Snow Geese
Winter photography, beauty, and more...
Taking photographs in the winter can be challenging. All of my photographs are taken with my phone and early Monday morning no matter how many times I touched the screen it didn’t work because my fingers were so cold. I’ve purchased two sets of gloves that work with touch screens, but they are so bulky they don’t work very well. Winter photography is a challenge, but worth it.
Winter isn’t as colorful as the other seasons of the year, but that’s a challenge I don’t mind. I just have to think a bit more about more subtle contrasts and shapes that are interesting and be a bit more creative. The contrast above with the brown plants, the blue sky, and the white clouds works for me. It’s almost as if the clouds are clearing a path for the sun.
I think this works too. Shot on a different day than the top photo.
I like this one very much.
I’ve been hearing and seeing Snow Geese for a couple of weeks now. They breed in the Arctic in the spring, and central Iowa is the northernmost point where they overwinter over the Mississippi flyway.
Snow geese have been prominent in Native American mythology and lore for centuries. The snow goose is a totem for the winter solstice on the Native American medicine wheel. The white feathers of the snow goose symbolize the breath of life and remind people of the birds' roles as messengers between heaven and earth.
I believe these are gulls, but I’m not quite sure.
Some Canada Geese.
And above is an eagle.
I wonder what the story is for this tree. Below is some interesting sound I captured near here. Does anyone know who is talking to us?
Our fossorial friends have been busy. I see mounds and tunnels everywhere. Moles? Pocket gophers? I’m not sure. What do you think?
I cast a long shadow these days in the mornings.
The crick is frozen. Remember, beauty is everywhere, all around us. All we have to do is look.
If you enjoy Cedar Creek Nature Notes, I encourage you to subscribe to my friend Larry Stone’s “Listening to the Land.” It’s fantastic. Larry has forgotten more than I will ever know about our outdoor world.
For another glimpse of the wonders of the Iowa outdoors, Diane Porter’s My Gaia is another Substack I enjoy. It’s full of observations on nature and is ripe with wisdom.
And don’t miss Al Batt’s Substack at Al’s Substack. Al Batt of Hartland, Minnesota is a writer, speaker, storyteller, and humorist. Al writes humor and nature columns for many newspapers and does regular radio shows about nature. He writes a number of popular cartoon strips that are syndicated nationally and is the author of the book, "A Life Gone to the Birds." He is a columnist for "Bird Watcher’s Digest" and “Watching Backyard Birds,” and writes for several magazines and books.
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Those were raccoons. They were discussing politics.
I like your reflections photo, too! I don't recall whether you've said which type of phone you use, but if it's Android, remember that the volume control works as a shutter release, too. I find that much easier than poking at the screen. Of course, any other setting changes do make you touch the screen.