I spotted two eagles in distant trees near the marina. One flew off immediately, but the other remained on a branch. While I was hoping to catch it in flight, the eagle stayed put, looking out for fish and preening its feathers. Always a thrill to see this majestic bird.
Windswept, snow-sculpted dunes and Lake Michigan’s deep azure blue waters greeted me last Saturday, my first visit to the Lakeshore since November 20. Familiar sights at Platte Bay and Esch Beach looked so different in winter garb. Stunning beauty in every season.
The weekend sunshine and clear skies brought opportunities for sunrise, sunset, and full moon photography…right in my own backyard.
I’m not one for winter driving, and I can easily get housebound during the snowy season. Picture-taking also feeds my soul, so I push myself to get out once or twice a week. Luckily, I live on the southwest end of Traverse City, only a couple of miles from farms, snowy meadows, wetlands, and critters. Yesterday afternoon, I headed out in the eleven-degree heatwave to see what wintry scenes would catch my eye. I saw many, but it was the tattered stars-and-stripes that grabbed my heart the most, a symbol of just how broken America has become.
Heavy snow, blizzard winds, and frigid temperatures have made for wicked conditions this week. Still, I find a pristine, desolate beauty in the outdoor scenes of this kind of weather.
According to Audubon, an irruption of Snowy Owls is occurring this winter. A baby boom of these birds in the Arctic has sent large numbers south in search of food. This influx is probably why I saw three Snowies in one day a few weeks ago. I’ve been searching the area religiously since then to no avail. I set out again on Thursday afternoon when the skies lightened with a hint of sunshine. In the distance, I saw a bump that seemed out of place on the rooftop of a building. Driving closer, the bump turned out to be an immature Snowy Owl. It had its transparent third eyelid drawn to protect its eyes from the brightness, so I didn’t see its yellow eyes. Still, it's always exciting. Stay safe out there, today. It looks treacherous.
The sun came out on Monday afternoon, and I headed out to take pictures. I didn’t see anything unusual, like more Snowy Owls, just Pure Michigan winter scenes. My favorite was the shadow of a bird walking atop a silo.
