Skip navigation

Category Archives: Uncategorized

Snow Geese

I went a ways south a couple weeks ago in search of Sandhill Cranes and Snow Geese. It was time for the cranes to arrive in central Washington and I knew the geese had wintered there so I figured it would be a good time to see these charismatic birds. The dogs and I stayed at Potholes State Park in our new little travel trailer. (I forgot to make a photo of it. Next time.) This area is known for the Columbia Basin Irrigation Project and the geologic story of the Ice Age Floods.

I first saw some Snow Geese when I crossed O’Sullivan dam, the structure that holds the Potholes Reservoir in place. They formed a dense white mat in the distance. I was able to photograph them from a hill above the dam. Later, I saw skeins of them flying overhead going north and south but mostly north. The next day, we made our way to Royal Lake and I was overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of Snow Geese and more were arriving from the south! I had heard there were about 50,000 of them but seeing this spectacle, I’d say there were far more. It seemed impossible to count them. In addition to the Snow Geese, there many 1000’s of Northern Pintails and other waterfowl on the water.

In the Pines

Scenes from a walk a few days ago.

Five Days in the Mountains

Despite wet, windy conditions, the girls and I managed to get out most days for some sort of walk, hike, ramble amid the beautiful trees, rocks, meadows of the north cascades. The colors were saturated and the air was fresh and clean. My favorite time of year.

Evening Walk With Dogs

The days are getting shorter, faster, it seems. Soon it will be dark after dinner and there won’t be any evening dogs walks. But for now, the weather is perfect and the light is lovely so we enjoy it while we can. Some chokecherries, nearly black, and snowberries still cling to the bushes. The serviceberries and currants are long gone, eaten by birds, coyotes, bears and Willow got some too. This is brown season. We have white season, green season, brown season and fire season. Fortunately, this year, fire season hasn’t been threatening to us, so far. With little or no precipitation in the forecast, we are not out of danger yet.

Out in the Dark, Again

Have you ever been out in the dark and seen the Milky Way and shooting stars? Have you stayed out there for hours, watching the night sky revolve around you, or I should say, watching as you revolved around the night sky? If you can find yourself truly out in the dark, without extraneous light (not an easy thing to find), you will be amazed at what you can see, once your eyes adjust to the night sky.