Lynde Shores & 2nd Marsh -- January 26th, 2013

We had a fresh snowfall last night. This morning the snow was still clinging to tree branches... a winter wonderland. So, with camera in hand, I went over to Lynde Shores Conservation Area.

Unlike Second Marsh, where I seldom meet more than a few people, Lynde Shores is a family gathering place where kids feed the Chickadees out of their hand, or they spread seeds for the Cardinals, squirrels, etc. Or some just enjoy  a winter stroll with their parents. There were a couple dozen there today.

I also ran into a photographer buddy in the parking lot so we caught up on the news, as we went looking for a Barred Owl & Wild Turkeys we were told were there.

This has been a year for Barred Owls. This one was easy to find, beside the trail, half-dozing in a Black Locust tree. He couldn't have cared less about the stream of photographers and onlookers that came to see him. He'd open his eyes once in a while, look around, almost always in the opposite direction to where I was, then he'd go back to dozing.

You can see some of the thorns on the Black Locust in these shots. They're hard and deadly if you catch yourself on one.

They're beautiful birds.

Lynde Shores is a pretty large area but families tend to stick to the fairly short Chickadee Trail loop where there are lots of feeders and pretty much guaranteed Chickadees for the kids to feed.

There were half a dozen Cardinals on the trail where someone had left lots of seed. The snow in this shot is completely blown out but I like the end result.

Crown held high.

 High and proud!

It's interesting how friendly the squirrels have become at Lynde Shores. One came between my feet as I stood on the trail getting some shots of one of his buddies. At Second Marsh, they're gone if you're within 50 ft.

A very chubby Red Squirrel in a rather interesting pose.

We left the Chickadee loop, cutting through the bush to see if we could find the flock of Wild Turkeys someone had told us was in a field over yonder. I fully expected to find that they'd wandered back into the bush and we wouldn't see hide nor hair of them, but lo and behold, they were still there, wandering, albeit slowly, back in the direction of the bush.

And as luck would have it, just after we spotted the turkeys we saw a family of White Tails over to the right, closer to the bush.

It then became a matter of a couple shots of the turkeys, then a couple of the deer, then a couple more of the turkeys. A treat to be sure. A first for me in the wild, of having a choice of shots of two interesting species at the same time.

I don't think the deer took their eyes off us for more than a second or two at a time. Most of the 5 minutes or so that they were there, this was the view we had.

Whereas we want a clear view of things we look at, deer prefer a few blades of grass or a twig or two to 'hide' behind.

Another friendly squirrel on our way out.

The marsh area at Lynde Shores.

2nd Marsh
Before I went home I went down to the marsh for a quick look at Farewell Creek from the foot bridge, a scene I photograph throughout the seasons and over the years. There wasn't enough snow or open water to compete with the shot I got in 2008.

 

Here's my 2008 shot. My chances of catching the same kind of day... blue sky, deep snow, etc. are pretty slim. But I'll check again after any major snowfalls we get, to get another shot or two... but just as important, to take in and enjoy the beautiful scene.

January colors.

Farewell Creek north of Colonel Sam Drive.

It warmed up a bit as the day went on. Several people at Lynde Shores remarked on what a gorgeous day it was.

Add to that the turkeys, deer, Cardinals, Chickadees and squirrels... and sharing it with a friend. Kinda hard to beat.

- fini -