Blizzard Conditions

Alberta Clipper

The Alberta Clipper headed our way brought down a wall of snow as it hit the area late this afternoon.

A Huddle of Gulls

Mute Swan

Dusk

Earthy Colors

January thaw bringing out the earth tones.

Muted Sun

Blond Squirrel

Spotted a blond squirrel during our January thaw this week.

Pretty Pair

January Thaw

Morning Moon

January Sunset

Great Black-backed Gull

The Great Black-backed Gull is the largest seagull in the world.

Common Redpolls

Flocks with hundreds of Common Redpolls are being reported all across Western New York!  I have had flocks at my bird feeders with a hundred or more individuals for the last several days.

Winter in the Vineyard

Ruddy Duck

Ice Volcanoes on Lake Erie

I took a video today of "Ice Volcanoes" on Lake Erie.

Snow Dunes

Sand dunes along a Lake Erie beach are transformed into snow dunes.

American Pipit

Observed yesterday, on January 2nd, one American Pipit wading in shallow water and feeding actively in the west end of the Dunkirk New York Harbor, near Bart's Cove.

Icy Swamp

Evening Twilight

Happy New Year!

Snow Bunting

Frozen in Time

Gravity of Love

"But if you're in the eye of a storm just think of the lonely Dove,
     The experience of survival is the key to the gravity of love."

~ song lyrics by Enigma

Frozen Fog

Common Redpoll

Several Common Redpolls were visiting the bird feeders in my yard today.

Peace on Earth

Holiday Treats

Ice Bells

Black-capped Chickadee

Old Man Winter

Solstice Greetings!

The true meaning of this date every year symbolizes the death of the old crop cycle in the northern hemisphere and the beginning of a new cycle.  Trees are dormant and the earth rests and regenerates itself until the spark of life returns in February at the time of Imbolc.

Last Day of Autumn

Attention climate change deniers:  Blossoms on a tree on the last day of autumn 2012 in western New York!  Our unusually mild weather this month has totally confused this tree.  The winter storm predicted for tomorrow should put a quick end to the confusion.

Bonaparte's Gull

I love these petite and graceful gulls.  They breed in Canada during the summer and spend the winter in the deep south, the Caribbean, and oddly around the southeastern portions of the Great Lakes.  In winter their black heads turn white with a dark smudge behind the eye.

Sunset Portal

Like a splash of gold paint in the sky.

Swan Yoga

Sapphire Blue

Wintery Sunset

Icy Stare

This poor Blue Jay went to drink from the unheated bird bath this morning only to find the surface frozen solid.  He stared at his reflection for a while, poked at it a few times and then flew off.

Strange Weather for December

Shelf clouds with thunderheads, 60 degree temperature at dawn and spring peepers singing.  Very strange weather for western New York in December.

Bonaparte's Gulls in Winter Plumage