Challenging Photographic Day at Ashbridge’s: Feb. 4, 2023

Blowing snow was not in the forecast which I saw this morning although – 16 was. Yesterday, in -18 degrees, my camera battery was exhausted in half an hour so I tried something different.

I used an older camera knowing that it would get some snow on it, I put 2 batteries in my snow pants pocket covered by my parka to keep them warm and I used a plastic camera bag to cover the camera. Unfortunately, I could not attach the bag to the camera (telescopic lens) so it blew away about 20 times. Thank-you to the group who kept bringing it back. I was putting the camera battery in just before taking a photo but this leads to very cold hands and, at one point, I dropped a battery in the snow which I quickly found. And, of course, my balaclava was fogging up the camera viewfinder.

It was fun!!

Some birds:

Mallard (male)
Buffleheads
American Tree Sparrow
Gadwalls and Mallards
Gadwalls and Mallards
Mute Swans
Common Goldeneyes
Northern Cardinal (male) with Chickadee
Gadwall (female)
Mallards
Mute Swans
Mallards
Common Goldeneyes
Mallards

Park views:

Some botany:

Scotch Pine (Pinus sylvestris)
Black Alder (Alnus glutinosa)
beaver gnawing on Cottonwood
Sea-buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides)

Today’s group:

NATURE POETRY

Come see the north wind’s masonry.
Out of an unseen quarry, evermore
Furnished with tile, the fierce artificer
Curves his white bastions with projected roof
Round every windward stake, or tree, or door.  – Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82), “The SnowStorm”

Miles Hearn

3 thoughts on “Challenging Photographic Day at Ashbridge’s: Feb. 4, 2023

  1. Karen Eckert

    OKAY, so I’m not Ogden Nash, but I try………..

    How beautiful is the cardinal
    Who brings us love in winter!
    His red shines brightly in our hearts
    And we never need to squinter.

    I think those mute swans
    Have the right idea,
    Tucking their heads in their fat feathers.
    But all I`ve got are long johns
    It’s really not that fair
    I’m left with insufficient measures
    In the raw and icy air.

    Reply

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