A 5000 Mile Cloud from Asia to the Pacific NWest

It's not a first time event. It happened about 2009, too. But, it is a very unusual set of events that allow it to happen. It's been called a river of water for the heavy rain and snow fall that it brings. Some mountain elevations at 10K or higher are going to get 11 feet of snow.

I've had a gut feeling about this winter already from the things that I have observed from the early flipping of the leaves to the heavy berry production. My maternal grandfather always said that if you watch nature, it will tell you what's to come. He was right. The squirrels have been out in super large numbers planting their acorns. The pelicans got out of Canada a whole month early this year and the cormorants were right there with the pelicans. The seagulls come from the gulf and their absence is not surprising with the gulf being hit so hard this year with major hurricanes. Most of the people that I have talked with haven't even noticed the absence of the seagulls.

The monarch migration got caught behind the last cold front that blew in and got rid of our 90 degree days. There has been an increase of seeing them around the lakes but not in the numbers that should be seen for this time of year. With all the wildfires in on the west coast, the California monarch's that handle that Pacific Northwest  migration might very well loose a lot of monarchs this year. I had observed more species around this year; the most of the beautiful black and blues that I have seen in years.

There was a stunning new sailboat trailer[ed] in to Corinthian Sailing Club this afternoon. Seeing it reminded me of how I learn[ed] about the St. Patty's Day snows the Great Lakes states get every year. The year was one of those years that I decided to purchase a new car. Knowing that the road salt took its toll on cars, I decided that I would wait until March to get the car. That way, I would get an extra winter on the car without any salt buildup. The day came and I bought the car and drove it home after work. It was going to be so nice not to worry about getting salt on my new car. What I didn't know is that almost as regular as clock work, the last big snow of the winter is wet and heavy and usually will fall within a week to 10 days either side of Saint Patrick's Day. You should have seen the look of disbelief the next morning when I looked outside and saw about a 7-9 inch snowfall over night. Yep! the St. Patrick's Day snow have got my new car without delay. The snow came up over the front bumper. I shivered ever time someone would pass me and splash road salt on the side of my new car.

I don't think that the guys new sailboat will have that problem as I did with my car, but I know an old friend that just got a new car about a couple of weeks ago!. It's not St. Patrick's Day either,  but all the indications from that 5,000 mile cloud of rain to the Farmer's Almanac seem to think that it's going to be a more rough winter than most think. All those acorns and berries are probably just some freak nature thing, I suppose.

The blues are stunning.

May snow not fall upon this sail.

But winds can blow beneath a gale.

May this mast stand tall and straight

So when you tack and duck

Your head will miss the blow, with luck!

One of the arriving migratory Monarch's

We Are Under Construction Again!

Please be patient while we wreck the site and reconstruct it to be even better (overall).Some of the changes you will not be able to see on your side as we continue to work on the site. However, we will be able to post again and get that part back to working order immediately.

The Monarchs Are Looking Good....

and the other are showing their stuff, too! I've seen as many as five different flies on a goldenrod plant plus a wasp, honeybees and a hornet. To me, it's more than just amazing that Monarchs every 4th generation (the longest lifespan so they can migrate) is 6 to 9 months while the 1st through (pick up below the last image to continue to read)

Don't forget to click on any image to get them to enlarge. These are best at 100%.
 This golden rod is loaded with butterflies, moths, hornets, wasp, honeybees. The Monarch's have just started to arrive. They came in on the cold front we got Tuesday but the numbers are beginning to show strength now, as well.  There were some that I wanted to shoot but that's for another day.

The bees are amazing, too!

Check out the pelican on the far right. He was so tired from the flight in from the Canadian Border, he has his sleeping head on the back of his fellow pelican. They are so comical. That is what I love about these pelicans.

3rd generation only live up to 6 weeks and they head north from Mexico in the spring producing  both the 2nd and 3rd generations along the way.

But, they can be spotted so easily fluttering along at a pretty good clip. I watched one today for many minutes as it made it's way down the road in almost a straight line. Thinking to myself how this butterfly half the size of my palm would fly 2500 miles to hang in clusters of thousands on trees in the mountains of central Mexico all winter.

There were some awesome shots of tree leaves today. My favorite, the Sycamore, just does not have that lush tan to brown to beautiful leathery brown that they have produced the past several years. But everything is a trade off it seems. When one lets you down, another lifts you up and such is the cycle of nature.

Another 30 Pelicans Have Arrived Right On Time.

Well, last year, the pelicans were here on October 12th. About  ten days ago, the core of 17 arrived to stake their claim to the lake. Today, another 30 had arrived over night. I even got a shot of three in flight over the dam. But the bigger news is that after receiving word about a month ago that the Monarch's were in flight over Lake Erie on their migration to Mexico, today, I saw the first one on a milkweed plant covered in honey bees. It was starved for energy-building nectar after a long, long trip this far. Even tons of honey bees could not keep it for dining. They still have about a thousand miles to go yet.

It is also amazing to me that with all the hurricanes in both the Gulf and in the Eastern Pacific off the coast of Mexico, that the butterflies timing is just unbeatable. The Pacific hurricanes south of Baja cut across the central mountains of Mexico and come in over West Texas. Maybe that is why we are on the migration path. It seems they come down right in a valley of air currents. Little frail butterflies on wing all that distance. Amazing. One cold front has passed, the next one is due tomorrow night and will drop the temps some 25 degrees for a couple of days before going back into the upper 80s. October is such a roller-coaster of temperatures here. Not complaining---snow birds!

