Closer than meteors

… in more ways than one.

On this recent trip, we had one good electrical storm come rolling in with plenty of warning, and being on the open lake meant that we could see it in the distance while approaching. Ah, the perfect opportunity to get lightning that would normally be hidden by ‘the horizon’ of trees, buildings, and basketball players! Except that it was before sundown, so read more

New York: The ungulates


Considering how often and in how many places we saw the species, I’m a little surprised that I don’t have more photos, but then I remember the circumstances most times. At the Gatsby mansion where we stayed in New York, the property was absolutely loaded with white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus,) but they remained a bit spooky and tended not to stick around read more

New York: The non-raptors

Between the two trips, I got a remarkable number of images and video clips, which has taken no small amount of time to sort, resize, and/or edit into finished video – there’s one included here, and at least two more waiting in the wings. I will apologize in advance for the instability of the segments therein, since the visits to the refuge were as time allowed and I never planned read more

Work in progress, be patient


I mentioned, just over a week ago, coming back from a trip, and that I’d be following up on that clue as to where. So before I continue, I offer the above photo as another clue, to let you guess again (or stick with your original answer.)

All set? Want to examine the photo for more details? Those aren’t palms, so despite the impression, there’s no actual indication that it was semi-tropical. read more

Just so you know you missed them

In a few days at the end of the month, both the southern delta Aquariids and the alpha Capricornids (both meteor showers, and that’s apparently the way you should capitalize them) will be peaking, though I really should have told you about this earlier, because now the moon will be still a bit bright and visibility thus greatly reduced for all but the brightest meteors – both were ‘active’ read more

Evidence

I’m used to looking out at the greenhouse and seeing strange trails through the condensation that forms on the inner surfaces of the ‘glass’ (not really glass,) because the leopard snails have a tendency to creep inside and then cruise about the interior. But this morning, the tracks were a bit different.


Definitely not a snail there, but it only took a moment to read more

New York: The… somethings…

It’s been a while getting to this point, because I had to shoot some video for it, which took even longer because I had to reshoot one of the clips when it turned out badly, and then of course all the editing and voiceover hoohah that goes along with it.

Anyway, what we’re talking about today are fossils. On the trip up to central New York last month, I got the chance to revisit a fossil read more

Profiles of Nature 28


Yes, we’ve passed the halfway mark, but there’s still a lot more to go and no sign that actual humor might make the briefest appearance, much like Jimmy Fallon and just as unashamed and oblivious. This week we see Prudence in the profile pic for her OnlyFannies account, and you can interpret that in the American or British way – doesn’t matter, both accurate. read more

Days past

Just before leaving on this most recent trip, we got a text from a neighbor that the nearby pond was hosting a surfeit of great egrets, so we set aside a few minutes to go over and see them. Hurricane/Tropical Storm Elsa had passed through a couple of days previously, and this was potentially what fostered their appearance I know a pair had shown up a few years back in similar read more

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