Long-tailed Duck

Drake Long-tailed Duck in the Dunkirk Harbor.

Winter Beach

Pink Sun Pillar

Our deep freeze continues.  The air temperature was at 5° F when this photo was taken.  

Sunrise at -4°F

Eastern Coyote

According to Native American lore, the Coyote possesses mystical power and an immortal spirit.   He  is considered to be a capable trickster and healer but can cause illness or problems for those who harm or kill him.  Just look at the depth in those gorgeous eyes!  I believe they knew what they were talking about.

Winter Woods

European Starling

Before you get all negative on the European Starling, read this:  European Starlings Get a Bad Rap!

Lengthening Days

Sunrises are earlier and the sun sets later each day as Spring marches on toward us!

Handsome Mallard Drake

Frozen Lake Erie

February

"February makes a bridge, and March breaks it."  ~  George Herbert (17th century metaphysical poet) 

Belt of Venus

The "Belt of Venus" is created by pink backscattered light at sunrise or sunset.

Celebrate Imbolc!

We are at the halfway point between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox.  The spark of Spring is beginning to stir!

Northern Shrike

Attitude is Everything!

"Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character."  ~ Albert Einstein

Warm Harbor

Warm water in the Dunkirk Harbor creates a refuge for gulls and waterfowl in the frigid weather.  The warm water is created by thermal pollution from a coal generated steam station.

Luna and Venus

The nearly new Moon and Venus put on a lovely show in the sky before sunrise this morning.

Female Northern Cardinal

Common Goldeneye

Female above and male below.

Frosted Geese

Canada Geese sleeping on ice covered Lake Erie.  The temperature was 5° F when I shot this photo.

Winter Sun

Bufflehead Duck

Ready...

Get set...

DIVE!

3° F

Rough-legged Hawk

White-winged Scoters

January's Full Wolf Moon

It's not completely full until tomorrow but if the weather forecast is correct, I don't think we'll see it then.  Below is a photo of the close pairing of Jupiter and the Moon after dark this evening.

Two Types of Swans

Tundra Swans (above) and a Mute Swan (below)

Snowy Owl

American Kestrel

Snowy Owl in Flight

I caught this shot just before it got dark this evening. 

Northern Mockingbirds

Northern Mockingbirds in a frozen field.

Frozen Falls

Red-tailed Hawk

Calm before the Storm

We had a brief period of sun late this afternoon.  A blizzard warning is in place for tomorrow.

Golden Sunrise

Woke up to a beautiful sunrise on the ridge this morning.

Sun Pillar

There was a bit of a light pillar at sunset this afternoon.

Winter's Point of View

"We cling to our own point of view, as though everything depended on it.  Yet our opinions have no permanence; like autumn and winter, they gradually pass away."  ~  Zhuangzi

Rough-legged Hawk

The Rough-legged Hawk is a another winter visitor from the Arctic Tundra.

Bald Eagles

Bald Eagles catching gulls during heavy snow and eating them on the ice cover of Lake Erie this afternoon.