Farewell to March

Sunset on the last day of March in a vineyard flooded by snow melt.

Spring Thaw

Horned Grebe

Black-Crowned Night-Heron

Killdeer

Not looking very happy with fresh snow on the ground.

Spring Snow

Great Blue Heron weathering a spring snowfall...

as Tundra Swans migrate through the sky overhead.

American Wigeon

Hairy Woodpecker

Distinctly different from the smaller, more common Downy Woodpecker when you note the much longer beak.

Equinox Sunset

On this most auspicious day of the Vernal Equinox, a Solar Eclipse and a New Moon...

The season of life and light is here.  Happy Spring!

Sandhill Crane

An uncommon visitor migrating through the area.

Spring Migration is on!

An American Pipit on the way to its breeding grounds on the Arctic tundra.  We see them in western New York only during the spring and fall migration seasons.

Eastern Bluebird

Horned Lark

Female above and male below.

Full Worm Moon

Long-tailed Duck

Red-breasted Merganser

Niagara Falls State Park

Trees frosted by the mist from Niagara Falls looked spectacular today against a clear blue sky.

Pileated Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker eating berries from staghorn sumac which is an exotic looking small tree that is a member of the cashew family.  The berries from this noble plant sustain the lives of many birds and wild animals in late winter.

White-winged Scoters

White-winged Scoters are ocean ducks that can be found on the Great Lakes and Niagara River in winter and during migration season.

Bald Eagles

Bald Eagles fishing in the Dunkirk Harbor during a heavy snowfall.

Dark-eyed Junco

Trying to stay warm on our heated doormat.  It was -10° F when this photo was taken. 

Sundog

Song Sparrow

In a few more weeks, this little one will be singing its heart out!

Winter Woods at Sunset

The Full Snow Moon

Tonight's full Snow Moon made a brief appearance through thickening clouds.

Imbolc

It is now the midpoint between the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox.  New life is stirring as Great Horned Owls lay and begin to incubate their eggs.  Sap begins running in the depths of maple trees. Baby lambs are born.  Hours of daylight are getting noticeably longer in the northern hemisphere. The life force in hardy winter plants becomes aware of itself. The great wheel of the year has reached Imbolc!

Common Redpolls

Stopping by for some thistle seeds to sustain them through another cold winter night.

Bookends

Frosted Forest

"I realize there's something incredibly honest about trees in winter, how they're experts at letting things go."  ~  Jeffrey McDaniel

Lake Erie Ice Dunes at Sunset

Blond Squirrel

Northern Cardinal

Red Fox in Action

Red Fox hunting for rodents in an open field on this snowy morning.

She was successful and ate twice while I watched her.

Cloud Ceiling

Frigid Sunrise

Iridescent clouds are visible in the upper right of the photo. They only form under very frigid conditions.  Click on the photo for an expanded view.

10° Fahrenheit at Sunset

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Wintery Beach

Wind chill of -7 degrees F.

National Bird Day

In the 19th Century, so many people caught and kept Northern Mockingbirds in cages that they nearly vanished from the entire east coast of the United States.  Even to this day, they are not very abundant in Western New York State.

Why National Bird Day?

• The beauty, songs, and flight of birds have long been sources of human inspiration.

• Today, nearly 12 percent of the world's 9,800 bird species may face extinction within the next century, including nearly one-third of the world's 330 parrot species.

• Birds are sentinel species whose plight serves as a barometer of ecosystem health and an alert system for detecting global environmental ills.
• Many of the world's parrots and songbirds are threatened with extinction due to pressures from the illegal pet trade, disease, and habitat loss.
• Public awareness and education about the physical and behavioral needs of birds can go far in improving the welfare of the millions of birds kept in captivity.
• The survival and well-being of the world's birds depends upon public education and support for conservation.

This is the reason for National Bird Day.  Click here for more info.

Great Blue Herons

Hanging on in the Dunkirk New York Harbor during strong winds with gusts up to 40 mph.

"My strength lies solely in my tenacity."  ~  Louis Pasteur

Happy New Year!

A new year begins and the possibilities are endless.

"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year."  ~  Ralph Waldo Emerson