Tuesday, April 10, 2012

GREAT BLUE HERON LANDING

Here's a great view of two Great Blue Herons landing high in a tree near their nest. Sapsucker Woods, Cornell University.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mr5E2MA0w38&feature=colike

Here's the link to the live web cam on the nest.

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/page.aspx?pid=2433

Sunday, April 8, 2012

BUNNY SEASON BEGINS

Today is Easter. I'm excited because of bunnies and truffle eggs and spring, so I suppose I should refer to it as Ostara, instead. The seasons and phases of the moon are predictable. Religion, not so much.

After giving up the illusion we could be lakeside by noon, we blew through Marion around 1:30. In the little pond on East Williamson Road before Witherden I saw either a muskrat or a beaver. However, by the time I ran back to the bridge he was gone. Two Canada Geese sat like decoys, and refused to give him up.

Onward to Sodus Point, via East Williamson Road to Townline to Lake to water.  Slight hopes that asparagus would be ready were dashed when passing Burnaps. 

We unloaded the car and the dogs, debated walking down to the beach and decided on a nap instead. It was around 45°, and really windy. Suddenly we remembered cheese. Off to the Heluva Good store for cheese, then for a ride to see what was around.

Grebes off Route 14 between the old trestle and Margaretta Road



Beautiful, blue sky was all around, but not many birds. We crossed Bay Bridge, seeing only a couple Mute Swans on the South side.  Suddenly, something soared over the bridge heading south. Adrienne said "I think that's an eagle". We caught another glimpse of it and it was big, and had a beautiful white head and tail. Yep, that's a Bald Eagle. It soared out of sight so we tried to follow around a really big block - Ridge to Lake Bluff to 104 to Brick Schoolhouse Road. Note to self: go back and get photos of some of those buildings.

Back over Bay Bridge, we stopped on the side of the road and the Eagle showed up again. He flew right over the car several times while I attempted to get pics with the Lumix - missed every time. I need to calibrate that. So I changed to the Rebel and tried again, and finally got a few of him overhead.

Bald Eagle over Bay Bridge



While waiting for the Eagle to reappear I checked out the swan nest - she was there sitting on the nest!  I took a few pictures, but she didn't move much. When I looked at them later I realized there was a bonus bird in the picture.  A really skinny Great Blue Heron.

Mute Swan on nest with Great Blue Heron on guard



The wind moving the willows was beautiful, too; video would have been better.







 
Heading back into the Point we stopped at Harriman Park, next to the boat launch, between Arney's Marina and Margaretta Road.  Saw more Grebes, gulls, a few Mallards, maybe a Redhead.  AND - my favorite little buddy, the Kingfisher on this pole.

Belted Kingfisher near Route 14 boat lauch



After cheese and crackers and sparkling grape it was time to check out the light for later. Here, everything seems to revolve around the light, the wind, waves, and weather.

 





Red-Breasted Merganser at Rt. 14 boat launch. Say it with me, it's fun - Mer-Gan-Ser



Looking North from Bay Bridge - windy




I wondered why this bunny didn't run while I took some pictures. Until I got back and saw the picture on a bigger screen!







The rising Full Pink Moon over Sodus Bay and Arney's Marina. Not a cloud in the sky until moonrise.

 


 





Thursday, April 5, 2012

LAKE ONTARIO CONDITIONS

Lake Ontario Surface Temperature - Current:  http://www.coastwatch.msu.edu/ontario/o.html

Lake Ontario Cloud Cover:
http://coastwatch.glerl.noaa.gov/modis/modis.cgi/modis?region=o&page=1

MAPS

Maps, charts and aerial photos fascinate me. I need a place to store source information, and will start here.


MAPPING SITES

CoastWatch: http://www.coastwatch.msu.edu/twoontarios.html

National Map: http://nationalmap.gov/

OpenStreetMap: http://www.openstreetmap.org

USGS Topo:  http://nationalmap.gov/ustopo/

USGS EarthExplorer:  http://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/




CHART SITES



AERIAL PHOTO SITES

AerialPics.com - Great Lakes imagery:  http://www.aerialpics.com/A/welcome.html

Great Lakes Aerial: http://www.greatlakesap.com/gallery/

MapMart: http://www.mapmart.com

MyTopo: http://www.mytopo.com/index.cfm

Photography Plus - photos of Great Lakes, Lake Ontario and Sodus Bay: http://www.photography-plus.com/ScenicPage.htm

SkyPic: http://www.skypic.com/

TerraServer: http://www.terraserver.com/

USGS Aerial Imagery: http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod/aerial.html

Vintage Aerial: http://vintageaerial.com/







Wednesday, April 4, 2012

IT'S BUNNY TIME

 
 
PETER COTTONTAIL

Here Comes Peter Cottontail  From the movie "Hills Of Utah"; performed by: Gene Autry; written by: Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins, ©1950
Here comes Peter Cottontail
Hoppin' down the bunny trail,
Hippity hoppity,
Easter's on its way


Bringin' ev'ry girl and boy
A basketful of Easter joy
Things to make your Easter
Bright and gay


He's got jelly beans for Tommy
Colored eggs for sister Sue
There's an orchid for your mommy
And an Easter bonnet too. Oh!


Here comes Peter Cottontail
Hoppin' down the bunny trail
Hippity hoppity
Happy Easter Day


Here comes Peter Cottontail
Hoppin' down the bunny trail
Look at him hop and listen to him say,


"Try to do the things you should"
Maybe if you're extra good
He'll roll lots of Easter eggs your way


You'll wake up on Easter morning
And you'll know that he was there
When you find those choc'late bunnies
That he's hiding ev'rywhere,
Oh!


Here' comes Peter Cottontail
Hoppin' down the bunny trail
Hippity hoppity
Happy Easter Day.