Just as the Japanese Maple reached full fall glory, the first snow arrived.
Burdened by the icy wet, leaves shower from the treetop down; they dress the ground beneath the tree in brilliance not seen in a year.
As winter draws near.
winter
All posts tagged winter
Among the first Bluebirds to show up at my feeder, this one arrived after freezing rain enshrouded the feeder’s rain shield in icicles.
I’ve never seen them. I’ve never, ever seen Bluebirds in my yard or at my feeders. Until this month.
Wherever two or more are gathered, there’s an argument. Eastern Bluebirds on an icy birdfeeder.
First I saw a couple of Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis) show up just after I restocked my feeders for the morning. They returned the next day and then there were three. Skip forward a few days and yesterday, February 12, I counted eight — eight! — of the beauties around the feeders, in neighboring trees, and on the ground!
One of the eight Eastern Bluebirds that appeared in my Northern Ohio front yard February 12.
I don’t know why this year is different but at a time when I could use some cheering up, the Bluebirds flock to the view from my window. And they do, indeed, bring happiness.
NOT Bluebirds but they can certainly eat a lot of bird seed!
The gazebo at the center of Public Square, Medina, Ohio, all dressed up for the holidays!
It was worth braving the 24°F temperature to pay a return visit to Public Square Wednesday night, camera and tripod at-hand, to shoot some holiday pics! The recent official tree lighting was fun but, with the large and excited crowd, not a good time to set up the camera for long exposures. I’m hoping one of these, or other of my non-holiday shots will be published in the city’s bicentennial book.
Buildings along North Court Street, Medina, Ohio, are outlined in lights with windows dressed for the holiday season.
Besides the brilliantly-lit iconic gazebo, the buildings around and near Medina’s historic town center are outlined in white lights, lights are strung in the branches of sidewalk trees, and most businesses have decorated their storefront windows. It’s a little early in the holiday season but the sights were worth cold fingers and feet.
South Court Street viewed from Public Square, Medina, showcases businesses and buildings in their holiday finery.
Cloudfall. Snow and graupel falling from their bases make the clouds appear to be collapsing.
I usually don’t care much for winter cloudscapes. Snowy days tend to be overcast, shapeless, dull. Yesterday was different.
Sun-Snow-Shadow. Snow streamers and crepuscular rays interact. Snow and graupel falling from their bases make the clouds appear to be collapsing. Canon 7D Mark 2, March 7, 2018. Photo by James Guilford.
I was visiting relatives in Northwestern Ohio, driving from one town to the next, when clouds near the horizons caught my eye; it almost appeared the clouds were collapsing on to the farmland below! The wide, open views of flat farmland, along with isolated areas of falling snow and graupel produced fascinating scenes.
Isolated Snow Showers.
Bands of dark cloud swept overhead while, lit by the late afternoon sun, the falling streams of snowy precipitation shifted with the wind kept me stopping on the quiet country roads of Henry and Fulton Counties, hopping from site to site, making me late to my destination.
I couldn’t help it; the sight was so out of the ordinary.
Wren-Wreath. A Carolina Wren perches on a holiday wreath made of bird seed.
A couple of Carolina wrens (Thryothorus ludovicianus) stopped by one January afternoon to enjoy a treat from our holiday wreath; here’s one of them.
Away! A crow takes flight from a field of snow.
DUST OF SNOW
by Robert Frost
The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree
Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.
Lakeview Park Beach, Lorain, Ohio, in January 2018
Late in January we had a bit of a break in the weather. Yes, it was still cold but the sun was shining and the temperature was in the double-digits. We paid a visit to the Lake Erie coastline.
At Lakeview Park, Lorain, lake ice, pushed onshore by winds and waves, lay in piles dirtied by flotsam also thrown up by Erie.
Gulls sat on nearly every ice floe in Lake Erie, off Lorain, Ohio, as the old lighthouse stood watch.
Gulls rode ice floes in the open waters of Lake Erie off Lorain, Ohio, as the lighthouse stood watch. One ring-billed gull, on a chunk of ice of its own, seemed pretty relaxed; it yawned widely as we watched.
A Ring-Billed Gull yawns as it stands on an ice floe just offshore of Lorain, Ohio.
Wow! I haven’t posted anything since October?! Things have been happening, not all of them happy, but I did get out today on a little solo hike in the snow and fresh air. I also brought home a nice collection of new photographs and here are a few of them…
Memories of Times Past, Hope for the Future.
I spied a little bird’s nest in the branches of a small tree, the branches bare and the nest full of snow. I wrote this to accompany the photo:
A bird’s tiny nest,
Carefully woven in springtime,
Young fledged and gone away,
Nest now filled with snow.
Memories of times past,
Hope for the future.
The day was breezy and cold — 20° F– and as I was paused, photographing something at trailside, a gentleman passed, trudging through the fresh snow. “It’s refreshing today!” I answered, “That’s a word.” Perhaps not a witty exchange, but it was accurate.
Female Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
Though it won’t officially be winter for another several days, the weather, woods, and wildlife tell a different tale. Birds, especially, were scarce and mostly silent. In fact, during the first portion of my hike near the frozen wetland of Buckeye Woods Park, Medina, I saw no birds at all. Finally, in a small area along a branch trail, could be heard chirps of feathered ones. In the distance, Cardinals, Blue Jays, and a woodpecker flitted from tree to tree. A Chickadee eyed me warily, half in fear, half in hope of my bringing lunch. Only a lone female Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) lingered long enough and close enough for me to grab an image. The bird glowed in muted colors, lit from beneath by white snow. She soon joined her kind in trees far from me.
I ended my foray by venturing to the end of the trailhead parking lot. Across the road and a field was a derelict barn surrounded by bare trees, white snow below, white sky above. I think it might make a nice holiday card.
Old Barn – Last Legs
I must get out more often.
February Thunderstorm – Cloud-to-Cloud
A powerful thunderstorm rolled through the area the night of February 24 – quite unusual, as was the general weather, for winter in Northeastern Ohio.
Lightning arcs in February Thunderstorm – Cloud-to-Cloud and Cloud to Ground in the same space of time!
The storm approached from the southwest and, as it rolled in it was dry at first. I set my camera up in a sheltered patio area and waited for the occasional flash of lightning. Then, as so often happens, rain started and drove me indoors.
Lightning arcs in February Thunderstorm Bursting forth and spreading along the underside of the cloud – a “crawler.” The crawler was weaker, not as bright, as other flashes.
There, thanks to a beautiful new picture window with excellent glass, I was able to continue the shoot from the dry safety of my living room! Unfortunately, most discharges were out of my line of sight or low to the horizon; I did, however, get a couple of decent images.
The Ancient Rite of Spring
For wildlife, springtime is usually when family life begins. The hard winter is nearly gone, spring’s warmth is moving in, and the hope of a summer plentiful with food is ahead; so it is with the Great Blue Herons. Large numbers of herons annually nest together at their rookery in Cuyahoga Falls, at the edge of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The big wading birds build nests of twigs and some surprisingly large branches, pair off, and raise their young. On Sunday, the herons were mostly quiet, little mating, nest building, or flying, and no vocalization at all. The sky was milky white with cirrus — not the best conditions for bird photography. Still, a silhouette can tell a story of the ancient rite of spring,
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