Sands of Silver

Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge

2008-04-30T12:53:00.017-04:00

From the The Friends of Montezuma Wildlife Refuge:

"The Montezuma Wetlands Complex (MWC) Project is an effort by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and Ducks Unlimited, Inc. to protect, restore and enhance wildlife habitat. It encompasses approximately 36,000 acres (14,569 hectares) in Seneca, Cayuga and Wayne counties in upstate New York and includes the federal Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, the state Northern Montezuma Wildlife Management Area, and lands owned by conservation groups, farmers, and other private landowners. Public lands and some private land are managed to provide habitat for wildlife and recreation and education for people."

Montezuma NWR is a major stopping point for migrating birds in the spring and autumn, and one of my favorite places to visit. Located in the Finger Lakes Region of New York, it never disappoints. It's a place where one can see wildlife fairly close-up. Most of the viewing must be done within the confines of your vehicle, but one can view the wildlife quite well, despite the restriction. There are several trails that are well worthwhile. I have observed some fantastic sunrises and sunsets there. I have seen eagles, ospreys, and hawks soar, wading birds, herons catching fish, songbirds, white-tailed deer with their fawns, wildflowers, and much more.

To learn more:

Friends of Montezuma: http://friendsofmontezuma.org/

Gorp: http://gorp.away.com/gorp/resource/us_nwr/ny_monte.htm
Finger Lakes - Montezuma: http://www.fingerlakes.org/nature/nature_montezuma.htm

Acadia National Park

2008-03-12T22:17:00.006-04:00

Acadia National Park is one of my favorite places to visit while on vacation in northern New England. The vistas from the mountaintops are beautiful; there are ponds, trails, beaches, waterfalls, gardens, forested lands, and more, and it doesn't matter if you hike a trail or just drive the park, it is peaceful and unforgettable there.

NPS.gov describes Acadia: "People have been drawn to the rugged coast of Maine throughout history. Awed by its beauty and diversity, early 20th-century visionaries donated the land that became Acadia National Park. The park is home to many plants and animals, and the tallest mountain on the U.S. Atlantic coast. Today visitors come to Acadia to hike granite peaks, bike historic carriage roads, or relax and enjoy the scenery."

http://www.nps.gov/acad/

http://www.acadia.net/anp/

http://www.acadia.national-park.com/

Ribbit!

2008-03-11T11:17:00.004-04:00

Morning Deer

2008-03-03T17:17:00.002-05:00

Morning Dove

2008-03-03T16:39:00.003-05:00

Sanctuary

2008-02-24T21:44:00.023-05:00

Claire.

This is a place very near my house where I like to go to reflect and enjoy nature at its best. I rarely see people there, but one day I met this woman as she was leaving. The scene reminded me of something Monet might have appreciated

The first time I saw this place, I was driving by, and like a dream, there were three deer wading through the water in this pond, which was brimming with beautiful water lilies. Of course, I had to stop.

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As I walk along the path by the pond, frogs shriek and splash into the water

This is a place of peace

A place I like to call, very simply, "The Sanctuary"

It's a sanctuary for me and for the little creatures that live there

Everyone should have a place like this.

Sanctuary.

Fog - A Gift

2008-02-21T07:57:00.024-05:00

As much as we love our days of sunshine and colors

When there is fog, there is a quiet intimacy that cloaks the earth, giving us time to reflect

Off in the distance, unseen, there are the sounds of birds

And a splash

With any luck, the fog might lift just enough to reveal what is out there.

A gift from Mother Nature.

Misty Mornings & Dazzling Light

2008-02-13T07:07:00.015-05:00

I like foggy mornings when everything is all webby and wonderful. The dew clings to things and reveals what we can't always see

And when the sun begins to break through, the light is like something from a fairy tale.

.Splashed with rays of light that come dancing down, I feel like an intruder...

As though I'm looking into a world where somebody else lives.

.Surely, following those rays, going upward, would take me to some magical place.

Good Eyesight or Tall

2008-02-07T06:54:00.001-05:00

This is one of my favorite Nature Sanctuaries. It's a quiet place, and I only very rarely see other people there.

On this day, the fog was very thick.

I liked the way it drifted before me

Sometimes when birds flew over, I couldn't tell what they were because they looked white through the fog. A flock of "Snow Geese" later turned out to be Canada Geese when I looked more carefully on my computer. I didn't have that problem with this gull.

One thing about fog is that if you want to see through it, you need good eyesight... or else you need to be very tall to look over it. ;-)
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Little Cat Feet

2008-02-03T20:10:00.002-05:00

There is a serenity that comes with an early morning fog.

A stillness.

I love to wander and stop to look at nature's details.
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I think Carl Sandburg had it right.
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"The fog comes on little cat feet. It sits looking over harbor and city on silent haunches and then moves on."

In my case, it's the rural countryside... and it's beautiful.

Foggy Mornings

2008-02-01T05:52:00.003-05:00

There was a time when I would awaken early in the morning

Look out the window to see that there was fog

I would think to myself, "I'll wait until the fog clears before I go out"

I used to, but not anymore.

Now I see the fog as an opportunity to see the world a little differently

Sands of Silver

2008-01-30T23:20:00.000-05:00

This is my favorite beach

It is called Silver Sands

When the sun is low in the sky
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It's easy to understand how it got the name

Each grain of sand glimmers and shines

But at the end of the day, it sometimes turns to gold.

Beach Grasses

2008-01-28T12:26:00.002-05:00

While at the beach in winter, a closer look at the grasses sometimes offers unexpected rewards.

This duck was walking on thin ice - for real. He kept breaking through the ice to water

Looking out over the marshes - beyond is a sandy beach facing Long Island Sound

A Harrier Flies Over the Grasses - A Breach Inlet is visible
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A Great Blue Heron stands silent and still

A little pod hidden in the grasses

Great Blue Heron

Still Waters of a Marsh Waterway
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The Beach in Winter

2008-01-27T21:19:00.001-05:00

Many tend to think of New England beaches in winter, as desolate places, but there are all sorts of things to be found that are of interest. With the absence of sun worshipers, the birds and animals emerge, so there can be rewards for putting on the extra layers of clothing and venturing out into the freezing sea air.

A Gull Landing

Sleeping Sandpipers

A collection of shells

Various types of Sandpipers and Piper-like birds

Gull with a catch

It's Not Just Beach Sand

2008-01-24T21:36:00.002-05:00

Seashell Filled With Sand

Crab Claw

Sea Shell

Deer Track on the Beach

A Pretty Feather