of orchid species.

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  2023-06-25Al-Khazneh in Petra, Jordan

  Welcome to the ancient temple of Al-Khazneh in the desert city of Petra, Jordan. Carved out of a single sandstone rock about 2,000 years ago by the Nabataean people, it is believed to have been a mausoleum for King Aretas IV. Standing 141 feet tall, its massive doorway is framed with towering columns and intricate carvings. It is the most recognizable structure of this "rose city" of temples and tombs carved from pink sandstone.

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  2023-06-26Château de Villandry, France

  The Château de Villandry in France is renowned for its exquisite gardens that are considered a masterpiece of Renaissance horticulture. The gardens, which are divided into sections, feature geometric patterns, vibrant flowerbeds, serene water elements, and meticulously trimmed hedges. Each section has its own theme, ranging from ornamental to practical, and is bursting with a stunning blend of colors and textures. The château"s gardens showcase the harmonious relationship between architecture and nature. Stunning gardens have surrounded the château since it was built in 1532, but their appearance changed drastically over the centuries. After Joachim Carvallo acquired the estate, he spent 10 years from 1918 reinventing and restoring the Renaissance formal gardens. Other elements have been added in the decades since and the gardens continue to captivate visitors to this day.

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  2023-06-27Sedona, Arizona

  Stunning sandstone cliffs rise from the desert floor amid spectacular scenery here in Sedona, Arizona, also known as Red Rock Country. Adventure enthusiasts come to enjoy the beautiful trails that dot the region, which is also steeped in Native American history. The earliest settlers are believed to have been the Ancestral Puebloans, who inhabited the area around 1,400 years ago. Without any written history, most of the information about these ancient people comes from the archaeological ruins that remain, including cliff dwellings built under overhangs in the area"s red sandstone rocks. Other Native American groups came to the area such as the Hakataya, the Hohokam, the Sinagua, and the modern-day tribes that live in Arizona today, the Tonto Apache and the Yavapai.

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  2023-06-28Pride Month

  On June 28, 1969, protests erupted over a police raid at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Greenwich Village in New York. This watershed moment—at a time when homosexuality was still illegal in most US states—launched an era of activism and resistance that would transform into a celebration of LGBTQIA+ love and pride. Today, Pride Month is observed in the United States and in dozens of countries around the world. Taking place every June, the month-long celebration of LGBTQIA+ communities also highlights their struggles and achievements. The goal of Pride is to promote the acceptance of love in all its forms, so that LGBTQIA+ communities have the respect, dignity, and equality they deserve.

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  2023-06-29International Day of the Tropics

  On the International Day of the Tropics, we are in the Banyak Islands of Indonesia, a group of more than 70 islands, most of which are uninhabited and unnamed. The Banyak Islands offer miles of pristine sandy beaches, lush green trees, and clear waters as far as the eyes can see. This tropical paradise also boasts some great surfing and snorkeling spots and draws millions of visitors a year.

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  2023-06-30Brown bears in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Alaska

  In the pristine landscapes of Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Alaska, brown bears reign supreme. These magnificent creatures, also known as grizzly bears, are an iconic symbol of the untamed wilderness. Impressive in size, adult males can exceed 1,000 pounds and reach a standing height of 10 feet. Their thick, shaggy fur—varying in shades from blond to dark brown—provides insulation against the harsh Alaskan winter.