spring

All posts tagged spring

Morning Visitor(s)

Posted by Photonstopper on June 10, 2017
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Photo: Morning Visitor - A Great Blue Heron above Our Pond. Photo by James Guilford.

Morning Visitor – A Great Blue Heron above Our Pond

Since moving here late last year, I’ve wondered if the pond drew more than ducks and geese to feed, rest, and nest. This morning we spotted this beautiful Great Blue Heron perched on a tree trunk! I shot pictures as I slowly moved closer; the heron was aware of my presence. It wasn’t until the bird had enough of me that I learned, hidden below the edge of the bank was another Great Blue Heron! Hate to admit it: I was totally unprepared for the pair taking off together over the still waters of our pond. Still, I’m pretty happy with this portrait.

Stormy weather, wondrous scenes

Posted by Photonstopper on May 30, 2017
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Photo: Shelf cloud panorama shot May 28, 2017 in Grafton Township, Ohio. Photo by James Guilford.

Shelf cloud panorama shot May 28, 2017 in Grafton Township, Ohio

I have loved weather-watching since I was a young boy and I believe that love has grown as I have grown older. I am now located in an area where, with a little head start, I can reach open country — away from town — to observe and photograph weather phenomena. My current favorites are lightning, and shelf clouds. (BTW: I don’t shoot lightning from open country!) Lately I’ve had two successes resulting from interpretation of weather radar that allowed interception of storms. I drove to places in the path of oncoming storms, waited, and photographed the developing scenes. In each case, once the storm shelf clouds appear, there are a very few minutes to set up the shot, record images, and then duck out of the rain as it arrives fast and furiously! The first picture (below) did not turn out as well as I’d have liked. I simply cannot seem to process the image in a way that pleases me and represents what I saw; and it’s way too blue! The second picture (above) is much better, in my opinion, depicting the leading edge of a thunderstorm as it barreled towards me. Both experiences were exciting, great fun, and rewarding in themselves. I’m working on photo techniques that will better depict the wondrous scenes.

Photo: The leading edge of a thunderstorm - May 21, 2017. Photo by James Guilford.

The leading edge of a thunderstorm – May 21, 2017.

Blackbird fly

Posted by Photonstopper on May 8, 2017
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Watching from a small tree, a male Red-Winged Blackbird sits in shade. Photo by James Guilford.

Watching from a small tree, a male Red-Winged Blackbird sits in shade, its red shoulder markings hidden.

The Red-Winged Blackbird announced itself from the branches of a small tree nearby. He allowed visitors to approach only so much, then flew off. Repeating.

Photo: Too close! A male Red-Winged Blackbird rockets from one tree to another. Photo by James Guilford.

Too close! A male Red-Winged Blackbird rockets from one tree to another.

Safe passage

Posted by Photonstopper on April 29, 2017
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Photo: Pair of Northern Water Snakes - (Nerodia sipedon). Photo by James Guilford.

Northern Water Snakes – (Nerodia sipedon)

At Lorain County MetroParks’ Schoepfle Garden last Sunday, I spied two snakes sunning themselves on the bank of a pond. The snakes became aware of me but unpanicked, moved into the water and away at a leisurely pace. As they submerged and wriggle-swam, the pair changed from dark and dusty — nearly black — to their true shades of brown, revealing beautifully-patterned skins. As the larger of the two reptiles turned to meet its (apparent) mate which had gone in the opposite direction, it passed by a large bullfrog. Wary of the possible danger the frog, though too large to be swallowed, held perfectly still as the water snake passed.

Photo: Northern Water Snake Swims Past a Large American Bullfrog - (Lithobates catesbeianus or Rana catesbeiana). Photo by James Guilford.

Northern Water Snake Swims Past a Large American Bullfrog – (Lithobates catesbeianus or Rana catesbeiana)

Yeah, I love this stuff

Posted by Photonstopper on April 28, 2017
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Photo: Dramatic clouds roll in accompanying a cold front. Photo by James Guilford.

Approach: A Cold Front Arrives

Scattered thunderstorms were roaming the area. Watching radar, I spied a “gust front” — the leading edge of encroaching cold air — that could be visually interesting. So I headed out to a favorite spot with a fairly good view to the southwest and over Medina. I thought I was well ahead of my target clouds but arrived at the site with clouds already overhead. In this shot a “roll cloud” can be seen in the distance — the actual leading edge of the front. As it passed overhead winds picked up from a breeze to probably 25 MPH and higher … and chilly! My burgeoning interest in weather has led me to get National Weather Service Skywarn Spotter training and, because I had to guess the wind speed I’ve ordered a handheld anemometer. Yeah, I love this stuff!

Image: Radar Image of April 27 Storm Activity

Radar Image of April 27 Storm Activity – Cloud photo was from a site on the south edge of an area of heavy rain, near West Salem in this image made earlier.

Sunset to nightfall

Posted by Photonstopper on March 25, 2017
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Photo: Cirrus clouds glow orange in sunset rays. Photo by James Guilford.

Cirrus clouds glow orange in sunset rays.

I took a late-day stroll Friday, exploring the neighborhood and enjoying the warm spring air. As the sun sank low in the west, I could see it had potential for a beautiful sunset — streaked cirrus clouds aligned north and south across the sky. So I waited. The air grew cool. The cirrus seemed to disappear. And then warm color rose, first lighting a few scattered cumulus and then revealing the missing cirrus. Just after sunset the sky turned orange, glowing clouds reflected in water, ducks made ripples as they found their nighttime moorings.

Photo: Colors deepen as night falls; ducks make ripples on the pond. Photo by James Guilford.

Colors deepen as night falls; ducks make ripples on the pond.

Ancient rite of spring

Posted by Photonstopper on March 6, 2017
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Photo: Near-silhouette of a pair of Great Blue Herons high in a tree on their nest of sticks.

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,

Out there, somewhere….

Posted by Photonstopper on June 15, 2016
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Photo: Lake Erie Storm off Vermilion

Lake Erie Storm off Vermilion

A quick house hunting trip to Vermilion produced no new home June 6; it did, however, produce the opportunity to photograph a storm moving in across Lake Erie. I love the beautiful scenes the lake produces and that is, primarily, why living near the coast is something I think I’d like. Sun, clouds, and water are constantly changing and when a storm is involved those changes happen rapidly.

Photo: Vermilion Lighthouse. Photo by James Guilford.

Against the Coming Storm

I (stupidly) didn’t have my DSLR gear with me but was carrying my trusty iPhone 6SE with its tiny but mighty internal camera. As winds rose, I was able to make a panorama of the lake scene (above) and a nice portrait of the Vermilion Lighthouse brightly popping against the darkening sky.

I’ll try and remember to bring the “big guns” with me from now on as we seek a new home out there, somewhere….