The New 2012 Daily Blog

Golden eagle over Bear Mountain, NY

     Five years ago in 2006, I began a project in which I vowed to create a journal in which I would capture at least one nature photo per day for the entire year. (No fair going to the archives for a new photo....each must be taken on the day it is posted!)  On New Year's eve, 365 days later, I photographed and printed out my final entry.  Well, I'm ready to repeat the challenge of a photo a day with a new twist...I'll plan to post each and every entry for the entire year on my blog.  The new format will allow me to capture and post digital movies as well as stills.   I know from the last attempt that there will always be the possibility for an occasional roadblocks that get thrown into the path, but I'll do my best to capture an image for that day.  Hope you'll join me on the journey which will include such already scheduled venues as the Florida keys, Wyoming, and even farther away from home, Australia and New Zealand.  Hope to see you on January 1st.  Have a great holiday.
                                           

Winter in the Dacks

Whiteface Mountain

     Sharon and I are lucky enough to be attending our grandson's hockey tournament here in Lake Placid this weekend. It's been great as the weather has been chilly but without an abundance of the white stuff, our team is playing in the finals tomorrow morning, and we've been able to sneak away between games and hit nearby places in the Adirondacks that we love to bird . So far, we've visited Bigelow Bog, Lake Placid and Whiteface Mountain. Even though we only get away for an hour or so each time, it's been enough to bag two new year birds and an elusive lifer for me, the Boreal chickadee.

Boreal chickadee

      There were several Boreals at Bigelow Bog sprinkled in among a larger flock of Black-capped chickadees which were all in resplendent fresh Black, white and gray plumage.

Black-capped chickadee

      Siskins were found along the road up to the gatehouse at the entrance to Whiteface Mountain drive.  We had searched the other areas pretty thoroughly with no results until we found this pair.

Pine siskins

      The Red-breasted nuthatch has been a nemesis for us this year. We had the white-breasted and the Brown-headed, but I really was beginning to believe that we'd go the entire year without this bird.  Fortunately, the first edge of bog and coniferous forest that we checked produced the nasal note of this red-breasted and eventually fine views.

Red-breasted nuthatch

      What a great weekend all the way around! We head back to Orange County tomorrow after the tournament finals and hopefully a gold medal for the boys.  Basically, we were all winners this December weekend.