Outlook Point

Out testing an new lens this evening a Canon 50mm 1.8 STM,  this lens has a motor to focus. It's much faster and sharper than my old Canon 50 mm.

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American Goldfinch

Lots of finches this year as I was using Niger seed  in one of the feeders.  This was taken a few days ago.  Not many on the feeder now so I have taken the last feeder down today.

Morning Catch

Tonite's supper fresh Whitefish

Great long weekend, looks different tonight

One of the best May long weekends as far as weather goes, not even any blackflies or mosqitoes.  Cold on Tuesday and ended with snow, it's supposed to get better tomorrow.

Finally the ice has gone

With some wind and rain it has finally opened up as far a you can see down the lake.  Not sure of the other bays though I suspect they are just about the same.  It's great to see the blue and hear the waves again.

Looking down the lake yesterday

With flurries off and on yesterday down the lake from the Outlook Pt. it looked like this.  This AM woke to about an inch of snow which quickly bought out the plow truck and sanded the road.

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Hydro crew clearing lines and preventative work

Here is a video of a couple of trees being taken down across the road from me.   One has already been taken down. Two big poplars were taken down in no time.  By the way that is a woman up in the bucket who knows how to take down a tree in no time.

Cleaning up around the feeders

All those small sunflower hulls are hard to pick up in the spring.  This year I raked the needles and twigs out and used the vacuum.  Works great, just looks funny.

Finally the snow is moving out, some warm days and some cool with lots of wind.  Not a lot of flooding and the lake is starting to go around the edges in some places.  Here's a new one of a Pileated Woodpecker.

Nice and warm today

Warming up a bit now, with a good breeze.  Water over some of the ice and snow starting to melt.  Here is a pic looking across the lake this evening.

 

The things you see out the window

Working at the computer and something caught my eye out the window.  A Pileated Woodpecker across the road in a dead tree.  One of the largest woodpeckers around these parts.  The camera was right beside me...........................

then he left............

By the way I saw my first Robin yesterday, maybe spring is coming. Not so by the snow streaming past the window right now  5:23:PM  DST.

Starry nights

The last few days when the moon hasn't come up early the dark clear skies have been good for checking out the stars.   Here is a shot of Orion, the three stars are his belt and the vertical nebula and stars are his sword, off to the left is the brightest star Sirius. The reddish star above his belt is Betelgeuse.  Those lights are Old Reekie.

Hoary Redpoll

If you look at enough Redpolls all winter you may find a variant called a Hoary Redpoll. These birds have white in their feathers suggesting Hoar Frost hence a Hoary Redpoll. 

The Arctic redpoll, known in North America as the hoary redpoll, is a bird species in the finch family Fringillidae. It breeds in tundra birch forest. (Wikipedia) 

A short look at this mornings lunar eclipse

click on  the videos full frame to see a better view

Thought I had the clock set this morning but something went wrong.  I did capture a little piece of it sinking below the trees, because of the time we only got to see a partial look at the eclipse.

Creeks and Rivers

Creeks and Rivers are starting to show more water around rapids and narrow areas.  Still a lot of snow in the bush it's will take some time before it goes, unless it rains. A couple of shots of Montreal River at Edith Lake and the Wapus Creek at the bridge.

Finally a new bird at the feeder

After wading thru hundreds of Repolls, Chickadee's and Grosbeaks a new bird finally appeared on the front step.                                     A Morning Dove.

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Truck accident at Wigwam Hill (east of Lost Lake)

This video is a little shakey, I should have stopped and shot.  Truck with load going east loses control coming around bend and finally rolls on it's side meanwhile an empty log truck coming towards hill has to take action and hit the ditch. 

Aurora Borealis

The last couple of nights we have had some great northern lites.  According to the weather network we may still have some tonight.  Getting camera ready the first night I was out I didn't have the right settings all pictures were deleted, last night I was ready and had some practice shooting too I'm sure glad to get another chance.  The camera collects more colours than your eye.

Feeding crows

An other video this time feeding crows, they seem to like the chicken skin and bones but not the baguette who would know.

Threat of lots of snow by tomorrow

Good thing I went out and cleaned some of it all ready.  To bad it took me so long.

Finally a break in the weather

Last couple of days have been quite nice with the sun out the temperature has gone above the freezing mark.  Still lots of Redpolls and Grosbeaks.  Waiting for the flood of more species to start coming in. Here is a male Redpoll eating up some sunflower seeds.

