2009 Sled Dog Dash

Saturday's dog sled races were cancelled as soon as we arrived. The trails were too icy from yesterday's rain. The wind was 25 mph (40kph), the temperature was 10°F (-12°C), giving a windchill of -11°F (-24°C) (Source: National Weather Service) . I only managed to get a few photos shot before I felt huge pain in my fingers. Here is the starting line with Burke Mountain in the background. The races will continue tomorrow, but I have schoolwork to do.

Sled Dog Dash

2009 Sled Dog Dash Set on Flickr

Technorati Tags: Sled Dog Dash, Burke Mountain
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A Long Cold Wait

Remember the ice climber that I met on Crystal Lake? Here he is going off to the ice cliffs while his dog watches.

Ice Climbing on Crystal Lake Set on Flickr

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Ice Fishing on Crystal Lake

I met a gentleman and his dog at Crystal Lake. He was going to climb the icy cliffs with only crampons and an ice pick. No ropes. His dog enjoyed eating the discarded bait from the ice shacks. The wind was bitterly cold. The man told me that he does this once a day no matter what the weather.

I walked out onto the lake with them, past the ice shacks and looked back at the shore and took this photo. We were at the tail end of our latest big snow storm (18 inches).

Ice Climbing on Crystal Lake Set on Flickr

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Lonely Little Redpoll

I captured this lone common redpoll in the bird tree late Sunday afternoon. I have always seen redpolls in big boisterous flocks. They eat together, whirl through the sky together, and argue a lot. So seeing this little one all alone in the middle of this snow storm was a bit worrisome. But I know it has plenty of food to eat.

Common Redpoll Set at Flickr

Technorati Tags: Carduelis flammea, common redpolls
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Girl Goose

I have a whole series of shots of this girl waddling in the road at a Westmore farm. Someday I'll put them together in a video.

Ducks and Geese Set on Flickr

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First Red Squirrel

Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

This is my first red squirrel photo this winter. This was a young, skittish squirrel and was very difficult to capture. I keep wondering what happened to the wonderful horde of squirrels that were at the bird tree last year.

Red Squirrel Set on Flickr

Technorati Tags: red squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
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Lake Willoughby and Mount Pisgah

The white "field"' under Mount Pisgah on the left is Lake Willoughby — which is crowded with trucks and ice fishers. Mount Pisgah's cliffs are where peregrine falcons nest in the spring. The hiking trails are closed until the baby falcons are independent. This photo was taken about four miles from my house on Saturday in a farmer's field during my bird hunt drive (scroll down for flying turkeys and snow buntings).

My Willoughby Lake Set on Flickr

Technorati Tags: Willoughby Lake, Mount Pisgah
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Flying Turkeys

I stalked a flock of wild turkeys today. They began to fly down the hill I was on and I managed to catch many in flight. More of the photos can be seen in my Wild Turkeys Set on Flickr. They are not very graceful when they fly. But it was wonderful hearing them call to each other as they met under a grove of fir trees after their flight.

Technorati Tags: wild turkey, Meleagris gallopavo
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Snow Buntings

Plectrophenax nivalis

When my father was alive, I used to love to go to his house and watch the snowbirds (what he called them) run in and out of their snow tunnels on the ground and wheel in huge flocks in the sky. Today, I finally found another flock in Brownington. Snow buntings make your soul soar. These are the first snow bunting photos I have ever taken. Simply having done this today makes this a perfect day. Happy Valentine's Day!

Silly crooked snowbird.

I really enjoy thinking about how mathematically birds space themselves on phone wires.

Snow Buntings Set on Flickr

Technorati Tags: Plectrophenax nivalis, snow buntings
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Ice Jam on the Missisquoi River

We had a big thaw this week followed by rain today. This created floods and ice jams in rivers. These are photos of the ice jam today on the Missisquoi River. It flooded the road.

The warm air over the snow and ice creates beautiful mists.

Missisquoi River Set on Flickr

Technorati Tags: Missisquoi River, ice jam
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Gateway Center

There was no school on Friday. We had a teacher professional development day. My day was spent at the Gateway Center in Newport, Vermont. It is on Lake Memphremagog. The class content was interesting, the site was beautiful and the food outstanding!

Technorati Tags: Gateway Center, Newport, Vermont, Memphremagog
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