椋鸟群在布莱顿西码头废墟上空盘旋, 英格兰 Starling murmuration over the ruins of Brighton's West Pier, England (© Philip Reeve/Photodisc/Getty Images)

废墟之上，椋鸟群舞 Rust meets rush

椋鸟群在布莱顿西码头废墟上空盘旋，英格兰

椋鸟是天生的“舞台明星”，它们深谙抢镜之道：羽毛在阳光下闪烁绿紫光泽，叫声里还夹杂着模仿的趣味。椋鸟原产于欧亚大陆，如今已遍布全球。19世纪，一位痴迷莎士比亚作品的鸟类爱好者，将椋鸟引入纽约中央公园，从此开启了它们的美洲传奇。

英格兰布莱顿西码头，锈迹斑驳，却在椋鸟云潮掠过时焕发生机。每逢秋冬黄昏，成千上万的椋鸟在空中翻涌，宛如一曲无声的交响乐。这场奇景被称作“椋鸟群舞”，名字本身就带着韵律感，恰似翅膀拍击的节奏。科学家认为，鸟群俯冲盘旋是为了迷惑天敌、保持体温，并传递栖息地的信息。无论缘由如何，这场天幕之舞总令游客举起手机仰望，在鸟群归巢前争相捕捉这转瞬即逝的奇观。

Starling murmuration over the ruins of Brighton's West Pier, England

When a bird is called a starling, you'd expect it to be a bit of a show-off. True to its name, this little creature knows how to steal the spotlight. From shimmering feathers that glint green and purple in the sun, to its ability to mimic sounds, the starling is the headline act. Originally native to Europe and Asia, the common starling has spread across the globe. In the 19th century, a group of them were introduced to New York's Central Park by an enthusiast of birds mentioned in Shakespeare's plays.

Brighton's West Pier may be a ruin, but when starlings gather above it, the scene is anything but broken. Each evening in autumn and winter, thousands of these small birds twist and turn in the air. The spectacle is called a murmuration, a term as musical as the sound of wings beating in unison. Scientists suggest the birds swoop and swirl to confuse predators, keep warm and share information about roosting spots. Whatever the reason, the result is a dance that has visitors gazing upward, phones in hand, hoping to catch a glimpse before the flock settles for the night.

索尔兹伯里大教堂，威尔特郡，英格兰 Salisbury Cathedral, Wiltshire, England (© Julian Elliott Photography/Getty Images)

打破盒子的传统 Unboxed traditions

节礼日

节礼日的妙处在于，它不需要你费心操劳：没有倒计时的喧嚣，没有拆礼物的惊喜，更不用临时奔波买电池。这是一个罕见的节日，仿佛在轻声说：“坐下来，吃掉剩菜，给自己一点时间。”每年12月26日，英国及部分英联邦国家都会庆祝这个节日，它像是一场圣诞狂欢后的温柔缓冲。节礼日的起源可追溯至维多利亚时代，当时人们会为工人和商贩准备“圣诞礼盒”，作为谢意，礼盒里可能是硬币，也可能是生活用品。教堂也参与其中，开启施舍箱，将捐赠分发给有需要的人。

如今的节礼日已成为传统与现代的融合体。足球比赛点燃球迷的热情，户外漫步驱散节日大餐后的昏沉感，而商店的促销活动则吸引人们早早排队、匆匆选购。若你偏爱风景胜过折扣，英国的索尔兹伯里大教堂（今日图片所示）是理想的静谧之地。勇者会跃入冰冷的水中，享受节礼日畅泳的刺激。至于古老的猎狐活动，如今已演变为纯仪式性的非狩猎庆典，既保留了华丽传统，又摒弃了追逐的残酷。

Boxing Day

The best thing about Boxing Day is that it doesn't ask much of you. No big countdown. No dramatic unwrapping. No last-minute dashes for batteries. It's a rare holiday that says, 'Sit down, finish your leftovers, and take a moment.' Celebrated on December 26 in the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth countries, it's a national cool-down after Christmas has done all the heavy lifting. The term goes back to Victorian Britain, when households prepared Christmas boxes for workers and tradespeople—tokens of thanks that ranged from coins to essentials. Churches joined in by opening alms boxes and distributing donations.

Fast-forward to today: Boxing Day has evolved into a hybrid of tradition and modern habits. Football fixtures turn the day into a fan festival. Outdoor walks help shake off the seasonal food coma. And then there are the sales that inspire early lines and brisk browsing. For those who prefer scenery over discounts, places like Salisbury Cathedral in England, shown in today's image, offer a peaceful escape. Brave souls plunge into icy waters for Boxing Day swims. Old-style fox hunts have shifted to ceremonial, non-hunting events, keeping the pageantry alive without the chase.

