Tundra Swans in Flight

"We cannot stop the winter or summer from coming.  We cannot stop the spring or the fall or make them other than they are.  They are gifts from the Universe that we cannot refuse.  But we can choose what we will contribute to life when each arrives."  ~  Gary Zukov (author of The Seat of the Soul)

Snowy Owl

It certainly appears that we are in for another Snowy Owl irruption this winter.  For an informative blog post on this unprecedented back-to-back irruption year, click here.

Juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk

Long-tailed Duck

A female Long-tailed Duck in the Dunkirk Harbor today.

American Kestrel

American Kestrel eating a rodent it caught.

Scenes at Dusk

A trio of White-tailed Deer in lightly falling snow 

and Canada Geese flying in a southwesterly direction just before sunset.

Morning Sky

Clouds gathering more lake effect snow over Lake Erie were visible at sunrise today.

Tundra Swan

Snow Fog

Hooded Mergansers

Play Time in the Snow

American Goldfinch

Lake Effect Snow

The wall of lake effect snow over Lake Erie is highlighted by the sunrise this morning.

Red-bellied Woodpecker

A Red-bellied Woodpecker hunkering down during blizzard conditions.

Dark-eyed Junco

This is the Oregon version of the Dark-eyed Junco which is considered a rarity in western New York.

Snowy Owl

Spotted my first Snowy Owl of the season this morning.  It was quite far away for photos but it's nice to see them return!  It appears that we are in for another irruption this winter.  For an informative blog post on this unprecedented back-to-back Snowy Owl irruption, click here.

Sharp-shinned Hawk

A Sharp-shinned Hawk during a period of heavy snow today.  It had just caught a Slate-colored Junco. 

Rough-legged Hawk

Another arctic breeding bird returning from the far north for the winter.

Carolina Wrens

On this unusually warm and sunny November day, the Carolina Wrens were out and about and actually singing!

American Tree Sparrow

Tree Sparrows have returned for the winter months.  They spend the summer and breed on the tundra  in the far northern regions of Canada and Alaska.

Sunset Glow

Reflections of the sunset on Lake Erie this afternoon.

Red-necked Phalarope

The Red-necked Phalarope continues to remain in the area.

Waxing Gibbous

Waxing Gibbous Moon at 80% tonight.

Red-necked Phalarope

This delicate little shorebird is rarely seen in our area.  It breeds in Alaska and northern Canada and migrates to the open ocean in the Southern Hemisphere for the winter.  This one is in winter plumage. The red neck coloration is only visible during breeding season.

Affectionate Crows

Return of the Snow Buntings

Migrating from the far north, Snow Buntings have returned for the winter months.

Horned Grebe

Late October

"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers."  ~  L. M. Montgomery

Solar Eclipse

Partial Solar Eclipse over Lake Erie at sunset this evening.

Red Admiral Butterfly

Finding a Red Admiral or any butterfly in Western New York in late October is a real treat!

A Second Spring

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." ~ Albert Camus

Winter Wren

The tiny Winter Wren is very elusive to spot and even harder to photograph.  This little one gave me a few brief seconds to snap some shots of it before disappearing again in the thick brush.

Savannah Sparrow

By early November, the Savannah Sparrows will all be gone from our area until they return in spring.

October Winds

Gusty winds on Lake Erie created some dramatic waves today.

Get Hooked on Nature

Long Distance Travelers

Pectoral Sandpiper (above) and a Lesser Yellowlegs (below) - both of these species breed in the far north and Arctic Tundra in summer and return to South America during our winter months.

Canadian Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to our Canadian friends across the border!