Early and lots of snow

Lots of Snowy Owls that is

From reports there seams to be an abundance of our visotors from the north already this year and Winter is not upon us yet.

This could be an indicator of other owls from the north IE great greys and Northern hawk owls

It may turn out to be a bumper year so keep those eyes open and go out for some winter walks

Images from Yellowstone

I Know I Know not New England

If you ever have a chance to venture to Yellowstone in the late fall I highly recommend it

just back from Yellowstone

Hi All,

Sorry I have not posted as I was away in Yellowstone national Park and I hope to get back on track soon.

We had rather warm temps out west for the time of year so I did not get any ice or snow scenes but the elk , Bison and Bighorn Sheep were putting on some decent shows as the rut winds down there.

We were also blessed with a lot of Trumpeter Swans and had some other wildlife.

Yellowstone is a great place to visit in the late fall as it becomes almost your own place as the tourist are almost gone and the quiet and solitude take over

Will post some pics soon and other goodies from the trip

The Newspaper industry

Just wanted to touch on an issue that will effect all of us in the future.

The daily Newspaper as we know it is in danger of becoming extinct.

The population as it grows younger also moves away from the printed news as a source of info.

As a matter I feel that those in High School and younger do not keep up with current events at all unless they are forced to by teachers in their schools.

I take great pride in reading my daily newspapers and also the two most important major papers for my area. I am in the minority here as those under the age of 30 never buy a paper

Statistics released recently reveal that those in high school and younger about 90 percent never even look at a paper never mind buying one.

When asked about current events they either reveal what is being said on MTV or simular sites or what is accepted in their peer groups.

A newspaper affords an opportunity to hear many sides of an issue as there are many different views in the editorials and on the pages of different scribes.

My hope would be for parents and those in the influential community to impart on ther younger genreration a want to explore their world through the daily news that is revealed in the newspapers and not fall into the electronic trap of the future

thanks for letting me vent

Enjoy

John C

New Hampshire Foliage Run

I went all the way up to Pittsburg NH to see what foliage is around and although there are some nice pockets here and there it is still a ways off from peak.

Still time away just loafing around the country side is better than being at home and working.

There are lots of farm stands and old countryside to explore if you get off the beaten path and look around

Talk with the locals and buy some of their wares and they will welcome you with open arms.

Send them a picture if they have email or a web site send a jpeg to them

they just might turn out to be good friends and a source for future trips

Enjoy

John C

Cloudy days go outside

O K so it is a cloudy damp day here in the northeast. Does that mean stay inside.

Not on your life if you can make it to an area that can be helped by the conditions.

Cloudy days are good days to shoot Foliage, Flowers, Mamals , Birds.

Just about anything can have a good effect if photographed proberly in the conditions.

Try to not use to much of the sky in the pictures or to much of the reflected sky in a body of water. Other than that anything goes. Your exposure times will be slower so it is a good idea to use a support system of some sort IE tripod beanbag groundpod etc.

I actually prefer to Photograph Moose on a day like today as when it is sunny they can be a challenge to expose

Foliage is great to photograph and if there is a bit of fog even better

So don't sit around wanting a better day to go out and photograph Go out and photograph something that works in the conditions

Enjoy

John C

Cold Nights and a new season

With reports of a frost the last couple of nights up north it will now start the ball rolling on a new Foliage season and the fall migration of Monarch Butterflys.

A couple of years ago we had one of the best years of migrating Monarchs and there were many areas loaded with them both at night and until they were warm enough the next day to move on their travels.

Gooseberry Island in Westport MA was one such spot and it was glorious at times. Nearby Allens pond is another hotspot to look out for.

If you do not care to chase the Butterflys a trip up north to the Green or White Mountains should be fruitfull for the start of the Foliage season

This year could be one of the best in awhile as the winter moths were not such a problem and no major storms this fall to knock the leaves down.

Enjoy

John C

The Start of a Blog

Hello this is the first day of what I hope to be a combined journey with all of you into the area of New England to explore our Nature .

I will be here as often as I can with news about current hotspots and also current trends in photography and such

So come along and join me as we explore our New England Area and maybe a bit outside once in awhile

John C

A good time for a beach visit

Now that the summer crowds are gone and the kids are back in school. It is a great time to visit the many shorelines that abound in New England. You never know what you may find at the beach this time of year as the shorebird migration is winding down but there is always a chance of a rare bird gettng off course and making a appeareance.

The water temps are still mild so you can still take a swim also if you want and there are no parking hassels

Enjoy

John C