伊斯特本码头, 东萨塞克斯郡, 英格兰 Eastbourne Pier, East Sussex, England (© Tolga_TEZCAN/Getty Images)

潮起潮落的坚守 'Standing the test of tide

伊斯特本码头, 东萨塞克斯郡, 英格兰

作为英国海滨的地标之一，伊斯特本码头不仅掀起浪花，更在浪潮中屹立了150余年。它于 1870年正式开放，这座维多利亚时代的奇迹经历了风暴、火灾，甚至战争的洗礼。码头优雅地伸向英吉利海峡，最初作为蒸汽船的停靠点，后来随着时间的推移，逐渐演变为一处可以漫步于海面之上，在游戏机前投入几枚硬币，收获几段美好回忆的休闲胜地。

1877年，一场猛烈的风暴摧毁了码头靠岸的一半结构，重建时，人们将其抬高并架设在桩柱上，使其能在恶劣天气中轻微摇动，从而抵御冲击。二战期间，部分甲板被拆除，以安装机枪用于沿岸防御。2014年的一场火灾几乎让码头毁于一旦，但修复工作使它重新开放，咖啡馆、商店一应俱全，与海鸥的鸣声再次为其增添了生气。除了展现出强大的生命力，伊斯特本码头还成为影视作品的常客，从经典剧集《波洛》到《郎心如铁》，再到《艺术创想》，它以独特的英伦魅力持续闪耀在荧幕与现实之间。

塔桥, 伦敦, 英格兰 Tower Bridge, London, England (© Nick Brundle Photography/Getty Images)

小心空隙，桥面将开启！ Mind the gap—this one opens

塔桥, 伦敦, 英格兰

有些桥梁只是连接两岸，而伦敦塔桥则连接着历史、工程与戏剧张力。自1894年起，这座伦敦地标矗立于伦敦塔旁，横跨泰晤士河，既能振奋人心，又能疏导交通。双塔矗立，蓝白相间的漆面，以及能像巨型吊桥般开启的活动桥面，塔桥不仅是交通解决方案，更像是一位舞台表演者。

在塔桥建成之初，伦敦需要一座不会阻碍河上贸易的跨河通道。解决方案是什么？一座能从中间分开并抬升到足够高度，让帆船顺利通过的桥梁。维多利亚时代的巧思，用蒸汽机驱动液压系统；如今，重任则由油压和电力承担。游客可以走进桥体，探索它的机房，并漫步在高空玻璃走道，俯瞰泰晤士河的壮丽景色。从哥特式双塔到可升起的活动桥面，这座建筑始终连接着过去与现在，印证着有时通往前方的最佳方式就是将阻碍高高抬起。

Tower Bridge, London, England

Some bridges connect two sides. Tower Bridge connects history, engineering, and a flair for drama. Standing next to the Tower of London and rising over the River Thames since 1894, this London icon literally knows how to lift spirits—and traffic. With its twin towers, blue-and-white paintwork, and bascules that open like a giant's drawbridge, Tower Bridge is less a traffic solution and more a stage performer.

When it was first built, London needed a crossing that wouldn't block river trade. The answer? A bridge that could split in half and rise high enough for sailing ships to pass through. Victorian ingenuity powered the hydraulics with steam engines; today, oil and electricity do the heavy lifting. Visitors can step inside to explore its engine rooms and stroll across the high-level glass walkways for a bird's-eye view of the Thames. From its Gothic-style towers to its lifting bascules, the structure continues to bridge the gap between past and present, proving that sometimes, the best way forward is to raise the road.

干草捆，北约克郡，英格兰 Hay bales, North Yorkshire, England (© Nick Brundle Photography/Getty Images)

阳光明媚，赶紧打草 'Hay' there!

