It's only been snowing for a few hours and the snow is very fine, about another 12 hours to go according to the forecast. It's already over 6 inches deep and when the wind picks up it's going to create some awesome drifts. Time to stick another couple of logs on the fire.
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| Fields during Winter Storm Fern |
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| Fields during Winter Storm Fern |
The other day; Sunday I think it was, I didn't fancy going outside except to feed the birds and to bring in extra firewood. I decided instead to photograph my Orchid that bloomed again after following the technique I learned from watching something on YouTube. This is a 50 frame focus stack, I also did a 50 frame focus stack combined with a 32 frame pixel shift for each regular frame. This of course equals 50 x 32 frames which for the mathematically challenged (basically any of the dumbasses born in the last 25 years) equals 1600 shots. I've processed these 1600 shots using Nikon NX Studio but haven't looked at it yet.
It's currently 19F (-7.22C), luckily theres no wind and bright sunshine. I popped outside to top up my feeders and decided to nip up the lane to see if I could finally get to photograph a Lapland Longspur which has eluded me all season. Must be my lucky day as one dropped down right in front of me. I didn't stay long as I forgot my gloves.
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| Lapland Longspur |
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| Lapland Longspur |
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| Lapland Longspur |
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| Horned Lark |
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| Horned Lark (from the other day) |
Don't worry, I'm not growing a halo, honestly. The water was frozen at the time!
As it was a balmy 41F (5C) this afternoon I took myself off to Middle Creek stopping at Dunkin Donuts on the way for my favorite Large Hot Cappuccino with 1 sugar. Arriving at Middle Creek I had a scan around for the Sandhill Cranes without any success. Everything was frozen solid, there was a large group of Tundra Swans, Canada Geese and assorted duck way out on the ice off Willow Point and several Ice Fishermen trying their luck near the dam.
Here's a few scenic shots from my afternoon visit.
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| Boat Launch Car Park |
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| Boat Launch |
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| Alder Tree |
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| Alder Tree |
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| a load of swans, geese and ducks out there on the ice |
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| Tundra Swans, Canada Geese and assorted Ducks |
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| Walking on Water (not very far out sweetheart, don't yell at me) |
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| the Dam |
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| Ice Fishermen |
In the past on the rare occasions when I have tried ice skating, everybody said that I look like one of those clowns that can skate really well but put on a show of an uncontrolled disaster waiting to happen just for the audience. When I went out to the garage this morning that's what it must have looked like. After a couple of days of on and off freezing rain the driveway is a broken hip waiting to happen. I wanted to pop up the lane to see how the field birds were faring in the icy fields. They appear to be finding plenty of food as very few were along the roadside. I did see an American Pipit, a single Lapland Longspur, a couple of Snow Buntings and lots of Horned Larks. I didn't get any worthwhile photos as they were mostly distant. I decided instead that as I haven't harassed the felines recently that I'd switch to a 135mm lens and mount the flash. They were all relaxing so not too difficult.
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| Callie |
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| Momma Bear |
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| Momma Bob |
... still below freezing though. As it got up to a whopping 42F yesterday afternoon I took a look to see if there were any of the field birds within range but no luck unfortunately. This morning it's still too cold just yet to go outside and plant some native flower seeds but I'll give it a go this afternoon. In the meantime I stuck my lens out the window and took a few shots this morning.
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| Blue Jay |
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| Dark-eyed Junco |
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| Blue Jay |
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| Mourning Dove |
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| Mourning Dove |
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| Starling on a Juniper |
I always used to see these beauties in Scotlands Caingorm Mountains and occasionally in the winter along the coast in Norfolk. Now in the winter they're just a few hundred yards down the lane. It was rather frigid this morning at 7F (-13.88C). The lack of wind and bright early morning sunshine made it seem warmer. I didn't stay up there long but still managed to take 2472 shots! Here's a select few of them.
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| Snow Bunting |
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| Snow Bunting |
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| Snow Bunting |
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| Snow Bunting |
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| Snow Bunting |
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| Snow Bunting |