End of February finally

Just before Christmas I bought a GoPro camera, I worked with it for over a month but I was having trouble, I thought it was me but ended up being the camera. After a few emails with GoPro in California and a couple of weeks I finally got a new one sent to me. They were very easy to work with my problem with the camera.
 I have been taking some videos and stop motion, the unit is working well and I just need to get a better handle on it myself.  Here is a couple I did today. When I speeded up the snowshoe one it looks like the Walk of the Penguin.

 

The other is a stop motion of cleaning the upper roof on the house before it all falls down on the lower roof.

    

Portrait of Pine Grosbeak ♀

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Backyard birds

With all the extreme cold these days the birds are flocking to the feeders, I have been refilling my feeders 2 to 3 times a day. Mostly Redpolls, Evening Grosbeaks, and Chickadees. 

 

Single Lake on the snowmobile trail

Drove west today out to Single Lake where the snowmobile trail comes up to the road, walked down the trail down towards the minnow pond, and from there into the North Arm of Gowganda Lake. Lots of snow in the trees some of them snapped off. 

Up early this morning

Up early this morning to put some more logs in the furnace, it was so bright out I didn't have to turn the lights on.  The moon is still very bright which cast great shadows in the backyard.  Thru the window I got some good shots, of the backyard and a bonus the school bus coming into town and going out (notice the roof light flashing).  In the picture of the back yard in the sky you can see part of the constellation of Cassiopeia.

February - Snow Moon

Lots of snow and very cold nights for some time now, the daytime temps have been more moderate but when the wind is up it's cold.
Last night was the full moon and in February is called the Snow Moon which is just what we have lots of snow.  The Hedlund Marsh pic is in black and white, not much sense in colour these days.

Comet watching

Finally got a picture last night of the comet Lovejoy that has been in the sky for awhile now.  The best days up here were this last week.  With the weather and the moon it didn't offer many opportunities.  Last night I finally got a pic, not very good but its a picture.

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Doesn't look like much but it's there found west of the Pleiades

Something new Feeder Cam

Trying out my new GoPro Hero 4 Black since Christmas but having troubles with the editing.  Getting close to understanding it better.  Here is one I think is worth publishing.  The Feeder Cam in high speed.

Frosty weather

Finally a bit of a break in the weather today and even tomorrow.  The last week or  so has been pretty cold, here is one of the frostier days.

Cold and colder

Most of the northeast of Ontario is covered with very cold weather with lots of snow.  Gowganda has not been left out temperatures tonite are going to -29C° with wind chill of -41C°.  Will have to put more logs in the furnace.  Here are a few cold and snowy pics of Gowganda for the new year.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Montreal River

Down by the river between the dam and the bridge yesterday still lots of water going through.  Lots of ice up and down the sides and along the rocks.

Cold and windy

After a short break of warmer weather we are in for a couple of cool days.  This is a pic of the wind blowing the snow across the lake down by the river.  The other ice growing on the porch door.

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Today and a few days back

How the weather has changed last week snow and below freezing and today almost 5°C and rain.  We should not complain at all with the snow problems in Buffalo now.  All across the lake is water, the edges are opening up again.  This won't last long either.  This post is number 900.

TODAY

Most of the lake has thin ice

 Today down by the dam taking some pictures water levels have gone a way down as the dam has six logs removed.  Most of the lake after last night has a skim of ice on it even the North Arm and down by the river.

Last night and this mornings snow and freezing rain

Here is a couple of pics from this morning after getting dumped on during the night and this AM.  Some areas are still getting more and we could get a lot more overnight.  Chance of more freezing rain too.  If this is the start it's going to be a long winter.

Paving the road thru Gowganda

This project started some time ago with new culverts, seepage tube along the road, grading and finally the new asphalt.  By the time it was ready to put the first layer down the weather was closing in and made for hit and miss work.  The second coat started and so did the snow and cold finally a couple of good days lights were bought it for extended paving hours.  In a couple of days the second coat was finished.  I took some video in the dark to show the equipment and the lighting they used when working in the dark even the lines were put down.  It is finally quiet in town again and with a lot less traffic.   The new asphalt road runs from the east of the big hill coming into town to down by the old maintenance buildings on the west side of town.  They widened the road so there is more walking room along the edge of the road great for those big trucks that crowd you all the time.