北约克郡的干草捆,英格兰

“趁着阳光明媚，赶紧打草”这句谚语听起来可能有些陈旧，但在农业领域，它却是实实在在的真理。打草捆在全球农业中扮演着至关重要的角色。这一过程包括割草、晾干和包装草料，以便在寒冷季节喂养牲畜。整个流程高度依赖天气条件：草料必须在打捆前完全干燥，否则容易发霉。农民必须在干旱天气来临时迅速行动，因此这成为了一场季节性的赛跑。

干草打捆技术可追溯至数个世纪前，从19世纪的马力打捆机演变为如今能在数分钟内完成打捆、包裹和排出草捆的高功率机械。在英国北约克郡（今日照片拍摄地），起伏的低地与高地草甸为种植和晾晒优质干草提供了理想条件。由于放牧牲畜（如羊和牛）占农场总数的约40%，干草已成为支撑该地区农村经济的关键饲料资源。因此，当你看到金黄色的田野上点缀着整齐的、沐浴在阳光下的干草卷时，你正在见证精心规划与辛勤劳动的成果。这一传统至今仍与往昔一样重要。

Hay bales in North Yorkshire, England

'Make hay while the sun shines' may sound like an old proverb, but in farming it's a practical truth. Hay baling plays a crucial role in agriculture worldwide. It involves cutting, drying, and packaging grasses to feed livestock during the colder months. The process depends heavily on the weather: the grass must be dry before it's baled, or it risks molding. Farmers must act quickly once a dry spell arrives, making it a seasonal race.

The practice of baling dates back centuries, evolving from horse-powered balers of the 1800s to today's high-powered machines that can wrap and eject bales in minutes. In North Yorkshire, England—where today's image was taken—the rolling lowlands and upland meadows create ideal conditions for growing and curing high-quality hay. With grazing livestock such as sheep and cattle making up around 40% of farm holdings, hay is a key feed resource supporting the region's rural economy. So, when you see golden fields dotted with neat, sunlit rolls, you're witnessing the result of careful timing and hard work. It's a tradition that remains as important today as ever.

格拉斯顿伯里托尔上的圣迈克尔塔, 格拉斯顿伯里, 萨默塞特郡, 英格兰 St. Michael's Church Tower on Glastonbury Tor, Glastonbury, Somerset, England (© Gavin Hellier/Getty Images)

这里举办的是哪个音乐节？ Tor and tunes: Glastonbury begins

格拉斯顿伯里音乐节开幕

当阳光洒落在英格兰萨默塞特郡起伏的山丘上，格拉斯顿伯里音乐节便随之揭幕。这一音乐盛会最初的门票仅为1英镑，如今已发展为全球最具影响力的文化活动之一，每年吸引超过20万人参与。音乐节深植于嬉皮文化、20世纪60年代的反主流运动与自由音乐节的理念之中，这些价值观正是其诞生的基石。从大卫·鲍伊和艾尔顿·约翰，到金属乐队和比莉·艾利什，这个舞台承载了无数定义时代的经典演出。今年的格拉斯顿伯里音乐节从今天开始，持续至6月29日，主打阵容包括The 1975、尼尔·杨与奥利维亚·罗德里戈等。俯瞰整个音乐节现场的，是如今日图片所示的格拉斯顿伯里托尔山丘。山顶耸立着14世纪的圣迈克尔教堂塔楼。托尔山被视为传说中亚瑟王的阿瓦隆王国所在地，并与古老的精神传统息息相关，成为历史与神话交汇之地。

如今，随着沃西农场大门开启，音乐回荡在广阔的田野之间，格拉斯顿伯里音乐节将再次展现其最具代表性的场景：将泥泞、旋律与奇迹融为一体，开启一段令人难忘的音乐冒险之旅。

Glastonbury Festival begins

As the sun rises over the hills in Somerset, Glastonbury Festival comes alive, transforming a quiet part of South West England into one of the world's most famous music destinations. Since its humble beginnings in 1970, when tickets cost just one British pound, Glastonbury has grown into a cultural powerhouse, attracting over 200,000 fans each year. The festival is deeply rooted in the ideals of the hippie movement, the 1960s counterculture, and the free festival spirit that sparked its early days. From David Bowie and Elton John to Metallica and Billie Eilish, Glastonbury's stages have hosted performances that have defined generations. This year's festival runs from today through June 29, with The 1975, Neil Young, and Olivia Rodrigo topping the bill. Overlooking the event is Glastonbury Tor, pictured here, a hill crowned by the 14th-century St. Michael's Church Tower. The Tor is steeped in myth and legend, from ties to King Arthur's Avalon to ancient spiritual lore.

