Northern Shrike

The Northern Shrike is a little smaller than a Blue Jay.  It is another winter visitor from the Arctic tundra.  The Shrike is a fierce predator and often kills its prey by impaling the victim on a sharp stick or barbed wire fence.

Owl Eyes

"When I look into the eyes of an animal, I do not see an animal.  I see a living being.  I see a friend.  I feel a soul."

~ Anthony Douglas Williams, author of Inside the Divine Pattern

Snowy Owl

The continuing Snowy Owl irruption in the northeast is incredible.  I spotted this young guy perched on a fence post right next to the road late this afternoon.

Blue Jay

The boistrous Blue Jays keep things colorful and lively in the yard all winter long.

Snowy Owl Invasion Continues

As the great Snowy Owl irruption continues in the northeast, I was able to get a few more photos just before sunset yesterday.  This is the same bird from different angles as it was getting dark.

The photo below was taken today and is a different owl from the one pictured above.

Indomitable Spirit

The temperature early this morning was a frigid -1° Fahrenheit, yet the Chickadees in the yard seemed oblivious to the cold.

"We learned to be patient observers like the Owl.  We learned cleverness from the Crow, and courage from the Jay who will attack an owl ten times its size to drive it off its territory.  But above all of them ranked the Chickadee because of its indomitable spirit." 

~ Tom Brown Jr. (American Naturalist and Author)

Wintery Sky

The colors of winter over Lake Erie this evening.

Trumpeter Swans

An immature Trumpeter Swan sounding off!

On this day of the Winter Solstice...

Tundra And Trumpeter Swans on Lake Erie

May all beings be peaceful.

May all beings be happy.

May all beings be well.

May all beings be safe.

May all beings be free from suffering.

Winter Solstice Greetings!

Welcome to the most wonderful day of the year that brings the return of the light!  Happy Yule!

Axial tilt is the reason for the season!

Nacreous Sunrise

We had an amazing sky at sunrise today with everything happening all at once!

Pearly Nacreous Clouds (upper right), a rare but ominous sight since they indicate problems in the ozone layer.

Part of a sundog visible through the trees. 

The setting moon.

Snowy Owl

Spotted another Snowy Owl today out on the ice cover of Lake Erie.

I caught her in the middle of a big yawn...

American Kestrel

American Kestrel perched on a fence on another dark and snowy morning.

I Wonder...

"I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently?  And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says "Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again." ~ Lewis Carroll

This little American Goldfinch must be hoping for a break in the weather.

Snowy Owl

A beautiful visitor from the Arctic Tundra!

Blue Jay

A young Blue Jay in freshly fallen snow this morning.

Red-tailed Hawk

Northern Shrike

This is the third time I've seen a Northern Shrike this fall but the first time I could get close enough to get photos.

Horned Lark

Long-tailed Ducks

Snow Buntings

Goldfinch in the Snow

Snowy Afternoon

Horned Grebe

Horned Grebe in winter plumage.

Icy Cold

Bitter cold on Lake Erie and it's not even winter yet!

Red-breasted Merganser

Cooper's Hawk

A juvenile Cooper's Hawk poses for me with a freshly caught chipmunk.

Monochrome Bursts into Full Color at Sunset

Quite a contrast from earlier in the day (see photos below).

The Witch of November

The clouds and north winds (known on the Great Lakes as the Witches of November) surround us in monochrome.

A female Long-tailed (Oldsquaw) Duck rides the surf.

A Grebe in winter plumage rides out the stormy seas in the protected water around the city pier.

A rare Juvenile Sabine's Gull (outstretched wings in center) with Bonaparte's Gulls

Bonaparte's Gull

There are plenty of these petite little Bonaparte's Gulls arriving in the Dunkirk Harbor.  Many of them will remain in the southern Great Lakes area until spring.

Malnourished Waterfowl

This is what malnutrition looks like in watefowl.  This feral domestic duck is in the Dunkirk Harbor suffering from a condition called "angel wings."  It is caused by people feeding it BREAD!  This can cause a nutritional deficiency that makes their wings grow the wrong way and renders the bird flightless.  Please people, don't feed bread, cereal, crackers, cookies or other human junk food to the birds!

Hooded Merganser