American White Pelicans here until about mid February

Rest stop for migrating Monarch Butterflies

The honey bees were 50 or more per bush but the butterfly was going to rebuild its strength none-the-less. I saw one bee try to sting the butterfly but he stayed right where it was hanging.

Observing the Birds Today

Some days just lend themselves to being mundane, yet so revealing. It was a lazy afternoon. Its  ending found me sitting  on a bench and watching the birds that make the core of the domesticated stock. Once in a while I do that because it never fails that I see something or learn something about the birds that helps me photograph them better in future encounters. Watching the wildlife isn't always just a therapeutic rest, but it does calm the soul from the rushing of life.

Another photographer came by and sat down next to me. Together, we shared photographic past. It was just about a month ago that someone ask me a question and I tried to explain how I had photographed one object hundreds of times but just had not found the effect that I had wanted to produce. Then, it happened and it was like being struck by a lightening bolt that brought me to the exact point in time that was made for that image to be made. All three came out exactly as I had envisioned originally. Today, the photographer and I were talking about such things and I had explained to him from a question that was ask that you get into a routine of shooting a certain way and the creative mindset is still there, it just doesn't come out in the way you see it. He still shoots with that clearcut way unencumbered and I tried to encourge him never to give that up at any cost.

The pigeons were nervous. They would land and then take off again.

This goose was rounding up a few of the pigeons and made it very well known that the hawk should leave.

The hawk flew in front of us landing in one tree, then coming back closer to us and finally up in my old sycamore that I love so much. From there he took off and headed back to the area where he usually hangs out.

Halloween Scary-Stuff Has Begun

Last Saturday on my rounds, there was a semi-tractor trailer at one of two local churches that I usually check out about this time of year. They both have large pumpkin patches that are pretty super for their pumpkins and also for their own decorations. One of the churches even donates their proceeds to an Indian Reservation a state west of here. It is my favorite for their mission work but also for their decorations and consideration for those that purchase pumpkins.

The week before, I had started watching for signs that  would be an indication that they would be selling pumpkins again this year. And in the process it has been noted that some pretty scary yard displays have already popped up. Some are rather simple, but show the spirit that  I have always looked forward toward. It sets the tone for the two holidays of the season that we all seem to honor;  with our own traditions and the traditions of others.

Yesterday, while checking on the progress of the Monarch butterfly arrivals at the lake, I got that sudden and unexpected WOW surprise as I came around a curve on the West Lawther side of the lake on the downside curve from T & P hill. The lakefront homes that are on the hill side escarpment overlooking the lake usually decorate their home with some neat stuff. One year in the past,  one of the driveway gates were done in some pretty neat spiderwebs with jack-o-lanterns in the flowerbeds. And, one of the homes that I favor architecturally usually comes up with some nifty stuff, too. A big pumpkin sitting on top of the two outer and two inter gate column coping caps are stunning. 

This home, in the years past has tended to keep things rather simple but with a whole lot of class. I also favor that type of decorating over the full-gawdy look that some do by overdoing or just being carried away with the thrill or joy of doing some decorations. We've all been there. The old adage, "keep it simple, stupid" is always a winner in my book. And, that same home that I favored for its architecture not only gave me that WOW effect when I first saw this years display, it stopped me dead in my tracks. It took a couple of minutes for me to catch my breath to where I could make a judgment on what I though of the whole scale of the decorations. In the end...I'd say that the owners did a super job of creativeness in creating a show stopper with plenty of class and simplicity. Well done.

The eyes have blinking red lights that show up in the daylight. I can only imagine what it would look like at night.

Actually, with the stone work and the new gate, the size and the theme are all plus factors.

There are four skulls total. Equally balanced and positioned for full effect.

Today Is....

My favorite  leaf, the Sycamore. I measured one today that was 15-inches by 11-inches.These are at the very top of the tree but I have a feeling that they are about that same size as the ones that I measured.

National Look at the Leaves Day and National Butterfly and Hummingbird Day. Just happen to have a few shots today of such things.

WRR Radio, the classical station  here in Dallas, has a weekly program at 8 P.M. our time (CT) featuring a Symphony Orchestra  each night. Tonight's broadcast is from the New York Phil and the program is once again playing Mahler's Requiem, in memory of those that were lost in the Las Vegas Shooting. It seems that they, NY Phil, plays this when there has been a major national tragedy. The chorus and the orchestra together have a very deep meaning for me. Gustav Mahler and I would have made good friends in our musical thinking.

So, the rain has finally made its way up from the Gulf as this post is being written. Eagerly, I am waiting for the 50 degree nights due next week when the day time temps will be in the 70s finally. It really has been a long hot summer. It hasn't been that Texas Sizzle that drains your energy completely, but it''s been hot non-the-less.

Sorry that I didn't come across a hummingbird. So, I'll sub in for the hummingbird, the place where the mallards have been hanging out this summer to stay cool. The tires and the ducks kind of blend in. Click on any of these pictures to enlarge and see the details closer.

Under the training sail boats are 10 mallards in the shade.

A butterfly recharging it's energy with some nectar for the milkweed and others that draws butterflies like honey to a bee.