英国拉德克里夫图书馆和万灵学院，牛津大学，英格兰 The Radcliffe Camera and All Souls College, University of Oxford, England (© atiger/Shutterstock)

尽享欢乐时光 Ring in the fun

J.R.R.托尔金生日快乐！

“冒险是否会有尽头？我想不会吧，因为总有人要继续讲述这个故事。” 今天是托尔金日，全球的读者们共同纪念这位创造了中土世界史诗冒险故事的大师：托尔金。托尔金可能是故事的开创者，但他的读者才是故事的传承者，一代又一代的读者沉浸在《霍比特人》、《指环王》等作品中。托尔金的读者们每年都会组织传统的祝酒活动庆祝托尔金的生日，在当地时间的晚上9点站起来并举起酒杯，说一声“敬教授”，然后喝一口即可。

而今日图片中展示的正是可能启发了这位文学传奇的地方。位于英国牛津大学的拉德克利夫图书馆。这座圆形穹顶建筑最初是一座科学图书馆，现在是作为博德利图书馆的阅览室使用。据说，这座18世纪的建筑是托尔金小说中努曼诺尔上祭祀魔苟斯神庙的灵感来源。虽然托尔金并未在此学习，而是埃克塞特学院的学生，但他在担任牛津大学英语语言文学教授期间，曾无数次路过这座建筑，其非凡的外观至今吸引着游客和托尔金读者们的目光。

Happy Birthday, J.R.R. Tolkien!

'Don't adventures ever have an end? I suppose not. Someone else always has to carry on the story.' Today, on Tolkien Day, fans around the world honor the master storyteller who crafted the epic adventures of Middle-earth: J.R.R. Tolkien. While Tolkien may have started the tale, it's his readers who carry it forward, generation after generation, diving into the pages of 'The Hobbit,' 'The Lord of the Rings,' and beyond. Tolkienists are encouraged to celebrate the author's birthday with a toast at 9 PM local time—to participate, all you must do is stand and raise a glass of your choice, say 'The Professor,' and take a sip.

For today's featured image, it is only fitting to visit a place that might have inspired the literary legend: the Radcliffe Camera, or Rad Cam, at the University of Oxford in England. Originally a science library, the domed, circular building now serves as a reading room for the Bodleian Library. This 18th-century building is said to be an inspiration for Sauron's temple to Morgoth on Númenor in Tolkien's fiction. Though Tolkien himself didn't study there—he was a student at Exeter College—he would have passed by the Rad Cam countless times during his years as a professor of English Language and Literature at Oxford. This building, with its extraordinary exterior, continues to captivate visitors and Tolkien enthusiasts alike.

莫斯霍尔港的圣诞灯饰，康沃尔，英格兰 Christmas lights at Mousehole Harbour, Cornwall, England (© ianwool/Getty Images)

节日还在继续 The holidays continue

节礼日

当圣诞颂歌的余音仍在空中回荡时，节礼日又到了。英国、加拿大及多个英联邦国家都会庆祝这个节日。过去，富人们会在圣诞节后的这一天给仆人赠送装满礼物的礼盒，这一传统后来演变为向不幸者进行慈善捐赠的日子。如今，尽管赠予的精神仍在，但这一天已转变为购物促销和观看足球比赛的节日。

让我们前往英格兰康沃尔的渔村港口莫斯霍尔港，继续感受节日的欢乐氛围。今天的图片中的莫斯霍尔港因其圣诞灯饰而闻名于世。这些灯饰最早是由当地艺术家琼·吉尔克雷斯特于20世纪60年代初点亮的。最初的几串简单灯饰很快发展为一场盛大的视觉盛宴，逐年增加了标志性场景、航海主题和康沃尔特色主题。如今，这些灯饰从12月开始被点亮，一直持续到次年1月初，覆盖了整个港口，让建筑物、船只甚至水边都披上了柔和的光芒。

Boxing Day

As the last notes of Christmas carols linger in the air, Boxing Day arrives. This day is celebrated in the United Kingdom, Canada, and several other Commonwealth countries. In the past, it was customary for the wealthy to give boxes filled with gifts to their servants on the day after Christmas. The tradition evolved into a day for charitable giving to the less fortunate. Today, while the spirit of giving remains, it has transformed into a holiday about enjoying bustling sales and a lineup of soccer matches.

Let's visit Mousehole, a fishing village in Cornwall, England, to keep the merriment going. Featured in today's image, Mousehole Harbour is known for its Christmas illuminations. The Mousehole lights were first lit in the early 1960s, thanks to local artist Joan Gillchrest. A few humble strings of lights soon turned into a full-blown spectacle, growing over the years to include iconic scenes, nautical motifs, and Cornish themes. Today, the lights, switched on from December until early January, span the entire harbor, wrapping buildings, boats, and even the water's edge in a soft glow.

被雪覆盖的康沃尔天涯海角小径，康沃尔郡兰德恩德，英格兰 The Cornish Coast Path covered in snow, Land's End, Cornwall, England (© Josef FitzGerald-Patrick/Getty Images)

世界的尽头？不完全是 The end? Not quite.

