Hidden American Woodcocks
March is the month for the American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) as the species heads north to (hopefully) unfrozen earth, with males arriving as quickly as they can to set up on the best territory for their legendary display flights. This year’s polar lock on the region may slow them down as feeding will be very difficult, if not impossible, for another week or two at least. Open fields and meadows adjacent to wetlands, marshes and scrubby/shrubby lands are good places to wait for their evening aerial dances later in the month. I photographed these two birds in the early winter, long...
Read MoreRed Fox Entering Snowy Den
I had a split second to raise my camera, aim, and shoot at this Red Fox on Wednesday before it quickly darted back into its den. I included the first photo of it looking at me despite the fact I unfortunately focused on the grass that covered its eye, bah! If my aim had been a fraction of an inch to the side, or that one blade was not in the way, I would have been a very happy man. That is the nature of…nature…photography when you often do not get a second chance for a great shot. Nevertheless, I loved the red and brown colors of this animal contrasting against the still...
Read MoreSleepy Snowy Owl
I recently found this Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) taking a snooze on a cloudy and dreary sort of morning, sitting in the snow in some grasslands, blending in well with its surroundings. This bird looks to be an adult male with an almost all-white head and body. Despite how sleepy it was it stayed on guard, a silent and barely-moving sentinel occasionally turning its head to check something out with eyes still nearly entirely shut. There are still plenty of these visitors around, and soon enough they will be moving back to the north. Get out and find one! Scott Kruitbosch Conservation &...
Read MoreSnowy Shadows in the Sun
The shadows cast by these trees are changing every day as the sun rises in the sky. Winter has a complete and total grip on the region at the moment. Spring may seem like it is so very far away…but it is closer than we think. This white earth will reveal so much life before we know it. These shadows will become cracks in the arctic cover as nature explodes with renewed energy once again.
Read MoreSnow Piling Up
The snow keeps piling up for us this February, its weight on the trees and the earth growing. We will have a lot of water to absorb into the soil come spring! If the conditions stay near normal throughout the next few months vernal pools should be filled with plenty of successfully reproductive amphibian life. Additionally, this upcoming weekend may finally thaw us out a bit (if we define “thaw” as the temperature actually rising above freezing for a few hours) and deliver a system featuring…gasp…liquid precipitation that does not freeze on contact! It is also known...
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