December Sky
This December sky came at sunset on yet another warm and almost balmy evening…what a time to be alive! Our world is changing all around us as even buds and flowers have started to bloom in these unbelievable weather conditions. Yes, this is El Niño, but it is an El Niño in a period of intense global warming and climate change…all of which will cause possibly more frequent and more severe events going forward. The rate of this temperature change is unprecedented, and if it feels strange to us then imagine how the wildlife and plants throughout our world are feeling. I will be...
Read MoreHidden Wood Duck
This pond had a bunch of Mallards, American Black Ducks, and some hybrids…and hidden in the back were a couple of Wood Ducks, a treat for a December day when this water could very well have been frozen over in many other years. I hope you will be able to put on your t-shirt and shorts and get outside to enjoy this unfathomable stretch of holiday heat this weekend. See what you can find and keep an open mind – in the past week I have seen uncommon lingering birds like these, a dragonfly (Autumn Meadowhawk) and a butterfly (Orange Sulphur). It’s unbelievable! Scott Kruitbosch...
Read MoreUnfrozen Waters
Staring through the trees and seeing an unfrozen pond is a very common sight right now in the end of autumn when, at the most, we have a slight bit of ice or a little frost here and there. While everything “feels” like winter with a low sun, brown, decaying vegetation, and the cold “look” to the environment, our days are warming to historic levels. Whether it’s the weather or the climate – and in this case it’s both – nature has a strange feel to it at the moment thanks to El Niño.
Read MoreDecember El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Diagnostic Discussion
Looking for winter in the east? You might be looking to travel for it! The December El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Diagnostic Discussion that came out today says… Synopsis: El Niño is expected to remain strong through the Northern Hemisphere winter 2015-16, with a transition to ENSO-neutral anticipated during late spring or early summer 2016. “Seasonal outlooks indicate an increased likelihood of above-median precipitation across the southern tier of the United States, and below-median precipitation over the northern tier of the United States. Above-average temperatures are...
Read MoreRed-bellied Woodpecker
This is one gorgeous bird! It is a male Red-bellied Woodpecker enjoying the warmth of this December weekend, soaking in some sun between feeding on acorns and all sorts of natural food – which seems to be in abundance this season. Between the temperatures in this wonderfully warm stretch of weather and the varied menu to select from it is easy to see why species like this one are able to make a push further north to expand their range. The last two frigid years were an exception to the new warmer-than-average rule, and this incredible positive temperature departure is really going to...
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