兰兹角，康沃尔，英格兰

欢迎来到英格兰康沃尔的兰兹角，这里有狂风呼啸的悬崖、崎岖不平的美景和蔚为壮观的海景！从古希腊时代起，它就被称为“Belerion”（闪闪发光的土地）或是“太阳之地”，或出现在亚瑟王传奇中提到的失落之地“里昂内斯”中，兰兹角一直是一个令人神往的地方。它是英国大陆最西南的地点，最出名的是被设为慈善跑步比赛的起点或终点，路线从最西南端的兰兹角到英国北海的约翰奥格罗茨，贯穿了整个大不列颠岛。

来到兰兹角，首先映入眼帘的是耸立在汹涌海浪上的悬崖峭壁。数千年来，大海侵蚀着这些花岗岩壁，形成了英国最引人注目的海岸线之一。这些悬崖是西南海岸步道的一部分，该步道长630英里，从萨默塞特郡的迈恩黑德一直延伸到多塞特郡的普尔，深受徒步旅行者的喜爱。今天的图片中的康沃尔天涯海角小径就是这条步道的一部分，由于康沃尔温和的沿海气候和靠近大西洋，这里很少下雪。因此，无论您来这里徒步旅行、放松身心，或者只是如履薄冰地在悬崖上站一站，兰兹角都是一个令人难忘的地方。

Land's End, Cornwall, England

Windswept cliffs, rugged beauty, and dramatic ocean views—welcome to Land's End in Cornwall, England. Since ancient Greek times, when it was known as 'Belerion' or 'Place of the Sun,' or in Arthurian legends about the lost land of Lyonesse, Land's End has always been a place of fascination. Land's End is the most southwestern point on mainland Britain. It's often the starting point or end of charity races that run the length of the island of Great Britain from Land's End to John o'Groats at Britain's northeastern tip.

The first thing you'll notice about Land's End is the cliffs towering above the crashing waves. The sea carved these granite walls over millennia, creating one of the most striking coastlines in the United Kingdom. These cliffs are part of the South West Coast Path, a 630-mile trail popular among hikers that runs from Minehead in Somerset to Poole in Dorset. The Cornish Coastal Path, featured in today's image, is a section of this trail, and snow here is a rare occurrence because of Cornwall's mild coastal climate and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. So, whether you're here to hike, relax, or just stand at the frozen edge, Land's End is a memorable cliffhanger.

坎布里亚湖区，格拉斯米尔，英格兰 Grasmere, Lake District, Cumbria, England (© Thomas Molyneux/Getty Images)

胜过千言万语 Worth a thousand words

坎布里亚湖区，格拉斯米尔，英格兰

这是一个诗意、历史与自然交融的地方——欢迎来到英格兰湖区小镇格拉斯米尔。这座村庄曾是著名诗人威廉·华兹华斯所挚爱的居所，他曾经形容这里为“人类发现的最美丽的地方”。在这里，游客们会看到用当地蓝绿色石材建造的老式农舍和房屋。“鸽子小屋”是华兹华斯在1799年至1808年间的简陋居所，毗邻的博物馆可以让游客深入了解这位诗人的一生。他后来的居所吕达尔山，就在不远处。村庄的中心是圣奥斯瓦尔德教堂，其历史可以追溯到13世纪。这座地标性建筑是华兹华斯的最终安息之地。教堂不远处，闻名遐迩的格拉斯米尔秘制姜饼香气扑鼻，让游客垂涎欲滴。格拉斯米尔一年一度的格拉斯米尔运动会始于1868年，是一项展示湖区传统活动的盛会，包含山地跑步、摔跤和猎犬追踪等项目。

Grasmere, Lake District, Cumbria, England

A place where poetry, history, and nature blend—welcome to Grasmere in England's Lake District. The village was once the cherished residence of the celebrated poet William Wordsworth, who described Grasmere, with its valley and lake of the same name, as 'the loveliest spot that man hath found.' Here, visitors are greeted by old cottages and homes built from local bluish-green slate. Dove Cottage, Wordsworth's humble abode from 1799 to 1808, and the adjacent museum offer a dive into the poet's life. His later residence, Rydal Mount, continues the story just a short journey away. The heart of the village is St. Oswald's Church, which dates to the 13th century and is Wordsworth's final resting place. Not far from the church, the aroma of the renowned Grasmere Gingerbread, made from a secret recipe, will set visitors' mouths watering.